Integrated Agricultural Research for Development (IAR4D)
Concept paper
R. Hawkins | W. Heemskerk | R. Booth | J. Daane | A. Maatman | A. A. Adekunle
This concept paper was prepared for the Forum for Agricultural Research in Africa (FARA) and the Sub-Saharan Africa Challenge Programme (SSA CP).
The paper is intended to promote discussion around the concept of ‘Integrated Agricultural Research for Development’ (IAR4D) and contribute to the understanding of the concept by all actors involved in agricultural research and development. That said, the concepts and experiences discussed - and the ‘vision’ of IAR4D given here—are inevitably based on our own viewpoints, knowledge and experience. Given the evolving nature of research and development approaches, our intention is to stimulate further discussion and experimentation with processes, rather than offer a definitive account of an IAR4D process or method.
We take as our starting point the dissatisfaction that many stakeholders in agricultural research and development feel with ‘business as usual’. By this, we mean the adherence—consciously or not—to the ‘generation, transfer and adoption of technology’ model, in which research is seen as the prime source of new knowledge that, when ‘transferred’ to farmers, is the main driver of agricultural change. We are convinced that this dissatisfaction is leading to the search for ways of improving and integrating the actions of all stakeholders—production and marketing, research, advisory services, policy, funding, etc.
IAR4D is evolving and brings together a number of trends and ideas. In general terms, we see IAR4D as being about a broad set of processes that through their interaction lead to the generation and use of knowledge, with the following features:
- IAR4D is about change or innovation as an outcome, not just about information, knowledge or technology as a product
- IAR4D places ‘research’ as one of the components contributing to the development process, rather
than its pivotal point - IAR4D focuses on processes and performance rather than just products (technologies, policies); or, to put it another way, improved processes are the product
In the paper, we first review four ‘defining principles’ of IAR4D, the theories and experiences that have contributed to the formulation of these principles, and actions that can contribute to putting these principles into practice. We then summarize the individual, organizational and institutional capacity that is needed to create the enabling environment for IAR4D. Finally, we look at 13 case studies, and review how they reflect the principles and capacity-development challenges described.
87 p. | 2009 | English
Tags
agriculture | innovation | research