BUILDING CAPACITY ON ASTI SYSTEMS : CTA’S EXPERIENCE Michael Hailu and Judith Francis CTA

About CTA CTA is a joint international institution of the ACP Group of States (79) and the EU (27). It operates under the framework of the Cotonou Agreement. CTA is funded by the EU.

Our Mission To advance food and nutritional security, increase prosperity and encourage sound natural resource management by providing access to information and knowledge, facilitating policy dialogue and strengthening the capacity of agricultural and rural development institutions and communities in ACP countries

3 Strategic Goals To support well informed, inclusive agricultural policy processes and strategies in each ACP region to empower smallholder producers, women and youth To promote priority value chains in the ACP, especially for smallholder producers To strengthen the information, communication and knowledge management capacities of ACP institutions and networks Strategic Plan

Food security, climate change, regional trade & markets, agricultural innovation, ACP generated content Multi-disciplinary/multi-stakeholder knowledge platforms Integrated information systems and communities of practice Tools, methods and approaches to facilitate policy formulation and analysis Case studies & synthesis studies for evidence-based policy & decision- making Publications – print and electronic, websites Themes & Activities

Challenges for ACP Agriculture Little diversification in products or services Increasing hunger and food insecurity Inability to compete in domestic, regional and international markets Sector is under-resourced (human & financial capital) Low investments in S&T & limited capacity to respond to challenges e.g. climate change and achieve sustainable development Limited engagement of S&T experts in policy processes Africa's increasing population Africa has the lowest on expenditure on R&D SOURCES:

R&D Investment in Sub- Saharan Africa Scenario Just 8 countries of 31 countries for which data is available met the 1% of total GDP national R&D investment target put forward by NEPAD.

Name of UniversityCountryAfrican RankingWorld Ranking University of Cape TownSouth Africa1324 University of PretoriaSouth Africa2507 Stellenbosch UniversitySouth Africa3540 Makerere UniversityUganda101,256 University of JohannesburgSouth Africa121,395 Kwame Nkrumah University of Science & Technology Ghana131,559 University of NairobiKenya262,452 University of IbadanNigeria413,499 Université de OuagadougouBurkina Faso634,984 African Universities Ranking Africa’s top university is 324 th Most significant barrier to innovation in Africa is lack of qualified people Source: Webometric, world university ranking

Innovation System A complex network of policies, institutions and actors

CTA Capacity Building on ASTI Systems in ACP Countries 2003 – Sensitization of key decision makers to gain buy-in (e.g. CORAF, FARA) Initial training of 6 ACP experts (e.g. ISRA, IRAD) on understanding innovation processes and applying the innovation systems approach (ISA) to analyzing the ACP agricultural, science, technology and innovation (ASTI) system Development of TOT manual, conducting regional ASTI System training workshops & incorporating ACP experts in the training (e.g CTA/ANAFE /CORAF/Université Abdou Moumouni de Niamey Niger workshop) Support for national case studies (>20) – led by ACP experts (e.g. Rice and fisheries in Senegal, plantain & fisheries in Ghana, cassava in Cameroon & Nigeria) Piloting the development of ASTI system performance indicators

Key Partners (EU & Africa only) Photo: 2010 CTA/ANAFE /CORAF/Université Abdou Moumouni de Niamey Niger workshop

Countries Commodity for Diversification Export Commodity under threat Commodity for Food Security Cameroon (IRAD)CocoaCassava The Gambia (NARO)NERICA rice Ghana (CSIR & UoG)Plantain, fisheries GrenadaNutmeg JamaicaGinger & MangoSugar KenyaFloriculture MalawiMaize, fisheries NigeriaCassava Papua New GuineaRiceBanana Senegal (ISRA)Rice, fisheries St. Vincent & The Grenadines Banana Tanzania & UgandaBanana Samoa & TuvaluNoni (Morinda citrifolia) Lessons from CTA Case Studies (1)

Lessons from CTA Case Studies (2) Linkages among actors Actor Linkage Intensity Jamaica – Ginger & mango Cameroon – cassava & cocoa Senegal - rice Public research - enterprise WeakAverageAverage - strong Public research – extension/diffusion Average Average - strong University – enterprise/farms WeakWeak - AverageNone - Weak National – international research Weak - AverageStrong Extension / diffusion – Enterprise Average Average - strong Enterprise – enterprise/ Farmer - farmer Strong Very strong

Lessons from CTA Case Studies (3) Cassava Innovation System Cameroon (IRAD)

Lessons from CTA Case Studies (4) InfrastructurePNG – RiceJamaica - gingerGrenada - nutmegTanzania - banana Malawi - maize Government incentives for innovation Weak Average Scientific / skilled manpower WeakAverageWeak Average Competence of local universities Weak Average Competence of R&D org Average WeakVery WeakWeak Intellectual Property Rights Weak Very WeakWeak Venture CapitalVery WeakWeak Very WeakWeak Quality of ICT services WeakStrongAverageWeak State of PowerAverageStrongAverageWeak State of water supply Average Weak Environment for Innovation

Conclusions Major Lessons ISA is relevant but not well understood National policies exist but implementation is weak Little innovation is taking place (except at farm & SME level) Knowledge infrastructure is inadequate – universities and research organizations outside of the innovation system & extension is weak; Low investments & limited access to funding for research, training and new technologies for key commodities that are important for food security etc; Competencies are lacking in critical areas for innovation Small holder farmers not valued as allies in the fight against hunger and poverty

Recommendations Enhance the policy & institutional framework Invest in research, tertiary education & extension Improve science & technology infrastructure Develop human resources (youth and women) Facilitate access to information – technical, financing and marketing (local, regional, international) Optimize the use of ICTs Innovation is essential 4 Development

CTA & ASTI in the Future Integrate training material into existing university programmes (ANAFE, FARA & RUFORUM as partners) Support further training and case studies with a focus on French West and central Africa (ANAFE, CORAF/WECARD as partners) Publish the outputs of ACP case studies on CTA K4D website Build a community of practice of ACP experts on innovation systems Link CTA innovation systems and value chain development work