Catherine Kilelu

1. Beyond Knowledge Brokerage: An Exploratory
Study of Innovation Intermediaries in an Evolving
Smallholder Agricultural System in Kenya
Presentation at the International
conference on “Innovations in
Extension and Advisory Services:
Catherine Kilelu, Laurens Klerkx, Cees Leeuwis, Andy Hall Linking Knowledge to Policy and
Action for Food and Livelihoods”
Communication and Innovation Studies Group
November 15th 2011 -Nairobi,
Kenya

2. Introduction
 Smallholder agriculture undergoing transformation: dynamic market
opportunities (high value supply chains) and food insecurity challenges.
 The need to enhance innovation of smallholders in context of larger
Agriculture Innovation systems (A.I.S)
 A.I.S- Innovation not research driven but emphasize:
● Interactions among multiple stakeholders bringing different knowledge
● Institutions that shape how individuals/orgs interact
● Learning within networks of actors
 How to support A.I.S ? Need to counteract system and market failures
 Need to go beyond knowledge brokers as ‘infomediaries’(new role for
traditional extension) but move to broad innovation system
intermediaries
 Need to define innovation intermediaries and their diverse functions - a
changing domain

3. Range of innovation intermediaries functions
linking science, Platform for Facilitating Working Transferring
policy, practice policy changes in on
Gathering advocacy rules/ attitudes Disseminating Advising
information regulation and knowledge&
practice Technology Informing
Scanning /
scoping
Indentifying Experimenting
opportunities
Boundary work Institutional change
Peer
Strategic planning
exchange
Knowledge Communicating
Visioning Foresight Demand brokering knowledge/
articulation Institutional support technology
Brainstorming Demonstrating
Demand led
Needs assessment research
Matching
Diagnosis knowledge
Knowledge gaps demand and Articulating
assessment supply
Innovation experiential/
Demand stimulation indigenous
intermediaries/brokers)
knowledge
Filtering Managing
Mediating conflict
Gate keeping
relationships Negotiating
Selecting
collaborators Learning
Interface mgt
Linking and coordinating
Network Innovation
Matching Capacity building
Brokering process Providing space/platforms
Forming making (entrepreneurship)
management Aligning
partnerships (monitoring) Building trust
agendas
Complementary
Market linkages
assets sharing
Organization development Training and competence building
Managerial
Initiating Incubating enterprises Technical skills (agri)
skills
organizations
Organizational Certification/standards
strengthening/group
dynamics

4. Research objectives and methods
 To explore the changing intermediary domain and
their role in supporting innovation in smallholder
development in Kenya
 Who are the intermediary actors in the evolving
Kenyan agricultural innovation system?
 How are the intermediaries contributing to
innovation system support?
 Using a case study design (explorative)
 Focus on dairy, horticulture and staples sub-sectors
 Snow ball sampled 22 organizations
 Data collected through semi-structured interviews
and document reviews

5. Results
 The types of organizations identified as
intermediaries
• NGOs (9),
• Consultants (5),
• Govt agencies (3),
• Private companies (3),
• Consortium (1),
• Producer association(1)
 Funding mixed but mainly donor funded
programs
 New and old actors (changing roles)
 Typology of intermediaries identified

6. Typology of innovation intermediaries
Inter- Example Sectoral Area of focus in their functions
mediary focus
type
Systemic KDSCP, Dairy, Strategic demand articulation- sector agendas
broker NALEP, Horticulture, (including research)
Agri- Sectorwide Network building and facilitating platforms for
Profocus Agribusiness interaction and learning Steering sector wide
Institutional innovation- policy
Technology ISAAA, Agro- Demand stimulation for proprietary technologies
broker AATF Biotechnology Network building and learning ( researchers, private
sector
Knowledge /Technology brokering
Institutional innovation- policy and regulation
Enterprise Farm Horticulture Demand articulation-Market driven opportunities
Develop- Concern and Dairy Network building –input- output linkages
ment Int, Innovation process monitoring and learning ,
support Techno- negotiations
serve, Knowledge brokering
SHOMAP Capacity building- human and organization
development (entrepreneurship)
Pro-poor FIPS,AGM Staples Demand stimulation for inputs
input ARK, Real (maize) Network building and supporting learning for input
Access IPM access and uptake
Knowledge brokering- Local experimentation with
input application
Capacity building and learning organization

7. Results
 Findings confirm a ‘mix’ of organizational forms, public and private
actors involved, and ways of funding (Birner et al 2009; Klerkx and
Leeuwis 2008)
 Role of intermediaries is seen as critical in facilitating networks and
learning among multiple actors
 Focus on technical and entrepreneurial support (K
 Emergence and structure of innovation intermediaries is influenced
by context ( quasi- privatized system in Kenya)
 Innovation intermediation as a specialized function (acting as full-
time ‘innovation brokers’) is limited in the Kenyan context- tensions
with ‘wearing double hats’?
 Some gaps noted in the intermediary landscape in the Kenyan
context
● No intermediaries work on aligning research demand and supply

8. Conclusions and Recommendations
 Policy focus is on demand-driven, pluralistic extension services
but is not explicit on how to provide systemic support and how
to fund this
 Adequacy and optimality of Kenyan intermediary landscape?
Understanding best fit to guide policy? (Birner et al., 2009)
 Areas for further research
● This research provided a structural view of innovation
intermediaries but need to understand them in processes
● Evaluating impact and contribution of innovation
intermediaries

9. Thank you for your attention!
See also: Kilelu, C.W.; Klerkx, L.; Leeuwis, C.; Hall, A.
(2011)Beyond knowledge brokering: an exploratory study
on innovation intermediaries in an evolving smallholder
agricultural system in Kenya Knowledge Management for
Development Journal 7 (1). - p. 84 - 108.