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Program‐level product delivery
Program‐level product delivery, particularly the alignment of SI outputs with program‐level outcomes,
has geographic, socioeconomic, and temporal components.
1. Geography and socioeconomics. Developing countries maize farmers are predominantly smallholders
who sow locally‐adapted germplasm in settings that can vary greatly from location to location and often
as part of an intercrop or rotation with diverse end uses. Access to input / output markets is highly
variable, as are economic and policy environments. Figure 5 shows areas (dark green) where maize is a
key crop and outputs from several SIs will prove relevant, based on current knowledge and partner
consultations. Many SIs will have benefits far beyond these areas where systems‐based MAIZE activities
occur; the development of drought tolerant maize in SI4 in Africa, for example, will likely benefit these
maize‐systems based target areas in eastern and southern Africa and the northern Savannas, which are
targeted only for attention under SI 4 (yellow). Indeed many germplasm related interventions or foodprice
related assessments, on the other hand, will have continent‐scale or even global‐scale impact.
As a result, outputs will be tailored to diverse settings and requirements and have different scales of
geographic for impact; in fact, there will be a constant need to balance between scalable versus locallytargeted
solutions and approaches. Ex‐ante impact assessment and targeting in SI 1 and partner
feedback will be very important to strike the appropriate balance in meeting client needs and
maximizing impact.
In holistic, geographically‐focused innovation and delivery systems, farmers participate, benefit, and
gain awareness of and access to relevant technologies (seed, cropping practices, machinery implements,
knowledge, etc.) through coordinated efforts among diverse value chain actors. MAIZE will catalyze the
process as part of innovation networks or platforms centered around the six prioritized maize‐based
systems highlighted in Figure 5 in dark green, initially involving and supporting progressive farmers and
value chain participants desirous of improvement and willing to innovate (Eckboir 2002). As the process
matures, farmers and other value chain actors (NARS, private sector) drive innovation and help direct
follow‐up, backstopping research or other support.
To the same extent, at the global level Strategic Initiatives such as SI8 or SI9 imply various disciplines and
partners engaging in joint learning as these initiatives progress. MAIZE will catalyze the process and
naturally involve first the more progressive researchers and institutions that immediately see the merit
and benefit of these initiatives. As work progresses, other researchers and institutions will understand
the benefits, engage, and contribute to further innovation.
Changes over time. Aggregation of SI outputs will depend on the differential chronologies of their
development and rollout. Interventions such as drought tolerant maize varieties available with the
breeder today may take five and more years to pass through varietal testing and certification and have
sufficient seed multiplied and availed. Information and communication technologies such as mobile
phones and the internet for smallholder farmers, or conservation agriculture practices, will be ready for
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