Convergence of Sciences
Convergence of Sciences
Facilitating institutional change in
West Africa: The CoS-SIS Experience
S. Adjei-Nsiah1, O. Sakyi-Dawson2 and Laurens
Klerkx3
1
Institute of Agricultural Research, University of Ghana, Legon, Ghana
1 School of Agriculture, University of Ghana, Legon, Ghana
3 Knowledge, Technology and Innovation Studies, Wageningen University, The
Netherlands
2
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Outline
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Introduction
Materials and Methods
Results
Challenges
Lessons learnt and recommendations
Website
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Introduction
• Smallholders in West Africa have limited window
of opportunity to make technology relevant to
them
• Interaction among actors and concerted action is
required for them to benefit from opportunities
• Interaction and concerted action need to be
facilitated
• This paper is about how interaction and concerted
action are facilitated to bring about institutional
change in 9 agro-domains in West Africa
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Materials and Methods
• The work is being carried out in Benin, Mali and Ghana
since 2010 around 9 agro-domains
• The nine domains were selected by national working
groups based on national priorities
• The entry points were arrived at through exploration and
scoping studies
• Stakeholder platforms called “Concertation and
Innovation Groups” were formed around each of the
entry points
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Material and Methods
• The platforms are facilitated by Post-Doctoral
Research Associates and assisted by PhD students
• The facilitators identified potential members to the
platform through stakeholder analysis
• Membership of the platform is flexible and
consists of value chain actors (smallholders, public
and private sector service providers and
regulators)
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Main Results
• Power dynamics have been at play in most of
the platforms e.g. in Crop-livestock CIG in Mali
and Rice CIG in Benin
• In some of the platforms (e.g. Benin oil palm
and rice CIGs) power imbalances are as a result
of lack of trust among members
• Sometimes the voice of the less powerful actors
were not heard in the presence of powerful
interests on the platform e.g. in the Mali croplivestock CIG
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Main Results
• Conflicts have occurred in most of the CIGs e.g.
cocoa and oil palm CIGs in Ghana
• In some cases a shift in power or conflicts made
some members threatened to withdraw from the
platform
• The Research Associate takes on the role of
mediator to resolve conflicts
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Example: Analysis of power relations among oil palm
CIG members in negotiation of export opportunities
Power Relations before price
negotiation
(Power over)
(Power to)
Rep of Min of
Agric
Power Relation after price
negotiation
(Power over)
Rep of Farmers
Rep of Processors
Rep of Millers
(Power to)
Rep of Min of Agric
(Power with)
Export
Entrepreneur
(Power within)
Rep of Export
Promotion Auth
(Power with)
Rep of Farmers
Rep of Processors
Rep of Millers
Export
Entrepreneur
(Power within)
Rep of Export
Promotion Auth
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Main results
• Smallholders played varied roles in the innovation
process through e.g. providing and sharing
information with other stakeholders
• Some actors outside the platform played critical
roles to advance the course of the platform e.g. in
the Ghana oil palm CIG
• In all the platforms, some actors acted as
“champions” at some points in the innovation
process to remove key institutional constraints
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Main results
• Capacities of stakeholders were strengthened whenever
it was necessary as in the case of shea platform in Mali
and Oil palm platform in Ghana
• In all the platforms, R&D played a major role to remove
farm level constraints linked to institutional innovation
• Changing conditions outside the CIG had major
influences on the attainment of CIGs objectives e.g. as
happened in Benin cotton sector and oil palm CIG in
Ghana
• Activities of the CIG have been embedded in local
structures to ensure its sustainability e.g. the oil palm
CIG in Ghana
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Key challenges
• High expectations from platform members
e.g. as happened in Benin cotton CIG
• Tight work schedules of some of the platform
members resulting in time table conflicts
• Sustainability of platform after funding ceases
• Influence of external factors such as
government policy and changes in commodity
price on attainment of CIG objectives
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Key challenges
• Finding agreement among actors with divergent
interest can be a problematic
• Frequent changes in the leadership positions of
some key organisations could delay platform
activities e.g. as happened in Mali
• Resolving power struggles or conflicts in the
platform could also be very challenging
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Lessons learnt/Recommendations
• There is the need to build motivation from the start
• Getting the right representation from the start is
very important
• Time investment is key especially for the facilitator
• It is important to be sensitive to gender dynamics to
be able to address issues related to gender
• Adjust platform membership when the need arises
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Lessons learnt/Recommendation
• Monitor external factors (such as policy change,
price changes, political change etc) that are likely
to affect the platform performance
• Embed critical platform functioning within the
local structure
• Create opportunities and seize them when they
arise
• Adjust to socio-cultural norms
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Website and Contact Details
• Website: http://www.cos-sis.org