Motivation and participation in multi-stakeholder innovation platforms in the Great Lakes Region of Africa Annet Abenakyo Mulema and Robert Edward Mazur Abstract The relationship between motivation and participation in five agricultural research and development innovation platforms (IPs) in Africa’s Great Lakes Region is examined. We analyze data from surveys and in-depth interviews, and focus group discussions. Although farmers prioritized new knowledge and skills, these were not sufficient to consistently foster active participation. Anticipated economic (markets, income, and credit) and material (agricultural inputs) livelihood benefits did encourage active farmer participation. Few actors mentioned social incentives (network connections and status) as motivating factors. Participation of local policy makers and the private business sector was limited. Overall, participation was curtailed by unfulfilled expectations of tangible immediate benefits, limited understanding of the IP concept, lack of resources, and prior commitments. Introduction Growing interest in multi-stakeholder innovation platforms (IPs) for agricul- tural research and development during the past decade reflects their potential to address problems of smallholder farmers and improve their livelihoods. An IP is an arrangement in which a set of relatively interdependent stakeholders are identified and – usually through representatives – invited to meet and interact in a forum for social learning, negotiation, conflict resolution, and Address for correspondence: Annet Abenakyo Mulema, Department of Gender, Livelihoods and Impact, International Livestock Research Institute, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia; email: a.mulema@cgiar.org & Oxford University Press and Community Development Journal. 2015 All rights reserved. For permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com doi:10.1093/cdj/bsu068 Community Development Journal Page 1 of 17 Community Development Journal Advance Access published March 5, 2015 by guest on March 8, 2015 http://cdj.oxfordjournals.org/ Downloaded from