Innovation platforms in the yam value chain in Ivory Coast and Burkina Faso: display or filter for endogenous innovations?

ABSTRACT : This paper aims to contribute to the development of existing knowledge on the structuralfunctional analysis of innovation systems by examining the interdependence between the systemic parameters ofan innovation platform and its contribution to the emergence or filtering of endogenous innovations. It analyzesthe innovation platforms of Léo (Burkina-Faso) and Tiéningboué (Ivory Coast) built within the framework ofthe YAMSYS project for the development of the yam value chain. Studies on the agricultural innovation system(AIS) illustrate that agricultural innovation results from interactions between actors, institutions and artifacts.The cross-analysis of narrative data from members of each innovation platform allowed us to understand sixmajor functions of the AIS in Léo and Tiéningboué that underlie the process of emergence of endogenousinnovations The circulation of information and the exploitation of knowledge have led to the establishment ofrelationships between actors; the dynamism of actors and their active participation in collective activities havegenerated learning organizations that have led to the formation of markets and mutations in the forms oftransactions that have become win-win in Léo. On the other hand, at the Tiéningboué site, the weakcollaboration of actors and the socio-historical and cultural context explain the weak incentive for theappearance of learning organizations and innovation.

KEYWORDS: endogenous innovations, Innovation platform, Léo, Tiéningboué, yam