Promising technologies not enough on their own to bring about widespread change in livestock systems

Video interview with Alan Duncan (ILRI).Speaking in the margins of the December 2009 SLP meeting in Addis Ababa, Alan Duncan (ILRI) introduces the IFAD-funded 'Fodder Adoption Project' based at ILRI. He outlines the approach followed in the project - trying to strike a balance between the technological and institutional angles. The project helps groups of stakeholders - farmers, private sector, dairy coops, the government - get together in 'innovation platforms' where they can develop joint actions that address livestock fodder problems. Initially the project went with a traditional approach, focusing on technologies. As the process evolved, other issues came in, more actors joined the platforms, and the technologies - growing improved fodder - acted more as a catalyst for people to come together to discuss a wide range of other issues (dairying, health, etc). Fodder proved to be a useful 'engine' for the group to identify a much wider range of issues to address - along the whole value chain. He explains that this type of work facilitating stakeholder platforms is "not trivial." But it is essential: "Technology is only one small part of the equation and really a lot of it is about human interactions and how organizations behave." He concludes: "We have lots of promising technologies, but in themselves they are not enough to bring about widespread change in livestock systems." More information on this project: http://fodder-adoption-project.wikispaces.com