1. 6TH AFRICA AGRICULTURE SCIENCE WEEK & FARA GENERAL ASSEMBLY
Africa Feeding Africa through Agricultural Science and Innovation
Information & Knowledge for Food Security
Out-scaling of eRAILS2
Expanding eRAILS functions
“Draft concept based on a demand driven business
model that makes innovation systems work effectively
and efficiently”
Elaborated by the eRAILS 2 Team
Presented by Eria Bwana-Simba
6TH AFRICA AGRICULTURE SCIENCE WEEK & FARA GENERAL ASSEMBLY
Accra, Ghana 15-20 July 2013

2. 6TH AFRICA AGRICULTURE SCIENCE WEEK & FARA GENERAL ASSEMBLY
Africa Feeding Africa through Agricultural Science and Innovation
Information & Knowledge for Food Security
• Lessons learnt
• Outline of the concept
• Next steps

3. 6TH AFRICA AGRICULTURE SCIENCE WEEK & FARA GENERAL ASSEMBLY
Africa Feeding Africa through Agricultural Science and Innovation
Information & Knowledge for Food Security
Scope of questions and answers
• Many answers are based on standard green revolution technologies that require
the purchase of agro-chemicals that are not available or too expensive for rural
poor farmers.
• Farmers are concerned about the negative impact that agro-chemicals might have
on the environment, their health and on consumers.
• Many problems cannot be solved at farm and field level and require solutions at
community level.
• Many solutions are only feasible if applied at large scale
Conclusions
• There is a need for research that departs from the understanding of the actual
local practice and seeks to improve it by the development of locally adapted
solutions that consider the ecological impact and the socio-economic conditions.
• There is a need for demand driven innovation support services for business and
community development.
Lessons learnt

4. 6TH AFRICA AGRICULTURE SCIENCE WEEK & FARA GENERAL ASSEMBLY
Africa Feeding Africa through Agricultural Science and Innovation
Information & Knowledge for Food Security
Lessons learnt
Quality of answers
• Answers from different countries to a specific problem are rather similar but
vary in quality.
Conclusion
• There is a potential to make considerable economies of time and money by
providing a regional technology platform with high quality responses to
common problems.
Engaging young professionals
• We only reached a very limited number of young professionals
• Delays in implementation are caused by problems at higher level
Conclusion
• There is room for the improvement of the approach for the identification and
engagement of young professionals.
• Collaboration with technical colleges and social networking are valid options.

5. 6TH AFRICA AGRICULTURE SCIENCE WEEK & FARA GENERAL ASSEMBLY
Africa Feeding Africa through Agricultural Science and Innovation
Information & Knowledge for Food Security
10
Concept for out-scaling
info
work
money
xaction
Investors
2
Innovation
Fund
Rural
Communities
3
9
7
Innovation
Support
Services
7
Experts
Technology
Platform
6 6
Local
archives
5
5
Young
Professionals
&
Special agents
Knowledge
base
4
4
SMEs
& CBOs
8
8
8
11
11
Operational
framework1
5. Create community knowledge
hubs: Establish Q&S archives and
provide results from the analysis of
data of the basic services.
1. Establish an operational
framework: Form a
coordination unit, establish
knowledge management
services and a network of
young professionals.
2. Establish an innovation fund:
Private and public investors pool
funds.
3. Commit funds for the
provision of basic advisory
services and the establishment
of the knowledge base (eRAILS2)
4. Provide basic services,
establish knowledge base and
build trust (eRAILS2):
11. Payment: The innovation fund pays
all actors (experts, young professionals
and agents) upon delivery
6. Develop the technology platform: Experts
explore the knowledge base, assess the
potentials for innovation, assemble
information on relevant technologies and
elaborate technology packages.
7. Define voucher based
Innovation Support Services:
Experts translate technology
packages into voucher based
Innovation Support Services
8. Initiate projects of SMEs & CBOs: Young
professionals initiate innovation projects of
SMEs and CBOs in communities. They plan for
the provision of Innovation Support Services
(ISS) for projects of SMEs and CBOs. Experts
provide feedback for improvement.
10. Provide ISS for implement of
projects of SMEs and CBOs
business development
9. Commit funds for ISS

6. 6TH AFRICA AGRICULTURE SCIENCE WEEK & FARA GENERAL ASSEMBLY
Africa Feeding Africa through Agricultural Science and Innovation
Information & Knowledge for Food Security
1. Complete the services (the eRAILS project)
2. Analyze data and evaluate results
3. Evaluate the potential linkages with DONATA (IPTAS)
4. Refine the concept in interaction with the eRAILS2 and DONATA team
5. Refine the business model in collaboration with partners that engages
all partners along the value chain
6. Formulate recommendations for the improvement of the operational
framework e.g.: transform the eRAILS system into a technology
platform providing information on Innovation Support Services for
value chains.
7. Explore funding opportunities at local and national level
Proposed next steps

7. 6TH AFRICA AGRICULTURE SCIENCE WEEK & FARA GENERAL ASSEMBLY
Africa Feeding Africa through Agricultural Science and Innovation
Information & Knowledge for Food Security
1. Establish an operational framework: Form a coordination unit, establish
knowledge management services and a network of young professionals.
2. Establish an innovation fund: Private and public investors pool funds.
3. Commit funds for the provision of basic advisory services and the
establishment of the knowledge base (eRAILS2)
4. Provide basic services, establish knowledge base and build trust
(eRAILS2):
• Explore available services and expertise in communities
• Organize and train community teams
• Launch the information exchange and site characterization services
• Create a knowledge base: Systematic recording of data and
information that is gathered during the provision of basic services.
5. Create community knowledge hubs: Establish Q&S archives and
provide results from the analysis of data of the basic services.
Outline of the concept

8. 6TH AFRICA AGRICULTURE SCIENCE WEEK & FARA GENERAL ASSEMBLY
Africa Feeding Africa through Agricultural Science and Innovation
Information & Knowledge for Food Security
6. Develop the technology platform: Experts explore the knowledge base,
assess the potentials for innovation, assemble information on relevant
technologies and elaborate technology packages.
7. Define voucher based innovation support services: Experts translate
technology packages into voucher based Innovation Support Services
(ISS) by defining workflows, costs and outputs.
8. Initiate projects with SMEs and CBOs: Young professionals initiate
innovation projects of SMEs and CBOs in communities. They plan for the
provision of Innovation Support Services (ISS) for projects of SMEs and
CBOs. Experts provide feedback for improvement.
9. Commit funds for ISS
10.Provide ISS for implement of projects of SMEs and CBOs
11.Payment: The innovation fund pays all actors (experts, young professionals
and agents) upon delivery
Draft concept