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Institutionalizing Participatory, Client‐Driven Research and Technology Development in Agriculture

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  • Jacqueline A. Ashby
  • Louise Sperling

Abstract

This article identifies key characteristics of participatory research and development(R&D) in the agricultural sector: it is client‐driven, requires decentralized technology development, devolves to farmers the major responsibility for adaptive testing, and requires institutions and individuals to become accountable for the relevance and quality of technology on offer. Through case study material drawn from Latin America, Asia and Africa, the article then reviews ways by which institutions have responded to these characteristics and raises issues for further elaboration. Steps need to be taken, in particular, to safeguard equity, both between the more and less vocal groups of farmers, and between the requirements of present and future generations (the latter referring particularly to environmental concerns). It is argued that participatory R&D alone is insufficient to deliver innovations relevant to diverse client groups: policy mechanisms are required to define which clients are to participate, whose agendas are to drive the process, and what organizational innovations are needed to move agricultural R&D in these directions.

Suggested Citation

  • Jacqueline A. Ashby & Louise Sperling, 1995. "Institutionalizing Participatory, Client‐Driven Research and Technology Development in Agriculture," Development and Change, International Institute of Social Studies, vol. 26(4), pages 753-770, October.
    • Handle: RePEc:bla:devchg:v:26:y:1995:i:4:p:753-770
    DOI: 10.1111/j.1467-7660.1995.tb00573.x
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    3. Bhatnagar, B. & Williams, A.C., 1992. "Participatory Development and the World Bank.; Potential Directions for Change," World Bank - Discussion Papers 183, World Bank.
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    5. Eponou, Thomas, 1993. "Partners in Agricultural Technology: Linking Research and Technology Transfer to Serve Farmers," ISNAR Archive 310775, CGIAR > International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI).
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    1. Harvey James & Iddisah Sulemana, 2014. "Case studies on smallholder farmer voice: an introduction to a special symposium," Agriculture and Human Values, Springer;The Agriculture, Food, & Human Values Society (AFHVS), vol. 31(4), pages 637-641, December.
    2. Pedzisa, Tarisayi & Minde, Isaac J. & Twomlow, Steve, 2010. "The use of participatory processes in wide-scale dissemination of micro dosing and conservation agriculture in Zimbabwe," 2010 AAAE Third Conference/AEASA 48th Conference, September 19-23, 2010, Cape Town, South Africa 95779, African Association of Agricultural Economists (AAAE).
    3. Simtowe, Franklin & Kassie, Menale & Diagne, Aliou & Asfaw, Solomon & Shiferaw, Bekele & Silim, Said & Muange, Elijah, 2011. "Determinants of Agricultural Technology Adoption: The Case of Improved Pigeonpea Varieties in Tanzania," Quarterly Journal of International Agriculture, Humboldt-Universitaat zu Berlin, vol. 50(4), pages 1-21.
    4. Genesis T. Yengoh & Frederick Ato Armah & Edward Ebo Onumah, 2010. "Paths to Attaining Food Security: The Case of Cameroon," Challenges, MDPI, vol. 1(1), pages 1-22, August.
    5. Krista B. Isaacs & Sieglinde S. Snapp & Kimberly Chung & Kurt B. Waldman, 2016. "Assessing the value of diverse cropping systems under a new agricultural policy environment in Rwanda," Food Security: The Science, Sociology and Economics of Food Production and Access to Food, Springer;The International Society for Plant Pathology, vol. 8(3), pages 491-506, June.
    6. de Janvry, Alain & Sadoulet, Elisabeth, 2000. "Rural poverty in Latin America: Determinants and exit paths," Food Policy, Elsevier, vol. 25(4), pages 389-409, August.
    7. Laxmi Prasad Pant, 2019. "Responsible innovation through conscious contestation at the interface of agricultural science, policy, and civil society," Agriculture and Human Values, Springer;The Agriculture, Food, & Human Values Society (AFHVS), vol. 36(2), pages 183-197, June.
    8. Grabowski, Philip & Kerr, John & Donovan, Cynthia & Mouzinho, Bordalo, 2015. "A Prospective Analysis of Participatory Research on Conservation Agriculture in Mozambique," Food Security Collaborative Working Papers 198703, Michigan State University, Department of Agricultural, Food, and Resource Economics.
    9. Kuntashula, Elias & Mafongoya, Paramu L., 2005. "Farmer participatory evaluation of agroforestry trees in eastern Zambia," Agricultural Systems, Elsevier, vol. 84(1), pages 39-53, April.
    10. Awotide, Bola Amoke & Ogunniyi, Adebayo & Olagunju, Kehinde Oluseyi & Manda, Julius & Alene, Arega & Nguena, Christian Lambert & Manyong, Victor & Abdoulaye, Tahirou, 2021. "Does Adoption of Improved Agricultural Technologies Impact Welfare, Poverty and Food Security in the Sahelian Region of West Africa?," 2021 Conference, August 17-31, 2021, Virtual 315119, International Association of Agricultural Economists.
    11. Federica Cisilino & Alessandro Monteleone, 2020. "Designing Rural Policies for Sustainable Innovations through a Participatory Approach," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(21), pages 1-17, November.

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