In this paper we critique the notion that introducing intermediaries organisations with public private governance into agribusiness clusters in developing countries will necessarily make these clusters innovative and inclusive so that growth benefits all. Intra-cluster governance plays an important role in determining the influence that different organisations will have. Paper available at http://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/0308518X17741316

A new chapter was written in the SPRU Colciencias partnership with the signing of an agreement to support the development of transformative regional innovation policy in Colombia.  The project involves mentoring 8 different engagement initiatives in different parts of Colombia. SPRU works with Colombian academic teams who in turn engage with regional policy makers  to support new ways of developing regional science and technology policies. The project will culminate with the writing of a Policy Guide for transformative innovation that will be launched in June 2108 in Bogota .The topics of the groups are the following:

•  Gastronomia “slow food” o comida lenta en la región del Atlántico.
• Evaluación de impacto social del proyecto “Implementación de una estrategia de apropiación social del conocimiento de la CTeI que promueva el pensamiento crítico y creativo en los niños, niñas y jóvenes de las instituciones educativas del Tolima”
• Un análisis de la iniciativa fablabs de “Vive Labs” en Bogotá
• Política Pública Regional de Innovación Inclusiva para las Instituciones de Educación Superior (IES) – Departamento de Antioquia
• Evaluación basada en principios del Marco 3 de iniciativas seleccionadas de política de CTI del Municipio de Medellín
•  Mentoría para la Construcción de una política transformativa de C+CTI para el Valle del Cauca
• Hacia la construcción de una agenda de política de innovación transformativa para la agrocadena del café en el marco del acuerdo de paz para el departamento del Cauca
• Innovación Frugal en la Base de la Pirámide rural en el Catatumbo: Modelo de negocio agroindustrial de Stevia rebaudiana (Bertoni)

Between April 18 and 22nd 2016, five members of SPRU  faculty travelled to Bogota to work with staff from Colciencias to support their newly formed group on Science, Technology and Innovation policy. The main topics discussed were 3rd frame innovation policy and transitions, grassroots innovation, inclusive innovation and evaluation. I spent a day presenting and discussing inclusive innovation and there was lots of involvement and examples from the group participants. I look forward to further collaboration within the framework of the SPRU/Colciencias agrement on training for Science, Technology and Innovation policy.