Platform for African – European Partnership in Agricultural Research for Development

Friday, August 13, 2021

WEBINAR: Joint rapid appraisal on strengthening agricultural innovation systems in Africa, Asia and Latin America

12 August 2021. Joint rapid appraisal on strengthening agricultural innovation systems in Africa, Asia and Latin America by regional research and extension organizations.

The webinar was organized in the framework of the TAP-AIS project (Developing capacities in agricultural innovation systems: scaling up the Tropical Agriculture Platform Framework) implemented by FAO’s Research and Extension Unit, and funded by the European Union as a component of the EU DeSIRA initiative. The project aims to strengthen agricultural innovation systems by promoting the capacity development framework of the Tropical Agriculture Platform (TAP), a multi-stakeholder facilitation mechanism on capacity development for agricultural innovation systems.

As part of the project, in 2020, Regional Agricultural Research and Extension Organizations (RREO) in Africa, Asia and Latin America jointly carried out rapid appraisals to scope the innovation environment and identify and document initiatives aimed at strengthening Agricultural Innovation Systems (AIS).

The focus of the joint rapid appraisals (JRA) was on functional capacity development with a view to
exploring ways in which RREO can support the development of these capacities using TAP approaches and tools. The three regional studies were consolidated in the Synthesis report, which will be launched during this event.

The main objectives of the webinar were to raise awareness and promote joint actions by RREO on strengthening capacity to innovate through integration of TAP Common Framework for capacity development.

Specifically the webinar:
  • presented key findings from the Synthesis report on capacity development for innovation
  • raised awareness and advocate for joint actions by research and extension organizations
  • identified entry points for integration of Common Framework of capacity development within the programmes and projects of Regional Research and Extension Organizations.
Agenda
  • Welcome remarks | Objectives of the webinar
  • Background of the Joint Rapid Appraisal | Presentation of key findings from the 
Synthesis report
  • Talk show: Regional perspectives – success factors, challenges and way forward with FARA, AFAAS, APIRAS, APAARI, RELASER and IICA/FORAGRO
  • Summary and way forward | Closing remarks
Resource:

This report summarizes studies conducted in a framework of TAP-AIS project implemented by FAO’s Research and Extension Unit, and funded by the European Union as a component of the European Union initiative on “Development Smart Innovation through Research in Agriculture” (DeSIRA).

  • The case studies in the reports from the regions illustrate different ways in which multi-actor collaboration is being supported in order to enhance innovation capacity. 
  • Innovation platforms and networks have been established to provide spaces for different organisations to interact, share information and knowledge and develop partnerships. 
  • Some of these platforms and networks are continuing to operate when external support is withdrawn but the sustainability of these mechanisms is a challenge and further efforts are needed to promote local ownership and resourcing. 
  • The case studies highlighted the importance of participatory capacity needs assessments to identify priority capacity needs and design appropriate interventions to address them.

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