Farmers' Innovations in Ethiopia

The book presents farmers' innovations that will be of use to farmers, extension agents, students, researchers and policy-makers engaged in rural development. It demonstrates that innovation is the result of a confrontation between visions of actors who often have divergent interests. There is no single path towards rural development and the success of innovation transitions will not only depend on researchers' capacity, but willingness to embark on farmers' innovations is inevitable. In writing, I have borne in mind potential readers: extension agents and research students for whom some understanding of farmers' innovation is important; range of local or national activities keen to improve the well-being of farmers; those salaried practitioners who find themselves engaged in some aspects of rural development despite having received little or no formal training in innovation; variety of specialists in related professions and disciplines, who want to learn more about farmers' innovations in Ethiopia. The study attempts to link theory and practice, giving equal weight to the area-based, the bottom-up and the local partnership approaches with an emphasis on innovation and integration.