The Concept of Innovation
Platform for ARD : Experience
from the SSA CP
‘Wole Fatunbi
Program officer: Sub Saharan African Challenge Program (SSA CP)
A Presentation at the CRP 1.1 Regional Inception Workshop for North Africa and
West Asia
2nd -4th July 2012
Outline
Purpose
To explain the Innovation Platform and its
partnership arrangement that yields the
desired Innovation
African ARD has had numerous successes
However, the impact of the
technologies did not match
their potentials
• Institutional setting of the
research system can not
support scaling up of the
technologies.
• Approaches to R&D is not
all encompassing.
• Inadequate human and
financial resources
Technologies being hindered by institutional
barriers
Alter the landscape for changes to
take place
A (+)
B (-)
Differences in the system
Reflecting of Evolution of ARD systems scenarios
ARD System Scenario
yes
No
No
No
No
No
No
Value
chain
consider
ation
No
Yes
No
Yes
No
No
No
No
No
No
Yes
Yes
Yes
No
No
No
No
No
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
No
No
No
No
No
No
Yes
No
Yes
No
No
No
yes
yes
No
yes
Yes
No
No
yes
yes
No
No
No
No
No
No
No
Yes
No
No
No
No
Yes
Yes
Yes
No
yes
yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
No
Yes
Yes
No
No
Yes
No
No
Yes
No
yes
Yes
No
No
Yes
No
No
Yes
Research
Traditional linear model for
research and extension
Farming systems perspective
(OFR/FSP
Participation/participatory
research methods
Action research
Rural livelihoods
Agri-food systems/value
chain
Positive deviance
Knowledge development,
dissemination and use
Doubly green revolution
Rainbow revolution
IAR4D
Partners engagement
Extension Farmer
Policy
Private
End
user
Market
considera
tion
Research
demanded
by Users
No
About IAR4D ?
IAR4D is designed to overcome the
shortcomings
of thea multi-sectorial,
traditional R&D
IAR4D concept entails
multistakeholders
systems.
orientation to agricultural problem diagnosis, and
draws on integrated approaches
using ‘hard’
.
and ‘soft’ sciences to provide solutions,
while maximizing the available
resources
IAR4D is premised
on the innovation
systems approach and requires systemic
interaction among all stakeholders
around specific commodity or
production system.
What is an Innovation Platform ?
An Innovation Platform is a physical or
virtual forum established to facilitate
interactions, and learning among
stakeholders selected from a
commodity chain analysis
Their interaction leads to participatory
diagnosis of problems; joint exploration of
opportunities and investigation of solutions
leading to the generation of agricultural
innovation along the targeted commodity
chain
IAR4D - Participation and Gainful Interaction
Farmers
Policy
Private Sector
End users
Innovation Systems
Extension
Transpoters
Research
Output categories from the Research Action
Innovation
Platform
•Research Themes
Productivity
Natural
Resource
management
Market
Policy
Product
Development
Nutrition
•Gender
Technological
Innovation
Institutional
Innovation
Infrastructural
Innovation
Socio-economic
Benefits
Peculiarities of IAR4D Concept
A. IAR4D simultaneously addresses research and
development as a fused continuum for generation of
innovation.
B. All stakeholders in an IP have a contribution and benefits
which sustain their interest and continued participation
C. Innovation generated using IAR4D will benefit all
stakeholders on the platform.
D. IAR4D engages the policy makers at different levels all
along the process of R&D till innovation is generated.
E. IAR4D ensures a smooth public-private partnership in
ARD.
How to set up an
Innovation
Platform
and
Its Relevance to
CRP 1.1 in
NA&WA
The IP establishment Process in SSA CP
Site Selection:
 Identification of opportunities, challenges in
agricultural productivity
Selecting Commodities / Production Systems:

Commodity analysis – opportunities and
constraints
The IP
Selecting Partners:


Value chain analysis for the commodity
Stakeholder analysis using multiplicity of
frameworks

From production to consumption-
farmers (groups) , inputs (seeds, fertilizer, agrochemicals, finance and insurance) and including
Policy and agro- meteorologists.
The IP
Mobilizing the members:
• Start from the end- what market?
• Who produces- how many farmers and hectares
•
How many extension officers can serve them
adequately?
• What quantity of seeds required and who provides
these?
•
What quantity of fertilizer and other agrochemicals
and who provides these ?
The IP
Mobilizing the members contd:
 How much money is required and which bank provides
this?
 What other services are required- processing, bulking,
transportation?
 Policy makers are invited
 Meteorology also invited
Stakeholder analysis for determination of
capacity strengthening needs to meet market demand
What is needed; who provides, it and what methodology
Farmers’ training largely provided by the Extension and
geared towards production to meet market demand
Managing Partnerships on an IP
1. Develop management and governance guidelines
2. Facilitation of interaction of stakeholders.
3. Development of business plan
4. Implementation of business plans
5. Establishment of PM&E measures to draw lessons
6. Review of implementation and lesson learning
including review of business plan in response to
lessons and re-assessment of priorities.
Product Development & Market Innovation
Success story…. Uganda
Mamera now in the
supermarket
• Through Mamera drink,
5000 farmers increased
their income by an
average
80% in
 Productof
of indigenous
knowledge strengthened
Uganda
with modern science and
• Kasiksi
drink
contributions
fromdeveloped
the
University
of Makerereof
at the
University
 willing entrepreneurs
Goma
in DRC
increased
 Producers
looking
for
themarket
income of 2500
 Input dealers looking for
banana
farmers by an
market
 Cooperation
of Policyin DRC
average
of 200%
makers and extension
Stanbic Bank
Win-Win Partnerships
Potato packaging in Rwanda

Introduction of new
packaging of potatoes
doubled the income of
2000 farmers from USD
0.2/kg to USD 0.4/kg
per farmer, with each
farmer making an
additional average
profit of USD 1,600 per
season from potato
production.
Implication of CRP 1.1 Methods in NA&WA
1. The need to train and create space for IP
facilitation in program implementation.
2. Change of mindset to work with other
stakeholders in a business mode.
3. Advance research endeavor beyond the point of
knowledge and technology generation to the
point where innovation is generated.
4. Need to work with system perspective, and
allow a blend of different forms of interventions.
Conclusion
• IAR4D provides a holistic approach to solving the
problems of agricultural research in Africa.
• IAR4D concept is implemented through the
innovation platform.
• Innovations are generated at the interface of the
interaction of all stakeholders along the
commodity value chain on the IP.
• The adoption of IAR4D concept is fast spreading
among ARD stakeholders and countries in
Africa.
Relevant SSA CP reports
Supportive Journal Articles
Adekunle A.A and Fatunbi A.O (2012). Approaches for Setting-up
Multi-Stakeholder Platforms for Agricultural Research and
Development. World Applied Sciences Journal 16 (7): 981988, 20.
Kefasi Nyikahadzoi, Fatunbi A.O, Olarinde L.O, Njuki J and
Adekunle A.A (2011). Stakeholder Participation in Innovation
Platform and Implications for Integrated Agricultural Research
for Development (IAR4D). International Journal of Agriculture
and Forestry Vol 1(1): 1-9
Nyikahadzoi Kefasi, Fatunbi Oluwole, Adekunle Adewale and
Odularu Gbadebo (2011). Promoting effective multi-stakeholder
partnership for policy development for smallholder farming
systems: A case from the Sub Saharan Africa challenge
program. African Journal of Agricultural Research Vol. 6(15),
pp. 3451-3455,
Thank you
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