The concept of Innovation for Inclusive Development (IID) in Agriculture, Aquatic, and Natural Resources was shared to the Industry Strategic Plan (ISP) champions of the Philippine Council for Agriculture, Aquatic and Natural Resources Research and Development (PCAARRD) in a seminar held recently at the Council’s Headquarters.
IID is an innovation that reduces poverty by enabling all groups of people, especially the poor and marginalized, to participate in decision making; create and actualize opportunities; and share benefits of development.
The seminar sought to inspire the ISP champions and provide them a deeper understanding of the IID as an emerging and more effective approach in bringing in science and technology (S&T) innovations for development.
Mary Grace Santos, program manager of the Universities and Councils Network on Innovation for Inclusive Development in Southeast Asia (UNIID-SEA), introduced the concept of IID.
Highlighted in her presentation was the importance of the ultimate clients’ participation in formulating and executing S&T solutions.
She also shared key insights relating to the importance of community engagement, critical role of innovation intermediaries, and public policy as catalyst of development.
Reinforcement of these key insights ensures adaptability, acceptability, accessibility, and sustainability of S&T innovations brought to the ultimate clients.
Via Skype, Wyn Ellis of the Chulalongkorn University in Bangkok shared case studies of IID in Thailand.
These cases focused on lessons in the implementation of S&T innovations and attendant institutional arrangements as follows: the need for recognizing the overarching importance of social dimensions in creating S&T innovations; participative process in analyzing and addressing local problems; and putting in place incentives and proper sanctions in generating and sustaining cohesion and cooperation among farmer groups.
Questions and insights centered on the importance of holistic interventions during the open forum.
Discussed during the seminar included reinforcing S&T interventions by considering the social and institutional aspects; striking a balance between empowering marginalized farmers to improve their welfare and achieving the desired goals at the macro level; and promoting harmony between enhancing the domestic market that appears to be underinvested and improving competitiveness in the global market.
Also present in the seminar were representatives from the Ateneo School of Government led by the UNIID-SEA Program Director Segundo Joaquin Romero and from the National Research Council of the Philippines represented by Carmencita Morano.