Search for cases of successful and innovative efforts that strengthen linkages between policy design and small-holder interests in different areas across the agriculture value chain.
Over the last two decades, agricultural research organisations in West Africa have produced new varieties of crops, mostly cereals, but adoption by farmers has been rather low. Farmers continue to favor traditional varieties. Increasingly, scientists are driven to involve farmers in the process to improve uptake.
Participatory processes in policy making have been touted as critical for designing and promoting agricultural strategies in Sub-Saharan Africa. But such approaches have been criticized as not being inclusive enough or having limited scope. This case examines why some participatory approaches to agricultural research and policy have yielded little or no tangible results and discusses a range of measures to overcome this conundrum.