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Shortages in the supply of quality early generation seed (EGS) of new and improved varieties, particularly of dryland cereals and legumes is a major challenge because of the business models.This triggers the following questions: what EGS business models would sustainably avail quality parent seed? To investigate this, we documented 16 EGS interventions. We found that pre-securing seed market ahead of production played important role in the successful seed business. Taking different forms (e.g., pre-orders, demand forecasting, pre-aggregation of demand, joint planning,contractual agreement), it brings confidence to EGS producers to continuously invest in the business and make it profitable. For sustainable EGS production and supply in sub-Saharan Africa, we advocate for marketassurance in advance. Two guiding principles are also suggested and four recommendationsformulated.

Shortages in the supply of quality early generation seed (EGS) of new and improved varieties, particularly of dryland cereals and legumes is a major challenge because of the business models.This triggers the following questions: what EGS business models would sustainably avail quality parent seed? To investigate this, we documented 16 EGS interventions. We found that pre-securing seed market ahead of production played important role in the successful seed business. Taking different forms (e.g., pre-orders, demand forecasting, pre-aggregation of demand, joint planning,contractual agreement), it brings confidence to EGS producers to continuously invest in the business and make it profitable. For sustainable EGS production and supply in sub-Saharan Africa, we advocate for marketassurance in advance. Two guiding principles are also suggested and four recommendationsformulated.

The purpose of this study is to identify the specific marketing activities that contribute most to the performance improvement of seed producer cooperatives (SPCs) in Ethiopia. Both quantitative and qualitative procedures were adopted to extract information from knowledgeable and experienced experts using structured questionnaires. Results indicate that clear differences exist between Ethiopian SPCs in their intensity and quality of execution of marketing activities, indicating that these activities are managed and controlled by SPCs themselves. However, the similarity in patterns of intensity and quality of execution of marketing activities shows that these effects cannot be disentangled in the Ethiopian SPCs context. Ethiopian SPCs performed well on marketing activities related to interfunctional coordination, but poorly on activities associated with competitor orientation. SPCs are likely to perform better when they use a variety of marketing activities including quality control of product (seed), product differentiation, managing customer and supplier relationships, responding to customers and competitors, customer and competitor assessment, leadership, integration of activities, and interconnections among committees and members. Hence, to provide value to customers SPCs need to have resources and the capabilities to coordinate these resources in order to execute marketing activities efficiently and effectively. Key words: Intensity of implementation, marketing activities, quality of implementation, seed producer cooperatives

The positive effects of market orientation and its components on firm performance are empirically supported by studies conducted for large firms in developed economies. However, its influence on performance in developing and emerging (D&E) economies, particularly under a cooperative's context, has been under-researched. This paper examines the impact of market orientation components on the performance of seed producer cooperatives (SPCs) in Ethiopia. Results show that customer orientation, interfunctional coordination, and supplier orientation, but not competitor orientation, contribute to higher business performance. Our findings confirm that customer orientation is the key factor for superior business performance in D&E economies. Business performance has a mediating effect between market orientation components and livelihood performance. Interfunctional coordination and supplier orientation influence the livelihood of member farmers both directly and indirectly via business performance. The study concludes that market orientation of SPCs is very important for business performance and provides a strong basis for the livelihood of seed producer families. SPCs can improve their performance and the livelihood of member-farmer families by implementing market oriented strategies, emphasising the key components of market orientation.

The role of seed producer cooperatives (SPCs) in the Ethiopian seed sector and their contribution to seed supply improvement have received attention from researchers, policymakers, and development partners. However, limited work has been done in reviewing and documenting their involvement in the seed sector development. In this paper, we review and discuss the SPCs in the Ethiopian seed sector. Specifically, we reflect on the contribution of SPCs to improving seed availability and access in the country. The current liberal market system of Ethiopia creates new opportunities for growth as successful enterprises, but also brings new challenges, such as more intense competition for smallholder producers. The government policy encourages SPCs to engage in seed business. We draw on scientific literature, reports, white papers, project documents, and websites. The review reveals that the seed sector in Ethiopia consists of three seed systems: formal, informal, and intermediary seed systems. Each seed system has a specific contribution to the delivery of seed to farmers, but they vary in their approach and respective strategies. The SPCs are categorized in the intermediary seed system because they have features of both formal and informal seed systems. They play a key role in meeting seed demand and contribute greatly to seed supply improvement through high-volume production of seed, crop, and variety diversification, and seed delivery to farmers. They produce and market the seed through various market channels, including direct sales to farmers, sales through contractual agreement, and sales directly to institutional buyers. Their contribution to improving the seed supply and seed security has received considerable recognition by policymakers and development practitioners. Therefore, government and development partners should support and strengthen SPCs to maximize their success in the seed business and their contribution to improving the seed supply in Ethiopia.

In Ethiopia, new policy actors and new policy arenas have emerged as a result of major changes that took place in the political and economic system in the early 1990’s: the separation of state powers between the legislature and the executive, and the decision to move towards a market-oriented economic system. These are important changes that clear ground for better policymaking processes. However, the mere separation of power and emergency of new actors do not necessarily guarantee effectiveness of the established system, and thus need analysis. Considering policymaking as a process involving multiple actors, arenas and interactions between policy actors, this article sheds a new light on policymaking processes in Ethiopia. Focusing on the four years of discussions on developing seed law, we question whether and how the emergence of new actors and new policy arenas have influenced the process and outcome of policymaking in the Ethiopian seed sector. Our analysis reveals that the new policy arenas provided opportunities for actors to place their preferred policy options on the agenda and to get them incorporated into the draft seed law. However, decision-making ultimately remains firmly in the hands of the executive, mainly because of a blurred separation of power between the executive and the legislature.

This study explores the performance of Ethiopian seed systems from a customer’s perspective. The study builds on the view that seed supply systems perform marketing functions such as developing new varieties of seed, multiplying the right quantity and quality, and distributing to the right places, at the right time, for an acceptable price. Hence, supply systems create value and satisfy customers. This study’s contribution is twofold. First, customer satisfaction theory is applied to complex chains (i.e. seed supply systems) in emerging markets, with their specific contextual challenges. Second, it identifies the criteria that farmers use to evaluate seed supply systems and evaluates Ethiopian seed supply systems from a farmer customer’s perspective, which can be used as a basis to increase customer satisfaction.

This quick scan, commissioned by the Farmer Income Lab, is part of a wider research effort looking at, “What are the most effective actions that lead buyers can take to enable smallholder farmers in global supply chains to meaningfully increase their incomes?”. The quick scan provides an overview of the publicly available evidence on the impact of poverty graduation programs have had on raising farmer income. Such subsidies have had little positive effect on farmer income, are not notably beneficial for women nor is this effect long-term. They have been applied at large scale. This quick scan is part of a series of 16, contributing to a synthesis report “What Works to Raise Farmer’s Income: a Landscape Review”

This quick scan, commissioned by the Farmer Income Lab, is part of a wider research effort looking at, “What are the most effective actions that lead buyers can take to enable smallholder farmers in global supply chains to meaningfully increase their incomes?”. The quick scan provides an overview of the publicly available evidence on the impact of poverty graduation programs have had on raising farmer income. Such subsidies have had little positive effect on farmer income, are not notably beneficial for women nor is this effect long-term. They have been applied at large scale. This quick scan is part of a series of 16, contributing to a synthesis report “What Works to Raise Farmer’s Income: a Landscape Review”

In 2010 vatte drie ondernemers het plan op om bij de Rotterdamse Fruithaven een loods en het erom heen gelegen rangeerterrein een landbouwkundige bestemming te geven. Het duurde tot 2012 voordat voldoende kapitaal en vergunningen waren geregeld en met de aanleg van Uit Je Eigen Stad begonnen kon worden. Inmiddels is er veel bereikt (waaronder een werkend aquaponics systeem met een inhoud van 125 m3) en worden groente, tilapia, Afrikaanse meerval, paddenstoelen en kippen in het eigen restaurant en in Rotterdam en omgeving verkocht. Maar de medewerkers van Uit Je Eigen Stad rusten niet en gaan door met het testen en proberen van verschillende gewassen, productiewijzen, producten, markten en evenementen. We bezochten het bedrijf en spraken met Ivo Haenen.

Ethiopia is an agrarian country where agriculture dominates the economy, and thus agriculture is considered as an engine of growth by the government. Seed as one of the agricultural technologies, in fact, a carrier of many technologies, is critical to increasing production, but the use of quality seed from formal sources in Ethiopia is very limited. The current Ethiopian government has focused on agricultural development and has developed different policies both for agriculture in general and for the seed sector in particular. Following the developmental state approach, the government intensified its involvement in the seed sector to enhance agricultural development. Despite the policies and efforts of the government, a shortage of seed, a mismatch between demand and supply, the carryover of seed despite not satisfying the demand of farmers, and poor seed quality have been persistent challenges to the Ethiopian seed sector. Many studies have identified technical gaps that limit the development of the seed sector, and some of the studies have also discussed the extent to which policy responds to existing problems, and the extent to which what is in the policy documents is implemented. However, the causes of these ‘gaps’ are seldom discussed. The lack of such knowledge limits the understanding of the challenges, making it difficult to properly support the seed sector. For these reasons, this research has gone beyond the mere identification of ‘gaps’, aiming to analyse how actors and institutions influence seed policy making and implementation in Ethiopia. The goal of this research is twofold: to narrow the knowledge gap about policy making and implementation in the Ethiopian seed sector, and to contribute to the debate concerning how to make the seed sector function better. The central research question is: how did actors and institutions influence the formulation and implementation of seed policies in Ethiopia from 2008 to 2016? The empirical research to answer this overall research question addresses two processes: policy making and policy implementation. These include the process of revising the 2000 Ethiopian seed law and the process of implementing direct seed marketing. By analysing these two processes, the thesis unravels how actors and associated institutions have influenced seed policy making and implementation in Ethiopia. The major sources of data were interviews of actors in the seed sector, and desk research of different reports. Guided by theoretical concepts, the research used qualitative methods to generate and analyse data. Given the complexity of societal phenomenon, several analytical lenses have been used to examine the data in this research. In order to explain how actors negotiate the content of a policy document, including defining the problem and solution, the concept of discourse analysis is used, focusing on frame, the rounds model, and the policy arena. Similarly, to explain the process of implementing the existing policy and the outcome, the concepts of multi-level perspective on transition, transition management, non-decision making, and institutional lock-in are used. While using these analytical lenses to explain seed policy making and implementation, the concept of institutions has remained a central concept. Chapter 2 analyses the negotiation process, looking into the topics of seed sector governance and variety registration. The analysis reveals that different policy arenas provide opportunities for different actors to place their preferred policy options on the table, and to get them incorporated into the draft working document. While this is a positive step towards a deliberative policy making, the final decision is made by the executive branch of the government. Such a process can be explained by two informal institutions. These are the loose connection between the drafting arenas and the decision-making arenas, and the blurred separation of power between the executive and the legislature. At the Council of Ministers (CoM), where the critical decisions are made, the ministry presents its perspective, particularly on issues where disagreement exists between the ministry and other actors. The council uses the content of the draft and the justification of the ministry for endorsing the draft policy document. Moreover, the parliament can change the content of the draft policy document only if the ministry agrees with the change, regardless of the arguments and justifications provided by other stakeholders. Thus, the inputs of stakeholders are considered as long as the ministry agrees with the suggestions, and the policy decision remains in the hands of the ministry. Chapter 3 presents the different frames used by different actors to describe the problem of seed quality. While government officials attribute the problem of seed quality to the lack of alignment between the seed sector governance and the regional government structure, experts and bureaucrats attribute the problem to the lack of coordination at national level. As a result, they respectively suggest the decentralization and centralization of seed sector governance. These frames are embedded in the overall interest and strategy of the actors promoting the frames. The centralization frame reflects the interest of experts and bureaucrats to have a say with regards to the seed sector. They have lost this power because of the federal structure that was established formally in 1995. On the contrary, the decentralization frame is embedded in the government’s aim to implement the constitution that established the federal structure in 1995. Despite the fact that the process of revising the seed law took about four years, these actors could not agree on either of the options or find an alternative. This shows a lack of deliberation and reflexivity during the process of revising the seed law, reflecting the fact that seed policy discussion has been part of a larger debate about (de)centralization in Ethiopia since 1991. Thus, in addition to the issue of seed quality, the frames of centralization and decentralization are shaped by the old (unitary) and the new (federal) institutions of the Ethiopian government system. Chapter 4 focuses on the process of introducing and expanding direct seed marketing (DSM) in Ethiopia. Despite the fact that seed marketing is included in the policies on paper, the seed of major food crops is distributed through government channels resulting in inefficiency of seed distribution. The regional seed core groups introduced DSM in 2011, and by 2016 about one-third of the hybrid maize seed, the main seed marketed in Ethiopia, in Amhara, Oromia and the Southern Nations, Nationalities and Peoples’ region (SNNPR), was sold through DSM. The presence of actors outside the seed distribution system was instrumental for introducing the concept of DSM. To start the piloting of this existing policy, the core group needed to get approval from the heads of the bureaus of agriculture (BoAs). However, such approval was not required for other new ideas, like establishing an independent regulatory body, showing how the informal institutions guide what has to be approved by bureau heads, regardless of the formal policy. In addition to the demonstrated potential of DSM to overcome the problem of seed distribution inefficiency, strategic management of the stakeholders' process was critical in expanding the area under the pilot. Many actors, including the executives, supported the expansion of DSM to many areas. Despite the expansion of DSM, its demonstrated potential to overcome the problem of seed supply inefficiency, the support it received from the government officials, and the general policy of market-based approach, the government has not endorsed the use of DSM beyond the pilot. Chapter 5 points out that the government excluded the issue of seed marketing from the seed regulation enacted in 2016, showing that the government has no intention to make seed marketing one of the seed delivery channels in the near future. The major reasons for this are: bureaucrats do not want to contribute to the decision making of DSM because they assume that the government has a strong political interest to remain in seed distribution; bureaucrats need the seed distribution system to achieve the targets set by the government; there is a symbiotic relationship between actors, the extension service as well as seed producers, and the seed distribution system, and so actors want to maintain the distribution system Such institutionalized thinking and practices have created an institutional lock-in that prevents bureaucrats from presenting the recommendation to government officials, thereby leading to non-decision about the future of DSM. Chapter 6 summarizes the action of actors in affecting policy making and implementation as influenced by two conflicting sets of institutions. The first set relates to market-based thinking versus centralized planning as leading principles for economic development. Both are used as a discourse for promoting economic development and its operationalization, which are shaping how actors view and overcome the problems of the seed sector. This also explains why policies on paper are not implemented and why new initiatives are not formally endorsed. The tension between these divergent institutions has increased because of the dual use of seed by the government: the government has used the seed to both promote economic development and maintain strong political ties with farmers. The second set of conflicting institutions relates to authoritarian versus participatory decision making. On the one hand, is the government practice of authoritative decision-making, where only the input of stakeholders is considered when it fits in with the existing policy direction of the executives. On the other hand, it is common practice to organize stakeholders to contribute to policy making and implementation. The practice of considering the policy input of others only when it fits in with the policy direction of the decision-makers, creates a sense of being forced to accept, increasing the tension between how the government decides and the role of stakeholders. Given the tension between the conflicting institutions, and circumstances in Ethiopia, this research suggested that choosing one approach over the other will not guarantee the development of the seed sector. There is no guarantee that the outcome of a deliberative policy making process will be a different policy option than the one opted for by one of the actors. However, the co-development of a solution for the shared seed sector problem will guarantee better ownership and thus better implementation than an imposed policy. It is also important to note that deliberative policy making and implementation is not an easy task given the current stakeholders’ landscape and the culture of authoritative decision making. Thus, the change towards deliberative policy making and implementation is not something that emerges overnight: it is a process that matures over time. This calls for the strategic management of a process of change that leads to the transformation of the seed sector into a self-reliant and resilient sector. By identifying the underlying institutions behind the challenges of the seed sector and suggesting options for improvement, this thesis contributes to the debate on how to make the seed sector function better. At a higher level, it also contributes to the debate on policy making and implementation processes in Ethiopia.

Prior researches indicate that farmers, who organize themselves into producer organizations or cooperatives can overcome some of the challenges that affect their livelihood at individual level. Seed producer cooperatives (SPCs) engaged in Ethiopian agricultural sector with the aim to produce and market quality seed to local markets and beyond, to make seed a commercial product, and thus to generate income and improve the livelihood of their members They use market orientation as guiding frameworks to be commercial and perform well in the business. Market orientation is a business approach or philosophy that focuses on identifying and meeting the stated and hidden needs and wants of customers. Although the concept of market orientation and its influence on performance has been widely studied, surprisingly little information exists about agricultural marketing cooperatives. More specifically, empirical evidence on how market orientation practices are applicable to and influence performance of small agricultural marketing cooperatives found in the D&E economies is very scarce. The thesis thereby deepened the understanding of the application and specific practices of market orientation, and its influences on cooperative performance as well as members’ livelihood. The review of literature identified the presence of three seed systems in Ethiopia (formal, informal and intermediary seed systems) and their specific contribution to improve the seed supply. SPCs are categorized in the intermediary seed system because they have features both from the formal and informal seed systems. SPCs make a significant contribution to seed production and marketing through various market channels, including direct sales to customer farmers, sales through contractual agreements with contracting parties, and sales directly to institutional buyers. Moreover, they make specific contributions to high volume seed supply, crop and variety diversification, and seed delivery to farmers. The qualitative study indicated that in the Ethiopian SPCs context the market orientation concept centres around five key themes: quality of produce, external orientation, business organization, value adding activities and supplier access. These key themes of market orientation by and large cover important elements of the market orientation concept in marketing theory, which can be related to the “prototypical” market orientation model. Market orientation in the Ethiopian SPCs context consists of four components: customer orientation, competitor orientation, interfunctional coordination, and supplier orientation. Study in specific market orientation measurement scale development revealed that market orientation in the Ethiopian SPCs context is a multidimensional construct consisting of four dimensions: customer, competitor and supplier orientation, and interfunctional coordination. Moreover, it is suggested that measurement scale development should include both general and context-specific items. Study on the relationship between market orientation components and performance indicated that customer and supplier orientation, and interfunctional coordination contribute to higher business performance, but competitor orientation does not. Business performance also showed positive influence on the livelihood improvement of member farmers. Market orientation of SPCs is very important for business performance and a strong basis for the livelihood of seed producer families. SPCs and organizations that aim to support SPCs should consider these components to monitor the improvement of SPCs towards successful commercial enterprises. Study on identifying key marketing activities in relation to performance showed the presence of considerable differentiation between Ethiopian SPCs in implementing marketing activities. The intensity and quality of implementation of marketing activities in the current Ethiopian SPCs context is found to largely overlap. The study suggested that SPCs need to have resources, and capabilities to coordinate the resources, to implement marketing activities effectively and efficiently so as to provide value to customers.

Veel Afrikaanse boeren blijven verstoken van goed zaai- en pootgoed. Nationale overheden en bedrijven kunnen niet aan de vraag voldoen. Het Centre for Development Innovation in Wageningen werkt met boerengroepen om lokaal beter zaaizaad op de markt te brengen.

Vis is een belangrijke bron van inkomsten voor Egypte. Niet alleen aan de kust, maar ook in de woestijn worden commerciële viskweekbedrijven opgezet. In Wadi Natroun, het gebied waar in de oudheid het zout vandaan werd gehaald om de overleden farao's te mummificeren, wordt op de boerderij 'Rula for Land Reclamation' door Wadi Fish sinds enige jaren ook vis gekweekt in water uit een zoute bron. In Aquacultuur 2014, nr. 1 is een bedrijfsreportage over Wadi Fish te vinden. Aanvankelijk werd het afvalwater van de kwekerij geloosd in de woestijn. Maar de Egyptische overheid oefent de laatste jaren steeds meer druk uit om zuinig om te gaan met water en met het woestijn-ecosysteem. Daarom is in 2010 een project gestart om te testen of de viskwekerij gecombineerd kan worden met een teelt van halofyten (ofwel zoutminnende gewassen) en of het afvalwater met de zgn. 'biofloc' methode (een waterzuinige viskweekmethode) weer voor visteelt kan worden gebruikt. Het bleek succesvol.

Bedrijfsreportage

“Landscape approaches” seek to provide tools and concepts for allocating and managing land to achieve social, economic, and environmental objectives in areas where agriculture, mining, and other productive land uses compete with environmental and biodiversity goals. Here we synthesize the current consensus on landscape approaches. This is based on published literature and a consensus-building process to define good practice and is validated by a survey of practitioners. We find the landscape approach has been refined in response to increasing societal concerns about environment and development tradeoffs. Notably, there has been a shift from conservation-orientated perspectives toward increasing integration of poverty alleviation goals. We provide 10 summary principles to support implementation of a landscape approach as it is currently interpreted. These principles emphasize adaptive management, stakeholder involvement, and multiple objectives. Various constraints are recognized, with institutional and governance concerns identified as the most severe obstacles to implementation. We discuss how these principles differ from more traditional sectoral and project-based approaches. Although no panacea, we see few alternatives that are likely to address landscape challenges more effectively than an approach circumscribed by the principles outlined here.

Explicitly integrating reflection in the learning process of multi-stakeholder processes (MSPs) increases the likelihood that purposeful change will occur. When reflexivity is made part of learning in MSPs, learning will become clearer and better articulated and it will contribute more strongly to purposeful change in a complex context. MSP facilitators should deliberately include reflective learning sessions and tools in the process design and implementation. The paper also addresses the topic of selecting the most appropriate reflection tools such that they will be more effective in relation to the objectives when compared to randomly selecting a tool or to leave it solely to the preference of a facilitator.

Op een industrieterrein in Eindhoven worden sinds 2009 stueren gehouden voor de kaviaarproductie. Het bedrijf, Anna Royal Dutch Caviar geheten, is eigendom van de heren Oleg Salkazanov en Vusal Huseynov.

This issue of the Knowledge Management for Development Journal focuses on the connection between the knowledge function in knowledge management for development (KM4D) and the facilitation function within multi stakeholder processes (MSPs). Both functions are key functions in innovation processes. Within KM4D, the emphasis is on knowledge sharing and learning, both at organisational level as well as within networks at systems level. MSP addresses systemic learning in society, involving various actors and addressing institutional functions that need to be improved.

In Renkum, vlak bij het voormalige industrieterrein in het Renkumse Beekdal dat is 'verbouwd'tot een nieuw, nat natuurgebied, bevindt zich het kantoor van Transition Grant Services. TGS is een bedrijf dat zich richt op ondersteuning van lokale iniatieven om ondernemerschap in ontwikkelingslanden te stimuleren en helpt bij het opzetten en begeleiden van de projecten en met het zoeken van investeerders en financiers. Een tak van hun activiteiten richt zich op het zoeken en ondersteunen van partners die in het opzetten van aquaponicssystemen geinteresseerd zijn. Aquaponics zijn recirculatiesystemen waarin zowel vis als groenten of siergewassen in een systeem worden geteeld.

This paper explores how multiple types of knowledge – epistemic, technical, and anecdotal – are combined and used discursively within the claim-making process of a long-running socio-environmental conflict concerning copper extraction and its threat to biodiversity conservation in Ecuador's Intag valley cloud-forest. The contentions at play in this highly polarised dispute are broadly speaking either developmental or environmental in nature. This article examines the forms of knowledge that are mobilised in environmental discourse and the ways in which claim-makers deploy different types of knowledge to advance their political and policy interests. It contends that the success of the environmental claim-makers in protecting the cloud-forest so far derives from their political mobilisation around strategic and dynamic combinations of different types of environmental knowledge. Through including the hegemonic neoliberal biodiversity discourse in their anti-mining and pro-conservation environmental discourse and policy advocacy, environmentalists from the local to the global level were able to use neoliberal arguments as counter-claims against the neoliberal pro-extractives rhetoric of economic development. In practice, this was achieved both by enacting local environmental policies and practices to protect the Intag area from large-scale open-cast mining activities, and by leveraging power through spreading social media based information to undermine the viability of successive mining concession-owners at the international level. The gap between science and policy therefore was, and continues to be, transcended by the nature of the urgent political expediency of the conflict.

This paper examines different practical methods for stakeholders to analyse power dynamics in multi-stakeholders processes (MSPs), taking into account the ambiguous and uncertain nature of complex adaptive systems. It reflects on an action learning programme which focused on 12 cases in Africa and Asia put forward by 6 Dutch development non-governmental organizations (NGOs). The authors facilitated this action learning programme in 2011-12, and supported a team of 12 local researchers who worked with stakeholders to better understand the dynamics of power in MSPs, and learn practical ways of dealing with power imbalances when dealing with, participating in or embarking on MSPs. The cases range from a Nigerian NGO coalition dealing with oil spills in Niger Delta, to gold mining negotiations in Ghana, to a seaweed value chain in Philippines, to land planning for palm oil in Indonesia. The ambition of this programme was to translate academic insights into easy-to-use packages, suitable for researchers and facilitators with limited academic experience. In trying to make this work, lessons were learned on how to ensure quality action learning across different cultural and sectoral backgrounds. Also, lessons on developing capacity for action learning on power in MSPs are shared. Finally, the authors report insights on the process of synthesizing data from all 12 cases into generic and shared conclusions.

The Kenya Market-led Dairy Programme (KMDP) is a 4.5-year programme funded by the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands and implemented by SNV Netherlands Development Organisation in collaboration with stakeholders in the dairy industry. The overall goal of KMDP is to contribute to the development of a vibrant and competitive private sector-driven dairy sector in Kenya, with beneficiaries across the value chain. KMDP has two pillars, or strategic intervention levels. The first pillar is the smallholder dairy value chain, which has the objective to increase efficiency, effectiveness and inclusiveness in this production and marketing channel. The second pillar concerns systemic issues in the sector, where the objective is to promote and support interventions and innovations in feed and fodder supply, milk quality, practical skills development and the policy or regulatory environment. Work in the second pillar partly supports work in the first pillar and partly addresses issues in the enabling environment and supporting systems. In the smallholder dairy value chain, KMDP has engaged with eighteen farmer-owned milk collection and bulking enterprises (CBEs), dispersed over three main milksheds in Kenya: North Rift region, Central region, and Eastern region (Meru). In addition, KMDP works with two processors that receive and process milk from a number of the eighteen supported CBEs. This report describes the work of KMDP in the smallholder dairy value chain. It looks at the response of CBEs, processors and farmers to KMDP’s interventions, which cover five themes: 1. Capacity building of CBEs in governance and financial management; 2. Training and extension activities for farmers; 3. Fodder development and preservation at CBE- and farmer level; 4. Business development through linkages with input suppliers and service providers; 5. Milk procurement and milk quality along the value chain.

In Ethiopia, new policy actors and new policy arenas have emerged as a result of major changes that took place in the political and economic system in the early 1990’s: the separation of state powers between the legislature and the executive, and the decision to move towards a market-oriented economic system. These are important changes that clear ground for better policymaking processes. However, the mere separation of power and emergency of new actors do not necessarily guarantee effectiveness of the established system, and thus need analysis. Considering policymaking as a process involving multiple actors, arenas and interactions between policy actors, this article sheds a new light on policymaking processes in Ethiopia. Focusing on the four years of discussions on developing seed law, we question whether and how the emergence of new actors and new policy arenas have influenced the process and outcome of policymaking in the Ethiopian seed sector. Our analysis reveals that the new policy arenas provided opportunities for actors to place their preferred policy options on the agenda and to get them incorporated into the draft seed law. However, decision-making ultimately remains firmly in the hands of the executive, mainly because of a blurred separation of power between the executive and the legislature.

The Kenya Market-led Dairy Programme (KMDP) is a 4.5-year programme funded by the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands and implemented by SNV Netherlands Development Organisation in collaboration with stakeholders in the dairy industry. The overall goal of KMDP is to contribute to the development of a vibrant and competitive private sector-driven dairy sector in Kenya, with beneficiaries across the value chain. KMDP has two pillars, or strategic intervention levels. The first pillar is the smallholder dairy value chain, which has the objective to increase efficiency, effectiveness and inclusiveness in this production and marketing channel. The second pillar concerns systemic issues in the sector, where the objective is to promote and support interventions and innovations in feed and fodder supply, milk quality, practical skills development and the policy or regulatory environment. Work in the second pillar partly supports work in the first pillar and partly addresses issues in the enabling environment and supporting systems. In the smallholder dairy value chain, KMDP has engaged with eighteen farmer-owned milk collection and bulking enterprises (CBEs), dispersed over three main milksheds in Kenya: North Rift region, Central region, and Eastern region (Meru). In addition, KMDP works with two processors that receive and process milk from a number of the eighteen supported CBEs. This report describes the work of KMDP in the smallholder dairy value chain. It looks at the response of CBEs, processors and farmers to KMDP’s interventions, which cover five themes: 1. Capacity building of CBEs in governance and financial management; 2. Training and extension activities for farmers; 3. Fodder development and preservation at CBE- and farmer level; 4. Business development through linkages with input suppliers and service providers; 5. Milk procurement and milk quality along the value chain.

Bedrijfsreportage van Glasaal Volendam, een pootviskwekerij voor paling. Glasaal Volendam BV heeft zich tot doel gesteld paling voort te gaan planten en commercieel serieuze aantallen glasaal te gaan produceren.

Fish farming in Egypt is not formally recognized as an agricultural activity, so aquaculture cannot use water from irrigation canals. However, fish are raised as primary or secondary crops in combination with fruit and other plant crops. A study by the WorldFish Center found farms could efficiently use well water to intensively raise tilapia in aerated tanks and use the effluent to irrigate fruit trees, vegetables and flowers. Two other farms used water from nearby Nile irrigation canals to fill water storage reservoirs stocked with tilapia. Crops and fruit were the main source of revenue for these farms, and fish reflected a minor secondary crop.

Honger bestrijden met intensieve landbouw? De commotie was groot toen Aalt Dijkhuizen, bestuursvoorzitter van Wageningen University & Research centre, hier in september 2012 voor pleitte. Vier Wageningse wetenschappers leggen uit waarom ze die oplossing veel te kort door de bocht vinden. Een rondetafelgesprek over lokale landbouw, kunstmest, voedingsgewoonten en biobrandstoffen. 'We moeten het probleem niet versimpelen.'

Funds were rapidly made available internationally to check the spread of Avian Influenza following the outbreak of the disease. But how effective and efficient have programmes initiated been in the longer term? The authors look at an Indonesian- Dutch programme and consider the potential of factors such as capacity building and the widening of the programme’s remit.