ITAACC is funded by GIZ on behalf of BMZImplemented by GFA Consulting Group GmbH

Nairobi, 7th of May 2014

ITAACC Demand-Supply Assessment Bridging the gap between agricultural research

and farmers’ practice International Workshop - Findings and lessons learnt

7-8 May 2014, Nairobi, Kenya Report : Patrice SEWADE

Opening Session

• Participants introduced themselves to the people sitting at their table, and announced their names, countries they come from, organizations they work for and their professions.

• 93 Participants form 24 country

• Overview of the workshop program by Dr. Tom Apina.

Opening remarks by Mr. Jasper Nkanya (Director, Agricultural Engineering Services, State Department of Agriculture)

• Mr. Nkanya pointed out that the workshop is an important event as it provides an international platform to present and validate findings on the assessment of the demand-supply match for agricultural innovations in Africa.

• He added that the workshop provides an opportunity for the participants to interact, share ideas and establish linkages.

• Mr. Nkanya described challenges agriculture sector is facing in Kenya, and other African countries.

• He added that in order to increase food supply, and pursue food security, which is a big challenge, we should do it while preserving the environment.

Welcome remarks by Dr. Lorenz Bachman, team leader

• Dr. Bachman pointed out that the main topic of the workshop is to see how research is responding to farmers’ needs. What are the gaps, and how we can shorten these gaps.

• It is also about drawing lessons from all stakeholders on how to reduce poverty, improve livelihood of people in Africa.

• Dr. Bachman added that the task is especially difficult with hanging climate change making it hard to fight poverty related issues.

Presentation of ITAACC program by Mr. Jörg Lohmann/GIZ headquarter, Germany

• Mr. Lohmann first thanked icipe for the venue.• He put emphasis on the objectives already made by Dr.

Lorenz Bachman.• He added that ITAACC provides a platform, allowing to

draw lessons from all stakeholders, with the long term objective a long lasting effect on African farmers livelihood.

• Mr. Lohmann pointed out that an amount of 5 millions Euros is devoted to increasing innovation transfer to farmers in Africa, through building on the existing.

• He informed participants that based on the three regional and the final workshop major findings will be sent to all participants very soon and uploaded on ITAAC website.

ITAACC methodology of the assessment of demand and supply by Lennart Woltering

• Mr. Lennart Woltering gave a detailed description of the methodology followed by GFA team.

• The opening session was followed by questions from the participants to the project team regarding the objectives of the study and the methodology followed.

Session 1: DEMAND and SUPPLY for INNOVATIONS: what sort of innovations do farmers need?

• Dr. Bachman introduced the first session by sharing findings of the 2014 IPCC report and consequences for actors in African agriculture.

• He and Mrs. Brigid Letty presented ITAACC findings on need for innovations in Africa by analyzing Hypothesis 1 (IARCs are addressing key needs of farmers).

• They demonstrated that maize was the most frequently mentioned crop – more spread for intermediaries and IARCs.

• For livestock, cattle, dairy goats and dairy cattle are the most frequently mentioned.

What sort of innovations do farmers need? (Cont.)

• With regards to farmers’ needs in innovations, they reviewed the analysis of problems via coding of open questions.

• The case of maize, cassava, sorghum and tomatoes for crops, cattle and goats for livestock were used as examples.

Hypothesis 2: Innovations are affordable for farmers

• Innovations were characterized according to FOs, intermediaries and IARCs.

• The types of innovations were also characterized.

• The amount of investment needed for adoption of innovation by beneficiaries were presented with regards to crops, livestock, trees and others.

• The most important criteria agricultural innovations should fulfill for successful adoption by smallholder farmers were analyzed.

H3. Farmers and scientists share similar views on key criteria for design/adoption of innovations

• All stakeholders thought that big comparative advantage was most important.

• Farmer don't go for maximum yield, as marketing is the limiting factor.

• Affordability is rated on similar levels by all three stakeholders.

• All stakeholders give "risk reduction" a medium rank, considering that climate change will increase production risk in the future.

H4: Gender equity is an important criteria for actors in the innovation system

• Both IARCs and intermediaries indicated that they gave attention to gender, but substantially higher for the intermediaries.

• Stakeholders seem to be aware that women dominate agricultural activities.

• In fact, harvesting, weeding & field preparation are the most mentioned as women's tasks.

• In some cases women sell produce but the income is controlled by the male household head.

Farmer organizations testimonials

• Mrs. Lucy Gichinga from Kenya, a former teacher, and now a farmer gave a vibrant testimony on the main challenges she is facing as livestock and vegetable producer, and how she is managing to alleviate them.

• Mr. Claudius Marimo, a vegetable producer, from Zimbabwe, put emphasis on the difficulties farmers are facing, especially with increased input costs, and marketing challenges.

Farmers problems and solutions

• Mr. Marc Bernard, who contributed to ITAACC project through his extensive data collection in several African coutries, shared his findings with participants.

• He described the original extension scheme he participated in implementing in some African countries.

• This new approach of outreach is worth generalizing, as it links payments of services to the satisfaction of farmers.

Market place ‘’dare to share’’