Beyond “reach” – advancing responsible pathways to impact at scale

Scaling agricultural innovations is often measured by how many farmers adopt a technology or how quickly an innovation spreads. But this approach overlooks crucial questions: for whom are we scaling, and how can we ensure equitable benefit? What are the unintended impacts of scaling, and how might these be minimized? Without inclusivity, scaling risks reinforcing existing inequalities rather than driving meaningful, sustainable change. Without strategic anticipation, scaling can unintentionally cause harm to the environment. Thus, responsible scaling ensures that marginalized groups, especially women, are not only recipients of innovation but also active decision-makers in shaping their agricultural future. Scaling processes are carefully planned and monitored and can be adaptively adjusted to fit new and changing contexts.

Ewell, H.