Paper short abstract:

Using the systemic policy approach in Nigerian agricultural innovation system, the study assesses the role of intermediary associations in driving the development, diffusion, market formation, and legitimacy of the electronic wallet system among rural smallholders in Nigeria.

Paper long abstract:

The electronic wallet system has been proved to be a successful innovation in driving agricultural productivity and inclusiveness in rural areas in Nigeria. The system was designed to empower smallholder farmers through provision of agricultural inputs at subsidized rates by using vouchers accessible to farmers on their mobile phones. This represents a bold effort in Nigeria to reach millions of farmers, who are mostly individuals living at the base of the pyramid (BoP). Despite this, the role of intermediary associations and farmers' collective groups in driving the adoption and diffusion of this innovation has not been accorded the necessary recognition in literature.

This paper presents the preliminary findings of a study designed to evaluate the performance of innovation for inclusive development in Nigeria's agricultural innovation system. Using a mix-method methodology to collect data from the different actors in the e-wallet system, this paper assesses the role of intermediary institutions in facilitating learning, interaction and knowledge diffusion within local communities in Nigeria. The study is built on the systemic policy framework which combines the functional innovation system and the components of innovation system frameworks. The study found that intermediary associations play an important role in the development, diffusion, market formation and facilitating legitimacy of the e- wallet system among rural smallholders. The study concluded that since formal interactions between the different actors of innovations systems within developing countries are weak, diffusion of innovations should embrace informal interactions through social networks of which intermediary associations play a leading role.