ISSN (Print) - 0012-9976 | ISSN (Online) - 2349-8846

Articles by Hannington OdameSubscribe to Hannington Odame

Innovation and Policy Process

Biotechnology is being integrated into the existing science and technology policy process in Kenya. This process is embedded in the country's history of agricultural development, characterised by conventional technology, public goods research, and centralised and hierarchical organisation. This study employs the case study of the transgenic sweet potato project to explore how the development and introduction of modern biotechnology influence institutional and policy change in the generation and retention of (in)appropriate agricultural innovations for smallholders in Kenya.

Smallholder Access to Biotechnology

Using the case study of Rhizobium inocula project in Kenya, this paper argues that the main challenge to enhancing smallholder access to biotechnology lies in addressing the sources of institutional constraints in agricultural innovation processes. These constraints include sunk costs, uncertainty and political influence. How are mechanisms such as reducing uncertainty, building trust, and creating incentives at both national and local levels likely to improve smallholder access to Rhizobium inocula and transgenic crops in Kenya?

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