Innovation research in high-value commodity chains: lessons learned

The current paper reports on the main findings emerging from a research alternative to the two dominant paradigms in agricultural development. This alternative is both context-driven and problem-focused on the rapidly development of the East African market-oriented agriculture that demonstrates high economic growth rates based on high-value market-driven commodity development. The approach to this research in high-value chains includes information feedback loops that bring back translated reports regarding market requirements, retailers’ requests, etc. These reports include price determining information like preferences for certain quality attributes like colour, size, etc. but they also include extrinsic quality attributes such as food safety, production method, as well as the values that are embedded in certified organic, environmental issues or place of origin. The research was conducted in close collaboration with the farmers to increase the adoption rate of the innovations being developed.