Staff Aging and Turnover Agricultural Research: A Case Study on Senegalese Agricultural Research Institute

Staff Aging and Turnover in Agricultural R&D: Lessons from Five National Agricultural Research Institutes in Africa Louis SèneSenegalese Agricultural Research Institute (ISRA), Dakar ASTI-IFPRI / FARA conference Accra, Ghana December 5–7, 2011

Outline Introduction Methodology Distribution of Scientists by age and degree Attrition of scientists  Reasons for leaving the NARI  Number of scientists that retired or resigned as a % of total R&D capacity Lessons learned and recommendations  Reasons for dissatisfaction and areas for improvement  General recommendations  Country-specific recommendations

Methodology A study conducted in five countries focusing on humanresource challenges in agricultural R&D (aging, attrition andretention) :  Burkina Faso Environment and Agricultural Research Institute (INERA)  Kenya Agricultural Research Institute (KARI)  Senegalese Agricultural Research Institute (ISRA)  South Africa’s Agricultural Research Council (ARC)  Zambia Agricultural Research Institute (ZARI) A standardized questionnaire collecting HR info for 2001-2010was disseminated to these 5 agencies. The analysis of the ensuing data resulted in a series ofrecommendations

Distribution of Scientists by Age and GenderARC ISRA 60-64 60-72 55-59 55-59 50-54 50-54 45-49 45-49 40-44 40-44 Age Age 35-39 35-39 30-34 30-34 23-29 25-29 50 30 10 10 30 50 Number of 28 21 14 7 0 7 14 21 28 Female Male Number of Female MaleKARI ZARI 60-64 60-64 55-59 55-59 50-54 50-54 45-49 45-49 40-44 Age Age 40-44 35-39 35-39 30-34 30-34 27-29 25-29 40 30 20 10 0 10 20 30 40 140 105 70 35 0 35 70 105 140 Number of Number of Female Male Female Male

Distribution of Scientists by Age and DegreeARC 25 ISRA 60 Share of researchers (%) Share of researchers (%) 20 50 15 40 30 10 20 5 10 (%) 0 0 25-29 30-34 35-39 40-44 45-49 50-54 55-59 60-64 Age Age BSc MSc PhD MSc PhDKARI 50 ZARI 70 Share of researchers (%) Share of researchers (%) 40 60 50 30 40 20 30 20 10 10 0 0 27-29 30-34 35-39 40-44 45-49 50-54 55-59 60-64 Age Age BSc MSc PhD BSc MSc PhD

Attrition of Scientists

Reasons for leaving the NARI, 2001-10 average 100 80Shares of departed scientists (%) 60 40 20 0 ISRA KARI ZARI Retirement Death Resignation Transfer/leave

Number of retiring / resigning scientists as a % of total number of scientists 12 12 10 10 Share of resigned scientists (%) Share of retired scientists (%) 8 8 6 6 4 4 2 2 0 0 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 ISRA KARI ZARI ISRA KARI ZARI Retiring Resigning

Lessons learned and recommendations

Reasons for dissatisfaction and areas for improvement■ ARC: low salary levels (38%) poor working conditions (16%) no clear reason given (29%)■ INERA: lack of training opportunities limited career opportunities low salary levels (and allowances) poor working conditions■ ISRA: limited career opportunities (55%) low salary levels (31%) lack of mentoring and poor working conditions (13%) lack of government recognition (1%)

Reasons for dissatisfaction and areas for improvement (cont’d)■ KARI: low salary levels (23%) lack of career opportunities (13%) lack of training opportunities (11%) poor working conditions (8%)■ ZARI: Incentives mentioned: - need for a personal loans policy (35%) - better training opportunities (24%) - Accommodation, opportunities for promotion, improved salary levels, provision of insurance (6% to 10% each)

General recommendations■ Increase the ratio scientists / other staff (by hiring qualified scientists and by offering training opportunities to junior scientist)■ Boost salary levels to maintain current capacity and attract future capacity■ Increase of the overall number of female scientists■ Need for the establishment and the implementation of comprehensive training and rejuvenation plan for agricultural scientists

General recommendations (cont’d)■ Maximize R&D capacity through enhanced national and international partnerships (e.g. WAAPP, EAAPP)■ Improve scientists retention policies (salaries, training and performance assessment);■ Extend case studies to other SSA countries to enable comparison between NARIs.

Country-specificrecommendations

Topic ARC INERA ISRA KARI ZARI1. Gender Reasonable Raise female Raise female Raise female Raise femaleequity share from 12 rate share from share from 30 share from 19 to 20 % by 20 to 40 % by to 40 % by to 29 % by 2020 2020 2020 20202. Age Lower Lower average Lower average Lower average Maintaindistribution departure of scientist age scientist age scientist age current those with 11 from 55 to 40 from 50 to 40 from 45 to 40 average to 15 years of by 2020 by 2020 by 2020 scientist age of experience. 39 by 20203. Retirement Good Good Extend it from Good Extend it fromage 60 to 65 years 55 to 65 years by 2012 by 20134. Attrition Reduce Not available Reduce its Maintain Maintain turnover rate turnover rate current current of scientists from 18 to 8 % turnover rate turnover rate from 17 to 8 % by 2015 by 20155. Recruitment Increase Increase Establish a 10- Enroll Increase recruitment of recruitment of year sufficient recruitment of PhD scientists PhD scientists recruitment number young PhD scientists plan PhD-holder scientists

Topic ARC INERA ISRA KARI ZARI6.Remuneratio Sensitize Increase Lobby the Make then package government salaries government remuneration to improve especially for for approving package more salaries of scientists the new ISRA competitive scientists . rules and regulations7. Performance Resume Initiate an Reward the Maintain Establish aappraisal and performance internal best scientists current performancereward appraisal scientist resulting in the effective appraisal system, but performance performance system system include more evaluation, evaluation example for effective adapted to other rewards local research countries demand8. Training Extend the Establish a Improve the Maintain Detach ZARI’spolicies Professional training plan process by current training plan Development based on a sensitizing the efficient from the Program to training need research system; overall public new young mangers example for service plan scientists other countries

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Staff Aging and Turnover Agricultural Research: A Case Study on Senegalese Agricultural Research Institute

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Staff Aging and Turnover Agricultural Research: A Case Study on Senegalese Agricultural Research Institute Presentation Transcript