agrl_innovations_in_ssa.pdf?utm_content=buffercb41d&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter

cooperation, builds trust, and establishes a common vision for the future. Creation of this
vision needs to have been built on an assessment of the challenges and realistic opportunities
for improvement along a value chain. Most important was the establishment and participation
of effective and representative farmer organisations that communicate with members. In many
cases this required support and capacity development. A facilitation process that encourages
dialogue, identifies and prioritises opportunities, encourages joint planning with agreement on
partner roles and implementation responsibilities played an important role.
Improved infrastructure, particularly roads, communication and power clearly provide the
basis for ensuring inputs can be made available at affordable prices and outputs delivered to
market. This was often a precursor in seeking opportunity to add value along market chains.
Facilitation was frequently necessary to promote collaborative learning and assessment
processes. This requires not only the necessary skills, but also the enthusiasm and determination
to ensure that key actors continued to participate and play their roles. This can be a difficult
task, requiring the support of policy and decision makers. Although research can be an
important component, it is often not the central one, and in the early stages interventions
to build capacity, access and use existing knowledge and foster learning are required. Clearly
ready and timely access to inputs including finance is crucial. This needs to be based on
effective and competitive marketing, whether for domestic or export markets, with social and
environmental concerns being addressed.
Ultimately local participants build sustainability on ownership with effective back-up research
and development organisation in both the private and public sectors. Of the 21 case studies
all had succeeded to a greater or lesser extent, although there were elements that needed to
be addressed or reinforced to ensure long-term sustainability. Of the 21 case studies, 11 had
reached the sustainability phase, while 10 were still addressing ownership by local participants.
A comparative analysis of the case studies 99