Publication

Convergence on Nutrition in Agricultural Systems of Innovation: Concepts and Methods, with Examples from Pakistan

Published on 1 October 2014

The paper first briefly sketches the origins of the system of innovation (SoI) concept and the need it was seen to fulfil in agriculture. It then illustrates the different ways it has been employed as a framework to explain how change in agricultural practices and outcomes happens and is sustained. At its heart is “innovation”, which can be understood both as an outcome – a new or improved product, process or organizational form (Niosi et al., 1993) – and as the process by which innovations are generated. The SoI concept focuses on the systemic nature of that process.
The SoI concept recognizes that all these actors are capable of innovation, that this is not just the purview of research and that actors relate to one another in more than a passive or hierarchically determined fashion: interactive learning is central to the functioning of SoI. Also important is the notion of a shared direction or coherence to actors’ innovations.

This paper is concerned with the extent to which the direction of innovation in agricultural SoI furthers nutrition objectives, what will be referred to as their convergence on nutrition. Convergence, like the degree of coherence in actors’ innovations and the interactive nature of their relationships are a matter of degree, amenable to assessment and, we suggest, subject to influence by carefully designed interventions.

Cite this publication

Loevinsohn, M. and Mehmood, R. (2014) Convergence on Nutrition in Agricultural Systems of Innovation: Concepts and Methods, with Examples from Pakistan, LANSA Volume 2014 No. 1. Brighton: LANSA.

Access this publication

Read full publication online in OpenDocs

Partners

Supported by

Publication details

published by
Leveraging Agriculture for Nutrition in South Asia (LANSA)
language
English

Share

About this publication

Region
Pakistan

Related content

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies so that we can provide you with the best user experience possible. Cookie information is stored in your browser and performs functions such as recognising you when you return to our website and helping our team to understand which sections of the website you find most interesting and useful.