The economic liberalization policies and reforms undertaken in Benin since the 1990s have led to the transfer of the control of irrigation infrastructure to farmer organizations Subsequent reform of the agricultural sector aims to revitalize water management in order to improve water use for agricultural purposes and ultimately farmers’ livelihoods. However, an exploratory study conducted recently in the inland valleys shows that problems related to water management in rice production remain . Many technological options that address water management problems are waiting on the shelf but are not widely used and farmers still experience the effects of drought and flood that limit their production.
The non-maintenance of irrigation canals is one of the main factors causing problems at the level of the rice plots managed under gravity irrigation. For a long time, innovation has been regarded as the technical output of research , and as something to be transferred to the users. However, the introduction of infrastructure and new technologies is not effective if they are not appropriate for the context in which they are promoted and not adapted to users’ realities. Empirical studies demonstrate that innovation involves a simultaneous re-configuration of the social and technical dimensions of use . Participatory approaches like farming systems research and extension emerged in response to the limitations and undesirable effects of linear technology transfer. Their focus on the field to farm level within
a recommendation domain, however, has metwith less success than expected; our first hypothesis is that this may be attributed to the limited room for change at the level of the single farm, local farmer group or village. Effective deployment and application of technology in complex problem situations calls for a more comprehensive approach to innovation In this perspective, institutions are seen to play an important role. This article focuses on the institutions that hinder innovations but that could create space for positive changes in the use of irrigation water and farmers’ livelihoods. Our second hypothesis is that neglect of the institutional dimensions of innovation processes may lead to a disappointing performance of any intervention or self-organizing initiative for change. In the context of this study an understanding of the relation between practices and rules is developed in order to examine why the problems in rice production are so persistent and why relevant, seemingly simple solutions are not taken up. We consider farmers’ practices to be shaped by institutional barriers and opportunitiesthat exist in and around the current production–consumption system. For the purpose of the study we understand institutions to include formal and informal rules, implicit cultural norms, values and symbols and social rules embedded in relations, physical artefacts and infrastructure].
We use the term ‘institutional barriers’ to refer to constraints related to the institutions that prevent promising technologies from being used. The study is based on research carried out in the Agonlin Plateau region of Benin from July through November 2010, where farmers seek to create a living out of rice production but hardly succeed because of the many barriers. The research aimed first to identify the main problems in rice production and then the institutional barriers that hinder significant improvement of the local rice value chain and effective water use. Thirdly, promising windows of opportunity for innovation are identified. The article focuses on farmers’ practices in the study areas, the socio-technical problems in the local rice value chain; the institutional barriers in which farmers’ practices are embedded, and potential institutional opportunities for innovation. The next section provides a description of the research design including data collection and analytic methods, followed by the findings on the above mentioned four issues, analysis and discussion. The article concludes by summarizing the main institutional barriers and pointing to promising opportunities for an integrated approach to innovation.
The economic liberalization policies and reforms undertaken in Benin since the 1990s have led to the transfer of the control of irrigation infrastructure to farmer organizations Subsequent reform of the agricultural sector aims to revitalize water management in order to improve water use for agricultural purposes and ultimately farmers’ livelihoods. However, an exploratory study conducted recently in the inland valleys shows that problems related to water management in rice production remain . Many technological options that address water management problems are waiting on the shelf but are not widely used and farmers still experience the effects of drought and flood that limit their production.
The non-maintenance of irrigation canals is one of the main factors causing problems at the level of the rice plots managed under gravity irrigation. For a long time, innovation has been regarded as the technical output of research , and as something to be transferred to the users. However, the introduction of infrastructure and new technologies is not effective if they are not appropriate for the context in which they are promoted and not adapted to users’ realities. Empirical studies demonstrate that innovation involves a simultaneous re-configuration of the social and technical dimensions of use . Participatory approaches like farming systems research and extension emerged in response to the limitations and undesirable effects of linear technology transfer. Their focus on the field to farm level within
a recommendation domain, however, has metwith less success than expected; our first hypothesis is that this may be attributed to the limited by Info" style="border: none !important; display: inline-block !important; text-indent: 0px !important; float: none !important; font-weight: bold !important; height: auto !important; margin: 0px !important; min-height: 0px !important; min-width: 0px !important; padding: 0px !important; text-transform: uppercase !important; text-decoration: underline !important; vertical-align: baseline !important; width: auto !important; background: transparent !important;">room for change at the level of the single farm, local farmer group or village. Effective deployment and application of technology in complex problem situations calls for a more comprehensive approach to innovation In this perspective, institutions are seen to play an important role. This article focuses on the institutions that hinder innovations but that could create space for positive changes in the use of irrigation water and farmers’ livelihoods. Our second hypothesis is that neglect of the institutional dimensions of innovation processes may lead to a disappointing performance of any intervention or self-organizing initiative for change. In the context of this study an understanding of the relation between practices and rules is developed in order to examine why the problems in rice production are so persistent and why relevant, seemingly simple solutions are not taken up. We consider farmers’ practices to be shaped by institutional barriers and opportunitiesthat exist in and around the current production–consumption system. For the purpose of the study we understand institutions to include formal and informal rules, implicit cultural norms, values and symbols and social rules embedded in relations, physical artefacts and infrastructure].
We use the term ‘institutional barriers’ to refer to constraints related to the institutions that prevent promising technologies from being used. The study is based on research carried out in the Agonlin Plateau region of Benin from July through November 2010, where farmers seek to create a living out of rice production but hardly succeed because of the many barriers. The research aimed first to identify the main problems in rice production and then the institutional barriers that hinder significant improvement of the local rice value chain and effective water use. Thirdly, promising windows of opportunity for innovation are identified. The article focuses on farmers’ practices in the study areas, the socio-technical problems in the local rice value chain; the institutional barriers in which farmers’ practices are embedded, and potential institutional opportunities for innovation. The next section provides a description of the research design including data collection and analytic methods, followed by the findings on the above mentioned four issues, analysis and discussion. The article concludes by summarizing the main institutional barriers and pointing to promising opportunities for an integrated approach to innovation.
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