partnership Ÿ excellence Ÿ growth
INNOVATION BROKERAGE IN AQUACULTURE:
Lessons from the Malawi fish farming innovation platform
Daniel Jamu1, Elias Madzudzo1,2, Nobel Moyo2, Hastings Zidana3, Mphatso Chapotera1
1WorldFish Center, Malawi 2Research Into Use Programme,. 3National Aquaculture Center
partnership Ÿ excellence Ÿ growth
Farmer-scientist research participatory approach
partnership Ÿ excellence Ÿ growth
Innovation systems approach
• Formation of transient networks by chain actors
• Formulate innovation challenge• Identify system blockages that affect
efficient operations of value chain• Identify a broker to coordinate networks• Nurture and facilitate network
partnership Ÿ excellence Ÿ growth
Development of participatory research and extension in Malawi
1970-1990
On-station research-linear model
1996-2007
On-station research; farming systems research
1990-1995
Farmer-scientist research partnerships (FSRP)
2007-
Innovation systems approach
AQUACULTURE RESEARCH AND EXTENSION
AGRICULTURE RESEARCH AND EXTENSION
1960-1980 1980-1995 1996-
FSRP-Innovation systems approach
partnership Ÿ excellence Ÿ growth
Reasons for the sudden shift from FSRP to innovation systems approach
• Promotion of innovation systems by DfiD RIU
• Policy shift towards commercial SME aquaculture– New actors and
partnerships– Value chain
approach
partnership Ÿ excellence Ÿ growth
The Innovation Challenge and key constraint to unblock
• Innovation challenge– “How to increase tilapia
production by small, medium and large scale aquaculture producers?”
• Key constraint to unblock– “Low availability of quality
fingerlings of the improved O. Shiranus strain”
partnership Ÿ excellence Ÿ growth
Brokering the innovation
Riu Country Programme Office
Innovation Broker
Private Sector
Research Organisations and Universities
Department of Fisheries/ PIAD
National Innovation Coalition
NGOs
Innovative Fish Farmers Network
National Aquaculture Centre
partnership Ÿ excellence Ÿ growth
Fish farming innovation brokerage
Facilitating changes in rules and regulations
Platform for policy advocacy
Selecting collaborators
Diagnosis
Visioning Foresight
Innovation Broker FF Platform
Innovation Broker FF Platform
Demand articulation
Network brokering
Fish Farming Innovation Challenge
Knowledge gaps assessment
Demand stimulation
Existence and performance of improved OS
High quality improved OS finger
lingsCertified hatcheries
Gate keepingSME’s IFFN, Maldeco
Bunda and NAC Match
makingNGO (WVI) Linking and
coordinatingBrood-stock, seed and feed
Capacity building (entrepreneurship)
Organizational development
Training and competence building
Group dynamics
Innovative fish farmers networkInnovative fish farmers network
Incubating enterprises
4 Hatcheries and 1 SME4 Hatcheries and 1 SME
Institutional support
Boundary work
PIAD
Institutional change
Fingerling certificationFingerling certification
Knowledge brokering
Technical skills
Disseminating knowledge & technology
Communicating technology
Demonstrations on improved OS growth by 4 fry nurseries
Demonstrations on improved OS growth by 4 fry nurseries
Innovative Fish Farmer NetworkInnovative Fish Farmer Network
Tilapia Hatchery guidelines Tilapia Hatchery guidelines
Peer exchange
Hatchery ManagementHatchery Management
partnership Ÿ excellence Ÿ growth
Achievements
• Private sector access to policy makers enhanced
• Development and approval of fish seed certification process
• Facilitated the dissemination of improved O. shiranus to hatcheries, nurseries and farmers
partnership Ÿ excellence Ÿ growth
IPG Output
• Jamu, D., E. Madzudzo, N. Moyo, H. Zidana, M. Chapotera (in prep). Innovation brokerage in aquaculture: Lessons from the Malawi fish farming innovation platform (Journal of Agriculture Education and Extension)
partnership Ÿ excellence Ÿ growth
Key lessons
• Innovation systems approach could be a valuable tool for accelerating adoption of aquaculture technologies and achieving development impact at scale
• Effective implementation depends on the development of effective and durable partnerships.
• Choice of innovation broker critical to success of the approach
