Systems action design research : delineation of an application to develop hybrid local climate services

In this thesis, a Systems Action Design Research (SADR) model was developed, which allows the Action Design Research Paradigm to be extended to process hybrid systems of stationary or changing interacting systems; including both quantitative and qualitative aspects. The crucial challenge is to get the experts and grass-root end-users to work together actively in a participatory and cocreative way instead of the foremost current expert dominated practices. Hence the basic model is engaged with an epistemic Delphi entry process, which considers the particular application. This study delineates a unique application to develop hybrid local climate services, which take into account also humanitarian values and presents three case studies done in Mozambique, Kenya, and Tanzania conducted by design thinking.Tutkimuksessa on kehitetty vuorovaikutteisten järjestelmien toiminnan suunnittelun tutkimusmalli, joka laajentaa aikaisempia toiminnan suunnittelun tutkimusmalleja stationaarisiin tai muuttuviin vuorovaikutteisiin mahdollisimman kokonaisvaltaisiin eli hybrideihin järjestelmiin. Malli ottaa huomioon sekä määrällisiä että laadullisia tekijöitä. Vielä nykyisin vallalla olevien asiantuntijapainotteisten käytäntöjen välttämättömänä haasteena on saattaa asiantuntijat ja ruohonjuuritason loppukäyttäjät työskentelemään yhteisen luovuuden merkeissä osallistavalla tavalla. Tästä syystä kehitetyn mallin olennaisena osana on episteeminen, sovelluskohtainen Delphi-prosessi. Sovelluksena toteutettavien hybridien paikallisten loppukäyttäjien tietotarpeita palvelevien mobiili-ilmastomallien osalta viitoitetaan tämän sovelluksen pääpiirteet tutkimuksessa esitetyn mallin näkökulmasta sekä esitetään kolmen Itä-Afrikassa (Mosambik, Kenia ja Tansania) suunnitteluajattelun mukaisesti toteutetun ideointiprojektin ehdotukset. Kehitettävissä mobiiliilmastopalveluissa otetaan soveltuvin osin huomioon myös humanitaariset arvot. Tulokset osoittavat, että kehitetty malli voi avata uusia näköaloja hybridien paikallisten mobiili-ilmastopalvelujen kehittämiseen ruohonjuuritason viljelijöille

Sustainable energy for whom? Governing pro-poor, low-carbon pathways to development: lessons from solar PV in Kenya

Using a combination of insights from innovation studies, sociotechnical transitions theory and the STEPS pathways approach, this paper analyses the evolution of the Kenyan photovoltaics (PV) market. Considered by many to be an exemplar of private sector led development, the Kenyan PV market has witnessed the adoption of more than 300,000 solar home systems and over 100,000 solar portable lights. The notion of an entrepreneurially driven unsubsidised solar market has proved to be a powerful narrative amongst development actors who, paradoxically, have provided millions of dollars of funding to encourage the market’s development. We argue that this donor support has been critical to the success of the market, but not simply by helping to create an enabling environment in which entrepreneurs can flourish. Donor assistance has been critical in supporting a range of actors to build the elements of a PV innovation system by providing active protection for experimentation, network-building, and the construction of shared visions amongst actors throughout supply chains and amongst users.This analysis gives important clues for designing climate and development policies, with implications for the governance of energy access pathways that are inclusive of poor and marginalised groups in low income countries

The Jatropha Biofuels Sector in Tanzania 2005-9: Evolution Towards Sustainability?

Biofuel production has recently attracted a great deal of attention. Some anticipate substantial social and environmental benefits, while at the same time expecting sound profitability for investors. Others are more doubtful, envisaging large trade-offs between the pursuit of social, environmental and economic objectives, particularly in poor countries in the tropics. The paper explores these issues in Tanzania, which is a forerunner in Africa in the cultivation of a bio-oil shrub called Jatropha curcas L. We trace how isolated Jatropha biofuel experiments developed since their inception in early 2005 towards a fully fledged sectoral production and innovation system; and investigate to what extent that system has been capable of developing ànd maintaining sustainable practices and producing sustainable outcomes. The application of evolutionary economic theory allows us to view the development processes in the sector as a result of evolutionary variation and selection on the one hand, and revolutionary contestation between different coalitions of stakeholders on the other. Both these processes constitute significant engines of change in the sector. While variation and selection is driven predominantly by localised learning, the conflict-driven dynamics are highly globalised. The sector is found to have moved some way towards a full sectoral innovation and production system, but it is impossible to predict whether a viable sector with a strong “triple bottom line” orientation will ultimate emerge, since many issues surrounding the social, environmental and financial sustainability still remain unresolved.biofuels, evolutionary theory, innovation systems, sustainability, stakeholder conflict, learning, Tanzania.

Financing sustainable energy for all: pay-as-you-go vs. traditional solar finance approaches in Kenya

This paper focuses on finance for Solar Home Systems (SHSs) in Kenya and asks to what extent emerging new finance approaches are likely to address the shortcomings of past approaches. Drawing on the STEPS Pathways Approach we adopt a framing that understands finance within a broader socio-technical context as a necessary but not sufficient component of achieving alternative pathways to sustainable energy access. The paper contributes in four ways. Firstly, it presents a comprehensive overview of past and new emerging approaches to financing SHSs in Kenya and their relative strengths and weaknesses. Secondly, it represents one of the first attempts in the literature to analyse the potential of new, real time monitoring technologies and pay as you go finance models to overcome the barriers faced by conventional consumer finance models for off-grid renewable energy technologies (RETs). Thirdly, by applying for the first time we are aware of a socio-technical approach, via the application of Strategic Niche Management (SNM) theory, to analyse the finance of RETs in developing countries, the analysis considers finance in the context of the social practices poor people seek to fulfil via access to the energy services that off-grid RETs provide, and the ways in which people previously paid for these services (e.g. via kerosene for lighting). This also situates the analysis within the understanding of SHSs as a niche that has to compete with the established regime of energy service provision and its attendant social and political institutional support. The paper therefore also contributes to the small but expanding body of literature that seeks to operationalise socio-technical transitions thinking and SNM within a developing country context

Human experience in the natural and built environment : implications for research policy and practice

22nd IAPS conference. Edited book of abstracts. 427 pp. University of Strathclyde, Sheffield and West of Scotland Publication. ISBN: 978-0-94-764988-3

Gender and innovation processes in maize-based systems

This MAIZE report offers a panorama of the gender dimensions of local agricultural innovation processes in the context of maize-based farming systems and livelihoods

Exploring the role of climate change risk perceptions in informing climate services for adaptation in East Africa

The specificities of the African decision context are not well understood and are often not considered in the development, tailoring and supply of climate services for Africa. Yet, the utility of climate services relies on them being suitable for the decision context, so an understanding of the decision context should be central to climate services development. One unexplored approach to deepening an understanding of the decision context for climate services is through climate change risk perceptions, because perceptions of climate change risk influence whether decision makers take action on climate change as well as what information they seek and use to take action. Accordingly, this study uses data collected through a regional survey (N = 474) and semi-structured interviews (N = 36) to explore and better understand climate change risk perceptions amongst policy decision influencers in east Africa. The data informs three separate analyses. First, a climate change risk perceptions model is constructed, elucidating how various risk perception determinants interact to influence climate change risk perceptions and professional action on climate change in east Africa. This model shows that the pathway to climate change risk perceptions differs depending on individual value systems. Heightened climate change risk perceptions of those with primarily self-enhancing (inward looking) values are predominantly influenced by social norms, whereas heightened climate change risk perceptions of those with primarily self-transcending (outward facing) values are predominantly influenced by experience of extreme events and the psychological proximity of climate change. Second, the identified climate change risk perception determinants are quantified and explored to better understand the specificities of the decision context in which climate services are used. Climate change risk perceptions are found to be heightened, driven by observance of social norms, perceptions of climate change as a proximal risk, frequent experience of extreme weather events and a predominantly self-transcending value system among policy decision influencers. Lastly, the relationships between determinants of climate change risk perceptions and the use of climate services information are quantified and explored to evaluate gaps in currently available climate services. The analysis reveals three main gaps, namely the lack of long-term climate change projections disseminated through National Meteorological Services, the limited locally ground-truthed delivery of impact-based forecasts and inadequate capacity development of climate services users to understand and use complex climate information. The study culminates in a proposed framework for the enhancement of climate services for east Africa, based on understanding gained through the study

Scaling Success: Lessons from Adaptation Pilots in the Rainfed Regions of India

"Scaling Success" examines how agricultural communities are adapting to the challenges posed by climate change through the lens of India's rainfed agriculture regions. Rainfed agriculture currently occupies 58 percent of India's cultivated land and accounts for up to 40 percent of its total food production. However, these regions face potential production losses of more than $200 billion USD in rice, wheat, and maize by 2050 due to the effects of climate change. Unless action is taken soon at a large scale, farmers will see sharp decreases in revenue and yields.Rainfed regions across the globe have been an important focus for the first generation of adaptation projects, but to date, few have achieved a scale that can be truly transformational. Drawing on lessons learnt from 21 case studies of rainfed agriculture interventions, the report provides guidance on how to design, fund and support adaptation projects that can achieve scale