During the last quarter of 2020, Regional Agricultural Research and Extension Organisations (RREO) in Africa, Asia, and Latin America jointly carried out rapid appraisals to map the innovation environment and identify and document initiatives aimed at strengthening Agricultural Innovation Systems (AIS). The focus was on functional capacity development with a view to exploring ways in which RREO can support the development of these capacities and integrate them with technical capacities. A combination of literature reviews, case studies, and stakeholder surveys was used to gather information. The results were documented in three separate reports which are available from the RREO. In the present document, key findings from the regional reports are presented and discussed in this report.

'Innovation by with and for farmers in Africa is one of the major contemporary challenges of development. This book will be essential reading for anyone interested in these issues.' Professor Ian Scoones Institute of Development Studies at the University of Sussex UK 'This book takes the theme of innovation and its mainstreaming in research and extension a major step forward. I am impressed by the wide range of subjects and the diversity of authors.' Chris Reij Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam The Netherlands Agricultural research extension and education can contribute greatly to enhancing agricul.

Since 2017, in line with COAG’s recommendation, the Research and Extension Unit engaged in the development of a participatory AIS assessment framework including a customizable toolbox for countries with a totally new capacity development perspective. The assessment framework is meant for actors of the national agricultural innovation systems, i.e. research, extension and advisory services, innovation support service providers and universities, policy and decision makers, or development organizations, with a mandate or willingness to catalyze system innovation processes and to identify entry points for developing capacities to innovate in a a sector, a value chain, a territory or at country level. The expected outputs and outcomes of the assessment are: a) to inform and provide evidence-based practical guidance to policy and decision makers to identify concrete actions and investments geared towards strengthening of the AIS, and simultaneously b) to enhance capacities of relevant actors to effectively engage in these actions. Considering high level of complexity and diversity of agricultural innovation systems and CD needs, the assessment implementers need to be guided to collect and analyze quantitative and qualitative data and information to generate evidence for assisting decision-making and advocacy in their specific context. To meet these objectives, a preliminary assessment framework was developed to be tested and enriched by pilot countries. This document provides the key concepts, the foundations of analytical and operational assessment frameworks and guiding principles for country assessment teams in piloting countries. It contributes to FAO’s Strategic Objective 2 - Increase and improve provision of goods and services from agriculture, forestry and fisheries in a sustainable manner.

This document intends to provide an analysis of the outcomes of the application of the TAP Common Framework in the eight countries of the Capacity Development for Agricultural Innovation Systems (CDAIS) project. The TAP Common Framework (TAP CF) was developed at the global level as an initial activity of the CDAIS project in order to guide capacity development (CD) and strengthening of Agricultural Innovation Systems (AIS). The project then tested this framework in eight pilot countries (Guatemala, Honduras, Burkina Faso, Angola, Rwanda, Ethiopia, Lao PDR, Bangladesh). The purpose of the transversal analysis was to understand how the CDAIS approach contributed to outcomes and impacts in a diversity of contexts and to propose recommendations for upgrading the Common Framework across its theoretical and practical dimensions. The two main guiding questions were: • What made the CDAIS approach transformational (or not) in diverse contexts? • How useful, usable and used was the TAP Common Framework? The comparative analyses consisted in drawing patterns of context-mechanism-outcomes from case studies from the different countries. Insights gained from some countries were checked and complemented with the data and lessons learnt from others. Common findings were merged, and particular cases were used to expand or refine the generic theory that was built on the case-by-case approach.

This catalogue aims to improve the dissemination and outreach of FAO’s knowledge products and overall publishing programme. By providing information on its key publications in every area of FAO’s work, and catering to a range of audiences, it thereby contributes to all organizational outcomes. From statistical analysis to specialized manuals to children’s books, FAO publications cater to a diverse range of audiences. This catalogue presents a selection of FAO’s main publications, produced in 2021 or earlier, ranging from its global reports and general interest publications to numerous specialized titles. In addition to the major themes of agriculture, forestry and fisheries, it also includes thematic sections on climate change, economic and social development, and food safety and nutrition.

A two-day virtual regional consultation titled “Engaging with Academia and Research Institutions (ARIs) to Support Family Farmers and Food System Transformation During and Post COVID-19 Pandemic in Asia” was held by the Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA) and the Asian Farmers’ Association for Sustainable Rural Development (AFA) from 8–9 December 2021. The consultation was organized in collaboration with United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), International Cooperation Centre of Agricultural Research for Development (CIRAD), Group For Research and Technology Exchanges (GRET), and with technical assistance from FAO Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific (RAP). It was attended by 157 international participants and 51 speakers coming from different academic and research institutions (ARIs), non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and civil society organizations (CSOs), government agencies, and development partners. The regional consultation highlighted the importance of collaboration among ARIs, family farmers’ organizations, government agencies, and development partners in Asia in enhancing the livelihoods of family farmers and developing their capacities to cope with the COVID-19 pandemic through agroecology. This publication compiles the proceedings of the two-day virtual regional consultation and marks an important milestone in initiating a stocktaking of existing initiatives and collaborations between ARIs, inter-government agencies and family farmers’ organizations in the region with a specific focus on agroecology and sustainable food systems.