Working Paper #2009-009
Are International Market Demands Compatible with Serving Domestic Social Needs? Challenges in Strengthening Innovation Capacity in Kenya’s Horticulture Industry
Agrifood stakeholders across the world are under ever-increasing
pressure with globalization and new market demands — together with
changing quality and safety requirements. The ability to respond to new
challenges and opportunities is important not just for producers but
also for industries in developing countries. This paper explores the
horticulture sector of Kenya in order to gain a better understanding of
what has most significantly contributed to its success in terms of
innovation response capacity. This paper aims to present what
“innovation response capacity” entails, especially for natural
resource-based industries in a developing country context. It will also
provide an analytical framework that draws elements from agricultural
innovation capacity and the innovation systems framework. This is
provided through case study research conducted in Kenya by exploring a
prominent horticultural enterprise, Homegrown Ltd. The paper concludes
that an important element of success in this case was the formation of a
range of linkages that enabled a systemic sector response to challenges
rather than isolated action of individual players.
- Keywords
-
- Innovation Response Capacity
- Kenya
- Horticulture
- Globalization
- Smallholder Production
- Policy Journal Codes: N57
- 013
- 031
- Q13 UNU-MERIT Working Papers ISSN 1871-9872
Cite this as
APA 7th ed.Steglich, M., Keskin, E., Hall, A., & Dijkman, J. (2009). Are International Market Demands Compatible with Serving Domestic Social Needs? Challenges in Strengthening Innovation Capacity in Kenya’s Horticulture Industry (UNU-MERIT Working Paper No. 2009-009). UNU-MERIT. https://unu-merit.nl/publications/working-papers/abstract/?id=3673