This workshop was organized jointly by the Centre for Policy Research, New Delhi, CRISP and LINK (Learning, INnnovation, Knowledge). The workshop was designed as a policy dialogue on implications for capacity benchmarking if South Asian countries wanted to move from science and technology policy to innovation policy with the specific goals of rural development. The workshop brought together senior officials within S&T organisations engaged in science, technology and innovation planning, and academics/ researchers/ practitioners involved in rural innovation in South Asian countries. For proceedings of this workshop