Innovation platforms are widely used in agricultural research to connect different stakeholders to achieve common goals. To help document recent experiences and insights, the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI) recently published a series of short innovation platform ‘practice briefs’ to help guide the design and implementation of innovation platforms in agricultural research for development.

This tenth brief explains how facilitation helps ensure that innovation platforms bring about lasting and positive change.

Facilitating innovation platforms.

An innovation platform is defined as ‘a space for learning and change. It is a group of individuals (who often represent organizations) with different backgrounds and interests: farmers, traders, food processors, researchers, government officials etc. The members come together to diagnose problems, identify opportunities and find ways to achieve their goals. They may design and implement activities as a platform, or coordinate activities by individual members.’

Innovation platforms are groups of stakeholders, often with different backgrounds, who come together to address challenges and opportunities in a particular issue or area. Members represent organizations or groups that have different but complementary objectives and interests, such as farmers, traders, research, government etc.

These stakeholders do not naturally want to cooperate or share information. They may have divergent interests, or even compete with each other. Skilful facilitation is needed so they agree on common goals and activities.

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