Partnerships in Agricultural Innovation SystemsMOsiruauthorNational agricultural research systems (NARS) in African countries have evolved since independence was gained in the 1960s (Hazell et al., 2003). Structural adjustment in the 1980s and partnerships with institutions in the north and the south have guided further development. Within recent times, the NARS concept was expanded to the agricultural knowledge and information system (AKIS) and subsequently the agricultural innovations system (AIS) concepts (Table 1). Many African institutions have grappled with the change processes necessitated by this evolution and incentivised by muchneeded funding support (Lynam et al., 2004). The guiding principles influencing research funding were often crafted at global level, with the assumption of their relevance or adaptability for all African NARSAgriculture-Farming, Production, Technology, Economics2013International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid TropicsMonograph