At last week’s workshop to discuss how improved communication can help maximize the impact of agricultural research in Africa, we caught up with Nadia Manning-Thomas of the CGIAR.She leads the ICT-KM 'Knowledge Sharing in Research Project' that aims to integrate knowledge-sharing approaches into the different phases of the research cycle - instead of seeing it as an optional 'add-on': Click To Play She explains that the approach is based on improving the impact of research along the whole cycle. It shows how undertaking knowledge-sharing can help to achieve other research objectives, such as enhanced relevance; multi-stakeholder engagement; collaboration along the cycle, dissemination and uptake, and M&E:...
Simone Staiger recently compiled a short list of some knowledge sharing tools used and learned about in the (just ended) FAO-CGIAR KS Workshop:Peer assists; tags and tagging; social reporting; discussion groups; blogs and blogging; wikis; and intranets.Under each of the tools, some useful reflections from course members and links...
Bioversity International, the CGIAR ICT-KM program, FAO, IFAD and WFP are jointly organizing a 3-day event entitled "Knowledge Share Fair for Agricultural Development and Food Security" on January 20 - 22, 2009.The purpose of the event is to showcase examples of good knowledge sharing practices in the field of agricultural development and food security.Please write a short story about your project/initiative. How do you effectively:Work in geographically distributed environments?Capture and share local (indigenous) knowledge, issues and ideas?Deal with culture and gender issues?Retain knowledge when workers leave?Build relationships or networks?Facilitate collaborative practices?Communicate internally?Call for submission closes on 15 October 2008.For further information, please visit...
Bioversity International, programme du GCRAI ayant trait aux technologies de l’information et de la communication ainsi qu’au partage des savoirs (ITC-KM), la FAO, le FIDA et le PAM organisent une manifestation de trois jours intitulée « Foire du partage des savoirs pour le développement agricole et la sécurité alimentaire » qui se tiendra du 20 au 22 janvier 2009. Le but de cette manifestation est de présenter des exemples de bonnes pratiques de partage des connaissances dans les domaines du développement agricole et de la sécurité alimentaire.Rédigez un court résumé de votre projet/initiative. Comment effectivement:travaillez-vous dans des environnements géographiquement décentralisés?réussissez-vous à saisir et à partager les connaissances, les problèmes et les...
Biodiversity International, el programa ICT-KM del GCIAI, la FAO, el FIDA y el PMA organizan conjuntamente una actividad de tres días de duración titulada "Feria de difusión de conocimientos para el desarrollo agrícola y la seguridad alimentaria", que se llevará a cabo del 20 al 22 de enero de 2009.El objetivo de esta actividad es exponer ejemplos de buenas prácticas de difusión de conocimientos en el ámbito del desarrollo agrícola y la seguridad alimentaria. Sírvase redactar un resumen de su proyecto o iniciativa. Indique su mejor solución para:trabajar en entornos geográficamente descentralizadosrecoger y difundir conocimientos cuestiones e ideas locales (autóctonos)tratar las cuestiones culturales y de géneroconservar los conocimientos cuando se retiran los...
In a 2006 article, Ezra Ondari-Okemwa examines knowledge management initiatives at the International Livestock Research Institute.The study looks at how knowledge is generated in ILRI, how it is shared, how it is transferred and how it is integrated into the day-to-day operations of the Institute. Some of the challenges that the ILRI faces in managing knowledge are identified, and solutions which cannot always rely on information technology are discussed.She concludes: "The International Livestock Research Institute knowledge management programme stands outas a good example of the best practices that may be emulated in sub-Saharan Africa and other developing regions where it has operations.""The environment that ILRI has created encourages creation and sharing and transfer of knowledge....
After recent team discussions, the CGIAR's ICT-KM Program blogs have recently seen a flurry of (interesting) activity.Nadia Manning blogs on why the CGIAR centers are concerned about knowledge sharing: "The 15 Centers supported by the CGIAR and their many national partners are together creating a wealth of knowledge that can help rural communities in developing countries build sustainable livelihoods. Yet, formidable obstacles to uptake and use of generated knowledge as well as impact of CGIAR agricultural research remain. One of the missing elements which has reduced the effectiveness of our research and development (R&D) efforts, is appropriate and effective knowledge sharing, both within Centers and between them and their partners."She also introduces a 'Knowledge Sharing in...
The 400 plus pages report of the 'Independent External Evaluation of FAO' was recently made available on the FAO website (en français, en español). Looking at all aspects of the organization's work, the evaluation team discusses its information, knowledge sharing and communication activities in several places.It shows a lot of progress in the information area; it sets out some visions of FAO as a “partner in interlocking and overlapping knowledge networks … a facilitator rather than a central knowledge manager;” it also poses some tough questions.The authors position information and knowledge at the heart of the organization, which is very positive, they also provide argumentation why this should be so.The role of FAO as a 'knowledge organization' pervades the report, and...
Partout dans le monde, les populations autochtones se servent de moyens technologiques pour consigner et préserver leur culture et leurs connaissances traditionnelles. Ces communautés recensent les éléments de leur environnement et les sources de denrées disponibles. Elles consignent et préservent des méthodes agricoles transmises au fil des siècles. Loin d’être primitives, ces techniques ont été testées, éprouvées et développées pour répondre parfaitement aux conditions locales. Préserver ces connaissances autochtones pour les transmettre aux générations futures est donc un enjeu...
Indigenous peoples all over the world are today using technology to record and protect their traditional knowledge and culture. Communities are gathering details on their environments and the available food sources. They are documenting and preserving agricultural methods that have been passed down through centuries. Far from being primitive, these techniques have been tried, tested and developed to perfectly suit local conditions. It is vitally important then, that this indigenous knowledge is preserved and shared for many generations to...
Sometimes you find an excellent new blog on aginfo and related issues and wonder how it didn't come across your radar before... Anyway, Web Tastings is by IFPRI's Pete Shelton and Stephan Dohrn - writing in their personal capacities. The idea is to "reflect on the usefulness and impact of the social web and its tools and approaches on development cooperation."A recent osting that caught the eye looks at measuring impact on the web - and some experiences from...
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Simone Staiger at the CGIAR draws our attention to a new AGRISERVICE Bulletin of GTZ looking at knowledge management in (agricultural) development cooperation.The special issue (PDF format) has reports from a 2007 workshop.As well as some general articles on KM in organisations, it has some interesting 'agricultural' cases....Knowledge Generation and Facilitation in a National System for Agricultural Innovation (Bolivia)Sustainet, the 'Sustainable Agriculture Information Network' that systematically evaluates, communicates and disseminates successful approaches to and concepts of sustainable agriculture.Multi-Stakeholder Fora for the Management of Mobile Livestock Production Systems (Germany and Niger).Social Networks for Information and Knowledge Management - drawing on experiences from...
Beyond classical approaches of knowledge transfer, new ways of communication between scientists and practitioners are emerging. Community building, new technologies, web-based knowledge exchange, peer-to-peer communication, new possibilities of integrating experts into knowledge management (KM), and a new perception of the notion of 'knowledge' and 'expertise' open up the evolving field of knowledge management in forestry.In October 2006, experts in knowledge management met at the international forestXchange conference in Freiburg, Germany, to discuss these issues.As a main result of the conference, an impressive variety of existing KM initiatives and approaches became visible. However, it also became obvious that in many organizations and institutions in forestry a true promotion of KM...
This paper examines developments and issues regarding agricultural knowledge systems, which affect agricultural development. It covers three purposes. The first is to review the evolution of four international agricultural knowledge frameworks, namely: (1) national agricultural research institutes (NARI); (2) national agricultural research systems (NARS); (3) agricultural knowledge and...
La présente stratégie de gestion des savoirs est l’un des produits clés du Plan d’action du FIDA pour améliorer son efficacité en matière de développement.
Son but est de doter le FIDA du cadre et des outils nécessaires pour accroître son efficacité en matière de développement dans le contexte des bouleversements qui sont en train de modifier la face du monde agricole et de la pauvreté rurale....
La presente estrategia de gestión de los conocimientos es una de las principales entregas del Plan de acción del FIDA para mejorar su eficacia en términos de desarrollo.
Su finalidad es brindar al FIDA el marco y los instrumentos necesarios para lograr eficacia desde el punto de vista del desarrollo en momentos en que se están produciendo drásticas transformaciones que cambian las...
This knowledge management strategy is one of the key deliverables of IFAD’s Action Plan for Improving Its Development Effectiveness.
Its aim is to provide IFAD with the framework and tools required for development effectiveness in a context of dramatic transformations that are changing the face of world agriculture and of rural poverty.
This strategy is based on two key premises:
An...
In June 2007, FAO and GTZ are holding a workshop on 'Communicating Knowledge: From good practice to systematic change.' Among the objectives:Give an overview on currents methods, disciplines and good practices in Knowledge management and communication for rural development;Create an understanding of how to implement Knowledge management strategies in rural areas and within development...