It has long been recognized that investment is needed to build capacity in Science Technology and Innovation (STI) particularly in low and medium income (LMI) countries. Yet there is little understanding as to how to do this. The combination of a) the use of research and innovation policy frameworks more aligned with High-Income Countries rather than LMI country social and economic environments and b) new commitments in many SSA countries to using research and innovation to meet the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) mean that we need to develop new practical conceptual policy frameworks to guide future research and innovation investments that are more deeply embedded, sustainable and locally owned than was perhaps the case in the past. In relation to that need, a pilot research project is developing a new framework rooted in knowledge systems (KS) perspectives. Conceptually, a practical knowledge system approach offers potential to provide a more comprehensive understanding of science technology and innovation (STI) investment contexts, generate new evidence on the impact effectiveness of different investment options and help define tangible policy instruments/interventions. Against this backdrop the current project is developing a practical KS concept and applying this in three-country cases, Kenya, Tanzania and Rwanda
The purpose of this paper is to map some elements that can contribute to an IFAD strategy to stimulate and support pro-poor innovations. It is an initial or exploratory document that hopefully will add to an ongoing and necessary debate,...
TAP and its partners carried out regional surveys in Asia, Africa and Central America to assess priorities, capacities and needs in national agricultural innovation systems. This document provides a Regional synthesis report on capacity needs assessment for agricultural innovation in Africa. FARA was...
This report describes the 2012 NAIS Assessment was piloted in 4 countries: Botswana, Ghana, Kenya and Zambia. Data were collected through a survey questionnaire, open-ended interview questions, and data mining of secondary sources. A team led by a national coordinator took...
The Establishment of the Rahad Scheme in Eastern Sudan in the 1970s established an agricultural innovation system where formal actors such as extension, research, finance institutions and informal actors such as agro pastoral organizations are networking to provide better livelihoods...