Abstract
ABSTRACT Purpose This paper seeks to understand what influences research and extension professionals’ intentions to use AIS approaches and to explore how this can inform implementation and design of more effective AIS. Methodology We applied the Reasoned Action Approach through focus groups and structured questionnaires with research and extension professionals from government and non-government organisations in Sierra Leone, where AIS approaches are not widely used although increasingly institutionalised in policy. Findings Research and extension professionals have surprisingly positive attitudes towards using AIS approaches and associate it with a range of positive outcomes related to food security and inclusive processes. The perceived ability to successfully implement AIS approaches is strongly influenced by funding, organisational culture and dynamics between senior and junior staff. We also found that alongside use of AIS approaches there is a continued adherence to top-down approaches. Practical Implications This work highlights the enthusiasm and interest among extension and research professionals as a promising start for improving the innovation systems. Practical requirements include training of senior and involvement of junior staff respectively in AIS design, and addressing extension education and organisational culture. Theoretical Implications This study highlights the importance of socio-psychological theory for understanding attitudes towards AIS approaches. We show how considering both institutional and personal constraints is vital for conceptualising how AIS are evolving. Originality There has been very little research conducted on research and extension professionals’ intentions to use AIS approaches in developing countries that links with personal and systemic preconditions for supporting more effective AIS.
Highlights
Introduction and backgroundImproving the innovation capacity of the agriculture sector and supporting sustainable livelihoods for smallholder farmers are key functions of research and extension services (Longley et al 2007)
The negative mean SN for Sierra Leone Agriculture Research Institute (SLARI) shows that the salient referents for respondents from SLARI are less likely to approve their use of an agricultural innovation systems (AIS) approach in research programmes
Our results show that research and extension professionals involved with rice production in Sierra Leone are willing to use agricultural innovation systems approaches
Summary
Introduction and backgroundImproving the innovation capacity of the agriculture sector and supporting sustainable livelihoods for smallholder farmers are key functions of research and extension services (Longley et al 2007). The research and extension literature is characterised by a shift from the use of top-down, transfer of technology (TOT) models to more participatory and farming systems models, and most recently to agricultural innovation systems (AIS) models of agricultural innovation (e.g. Roling 2009b). In transfer of technology approaches, extension is seen as transferring and disseminating, or ‘extending’ the ready-made knowledge from research to farmers (Rogers 1962), and it remains a very common narrative of innovation This linear thinking about technology transfer has been criticised for excluding farmer innovation in the knowledge system (Agwu, Ekwueme, and Anyanwu 2008), lacking focus on resource poor farmers, and limiting the scope for meaningful dialogue between researchers and farmers (Chambers and Jiggins 1987; Roling 2009a). AIS approaches emerged as a way of challenging this pars-pro-toto thinking by drawing on a conceptualisation of innovation that looks at processes of interactions between a multiplicity of actors (e.g. input providers, farmers), taking place at multiple levels (e.g. local, national) and across multiple dimension (e.g. economic, institutional) and how these influence innovation in food systems (Schut et al 2014; World Bank 2012)
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