Peel-the-Onion: Difference between revisions

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Consider further how USAID Feed the Future offers a commercialization initiative, [http://feedthefuture.gov/model/feed-future-partnering-innovation Partnering for Innovation], that serves developing countries worldwide.  Below are some projects in the Partnering for Innovation “commercialization portfolio” that involve agricultural systems offered by international companies that are closely related in technology, design, and functionality to Mr. Fue’s areas of research:
Consider further how USAID Feed the Future offers a commercialization initiative, [http://feedthefuture.gov/model/feed-future-partnering-innovation Partnering for Innovation], that serves developing countries worldwide.  Below are some projects in the Partnering for Innovation “commercialization portfolio” that involve agricultural systems offered by international companies that are closely related in technology, design, and functionality to Mr. Fue’s areas of research:


*[http://agtech.partneringforinnovation.org/community/technologies/blog/2014/08/25/ide-and-toro-commercialize-low-pressure-drip-irrigation-in-zambia Success Story: iDE and Toro Commercialize Low-Pressure Drip Irrigation in Zambia], posted by [email protected] in Technologies on Aug 25, 2014 12:21:00 PM
*[http://agtech.partneringforinnovation.org/community/technologies/blog/2014/08/25/ide-and-toro-commercialize-low-pressure-drip-irrigation-in-zambia Success Story: iDE and Toro Commercialize Low-Pressure Drip Irrigation in Zambia]
 
<blockquote>With funding from Feed the Future Partnering for Innovation, iDE is working with Toro Irrigation to introduce a Toro drip irrigation kit in the Zambian smallholder farmer market.</blockquote>
<blockquote>With funding from Feed the Future Partnering for Innovation, iDE is working with Toro Irrigation to introduce a Toro drip irrigation kit in the Zambian smallholder farmer market.</blockquote>


*[http://agtech.partneringforinnovation.org/community/technologies/blog/2014/05/05/driptech-launches-instakit-20-the-start20 Driptech launches InstaKit 2.0! The Start20!], posted by brennamckay in Technologies on May 5, 2014 6:17:00 PM
*[http://agtech.partneringforinnovation.org/community/technologies/blog/2014/05/05/driptech-launches-instakit-20-the-start20 Driptech launches InstaKit 2.0! The Start20!]
 
<blockquote>Driptech, inc is an international water technologies company based in Silicon Valley with offices and manufacturing facilities in Pune, India. Through its proprietary, widely-deployable manufacturing systems, Driptech produces affordable, high-quality irrigation systems designed for smallholder farmers.</blockquote>
<blockquote>Driptech, inc is an international water technologies company based in Silicon Valley with offices and manufacturing facilities in Pune, India. Through its proprietary, widely-deployable manufacturing systems, Driptech produces affordable, high-quality irrigation systems designed for smallholder farmers.</blockquote>


*[http://agtech.partneringforinnovation.org/community/technologies/blog/2014/04/08/netafim-family-drip-system Netafim Family Drip System], posted by community.manager in Technologies on Apr 8, 2014 2:28:00 PM
*[http://agtech.partneringforinnovation.org/community/technologies/blog/2014/04/08/netafim-family-drip-system Netafim Family Drip System]


<blockquote>Feed the Future Partnering for Innovation is partnering with Netafim, an Israeli-based drip irrigation company. Netafim will use the grant to expand its Family Drip System (FDS™), a gravity-based drip irrigation system based on the company's low volume drip-irrigation technology, to smallholders in Kenya.</blockquote>
<blockquote>Feed the Future Partnering for Innovation is partnering with Netafim, an Israeli-based drip irrigation company. Netafim will use the grant to expand its Family Drip System (FDS™), a gravity-based drip irrigation system based on the company's low volume drip-irrigation technology, to smallholders in Kenya.</blockquote>


*[http://agtech.partneringforinnovation.org/community/technologies/blog/2014/04/08/sunculture-solar-irrigation SunCulture Solar Irrigation]
*[http://agtech.partneringforinnovation.org/community/technologies/blog/2014/04/08/sunculture-solar-irrigation SunCulture Solar Irrigation]
Posted by community.manager in Technologies on Apr 8, 2014 2:37:00 PM


<blockquote>The Kenya based startup SunCulture has commercialized the first holistic solar powered drip irrigation system in Kenya. The company began sales of the AgroSolar Drip Irrigation Kit in May 2013, and have thus far installed 23 systems throughout Kenya ranging from 1/4 acre to 4 acres.</blockquote>
<blockquote>The Kenya based startup SunCulture has commercialized the first holistic solar powered drip irrigation system in Kenya. The company began sales of the AgroSolar Drip Irrigation Kit in May 2013, and have thus far installed 23 systems throughout Kenya ranging from 1/4 acre to 4 acres.</blockquote>
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As an innovator - even with an idea / concept in its early stages of development - stick to Stephen Covey’s second habit in [https://www.stephencovey.com/7habits/7habits-habit2.php ''The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People'']:
As an innovator - even with an idea / concept in its early stages of development - stick to Stephen Covey’s second habit in [https://www.stephencovey.com/7habits/7habits-habit2.php ''The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People'']:


''Begin with the end in mind.''
'''''Begin with the end in mind.'''''


Look for future chapters in this series for more on solution development with innovation portfolio.
Look for future chapters in this series for more on solution development with innovation portfolio.

Revision as of 18:22, 11 September 2014

Introduction to Peel the Onion

The article, Solution Development started with the questions: “Have you ever had such a clever idea that you couldn't imagine it would not be a success? Then, for whatever the reason, it just didn't develop as you thought it would - maybe not at all?” The article went on to posit the notion that the interplay between the concept and the context in which it develops is a major determinant in whether an idea evolves to becomes a valuable solution in the eyes of those who take delivery.

The transition from concept to commercialization occurs in stages with each one posing its own set of challenges. In many respects the innovator is on a quest in a well-crafted video game wherein the difficulty increases level by level. Just as some players don’t complete the quest despite repeated tries, some ideas just don’t see the light of day as solutions. One way to bypass the frustration associated with figuring out a particularly tough level in a game is to use a cheat sheet. The same holds true in the overcoming the hurdles in the path of solution development. The article, then, is an innovator’s cheat sheet.

The key to advance an idea is to ask and respond to questions. This process can be problematic. First, what question or set of questions should one ask given the current stage of development in which the idea finds itself? And second, what if one doesn’t hear or heed the response? Oftentimes innovators become so taken with their ideas at the outset that they start basking in the glory of anticipated success before there is cause to do so. Who needs to ask questions? They already know their ideas will work. Far worse, though, is to ask how one’s baby looks only to hear back from others that they find it quite ugly. In this situation, innovators may lie to themselves and say that others didn’t REALLY dislike it that much or they just won’t ask any more. So, if you’re an innovator who is willing to ask tough questions, receive less than complimentary feedback, and respond with resolve to keep moving forward, read on.

Figure 1 below offers a framework introduced in the Solutions Development article. Now, though, the block on the right shows a progression of preliminary statements of work that lead from one question and response dyad to another, stage by stage, through product and service development and on to commercialization.

Figure 1


In many respects this step by step approach is summarized by the longstanding riddle, “How does one eat an elephant?” The answer, of course, is “One bite at a time!” Or one could consider discovering the path for an idea to become a solution as an onion which gets peeled one layer at a time in order to better absorb what one has learned thus far before going deeper, asking the next question, and taking the next step.

Peel the Onion-Stage 1

Each stage in the journey of an idea / concept through the "Innovation Portfolio" to the "Commercialization Portfolio" begins with a publicly presented pre-Statement of Work (pre-SoW) that poses key questions for consideration, notes why they are important, and outlines who will take what steps by when in order to address them. As the pre-SoW attracts collaborators, sponsors, and investors, they negotiate a formal statement of work that specifies the terms and conditions by which team members listed in the pre-SoW will exercise their roles and responsibilities to provide expected deliverables on schedule and within cost in exchange for compensation.

Returning to the analogy of a video game, Figure 2 below represents the onset of a quest whereupon the lead player has a role as innovator with a singular mission: convert an idea / concept into a viable solution for delivery to a market. The lay of the land represented by the yellow block may provide a generalized overview, but the initial conditions, cast of characters, and changing circumstances make the journey challenging despite previous experience and familiarity with the process.

Figure 2


As in the quest, the innovator needs a "map" upon which to note current position, evaluate progress, clarify roles and relationships with others one meets along the way, and identify resources required to continue. Accordingly, the first pre-SoW an innovator should consider would be for a map of the context in which the idea / concept will develop into a marketable solution. Such a map would relate to the geographic area where this development will occur and in so doing identify landmarks in terms of capital be they land, facilities, equipment, and infrastructure; potential customers, value / supply chain partners, collaborators, competitors, and advocates; and the systems, processes, and tools that enables them to function effectively as a cohesive whole.

Several preliminary statements of work associated with the iAGRI Innovation Portfolio focus different aspects of mapping. For instance, the following introductory section from a recently submitted pre-SoW states the purpose of mapping - in particular, digital mapping - and why it’s important overall especially, in the context of Sokoine University of Agriculture:

Pre-SoW - Mapping of Sokoine University of Agriculture Campus

A map is an essential tool in navigation and guiding land or physical infrastructure development. Printed paper maps have been a mainstay in physical infrastructure development and land-use planning for Sokoine University of Agriculture (SUA) since its inception. However, these maps are prone to damage due to the poor storage conditions and their access is generally restricted; often leading to their eventual loss. There is need to rescue such invaluable map data and enhance their access, distribution and utility for posterity. Advancements in Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and increased data connectivity have hastened the process of digital map production, storage and sharing. Establishment of digital maps of SUA campuses in a web-enabled GIS framework will facilitate data access for near real-time physical planning and servicing of utilities and navigation on the university campuses to all stakeholders.

While the digital mapping example at SUA applies geography, mapping can also document activities along a value / supply chain or within operations and decision-making processes. The example below captures the approach as proposed in a first phase pre-SoW for data visualization:

Pre-SoW - Data Visualization for Harvest, Dryer, Storage Coordination - Phase 1

For most companies providing products and services to agricultural markets, it is important to understand what commercial application there may be for data visualization and decision modeling. Several such companies are tightly integrated in harvest logistics with both harvesting products as well as grain storage and drying products. This integration is a differentiator that may allow them to leapfrog competition and offer first to market data optimization products for harvest logistics--a distinct a competitive advantage.

We propose a multi-phase approach to better understand commercial opportunities for data visualization. Phase 1 will concentrate on process mapping several large farm growers and warehouse co-operatives to understand decision points and decision actions in the harvest logistics process. Phase 1 will also identify high-level concepts for decisions to model with data visualization. Subsequent phases will validate and refine Phase 1 concepts. The overall goal of this project is to identify and present concepts that best meet the strategic goals of select companies serving agricultural markets. Specific goals to be targeted through the ideation of Phase 1 include the following:

  1. Optimization - farm equipment continues to operate in the field with minimal downtime while tuned for best performance.
  2. Logistics - real-time information about performance, location, and current status for farm equipment drives the coordinated deployment of each machine and maximized operation of the overall system
  3. Connectivity - producers stay connected to trusted value chain partners each step of the crop cycle and draw upon common data with robust, integrated applications to improve production throughout the growing and harvesting phases.

These two examples illustrate how mapping can identify the type, location, application, and flows associated with various forms of capital. Clearly, the pre-SoW about mapping SUA’s campus relates to natural, built, and financial capital whereas the pre-SoW about data visualization goes further to tap into human and social capital, as well. This full dimensionality about capital is an important consideration when determining the potential for value creation and value exchange within an innovative and adaptive ecosystem. But before continuing, a note about capital...

Oftentimes, when one uses the term, "capital", it refers to money. While money is certainly a form of capital, there are other types that are equally important, if not more so depending on circumstances. Classification of capital can become quite extensive as in the description, Capital, by Guillaume Lebleu on P2P Foundation. For the purposes of this article, there are five forms of capital - human (individual), social (interactive), manufactured (produced or built), natural, and financial (multiple mediums of exchange).

Capital in all its forms, then, is essential to an adaptive ecosystem. As such, it plays a dual role. First, capital provides the incentive for whomever has it to invest it. Then, capital is the means by which a successful investment gets acknowledged and rewarded. One gives and one gets back more. The bottom line: innovators need to understand and apply the dynamics of capital within the complete landscape of an ecosystem to advance their ideas / concepts.

Because of the critical relationship between the idea and the ecosystem in which it will become a solution, training about how to do process mapping would be quite useful. To that point, the following example pulls from the background / purpose of work in a recently submitted pre-SoW which speaks to the potential value such training may provide:

Pre-SoW - The Art of Process Mapping - Education and Training

Process Mapping is a proficiency that is proving to be of increased value. As innovative system solutions are being required to solve challenges facing a growing population, the ability to define an operation by all of the tasks that compose that operation, then identify creative opportunities for process bottlenecks and pain points is a highly sought talent. There are certain techniques and methods that constitute successful process mapping assignments. Knowing how to facilitate and participate in a well-managed process mapping session will enhance the chances for success when mapping a process. This will increase the opportunity to ideate truly breakthrough innovations.

Time to start your quest. Make a map. It will illustrate the evolutionary source-sink dynamics within natural and constructed ecosystems that hold sufficient wealth of resources, flows, and interconnections for you, the innovator, to bring your idea / concept to fruition as a valuable solution.

Peel the Onion-Stage 2

At the point when one stops talking about an idea / concept and takes steps to test it in a practical manner marks its entry into the second stage of development as a solution. Armed with maps and stakeholders, the innovator takes to the field to prove that the idea / concept works. The reduced landscape represented by the yellow block in Figure 3 below illustrates how the openness of ideation becomes more focused on curation - a form of fact-gathering that will lead to storytelling in the stage that follows.

Figure 3


A couple of years ago, researchers at The Ohio State University began to study the viability of seed tape as an effective alternative planting method. On the surface, the idea of seed tape seemed to be a no-brainer as it could give the farmer several major benefits, such as:

  • Precision planting (seed spacing and orientation) without investment in high cost conventional planting equipment
  • Appropriate dosages and mixtures of fertilizers and treatments included with the substrate (tape material) to reduce the risk of uneven applications, and contamination of the farmer and the environment
  • Assurance of seed variety, quality, and quantity

Two questions surfaced immediately: Will seed germinate and emerge when planted in tape? Do the costs for substrate (tape) materials that meet requirements for planting and germination prohibit seed tape from being a viable solution?

A pre-SoW entitled Seed Tape Production Solution posted by Dr. Scott A. Shearer of The Ohio State University to the iAGRI Innovation Portfolio, summarized the results of the initial studies:

During previous research phases (Shearer et al, 2013), we conducted several trials in the greenhouse and field to evaluate seed tape (made with tissue paper) embedded with corn seeds. The results indicated that:

  1. Water-soluble and biodegradable (toilet tissue) tapes have potential as seed tape material for corn;
  2. Seed embedded in tape generated statistically similar plant emergence and early growth profile as controls (loose seed – no tape);
  3. Low cost material (toilet paper) has economic potential as seed tape material

The merit of this report led to the following recommendations for further study as outlined by Dr. Shearer in the pre-SoW:

Based on the results from Phase-II of the project, the overarching goal of Phase-III is to evaluate different seed tapes (paper based) and also use seed tape as a delivery system for seed treatment, fertilizers, and pesticides. As a result there will be less handling of pesticides and fertilizers and also their excessive application. This might result in reduced health risks and environmental hazards.

Seed tape has significant potential in several sub-Saharan countries. Dr. Gration Rwegasira, researcher at Sokoine University of Agriculture in Morogoro, Tanzania posted a pre-SoW, Opportunity Assessment for Seed Tape Production System (STPS) in East Africa to the Innovation Portfolio that seeks to test a complete system that includes the planter and tape as described in the Background / Purpose of Work for the pre-SoW:

It is known that for most farmers on the African continent, current methods of hand-planting and limited mechanization greatly limit their production capability. The scalability of equipment to smaller fields and the associated up-front economic costs are key factors that make mechanization extremely difficult for producers to adopt. However, through the introduction of seed tape technology with components of proper planting techniques built-in to a simple seed and fertilizer tape system, we can impart the benefits of mechanization and enhance critical yield factors of germination, emergence, and crop stand as compared to current smallholder practices.

Contemporary mechanized planters used to plant bulk seeds require high level of expertise to set the seed and fertilizer meters, as well as a great deal of experience in servicing a complex machine. This also comes at high expense. Our project will evaluate the efficacy of seed tape production systems (STPS) for producers in these emerging areas as an alternative to bulk seed. The STPS provides the benefits of a finely set seed planter and meter, but without the in-field expense and knowledge required to use such technology. The precise placement of the seed in tape supports greater yield potential in maize and helps ensure a more consistent planting depth. The seed tape planter is a simpler machine that does not have the operational complexity and associated expense of a traditional bulk planter. Seed tape is a proven technology and is commercially available today for many vegetable crops and for maize planted in plot trials. It is the intent of these this project to understand the impacts to the production process and agronomic benefits associated with the technology as well as compare the results to a baseline production in East Africa.

He is not alone as the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation awarded Brazilian agronomist, Dr. Mateus Marrafon, a Grand Challenges grant to develop his seed tape system and test it among smallholder farmers in select African countries. Reuters News produced a short video story wherein Dr. Marrafon explains how his system works.

Two soon-to-be-posted pre-SoWs highlight other opportunities where seed tape may help smallholder farmers in East Africa / Tanzania confront particularly challenging issues. One addresses striga, or “witchweed”, a parasitic plant that can severely compromise crop production for subsistence farmers. The introduction to the pre-SoW, “Novel Strategies to Control Striga with Seed Tape in Tanzania,” explains further:

Striga is one of the most difficult weeds to control. It causes considerable yield loss in cereal crops (maize, sorghum, and millets) in Africa. Oftentimes, farmers abandon their crop fields due to heavy infestations of striga. Successful control of striga will increase grain yields and provide higher income to farmers. These outcomes benefit every step of the farm-to-fork value chain and, ultimately, reduce poverty and hunger. Furthermore, increased income gives farmers the opportunity to allocate more resources for inputs like seeds, fertilizers, equipment, and chemicals, which favorably impacts the Tanzanian economy through increased domestic investment and improved agricultural productivity with less dependence on expensive imports.

The second, “Strategies to Improve Water Productivity Using Seed Tape in Tanzania,” examines how a water polymer embedded in the substrate could assure germination under low soil moisture conditions during planting. Again, the following introduction to the pre-SoW offers further detail:

Smallholder farmers in many sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) countries face economic hardships due to water scarcity. According to a study by International Water Management Institute (2000), this scarcity will worsen by year 2025 if plausible measures are not taken to arrest the situation. International agencies report that over 95 percent of these smallholder farmers practice dryland agriculture while only a small proportion utilize irrigation. Water-related factors such as unreliable rainfall, frequent periods of drought, inadequate supply to support irrigation, and conflicts over water rights curtail agricultural productivity. This threatens food availability in these countries and tends to increase food insecurity and subsequent dependence on food imports. Water conservation and effective use of water will affect every step of the farm-to-fork value chain. Higher grain yields reduce poverty and hunger. In the proposed study, we will test a super-absorbent polymer embedded in seed tape for efficient utilization of water that might help establish good crop stands in dryland farming conditions.

As these examples attest, field testing in the second stage provides three critical elements for an idea / concept to advance: 1) engagement of stakeholders, e.g., smallholders, researchers, investors, sponsors, value chain partners, etc. who are necessary for access to resources, process efficiency, and advocacy so they can see the idea materialize as a tangible, workable prototype; 2) curation of information about the idea which includes a definition of terms, explanation of rationale for why it’s important, and identification of potential collaborators or competitors who are developing similar or related concepts; and 3) outline for a subsequent narrative about the idea as a complete solution which has successfully responded to the challenges of infrastructure and distribution amid a constantly changing context.

What ideas do you have that are ready for field testing and early prototyping? Let's see them!

  • Review your maps
  • Choose your test location(s) carefully
  • Bring-in your stakeholders so they are part of the solution from the outset
  • Document the process with photos and videos
  • Write-up a preliminary statement of work about what you’re doing and want to do next
  • Submit it to the Innovation Portfolio
  • Post it on social media

Let your story of impending success begin!

Peel the Onion-Stage 3

The prototype of an idea / concept that demonstrates it can work in the field raises additional questions that become topics for the next set of pre-statements of work (pre-SoWs). In this stage of solution development, the innovator focuses on how to produce multiple items or deliver ongoing services of consistent functionality, specification, and performance. The yellow block in Figure 4 below shifts attention from making one that works to developing a production prototype that repeats intended results. Information gained will contribute to an expanded narrative about how the organization providing the product or service can do so successfully.

Figure 4


At its most applicable, a manufacturing prototype effectively utilizes processes and tools that draw upon readily available, low cost inputs, efficiently converts them into products and services of value in the market, and easily scales its outputs to cover operating expenses and provide leeway for stakeholder compensation or investment in future opportunities. In effect, a manufacturing prototype offers a template by which innovators can anticipate stakeholder relationships to products or services within localized business ecosystems and infrastructures and design appropriate start-up organizations in response. One of the preliminary statements of work, Commercialization of Quality Fermented Non-Alcoholic Cereal Product, posted on the iAGRI Innovation Portfolio offers a potentially useful example about how a manufacturing prototype can identify key questions for further consideration in subsequent “peel the onion” pre-SoWs. In it, Frida Nyamate, an innovator / researcher at Sokoine University of Agriculture describes a potential market for commercially produced “togwa” in Tanzania and explains the challenges in processing togwa that must be overcome for a successful venture.

Fermented porridge, commonly known as “togwa”, is a type of liquid food made out of maize, sorghum, millet, cassava, or a blend of two or more of these cereal flours. This beverage is also used extensively as a weaning food for young children. It has a long history in Tanzania tribal custom as a symbolic drink consumed during ceremonies such as weddings, funerals, dances and other occasions. Togwa is now widely consumed across age groups and regions in Tanzania. The widespread consumption implies that a significant potential exists for commercialization of existing fermented products. However, commercialization requires systematic process design and optimization and the development of standardized cultures for consistent and predictable industrial application. This is a major step towards piloting and up-scaling the production of fermented products such as togwa into viable enterprises. The fermentation and malting technologies as well as maize are indigenous to the Tanzania regions and thus rooted in the tastes and preferences of the communities in the regions.

In the background / purpose of work for the same pre-SoW, Ms. Nyamate states further:

Based on 2010 estimates, nearly 50% of the annual Tanzanian cereal grain (maize, sorghum, and millet) harvest of 20 million metric tonnes is lost due to unsafe and inadequate postharvest grain storage and handling.

Nearly 25% of this annual loss is due to the onset of mycotoxins such as aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) and fumonisin B1 (FB1) in maize and maize-based products. These fungi are extremely toxic to humans and when ingested may cause stunted growth, neural tube defects, suppression of immunity, and in severe cases, liver failure and death.

An indigenous method to reduce mycotoxins (aflatoxins and fumonisins) with great efficiency is to prepare a lactic acid fermented porridge or gruel commonly known as “togwa,” from maize, sorghum, millet, cassava, or a blend of two or more of these grains as flours. This non-alcoholic, liquid food product not only acts as a preservative for its ingredients, but research has also shown that it significantly increases the nutritional value of the grain flour inputs.

In summary, the malting and fermentation processes for making togwa yield beverage and weaning food products that can do the following: contribute significant nutritional value beyond that of the cereal grains used in it as well as a beneficial probiotic effect that aids digestion; improve food safety by reduced levels of mycotoxins and enteric pathogens; and increase shelf life especially when combined with standardized packaging. From a production standpoint, they create a “platform” from which to improve traditional products and develop new ones and derivatives; incorporate optimization, process control, quality assurance, and safety management systems for consistency in food quality, taste, recipe, and nutritional value across a wide range of production volumes; establish input specifications for raw materials and starter materials; and respond to developments in technologies, techniques, and tastes.

In surveying the summary of benefits, a key question becomes where does the production prototype extract its greatest opportunity for sustainability given the ecosystem in which it operates? For instance does it commercialize a selection of products with proprietary recipes, processes, and starter cultures for distribution to large-scale, relatively homogeneous markets? Does it commercialize proprietary processes and starter cultures with which local manufacturers can apply their personalized recipes to produce customized end products? Or does it commercialize the starter cultures and leave the malting and fermentation processes and end product recipes to individual markets?

For further reading, consider how one organization, Nutriset, addressed these questions about patent protection for formulation and processing, as well as distribution of food products and supplements, like Plumpy’nut, in developing countries:

Nutriset and the IRD jointly filed the patent related to an innovative technological process about high energy foods or nutritional supplements, their stability, preparation method and uses, such as Plumpy’nut® in France in November. It was extended to other countries the following year and is now in force in some 35 countries.

It may not be a desirable course of action for others, but it does illustrate how to apply such questions in the interest of manufacturing prototypes and production strategies.

Another example from the iAGRI Innovation Portfolio illustrates how unpacking the questions about manufacturing prototype often reveals numerous pre-SoWs that warrant further consideration. Neema Ruben Shosho, a scholar in food science and human nutrition at Sokoine University of Agriculture, developed a highly nutritious flour with extremely low levels of mycotoxins and related health food formula for children. In addition, Ms. Shosho has refined a lab analysis procedure that quickly and accurately determines the nutritional value for many types of flour. This capability can be marketed to companies that mill and sell flour without adequate nutritional analysis and proper labeling.

Essentially, there are at least five sets of “manufacturing prototype” activities - each with their own set of pre-SoWs - for consideration by those existing enterprises or entrepreneurial start-ups / scale-ups that would consider production and distribution of Ms. Shosho’s products and services:

  1. Test and commercialize the health food formula
  2. Scale-up production capacity which includes a) prepare facilities; b) procure, install, and maintain equipment; c) train operators; and d) introduce product and process quality and safety standards and practices
  3. Conduct market research, analysis, and planning
  4. Develop a distribution strategy that includes inventory and sales
  5. Adapt the product line into IT and financial accounting systems to track cost, revenue, and profit.

Similar to the togwa example above, these five sets of activity ask a core question demanding thorough investigation: how does Ms. Shosho, as the innovator, commercialize what she knows so she provides value, receives fair compensation, exercises the right to learn more, and sustains her operation well into the future? Does she become an independent contractor or collaborate with others to start-up a new business? Does she provide her knowledge and know-how for a salary and benefits package as an employee? Does she sell the license or rights to her intellectual property? Does she make her knowledge open source and become a sponsored researcher with a public or voluntary sector institution or social enterprise whereby she has the means and opportunity to create even more knowledge? Others?

As an innovator in your own right, how would you move your idea / concept through the third stage as a “manufacturing prototype” on its way to become a solution delivered to the market?

It's a narrative well worth telling!

Peel the Onion-Stage 4

The previous stage of solution development addressed the question about how to assemble the field-proven prototype of an idea / concept in marketable quantities and meet specifications for performance, quality, cost, and availability. To complete the cycle, the next question focuses on how to deconstruct the product / service into constituent parts and repair or replace them if they no longer work, reuse them elsewhere if possible, or recombine and repurpose them so they perform a totally different function.

The yellow block in Figure 5 below highlights the area of significant interplay among the components of multiple solutions in their original and modified forms.

Figure 5


The first imperative is to keep the original solution operational through maintenance, upgrade, service and repair for as long as possible to extract the maximum return from the investment made in it at the outset. Beyond that, though, the dynamics created by the crossed paths of products and services in close proximity to one another both expand the range of possibilities to sustain and improve the functionality of the original solution AND spawn new solutions to other situations well-beyond their original purposes. This brings us back to the challenge: How can the distribution of products and services or their constituent materials and components be designed so that they are more readily mixed and matched to keep solutions going and invent better ones?

Approaches related to the concept described by Prof. A.K.P.R. Tarimo of Sokoine University of Agriculture and his team of researchers in the preliminary Statement of Work (pre-SoW), Innovative Drip Emission Devices for Resource Poor Farmers under a Changing Climate, posted to the iAGRI Innovation Portfolio, provide examples about how this question can be addressed.

To begin, let’s consider the context. The background / purpose of work for the pre-SoW provides an insightful overview about the importance of micro-irrigation solutions for smallholder farmers in Tanzania as an introduction to the system they are developing:

Climate change is real according to the latest Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) report and its effects are already being felt around the globe. In Tanzania for instance, many parts of the country are showing trends of a deteriorating growing season manifested in reduced levels of water availability. Water scarcity and its links to food security are of major global concern especially in less developed countries where the most vulnerable are the poorest communities surviving off marginal lands prone to natural disasters like drought or flood.

Reliability of rainfall, particularly at critical phases of crop development, can explain much of the variation in agricultural potential of tropical regions especially the semi-arid tropics. Over half of Tanzania’s land area can be described as semi-arid characterized by harsh conditions with limited and erratic rains. Irrigation has therefore been considered as a panacea for reliable crop production. However with dwindling water resources, wholesale irrigation may not achieve the desired objective.

It has been noted that water productivity needs to be doubled in order to meet the water requirements of future generations. This will require making irrigation more effective and promoting technologies that enable farmers to get more crops per drop. Micro-irrigation technologies are increasingly seen as a means of addressing the growing competition for scarce water resources. Specifically, low-cost drip irrigation systems can fill an important technology gap for the rural poor by providing a low-cost entry into irrigated agriculture. Low-cost drip irrigation systems retain the benefits of conventional drip systems while removing the factors that prevent their uptake by poor farmers.

In Tanzania, there are many constraints on the spread and adoption of low-cost drip irrigation including lack of awareness, availability of affordable kits and promotion of costly state-of-the art micro-irrigation systems by local and foreign firms. The National Irrigation Policy (URT, 2010) specifies the need for promotion of appropriate irrigation technologies including those that mitigate the negative impacts of global warming and climate change.

Considering the situation pertaining in most rural areas of the developing world, this study postulates that it is not sufficient to merely scale-down state-of-the art irrigation technologies that are appropriate for larger commercial farms; rather systems must be re-engineered to match smallholders’ unique characteristics. Specifically, the drip emission device has to be robust, affordable, simple, replicable, easy to operate and maintain, flexible in terms of placement and should use locally available materials.

Key takeaways in Prof. Tarimo’s statement include the following:

  1. Climate change and associated water shortages are here to stay in Tanzania
  2. Micro-irrigation systems offer effective ways for smallholder farmers to manage water usage during periods of scarcity
  3. Numerous micro-irrigation systems with varying degrees of availability, affordability, useability, serviceability, and repurposefulness are already in the market
  4. Low-cost drip irrigation systems, in particular, show significant applicability in most smallholder markets

Perhaps most telling are his observations that winning solutions in this market “must be re-engineered to match smallholders’ unique characteristics” and feature components that are “robust, affordable, simple, replicable, easy to operate and maintain, flexible in terms of placement and should use locally available materials.” This is certainly in keeping with the 4th stage of solution development - the degree to which system-specific or generic parts and components from various manufacturers can be mixed and matched to keep systems up and running is of notable importance.

These insights redirect the process and market landscape mapping at the outset to more clearly identify players in local and regional markets and the types of systems they offer as well as the degree of interchangeability provided by key components and materials that assure ongoing system operation with the least downtime and cost overrun. As an example, the approach outlined in a budding pre-SoW entitled “Opportunity Assessment for Irrigation Methods in East Africa” inquires about infrastructure conditions and the design of distribution systems in order to inform potential manufacturing / assembly strategies that contribute to aftermarket support growers. It includes steps like:

  1. Research and review various crop production irrigation methods, value chain efficiencies and returns on investment
  2. Conduct process mapping studies to determine best use of practical irrigation methods in the production of select crops given infrastructure, technology, political, social, and cultural patterns, and economic factors
  3. Review with major value chain stakeholders to identify key factors that drive adoption of high potential irrigation methods
  4. Develop multiple scenarios whereby value chain stakeholders can influence key factors that drive adoption of high potential irrigation methods and take advantage of target market opportunities
  5. Co-develop market entrance strategies for high potential irrigation methods and take collective responsibility to implement them

During the first eight days of August each year, with August 8th a public holiday, Tanzania hosts a series of fairs called Nane Nane (“eight-eight” in Kiswahili) in seven regional locations that collectively honor the contributions made by farmers to the country’s agricultural sector. For more information, read To the Fair! Nane Nane 2014 (Farmer’s Day) – Arusha, Tanzania by Eskedar Gessesse, Social Media Intern at Embark Energy. Morogoro is one of the seven Nane Nane sites.

This year, Prof. Tarimo and his team demonstrated a field prototype that featured their latest design for water delivery. The picture below shows the emitter - a wood screw stuck in one end of a small diameter flexible plastic tubing adjacent to a plant with the other end inserted into a larger diameter PVC delivery tubing that runs the length of the plot.

Wood Screw and Plastic Tubing Emitter


Then, the picture below shows a water tank installed on top of a metal-framed tower (the white, wooden-pole tower in the background is a less-cost alternative where materials are readily available) that provides the elevation necessary to gravity feed water through the system.

Water Tank and Support Frames


Without the cost of a filtration system and specially-designed emitters, the cost of the system drops significantly compared to other approaches. This is particularly noteworthy when considering the implications for commercialization of a drip irrigation system. Also, need another emitter? Just go to any hardware store and purchase plastic tubing and wood screws. It doesn’t get any simpler (with the exception of plastic drinking straws as described in the Australian Journal of Basic & Applied Sciences article, Potentials of Plastic Drinking Straw as Emitters in Micro Irrigation Drip System Component).

While the examples given concern micro / drip irrigation systems, the sustainability principles of deconstruction and recombination / reconstruction apply to any solution as it nears the point of commercialization on its developmental path. How easily can your prospective customers mix and match components and materials across systems to keep the current solution operational? To develop alternative solutions? To create new solutions that address entirely different challenges?

Your answers could make the difference between success and failure!

Peel the Onion-Final Stage

The final stage - the reason why behind it all - is the delivery of a fully developed solution to the market having made safe passage through the previous four stages. In many respects, it represents a “transfer zone” where the knowledge and know-how accumulated as the solution developed along the path to commercialization is handed over to the organization that will take responsibility for delivering this information to customers and clientele.

The red block in Figure 6 below depicts this “transfer zone” within the full landscape of the concept-to-solution framework. This zone is the point where a developed solution exits the Innovation Portfolio and enters the “Commercialization Portfolio” of the organization taking responsibility for its delivery to receptive and ready markets.

Figure 6


For an organization to take responsibility for the solution and do it justice during its delivery requires the organization to adapt internally to the new technology, product, service, process, etc. In addition, the customers, clientele, user groups, etc. who will buy, subscribe, utilize the solution in whatever manner will be asked to adapt as well.

Such adaptation, whether the provider or the customer, equates to change be it in roles, rules, and resources. For that reason, this final stage is the culmination of a change process that had its genesis in the concept design during the first phase and increased in intensity, focus, and momentum with each subsequent stage.

To have reached this point, the solution developed, stage by stage, from a series of questions posed in pre-Statements of Work (pre-SoWs) for proposed applied / market research or business case due diligence and the responses to them garnered through contracted Statements of Work (SOWs). This progressive sponsorship by the start-up or scale-up which will ultimately take responsibility for solution delivery represents an investment with an anticipated return in the future. For this reason, whether the innovator or the investor, follow the process with rigor, thoroughness, and attention to detail in order to be prepared to negotiate the mutually beneficial terms for the transfer.

How to broker such a connection between the innovator and investor / sponsor / partner? One way is through an appeal to organizations with complementary missions and markets under the aegis of the same parent organization. Here’s an example.

The following excerpt from an article about Kadeghe Fue, a researcher at Sokoine University of Agriculture who received a scholarship from the Innovative Agricultural Research Initiative (iAGRI) a USAID Feed the Future project, describes the importance of his research in horticultural production systems:

Kadeghe appeared at ease demonstrating the system’s wireless capabilities, as he should following a year of studying similar automated systems at the University of Florida as an iAGRI-sponsored master’s student. In the States, Kadeghe would not appear out of place programming an automated drip irrigation system because such devices are widespread and have been relied upon for years to improve agricultural production efficiency. In Tanzania however, drip irrigation of any sort is rare, and Kadeghe’s research is pioneering a future for domestic horticulture production that could address two of the country’s most pressing agricultural challenges, access to water and electricity.

“Water is scarce,” says Kadeghe. “So we are trying to reduce the amount of water that we use through automation systems. Because this system is solar powered, it will not have an electricity cost, which is another problem here in Tanzania. In particular, there’s a need to control water in horticultural crops. Most, like watermelon, are very sensitive to water needs, so farmers have a problem knowing how much to irrigate. But, if you go with an automated system, then it does it for you. You just monitor it and everything is done by the machine.”

Consider further how USAID Feed the Future offers a commercialization initiative, Partnering for Innovation, that serves developing countries worldwide. Below are some projects in the Partnering for Innovation “commercialization portfolio” that involve agricultural systems offered by international companies that are closely related in technology, design, and functionality to Mr. Fue’s areas of research:

With funding from Feed the Future Partnering for Innovation, iDE is working with Toro Irrigation to introduce a Toro drip irrigation kit in the Zambian smallholder farmer market.

Driptech, inc is an international water technologies company based in Silicon Valley with offices and manufacturing facilities in Pune, India. Through its proprietary, widely-deployable manufacturing systems, Driptech produces affordable, high-quality irrigation systems designed for smallholder farmers.

Feed the Future Partnering for Innovation is partnering with Netafim, an Israeli-based drip irrigation company. Netafim will use the grant to expand its Family Drip System (FDS™), a gravity-based drip irrigation system based on the company's low volume drip-irrigation technology, to smallholders in Kenya.

The Kenya based startup SunCulture has commercialized the first holistic solar powered drip irrigation system in Kenya. The company began sales of the AgroSolar Drip Irrigation Kit in May 2013, and have thus far installed 23 systems throughout Kenya ranging from 1/4 acre to 4 acres.

While these and others represent mutually beneficial opportunities to “bridge” projects in the iAGRI Innovation Portfolio with those in the Partnering for Innovation “commercialization portfolio”, they are not the only ones by far. Organizations throughout the public, private, and voluntary sectors are likely candidates to link with the Innovation Portfolio and invest in its projects. But like many such endeavors it requires the innovator and the investor to do the following:

  1. Spot opportunities when mapping stakeholder identities, locations, interconnections, and activities
  2. Position pre-SoWs so they accurately posit questions worthy of consideration by sponsors / investors within a particular context
  3. Provide clarity in funded SOWs as to who will do what by when, how to apply the results, and the compensation for having delivered.

As an innovator - even with an idea / concept in its early stages of development - stick to Stephen Covey’s second habit in The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People:

Begin with the end in mind.

Look for future chapters in this series for more on solution development with innovation portfolio.