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Strengthening Agricultural Innovation Capacity: Are Innovation Brokers the Answer?

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Author Info
Klerkx, Laurens () (Communication and Innovation Studies Group, Wageningen University)
Hall, Andy () (UNU-MERIT, LINK)
Leeuwis, Cees () (Communication and Innovation Studies Group, Wageningen University)

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Abstract

This paper examines the role of innovation brokers in stimulating innovation system interaction and innovation capacity building, and illustrates this by taking the case of Dutch agriculture as an example. Subsequently, it reflects upon the potential role of innovation brokers in developing countries' agriculture. It concludes that innovation brokerage roles are likely to become relevant in emerging economies and that public or donor investment in innovation brokerage may be needed to overcome inherent tensions regarding the neutrality and funding of such players in the innovation system. The Dutch experience suggests that innovation brokers need to be contextually embedded, and are unlikely to become effective through a centrally-imposed design. Hence, we conclude that stimulating their emergence requires a policy that supports institutional learning and experimentation. In the evaluation of such experiments, it is important to note that innovation brokers tend to play intangible roles that are not easily captured through conventional indicators.

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Publisher Info
Paper provided by United Nations University, Maastricht Economic and social Research and training centre on Innovation and Technology in its series UNU-MERIT Working Paper Series with number 019.

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Date of creation: 2009
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Handle: RePEc:dgr:unumer:2009019

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Web page: http://www.merit.unu.edu

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Related research
Keywords: Agriculture; Developing Countries; The Netherlands; Innovation Broker; Neutrality; Institutional Learning; Context-Specific; Innovation Systems; Capacity Strengthening; Agricultural Extension;

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Find related papers by JEL classification:
N54 - Economic History - - Agriculture, Natural Resources, Environment and Extractive Industries - - - Europe: 1913-
O13 - Economic Development, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Development - - - Agriculture; Natural Resources; Environment; Other Primary Products
O31 - Economic Development, Technological Change, and Growth - - Technological Change - - - Innovation and Invention: Processes and Incentives
Q13 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Agriculture - - - Agricultural Markets and Marketing; Cooperatives; Agribusiness
Q16 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Agriculture - - - R&D; Agricultural Technology; Agricultural Extension Services
Q18 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Agriculture - - - Agricultural Policy; Food Policy

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Please report citation or reference errors to , or , if you are the registered author of the cited work, log in to your RePEc Author Service profile, click on "citations" and make appropriate adjustments.:
  1. Hall, Andrew & Rasheed Sulaiman, V. & Clark, Norman & Yoganand, B., 2003. "From measuring impact to learning institutional lessons: an innovation systems perspective on improving the management of international agricultural research," Agricultural Systems, Elsevier, vol. 78(2), pages 213-241, November. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
  2. Hall, Andy & Clark, Norman & Naik, Guru, 2007. "Technology Supply Chain or Innovation Capacity?: Contrasting Experiences of Promoting Small Scale Irrigation Technology in South Asia," UNU-MERIT Working Paper Series 014, United Nations University, Maastricht Economic and social Research and training centre on Innovation and Technology. [Downloadable!]
  3. Clark, Norman & Hall, Andy & Sulaiman, Rasheed & Naik, Guru, 2003. "Research as Capacity Building: The Case of an NGO Facilitated Post-Harvest Innovation System for the Himalayan Hills," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 31(11), pages 1845-1863, November. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
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  5. Spielman, David J. & Ekboir, Javier & Davis, Kristin & Ochieng, Cosmas M.O., 2008. "An innovation systems perspective on strengthening agricultural education and training in sub-Saharan Africa," Agricultural Systems, Elsevier, vol. 98(1), pages 1-9, July. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
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  12. Klerkx, Laurens & Leeuwis, Cees, 2008. "Matching demand and supply in the agricultural knowledge infrastructure: Experiences with innovation intermediaries," Food Policy, Elsevier, vol. 33(3), pages 260-276, June. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
  13. Rufin Baghana & Pierre Mohnen, 2009. "Effectiveness of R&D tax incentives in small and large enterprises in Québec," Small Business Economics, Springer, vol. 33(1), pages 91-107, June. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
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  14. Hall, Andy, 2006. "Public private sector partnerships in an agricultural system of innovation: concepts and challenges," UNU-MERIT Working Paper Series 002, United Nations University, Maastricht Economic and social Research and training centre on Innovation and Technology. [Downloadable!]
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  17. Andy Hall, 2005. "Capacity development for agricultural biotechnology in developing countries: an innovation systems view of what it is and how to develop it," Journal of International Development, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 17(5), pages 611-630. [Downloadable!]
  18. Hall, Andy, 2008. "Embedding Research in Society: Development Assistance Options for Supporting Agricultural Innovation in a Global Knowledge Economy," UNU-MERIT Working Paper Series 011, United Nations University, Maastricht Economic and social Research and training centre on Innovation and Technology. [Downloadable!]
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