Innovation systems and
innovation platforms
Jim Ellis-Jones
Africa RISING Training Workshop on Innovation Platforms
Addis Ababa, 23-24 January 2014

Innovation Platforms
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What is innovation?
What is an IP?
Different types of IP
IP roles
IP members
IP leadership
IP accountability
What are the challenges in IP establishment
and sustainability?
Some examples

What is innovation?
Innovation is a process of ensuring that a
new product, technology or management
practice is put into use…………
 ..and leads to economic and social benefit
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 Improved
food and nutritional security,
reduced poverty and income generation
 “A means of turning knowledge into money”
IPs provide a forum to get players to
interact and play their role in R&D

An innovation systems approach
4
Knowledge generation
Supply / Push
Stakeholders
Information market
Demand / Pull
Farmer capacity
to source and use knowledge
Putting knowledge into use

Institutional diagram
5
CIP/ILRI/IMWI/ICRAF
B o Agriculture
University
National /Regional
Woreda
Forestry
Agric, Educ, Health
Coop
Agric
Kebele
Police
Clinic
School
Farmer Assoc
Seed Assoc
Seed Company Coop Office Assoc
Youth
Community radio
Church
Water Ass
Farm Africa
NGO
Self help groups
Research Centre
Women group
Fertiliser agent Agro-dealer Market
Mo WA
CARITAS
DEC
World Vision
Mo E
Mo Health

What is an IP?
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Stakeholder forum to facilitate interaction and
learning
Often selected from a commodity value-chain or
a system to undertake
 Diagnosis
of problems/challenges
 Exploration of opportunities
 Investigation & learning from alternative solutions
 …..promotion of innovation
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IPs can operate at two or more levels
 Strategic
and Operational

Types of IP

Strategic level
 National,
Regional, Zonal, or Woreda levels
 Senior
staff / “champions” - enthusiastic
individuals of stakeholder organisations
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Operational level
 Kebele/village
level
 Membership - same stakeholders as Strategic lPs
Effective IPs have cohesion, unite
stakeholders and meet the interests of
all participants

on
ce
Research themes
Kebele
Woreda
IP
Kebele
IP
Zones
Crops (seeds, stora
Kebele Coop
marketing)
Livestock (health, fe
Farmer groups
High value products
NRM
Women groups
Youth groups
Woreda
Woreda
IP
Strategic IPs
Kebele
1:5 initiative
Traditional groups
Kebele
IP
Operational IPs
Innovation clusters

Farmer-to-farmer uptake pathways

IP roles
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Identify challenges and opportunities
Encourage interaction between public and private
sectors, NGOs and CBOs
Co-ordination of R&D activities
Strategic entry point of for all agreed interventions
Regular meetings, typically 4-5 times per year
 Community
engagement, Planning, Implementing,
Assessing (field days), Reviewing (PREA cycle)

Role of kebele IP and farmer organisations
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Adopting the programme of testing /
demonstrations into local activities
Appointing a person (model/lead/research/host
farmer) responsible for farmer trials/ demos
Encouraging participation by other farmers in
trying new practices
Arranging field days to assess new practices
Evaluate at mid and end-of-season
Planning for the new season

Typical operational IP Members
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Farmer representatives from key CBOs
Traditional and religious leaders
Woreda representative(s)
Kebele DAs (crops, livestock, NRM)
NGO representatives
Researchers
Input suppliers, traders and processors
Others ………………..

IP leadership
Chairperson (local farmer/local leader)
 Secretary (DA at kebele IP)
 Facilitator/coordinator
 Quarterly meetings based on PREA cycle
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 Agree
on priorities and action plans
 Select groups and farmers for implementation
 Organise field and assessment days
 Monitor progress – adjust plans

IP individual accountability
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Liaise, report to and from CBOs/farmers in the
kebele
Represent kebele on a woreda IP

Innovation platforms and partner participation
Local
R&D
participants Organisations
Private
Sector
Phase 1: Engaging
with stakeholders
Interest
Phase 3: Ensuring
sustainability
Collaboration
Interest
Facilitation
Collaboration
Backstopping
Commercial
opportunity
and farmer
support
Time
Phase 2: Planning,
learning and
assessing
Leadership
Ownership
Leadership

Zomba, Malawi
Soil fertility
or Maize- legumes

Dairy, Kabale,
Uganda

Kigale, Rwanda, potatoes

Confusion
Understanding
Success