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

With regards to research, there is increasing evidence of farmers’ innovative capabilities, with
on-farm participatory research playing a key role in linking not only farmers and researchers
but also providing a focal point for involvement of other stakeholders in the identification of
constraints, seeking alternative solutions, and the design and evaluation of research results.
This is typified in the case studies on the FARA-supported SSA CP PLS in Malawi, Nigeria, Niger
and Rwanda IPs.
NGO roles
NGOs have played different roles, sometimes serving as coordinating bodies in promoting
better interaction between public and private organisations, and sometimes in assisting farmer
organisations to create self-help groups. However, their major role was in supporting the
development of networks of farmers and in scaling up the use of technologies and marketing
practices to other farmers outside the immediate target area of the innovation process.
Financial organisation roles
Financing organisations did not feature strongly in most of the case studies, since they
regard credit for smallholder producers as high-risk, compounded by a history of poor credit
repayments. However, a number of rural financing institutions were increasingly enthusiastic
about lending to small groups of farmers. By far the most important sources of credit were
processing companies to contract growers and input supply companies to agri-dealers.
International stakeholders
International research organisations, international NGOs and international companies (often
supported by donors) played a key role in catalysing coordination between stakeholders. This
included: funding sector and value-chain studies to identify constraints and opportunities;
funding stakeholder meetings and workshops; together with providing the initial foundation
for either remedial action or new innovations.
Types and consequences of interaction
The case studies provide examples of many stakeholder interactions public–private and
private–private and as well as those occurring at regional and international levels. The issues
addressed in these broad categories of stakeholder interactions are summarised in Figure 7
and detailed in Annex 3.
The most important issues addressed in public–private interactions were the building of
partnerships, capacity building and planning, monitoring, and assessing activities. Private–
private interaction was essential in building farmer organisations and in arranging sales
and contract details. Regional and international interactions helped to develop networking
arrangements, trade and health issues including FairTrade and organic product registration.
The consequences of these interactions resulted in policy and institutional, economic, support
service, and production outcomes (Figure 8). Within policy and institutional outcomes,
improved interaction between stakeholders, improved cooperation and trust and the formation
A comparative analysis of the case studies
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