Working with National Innovation Pilot Learning Sites and Inter-regional

Innovation Platforms

Wale Adekunle Director, Partnerships and Strategic Alliances

Forum for Agricultural Research in Africa 2nd Global Conference on Agricultural Research for Development (GCARD 2) Punta del Este, Uruguay, 28th October-1 November 2012

Sub-Saharan Africa Challenge Program

FAO Hunger Map

Hunger is most severe in Africa, despite abundance of human & natural resources

Undernourishment is responsible for 25,000 deaths each day. Responsible for stunting in 150m children (a life sentence of sorts)

Prevalence of undernourishment in the total population %

Goal of the SSA CPProblem:

African agricultural research has not realized its potential contribution towards improving the livelihoods of Africans, especially smallholder farmers.

Goal:

Substantially greater impact from agricultural research for development (AR4D) leading to improved rural livelihoods, increased food security and sustainable natural resource management throughout Sub Saharan Africa

Method:

Develop and test (proof-of-concept) an AR4D approach that overcomes the shortcomings of traditional approaches.

This approach is known as: Integrated Agricultural Research for Development (IAR4D) (Using Innovation Platforms)

Categories of problems faced by small farmers in Africa

4

Technological Constraints

Infrastructural ConstraintsInstitutional

Constraints

Food and Nutrition insecurity, environmental degradation and poverty

Governance as an overarching factor

Example of Nerica

• Good technology

• Spread is slowed down by non –availability of seeds

Importance of non-technological Constraints

In the hands of farmers

On the shelves

•Knowledge•Technologies•Inventions

Non technological constraints have remained “invisible” for too long

Innovative Partnerships altering the landscape

Removal of Technological , institutional and infrastructural constraints paves the way for food security, nutritional security, poverty reduction and environmental preservation

Innovative Partnerships based on analysis of ProblemsPartners determined by nature of problem at hand; capability; readiness to work with others; learn from others

Then we conduct Problem Analysis

General Problems•Poverty reduction•Food security•Nutrition security•Environment •Gender

Research Themes•Productivity• Markets• Policy• NRM• Product Development • Nutrition • Gender

Research Specific Problem

Similar analysis is conducted for Institutional and Infrastructural Constraints identified or foreseen

Transpoters

Private Sector

Farmers

Extension

Govt

Innovation Systems

End users

Research

IAR4D - Participation and Gainful Interaction

Infrastructural Innovations

TechnologicalInnovations

InstitutionalInnovations

From Outputs to Impacts - Innovation Platforms

Innovative Partnerships

• Research Themes

Productivity

Market

PolicyProduct

Development

Natural Resource

management

Nutrition

• Gender

Socio-economic Benefits

Meeting old and new challenges

Women

Private Sector

Human Capital

Research and Devpt

Public Sector

Innovation Platforms

Youths

Management and Governance of the SSA CP…1/2

At three levels1. Task forces [Field research + coordination of taskforce members]

2. PLS Level [Pooling of TF research to PLS level + coordination of TFs]

3. Programme [Pooling of PLS research to prog. Level + coord. of PLS]

TF TF TF

PLS 1

TF TF TF

PLS 3

TF TF TF

PLS 2

PROGRAMME

Lead Institution

coordinators

TF Leaders

SSA CP Director

Agreements

Agreements AgreementsAgreements

Disbursement MechanismsCGIAR

FARA

IITA IFDC INRA

Collaborating Institutions

CORAFKKM

Contract

CIATL Kivu

CIAT MU RAB

TF approval

Bio TSBF SOFECSA

Collaborating Institutions

IITAZMM

ContractCollaborating Institutions

Contract

Recommendations of the M&G review

Programme level

CGIAR structures

Steering Committee

FARA secretariat/ Coordination UnitSub regional level SRO structures Lead institutions Management CommitteesProject Level Taskforce lead institutions

FARA Exec. Board

TF1 TF3TF2PLS Level

CORAF

SSA CP Steering

Committee

FARASSA CP

Coordination Unit

CGIAR

Regional Level

Sub RegionalLevel

Management

Governance

ASARECA SADC-FANR

CRST

Acronyms

CRST = cross-site research support team

TF = Task Force

PLS = Pilot Learning sites

ASARECA, CORAF and SADC-FANR are the SROs

TF1 TF3TF2PLS Level

CORAF

SSA CP Steering

Committee

FARASSA CP

Coordination Unit

CGIAR

Regional Level

Sub RegionalLevel

Management

Governance

ASARECA SADC-FANR

CRST

Acronyms

CRST = cross-site research support team

TF = Task Force

PLS = Pilot Learning sites

ASARECA, CORAF and SADC-FANR are the SROs

Programme committee of FARA’s Executive Board

Examples of benefits from RwandaTechnological option

Institutional Solution

Socio economic benefits

Basic Problem

The partners spoke out

I now sponsor my children to

the university

And me too

I bought cows

I used my assets to buy

rabbits

I built a new house which fetches me 20,000 F a

month

I am an input dealer, I also benefited a lot

I represent the Bank, we also benefited

significantly

Increase in yield coupled with better market accessWin-win partnerships

Impact coming already

I have a car and ten jobs have been created I am building a modern washing bay

Success story…. Uganda

Mamera Product of indigenous knowledge strengthened with modern science and contributions from the University of Makerere willing entrepreneurs Producers looking for market Input dealers looking for market Cooperation of Policy makers and extension Stanbic BankWin-Win Partnerships

Mamera now in the supermarket ….. More income, more jobs, nutrition

Success story…. DRC Kasiksi & Mutobe Product of indigenous knowledge strengthened with modern science and contributions from the University of Goma, DRC willing entrepreneurs Producers looking for market Input dealers looking for market Cooperation of Policy makers and extension Mecrego Microf-innanceWin-Win Partnerships

Second Level of Influence

Local or villagelevel Innovation Platform

Upstream Research activities

District level

National Level

First level of Influence

Participating Farmers

Innovative Partnerships allow for scaling up and scaling out

UP

OUT

Conclusions• Promoting impact of research requires that we complement technological options with appropriate institutional and infrastructural solutions

• This demands innovative partnerships on Innovation Platforms

• The work in SSA CP has shown that increasing impact is possible if we continue to be innovative in setting up appropriate partnerships

• CRP 1.2 will build on the success of SSA CP and other programs in the region to reach a wide range of partners to contribute to reduction of food and nutritional insecurity, reduction of environmental degradation, reduction of poverty and to economic development

Forum for Agricultural Research in AfricaForum for Agricultural Research in Africa

Thank youfor the attention

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