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 fourteenth brief reflects on ways that the needs and interests of women can be fully addresses in innovation platforms.
Innovation platform actors
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.’
If well-designed and facilitated, innovation platforms can be a good way for women to communicate
their perspectives to other stakeholders and find solutions to the problems they face. But it is not enough merely to invite women to attend platform meetings.
More on innovation platforms
Related ILRI materials on innovation systems
Annet A. Mulema (ILRI), Katherine A. Snyder (CIAT), Thanammal Ravichandran (ILRI) and Mercy Becon (ILRI). It is a contribution to the CGIAR Livestock and Fish research program, the development of this brief was led by the International Livestock Research Institute; it draws on experiences of several ILRI projects as well as those of other CGIAR centres and partner organizations. The series comprises 14 briefs:
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ILRI Clippings 