Improving forest product value chains is considered a means to solve forest-related challenges in the Global South. The ‘Participative Innovation Platform’ (PIP) instrument has been developed to design and to continually adapt solutions and strategies for effective cooperation amongst value chain actors. The instrument is rooted in the action-oriented and social learning approach, combined with the concept of innovation systems. This paper presents findings from three PIPs conducted for upgrading non-timber forest product value chains in Ethiopia (bamboo, natural gums) and Sudan (gum Arabic). A comparative analysis of highest ranked contents revealed similarities in the challenges: lack of government support, poor infrastructure, producers’ lack of knowledge and skills, and lack of market information. Priority upgrading measures focused on producers’ knowledge, skills, and capacity to engage in collective action and to lobby interests, and on capital resources to invest in processing technology. It is concluded that although the PIP instrument presents an innovative way to upgrade forest-based value chains, the instrument requires a long-term process with frequently held platform meetings, conducted by neutral institutions with skilled moderators. Crucial in this process is the need to consistently verify and ensure that all actor groups of the chain are represented, and are confident they will derive benefits from the value chain upgrading.

改善林产品价值链被认为是解决全球南方与森林有关的挑战的一种手段。已经开发了“参与式创新平台”（PIP）工具，以设计并不断调整解决方案和战略，以实现价值链参与者之间的有效合作。该工具植根于面向行动的社会学习方法，并结合了创新系统的概念。本文介绍了为提升埃塞俄比亚（竹，天然树胶）和苏丹（阿拉伯胶）的非木材森林产品价值链而进行的三个PIP的发现。对排名最高的内容进行的比较分析表明，挑战之间存在相似之处：缺乏政府支持，基础设施落后，生产商缺乏知识和技能以及缺乏市场信息。优先重点升级措施的重点是生产者的知识，技能和参与集体行动和游说利益的能力，以及用于加工技术投资的资本资源。结论是，尽管PIP文书提出了升级基于森林的价值链的创新方法，但该文书需要长期的过程，并由中立机构和熟练的主持人共同举行频繁的平台会议。在此过程中至关重要的是，需要始终如一地验证和确保链中所有参与者群体的代表，并有信心他们将从价值链升级中受益。结论是，尽管PIP文书提出了升级基于森林的价值链的创新方法，但该文书需要长期的过程，并由中立机构和熟练的主持人共同举行频繁的平台会议。在此过程中至关重要的是，需要始终如一地验证和确保链中所有参与者群体的代表，并有信心他们将从价值链升级中受益。结论是，尽管PIP文书提出了升级基于森林的价值链的创新方法，但该文书需要长期的过程，并由中立机构和熟练的主持人共同举行频繁的平台会议。在此过程中至关重要的是，需要始终如一地验证和确保链中所有参与者群体的代表，并有信心他们将从价值链升级中受益。