* Foreword - Professor Niels Roling, Wageningen Agricultural University 1. Introduction: Why innovation approaches matter 2. The Palaeontology of Innovation: Lessons on Success and Failure from the paddy fields Asia 3. Seeing Inside Black Box: Modelling early adoption (with Darwin's help) 4. Blowing in Wind: How 'bottom-up' beat 'top-down' for billion dollar wind turbine industry 5. Open Closed: Linux versus Windows 6. Uncreative Accounting: Local Exchange Trading Systems 7. Food Thought:...

Participatory Impact Pathways Analysis (PIPA) is a practical approach to planning, monitoring and evaluation, developed for use with complex research-for-development projects. PIPA begins participatory workshop where stakeholders make explicit their assumptions about how project will an impact, produce 'Outcomes logic model' 'Impact model'. These two models provide ex-ante framework of predictions impact that can also be used in priority setting ex-post assessment. engages structured...

Abstract: The Challenge Program on Water and Food pursues food security poverty alleviation through the efforts of some 50 research-for-development projects. These involve almost 200 organizations working in nine river basins around world. An approach was developed to enhance developmental impact program better assessment, provide a framework for monitoring evaluation, permit stakeholders derive strategic programmatic lessons future initiatives, information that can be used inform public...

This paper asks: What have been the impacts of farmer- or community-led (informal) processes research and development in agriculture natural resource management terms food security, ecological sustainability, economic empowerment, gender relations, local capacity to innovate influence on formal agricultural institutions? An innovative conceptual framework was applied a diverse set farmer-led initiatives countries Africa, Asia Latin America explore approaches, outcomes informal (ARD)...

The parasitic angiosperms, Striga hermonthica and S. gesnerioides , obligate root parasites endemic in sub-Saharan Africa, constitute severe constraints to cereal legume production West Central Africa. Over the years, a range of effective component technologies has been identified for control potential these demonstrated under researcher-managed conditions. To promote farmer testing technologies, community workshops were conducted 42 rural communities Kaduna State, northern Nigeria. These...

There is a growing recognition that programs seek to change people’s lives are intervening in complex systems, which puts particular set of requirements on program monitoring and evaluation. Developing complexity-aware evaluation systems within existing organizations difficult because they challenge traditional orthodoxy. Little has been written about the practical experience doing so. This article describes development approach CGIAR Research Program Aquatic Agricultural Systems. We outline...

Many rural poor and marginalized people strive to make a living in social-ecological systems that are characterized by multiple often inequitable interactions across agents, scale space. Uncertainty inequality such require research development interventions be adaptive, support learning engage with underlying drivers of poverty. Such complexity-aware approaches planning, monitoring evaluating gaining strength, yet, there is still little empirical evidence what it takes implement them...

This article describes the development and use of a rapid evaluation approach to meet program accountability learning requirements in research for operating five developing countries. The method identifies clusters outcomes, both expected unexpected, happening within areas change. In workshop, change agents describe causal connections outcome identify trajectories subsequent verification. Comparing verified with existing theory allows staff question underlying premises adapt accordingly. can...

Douthwaite, B., N. C. De Haan, V. Manyong and D. Keatinge 2001. Blending "Hard" "Soft" Science: the "Follow-the-Technology" Approach to Catalyzing Evaluating Technology Change. Conservation Ecology 5(2):13. https://doi.org/10.5751/ES-00335-050213

Adapting through innovation is one way for rural communities to sustain and improve their livelihoods environments. Since the 1980s research development organizations have developed participatory approaches foster innovation. This paper develops a model, called Learning-to-Innovate (LTI) of four basic processes linked decision making learning which regulate rate quality The are: creating awareness new opportunities; deciding adopt; adapting changing practice; selecting. model then used...

There have been repeated calls for a 'new professionalism' carrying out agricultural research development since the 1990s. At centre of these is recognition that to support capacities required face global patterns change and their implications on rural livelihoods, requires more systemic, learning focused reflexive practice bridges epistemologies methodologies. In this paper, we share from efforts mainstream such an approach through large, multi-partner CGIAR program working in aquatic...

Livestock–water productivity (LWP) refers to a set of innovations that could contribute towards reducing the amount water needed per unit output generated. But what does it take get these ideas adopted by livestock keepers in crop–livestock systems? In this paper, we treat LWP as an innovation, and consider ways may be introduced and/or developed among agricultural systems drawing on successful examples change. first part introduce relevant tenets innovation literature, three-component...

Two sets of on-farm trials, each covering two years, were conducted in the northern Guinea savannah Nigeria over period 1999–2001, objective being to compare integrated Striga hermonthica control measures (soybean or cowpea trap crops followed by maize resistant ) with farmers' traditional cereal-based cropping systems. In both this proved be highly effective increasing productivity year period, especially where soybean was used as a crop. Resistant after crop increased net benefit seasons...

Preparing an ‘innovation history’ is a method for recording and reflecting on innovation process. People who have been involved in the jointly construct detailed written account (sometimes referred to as ‘learning history’) based their recollections available documents. The process of preparing this history stimulates discussion, reflection learning amongst stakeholders. Subsequent planning can build lessons learned, formulate shared vision act catalyst change. Based initial process, more...

Three case studies show that natural resource management (NRM) research aimed at sustainably improving the well-being of African small-holder farmers is complex, and monitoring evaluation (M&E) an essential tool in coping with this complexity, supported by 'innovation systems' view adoption process. In studies, researchers adjusted their activities outputs on basis learning from M&E. Many insights came through identifying farmer innovations, which also proved a source improvements to...