Knowledge and innovation
Rural and agricultural growth - particularly if it is to be pro-poor - requires broad access to services that support rural people in exploring, developing and adopting innovations - new and better ways of doing things. Among these services advisory services that provide know-how play an important role, but also tangible material services such as input supply and marketing. Providers of such services may be private, cooperative/civil society as well as public actors.
In-depth theme 2: Agricultural innovation and rural advisory services (internal link)
Key documents:
International Assessment of Agricultural Science and Technology for Development (IAASTD) Unlocking Farmers' Potential: Institutionalising farmer participatory research and extension in Southern Ethiopia
December 2007
Author: IAASTD (ed.)
IAASTD is a unique international effort that evaluates the relevance, quality and effectiveness of agricultural knowledge, science, and technology (AKST) and effectiveness of public and private sector policies as well as institutional arrangements in relation to AKST. The project is a major global initiative, developed out of a consultative process involving 900 participants and 110 countries from all regions of the world.
Keywords: Agriculture, Research, Assessment, Institutions
October 2005
Author: Ejigu Jonfa & Ann Waters-Bayer
This publication presents the key elements that supported the process of incorporating farmer participatory research into the activities of government research and extension organisations in Southern Ethiopia, and the challenges posed by working within bureaucratic structures.
Keywords: Participatory Research, Agriculture, Extension, Innovation, Africa, Ethiopia
Millions Fed
2009
Author: IFPRI (ed.)
Humanity has made enormous progress in the past 50 years toward eliminating hunger and malnutrition. Some five billion people - more than 80 percent of the world's population - have enough food to live healthy, productive lives. Agricultural development has contributed significantly to these gains, while also fostering economic growth and poverty reduction in some of the world's poorest countries. This book examines how policies, programs, and investments in pro-poor agricultural development have helped to substantially reduce hunger across Africa, Asia, and Latin America. The 20 success stories presented here provide both lessons and inspiration for continued efforts to eradicate hunger and malnutrition among the one billion people still facing this scourge.
Keywords: Agriculture, Agricultural Development, Food Security, success stories, pro-poor growth
Important partners:
Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR)
The mission of the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research is to achieve sustainable food security and reduce poverty in developing countries through scientific research and research-related activities in the fields of agriculture, forestry, fisheries, policy, and environment.
EIARD's purpose is to enhance the appropriateness and effectiveness of European investments in ARD at national, regional and international levels both in
ETH Zurich - Group for Forestry in Developing Countries, GFD
Our main goals are:
- To maintain and to increase quality in development cooperation by high-level education and research and to exchange experiences concerning sustainable use of forest resources and services in the tropics and eastern transformation countries.
- To contribute to the education and to the level of information of students at the ETHZ in the field of international forestry (Lectures are prepared for divisions of the department of environmental sciences and NADEL - Post-graduate courses in development- and transformation countries).
YPARD - Young Professionals' Platform for Agricultural Research for Development
YPARD serves as a global platform through which young professionals can express their ideas and realise their full potential towards a dynamic agricultural research for development.
YPARD:
- facilitates exchange of information and knowledge among young professionals across disciplines, professions, age and regions
- broadens opportunities for YPs to contribute to strategic ARD policy debates
- promotes agriculture among young people
- facilitates access to resources and capacity building opportunities.
Agridea – Swiss Association for the Development of Agriculture and Rural Areas
Agridea, the Swiss Association for the Development of Agriculture and Rural Areas - supports people who commit themselves to improving the quality of life in rural areas. Around 40 agricultural and other rural organisations, as well as the cantons of Switzerland and the Principality of Liechtenstein are all members of the AGRIDEA association. The Swiss Federal Office for Agriculture is the largest client.Agridea:
- supports technical and economic management of farm enterprises and contributes to improving the socio-economic situation of the farming families,
- highlights potentials for production and services in the agricultural sector and supports their development and introduction,
- creates opportunities for cooperation and synergies between agriculture and the other actors in rural areas,
- promotes landscape ecology, sustainable land use systems and animal-friendly husbandry practices,
- facilitates interaction and exchange within the agricultural and rural knowledge systems.
