Value chains, innovation systems and action research: from principles to practice Ranjitha Puskur and Alan Duncan January 2009

Historical approaches to livestock development (and their shortcomings)

Adoption of new technologies by smallholders is generally low New technologies developed by researchers do not find their way into mainstream practice very easily Picture of UMB Picture of maize lablab Urea straw treatment UMB Images from FAO Cereal/legume intercropping

Historical approaches to livestock development Research Extension Farmer Linear thinking

Value chain and innovation systems Urban wholesaler Rural Farmer Collector Urban dairy producer Urban consumer Sorghum Rural farmer Chopped stover Collector Bagged stover Urban wholesaler Raw milk Urban dairy producer Proc. Milk Urban consumer

Embedding research and extension in a wider system Research Extension

Small holder/ Dairy cattle Hub/ Local org. Milk collection Milk processing/ marketing Breeding services Vaccinations Deworming Disease Investigation Veterinary services Breed selection Superior germplasm Performance evaluation Lab services Input supply Paravet Veterinarian Seeds Fertilizers Feed/Minerals Micro-finance Crop residues Fodder production Pasture development Water conservation / supply Fodder producers / Traders Plant breeders Soil scientists Small Scale Dairy value chain Training / Capacity building Monitoring / Evaluation Consumer

Why do we need to pay attention to innovation as a process? Farmer adopting integrated system Research Technology Bulker Goat Value Chain ‘ PULL’ Retail markets Supermarkets Restaurants Processor Veterinary Value Chain Genetics Value Chain Feed Value Chain Knowledge Market Information Credit Policy Organisational ‘ PUSH’ How do we get all of these actors working together to identify problems and co-create solutions as the value chains evolve?

Livestock system context -Biophysical -Technical -Social -Economic -Political - Institutional System diagnosis Drivers/Factors -Preferences -Policy and institutions -Knowledge -Culture -Risk and vulnerability –Infrastructure Environment - Technology Current state of a agricultural issue Current actors, alignment and practices

Identify a range of technical options to offer to farmers Experimenting with stakeholder platforms for livestock development – the process

Conduct focus group meetings involving stakeholders and farmers to identify constraints to improved commodity production and ways of alleviating them

Facilitate farmers to develop a strategy for testing new fodder options

Arrange supply of appropriate inputs e.g. seed or planting material

Rolling action plan - example Activity Responsibility Time line Focus Group Discussion OoLA , FAP, IPMS Jan-Feb Training FAP , EMDTI, IPMS, DZARC, OoLA Mar-Apr Forage Seed Supply OoLA , FAP, IPMS, Crop Grow May Cross bred cows faciliatation OoLA , Adaa Dairy Coop, EMDTI, DZARC Year round Ensuring AI and Vet Services OoLA , IPMS, Land Olakes, DZARC Year round Facilitating Milk transport and Marketing OoLA , Adaa Dairy Coop, FAP, Adaa Dairy Coop, Coop Promotion Year round Facilitating Credit Access Coop Promotion , IPMS Year round Rapid Market Appraisal for milk and feed FAP , EMDTI, IPMS, DZARC, OoLA Feb Facilitate Stake holders Platform OoLA , FAP, IPMS Year round Fodder - Dairy Economics FAP , EMDTI, DZARC, OoLA Jan-Mar Monitoring & Evaluation of all activities OoLA , OoARD, all other stake holders Year round Documentation of activities and processes OoLA, FAP, IPMS Year round Over all Coordination OoARD , OoLA, FAP Year round

Monitoring

Innovation processes in Ada’a Ethiopia Seed sourced 44 farmers plant on own fields X-bred cows sourced Farmers purchase seed 60 farmers plant on own fields Milk transport issues voiced May 2008 Oct 2009 Fodder options identified Dairy co-op formed Milk transport negotiations ongoing Organisational innovation Technical innovation

M&E for learning For whom? Actors involved in the system Who assesses? Actors, based on their different perceptions What kind of indicators? Primarily process indicators Time frame Continuous, periodical How is assessment done? Self assessment, group reflection, interaction What is the product? Lessons learned, improved practices, redefined objectives of needed For what use? Track progress, improve performance, strengthen capacity, advocacy, feed into planning

ILRI is creating and integrating knowledge to enable diverse partners to find innovative solutions to make livestock a sustainable pathway out of poverty