By Ponniah Anandajayasekeram. Presented at the ASTI-FARA conference Agricultural R&D: Investing in Africa's Future: Analyzing Trends, Challenges, and Opportunities - Accra, Ghana on December 5-7, 2011. http://www.asti.cgiar.org/2011conf

1. The role of agricultural r&d in
the agricultural innovation
system framework
Ponniah Anandajayasekeram

2. Outline
1. Introduction
2. Evolution of AIS Framework
3. Agricultural Innovation Systems Perspective
 Innovation
 Innovation Systems
 Innovation Systems Perspective
4. Concepts of Open Innovation, Innovation Intermediaries, Innovation
Platforms
5. Role of ‘R’ in the Innovation Process
6. Value Chain Analysis and IS Framework
7. Current Status
8. Implications and Challenges
9. Conclusions

3. Evolution of
Systems Thinking
and its
Application in
Agriculture

4. What is Innovation?
 Anything new introduced into an economic or social
process
 Invention is a solution to a problem
 Innovation deals with commercialization and actual use
of invention
 Innovations can be technological, managerial,
organizational, institutional and service delivery
Research converts money in to knowledge and innovation
converts knowledge in to money

5. What is an Innovation System (IS)?
 IS can have four elements:
1. Actors – organizations and individuals
2. Actions and interactions
3. Interactive learning
4. Institutions
 IS can be defined at the national, sectoral,
commodity, and proposed intervention level

6. Agricultural Innovation System

7. Innovation Systems Perspective
 Using innovation lens in the design, implementation
and evaluation
 The ultimate goal of the actors is innovation
 Important to distinguish between organizations and
institutions
 Partnerships and networks are central

8. Role of ‘R’ in Innovation

9. Role of ‘R’ in the Innovation Process
 For innovation to occur research/knowledge is fundamental
 All functions need to be performed, but who performs them and how is not
pre-determined
 Adequate investments should be made to support all actors and activities
 Innovation takes place through combination of different types of
information and not exclusively by formal R
 To contribute to development R should be embedded in the
entrepreneurial, political and policy processes – embedded in the
development context
 ‘Knowledge frontier R’ remains important
 All types of ‘R’ are still relevant but development oriented ‘R’ is well
placed to contribute to innovation and socioeconomic impact
Important: Understanding of the users’ needs and the translation of that
knowledge in to action across all functional areas

10. Where are we?
IS Framework and Ag R&D in SSA
 Organizational landscape is complex, dynamic and rich
 Range of actors – predominant role by public ‘R’ organizations (81% of
the R capacity, 60% of investment)
 Ministry of Agriculture is primarily responsible for R
 In 28 out of 31 countries, crop and livestock R under one Ministry
 University staff spend considerable amount of time in R , under different
Ministry
 SROs and continental bodies are contributing to R&D in many ways;
including priority setting and influencing national policies
 Private sector involvement very limited but on the increase; policy
environment is week or non-existent
 Extension systems are undergoing serious transformation and
restructuring-Pluralistic extension system
 8 out of the 31 countries met the target investment and average
research intensity is 0.61%
 Role of FOs,NGOs,CBOs are increasing

11. Where are we?
 Research approach, process and linkages
 Prescriptive top down Participatory approaches
 Currently influenced by VCA, IAR4D, ISP
 Appropriate recommendations but not innovation
 Current status of linkages and collaboration far from ideal
 Activities related to AIS in the region
 Major studies concluded that technological development should
be embedded in broader development and IS concept
 SROs have embraced ISP and integrated into projects
 IARCs and influential donors are supporting projects
 In many countries ISP is identified as one of the organizing
principles of R

12. Lessons from Past Experience
 Institutionalization is an evolutionary process. There is no single model.
 A number of pre-conditions need to be met
 Process involves two phases – preparatory and institutionalization
 Process was weak in providing policy feedback
 Resource imbalance R, E, Education affected effectiveness and linkages
 Possible to integrate the concepts and principles with educational and
learning institutes-Capacity to build capacity.
 Commodity-oriented ‘R’ programs are conducive for systems-oriented ‘R’
 Key factor for success: collaboration and long term commitment by NARIs,
IARCs and donors; Comprehensive CS
 Key obstacle: not penalized for producing technology that are not
adopted, or rewarded for ‘R’ with higher adoption rate

13. Lessons from Past Experience
 Preconditions for successful institutionalization:
 Clear demonstration of utility of the process;
 Policy and leadership commitment;
 Broader participation and effective linkages;
 Experienced, trained, motivated and committed staff;
 A clear organizational strategy (internally driven) for
institutionalization; and
 A national capacity to offer continuous training on the
concept, principles and procedures, i.e. integration into
the learning curricula.

14. Lessons from past experience
 Top 10 Killers of Innovation (Wycoff, 2004):
 Not creating a culture that supports innovation
 Not getting buy-in and ownership from unit managers
 Not having widely understood, system-wide process
 Not allocating resources to the process
 Not tying projects to organizational strategy
 Not spending enough time and energy on the fuzzy front-end
 Not building sufficient diversity into the process
 Not developing criteria and metrics in advance
 Not training and coaching innovation teams
 Not having an idea management system

15. Challenges
 Changing the organizational culture – innovation as a core value
and to institutionalize the emerging paradigms
 Creating the necessary capacity for innovation
 How to scale up innovations and the capacity to innovate
 Creating the necessary environment and reward system; investment
needed to foster partnership
 Limited empirical evidence of the application of AIS its utility and
value addition
 How to ensure attention is given to socioeconomic equity and
environmental sustainability; addressing poverty and pro-poor
innovations
 How to develop a coherent set of policies that foster innovation

16. Conclusion
 Innovation an essential ingredient for successful R&D
 AR4D; VCA; ISP – complementary possible to integrate into R&D processes
 No uniquely best system for all situations; goal is to find the most appropriate
system (best – fit)
 Does not undermine the value of research; good communication or effective
extension – different functions are critical
 Investment is needed to support all components
 Role of “institutions” is vital, partnerships and network are the cornerstones
 Building necessary capacity; nurturing and managing a productive and sustainable
mechanism and modalities of operation is an evolutionary process, and requires
long term commitment and investment by all actors.
 Need to have a very pragmatic approach

17.  Thank You