convergence of sciences. facilitating institutional change in west africa: the cos-sis experience s....

Convergence of Sciences


Facilitating institutional change in West Africa: The CoS-SIS Experience

S. Adjei-Nsiah1, O. Sakyi-Dawson2 and Laurens Klerkx3

1 Institute of Agricultural Research, University of Ghana, Legon, Ghana1 School of Agriculture, University of Ghana, Legon, Ghana

3 Knowledge, Technology and Innovation Studies, Wageningen University, The Netherlands

2


Outline

• Introduction• Materials and Methods• Results• Challenges• Lessons learnt and recommendations• Website


Introduction• Smallholders in West Africa have limited window

of opportunity to make technology relevant to them

• Interaction among actors and concerted action is required for them to benefit from opportunities

• Interaction and concerted action need to be facilitated

• This paper is about how interaction and concerted action are facilitated to bring about institutional change in 9 agro-domains in West Africa


Materials and Methods

• The work is being carried out in Benin, Mali and Ghana since 2010 around 9 agro-domains

• The nine domains were selected by national working groups based on national priorities

• The entry points were arrived at through exploration and scoping studies

• Stakeholder platforms called “Concertation and Innovation Groups” were formed around each of the entry points


Material and Methods• The platforms are facilitated by Post-Doctoral

Research Associates and assisted by PhD students

• The facilitators identified potential members to the platform through stakeholder analysis

• Membership of the platform is flexible and consists of value chain actors (smallholders, public and private sector service providers and regulators)


Main Results• Power dynamics have been at play in most of

the platforms e.g. in Crop-livestock CIG in Mali and Rice CIG in Benin

• In some of the platforms (e.g. Benin oil palm and rice CIGs) power imbalances are as a result of lack of trust among members

• Sometimes the voice of the less powerful actors were not heard in the presence of powerful interests on the platform e.g. in the Mali crop-livestock CIG


Main Results• Conflicts have occurred in most of the CIGs e.g.

cocoa and oil palm CIGs in Ghana

• In some cases a shift in power or conflicts made some members threatened to withdraw from the platform

• The Research Associate takes on the role of mediator to resolve conflicts


Example: Analysis of power relations among oil palm CIG members in negotiation of export opportunities

Power Relations before price negotiation

(Power over) (Power to)Rep of Min of Agric

Rep of Export Promotion Auth

(Power with)

Rep of FarmersRep of ProcessorsRep of MillersExport Entrepreneur

(Power within)

Power Relation after price negotiation

(Power over)Rep of FarmersRep of ProcessorsRep of Millers

(Power to)Rep of Min of Agric

Rep of Export Promotion Auth

(Power with)Export Entrepreneur

(Power within)


Main results

• Smallholders played varied roles in the innovation process through e.g. providing and sharing information with other stakeholders

• Some actors outside the platform played critical roles to advance the course of the platform e.g. in the Ghana oil palm CIG

• In all the platforms, some actors acted as “champions” at some points in the innovation process to remove key institutional constraints


Main results• Capacities of stakeholders were strengthened whenever

it was necessary as in the case of shea platform in Mali and Oil palm platform in Ghana

• In all the platforms, R&D played a major role to remove farm level constraints linked to institutional innovation

• Changing conditions outside the CIG had major influences on the attainment of CIGs objectives e.g. as happened in Benin cotton sector and oil palm CIG in Ghana

• Activities of the CIG have been embedded in local structures to ensure its sustainability e.g. the oil palm CIG in Ghana


Key challenges

• High expectations from platform members e.g. as happened in Benin cotton CIG

• Tight work schedules of some of the platform members resulting in time table conflicts

• Sustainability of platform after funding ceases• Influence of external factors such as

government policy and changes in commodity price on attainment of CIG objectives


Key challenges

• Finding agreement among actors with divergent interest can be a problematic

• Frequent changes in the leadership positions of some key organisations could delay platform activities e.g. as happened in Mali

• Resolving power struggles or conflicts in the platform could also be very challenging


Lessons learnt/Recommendations

• There is the need to build motivation from the start• Getting the right representation from the start is

very important• Time investment is key especially for the facilitator• It is important to be sensitive to gender dynamics to

be able to address issues related to gender• Adjust platform membership when the need arises


Lessons learnt/Recommendation

• Monitor external factors (such as policy change, price changes, political change etc) that are likely to affect the platform performance

• Embed critical platform functioning within the local structure

• Create opportunities and seize them when they arise

• Adjust to socio-cultural norms


Website and Contact Details

• Website: http://www.cos-sis.org

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