The Agricultural Innovation System of Azerbaijan: An Assessment of Institutional Linkages International Service for National Agricultural Research

ISNAR, one of the 16 Future Harvest Centers supported by the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR), seeks to contribute to the generation and use of knowledge that fosters sustainable and equitable agricultural development. ISNAR's mission is to help bring about innovation in agricultural research institutions to increase the contribution of research to agricultural development for the poor. ISNAR identifies and advances new arrangements that promote more effective generation of new knowledge. Emphasis on institutional innovation allows ISNAR to play a catalytic role in the change processes taking place in many developing countries. At the same time, it is strengthening its ability to play an important role in the new programs being developed by the CGIAR. The focus on institutional innovation puts ISNAR in a strategic position in a research community where national and international concerns are increasingly converging. ISNAR conducts its work on institutional innovation through the following six thematic areas of work: • Policies for institutional innovation for agricultural research • Linking research organizations and stakeholders in a changing context • Learning for institutional innovation • Management of new technologies for agricultural research • Building capacity to respond to cross-sector demands • Entrepreneurial partnerships to support agricultural research