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Innovation Systems + Value chain approaches:

From Principles to Practice

Ranjitha PuskurInternational Livestock Research Institute

January 2010

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Overview of the presentation

Innovation, Innovation Systems and Value Chains

Building innovation platformsGender integrationLearning alliancesScaling up and out

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Why a new research approach?

Dissatisfaction with linear technology transfer model for agricultural development and it’s effectiveness

News ways of improving and integrating the actions of all stakeholders

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Features of new approaches to research

It is about change or “innovation” as an outcome, not just about information, knowledge or technology as a product

It places “research”, as one of the components contributing to the development process, rather than its pivotal point

It focuses on processes and performance rather than just products (technologies, policies). Or, to put it another way, improved processes are the product.

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What IS research is not..not a fixed method, approach or specific

process that can be applied as an alternative to “conventional” research and development

the conceptualisation and practice needs to go beyond methods or approaches to include changes of personal skills, mindsets and attitudes, organisational practices and culture, and the ways in which organisations interact as part of the wider “innovation system”

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Defining principles integrates the perspectives, knowledge and

actions of different stakeholders around a common theme.

integrates the learning by stakeholders from working together.

integrates analysis, action and change across the different (environmental, social, economic) “dimensions” of development.

integrates analysis, action and change at different levels of spatial, economic and social organisation.

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Why is innovation important?

Globalisation

(knowledge

networks, markets)

Institutions (local, national, regional, global)

Markets (consumption,

supermarkets, integration)

Policy (decentralisation,

privatisation)

Population pressure

Climate change

Emerging infectious

diseases

Intensification

Evolving challenges and opportunities

Huge implications for poor and women

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What is innovation?“Process by which knowledge is created, diffused, accessed, adapted, and, most critically, put into use, in economically and socially significant ways”.

Technological Institutional (way things are routinely done) Organisational Policy

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If we always doWhat we always did,We will always get

What we always got!!!

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InnovationInnovation is a social process

involving many different actorsInnovation processes can be

enhanced by creating more possibilities for actors to interact – innovation platforms

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Innovations are the result of learning emerging from right networks of actors working together in certain ways..

These certain ways are rules and norms or routines – called institutional arrangements

Emphasis is on getting the right actors together (key actors along the value chain) and getting them to work in certain way

Simply speaking ..

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Why do we need to pay attention to innovation as a process?

Farmer adopting

integrated system

Research

Technology

Bulker

Packager

Dairy Value Chain

‘PULL’

Trader

Retailmarkets

Supermarkets

Restaurants

Processor

Veg Value Chain

Veterinary Value Chain

Genetics Value Chain

Feed Value Chain

Knowledge

Market Information

Irrigation Value Chain

Seed Value Chain

Organisational

‘PUSH’

How do we get all of these actors working together

to identify problems and co-create solutions

as the value chains evolve?

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Building innovation platforms

Landscaping to identify key actors along the value chain

Understand their habits and practices; incentives and motivations

Outcome mappingJoint actionM&L for course correction and lesson

learning

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Innovation platforms facilitate dialogue between the main local players in the value

chain: farmers, input suppliers, traders, transporters, processors, wholesalers, retailers, regulators, and the R&D community

identify bottlenecks and opportunities in production, marketing and the policy environment

identify market requirements (quantity, quality, and the timing of sales)

analyse existing production strategies identify and implement technologies to improve production to

fulfill market demand

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a fluid entity - evolving membership, drawing in relevant expertise depending on the problem being addressed

helps provide access to credible information and improving information flow

help choose the most feasible solutions to be tested and implemented

generate site-specific solutions to align production with market requirements, which will ensure better prices for smallholder producers.

Innovation platforms

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Major elements of the approach

Knowledge-based, capacitated and responsive system with linked actors

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Integrating gender concerns Analyze gender roles in the value

chains - identify entry points/niches along the chains for their involvement

Analyze their knowledge/capacity needs, sources, access to technologies

Plan activities, set targets, create enabling conditions Capacity building of intermediaries Monitor!

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Livestock system context-Biophysical -Technical-Social -Economic

-Political - Institutional

System diagnosis

Drivers/Factors-Preferences -Policy and institutions

-Knowledge -Culture-Risk and vulnerability –Infrastructure

Environment - Technology

Current state of a agricultural issue

Current actors, alignment and practices

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Pilot testing of interventions

Design of interventions-Capacity building of actors

-Enrolment and alignment of actors -Changes in institutions

-Technical options

BaselineContext DriversActors Linkages

Changes-Actors- Institutions

-Alignment -Organizations-Practices -Policy

M&E andLearning

Lessons and

principles

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Action LearningA process in which a group of people come

together more or less regularly to help each other to learn from their experience.

The experience can be something which is taking place, or more often is set up for the occasion.

It is cyclic, involves action and reflection on that action.

Intended to improve practice.

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How do you facilitate learning?

Periodic meetings and workshops with stakeholders

Joint action planning, implementation Exposure visitsLearning alliancesPlatforms

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Learning alliances

Other Districts

Local level

Regional

National

Sites within district

Non-project sites within district

Learning

Scaling out

Chair

Chair

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Roles of the alliances Advisory

– Facilitate participatory planning– Facilitate scaling up innovations (technical, institutional

and organisational)– Facilitate ownership/institutionalisation

Learning– M&E

• of process and outcomes • of project and alliance activities

– Specific learning events

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What needs to be scaled up/out?

Principles and methods of stimulating local innovation processes

Lessons from experience in supporting institutional change

Lessons in building multi-stakeholder partnerships to create enabling conditions for local innovation processes

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Key questions to steps in scaling out process

What factors can be identified as critical for making sustainable an innovation?– Socio-economic-cultural embedding

How to identify end-users, actors and parties directly or indirectly affected by the introduction of innovation?

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Key questions to steps in scaling out process

How can different actors be involved in the innovation process?

At which stage and to what extent they may influence the change?

What is the best level of participation?

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What is required.. A tool for the analysis, planning and

implementation of sustainable actions A technique that makes use of

participatory methods A systematic approach for dialogue and

co-operation between groups of local actors

A simple and effective way to handle risks and opportunities of stakeholders’ demand and builds relationships with them

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ILRI is creating and integrating knowledge to enable diverse partners to

find innovative solutions to make livestock a sustainable pathway out of

poverty