Knowledge and innovation
Knowledge and innovation are important drivers of rural development. Farmers need access to knowledge and to services that support them in exploring, developing and adopting innovations. Public and private agricultural research institutions and rural advisory services play an important role in this respect. In addition, Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) have a great potential to enhance timely access to information and knowledge.
see also: network focus area agricultural innovation and rural advisory services
Feature
Deepening Participation and Improving Aid Effectiveness through Media and ICTs
P. Kalas / C. Spurk, SDC Working Paper, 2011 
PDF, 618 KB
After more than ten years of support in the realm of ICTs for Development, SDC has looked back: What do we really know about ICTs, and how can those insights be made useful for the daily practice of development cooperation?
Other key documents
Video-mediated farmer-to-farmer learning for sustainable agriculture
A scoping study for SDC, SAI Platform and GFRAS. Paul Van Mele, Agro-Insight, October 2011PDF, 718 KB
Farmer-led Joint Research: Experiences of PROLINNOVA partners
C. Wettasinha / A. Waters-Bayer (Eds.), IIRR / Prolinnova, October 2010PDF, 3649 KB
Learning AgriCultures: Insights from sustainable small-scale farming
Series for educators, providing insights on sustainable small-scale agriculture, ILEIA, 2010
International Assessment of Agricultural Knowledge, Science and Technology for Development
B. D. McIntyre, H. Herren, J. Wakhungu, R. T. Watson (Eds.), IAASTD, 2009
Cooperating for success: Benefits of research partnerships with developing countries
KFPE, Swiss Academy of Sciences, November 2009
Millions Fed: proven successes in agricultural development
D. J. Spielman / R. Pandya-Lorch (Eds.), IFPRI, 2009
The Participatory Web - New Potentials of ICT in Rural Areas
Deutsche Gesellschaft für Technische Zusammenarbeit (GTZ), 2008PDF, 1665 KB
Important partners:
Agridea – Swiss Association for the Development of Agriculture and Rural Areas
Resource & capacity building organisation for professionals working in rural development
Commission for Research Partnerships with Developing Countries (KFPE)
Dedicated to promoting research partnerships with developing and transition countries
Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR)
Partnership operating 15 International Agricultural Research Centers around the world
ETH - Department of Agricultural and Food Sciences
Department of the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich
European Initiative for Agricultural Research in Development (EIARD)
Permanent informal ARD policy coordination platform of European countries
NCCR North-South
National Centre of Competence in Research of the Swiss National Science Foundation
Swiss Forum for International Agricultural Research (SFIAR)
Multi-stakeholder group of Swiss institutions and private individuals interested in ARD
Young Professionals' Platform for Agricultural Research for Development (YPARD)
International network of young professionals in agricultural research for development
National and regional agricultural research:
Bangladesh: Bangladesh Agricultural Research Council
Benin: Laboratoire d'Analyse Régionale et d'Expertise Sociale
Bolivia: Fundación PROINPA
Burkina Faso: Institut de l’Environnement et de Recherches Agricoles
India: Indian Council of Agricultural Research
Laos: National Agriculture and Forestry Research Institute
Mali: Institut d’Economie Rurale du Mali
Nepal: Nepal Agricultural Research Council
Nicaragua: Instituto Nacional de Technología Agropecuaria de Nicaragua
Regional: Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture
Regional: Zamorano - Escuela Agícola Panamericana
Senegal: Institut Sénégalais de Recherche Agricole
Uganda: National Agricultural Research Organisation
Further information
e-Agriculture
Global Forum for Rural Advisory Services (GFRAS)
Global Forum on Agricultural Research (GFAR)
SDC - Learning and Networking
SDC - Research
