This article identifies key characteristics of participatory research and development (R&D) in
the agricultural sector: it is client‐driven, requires decentralized technology development,
devolves to farmers the major responsibility for adaptive testing, and requires institutions
and individuals to become accountable for the relevance and quality of technology on offer.
Through case study material drawn from Latin America, Asia and Africa, the article then
reviews ways by which institutions have responded to these characteristics and raises …

This paper identifies key characteristics of participatory research and development (R&D): it
is client-driven, requires decentralised technology development, devolves to farmers the
major responsibility for adaptive testing, and requires institutions and individuals to become
accountable for the relevance and quality of technology on offer. The paper then reviews
ways by which institutions can respond to these characteristics. For creating clientdriven
agenda options commonly include: representation by clients on their governing boards, joint …