Cuban scientific institute implements innovation system for local development

SAN JOSE DE LAS LAJAS, Cuba, Jun 21 (ACN) The National Institute of Agricultural Sciences (INCA by its Spanish acronym) implemented an innovation system with a participatory approach in the management of sustainable local development to increase the production of food, seeds and local prosperity.

The initiative contributes to fostering community development processes from an integral and decentralized conception with a view to a cultural change in the ways of training the actors of agricultural innovation, according to its own criteria.

The latter constitute one of the 2020 awards of the Cuban Academy of Sciences (ACC by its Spanish acronym) to the results of scientific research that will be awarded late this month.

INCA professionals, as main authors, established in their proposal a peer-to-peer interaction of actors, in which dialogue, consensus building and common visions favor collective action for diversity and food sovereignty.

They argued that it strengthens systems that are adapted and resilient to climate change, promotes healthy nutrition and implements practical mechanisms for disaster risk management.

They believe that its introduction has led to a sustainable increase in yields, the generation of jobs that prioritize gender and generational equity, and strengthens responsible and participatory governance with the empowerment of producers.

Once applied, its results are verified in 45 municipalities and 10 provinces of the country, where multi-stakeholder management platforms and local agricultural innovation groups are part of the system and are recognized as innovation spaces for the solution of production, transformation and commercialization problems.

A considerable group of institutions, Cuban universities and universities from Mexico and the Netherlands intervened as executing entities in the materialization of the method as such, which is included in the Agricultural and Fisheries Sciences Section of the ACC.