Bio-innovation for Poverty Alleviation&

Networking among S-S Researchers

Lena SthapitAsian Institute of Technology

Thailand 17th Dec, 2010

Presentation Outlines

Part I: Enabling Bio-Innovation for Poverty Alleviation in Asia , at a glance

Project Overview Objectives Small Projects Grant

Part II: Networking among researchers in the field of bio-innovation

Workshops and conferences Project website

Brief Description of the Project

Project Title: Enabling Bio-Innovation for Poverty Alleviation in Asia

Project Duration: 3 years

Project funding: International Development Research Centre (IDRC)

To enhance biological innovative capabilities, policies & institutions to support just, equitable & sustainable social & economic development in developing countries.

Project Overview

Workshop on “Integrated Policy for Bio-innovations in Agriculture and Health in Asia”

Objectives:

examine existing policies on bio-innovations in the region

identify existing knowledge gaps

recommend policy-relevant focuses for research and a strategy for information sharing, learning across borders and partnering in the region

Recommendations

to conduct more thorough research on policy and governance systems that stimulate, enable and/or constrain bio-innovation for poverty reduction

to examine the social, economic and ethical implications of bio-innovation

Project Objectives

• To organize, conduct and manage competitive grants selection process for potential researchers on bio-innovation and its social and policy implications for poverty alleviation in the Asian region

• To manage the grants awarding process and to monitor the progress of awardees

• To maximise the opportunities for interactive learning through the networking of researchers on bio-innovation for poverty alleviation

• To share the knowledge gleaned and to facilitate dissemination of research outputs through publications in journals, book chapters and via the project website

Project Management Structure

•Coordinate the project• Publish Call for Proposals• Receive applications• Select external evaluators• Communicate results to all

proponents• Organize workshops• Compile reports• Liaise with donors and grantees

AIT Core Team & Project Manager Donor (IDRC)

• Select the competition themes

• Evaluate the proposals & select the awardees

Advisory Committee members

• Develop proposals• Implement projects• Write reports

Research Grantees

Launching of Small Grants Program• Small Grants Program was launched in March 2009 and August

2009 to support research projects focused on poor people’s livelihoods and basic health

• Each small grant research project is awarded up to CAD 18,000

• Research project duration: 1 year

• 1st call for proposal (March 2009):

• 96 letters of intent received

• 16 shortlisted for full proposal

• 7 research projects granted

• 2nd call for proposal (August 2009):

• 108 letters of intent received

• 15 shortlisted for full proposal

• 7 research projects granted

India-1

Thailand-2

South Korea-1

Vietnam-2

Philippines-1

Small Grant Projects under First Batch

Small Grant Projects under First Batch

• Exploring Effects of Bio-Innovation on Shrimp Farmers in Vietnam, Vietnam

• Impacts of Bio-Innovative Drug on Health Disparity between Asian and Developed Countries, South Korea

• Role of Professional Associations in pro-poor Biofertilizer and Biopesticide Innovation System, India

• Challenges and Recommendations to Harness the Poverty Alleviation Potentials of Bio-Nitrogen Fertilizers in the Philippines, Philippines

• Lazy Gardens: A Sustainable Alternative for Remote Poor Rural Communities in Northern Thailand, Thailand

• Social Dimensions and Institutional Factors that Enable and/or Constrain a Biogas Program at Community Level, Vietnam

• Surge of High-input Vegetable Production in Northern Thailand: Is the Innovation Pro-Poor and Gender Sensitive?, Thailand

Nepal-1

Thailand-2

China-2

Cambodia-1

Philippines-1

Small Grant Projects under Second Batch

Small Grant Projects under Second Batch

• Intellectual Property Pooling and open Source Innovation: Promoting Alternative Innovation Systems for Public Health, Thailand

• Benefits and Risks of Genetically Modified Crops-the impact on the rural poor in China, China

• Impact of Biosand Filter on Access to safe Drinking Water in the Rural Communities of the Philippines, Philippines

• Mapping the Transmission of Knowledge in Natural Farming Innovations in Chiang Mai Province, Thailand

• Bio-Innovation for Edible Mushroom Cultivation and Trade for PovertyAlleviation, China

• Participative Distributed Innovation Processes and Biochar: Carbon Reduction, Sustainable Agriculture and Soil Management, Cambodia

• Small scale aquaculture initiative in Nepal: Understanding gender implications and sustainability of innovative approach, Nepal

Part II: Networking among researchersin the field of bio-innovation

Networking among South-South Researchers

Activities to build networking among S-S Researchers

•Launching of project website

•Face to Face workshops- Inception workshops

•Social network- Facebook

•Conducting session in an International Conference

on Innovation and Sustainability Transitions in Asia

• Synthesis Workshop

Networking among S-S Researchers (contd.)

Bio-Innovations Asia online portal unveiled

The project official website , www.bioinnovationpolicies.ait.asia, was launched in January 2009.

The website contains relevant information, resources on bio-innovation policies, news & useful links.

•a tool to disseminate small grant reports to the public.

•Serve as a blog-site to exchange ideas and build networks.

Networking among S-S Researchers (contd.)

Face to Face Workshop- Inception Workshops

Inception workshops were held - June 2009 for the 1st batch &

Dec 2009 for the 2nd batch

Networking among S-S Researchers (contd.)

Social networking- Facebook

The project has also launched its page on social networking site- Facebook.

Striving to build stronger & effective network among researchers.

Networking among S-S Researchers (contd.)Conducting session in International Conference in Malaysia

International Conference on Innovation & Sustainability Transitions in Asia, Kuala Lumpur in Jan 2011.

• Organizing session entitled “Transitions challenges facing bio-innovations for the poor”.

• Six researchers from 1st batch presenting papers based on their projects.

• Each paper is a case study of distinct technologies in socio-economic contexts but with a shared focus on the social and institutional constraints facing bio-innovations for the poor in the policy domains of rural livelihoods and health.

Networking among S-S Researchers (contd.)

Synthesis Workshop in Sept 2011

• Synthesis Workshop in Sept 2011- to gear the network among researchers.

• 14 researchers, advisory committee members and Project core team members gather to discuss & to exchange ideas and findings.

Enabling Bio-

Innovation for Poverty

Alleviation in Asia

Thank You