Agricultural Innovation Networks: Azerbaijan and Uzbekistan

1. Agricultural Innovation Networks:Azerbaijan and Uzbekistan Tugrul Temel ISNAR November 17, 2000

2. An Outline • Motivation • Objectives • Concepts, Definitions • Information gathering • Methodology • Discussion • Conclusions and Recommendations

3. Motivationof the Project • To smoothly transit to market economy • To establish an enabling institutional structure • To promote agricultural development, to reduce food insecurity and poverty • New technologies are not developed, although advance knowledge and highly skilled and educated labor exist • Science and R&D are no longer the only source of innovation but rather agents’ interactions organized around a common knowledge base

4. Objectivesof the project • describe and analyze the existing AIN • set the key priorities for the AIN • recommend changes in the AIN

5. Concepts and Definitions • National innovation system • A network is a collection of interlinked sectoral clusters • A sectoral cluster is a group of institutions and organizations organized around a common knowledge base. • An agricultural innovation network is the set of agents that interact in the development, diffusion, and application of new technologies. • Institutional, organizational, and technological innovations • An innovation possibility curve (Said Ahmad, 1966) • NARS and AKIS

6. Tools for information gathering • Eventsanalysis to characterize the most recent innovations • Interviewswith agents in the AIN

7. Methodology:A Graph-Theoretic Approach • To establish an AI matrix to characterize agents’ interactions • To identify clusters and networks of agents relevant to AIs • To identify the source-sink of an innovation and pathways in between • to detect areas lacking linkages and information • to develop innovation strategies (or pathways) for setting priority

8. Discussion • Which agents should be included in the study? • How would you design interviews? • What other methods would be more suitable?