Global climate change and food security are complex and closely intertwined challenges. A key requirement for dealing with them successfully is that agriculture becomes more eco-efficient. As researchers work toward this goal, they must always ask, “Efficiency for whom?” Finding answers to this question requires that research be conducted from a systems perspective in a broadly participatory manner involving complex collaborative arrangements.
Innovation platforms can be complex and challenging so effective monitoring is critical to ensure that they function effectively and achieve their intended purposes. A monitoring system is a collection of methods and tools to track and measure innovation activities, processes among partners, and the results of these processes. This brief describes what a monitoring system does, who is involved, how it works, and what to do with the findings. It is available in Chinese, English, Hindi, Thai and Vietnamese.
Las políticas de desarrollo rural han evolucionado considerablemente en América Latina. Durante los últimos 15 años, una de las principales áreas de énfasis ha sido el desarrollo de iniciativas que promuevan la formación de cadenas productivas en el sector agrícola en torno a unos productos estratégicos, los cuales generan economías rurales mucho más competitivas. En Colombia, el enfoque es novedoso, ya que se centra en el establecimiento de organizaciones de cadenas en el ámbito nacional y regional.
Este documento, refleja la experiencia del CIAT en sistematizar experiencias de la iniciativa Alianzas de Aprendizaje (donde confluían distintos actores del mundo de la investigación y el desarollo rural que creían en la idea de que compartir su conocimiento traería un mayor beneficio para ellos mismos y sus beneficiarios)
Adapting through innovation is one way for rural communities to sustain and improve their livelihoods and environments. Since the 1980s research and development organizations have developed participatory approaches to foster rural innovation. This paper develops a model, called the Learning-to-Innovate (LTI) model, of four basic processes linked to decision making and learning which regulate rate and quality of innovation. The processes are: creating awareness of new opportunities; deciding to adopt; adapting and changing practice; and learning and selecting.
An innovation platform is a space for learning and change. It is a group of individuals (who often represent organizations) with different backgrounds and interests: farmers, traders, food processors, researchers, government officials etc. The members come together to diagnose problems, identify opportunities and find ways to achieve their goals. They may design and implement activities as a platform, or coordinate activities by individual members. This brief explains what innovation platforms are and how they work, and it describes some of their advantages and limitations.
One of the most important things that innovation platforms do is to build the capacity of their members to innovate. Some key elements of innovation capacity include: self-organization, learning new skills, changing mindsets, valuing others’ roles in innovation, having a holistic view, being able to adapt to changing situations, creating new ideas, recognizing opportunities, being proactive, using indigenous ideas, and looking to the future. This brief uses the analogy of a traditional African cooking pot to explain how innovation capacity is developed within an innovation platform.
This guide is the second in a series of documents designed to support agencies implementing participatory agroenterprise development program operating within defined geographical areas.