Innovation intermediation in a digital age: Comparing public and private new-ICT platforms for agricultural extension in Ghana

Publication date: Available online 13 June 2018Source: NJAS - Wageningen Journal of Life SciencesAuthor(s): Nyamwaya Munthali, Cees Leeuwis, Annemarie van Paassen, Rico Lie, Richard Asare, Ron van Lammeren, Marc SchutAbstractAgricultural extension in sub-Saharan Africa has often been criticised for its focus on linear knowledge transfer, and limited attention to systemic approaches to service delivery. Currently, the region is experiencing a new-ICT revolution and there are high expectations of new-ICTs to enhance interaction and information exchange in extension service delivery. Using an innovation systems perspective, we distinguish the roles demand-articulation, matching demand and supply, and innovation process management for innovation-intermediaries. The study explores literature on how new-ICT may support these roles, with specific interest in the possibilities of environmental monitoring and new forms of organisation enabled by enhanced connectivity. In order to contribute to the understanding of this area, the paper reports on a comparative study of two new-ICT platforms embedded in Ghanaian public and private extension organisations respectively. We assess the roles that these platforms (aim to) support, and document achievements and constraints based on interviews with extension staff and farmers. The findings indicate that while both platforms aim to support innovation-intermediation roles the focus areas and level of detail differ due to diverging organisational...
Source: NJAS Wageningen Journal of Life Sciences - Category: Biology Source Type: research