A critique of innovation systems perspectives on agricultural research in developing countries

Innovation systems perspectives on agricultural research and technological change in developing countries are increasingly popular for the study of how society generates, disseminates, and utilises knowledge. It provides an analytical framework that can explore complex relationships among diverse actors within social and economic institutions, and also offers technological and institutional opportunities.This paper addresses three questions in the context of an innovation systems perspective on developing country agriculture:how do we accurately describe research and innovation activity as part of a system, society, or economy that changes over time?how does policy affect the processes that determine the range and scope of innovations generated and disseminated within a system, society or economy?how does policy affect the processes that determine the distribution of the social and economic gains of innovation? The paper assesses the available literature that deals with innovation systems on developing country agriculture, giving an overview of the conventional terminology use in innovation systems literature. Following this, it looks at the strengths, weaknesses and possible improvements of the innovations systems framework.In conclusion, for the innovations framework to improve the study of developing country agriculture, it is recommended that the following action be taken:further development of the literature base, to make it more relevant to poverty reduction and policy formulationmore analysis of agents and agent behaviour, the institutions that condition their behaviour, an the diverse interactions that characterise their behaviourthe implementation of policy options that may affect the innovative process and steer it towards more welfare-improving outcomes