ABOUT LINK

LINK (Learning, INnovation and Knowledge) was established in 2005 as a joint initiative of the United Nations University specialist training and research centre on science, technology and innovation policy studies (UNU-MERIT) and the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). Its focus is policy aspects of rural and agricultural innovation in developing countries.

LINK is an internationally recognised source of expertise and information on the application of innovation systems ideas in agriculture and rural development.

LINK’s aim is to “link” policy research on innovation with policymakers and practitioners in national and international development organisations and to “link” together innovation researchers and practitioners in different regions.

LINK operates through a variety of partnerships with regional organisations. In South Asia it is hosted by the Centre for Research on Innovation and Science Policy (CRISP), Hyderabad, India. LINK’s East Africa partner is the African Centre for Technology Studies (ACTS), Nairobi, Kenya. In West Africa LINK is hosted by UNU-INRA in Accra, Ghana, and LINK’s Latin America partner is CONDESAN in Lima, Peru.

LINK’s role is to provide technical support to its partners; provide a mechanism for the exchange and promotion of lessons on how innovation can be enabled; and to develop and a platform for outreach and the promotion of innovation perspectives; and to develop and promote a synthesis of global experiences on rural and agricultural innovation based on the work of its partners and others.

LINK is coordinated jointly by Andy Hall from Maastricht, The Netherlands and by Jeroen Dijkman, from Rome, Italy.