@ARTICLE{10.21494/ISTE.OP.2020.0511, 

TITLE={The National Innovation System as applied to Agriculture: a methodological proposal for diagnosis in Africa}, 
  
AUTHOR={Sawadogo/Compaore MFW Eveline, Sawadogo Natewinde, }, 
	
JOURNAL={Technology and Innovation}, 
	
VOLUME={5}, 

NUMBER={Issue 3</br>}, 
	
YEAR={2020}, 

URL={https://openscience.fr/The-National-Innovation-System-as-applied-to-Agriculture-a-methodological}, 
	
DOI={10.21494/ISTE.OP.2020.0511}, 
	
ISSN={2399-8571}, 
	
ABSTRACT={Policy interventions in the agricultural sector have not always been informed by methodologies to reduce the risk of failure. In Africa, interventions in the agricultural sector have long depended on two main approaches. First there is the linear approach (top-down) of development, and then the participative (top-down-bottom-up) or systemic approach. However, linear models of diffusion of innovation have become obsolete. Also, within the interactive models, there are some differences. It is the National System of Innovation (NIS) system that is established as an analytical and policy tool in many African countries, including Burkina Faso. The NIS has been tested since the early 2000s and is currently very popular in policy setting and research contexts. Agriculture being a key sector for African countries, the current challenge is to develop a practical methodological guide for the diagnosis of agricultural innovation systems in Africa. This paper is intended to be a contribution that draws on the research results of the authors to address this methodological challenge. The first part of the paper presents the approach used. Then, it sheds light on the agricultural innovation approaches in Burkina Faso and in Africa in general, and their theoretical foundations. Finally, it proposes a methodological approach for diagnosis of the agricultural innovation systems in Africa.}}