Collaborative governance dynamics in innovation platforms: case of Malawi’s District Stakeholder Panel

Purpose: An Agricultural Innovation System (AIS) is a collaborative governance (CG) arrangement which brings together several actors in the agriculture sector forming an innovation platform (IP). This study presents findings of CG dynamics obtained from an IP.

Design/Methodology/Approach: A qualitative study used focus group discussions, key informant interviews and desk study to collect data.

Findings: Establishment of an IP is the first step in the realisation of CG in an AIS. There is a varied range of governance dynamics which affect the functionality of an IP. Actors in an IP choose when and in what circumstances to apply CG, in order to increase their beneficial effect. The differences among actors in terms of their sizes, resources, visions and missions contribute to how the CG works out.

Practical implication: Paying attention to CG dynamics is as important as forming IPs. Failure to address governance dynamics makes actors follow an individualistic, linear approach to extension service delivery under the veil of AIS. There is a need to mainstream CG as a reiterative and not as a sporadic approach on logistical but on substantive matters. This requires a re-orientation and restructuring of extension systems.

Theoretical implication: Future research should focus on how the collaborative dynamics affect the impacts coming out of the CG regime.

Originality/Value: Mobilising actors and setting up structures for AIS has become common place yet little attention is paid to understanding the collaborative dynamics affecting their functionality.