Beyond Europe: Priorities for Strengthening Agricultural Innovation Capacity in Africa Andy Hall LINK Coordinator, UNU-MERIT Jeroen Dijkman LINK coordinators, FAO-PPLPI Learning INnovation Knowledge Policy-relevant Resources for Rural Innovation

Home Lessons for Abroad: A Cautionary Tale It’s easy to forget how much our own national identities shape our views on how science, technology and innovation should be “done” For us academics (since nobody listens to us) this last point is not too important But we are now entering the age of the ‘New Philanthropists’ Soon to be biggest source of agricultural R&D grant-giving Vision of philanthropic organisations is personalised, and often, North American A Green Revolution for Africa… But what would we do? Learning INnovation Knowledge Policy-relevant Resources for Rural Innovation

It’s easy to forget how much our own national identities shape our views on how science, technology and innovation should be “done”

For us academics (since nobody listens to us) this last point is not too important

But we are now entering the age of the ‘New Philanthropists’

Soon to be biggest source of agricultural R&D grant-giving

Vision of philanthropic organisations is personalised, and often, North American

A Green Revolution for Africa… But what would we do?

Anglo-Dutch Innovation Preoccupations THE BRITISH Class-conscious and segregated Scientists are ‘weird-beard boffins’ and entrepreneurs who have the distasteful task of making money close to the bottom of the pecking order The class system was only officially “abolished” by Maggie Thatcher in the 1980s Still feel uncomfortable with education and collaborative relationships The Brits have always had great scientists. But they excel as a nation of gifted amateur-inventors Having come up with world-beating ideas, the Brits gave them away… for nothing! The whole of British industrial policy in the last 30 or so years has been obsessed with trying to put this right Making better use of ideas from scientists and others and bridging the gaps between enterprise and other elements of the economy Learning INnovation Knowledge Policy-relevant Resources for Rural Innovation

THE BRITISH

Class-conscious and segregated

Scientists are ‘weird-beard boffins’ and entrepreneurs who have the distasteful task of making money close to the bottom of the pecking order

The class system was only officially “abolished” by Maggie Thatcher in the 1980s

Still feel uncomfortable with education and collaborative relationships

The Brits have always had great scientists. But they excel as a nation of gifted amateur-inventors

Having come up with world-beating ideas, the Brits gave them away… for nothing!

The whole of British industrial policy in the last 30 or so years has been obsessed with trying to put this right

Making better use of ideas from scientists and others and bridging the gaps between enterprise and other elements of the economy

Anglo-Dutch Innovation Preoccupations THE DUTCH Small country that likes to make the most of what it has A more equal society and feels comfortable with the idea of linking and collaborating with each other The Dutch have many good ideas! Since well-linked together, they have been very successful in using these ideas and innovating In the long-term this ability to use ideas creatively has led to a hugely-successful economy Eg., The horticultural industry Although the sun never shines, the ability to use ideas effectively has allowed them to develop very successful greenhouse businesses — helped by lightbulbs from Phillips A recurrent Dutch innovation theme is strengthening innovation response capacity for social relevance and economic resilience Learning INnovation Knowledge Policy-relevant Resources for Rural Innovation

THE DUTCH

Small country that likes to make the most of what it has

A more equal society and feels comfortable with the idea of linking and collaborating with each other

The Dutch have many good ideas!

Since well-linked together, they have been very successful in using these ideas and innovating

In the long-term this ability to use ideas creatively has led to a hugely-successful economy

Eg., The horticultural industry

Although the sun never shines, the ability to use ideas effectively has allowed them to develop very successful greenhouse businesses — helped by lightbulbs from Phillips

A recurrent Dutch innovation theme is strengthening innovation response capacity for social relevance and economic resilience

Anglo-Dutch Innovation Wisdom Inventions are for idiots, make ideas count Good ideas are not worth the paper their patent application is written on, unless you can use or combine them with other ideas to make money or make people happy Learn to love linking, and link to learn loving Linking, collaboration and learning are important for innovation and can help you learn how to collaborate and innovate better in the future Innovate for society or die Succeeding today doesn’t mean you won’t fail tomorrow. Use ideas to respond to what society wants. It might be productivity today, but environment or the desire to reduce poverty or support enterprise tomorrow. Or all of the above. But respond for society you must Educate to innovate New thinking on how to use ideas and science will remain part of the psychobabble of innovation theorists unless you are able to get this thinking into higher education and inspire a new generation of scientists, planners and development professionals Learning INnovation Knowledge Policy-relevant Resources for Rural Innovation

Inventions are for idiots, make ideas count

Good ideas are not worth the paper their patent application is written on, unless you can use or combine them with other ideas to make money or make people happy

Learn to love linking, and link to learn loving

Linking, collaboration and learning are important for innovation and can help you learn how to collaborate and innovate better in the future

Innovate for society or die

Succeeding today doesn’t mean you won’t fail tomorrow. Use ideas to respond to what society wants. It might be productivity today, but environment or the desire to reduce poverty or support enterprise tomorrow. Or all of the above. But respond for society you must

Educate to innovate

New thinking on how to use ideas and science will remain part of the psychobabble of innovation theorists unless you are able to get this thinking into higher education and inspire a new generation of scientists, planners and development professionals

How does this translate into a plan for supporting agricultural innovation in Africa? GROUND RULES Supporting innovation is not just about fixing today’s problems, so our mission is to strengthen innovation capacity for the long-term In line with our desire to support all of society’s needs, this capacity must be responsive, people-centric and enterprise and environment-friendly Ten years to build a sustainable capacity and a development fund of 1 billion Euros Leads to an 8-point plan organised as different development funds Learning INnovation Knowledge Policy-relevant Resources for Rural Innovation

GROUND RULES

Supporting innovation is not just about fixing today’s problems, so our mission is to strengthen innovation capacity for the long-term

In line with our desire to support all of society’s needs, this capacity must be responsive, people-centric and enterprise and environment-friendly

Ten years to build a sustainable capacity and a development fund of 1 billion Euros

Leads to an 8-point plan organised as different development funds

1. Learning to Innovate for African Agriculture Fund — 25 % Diagnosis : Declining soil fertility, pest and disease problems, low and unreliable rainfall and low food production are key concerns Major focus of national and international agricultural research for many years but with limited progress Variety-based technology packages have not worked as well as they did in Asia While many constraint are amenable to research, the bigger problem is the limited impact of the already very large public investments in agricultural research over the 40 years Solution : Based on a review of accumulated innovation experience in Africa on these topics, establish 10 pilot research programmes that combine all that is currently known about enabling innovation — participatory methods, systems thinking and technology transfer The pilot programmes should be risky — we expect at least half to fail -- and should be orientated towards learning what approaches to agricultural innovation work in practice Learning INnovation Knowledge Policy-relevant Resources for Rural Innovation

Diagnosis :

Declining soil fertility, pest and disease problems, low and unreliable rainfall and low food production are key concerns

Major focus of national and international agricultural research for many years but with limited progress

Variety-based technology packages have not worked as well as they did in Asia

While many constraint are amenable to research, the bigger problem is the limited impact of the already very large public investments in agricultural research over the 40 years

Solution :

Based on a review of accumulated innovation experience in Africa on these topics, establish 10 pilot research programmes that combine all that is currently known about enabling innovation — participatory methods, systems thinking and technology transfer

The pilot programmes should be risky — we expect at least half to fail -- and should be orientated towards learning what approaches to agricultural innovation work in practice

2. Rapid Innovation Response and Resilience Fund — 10 % Diagnosis : African farmers and agricultural entrepreneurs face an unpredictable series of shocks product standards and competitiveness in international markets, animal and crop disease outbreaks, climate change and recovery from civil disturbances These require a continuous process of innovation and foresight information Solution : Time-bound taskforces, combining research and innovation services and an innovation clearing house to search for ideas globally This will be complemented by lesson learning exercises to develop a repertoire of responses to major agricultural shocks and opportunities This learning dimension will help build the responsiveness and resilience of rural economies. Foresight exercises will be established to scan for emerging shocks and opportunities Learning INnovation Knowledge Policy-relevant Resources for Rural Innovation

Diagnosis :

African farmers and agricultural entrepreneurs face an unpredictable series of shocks

product standards and competitiveness in international markets, animal and crop disease outbreaks, climate change and recovery from civil disturbances

These require a continuous process of innovation and foresight information

Solution :

Time-bound taskforces, combining research and innovation services and an innovation clearing house to search for ideas globally

This will be complemented by lesson learning exercises to develop a repertoire of responses to major agricultural shocks and opportunities

This learning dimension will help build the responsiveness and resilience of rural economies. Foresight exercises will be established to scan for emerging shocks and opportunities

3. An Innovation Architecture Fund — 10 % Diagnosis: Many African countries have developed excellent agricultural science infrastructure However, as research has not been orientated to society’ needs, political support has evaporated and funding declined Solution : Improve the relevance of research and the articulation of demand for research products by strengthening linkages with farmers, industry, civil society, banks, development agencies and decisionmakers This will be achieved by competitive, people-centred grant schemes and/ or enterprise-friendly, governance mechanisms and public-private joint investment in scientific infrastructure Learning INnovation Knowledge Policy-relevant Resources for Rural Innovation

Diagnosis:

Many African countries have developed excellent agricultural science infrastructure

However, as research has not been orientated to society’ needs, political support has evaporated and funding declined

Solution :

Improve the relevance of research and the articulation of demand for research products by strengthening linkages with farmers, industry, civil society, banks, development agencies and decisionmakers

This will be achieved by competitive, people-centred grant schemes and/ or enterprise-friendly, governance mechanisms and public-private joint investment in scientific infrastructure

4. Agricultural Innovation Education Fund — 10 % Diagnosis: African universities are very good at training agriculturalists in classical botany and agronomy But this does not prepare them for the real world where agriculture is part of a complex system of commerce, trade and uncertainty Scientists trained overseas often return with excellent scientific knowledge but have difficulty translating these to meet local circumstances Solution: Establish degree courses on innovation and entrepreneurship with a strong systems orientation and problem-solving pedagogy Add modules to science courses and use short courses to reorient scientists returning from foreign training Learning INnovation Knowledge Policy-relevant Resources for Rural Innovation

Diagnosis:

African universities are very good at training agriculturalists in classical botany and agronomy

But this does not prepare them for the real world where agriculture is part of a complex system of commerce, trade and uncertainty

Scientists trained overseas often return with excellent scientific knowledge but have difficulty translating these to meet local circumstances

Solution:

Establish degree courses on innovation and entrepreneurship with a strong systems orientation and problem-solving pedagogy

Add modules to science courses and use short courses to reorient scientists returning from foreign training

5. Innovation Coordination Services Fund — 20 % Diagnosis : Agricultural extension as a service to promote innovation through technology transfer does not work Farmers need assistance in acquiring and applying a range of different sorts of information so that they can access markets and deal with other shocks and opportunities. They also need help linking to agencies and companies that they work with or get help from Often innovation coordination services are required at a sector level, particularly in niche sectors such as aquaculture, spices and high value horticulture Solution : Support the training and retraining of public and private agents as innovation coordinators Strengthen the capacity of existing organisations to perform sector coordination roles. Where these are absent create new ones Learning INnovation Knowledge Policy-relevant Resources for Rural Innovation

Diagnosis :

Agricultural extension as a service to promote innovation through technology transfer does not work

Farmers need assistance in acquiring and applying a range of different sorts of information so that they can access markets and deal with other shocks and opportunities. They also need help linking to agencies and companies that they work with or get help from

Often innovation coordination services are required at a sector level, particularly in niche sectors such as aquaculture, spices and high value horticulture

Solution :

Support the training and retraining of public and private agents as innovation coordinators

Strengthen the capacity of existing organisations to perform sector coordination roles. Where these are absent create new ones

6. Agro-Industrial Enterprise Fund — 10 % (co-funded by a development bank ) Diagnosis : Agro-industrial development in Africa could add value and create much-needed rural employment Currently, lack of finance and links to knowledge and innovation services prevent the emergence of companies that are innovative enough to be regionally and globally competitive and compliant to trade standards If companies can’t prosper, they can’t employ poor people Solution: An agro-industrial development venture capital facility and the creation of specialist intermediary organisations/ knowledge services to link entrepreneurs to science and other sources of knowledge This will help build the responsiveness and resilience of emergent private agro-enterprises Learning INnovation Knowledge Policy-relevant Resources for Rural Innovation

Diagnosis :

Agro-industrial development in Africa could add value and create much-needed rural employment

Currently, lack of finance and links to knowledge and innovation services prevent the emergence of companies that are innovative enough to be regionally and globally competitive and compliant to trade standards

If companies can’t prosper, they can’t employ poor people

Solution:

An agro-industrial development venture capital facility and the creation of specialist intermediary organisations/ knowledge services to link entrepreneurs to science and other sources of knowledge

This will help build the responsiveness and resilience of emergent private agro-enterprises

7. Agricultural Innovation Policy Support Fund — 5 % Diagnosis : Innovation capacity (as distinct form science and technology capacity) is a new idea for many agricultural planners in Africa and the extent of this capacity is unknown Benchmarking can help identify gaps, select intervention points and track progress Participatory benchmarking and cross-country exchange exercises can help share ideas and promote institutional and policy change Solution : Commission the development of national agricultural innovation plans based on innovation surveys, participatory benchmarking and foresight process to strengthen national and regional networking and learning Learning INnovation Knowledge Policy-relevant Resources for Rural Innovation

Diagnosis :

Innovation capacity (as distinct form science and technology capacity) is a new idea for many agricultural planners in Africa and the extent of this capacity is unknown

Benchmarking can help identify gaps, select intervention points and track progress

Participatory benchmarking and cross-country exchange exercises can help share ideas and promote institutional and policy change

Solution :

Commission the development of national agricultural innovation plans based on innovation surveys, participatory benchmarking and foresight process to strengthen national and regional networking and learning

8. Agricultural Convergence Fund — 5 % Diagnosis: The boundaries of agriculture are expanding to include issues such as energy and health New platform technologies are one of the drivers of this expansion, but there are also market, political and ecological reasons This requires research and capacity building that falls between conventional funding and ministerial mandates Solution : A special co-funding challenge programme to address issues at the agriculture interface Learning INnovation Knowledge Policy-relevant Resources for Rural Innovation

Diagnosis:

The boundaries of agriculture are expanding to include issues such as energy and health

New platform technologies are one of the drivers of this expansion, but there are also market, political and ecological reasons

This requires research and capacity building that falls between conventional funding and ministerial mandates

Solution :

A special co-funding challenge programme to address issues at the agriculture interface

Concluding comments We have a very rich understanding of how innovation, including agricultural innovation, takes place and how it can be nurtured This understanding is derived from experiences in both the North and in the South An emerging challenge is that major new initiatives in agricultural R&D and innovation are not well informed of the accumulated learning on innovation and are likely to make many of the mistakes of the past While we should not try and copy-paste transfer the innovation arrangements that work for us in Europe or in individual African or Asian countries, it is our responsibility to make sure that principles of global innovation wisdom are shared and put into practice as widely as possible Learning INnovation Knowledge Policy-relevant Resources for Rural Innovation

We have a very rich understanding of how innovation, including agricultural innovation, takes place and how it can be nurtured

This understanding is derived from experiences in both the North and in the South

An emerging challenge is that major new initiatives in agricultural R&D and innovation are not well informed of the accumulated learning on innovation and are likely to make many of the mistakes of the past

While we should not try and copy-paste transfer the innovation arrangements that work for us in Europe or in individual African or Asian countries, it is our responsibility to make sure that principles of global innovation wisdom are shared and put into practice as widely as possible

Learning INnovation Knowledge Policy-relevant Resources for Rural Innovation LINK is a specialist network of regional innovation policy studies hubs established by the United Nations University-MERIT (UNU-MERIT) and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) to strengthen the interface between rural innovation studies, policy and practice and to promote North-South and South-South learning on rural innovation.