Innovation Platforms for Agricultural Development Evaluating the mature innovation platforms landscape

Innovation Platforms (IPs) form the core of many Agricultural Research for Development programmes, stimulating multi-stakeholder collaboration and action towards the realization of agricultural development outcomes. This book enhances the body of knowledge of IPs by focusing on mature IPs in agricultural systems research, including the crop and livestock sectors, and innovations in farmer cooperatives and agricultural extension services.

Resulting from an international IP case study competition, the examples reported will help the many actors involved with agricultural IPs worldwide reflect on their actions and achievements (or failures), and find tools to share their experience. Chapters feature case studies from Central Africa, Ethiopia, India, Kenya, Nicaragua and Uganda. Authors reflect critically on the impact of IPs and showcase their progress, providing an important sourcebook and inspiration for students, researchers and professionals.

Foreword Franck Rijsberman and Kwesi Atta-Krah 1. The State of Innovation Platforms in Agricultural Research for Development Marc Schut, Jean-Joseph Cadilhon, Michael Misiko and Iddo Dror 2. With Trust and a Little Help from Our Friends: how the Nicaragua Learning Alliance Scaled-up Training in Agribusiness Dirk Hauke Landmann and Jean-Joseph Cadilhon 3. Overcoming Challenges for Crops, People and Policies in Central Africa: The Story of CIALCA Stakeholder Engagement Perez Muchunguzi, Piet van Asten, Bernard Vanlauwe and Guy Blomme 4. Can an Innovation Platform Succeed as a Cooperative Society? The Story of Bubaare Innovation Platform Multipurpose Cooperative Society Ltd Rebecca Mutebi Kalibwani, Jeniffer Twebaze, Rick Kamugisha, Honest Tumuheirwe, Edison Hilman, Moses M. Tenywa and Sospeter O. Nyamwaro 5. Crop-livestock-tree Integration in Uganda: the Case of Mukono-Wakiso Innovation Platform Sylvia Namazzi, Perez Muchunguzi, Dieuwke Lamers, Anna Sole-Amat, Piet van Asten, Thomas Dubois, Victor Afari-Sefa, Moses M. Tenywa, Immaculate Mugisa, Mariëtte Daniëlle McCampbell and Murat Sartas 6. Humidtropics Innovation Platform Case Study: WeRATE Operations in West Kenya Paul L. Woomer, Welissa Mulei and Celister Kaleha 7. Innovation Platforms for Improved Natural Resource Management and Sustainable Intensification in the Ethiopian Highlands Zelalem Lema, Annet Abenakyo Mulema, Ewen Le Borgne and Alan Duncan 8. Sustaining the Supply of Organic White Gold: the Case of SysCom Innovation Platforms in India Christian Andres, Lokendra Singh Mandloi and Gurbir Singh Bhullar 9. MilkIT Innovation Platform: Changing Women’s Lives – One Cow and One Litre of Milk at a Time – Deep in the Foothills of India’s Himalayan Mountains Thanammal Ravichandran, Nils Teufel and Alan Duncan 10. Synthesis Jean-Joseph Cadilhon, Marc Schut, Michael Misiko and Iddo Dror 11. Are We There Yet? Some Reflections on the State of Innovation Platforms in Agricultural Research for Development Iddo Dror, Jean-Joseph Cadilhon and Marc Schut

Iddo Dror is Head of Capacity Development at the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI), Nairobi, Kenya.

Jean-Joseph Cadilhon is Senior Agricultural Economist at ILRI, Nairobi, Kenya.

Marc Schut is a Social Scientist at the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), Burundi, and Wageningen University and Research Centre, the Netherlands.

Michael Misiko is an Innovation Scientist at the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT), Kenya.

Shreya Maheshwari is an independent editor based in India.