Group Discussions on Scaling and Scale

1. Group discussions:Scaling and Scale
What are the underlying issues in this cluster and your experience?
1. Livelihood systems:Our focusis to improve livelihoodsystems (thatdependtosome extent
but oftennotentirelyonagricultural practices) notagricultural systemsperse
2. Different livelihood options: Contrarytoassumptionsinherentinthe sustainablelivelihoods
approach,in drylandcontexts, livelihoodsmaynot always manifestsystem propertiesat
householdlevel butdifferentlivelihoodsmaybe interlocked,sothatchange inone affects
others,andthe systemboundaryisaroundthe interlockingsetof livelihoods.
3. Interactions between livelihood systems: Resourcesuseddifferentlybypeoplewith one
type oflivelihoodmay impact on those with another type oflivelihood andso understanding
powerandthe dynamicsof autonomy(asystempropertydescribingcontrol of the flow of
informationandmaterial,into,outof,andwithinasystem) are essential.
4. Equity:MeetingCGIARgoals(SLOs) requiresimprovementofequity (asystemproperty
describingdistributionof inputs,outputsandcontrol of flows) makingthisanessential system
propertyforus to consider.
5. Non-linear approach:We are not startingat the beginningandworkingsequentiallyfrom
start to finishwiththe drylandsystemsprogramme,but interveninginmultiple ways,and at
multiple points, ina dynamicinnovationsystemwithmanyfeedbackloops(non-linear,complex
systems).
6. Scale of impact: Unlike commodityprogrammes,our systemsresearchoperateslargelyat the
scale ofimpact, by embeddingresearchwithindevelopmentpractice,whichisthe onlywayto
bringsufficientresourcestobeartoexplore systemsresearchatscale.Thiscan onlybe done
throughpartnershipwithdevelopmentorganisations.
What do we really want to achieve in scaling up/out and in integrating Scales
7. Scaling up of processes and not technologies?Workingatthe scale of impact, requiresre-
introductionof formal systemsmethodstocomplementparticipatoryactionresearch.
Historicallyparticipationhasreplacedsystemsmethods,implicitlyonthe groundsthatthe
‘farmer’providesthe systemsintegration.Thiscreatesascalingproblem–the assumptionis
that followingintensive participatoryresearchwith particular farmers or communities,
successful innovationscan be scaledup and out to other farmers and communities.Thisis
oftennotthe case because contextvariesatfine scale sothatotherfarmersand communities
needdifferentinnovationsorthe innovationstobe adaptedtothe local context.Sometimes the
‘innovationprocess’can be replicated,butthis alone isveryexpensiveandif outputsof
participatoryresearchare to be relevanttomillionsof farmers,thenitneedstobe organizedat
thisscale,takingaccountof variationincontext.The outputis understandingwhat options
(innovationsor interventionstoenhance local innovation) work in what contexts (such
understandingisgenerallyapplicable).

2. 8. Systems research is site specific. That is, itfocusesonimprovingsystemsinaparticular
geography.While itgeneratesgenerallyapplicable understandingof whatoptionsare relevant
indifferentcontextsthatcanbe scaledout(see 7),thisis achievedbottomupateach action
site,ratherthantop downthroughcomparative analysisacrossactionsites.Thismeansthat
globallyrelevantresultsshould be emergentpropertiesofthe research complexacross sites
(thathave sufficientcommonalityof methodandreportingtoenable this),ratherthanthe
subjectof a deliberative processtogeneratethem.
How to go about it: Strategies and actions?
9. Scaling domain:We use the term innovationsystemtorefertothe constellationof actors
(institutionsandindividuals),theirknowledge,andtheirinteractions, thatgeneratesandtests
optionstoimprove livelihoodsystems.Thisleadsustodefine akeyscale of operationforthe
drylandsystemsprogramme atthe administrativeunit(usuallyadistrictinAfrica, that we refer
to as the scalingdomain) atwhichagricultural innovationcanoccur and can be fostered.These
scalingdomainscomprise heterogeneity.We use the term, innovationplatformtorefertothe
mechanismforinjectingsystemsmethodsintothe innovationsystem, whichwillrequire
capacityand institutionaldevelopmentamongstactorstocope withapplicationof systems
methodsatscale.Thiscan be pragmaticallyenvisionedasaco-learningcycle.
10. Operational domains: The primaryfocusof ourplace-basedresearchisthe ActionSite.This
may have a numberof operational scalingdomainswithinitatwhichinnovationplatformsare
established.Actionsites(transectsinWAS&DS) deliberatelycomprisearange incontext.Scaling
up involvesspreadingadoptionwithinthe site,scalingoutinvolvesadoptionof outputsfromthe
actionsite to relevantcontextsbeyondthe site itself.
How can we harmonize the way we work at scales across the regions?
1. What scale researchshouldoperate andintegrate
2. Scalingupand out
What scaleresearchshouldoperateandintegrate
 Variabilityinbiophysical andsocio-economicenvironments
 Representativenessof the targetarea or similarityof environmental units
 Type of intervention/process e.g.,large agro-pastoral systemsorfarms or marketchains
 Target an area where farmtypologyremainsconstant orecologystartschanging
 Numberof householdscovered
 Relevance tolocal conditionse.g., districtinIndiaisdifferentfromdistrictinJordan
 Communityscale towatershedlevel forwhichthe DSresearchisrelevant
 District- intermediaryscale
 Flagshipregion
 Political constituencies
Scalingupand out–Actionsite
 Notscalingthe technologybutmethodology

3.  Requiresconsiderationof policies,institutions
 Leveragingondevelopmental expenditureiscrucial toreach the targets
 Time and scale factors
 Minimumcriteriafordissemination
 Direct/indirectapplicabilityof solutions
 Domain-variesfromone innovation tothe other
 Create visible impacts
 Cost efficiency/potential forreachingtargets- essentiallyatactionsite level
Scienceofscaling -Issues
 Probablyneedresearchonscalingstrategy?
o SpatiallyexplicitIntegratedmodelsto predictimpacts
o How to understandanddeal withheterogeneity?
o Linkage betweenscalesforoperationalizingthe scalingup