ABSTRACT
In the context of changing environmental and economic realities, agricultural innovation constitutes a cornerstone in efforts to develop agriculture and improve the livelihoods of small-scale farmers in Uganda (Sanginga et al, 2004). The reconfiguration of agricultural research and extension in Uganda means that positive outcomes are now particularly dependent upon strengthening the roles that farmers play in innovation systems (Wennink and Heemskerk, 2006). At the farmer level, social networks and their changes have emerged as crucial elements in defining the nature of those roles and in delineating the conditions for success or failure of innovations. For farmers, social networks facilitate and incubate innovations by providing a space where knowledge sharing, experimentation and risk mitigation can be embedded.
