Engaging local stakeholders in
more inclusive innovation processes: Lessons from a review of innovation experiences
in African smallholder agriculture
Bernard Triomphe, Anne Floquet, Brigid Letty, Geoffrey Kamau, Ann Waters-Bayer
International Conference on Integrated Systems Research
Session 9, Theme 3: “Institutional & Methodological Issues in Working in Multi-Stakeholder Settings”
Ibadan, 5 March 2015
2 objectives of this talk, 3 days into the conference:
Illustrate what innovation processes (rather than farming ssystems) involving small holders across Africa look like
Recommend that research interventions should build systematically on local innovation dynamics, rather than being parachuted in the local landscape as if innvoation had to be started from scratch
Introduction
“ To assess & learn jointly from recent experiences across Africa about …
… how innovation processes involving multiple stakeholders & types of knowledge operate…,
…in order to identify concrete priorities for research, practice & policy…
…for addressing the needs & demands of smallholders & other rural actors.”
JOLISAA Overall objective
No intervention, pure « assessment » and « learning ex –post / (in itinere)
Innovation: type, nature, domain
Stakeholders’ roles & interactions
Role of local knowledge
Innovation triggers & drivers
Innovation phases & dynamics
Scale at which innovation is taking place
Results and “Impact” obtained
Triomphe et al., 2013, Triomphe et al., 2014
an hybrid analytical framework inspired by the
Innovation System perspective
57 innovation cases
(Benin, Kenya,
S. Africa)
Case 1
Lessons Case 13
Collab. assessment
Case Select ion
Inventory
Anal. framework
Feb/10 Jul/Nov 13
13 cases
Cross-Analysis
Nov/11
JOLISAA Process
Type of innovation
Natural Resource Management Value chain development
Benin • Integrated soil fertility management
• Hwedo agrofishing system
• Soy foods • Rice parboiling
Kenya • Soil liming • Prosopis management
• Aloe domestication • Mango processing • Solar milk cooling • Gadam sorghum
South Africa
• Integrated soil fertility management
• In-field rain water harvesting
• Input bulk buying
JOLISAA 13 Cases
Zoom on one innovation case: Domestication & marketing of Aloe
in semi-arid Baringo, Kenya
Belmin et al., 2013 Chengole et al., 2014
Aloe secundiflora Aloe turkanensis
Aloe Innovations
Exploitation of wild Aloe
Aloe plantations
Aloe-based cosmetics
+ organizational / institutional innovations (AMUs, PPP, certification)
1
Communautés de Kolowa, Loruk,
Radat
Communautés de Tangulbei et
Mukutani
Commerçants
KWS
KOKISA Land Mawe
LTD
Groupes de paysans
KEFRI
CDTF
2
Communautés de Koriema, Kimalel et
Sabor
Communautés de Kolowa, Loruk,
Radat
BABE LTD
CITES
AMUs
Communautés des divisions Baringo North & Koibatek
GoK
3
Actor networks of the Baringo Aloe innovation system & their interactionse
Triggers & drivers
Search for livelihood option in semi-arid region
Overexploitation of wild resource (aloe)
Change in regulatory framework (export ban on wild aloe products)
Main Stakeholders
Farmers / communities, formal research, aloe traders & other private entrepreneurs, government (external donors)
The Aloe innovation process in a nutshell 1/2
Key challenges encountered Identifying and accessing (export) markets
for Baringo aloe
Obtaining “fair” prices (for processed aloe sap, for buying raw sap to farmers)
Interactions & synergies between formal R&D institutions & trader-led Aloe networks
Transparent & efficient management of aloe factory
Leadership
Going beyond public funding
Etc.
The Aloe innovation process in a nutshell … 2/2
Predominance of market-driven innovation
Diversity (1) of stakeholders involved in innovation, (2) of innovation triggers & drivers (internal, external), (3) of innovation dimensions (technical, social, institutional)
10 years minimum relevant timeframe for making sense of (and supporting!) innovation dynamics (often several decades…)
A rather ambivalent link between innovation & externally-funded (R&D) interventions
Four key features of innovation across 3 countries
① Build on local dynamics: innovation “in the social wild”
② Combine local & external knowledge & ideas
to enhance innovative capacity (1+1=3)
③ Encourage access to diverse value chains
to lower the innovation risks
④ Support unpredictable innovation processes
⑤ Address the multiple dimensions of innovation
Five lessons for enhancing innovation by smallholder farmers
Fact: With little or no support from public research & development (R&D) institutions, smallholders & other local STH are innovating individually & collectively to: solve problems improve their farming & income grasp new opportunities etc.
How to identify & assess such dynamics and then
build on the most relevant (promising) ones,
rather than parachuting our own things and IPs?
Big role for systems research?!
1. Build on innovation
“in the social wild”
Endogenous aquaculture development in Benin
Harvesting aloe for informal market chain in Kenya
Build on existing innovation dynamics! Provide longer-term, flexible funding to support existing
development dynamics in smallholder farming – & to enhance the collective capacity to innovate of involved stakeholders
Encourage multi-stakeholder alliances / arenas / platforms at different levels – and not only for value chains…
Strengthen innovation brokerage capacities, especially in rural advisory services
Integrate innovation system (and system!) concepts, approaches, tools into agricultural education and on-the-job training for different types of stakeholders (incl. researchers…)
And also… Contribute to changing the incentive / rewards system and rules of
operation of our own research and donor organizations
In conclusion: promising paths to support & promote innovation
KARI: G. Kamau, T. Ng’ang’a, J. Kavoi UAC : S.D Vodouhe, A. Floquet, R. Mongbo, Ri. Tossou, UP: J. Stevens, B. Letty, G. Rootman WUR: J. van den Berg, T. Crane, C. Almekinders ICRA: N. Sellamna, R. Hawkins ETC: A. Waters-Bayer, N. Oudwater, M. Mariana CIRAD: B. Triomphe, B. Bridier, H. Hocdé (Coordination) And many researchers, practitioners & small holders in Benin, Kenya & South Africa
www.jolisaa.net (not updated yet!)
Thank you for your attention! Participants JOLISAA 2010-2013