Understanding Indigenous Innovation in Rural West Africa: Challenges to Diffusion of Innovations Theory and Current Social Innovation Practice

Joel Matthews · 2017 · Journal of Human Development and Capabilities

Summary. Development agencies implementing social innovation in West Africa often impose external processes that disrespect indigenous creativity and ignore existing local innovation. The author documents a functioning innovation system among Hausa villagers in Niger that operates independently of development intervention, challenging diffusion of innovations theory. Supporting indigenous innovation processes proves more effective than initiating externally-designed change.

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@article{matthews-2017-understanding-indigenous-innovation-rural-west,
  title   = {Understanding Indigenous Innovation in Rural West Africa: Challenges to Diffusion of Innovations Theory and Current Social Innovation Practice},
  author  = {Joel Matthews},
  journal = {Journal of Human Development and Capabilities},
  year    = {2017},
  doi     = {10.1080/19452829.2016.1270917},
  url     = {https://doi.org/10.1080/19452829.2016.1270917}
}

TY  - JOUR
TI  - Understanding Indigenous Innovation in Rural West Africa: Challenges to Diffusion of Innovations Theory and Current Social Innovation Practice
AU  - Joel Matthews
JO  - Journal of Human Development and Capabilities
PY  - 2017
DO  - 10.1080/19452829.2016.1270917
UR  - https://doi.org/10.1080/19452829.2016.1270917
ER  - 

Details

DOI

10.1080/19452829.2016.1270917

Countries

Niger

Categories

indigenous-innovation, innovation-theory, regional-innovation-systems

Added

2026-04-28