Borlaug Higher Education for Agricultural Research and Development

Challenge: Changing the incentive structure for scientists.

BHEARD Project Summary 2020-2021

Agriculture remains one of the most important sectors of the Cambodian economy and employs a significant portion of the workforce. Cambodia is experiencing dynamic changes to their environment such as climate change and an economic shift towards more technologically-driven professions. As a result, the agriculture sector has become more dependent on innovation to remain competitive and provide sufficient nutrition to meet the needs of its people. Currently, the number of classes taught and papers published are the way scientists are rewarded with competitive professorships increasing recognition in their academic areas of expertise. As opposed to the current incentive structure for agricultural scientists that does not reward innovation. Until a culture of innovation is incentivized, it will prove challenging for the public sector to produce marketable technologies that directly meet the current challenges faced by Cambodians.

Previous Activities 2019-2020

The Royal University of Agriculture (RUA) is one of the premiere institutions for agricultural study and research and has a great interest in supporting the advancement of agricultural innovation. In 2019, BHEARD and The Center of Excellence on Sustainable Agricultural Intensification and Nutrition (CE SAIN) within RUA engaged the private and public sector via a convening and competitive funding proposal process. The convening introduced the design thinking methodology and encouraged attendees to consider how they might translate scientific research into marketable technologies. A competitive proposal process followed and four proposals were selected to receive funding for a year of research with the goal to produce at least one technology ready for market, jointly developed by a public and private sector actor.

Current Activities 2020-2021

CE SAIN Cambodia’s Director Dr. Lyda Hok and the proposal teams have developed aggressive but feasible research timelines, incorporating the five stages of design thinking, a methodology that offers a solutions-based approach to problem solving. Over the next year, Dr. Hok will supervise activities and serve as the key point of contact between BHEARD leadership and the funded researchers. For additional support, BHEARD has hired Impact Hub Phnom Penh, an organization that supports Cambodian startups and individuals with innovative business ideas. Impact Hub Phnom Penh will work with teams and focus on the market viability of their research and outputs. Throughout the research process, Impact Hub will continue to host short trainings, provide feedback, and introduce the teams to relevant individuals and organizations who have an interest in their research proving successful.

In the first quarter of 2021, a final convening is planned, bringing together the funded researchers and private sector actors to showcase the years’ efforts and design a strategy for scalable partnerships. The output from this convening will be shared with agricultural sector stakeholders and serve as an initial step forward in cementing the necessary steps for more rapid and abundant market-centric research projects.

Projected Impact

• Identify at least one innovation that can be translated to a financially viable product/process in the Cambodian market.
• Establish public and private sector champions to encourage efforts of the convening in continuing to move forward operationally.
• Codify a design thinking process that fits the Cambodian context and integrate it into RUA and CE SAIN’s future innovation practices.
• Conclude activities and develop a report with the support of RUA’s CE SAIN, sharing lessons learned and recommendations for future programs investing in Institutional Capacity Development (ICD).

Cambodia ICD Reports

Cambodia BHEARD AAR (Sept 17-18, 2019)