This policy brief consolidates lessons learned from an in-depth literature review on small-scale farmer (SSF) innovation systems and a two-day expert consultation on the same topic, hosted in Geneva by Quaker United Nations Office (QUNO) in May 2015.  The key message is that SSF innovation systems are unique relative to more ‘formal’ agricultural innovation systems, which inspires a reconsideration of the types of policies that are put in place to encourage innovation in agriculture.