Agricultural Innovation Systems: Part 1

Box O.7 Cross-Cutting Themes Addressed in This Sourcebook

The role of the public and private sector. The public sector is expected to remain an important provider and/or funder of R&D, education, and extension services in developing countries, where 94 percent of the investment in agricultural R&D still comes from public coffers (World Bank 2007b). Yet if markets now drive much of the agenda for agricultural R&D and new actors are more prominent in agriculture, what is the proper role of the public sector? Each module examines the roles of the public and private sector with a view to answering that question. Climate change and green growth. Climate change adaptation and mitigation are key goals of an agricultural knowledge system. Technical as well as organizational innovations (for example, the use of climate-smart and green technologies, coupled with inclusive and effec-

NOTE

1. In contrast to the CGIAR’s origins in the 1960s and 1970s as a mechanism for funding research divided largely along commodity and geographic lines. For more information on the change management process and on how the CGIAR has changed as agriculture, approaches to R&D, and approaches to funding R&D have changed, see www .cgiar.org. REFERENCES AND FURTHER READING

Beintema, N. M., and H. Elliott. 2009. “Setting Meaningful Investment Targets in Agricultural Research and Development: Challenges, Opportunities, and Fiscal Realities.” Paper presented at the Food and Agriculture Organization Expert Meeting “How to Feed the World in 2050,” Rome, June 24–26. ftp://ftp.fao.org/docrep/ fao/012/ak978e/ak978e00.pdf. Bernet, T., G. Thiele, and T. Zschocke. 2006. Participatory Market Chain Approach (PMCA): User Guide. Lima, Peru: CIP-Papa Andina. http://papandina.cip.cgiar.org/ fileadmin/PMCA/User-Guide.pdf. Freeman, C. 1987. Technology Policy and Economic Performance: Lessons from Japan. London: Frances Pinter. Hall, A., N. Clark, and G. Naik. 2007. “Technology Supply Chain or Innovation Capacity? Contrasting Experiences of Promoting Small-Scale Irrigation Technology in South Asia.” UNU Merit Working Paper 2007-014,

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tive approaches on knowledge dissemination and adoption) are required to identify and develop appropriate solutions that contribute to adaptation, mitigation, and green growth. The modules describe institutional approaches that lend themselves well to generating and adopting climate-smart solutions. Gender. The AIS approach argues that diversity, inclusion, and participatory approaches are critical to building the quality of social capital needed for resilient and sustainable innovation systems. It takes into account the many actors along the value chain; diverse organizational forms to facilitate education, research, and extension systems; and the practices, attitudes, and policies that frame agricultural production and trade. Every module addresses gender issues through examples and/or policy interventions.

United Nations University, New York; Maastricht Economic and Social Research and Training Centre on Innovation and Technology, Maastricht. www.merit .unu.edu/publications/wppdf/2007/wp2007-014.pdf. ISNAR (International Service for National Agricultural Research). 1992. “Service through Partnership: ISNAR’s Strategy for the 1990s.” The Hague: ISNAR. Lundvall, B.-Å., ed. 1992. National Systems of Innovation: Towards a Theory of Innovation and Interactive Learning. London: Frances Pinter. Manning-Thomas, N. 2009. “Changing the Emperor: ICTEnabled Collaboration Transforming Agricultural Science, Research, and Technology into an Effective Participatory and Innovations System Approach.” Technical Centre for Agricultural and Rural Cooperation of the ACP Group of States and the European Union. www.web2fordev.net/component/content/article/1latest-news/70-changing-the-emperor. Mytelka, L. K. 2000. “Local Systems of Innovation in a Globalised World Economy.” Industry and Innovation 7 (1): 15–32. OECD (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development). 2009. “Growing Prosperity. Agriculture, Economic Renewal, and Development.” Draft Outcome Document from the Experts Meeting “Innovating Out of Poverty,” OECD, Paris, April 6–7. Pardey, P. G., N. M. Beintema, S. Dehmer, and S. Wood. 2006. Agricultural Research: A Growing Global Divide?

AGRICULTURAL INNOVATION SYSTEMS: AN INVESTMENT SOURCEBOOK

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Agricultural Innovation Systems: Part 1

Published on Feb 27, 2012

World Bank Publications

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.