This was how a RAAIS (Rapid Appraisal of Agricultural Innovation Systems) workshop participant in Nigeria described his experience. It reflects the objective that we had in mind when developing RAAIS. We wanted to develop a simple, participatory, diagnostic tool for integrated systems analysis of agricultural problems. RAAIS facilitates the analysis of: Interactions between different dimensions, levels and stakeholder dynamics of complex agricultural problems; Innovation capacity in agrifood systems; The existence and performance of the agricultural innovation system. RAAIS can … [Read more...]
Not So Amaizing: The Need for Agricultural Land Use Diversification in Northern Thailand
Life as a farmer in the mountainous north of Thailand is not easy. The land can be steep, soil quality is poor and water for irrigation is largely unavailable. Markets are also far away and inputs are hard to get by. Yet, modern life requires cash for nearly everything. Against the backdrop, government extension introduced feed maize as a cash crop in the early 1980s. The crop is ideal for poor farmers as it requires little care, traders come to supply inputs and buy the output, and the government guarantees a minimum selling price. Maize has become an important source of income for many … [Read more...]
Case Studies: Building Multi-Stakeholder Processes in Burundi, Rwanda and DRC
[su_pullquote][su_dropcap style="flat" size="2"]A[/su_dropcap]fter staring at his computer screen for 30 minutes and unconsciously listening to the sounds of political unrest in the streets of Bujumbura, Burundi’s national facilitator of Humidtropics still had not written a single word for his May 2015 report. He turned his chair and looked through the window, but his mind was somewhere else. It was in the Highlands of Gitega, with the research for development activities that had been implemented half-a-year ago, and with the farmers hosting these and awaiting him to give guidance. He … [Read more...]