This policy brief deals with the following points: (i) Given the importance of agriculture and the rural medium for countries’ growth and development, policy makers must strengthen the institutional structure of rural extension and increase public and private investment; (ii) Abundant natural resources, knowledge, technology, and extensionists are not enough.
This short note discusses the innovation platforms in their potential functions and benefits, with references to southern Africa countries. The initial consideration is that, although appropriate technologies and farming strategies to increase production in small-scale crop-livestock systems exist, farmers often have little or no incentive to invest in these.
From 4 June to 1 July 2012, the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) hosted a moderated email conference on "Ensuring the full participation of family farmers in agricultural innovation systems: Key issues and case studies". It was a highly successful global dialogue, with a very stimulating discussion. About 560 people subscribed to the conference, of whom 114 people (20% of the total), from nearly 50 different countries, wrote at least one of the 242 messages that were posted.
This policy brief presents, explains and illustrates the five key recommendations that came out of the joint learning process during the JOLISAA project: 1. Build on innovation “in the social wild”; 2. Combine local and external knowledge and ideas to enhance innovative capacity; 3. Encourage access to diverse value chains to lower the innovation risks; 4. Support unpredictable innovation processes; 5. Address the multiple dimensions of innovation.
This flyer summarizes the key-findings from the e-conference (19 April-13 May 2016) and the international symposium (21 June 2016) both organized by the Tropical Agriculture Platform (TAP) and supported by the United States in the framework of the USA-Brazil agreement to promote, via TAP, the implementation of the Agenda 2030 for Sustainable Development. The agreement pays particular attention to innovation system for food security, nutrition and sustainable agriculture.
The CDAIS project, funded by the EU and jointly implemented by Agrinatura and FAO, enhances innovation in agriculture by improving the functional capacities of individuals, organizations and systems. It brings partners together and uses continuous learning cycles to address the challenges and opportunities in and around selected ‘innovation niche partnerships’ in eight pilot countries in Central America, Africa and Asia.
Este documento presenta una serie de bienes públicos internacionales puestos a disposición de los países miembros del IICA, en procura de mejorar la competitividad y sustentabilidad de las cadenas agrícolas en las Américas.
Este volante muestra las acciones para mejorar la capacidad de los países para mitigar y adaptarse al cambio climático y utilizar mejor los recursos naturales.
The goal is to improve capacity for joint innovation, and strengthen this capacity at partnership, organizational and institutional/policy level, through an iterative process with the different stakeholders involved i.e. action and reflection, consolidation of lessons learned and re-planning. Preparatory actions must be well coordinated to ensure success and continuity of the CDAIS project.”
Flyer on CDAIS in Angola: seeds cooperative, rural entrepreneurship and rice development.
"Many topics in the participatory training were eye openers. I have learned a good number of techniques that will help me not only in project activities but also in my personal life. And I believe that the acquired skills and knowledge will help me support effective collaboration and dynamic stakeholder networks and local agribusiness partnerships and will help to generate new knowledge by fostering collective learning and joint experimentation.”
Flyer on CDAIS in Bangladesh.