Wale Adekunle

1. Working with National Innovation Pilot Learning Sites and
Inter-regional
Innovation Platforms
Sub-Saharan Africa Challenge Program
Wale Adekunle
Director, Partnerships and Strategic Alliances
2ndGlobal Conference on Agricultural Research for
Development (GCARD 2)
Forum for Agricultural Research in Africa
Punta del Este, Uruguay, 28th October-1 November
2012

2. Prevalence of undernourishment in the total population %
FAO Hunger Map
Hunger is most severe in Africa, despite abundance of human & natural
resources
Undernourishment is responsible for 25,000 deaths each day.
Responsible for stunting in 150m children (a life sentence of sorts)

3. Goal of the SSA CP
Problem:
African agricultural research has not realized its potential contribution towards
improving the livelihoods of Africans, especially smallholder farmers.
Goal:
Substantially greater impact from agricultural research for development
(AR4D) leading to improved rural livelihoods, increased food security and
sustainable natural resource management throughout Sub Saharan Africa
Method:
Develop and test (proof-of-concept) an AR4D approach that overcomes the
shortcomings of traditional approaches.
This approach is known as: Integrated Agricultural Research for
Development (IAR4D) (Using Innovation Platforms)

4. Categories of problems faced by small farmers in Africa
Example of Nerica
• Good technology Technological
Constraints
• Spread is slowed
down by non –
Food and Nutrition
availability of insecurity, environme
seeds ntal degradation and
poverty Infrastructural
Institutional Constraints
Constraints
Governance as an overarching factor4

5. Importance of non-technological
Constraints
•Knowledge
•Technologies
•Inventions
In the hands of farmers
Non technological constraints have remained
“invisible” for too long On the shelves

6. Innovative Partnerships altering the landscape
Removal of Technological , institutional and infrastructural
constraints paves the way for food security, nutritional
security, poverty reduction and environmental preservation

7. Innovative Partnerships based on analysis of Problems
Partners determined by nature of problem at hand; capability; readiness to work with
others; learn from others
Then we conduct Problem Analysis
Research Themes
General Problems •Productivity
•Poverty reduction • Markets
•Food security • Policy
Research Specific
•Nutrition security • NRM
Problem • Product Development
•Environment
•Gender • Nutrition
• Gender
Similar analysis is conducted for Institutional and Infrastructural
Constraints identified or foreseen

8. IAR4D - Participation and Gainful Interaction
Farmers
Govt Private Sector End users
Innovation Systems
Extension
Research
Transpoters

9. From Outputs to Impacts - Innovation Platforms
Innovative
Partnerships
•Research Themes Socio-economic
Productivity Technological Benefits
Natural Innovations
Resource
management
Market Institutional
Policy Innovations
Product
Development Infrastructural
Nutrition Innovations
•Gender

10. Meeting old and new challenges
Public Sector Private Sector
Human Capital
Innovation Platforms
Research and Devpt
Women
Youths

11. Management and Governance of the SSA CP…1/2
At three levels
1. Task forces [Field research + coordination of taskforce members]
2. PLS Level [Pooling of TF research to PLS level + coordination of TFs]
3. Programme [Pooling of PLS research to prog. Level + coord. of PLS]
PROGRAMME SSA CP
Director
Agreements
Lead
PLS 1 PLS 2 PLS 3 Institution
Agreements Agreements Agreements coordinators
TF TF TF TF TF TF TF TF TF TF
Leaders

12. Disbursement Mechanisms
CGIAR
FARA
CORAF CIAT IITA
KKM L Kivu ZMM
Contract Contract
IITA IFDC INRA CIAT MU RAB Bio TSBF SOFECSA
TF approval
Contract
Collaborating Collaborating Collaborating
Institutions Institutions Institutions

13. Recommendations of the M&G review
Programme level
CGIAR structures CGIAR
Steering Committee Regional Level
FARA
SSA CP
Coordination Unit
Programme
SSA CP
Steering
committee of
Committee
FARA’s Executive
FARA secretariat/ Board
Sub Regional
Coordination Unit Level ASARECA CORAF SADC-FANR
Sub regional level
PLS Level
 SRO structures
Governance
CRST TF1 TF2 TF3
Acronyms Management
CRST = cross-site research support team
 Lead institutions TF = Task Force
PLS = Pilot Learning sites
ASARECA, CORAF and SADC-FANR are the SROs
 Management Committees
Project Level

14. Examples of benefits from Rwanda
Institutional Solution
Technological
option
Socio economic benefits
Basic Problem

15. The partners spoke out
I am an input dealer, I
also benefited a lot I built a new
I now I house which
I used my
sponsor my And bought assets to buy
fetches me
children to me cows rabbits 20,000 F a
too month
the
university
Increase in yield coupled with I represent the Bank, we
better market access also benefited
significantly
Win-win partnerships

16. Impact coming already
I have a car and ten jobs have been created I
am building a modern washing bay

17. Success story…. Uganda
 Product of indigenous
knowledge strengthened
with modern science and
contributions from the
University of Makerere
 willing entrepreneurs
 Producers looking for
market
 Input dealers looking for
Mamera now in the supermarket market
….. More income, more  Cooperation of Policy
jobs, nutrition makers and extension
Stanbic Bank

18. Success story…. DRC
Kasiksi & Mutobe
 Product of indigenous
knowledge strengthened
with modern science and
contributions from the
University of Goma, DRC
 willing entrepreneurs
 Producers looking for
market
 Input dealers looking for
market
 Cooperation of Policy
makers and extension
Mecrego Microf-innance
Win-Win Partnerships

19. Innovative Partnerships allow for scaling up and scaling out
UP Second Level of Influence
National Level
First level of Influence
District level
Local or village Participating Farmers
level Innovation Platform
Upstream Research activities
OUT

21. Conclusions
• Promoting impact of research requires that we complement technological
options with appropriate institutional and infrastructural solutions
• This demands innovative partnerships on Innovation Platforms
• The work in SSA CP has shown that increasing impact is possible if we
continue to be innovative in setting up appropriate partnerships
• CRP 1.2 will build on the success of SSA CP and other programs in the
region to reach a wide range of partners to contribute to reduction of food
and nutritional insecurity, reduction of environmental
degradation, reduction of poverty and to economic development

22. Forum for Agricultural Research in Africa
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