ATAI Partnership Development Conference

J-PAL and the Center for Effective Global Action (CEGA) hosted the second matchmaking conference for the Agricultural Technology Adoption Initiative (ATAI) In Berkeley, California May 9th and 10th, 2013. The conference brought together researchers and practitioners active in agriculture, focusing on the improving the livelihoods of smallholder farmers especially in sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia. The aim of this conference was to stimulate discussions on innovations to improve adoption of beneficial technologies by poor farmers, and develop opportunities for collaboration between the researchers and practitioners. In particular, ATAI hoped to foster ideas that would lead to projects aimed at the value chain or using behavioral marketing.

Representatives attended from a variety of organizations: large implementing nonprofits, multilateral development agencies, research centers affiliated with the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR), and private firms. Practitioner organizations discussed active projects throughout sub-Saharan Africa, South Asia, and Southeast Asia. Existing randomized impact evaluations were presented–such as J-PAL studies on weather insurance in Ghana –and breakout sessions were held in which researchers and practitioners who share similar regional and thematic interest discussed and mapped out opportunities for collaboration.

Details available at the conference website.