OEKR AT TCI INVESTMENT DAYS

December 2012. FAO Investment Centre conducted its annual investment days event on December 17. A team of the FAO Research and Extension Branch participated in this event and presented some of their activities during plenary and parallel sessions. As well, OEKR hosted a side event based on “Realizing the potential of Agriculture Innovation in Family Farming”, where specialists from the branch had the opportunity to interact in an informal manner with participants and respond to their queries. The objective of the side event was to discuss current trends and issues in agriculture innovation, to present the various policies available, and explore the prospects of innovation for family farmers. Of the various and recently produced OEKR publications, brochures, posters and videos, there was particular interest on the Swaziland Agricultural Development Project, an initiative funded by the EC of which OEKR is the lead technical unit.

During a parallel session entitled Agricultural Innovation Systems (AIS) for Food Security, OEKR presented its recent AIS conceptual framework which sums up the branch’s current approach and used practical examples of projects in Latin America to highlight constraints and key initiatives in agriculture innovation. Specifically, OEKR discussed the concept of innovation brokers based on a case study of a World Bank project in Peru supported by extension specialists from the branch. Overall, the discussion was centered on strengthening the capacity for innovation, and how networks and knowledge exchanges between various actors are key to realize the potential for innovation in family farms.

For more information, see the complete agenda and the information about the side events. You can also visit the official Investment Center website as well as the Powerpoint presentations of those who spoke at the session on Agricultural Innovation Systems for Food Security:

- Agricultural Innovation: Common understanding the upcoming SOFA 2014

- Agricultural Innovation in LAC: Evolution and Cases

Also please do not forget to take a look at OEKR’s flickr!