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

laboratories as well as effective biosafety regulations and protocols to protect human health and
the environment (Haggblade and Hazell, 2010). This provides opportunities for African research
organisations to build partnerships in creating the resources for this work. Regional research
networks in Eastern, West and Southern Africa (ASARECA, CORAF and SADC–Food Agriculture and
Natural Resources (FANR) together with FARA and the CGIAR centres are already playing this role
in support of national research systems resulting in increased coordination and specialisation.
Commodity prices for Africa’s traditional export commodities such as coffee, cotton, cocoa
and tea generally declined from the mid-1970s to mid-2000s (World Bank, 2007). Over this
period the composition of world agricultural trade shifted from bulk commodities to processed
agricultural and horticultural goods, requiring strict attention to health and food safety issues,
product quality and sanitary standards. In many instances these stringent requirements have
acted as non-tariff barriers and Africa’s share of world agricultural trade fell sharply. At the same
time world commodity prices have moved sharply higher from the mid-2000s and fertiliser and
energy prices are likely to remain high. This requires improvement in the efficiency of fertiliser
use and the development of alternative management practices to maintain soil fertility
assumes increasing urgency.
Relaxation of restrictions on foreign investment, foreign exchange markets and international
trade has resulted in rapid consolidations in food retailing and exports. This is likely to trigger
a parallel consolidation in wholesaling, processing and distribution, with changing market
requirements for African farmers. Larger retailers, processors and exporters require larger
quantities of product, consistent quality, standard packaging, food safety compliance and
guaranteed timing of deliveries, all things that most small-scale farmers find difficult to achieve
without some form of group action, investment and support. This requires an increasing
facilitating role to stimulate innovation, establish standards, provide market information,
negotiate and enforce contracts and mediate disputes.
Lessons
Interventions to encourage innovation depend on the initial context and how this changes over
time. They should not focus first on developing research capacity, but should be developed
from the start in a way that encourages interactions between public, private and civil society
organisations. Stakeholders who initiate an innovation process can be either public or private.
The innovation can be policy- or market-driven, either planned or opportunity-led, both of
which are characterised by three distinct phases: 1. Stakeholder engagement; 2. Shared
planning, implementation, learning and assessment; and 3. Ensuring a sustainable and
dynamic innovation system. By the third stage the innovation is unlikely to be either public- or
private-led, but to involve a high level of collaboration between all actors. This is essential if
the sector is to be able to respond to new challenges and new opportunities in economically,
socially and environmentally inclusive ways. The requirements to reach this stage include:
Building and supporting partnerships
• Engagement and collaboration between stakeholders is an essential component that needs
to build on existing links where participants are already working together, rather than
Looking to the future 101