Institutional arrangements to improve the responsiveness of agricultural innovation systems

Institutional Arrangements to  Improve the Responsiveness of  Agricultural Innovations Systems to  the Needs of the Poor: An  Investigation of Participatory  Monitoring and Evaluation in  Bolivia 

Edson Gerardo Gandarillas Morales 

This thesis is submitted for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy  of the University of London and Diploma of Imperial College. Imperial College, Wye, University of London  October 2006 

Abstract
This thesis presents research examining the Bolivian System for Agricultural Technology (SIBTA), which has developed a demand driven and market allocation of projects to service providers who bid to deliver adaptive research and extension projects to farmer associations. New Institutional Economics, Participatory Monitoring and Evaluation (PM&E) and SocialCapital provide the conceptual framework for the study, which uses quantitative and qualitative data collected taking into consideration the experiences of and uncertainties facing the main actors in the system (service providers, farmer organizations and bidding administrators). The study examines the ‘rules of the game’ in this system and then investigates the potential for PM&E as an institutionalinnovation to improve the system’s accountability to the poor. Current institutional arrangements and modifications using PM&E are evaluated in terms of their effects on transaction costs, risks, and institutional and relational social capital. Results show that current institutional arrangements do not provide good incentives for the participation of service providers and farmers, because of hightransaction costs and risks, and in particular they exclude poor ‘demanders’ and discourage competition among service providers. Institutional innovations to address these problems were developed in a participatory process and proposed by the main actors to SIBTA’s consultative committee. Analysis of trial PM&E arrangements demonstrated that its implementation can provide a better distribution oftransaction costs and risks among actors and can also change power relations among actors. In addition, farmers increased their human capital, institutional social capital, and their bridging and linking type of social capital. PM&E may also improve structures of new farmer associations faster than established associations. R&DSPs also became more accountable to the needs of the poor since theyimproved their innovation services on the basis of farmers’ monitoring information generated under PM&E process. The use of insights from transaction cost and social capital theory constituted a powerful conceptual framework for analysis of processes of linking research with institutionalisation and policy making.

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“Never had I abandoned the conviction that only by working with the people could I achieve  anything authentic on their behalf” 
Paulo Freire 

To my dearest family:   Mariel, Valeria, Diana, Carmen,   Gladys, Gerardo, Sobeyda and Ronald. 

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Acknowledgements
I would first like to thank my supervisors Dr. Andrew Dorward and Dr. Nigel Poole. I have been very fortunate to enjoy their guidance, suggestions and critiques of my work over the last three years. They havehelped frame my theoretical and methodological approaches and always been accessible for advice, which needless to say has been superlative. Secondly, I would like to thank to the International Centre for Tropical Agriculture, and my colleagues who work there: Eng. Carlos Quiros; and Dr. Jacqueline Ashby for their support and friendship. Third, I would like to thank to all my colleagues from thePromotion and Research for Andean Products Foundation. Special thanks to Dr Antonio Gandarillas and Eng. Jorge Blajos for their support and confidence in my professional development. Fourth, I would like to thank to Eng. Juan Fernandez; Eng. Vivian Polar; Eng. Walter Fuentes; and Eng. Juan Almanza for your outstanding support and help in difficult times. Fifth, I would like to thank my...