The needs of rural and high-risk areas are diverse and location specific. As the market is limited, the private sector is not interested in developing technologies for high-risk areas, and the government sector often bypasses or ignores their needs. Identifying area-specific needs and developing specific solutions are key for sustainability. Farmers’ innovations are based on specific local needs, local resources, local knowledge and technology. However, farmers’ abilities to develop location-specific innovations and adaptations to maximize their local resources have been largely unrecognized, underestimated and underutilized.