Agricultural innovation in Latin America: understanding the private sector's role

"For many years, governments and donors have promoted the generation of knowledge and technological innovations that improve farming and plant genetic resources in developing countries. Because of the “public good” nature of agricultural research for developing countries, it was assumed that the private sector would not invest sufficiently in producing knowledge and technologies that contribute to rural development and poverty alleviation there. So public agencies and aid organizations have initiated and subsidized agricultural research and innovation to supplement the knowledge and technology produced by private entities. Yet many of these publicly generated improvements have not been useful to farmers, processors, and agribusiness and hence have not been adopted on a wide scale. Others have not been transferred to those who would have contentedly absorbed them. At the same time, the production and marketing technologies for the fastest-growing products, such as fresh fruits and vegetables, have been introduced mostly by the private sector. In this context, it is crucial to revisit the role the private sector can play in generating knowledge and technology for agricultural development. What functions do farm input providers, farmers, processors, traders, and exporters have in agricultural innovation processes, and how can they become more directly involved in the financing, generation, diffusion, and adoption of new knowledge and technologies?" from TextAgricultural innovations Latin America, Private sector, Technological innovations, Poverty alleviation, Agricultural research, Rural development projects, Public investments, Agricultural development, stakeholders,

The role of government in agricultural innovation: Lessons from Bolivia

"Many governments in developing countries attempt to foster agricultural development and innovation by setting up funding facilities, extension programs, and research centers and by subsidizing private-sector and farm activities through fiscal measures. However, when trying to manage complex innovation processes involving many and different actors, governments sometimes find it difficult to design effective interventions and therefore end up supporting and managing only the public research and extension organizations that directly depend upon them. With the aid of various donors, Bolivia introduced a scheme in 2001—the Bolivian Agricultural Technology System (SIBTA)—by which government support to agricultural research and extension was partly delegated to regional semiautonomous foundations. This brief presents the results of a study on the role of the Bolivian government in guiding and managing SIBTA. The study found that despite a number of weaknesses related to the design of the system and the government's limited commitment, the regional foundations have been able to effectively identify the demands of small farmers, set priorities, and provide transparency and accountability with regard to funding and decisionmaking. It suggests that instead of micromanaging such foundations, the government should focus on the big picture and conduct policy analysis and strategic planning to identify opportunities for agricultural innovation and set up incentive mechanisms and information networks that support the many actors involved in innovation processes." from textAgricultural innovations, Private sector, Technological innovations, Agricultural research, Agricultural development, stakeholders, Farmers, Producer organizations, Extension,

How change agents and social capital influence the adoption of innovations among small farmers: Evidence from social networks in rural Bolivia

"This paper presents results from a study that identified patterns of social interaction among small farmers in three agricultural subsectors in Bolivia—fish culture, peanut production, and quinoa production—and analyzed how social interaction influences farmers' behavior toward the adoption of pro-poor innovations. Twelve microregions were identified, four in each subsector, setting the terrain for an analysis of parts of social networks that deal with the diffusion of specific sets of innovations. Three hundred sixty farmers involved in theses networks as well as 60 change agents and other actors promoting directly or indirectly the diffusion of innovations were interviewed about the interactions they maintain with other agents in the network and the sociodemographic characteristics that influence their adoption behavior. The information derived from this data collection was used to test a wide range of hypotheses on the impact that the embeddedness of farmers in social networks has on the intensity with which they adopt innovations. Evidence provided by the study suggests that persuasion, social influence, and competition are significant influences in the decisions of farmers in poor rural regions in Bolivia to adopt innovations. The results of this study are meant to attract the attention of policymakers and practitioners who are interested in the design and implementation of projects and programs fostering agricultural innovation and who may want to take into account the effects of social interaction and social capital. Meanwhile, scholars of the diffusion of innovations may find evidence to further embrace the complexity and interdependence of social interactions in their models and approaches." from Author's AbstractSocial networks, Agricultural innovation, Change agent, Social capital,

Who has influence in multistakeholder governance systems?

As multistakeholder governance has emerged as an important feature in development, new governance structures that foster the participation of multiple stakeholders from the public sector, civil society, and the private sector have emerged in various fields, ranging from the management of natural resources to the provision of public services. To make such governance structures work, it is essential to understand how different stakeholders influence decisionmaking and what determines their influence. This paper uses Net-Map, an innovative participatory method, to analyze how networking influences decisionmaking in multistakeholder governance structures, using the case of the governance board of the White Volta River Basin in northern Ghana as an example. The method visualizes both the relations between all stakeholders in watershed management as perceived by the 17 members on the board and their influence on development outcomes. The study suggests that significant effects of social networking are at play beyond the formal lines of command and funding as stakeholders in watershed management make decisions. Stakeholders are more influential if they participate more prominently in information exchange and provide more advice to others. This counterbalances the overrepresentation of government actors on the board. Meanwhile some government organizations have a low level of influence, even though they are central in giving funding and command. These findings may be interesting for program leaders and policymakers in watershed management: when designing governance structures they need to take into account the importance of social networking to attain main objectives of watershed development; it is important to provide space that allows the exchange of information and advice among stakeholders. Meanwhile, policymakers and program leaders as well must consider overrepresentation of social network champions in multistakeholder governance structures and the limited capacity of government bodies in social networking. The paper serves to introduce not only the specific findings concerning this case study but also the participatory research method (Net-Map) that was used.decisionmaking, multistakeholder governance, Natural resource management, Social networks,

Innovation Trajectories in Honduras’ Coffee Value Chain. Public and Private Influence on the Use of New Knowledge and Technology among Coffee Growers

In this paper, results from a study on the use of improved coffee production technology schemes among smallholder coffee producers in three prominent coffee producing regions in Honduras are presented. The impact of various schemes (trajectories) in which different agents influence the producers’ decision to use new technologies was analyzed. In particular, there are differences in the influence of a) private coffee buying organizations and b) government and public development agencies on the innovation behavior of coffee growers. Drawing from network data that depict the internal and outbound connectedness of producers in three village communities in main coffee producing zones in Honduras, tools of social network analysis were applied to find out how interactions with certain agents, separately and cumulatively, has influenced their use of improved methods in coffee production and marketing. The results suggest that there are significant differences in the way that various providers of knowledge and technology, especially private buyers and development agencies, influence the farmers’ behavior towards innovation. The influence of buyers, according to the data, is focused on certification and quality aspects, whereas development agents focus on improved agronomic practices. Farmers who communicate with the extension branch of input providers tend to be more innovative. These results suggest that development programs should take more seriously into account the role of private actors in innovation among agricultural producers and, hence, design development programs in such a way to allow for collaboration with these agents.coffee production, innovation, upgrading, social networks, Honduras, Agribusiness, Agricultural and Food Policy, Food Consumption/Nutrition/Food Safety, Food Security and Poverty, Production Economics, Research Methods/ Statistical Methods, Risk and Uncertainty,

Sharing science, building bridges, and enhancing impact: Public-Private Partnerships in the CGIAR

"This study, which examines the role of public–private partnerships in international agricultural research, is intended to provide policymakers, research managers, and business decisionmakers with an understanding of how such partnerships operate and how they potentially contribute to food security and poverty reduction in developing countries. The study examines public–private partnerships in light of persistent market failure, institutional constraints, and systemic weaknesses, which impede the exchange of potentially pro-poor knowledge and technology. The study focuses on three key issues: whether public–private partnerships contribute to reducing the cost of research, whether they add value to research by facilitating innovation, and whether they enhance the impact of research on smallholders and other marginalized groups in developing-country agriculture. The study examines 75 projects undertaken by the research centers and programs of the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR) in partnership with various types of private firms. Data and information were obtained through document analysis, semi-structured interviews with key informants, and an email survey of CGIAR centers. The resulting analysis provides a characterization of public–private partnerships in the CGIAR and describes the factors that contribute to their success. These finding are important to improving both public policy and organizational practices in the international agricultural research system." - from authors' abstract.Agricultural R&D, CGIAR, Innovation, Public-private partnerships,

Innovación agricola en America Latina: comprendiendo el papel del sector privado

"Por muchos años, los gobiernos y donantes han promovido la generación de conocimiento e innovaciones tecnológicas para mejorar la producción y los recursos fitogenéticos en los países en desarrollo. A causa de la naturaleza de la investigación agrícola como “bien público”, en los países en desarrollo se presumió que el sector privado no invertiría lo suficiente en la producción de conocimiento y tecnologías que pudieran contribuir al desarrollo rural y al alivio de la pobreza en estos países. De esta forma, las agencias públicas y las organizaciones de cooperación han venido dando inicio y subsidiado la investigación e innovación como suplemento al conocimiento y a las tecnologías producidas por las entidades privadas. No obstante, muchas de estas mejoras generadas de forma pública no han resultado útiles para los productores, procesadores y empresarios rurales, razón por la que las mismas no han sido adoptadas a gran escala. Otras no han sido transferidas a aquellos que gustosamente las habrían absorbido. A su vez, las tecnologías de producción y comercialización para los productos de mayor crecimiento, tales como hortalizas y frutas frescas, han sido introducidas principalmente por el sector privado. En este contexto resulta crucial revisar el papel que puede jugar el sector privado en la generación de conocimiento y tecnología para el desarrollo agrícola. ¿Qué función tienen los proveedores de insumos, los productores, procesadores, comerciantes y exportadores en los procesos de innovación agrícola, y cómo puede involucrárseles más directamente en el financiamiento, generación, difusión y adopción de nuevos conocimientos y tecnologías?" from TextAgricultural innovations Latin America, Private sector, Agricultural research, Technological innovation, Public investments, Agricultural development, stakeholders, Agricultural R&D, National agricultural research systems,

Análisis de Redes Sociales aplicado al estudio de los procesos de innovación agrícola

Desde los años 70, los estudios sobre adopción de innovaciones agrícolas han estado dominados por una perspectiva según la cual la decisión de adoptar es un asunto individual, centrado en la utilidad percibida por el productor. En años recientes ha crecido el interés por comprender el papel de la interacción social en estos procesos. Poco a poco, conceptos como capital o aprendizaje social han ganado terreno entre los analistas. Sin embargo, casi ningún estudio ha utilizado el Análisis de Redes Sociales. Con base en un conjunto de datos sobre las interacciones existentes entre productores y otros actores relevantes para la innovación en 12 micro regiones de Bolivia, se analizaron los efectos de dichas interacciones sobre la intensidad de la adopción de innovaciones, apoyándose en las herramientas provistas por los paquetes de software UCINET y NetDraw. A nivel de micro regiones, se halló un efecto positivo y significativo de la densidad de las redes y del prestigio del promotor de las innovaciones. A nivel individual, se dio una adopción más intensa entre quienes mostraron mayor frecuencia de contacto con la agencia promotora de las innovaciones y con otros productores, mayor centralidad de grado en la red, y mayor grado de vínculos simmelianos o cohesivos (embedded ties). Además, se obtuvo evidencia significativa del efecto de la equivalencia estructural sobre los niveles de adopción. El estudio muestra además el efecto positivo de incluir variables estructurales en un modelo econométrico tradicional de adopción.Since the 1970's, studies on adoption of agricultural innovations have been dominated by a perspective according to which adoption is an individual decision, focused on the utilities to be perceived by the farmer. In recent years there is a growing interest for understanding the role of social interaction in these processes. Social capital and social learning are concepts that have gradually received attention among scholars. But very few agricultural innovation studies have taken advantage of Social Network Analysis. Based on a data set on interactions among farmers and other relevant actors for innovation processes in 12 micro regions of Bolivia, we analyzed the effects of those interactions on the intensity of adoption of diverse innovations, considering the tools provided by UCINET and NetDraw software packages. At a micro-regional level, a positive and significant effect of network density and innovation promoter's prestige on adoption was evidenced. At the level of individual farmers, adoption was more intense among those with greater frequency of contact with the promoter and with other farmers, those with a larger degree centrality, and with a larger degree of embedded or cohesive ties. Besides, significant evidence of the effects of structural equivalence on adoption levels is also presented. The positive effects of including structural variables derived from SNA into traditional econometric models are also shown

Building public–private partnerships for agricultural innovation in Latin America: Lessons from capacity strengthening

"The International Service for National Agricultural Research�on its own from 2002 until 2003, and as a division of the International Food Policy Research Institute thereafter has studied 124 public–private partnerships in agriculture in nine Latin American countries through its initiative on public–private partnerships for Agro-Industrial Research in Latin America...This paper examines...seven cases of public–private partnership building in which private- sector companies, producer associations, and research organizations engage in collaboration for the purpose of developing innovations in agricultural production and value chains. The paper considers different points of entry to partnership building, emulating best practices. The paper describes (a) how common interests among multiple stakeholders have been identified; (b) how partners have been motivated to participate in partnerships; (c) how the roles of different brokers within or outside the partnerships have fostered partnership development; and (d) how the contributions of partners have been negotiated to ensure that partnership arrangements are in alignment with the interests of the partners, their capacities, and the prevailing technological and market opportunities. The paper targets policymakers and administrators in agricultural development, and collaborators in research and innovation projects who are interested in issues of how best to build partnerships among public and private agents." from Authors' AbstractPublic-private partnerships, Agricultural innovations, Capacity strengthening, Agricultural research,

Innovation Trajectories in Honduras’ Coffee Value Chain? - Public and the Private Influence on the Use of new Knowledge and Technology among Coffee Growers -

In this paper we present results from a study on the use of improved coffee production technology schemes among smallholder coffee producers in three prominent coffee producing regions in Honduras. We analyze the impact of various schemes (trajectories) in which different agents influence the producers’ decision to use new technologies. In particular, we distinguish the influence of a) private coffee buying organizations and b) government and public development agencies on the innovation behavior of coffee growers. Drawing from network data that depict the internal and outbound connectedness of producers in three village communities in main coffee producing zones in Honduras, we applied tools of social network analysis to find out how interactions with certain agents, separately and cumulatively, has influenced their use of improved methods in coffee production and marketing. The results suggest that there are significant differences in the way that various providers of knowledge and technology, especially private buyers and development agencies, influence the farmers’ behavior towards innovation. The influence of buyers, according to our data, is focused on certification and quality aspects, whereas development agents focus on improved agronomic practices. We also find that farmers who communicate with the extension branch of input providers tend to be more innovative. These results suggest that development programs should take more seriously into account the role of private actors in innovation among agricultural producers and, hence, design development programs in such a way to allow for collaboration with these agents