Small-scale farmer innovation systems. A review of the current literature

This policy brief consolidates lessons learned from an in-depth literature review on small-scale farmer (SSF) innovation systems and a two-day expert consultation on the same topic, hosted in Geneva by Quaker United Nations Office (QUNO) in May 2015. This review draws together published literature on the evolution of the concept, how on-farm innovation systems function in practice, and the roles of outside actors in supporting them. The key message is that SSF innovation systems are unique relative to more ‘formal’ agricultural innovation systems, which inspires a reconsideration of the types of policies that are put in place to encourage innovation in agriculture.