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Creating the preconditions for emerging innovation systems: The case of agricultural

5. Empirical results

5.3. Creating the preconditions for emerging innovation systems: The case of agricultural

sector in Rwanda

The Rwandan National Innovation System is currently under construction, with considerable effort being made to promote the use of scientific knowledge for social development. The innovation system recognises that it is essential that conditions be improved to innovate in different sectors of the economy if positive results are to be realized. Agriculture is a socio-economic sector with the potentials for innovation development in the Rwanda context, as acknowledged in the interviews reported in Paper II and various policy documents. As discussed in Paper I and Paper II, innovation development requires the support of the policy environment and proper alignment of innovation activities and other economic structures. This can be achieved through interactions between stakeholders in the sector. In this section, based on the findings in Paper III, I discuss the role of stakeholders and policies as key preconditions for building an agriculture innovation system, thereby enhancing our understanding of the conditions for innovation in Rwandan agriculture.

5.3.1. Stakeholders and their roles in supporting innovation The role of stakeholders in innovation processes is important across different dimensions. However, their impact depends on how they interact with each other and how they complement each other. Stakeholders in the Rwandan agricultural sector fall into the following main groups: farmers, government, non-governmental organizations, the private sector, and knowledge institutions. The farmers’ group is primarily composed of farmers’ federations and cooperatives as well as individual farmers, including small-scale farmers and large-scale farmers. The sub-category of small-scale farmers consists of farmers with less than 0.7ha of farmland, whereas large-scale farmers farm from 1ha of land and above (Rwirahira 2009; Ayalew Ali et al. 2014). Non-Governmental Organizations comprise both local and international

organizations. They also include UN agencies and regional/trans-boundary bodies that are directly or indirectly engaged in the agricultural sector. Line ministries, aligned agencies, and local entities compose the government category, whereas the private sector category is composed of agro-dealers and agribusiness entrepreneurs, including industry. Research and training institutions (i.e., higher education) are found in the knowledge institution group.

These main groups of stakeholders have a wide range of roles and functions with respect to the development of innovation in the agricultural sector in Rwanda. The government provides an operational environment through planning and policymaking. Knowledge institutions conduct research and technology transfer to provide needed skills and technology to address problems in the sector. The research dissemination and technology transfer roles are – ideally – accomplished in an interactive way. This involves a knowledge institution as the technology provider and public agencies and NGOs as facilitators. Farmers are thus classed as technology end-users.

Innovation propensity is expected to increase through these interactions and mutual learning among the stakeholders. Financing and commercialization roles in the private sector translate these efforts into economic significance.

Interactions between stakeholders that aim to perform the above-mentioned roles and functions remain limited, as highlighted by stakeholders interviewed for this study. However, they recognize the value of work done to enhance interaction through consultative meetings and workshops. In many cases, these meetings and workshops are organized by government organizations, universities, and NGOs. These measures are not seen as satisfactory, especially when compared to the high expectations made with respect to research, technology, and innovation as the main drivers for the transformation of the agricultural sector in Rwanda. This low level of satisfaction regarding these efforts is merely due to the lack of effective and efficient mechanisms for said interactions. Tools and frameworks, such as innovation platforms, Farmers Field Schools (FFS), annual national agriculture shows, professional platforms, and ICT for Agriculture, have been initiated to overcome challenges to collaboration for research, innovation, and technology transfer. These tools are expected to offer opportunities for interaction, raise awareness about the available knowledge and technologies, and provide information about how they can be accessed and used. However, these mechanisms need to be operationalized cautiously with proper leadership and equality. Issues of inequality (financial and social inequality) and power imbalances have been identified as limiting factors in places where these mechanisms have been

previously applied (Adam et al. 2018). Thus, on-ground facilitation efforts are key for the use of these mechanisms if they are to enhance interaction and complementarities among actors.

5.3.2. Role of policies and policy instruments in supporting innovation in the Rwandan agricultural sector

The impact of policies and policy instruments is principally determined by policy drivers and how policies are made. Policy actions are key to indicating what needs to be done and in identifying strategies to achieve policy goals. In the context of the Rwandan agricultural sector, several policies and policy instruments in support of innovation for agricultural sector development and national socio-economic development have been introduced. Such policies and instruments provide key priorities, indications of major policy actions, and information about how they can be implemented to increase innovation propensity in the Rwandan agriculture system. Chief among them is the National Agriculture Policy that builds on long-term visions such as Vision 2020. Policy instruments, including strategic plans, regulatory frameworks, quality and standard assurance mechanisms, and industrial and export strategies have been developed to support key policies that aim at advancing the development of the agricultural sector and its impact on socio-economic development in Rwanda.

The policies and policy instruments that are currently in place provide the orientation and conditions for innovation in the Rwandan agricultural sector.

Major policy goals and actions emphasize enhancing research and technology transfer efforts as a mechanism to address identified issues. Research programs and infrastructures have been developed for addressing issues of seed improvement, disease and pest control, and improved genetic resources (in both animals and crops). These areas are viewed as major problems in the local conditions. Infrastructure, including gene banks, seed centres, and germplasm centres have been established as a means to facilitate research and the advancement of agricultural technologies. As a means for community outreach and technology dissemination, technical tools for helping farmers have been developed, and platforms for interaction and capacity building have also been initiated. The Farmer's Field School (FFS) is a policy instrument that has been initiated to facilitate technology transfer between researchers and farmers (Gahakwa et al. 2014). Policies have also indicated an interest in innovation platforms, Master Training, and Farmer Promoters as facilitating tools for technology transfer and innovation development (MINAGRI 2018).

Although several policies and policy instruments are in place, they need to be actually implemented if they are to have any impact on innovation development. The process of developing and implementing policies must ensure coherence in terms of policy mission, actions, and resource endowment.

Respondents from the private sector and NGOs included in this study reported that resource allocation by the government for policy implementation remains low, particularly in terms of the budget that is allocated to support the development of agricultural technologies and technology transfer activities. In addition to limited budgetary resources, there is a lack of qualified human resources who can support activities that are relevant to policy orientations and actions. Based on the complexity of the agricultural sector in Rwanda, there is a high risk for policy conflicts and policy failures. This is due to the wide range of stakeholders, complex policy problems, and institutional weaknesses. Note that these conditions would even hamper the development of an efficient agriculture innovation system. Thus, in addition to policies and policy instruments that indicate what should be done, an enabling organizational framework needs to be put in place to allow resource circulation and their efficient use. This can be achieved if stakeholders engage in joint activities with mutual interest. In doing so, systemic thinking and systemic actions can be developed and lead to a mature innovation system.

5.4. The value chain as a policy instrument to shape