The Tropical Agriculture Platform (TAP)

The Tropical Agriculture Platform (TAP), together with its partners and expert groups, has developed approaches and tools to strengthen capacity to innovate in the food and agriculture sector. The Common Framework for Capacity Development for Agricultural Innovation System is the principal guide to the TAP approach to strengthening capacity to innovate at local and national level. In support of its Common Framework TAP has also developed various tools, assessment methodologies and operational guidelines which have been tested, validated and up-scaled successfully under the EU-funded project “Capacity Development for Agricultural Innovation System” (CDAIS).

Building on these experiences, TAP is further promoting and integrating its tools and approaches in selected regional and sub-regional research and extension organizations in Africa, Asia-Pacific and Latin America, under the EU-funded project “Developing capacities in agricultural innovation systems: scaling up the TAP Framework” implemented by FAO (TAP/ FAO DeSIRA project).

The overall objectives of the project, with regards to the regional component (Output 3) are to strengthen capacity in regional research and extension organizations to integrate TAP tools and approaches in their work programme to promote innovation processes at the country level; and to facilitate and strengthen collaboration and synergies between research and extension organizations at regional and national level through a joint planning and implementation process.