CoS-SIS: Convergence of Sciences Strengthening Innovation Systems Towards Enhancing Innovation Systems Performance in Smallholder African Agriculture Proceedings of the first CoS-SIS International Conference, Elmina, Ghana 22 – 26, June 2009 Editors: Arnold van Huis and Anthony Youdeowei October 2009 CoS-SIS: Convergence of Sciences Strengthening Innovation Systems Programme Contacts International Coordination – International Coordinator Arnold van Huis Wageningen University P.O. Box 8031, 6700 AA Wageningen, The Netherlands email: arnold [email protected] Tel: + 31 317484653 Regional Coordination – Regional Coordinator Dominique Hounkonnou CoS-SIS Regional Office 03 B P 3030,Cotonou, Benin email: [email protected], [email protected] Tel + 229 21 33 22 84; + 229 90901007 National Coordination – National Coordinators Benin – Dansou Kossou Faculté des Sciences Agronomiques, Université d’Abomey Calavi 01 BP 526 Cotonou, Bénin email: [email protected] Tel + 229 21 33 13 45 ; + 229 95 95 47 92 Ghana – Owuraku Sakyi-Dawson Agricultural Extension Department, School of Agriculture, College of Agriculture and Consumer Sciences P.O. Box 68, Legon, Ghana e-mail: [email protected] Tel + 233 244090460 Mali – Mamoudou Traoré Institut Polytechnique Rural de Formation et de Recherche Appliquée (IPR/IFRA) de Katibougou BP 12 Koulikoro Ba, Mali Tel: + 223 76041740 ; + 223 65552337 email: [email protected] iii CONTENTS 1. FRAMEWORK FOR THIS CONFERENCE ............................................................................................................................. 1 1.1 Background to this conference The Scientific Coordination Committee Arnold van Huis, Dominique Hounkonnou, Niels Röling, Barbara Sterk........................................................................... 1 1.2 Specific objectives of the conference 1.3 The conference process Anthony Youdeowei........................................................................................................................................................... 4 2. SUMMARIES OF PRESENTATIONS........................................................................................................................................ 7 Theme 1. From CoS1 to CoS-SIS Experiences from CoS 1 Emmanuel Dormon........................................................................................................................................................... 8 The innovation systems approach proposed for CoS SIS D. Hounkonnou, A. van Huis, N. Röling, B. Sterk.............................................................................................................11 Contributions from Panel Members Judith Ann Francis, Janice Jiggins.................................................................................................................................. 18 Theme 2. The innovation systems approach and its relevance Why is the innovation systems approach important for African agriculture? A. A Adekunle ................................................................................................................................................................. 24 The innovation systems approach – An international perspective – the Issue of boundaries and scale Jim Woodhill.................................................................................................................................................................... 29 Why are we investing in innovation systems through CoS-SIS innovating a niche in Dutch Development Cooperation? Wenny Ho........................................................................................................................................................................ 33 Theme 3. Opportunities identified in domains by Research Associates Zooming in on opportunities for small-scale farmers: the exploratory approach to CoS-SIS Arnold van Huis............................................................................................................................................................... 38 RESEARCH REPORTS BY RESEARCH ASSOCIATES ............................................................................................................... Identification of opportunities for action-research for more efficient management of the cotton sector in Benin Elisabeth T. Zannou and Dansou Kossou .................................................................................................................... 43 Exploratory scoping phase of CoS-SIS: case of oil palm production systems, Benin P. V. Vissoh and Dansou Kossou ................................................................................................................................... 45 Exploring opportunities for enhancing land productivity by smallholder farmers through water management Saïdou Aliou and Kossou Dansou................................................................................................................................... 48 Integration of agriculture and livestock farming in Mali: a need to reduce poverty in rural areas Bara Ouologuem and Mamoudou Traoré ....................................................................................................................... 53 Identifying the driving factors and constraints related to the value chain of Shea butter/Karité products in Mali Fadiala Dembélé et Mamoudou Traoré........................................................................................................................... 58 Exploring opportunities for integrated management of water resources in Mali Lassine Soumano............................................................................................................................................................ 61 v v Exploring opportunities for enhancing innovation in agriculture: the case of oil palm production in Ghana S. Adjei-Nsiah and O. Sakyi-Dawson.............................................................................................................................. 64 Exploring opportunities for enhancing the profitability and sustainability of cocoa production in Ghana Emmanuel Dormon and O. Sakyi-Dawson ..................................................................................................................... 68 Identifying opportunities for enhancing food security in the Upper West Region of Ghana Emmanuel Dormon, Samuel Adjei-Nsiah, O. Sakyi-Dawson and Kofi Adade Debrah................................................... 70 Theme 4. From opportunity to institutional and technical change The case of Yiriwa SA, Mali – An opportunity-based Innovation Rhiannon Pyburn and Bart de Steenhuijsen Piters ........................................................................................................ 76 IFDC’s experiences in institutional innovations development Kofi Debrah..................................................................................................................................................................... 80 Technology as opportunity Thomas W. Kuyper.......................................................................................................................................................... 84 International trade and markets: Opportunities and constraints What kind of innovation systems? Niek Koning..................................................................................................................................................................... 87 Protection measures needed for the development of the agricultural sector in West Africa Babacar Ndao................................................................................................................................................................. 91 Reflections on system innovation, innovation systems, opportunities and change Cees Leeuwis.................................................................................................................................................................. 96 3. IMPLEMENTATION OF CoS-SIS AND RESEARCH PLANS .............................................................................................. 107 Using natural experiments, the viewpoint of institutional economics: Field experiments and institutional change Erwin Bulte.................................................................................................................................................................... 107 Causal process tracing: Overview and application Todd Crane and Paul Richards......................................................................................................................................110 Proposed CoS-SIS Research Design Niels Röling ..................................................................................................................................................................114 Reflections on Design: Convergence of Sciences and research mechanism to support innovation - Some conceptual and methodological challenges Roch L. Mongbo.............................................................................................................................................................118 REPORTS FROM WORKING GROUPS .................................................................................................................................. 123 BENIN .......................................................................................................................................................................... 124 MALI