Fostering Knowledge uptake in Emerging Innovation Systems : Enhancing Conditions for Innovation in Rwanda

Knowledge, when used effectively, is a major input for development. However, the processes associated with knowledge production, knowledge transfer, and knowledge use are complex and not easy to facilitate in certain parts of the world. This is mainly due to a lack of or limited interactions between knowledge producers and knowledge users. This thesis aims to explore how efforts to foster knowledge uptake are organized to support innovation and development in emerging innovation systems. It does so by analysing how building National Innovation Systems and associated policy initiatives can enable interactive learning for innovation and development in Rwanda. This thesis portrays the policy initiatives and institutional frameworks that have been introduced (so far) to foster knowledge production and its use which is aimed at addressing the needs and challenges that Rwandan society currently faces. I have chosen the Rwandan agricultural sector (as a comprehensive economic sector) to explore these issues. Empirical findings from interviews and secondary data show that Rwanda has made progress in establishing Science, Technology and Innovation institutions and attendant policies. However, the research capacity of these institutions remains comparatively low and collaboration among stakeholders is scant. Notwithstanding this, there is a great deal of political will to promote innovation and make it a key driver for national socio-economic development. This political will favours the construction of a National Innovation System, that is promising and forward-looking to building relationships among stakeholders that can be used to promote knowledge production and use. Nevertheless, the industrial sector in Rwanda is still at an embryonic stage and R&D investment from both the business sector and the government remains negligible. All of these efforts need to be sustained and improvements in policies and policy instruments should be made so as to (i) strengthen relations between actors and (ii) mobilize resources for the production and use of knowledge

Technology and innovation trajectories in the Rwandan Agriculture sector: Are value chains an option?

Technology and innovation are important in addressing complex problems in the agricultural sector in many developing communities. However, ways and mechanisms to integrate them in the agricultural sector are still a challenge due to the lack of clear pathways and trajectories. Value chains are seen as a strong policy instrument to increase profitability in the agricultural sector; there is also debate around whether value chains can be a potential option to organize technology and innovation trajectories in agriculture. This paper contributes to this debate by exploring the question of how value chain interactions are organized for producing, transferring and using knowledge in the Rwandan agricultural sector. Interviews with relevant value chain actors and a review of reports and scientific literature were used to explore this question. Empirical findings show that value chain structural organization can be an entry point to mainstream technology and innovation. However, this requires building synergies and complementarities among actors. Interactive learning among value chain actors is imperative, with the use of both scientific and indigenous knowledge. Linking value chains to innovation systems is one option to explore for maximizing the potential of value chains in integrating technology and innovation in the agricultural sector

National Innovation System Construction Process in Rwanda in an East African Region Context

The National Innovation System (NIS) is an interactive model of innovation that has the potential of better enhancing the use of knowledge for economic development. This approach is increasingly capturing the attention of developing economies as a means of utilizing knowledge for economic growth. This paper assesses how the NIS concept is being embraced in the East African (EA) region. It does so by understanding how the Rwandan NIS is being constructed in a regional context. In addition to Rwanda, Kenya and Tanzania are EA countries that are used to understand the NIS integration in the regional context. Primary empirical data are presented for the case of Rwanda whereas secondary data are used for the other countries in this study. Empirical data were collected using interviews whereas structured literature review and data mining were used to acquire secondary data. Generally, it is found that the NIS concept is being integrated into the region which is confirmed by the high consideration of STI in policies and development programs as well as in the setting up of institutions for promoting STI as well as patterns of investment in R&D. Rwanda exhibits a promising progress in the process of developing its NIS with high documented commitments which reflect the will to have an effective NIS. Infrastructures and institutions as well as policies to promote innovation are being established. However, there are still challenges linked to low research capacity, low level of interactions among stakeholders, limited financial resources as well as lack of coordination framework

Constructing the national innovation system in Rwanda: efforts and challenges

The building of sustainable innovation capabilities in Africa requires an innovation system capable of producing, disseminating and using new knowledge. This paper assesses the process of constructing the National Innovation System (NIS) in Rwanda. It is posited that consensus on and acceptance of the concept of NIS among stakeholders is crucial in the early process of constructing an efficient and dynamic innovation system. Primary empirical data are presented for the case of Rwanda and analyzed in a regional context. The study shows that the NIS concept is generally being integrated and utilized in the process of building sustainable innovation capabilities in Rwanda. In particular, Rwanda exhibits promising progress in the process of establishing and reinforcing infrastructures and institutions as well as policies to promote innovation. However, there are still challenges associated with low research capacity, low level of interactions among stakeholders, limited financial resources as well as lack of coordination framework, all of which contribute to hampering the building up of sustainable innovation capabilities

Emergence of an agriculture innovation system in Rwanda: Stakeholders and policies as points of departure

The concept of an innovation system is used to understand how innovation contributes to economic growth. However, innovation systems do not evolve evenly in different parts of the world. This paper contributes to the ongoing debate on the emergence of innovation systems in the context of developing countries. It uses the Rwandan case, where agriculture is a dominant socio-economic sector with high innovation potential. It explores how stakeholder interactions and policies contribute to the emergence of an agriculture innovation system in Rwanda. Based on interviews with relevant stakeholders and a review of policy documents, the authors use the Triple Helix model to analyze interactions among stakeholders. They also explore the policymaking approaches used to formulate policy instruments and how these policy instruments contribute to the promotion of innovation activities. The study shows that stakeholder interactions and policies are important factors in providing the preconditions for innovation performance. There is a clear expression of interest and commitment to promote innovation activities in different policy instruments. Nevertheless, further strategic issues, such as evidence-based policymaking, institutional capacity building, better allocation of resources and platforms for promoting collaboration among stakeholders, need to be improved in order to build a functioning agriculture innovation system in Rwanda

East African Great Lake Ecosystem Sensitivity to changes (EAGLES)

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