Innovation For Inclusive Value Chain Development

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Synopsis, Innovation for inclusive value-chain development

Author : Devaux, André,Torero, Máximo,Donovan, Jason,Horton, Douglas
Publisher : Intl Food Policy Res Inst
Page : 4 pages
File Size : 44,9 Mb
Release : 2016-04-19
Category : Social Science
ISBN : 9780896299771

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Synopsis, Innovation for inclusive value-chain development by Devaux, André,Torero, Máximo,Donovan, Jason,Horton, Douglas Pdf

With roughly three-quarters of the world’s poor living in rural areas, addressing global poverty requires paying attention to rural populations, especially smallholder farmers in developing countries. Millions of smallholders and others among the developing world’s poor, including a large proportion of women, participate as producers, laborers, traders, processors, retailers, or consumers in agricultural value chains. A value chain refers to the set of interlinked agents that produce, transform, and market the products that consumers are prepared to purchase (see Figure 1 for an outline of a stylized value chain). Improving the performance of agricultural value chains has the potential to benefit large numbers of low-income and poor people. Innovation for Inclusive Value-Chain Development: Successes and Challenges assesses how to improve agricultural value chains, particularly value chains that include smallholders.

Innovation for inclusive value-chain development

Author : Devaux, André,Torero, Maximo,Donovan, Jason,Horton, Douglas E.
Publisher : Intl Food Policy Res Inst
Page : 560 pages
File Size : 44,8 Mb
Release : 2016-10-21
Category : Political Science
ISBN : 9780896292130

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Innovation for inclusive value-chain development by Devaux, André,Torero, Maximo,Donovan, Jason,Horton, Douglas E. Pdf

Governments, nongovernmental organizations, donors, and the private sector have increasingly embraced value-chain development (VCD) for stimulating economic growth and combating rural poverty. Innovation for Inclusive Value-Chain Development: Successes and Challenges helps to fill the current gap in systematic knowledge about how well VCD has performed, related trade-offs or undesired effects, and which combinations of VCD elements are most likely to reduce poverty and deliver on overall development goals. This book uses case studies to examine a range of VCD experiences. Approaching the subject from various angles, it looks at new linkages to markets and the role of farmer organizations and contract farming in raising productivity and access to markets, the minimum assets requirement to participate in VCD, the role of multi-stakeholder platforms in VCD, and how to measure and identify successful VCD interventions. The book also explores the challenges livestock-dependent people face; how urbanization and advancing technologies affect linkages; ways to increase gender inclusion and economic growth; and the different roles various types of platforms play in VCD.

Synopsis, Innovation for Inclusive Value-Chain Development

Author : André Devaux,Maximo Torero,Jason Donovan,Douglas Horton
Publisher : Unknown
Page : 128 pages
File Size : 52,7 Mb
Release : 2016-04-15
Category : Electronic
ISBN : 0896299813

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Synopsis, Innovation for Inclusive Value-Chain Development by André Devaux,Maximo Torero,Jason Donovan,Douglas Horton Pdf

Value Chains, Social Inclusion and Economic Development

Author : A.H.J. (Bert) Helmsing,Sietze Vellema
Publisher : Routledge
Page : 305 pages
File Size : 42,7 Mb
Release : 2012-05-23
Category : Business & Economics
ISBN : 9781136724718

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Value Chains, Social Inclusion and Economic Development by A.H.J. (Bert) Helmsing,Sietze Vellema Pdf

Lead firms, development organisations, donors and governments view value chains and voluntary standards as vital instruments for achieving millennium development goals through trade and market-related interventions. The precise foundations for these development strategies, which suggest positive development outcomes from integration of poor actors into value chains, are as yet underdeveloped. The interdisciplinary work in this volume shows how trade is managed and asks theory-driven questions about how value chains relate to locally-rooted development processes. Policy makers and development practitioners are increasingly using value chain analysis to frame pro-poor development interventions. This book offers multiple conceptualizations of development outcomes of inclusion of small producers, firms and workers in value chains. Processes of inclusion at different scales are unpacked in order to identify the terms of participation of small producers, firms and workers. As value chains are embedded, the book further argues that inclusion can be conceptualized as the degree of alignment between value chain logics and the institutions and capacities in the local business system. The combination of inclusive governance and endogenous development informs a grounded debate on roles of development-oriented partnerships. Chapters in this volume draw on multiple strands of economics, sociology, political science, geography and management studies; and for empirical grounding engage in comparative analysis of cases from Latin America, SubSaharan Africa and East and South East Asia. These are combined with processes taking place at a global level, such as the proliferation of standards and the growth of roundtables and multi-stakeholder partnerships. The contributions explore contrasts – between contexts, between industries or commodities/products, and between conceptual frameworks; and the context dependency of development impact necessitates cross-case investigations. This collection will be of interest to scholars in development studies, economics, business studies, as well as to development policy makers.

New Models of Inclusive Innovation for Development

Author : Richard Heeks,Christopher Foster,Yanuar Nugroho
Publisher : Routledge
Page : 194 pages
File Size : 41,6 Mb
Release : 2017-10-02
Category : Business & Economics
ISBN : 9781317376262

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New Models of Inclusive Innovation for Development by Richard Heeks,Christopher Foster,Yanuar Nugroho Pdf

Inequality and innovation are both rising issues on the international development agenda. Their intersection is inclusive innovation; defined as the inclusion within some aspect of innovation of groups who are currently marginalised. This is a topic of increasing interest and activity. Large firms have been working to deliver innovative goods and services for base-of-the-pyramid consumers: the c.3 billion who live on less than US$2 per day. Within poor communities, an influx of new technology, finance and capabilities has spurred more localised innovation. A variety of different models have been identified by which this activity is organised and implemented, such as inclusive innovation clusters, grassroots innovation, frugal innovation, innovation platforms, and inclusive user-producer interactions. This book explores the operation, conceptualisation and impact of these models, and analyses the nature of inclusive innovation practice and research. It will be of interest to researchers, policy-makers, strategists and other practitioners associated with these new forms of innovation. This book was originally published as a special issue of Innovation and Development.

Making Markets More Inclusive

Author : K. McKague,M. Siddiquee
Publisher : Springer
Page : 242 pages
File Size : 45,8 Mb
Release : 2014-07-24
Category : Business & Economics
ISBN : 9781137373755

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Making Markets More Inclusive by K. McKague,M. Siddiquee Pdf

Most studies of doing business at the "bottom of the economic pyramid" focus on viewing the poor as consumers, as micro-entrepreneurs, or as potential employees of local companies. Almost no analysis focuses on the poor as primary producers of agricultural commodities a striking omission given that primary producers are by far the largest segment of the working-age population in developing economies. Making Markets More Inclusive bridges the management literature with original research on agricultural value chains in developing and emerging economies. This exciting work is the first to delve into the skills, capabilities, strategies and approaches needed for inclusive value chain development. McKague shows how NGOs and companies can connect poor producers in developing economies with the right markets to better create social and economic impact. He also analyzes one of the leading agricultural value chain initiatives in the world, which is being replicated by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation in several different value chains in Malawi, Tanzania, Ghana, India, and Mali. Want more? Check out these compelling videos, which provide a glimpse into the stories and examples used throughout the book. Video Trailer for Making Markets More Inclusive. Farmer Training. Kallani Rani increased the productivity of her cows, become a cattle feed seller in her village (Chapter 6), and opened a fresh milk canteen in her local market (Chapter 7). She now trains other women farmers and works to improve opportunities for women in her community (Chapter 5). Animal Health Care Services. Asma Husna trained to be an animal health worker with CARE to provide important animal health services and education to local farmers on a fee-for-service basis (Chapter 6). Cattle Feed Shops. Fulera Akter started a business as a cattle feed seller after demand for nutritional animal feed grew due to farmers' improved knowledge of nutrition (Chapter 6). Savings Groups. Coauthor Muhammad Siddiquee, the Coordinator of Agriculture and Value Chain Programs at CARE Bangladesh, discusses the value of farmer savings groups (Chapter 6). Milk Collection. Sarothi Rani became a milk collector to earn an improved income for her family and provide an important service to other dairy farmers in her community (Chapter 7). Digital Fat Testing. Introducing digital fat testing machines into the dairy value chain helped reward farmers for making investments in producing higher quality milk, as well as ensuring transparent and timely payments (Chapter 7). Microfranchising. Supporting agricultural input shop owners with training, relationships to suppliers, common branding, and standardized customer services improves the productivity of smallholder farmers and the profitability of shops (Chapter 12). Bangladesh Dairy Value Chain Learning. Reflections from some of the 40 CARE staff from 17 countries who came to Bangladesh to learn from the experience of the dairy value chain project (Chapter 15).

Developing Sustainable Food Value Chains

Author : David Neven
Publisher : Food & Agriculture Organization of the UN (FAO)
Page : 92 pages
File Size : 52,5 Mb
Release : 2014
Category : Business & Economics
ISBN : UIUC:30112116928224

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Developing Sustainable Food Value Chains by David Neven Pdf

Using sustainable food value chain development (SFVCD) approaches to reduce poverty presents both great opportunities and daunting challenges. SFVCD requires a systems approach to identifying root problems, innovative thinking to find effective solutions and broad-based partnerships to implement programmes that have an impact at scale. In practice, however, a misunderstanding of its fundamental nature can easily result in value-chain projects having limited or non-sustainable impact. Furthermore, development practitioners around the world are learning valuable lessons from both failures and successes, but many of these are not well disseminated. This new set of handbooks aims to address these gaps by providing practical guidance on SFVCD to a target audience of policy-makers, project designers and field practitioners. This first handbook provides a solid conceptual foundation on which to build the subsequent handbooks. It (1) clearly defines the concept of a sustainable food value chain; (2) presents and discusses a development paradigm that integrates the multidimensional concepts of sustainability and value added; (3) presents, discusses and illustrates ten principles that underlie SFVCD; and (4) discusses the potential and limitations of using the value-chain concept in food-systems development. By doing so, the handbook makes a strong case for placing SFVCD at the heart of any strategy aimed at reducing poverty and hunger in the long run.

Innovation for Agribusiness (InovAgro): Household- and market-level impacts of value chain interventions

Author : Amare, Mulubrhan,Zavale, Helder,Smart, Jenny,Ghebru, Hosaena
Publisher : Intl Food Policy Res Inst
Page : 48 pages
File Size : 53,8 Mb
Release : 2022-10-27
Category : Political Science
ISBN : 8210379456XXX

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Innovation for Agribusiness (InovAgro): Household- and market-level impacts of value chain interventions by Amare, Mulubrhan,Zavale, Helder,Smart, Jenny,Ghebru, Hosaena Pdf

Agriculture, in Mozambique, is characterized by production systems that are based predominantly on rainfed conditions and on low use of yield enhancing agricultural inputs. The Innovation for Agribusiness (InovAgro) interventions were designed to increase incomes for poor smallholder farmers in northern Mozambique. Using a market systems development (MSD) approach, the InovAgro implemented value chain interventions (VCIs) to promote the development of inclusive and sustainable market systems such that the interventions impacts were felt long beyond the project’s lifespan. This study evaluated the impact of the InovAgro VCIs on households (considering a range of outcomes related to farmers’ use of yield-enhancing agricultural inputs, access to information on agricultural input and output markets, maize productivity, women and youth empowerment, and household welfare. The study also explored InovAgro VCIs outcome indicators to evaluate market-level effects, namely: systemic (long-term), sustainability, large-scale (spillover or multiplier), and unintended (positive or negative) effects. We conducted a modified randomized controlled trial (RCT) using a spatial identification strategy to classify beneficiary and nonbeneficiary households; this was supplemented with three waves of household-level panel data (2015, 2017 and 2019). We also complemented key informant interviews (KIIs) and focus group discussions (FGDs) with local stakeholders, including market actors and local authorities, with two rounds of geospatial data (2017 and 2019). Our findings show that InovAgro VCIs had a positive and significant impact on beneficiaries’ use of yield-boosting agricultural inputs and on access to information on agricultural input and output markets. Our analysis also reveals that the InovAgro VCIs boosted maize productivity and increased the marketable surplus of maize among beneficiaries. InovAgro VCIs were seen to have unintended negative effects on access to, and control over, land by women and youth in the short term; in the longer term; however, these adverse effects were reversed and became positive and significant. Our findings also show that simultaneous exposure to all three VCIs under the complete package had a positive impact on overall household welfare. We also find evidence in support of the InovAgro VCIs having a systemic market effect and producing more sustainable long-term usage of yield-boosting agricultural practices than non-InovAgro VCIs. Our results elucidate that InovAgro VCIs benefitted large numbers of smallholder farmers beyond the project’s direct sphere of influence and targeted beneficiaries. The key takeaway message from our findings is that a more intense VCI, that is, delivery of the complete package, appears to be necessary to achieve a long-term positive effect on overall household welfare.

Inclusive Global Value Chains Policy Options in Trade and Complementary Areas for GVC Integration by Small and Medium Enterprises and Low-Income Developing Countries

Author : OECD,The World Bank
Publisher : OECD Publishing
Page : 107 pages
File Size : 50,6 Mb
Release : 2017-04-08
Category : Electronic
ISBN : 9789264249677

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Inclusive Global Value Chains Policy Options in Trade and Complementary Areas for GVC Integration by Small and Medium Enterprises and Low-Income Developing Countries by OECD,The World Bank Pdf

This joint OECD and World Bank Group report, presented to G20 Trade Ministers in October 2015, focuses on the challenge of making GVCs more “inclusive” by overcoming participation constraints for SMEs and facilitating access for LIDCs.

Commercial and Inclusive Value Chains

Author : Malcolm Harper,John Belt (Advisor in economic development),Rajeev Roy
Publisher : Unknown
Page : 128 pages
File Size : 54,7 Mb
Release : 2015
Category : Business logistics
ISBN : 1780448686

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Commercial and Inclusive Value Chains by Malcolm Harper,John Belt (Advisor in economic development),Rajeev Roy Pdf

In spite of the current wave of globalization, the majority of the world's people remain poor, excluded from economic development. The aim of this book is to show that disadvantaged smallholders and other poor people can be included in modern integrated value chains, which are profitable for them, for the value chain leaders, and for all the other processors and traders involved. And, that this can be done without subsidy, without donor or government aid, and without appeal to 'corporate social responsibility'; it is simple good business. Commercial and Inclusive Value Chains includes case studies on fifteen profitable and inclusive value chains from different countries in Western, Eastern and North Eastern Africa, and from India, Cambodia, Peru. The goods which they handle include food stuffs and other products that are transformed through a value chain. Each case includes a detailed 'map' of the value chain, showing how much value is added at each stage, as well as the results of surveys to assess the benefit to the small producers or other disadvantaged group who are members of the chains. This book is important reading for managers and consultants who work in value chain development, staff of NGOs and donor agencies, and researchers and post-graduate students in business schools and in departments of economics and development studies.

The Potato Crop

Author : Hugo Campos,Oscar Ortiz
Publisher : Springer Nature
Page : 524 pages
File Size : 40,5 Mb
Release : 2019-12-03
Category : Science
ISBN : 9783030286835

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The Potato Crop by Hugo Campos,Oscar Ortiz Pdf

This book is open access under a CC BY 4.0 license. This book provides a fresh, updated and science-based perspective on the current status and prospects of the diverse array of topics related to the potato, and was written by distinguished scientists with hands-on global experience in research aspects related to potato. The potato is the third most important global food crop in terms of consumption. Being the only vegetatively propagated species among the world’s main five staple crops creates both issues and opportunities for the potato: on the one hand, this constrains the speed of its geographic expansion and its options for international commercialization and distribution when compared with commodity crops such as maize, wheat or rice. On the other, it provides an effective insulation against speculation and unforeseen spikes in commodity prices, since the potato does not represent a good traded on global markets. These two factors highlight the underappreciated and underrated role of the potato as a dependable nutrition security crop, one that can mitigate turmoil in world food supply and demand and political instability in some developing countries. Increasingly, the global role of the potato has expanded from a profitable crop in developing countries to a crop providing income and nutrition security in developing ones. This book will appeal to academics and students of crop sciences, but also policy makers and other stakeholders involved in the potato and its contribution to humankind’s food security.

Interventions for inclusive and efficient value chains: Insights from CGIAR research

Author : de Brauw, Alan,Bulte, Erwin
Publisher : Intl Food Policy Res Inst
Page : 13 pages
File Size : 49,6 Mb
Release : 2021-12-31
Category : Political Science
ISBN : 8210379456XXX

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Interventions for inclusive and efficient value chains: Insights from CGIAR research by de Brauw, Alan,Bulte, Erwin Pdf

Efforts to promote the development of agricultural value chains are a common element of strategies to stimulate economic growth in low-income countries. Since the world food price crisis in 2007-2008, developing country governments, international donor agencies, and development practitioners have placed additional emphasis on making agricultural value chains work better for the poor. As value chains evolve to serve new markets, they tend to become less inclusive. For example, if a market for high quality rice arises within an economy, it is inherently easier for traders who sell rice to retailers to source that high quality rice from larger farms that are better able to control its quality than from dozens of smallholder farms. As a result, the normal path of value chain evolution can be biased against smallholders; hence, it is important to understand what types of interventions can make value chains more inclusive while also making them more efficient. In this brief, we summarize studies on five types of value chain interventions that were supported by the CGIAR’s Research Program on Policies, Institutions, and Markets (PIM) through its Flagship 3 on Inclusive and Effective Value Chains. Figure 1 illustrates a “typical” agricultural value chain, including the five intervention types (in orange). These include interventions that attempt to deal with multiple production constraints; certification; contract farming; public-private partnerships; and “other” services related to trading and marketing agricultural products. Apart from the last category, these interventions all involve production. This reflects the fact that smallholder producers can be considered, in some ways, the weakest link in evolving agricultural value chains (de Brauw and Bulte 2021). Hence, it is sensible to target interventions either at or close to smallholders. However, in some cases, the best way to overcome smallholder constraints may be to help actors at other points in the value chain overcome constraints. Many interventions share a focus on reducing transaction costs to promote smallholder market integration. Ideally, interventions increase both efficiency and inclusion, but we observe that such win-win outcomes are rare. Trade-offs appear to be more common than synergies, and some value chain interventions involve clear winners and losers.

Value chain development to benefit smallholders in Ghana: The effectiveness of selected interventions

Author : Kolavalli, Shashidhara,Agandin, John,Ampofo, Aaron,Kemeze, Francis,Amewu, Sena
Publisher : Intl Food Policy Res Inst
Page : 71 pages
File Size : 53,5 Mb
Release : 2020-03-26
Category : Political Science
ISBN : 8210379456XXX

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Value chain development to benefit smallholders in Ghana: The effectiveness of selected interventions by Kolavalli, Shashidhara,Agandin, John,Ampofo, Aaron,Kemeze, Francis,Amewu, Sena Pdf

This study examines interventions in two agricultural development projects in Ghana which aimed to build competitiveness of selected value chains to generate growth and reduce poverty – the Northern Rural Growth Project, implemented between 2009 and 2016, and the Market Oriented Agriculture Programme, which began in 2004 and is still in place. These projects aimed to sustainably increase rural households’ income through the development of inclusive and profitable agricultural commodity and food value chains to generate agricultural surpluses and to benefit from improved access to remunerative markets. In this study, the efficacy of four sorts of value chain interventions implemented by the two projects are examined in the context of the strengthening maize, pineapple, mango, and citrus value chains: • Facilitating interactions among value chain actors to encourage technical and institutional innovations, • Improving the operations of individual actors, such as producers, service providers, traders, and processors; • Helping develop new services for producers or initiating new producer institutions; and • Improving infrastructure. The study sought to identify how, where, and when might it be appropriate to intervene in value chains, particularly to benefit smallholders. While the lessons from this study do not comprehensively answer these questions, a better understanding is provided on the reasons behind the outcomes the projects attained in seeking to strengthen agricultural commodity value chains and some guidance is offered on how interventions aimed at doing so should be designed.

Innovations for inclusive and sustainable growth of domestic food value chains: Fruits and vegetables value chains in Nigeria scoping report

Author : Takeshima, Hiroyuki,Yamauchi, Futoshi,Balana, Bedru,Adeyanju, Dolapo,Edeh, Hyacinth,Kadjo, Didier,Liverpool-Tasie, Lenis Saweda,Abdoulaye, Tahirou,Yegbemey, Rosaine Nerice,Ayenan, Mathieu,Olanipekun, Caleb I.
Publisher : Intl Food Policy Res Inst
Page : 64 pages
File Size : 44,8 Mb
Release : 2023-11-14
Category : Political Science
ISBN : 8210379456XXX

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Innovations for inclusive and sustainable growth of domestic food value chains: Fruits and vegetables value chains in Nigeria scoping report by Takeshima, Hiroyuki,Yamauchi, Futoshi,Balana, Bedru,Adeyanju, Dolapo,Edeh, Hyacinth,Kadjo, Didier,Liverpool-Tasie, Lenis Saweda,Abdoulaye, Tahirou,Yegbemey, Rosaine Nerice,Ayenan, Mathieu,Olanipekun, Caleb I. Pdf

Fruits & vegetable value chains (F&V VC) in Nigeria hold significant potential to continue toward sustainable, inclusive food system transformation. Domestic food system growth, including that of F&V, remains crucial in achieving a healthy food environment and serving as a source of various micronutrients. There is a need for bundles of innovations to address multiple challenges along F&V VC in Nigeria, characterized by a set of challenges that are unique to developing countries and F&V. V&F VC consists of many small actors, farmers, and traders, whereby limited vertical coordination can lead to significant efficiency loss along the value chain. Seasonal and temporal variations in supply-demand gaps for F&V commodities are substantial, and considerable scope exists for reducing losses and enhancing the overall efficiency of the domestic F&V sector. Policy environments are also favorable for such efforts, as the latest Agricultural Policy documents highlight the Nigerian government’s interest in modernizing F&V VC. Given the significant involvement of women and youths in the sector, F&V VC development has substantial potential to contribute to Nigeria's inclusive development of agrifood systems. The current domestic F&V VC in Nigeria suffers from various sets of problems. Access to quality seeds is limited due to the significant use of recycled seeds, limited supply, and high costs of certified seeds. Cooling practices are inefficient due to insufficient access to the grid and off-grid electricity, limited knowledge of intermediate cooling methods applicable at the farm gate, and constraining quality preservations at farm gate storage, during transportation, and storage at market premises. Processing is insufficient due to the high costs of processing equipment and limited knowledge of the construction and operation of simpler, less resource-dependent processing facilities, including drying of F&V commodities. Inappropriate packing, such as the use of Rafia baskets instead of Reusable Plastic Crates, which are commonly recognized, is still prevalent, potentially due to limited market coordination. Based on the stakeholder consultations, desk reviews, validation workshops, and availability of external resources, we identified the following as critical interventions to pilot various innovation bundles. Intervention #1 provides improved varieties and quality seeds, combined with agronomy training and certification, in northern Nigeria through the collaboration with East West Seeds and Wageningen University & Research. Intervention #2 provides off-grid cooling and cool transportation, including forced-air evaporative cooling units at farm clusters and the combination of small and large refrigerated trucks for local and longer-distance transportation, through the collaboration with ColdHubs and MIT-Lab. Intervention #3 introduces improved solar dryers and provides training on appropriate, hygienic processing methods, building, and utilization of these driers (possibly combined with the introduction of a business model), through the collaboration with World Vegetable Center and Nigerian Stored Products Research Institute. Intervention #4 provides plastic crates using various rental arrangements and improves market access for farmers through collaboration with private companies, including Bunkasa. Intervention #5 supplements interventions #1, #2, and #3 and provides improved information through certification and labeling. Lastly, Intervention #6 strengthens linkages between existing solar powered cold storages to supplement other interventions.

Agricultural Innovation Systems

Author : The World Bank
Publisher : World Bank Publications
Page : 685 pages
File Size : 53,7 Mb
Release : 2012-02-21
Category : Business & Economics
ISBN : 9780821389447

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Agricultural Innovation Systems by The World Bank Pdf

Managing the ability of agriculture to meet rising global demand and to respond to the changes and opportunities will require good policy, sustained investments, and innovation - not business as usual. Investments in public Research and Development, extension, education, and their links with one another have elicited high returns and pro-poor growth, but these investments alone will not elicit innovation at the pace or on the scale required by the intensifying and proliferating challenges confronting agriculture. Experience indicates that aside from a strong capacity in Research and Development, the ability to innovate is often related to collective action, coordination, the exchange of knowledge among diverse actors, the incentives and resources available to form partnerships and develop businesses, and conditions that make it possible for farmers or entrepreneurs to use the innovations. While consensus is developing about what is meant by 'innovation' and 'innovation system', no detailed blueprint exists for making agricultural innovation happen at a given time, in a given place, for a given result. The AIS approach that looks at these multiple conditions and relationships that promote innovation in agriculture, has however moved from a concept to a sub-discipline with principles of analysis and action. AIS investments must be specific to the context, responding to the stage of development in a particular country and agricultural sector, especially the AIS. This sourcebook contributes to identifying, designing, and implementing the investments, approaches, and complementary interventions that appear most likely to strengthen AIS and to promote agricultural innovation and equitable growth. It emphasizes the lessons learned, benefits and impacts, implementation issues, and prospects for replicating or expanding successful practices. The information in this sourcebook derives from approaches that have been tested at different scales in different contexts. It reflects the experiences and evolving understanding of numerous individuals and organizations concerned with agricultural innovation, including the World Bank. This information is targeted to the key operational staff in international and regional development agencies and national governments who design and implement lending projects and to the practitioners who design thematic programs and technical assistance packages. The sourcebook can also be an important resource for the research community and nongovernmental organizations (NGOs).