Research-into-use. An Independent Review

Research-into-use. An Independent Review 
D. Shields, J. Wyeth, G. Gill; 2012, viii + 51 pp.
November 2012 (Final draft) 1.0MB

This report offers an independent review of the Research-into-Use (RIU) programme. RIU was established in 2006 with an inception period that lasted until June 2007. Following a Mid-term Review (MTR) in middle of 2009 there was a major restructuring and this new Review focuses mainly on the period after that and up to May 2011.

The purpose of the Review is to provide an independent analysis of the programme that focuses on actual and potential impact where it can, and especially on outcomes and outputs. It looks at some of the effects the interventions have had on institutions and systems so far and specifically asks:

1. What has RIU delivered and what likely impacts can be foreseen? 
2. What has been successful and why? 

Chapter 1 provides a brief introduction to the programme and to the Review. Chapter 2 covers findings of on field activities, and Chapter 3 covers the findings on the research process. Chapter 4 brings together some of the main conclusions reached by the Review in a number of areas.

Related: 
Bringing New Ideas into practice. Experiments with agricultural innovation. Learning from Research Into Use in Africa.
P Gildemacher , R Mur (ed.)

184 pages

Published 2013

KIT studied a selection of projects from the RIU Africa portfolio:

• the Nyagatare maize platform in Rwanda; 
• the cowpea platform in Kano state, Nigeria; 
• the pork platform in Malawi, 
• the Farm Input Promotions (FIPS) Best Bet in Kenya, 
• and the Armyworm Best Bet in Kenya and Tanzania. 

Through a mix of quantitative and qualitative methods the change in capacity to innovate, the household level poverty impact, the main lessons learned and the value for money were assessed.

The analysis of the five cases did allow for the development of an analytical model that can assist in decision-making on investments in agricultural innovation. Interventions aimed at agricultural development through innovation would do well to consider two types of results: household level impact at scale, and an improved capacity to innovate. Three interlinked components, needs and opportunity identification, experimentation and bringing into routine use, were distinguished to analyse the process of getting from new ideas to impact at scale. The roles of different stakeholders are discussed.
Background:
The Research Into Use programme (RIU) came to a close on 31st December 2012. The RIU was commissioned in 2006 to address ways to scale up successful innovations from agricultural research. The intention of RIU was to deliver the impact from the 10-year (1995 to 2005) DFID-funded suite of programmes on Renewable Natural Resources (RNRRS).