Cross analysis of multi-stakeholder innovation in smallholder farming :

Key lessons and policy recommendations

from Benin, Kenya and South Africa

AISA Conference, Nairobi, 30 May 2013

57 innovation

cases (Benin,Kenya,

S. Africa)

Case 1

Lessons

Case 13

Collab. assessment

Case

Select ionInventory

Anal.

framework

Feb/10 Jul/13

13 cases

Cross-Analysis

Nov/11

JOLISAA Process

JOLISAA Assessment Process: CasesEntry point Natural Resource

ManagementValue chain

development

Benin * Integrated soil fertility management* Hwedo agrofishing system

* Soy foods * Rice parboiling

Kenya * Soil liming* Prosopis management

* Aloe domestication* Mango processing* Solar milk cooling* Gadam sorghum

South Africa * Integrated soil fertility management* In field rain water harvesting

* Input bulk buying

Lesson 1: Innovations occur in the “social wild”, even when there is no intervention

Lesson 2: Innovation processes comprise dynamic bundles of technological, institutional and organizational elements

Lesson 3: Innovation processes that allow producers to connect with diverse value chains allow for more flexible and incremental changes

Lesson 4: Over the long term, innovation processes unfold in unpredictable and unplannable ways

Key Lessons to be Elaborated

1. Even where there is no intervention, numerous innovations occur in the « social wild »

Perceived overexploitation

of wild aloe

Conservation through use

Aloe cultivation

Industrial processing

Cosmetics

Publ

ic P

riva

te

Part

ners

hip

Creation of a new value chain

Social wild

Harvesters of wild aloe

Sap boilers

Sap & gum traders

Informal exportersSmall scale

processing units

training

Planned value chain fails Messy informal value chain still at work

Aloe PPP :Kenya

2. Innovation processes comprised of dynamic bundles of technological, organizational and institutional elements

Prosopis innovation bundle: Kenya

Desertification and poverty solution

Invasive weed pest

Managementoptions

Technical innovation

Organizational innovation

Organizational innovation

Institutional innovation

FFS groups

FFS groups become charcoal production and trade association

Change in charcoal processing laws

Problem turns into an opportunity

time

3. Diverse value chains within commodity allow flexible and inclusive changes

Soy as solution to malnutrition 1980s

Soybean farmers

Small scale processing

Informal trade

Culinary and dietary practices

Medium scale processing

High valueproducts

Smal

l sca

le

mec

hani

satio

n

Contracts & formal

Cooking oil im

ports

Traders and bulking enterprises

Industrial oil plants

Formal trade and export

Regional cooking oil

Competition on global market

More demanding

urban market

Diversified local markets

Poultry feed

Soybean value chains: Benin

4. Over the long term, innovation processes unfold in unpredictable and unplannable ways

Soybean introduction

by NGO

Introduction of soy in infant

meals

Developement of small infant

food enterprises

Process for ins tant meals

Introduction of toasting

principles

Development of soy based

recipes

Numerous adjustments in processes soy-

cheese, mustards, etc.

By products feed innovation in poultry

raising

Numerous soy products as substitutes to

common food products

Small scale mechanization

Experimentation on varieties and cropping

practices (mainly by farmers)

soy based rotations developed by farmers

Promiscuous TGX cross variety selection by I ITA

Inoculation developed by researchers up to a

rhizobia production unit

Farmer organisations producing seeds, selling

in bulk to large scale oil-plants

Development of intermediate service

enterprises toasting soy for animal feed producing

fi rms (ESOP)

Consortium and platform (FOs , researchers,

Oi lplants, NGOs etc.)

Readjustment of large sca le oil-plants for soy oil

production

Contracts between oil plants and farmers for

seed production, dis tribution and soy

time

Initial plan: baby food

Integration into cuisine

Spreads through farming systems

Oil plants adjust from cotton to soy

Soybean evolution: Benin

Challenge: How to support innovation processes?

L1: Innovations occur in the “social wild”, even when there is no intervention: R1: Policies, research and practice would do better recognizing and strengthening existing local innovation processes rather than trying to replace them.

L2: Innovation processes comprise dynamic bundles of technological, institutional and organizational elementsR2: Policy, research and practice should approach innovation in a way that integrates these elements.

Challenges, lessons and recommendations

Challenge: How to support innovation processes?

L3: Innovation processes that allow producers to connect with diverse value chains allow for more flexible and incremental changes: R3: Increase research and investment in innovation processes that permit flexible engagement with formal and informal value chain stakeholders.

L4: Over the long term, innovation processes unfold in unpredictable and unplannable ways: R4: Provide an institutional environment that recognize and support unfolding processes and allow for flexible open-ended interventions.

Challenges, lessons and recommendations

Participants in JOLISAA CIRAD: Bernard Triomphe, Bernard Bridier, Henri Hocdé,KARI: Geoffrey Kamau, Teresiah Ng’ang’a, Kavoi JusticeUAC : Simplice Davo Vodouhe, Anne Floquet, Roch Mongbo, Rigobert Tossou, UP: Joe Stevens, Brigid Letty, Rootman GerritWUR: Jolanda van den Berg, Todd Crane, Conny Almekinders, ICRA: Nour Sellamna, Hawkins RichardsETC: Ann Waters-Bayer, Nicoliene Oudwater, Meijboom MarianaAnd many field agronomists and small holders

www.jolisaa.netFor more on the findings, visit our posters

JOLISAA is funded by the EU