The CGIAR is currently in a state of transition from its historical role in addressing defined agricultural technology problems, to engagement with strategic partnerships addressing systemic change challenges of the type defined by the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). This review explores good practice in multi-stakeholder partnerships (MSPs). Its purpose is to assist the CGIAR in identifying effective practices and strategies in the rapidly evolving context of stakeholders and global development initiatives.
The purpose of the study was to try and get a snapshot of broad patterns and trends, identify emerging issues that warrant further investigation and, more importantly, use these initial findings to start a wider discussion on business-led innovation and the SDGs, and the pathway for accelerating this.The survey was sent out to all members of Global Initiatives Responsible Business Forum (RBF) Network in November 2016.
Successful cases of innovation invariably demonstrate a range of partnerships, alliances and network-like arrangements that connect together knowledge users, knowledge producers and others involved in enabling innovation in the market, policy and civil society arenas. With this comes the realisation that public agricultural research needs to strengthen links to a wider set of players from the private and civil society sectors and, of course, farmers themselves. Public agricultural extension services have traditionally played the role of linking farmers to technology.