Purpose: The limited uptake of improved agricultural practices in Africa raise questions on the functionality of current agricultural research systems. Our purpose is to explore the capacity for local innovation within the research systems of Ethiopia, Malawi and Mozambique.
Design/methodology/approach: Using Conservation Agriculture (CA) as a case study, we qualitatively explore with 26 locally based agricultural researchers the context of CA research and promotion, including their perceptions on persistent research gaps and issues in closing them.
Findings: Respondents identified that CA was not yet a finished product, with concerns regarding the benefit, feasibility and relevance of CA implementation. They asserted that while further adaptation was required, they were unable to do this due to institutional constraints within their research, extension and policy contexts.
Practical implications: We find that CA continues to be considered a donor-driven intervention in its current form and requires substantial further adaptation to local contexts before researchers will deem it ready for farmer uptake. The five research gaps identified by respondents highlight practical areas where further adaptations must occur.
Theoretical implications: Our findings suggest a lack of participatory research and extension most likely reflects limited financial, human and social capital to implement more participatory approaches. Without addressing these capacities, widespread adoption of complex farming systems change appears unlikely.
Originality/Value: Whilst many studies have identified a need for local innovation to enable CA utilisation, few have qualitatively explored directly with local researchers the capacity of such systems to do so. We address this gap in the literature. 相似文献
Purpose: In this paper, we explore the strategic role of Multi-stakeholder processes (MSP) in agricultural innovations and how it has impacted livelihood assets’ (LAs) capital dynamics of stakeholders in platforms in West Africa.Design/Methodology/Approach: We demonstrate how LA capitals and socio-economic dynamics induced by MSP can enhance cassava production efficiency but also create opportunities and challenges that influence platform dynamics and impacts. We use a multistage sampling procedure and sustainable livelihood model (e.g. stochastic frontier functions and Tobit regression) to analyse LA capital dynamics of the stakeholders.Findings: We showed that the LA of the MSP participants (0.72) was found to be significantly higher (χ2?=?3.732, p?.10) than that of the non-participants (0.45). The results further revealed a remarkable increase from 0 to 0.77 and from 0.33 to 0.82 for human capital and social capital, respectively, as stakeholders participate in MSPs’ activities.Practical implications: We recommend the institutionalization of MSP in the Agricultural Research for Development (AR4D) with more extension follow-up services so as to adequately and appropriately unleash the potentials in social capital networks that enable the development, effective dissemination and adoption of agricultural innovations.Theoretical implications: This study suggests that soft-transfer of technologies seems to dominate at MSP inception. But at maturity, the results of the struggle between researchers and farmers would lead to co-reaction and community-based research. Consequently, the knowledge and power dynamics that take place within the MSP should be considered the centre of co-construction and platform dynamics.Originality/Values: The study provided a practical experience on how MSP can be institutionalized in the AR4D programmes to support agricultural innovation systems and foster pro-poor growth and livelihoods. 相似文献