A Model for Achieving Sustainable Improvement and Innovation in Regions

Clark R¹*, Taveros A¹*, Nengovhela N³*, Espinosa E²*, Lukhele M³* and Timms J³*

1. Department of Primary Industries and Fisheries, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
2. Leyte State University, Baybay, Leyte, Philippines
3. Agricultural Research Council, Irene, South Africa

Rural Research and Development (R&D) projects are being called into question for poor achievement of outcomes and, separately, ongoing improvement and innovation after the end of projects. Information is available about the limitations, constraints and problems of achieving sustainability. We have put effort into the relatively less explored area of identifying key components for the design, implementation and management of projects that achieve outcomes and sustainable improvement and innovation.

This paper presents a systems model of the key components that need to be included in the design and management of R&D projects to ensure impact is achieved during the project, and that ongoing improvement and innovation is sustained post-project.

Examples and results from agricultural research and development projects in the Philippines, South Africa and Australia are used to illustrate the model.

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