Challenges and cases in research-policy linkages in the agriculture sector: reflections from the early days of the e-agriculture initiative Gracian Chimwaza Executive Director [email_address] ITOCA- Information Training & Outreach Centre for Africa ITOCA Locating the power of in-between – Pretoria July 2008

Research-Policy Linkage Research plays a major role in policy-making process (1) Can provide communities and policy-makers with useful info to make informed relevant recommendations to solve problems Systematic collection and presentation of info Informs individuals, communities, researchers Access to relevant up-to-date information Manner in which info is gathered and presented is important Understand & identify key issues that impact the policy Alternatives are considered and best recommendations are effectively communicated to the policy-makers Locating the power of in-between – Pretoria July 2008 1. “Understanding the Link Between Research and Policy” Rural Communities Impacting Policy Project 2002 By Steven Dukeshire & Jennifer Thurlow

Research plays a major role in policy-making process (1)

Can provide communities and policy-makers with useful info to make informed relevant recommendations to solve problems

Systematic collection and presentation of info

Informs individuals, communities, researchers

Access to relevant up-to-date information

Manner in which info is gathered and presented is important

Understand & identify key issues that impact the policy

Alternatives are considered and best recommendations are effectively communicated to the policy-makers

Research Plays Important Role Research informs policy making Helps in formulating pragmatic, action oriented policies: research to action paradigm Sound policy decisions can be made Solid foundation of expertise ad knowledge Caters for differing levels of knowledge depending on situation and policy Locating the power of in-between –Pretoria July 2008

Research informs policy making

Helps in formulating pragmatic, action oriented policies: research to action paradigm

Sound policy decisions can be made

Solid foundation of expertise ad knowledge

Caters for differing levels of knowledge depending on situation and policy

Challenges: Weak linkages Different types of research can be done depending on the need/intended outcome (2) Focused Synthesis; Secondary Analysis; Field Experiments; Qualitative Methods; Surveys; Case Studies; Cost-benefit Analysis Major sources of Information Media; Official statistics; Polls; Think tanks and Specialized Policy Analysis Units; Traditional knowledge; Academic community ITOCA –Information Training & Outreach Centre www.itoca.org 2. “Understanding the Link Between Research and Policy” Rural Communities Impacting Policy Project 2002 By Steven Dukeshire & Jennifer Thurlow

Different types of research can be done depending on the need/intended outcome (2)

Focused Synthesis; Secondary Analysis; Field Experiments; Qualitative Methods; Surveys; Case Studies; Cost-benefit Analysis

Major sources of Information

Media; Official statistics; Polls; Think tanks and Specialized Policy Analysis Units; Traditional knowledge; Academic community

Many Challenges in the Research –Policy linkage Recognizing problems and identifying them Understanding Key issues Supporting a selected Plan of Action Monitoring and Evaluating Impact Locating the power of in-between –Pretoria July 2008

Recognizing problems and identifying them

Understanding Key issues

Supporting a selected Plan of Action

Monitoring and Evaluating Impact

Challenges: Weak linkages Inadequate research done Identify important issues and gain better understanding of the issues before making any policy recommendations Poor access to research output, governments docs by rural poor and communities Limited discussion and communication with policy-makers Access to published literature/peer-reviewed literature prohibitively expensive for many researchers in Africa Locating the power of in-between –Pretoria July 2008

Inadequate research done

Identify important issues and gain better understanding of the issues before making any policy recommendations

Poor access to research output, governments docs by rural poor and communities

Limited discussion and communication with policy-makers

Access to published literature/peer-reviewed literature prohibitively expensive for many researchers in Africa

FREE Access to Published Literature April 2000 - WHO meeting - researchers identified as one of their highest priority needs – access to high quality up-to-date research Scientific information is essential to development Economic growth depends on healthy people, food security, viable environment Direct access to scientific information empowers researchers, practitioners & policy makers Free/Low cost access vital Locating the power of in-between –Pretoria July 2008

April 2000 - WHO meeting - researchers identified as one of their highest priority needs – access to high quality up-to-date research

Scientific information is essential to development

Economic growth depends on healthy people, food security, viable environment

Direct access to scientific information empowers researchers, practitioners & policy makers

Free/Low cost access vital

Journal Access Initiatives TEEAL , www.teeal.org Mann Library, Cornell University HINARI , www.who.int/hinari WHO/ Yale Library AGORA , www.aginternetwork.org FAO/Mann Library OARE , www.oaresciences.org UNEP/Yale Library PERI, www.inasp.info INASP eIFL, www.eIFL.net AND Kronos AJOL, www.ajol.org INASP/NISC Others Hundreds of publishers offering thousands of full-text journals (free/low cost to low income countries) Agriculture, health, medicine, environment ; social sciences, etc Multiple languages; multiple delivery systems

TEEAL , www.teeal.org Mann Library, Cornell University

HINARI , www.who.int/hinari WHO/ Yale Library

AGORA , www.aginternetwork.org FAO/Mann Library

OARE , www.oaresciences.org UNEP/Yale Library

PERI, www.inasp.info INASP

eIFL, www.eIFL.net AND Kronos

AJOL, www.ajol.org INASP/NISC

Others

Hundreds of publishers offering thousands of full-text journals (free/low cost to low income countries)

Agriculture, health, medicine, environment ; social sciences, etc

Multiple languages; multiple delivery systems

Objectives of these journal programmes Better Research Updated Curriculum Research based policy decisions Connections to international scientific community Reduced “publishing gap” & improved locally produced journals Ultimately – improve Research; policy; food security; health, environment; MDGs GPM Washington DC 28 July 2008

Better Research

Updated Curriculum

Research based policy decisions

Connections to international scientific community

Reduced “publishing gap” & improved locally produced journals

Ultimately – improve Research; policy; food security; health, environment; MDGs

E-agriculture promoting access & sharing experiences Partner initiative led by FAO Improved information and communication processes through sharing Experiences Best practices Innovations Informing policy making ITOCA –Information Training & Outreach Centre for Africa www.itoca.org

Partner initiative led by FAO

Improved information and communication processes through sharing

Experiences

Best practices

Innovations

Informing policy making

ITOCA-Info Training & Outreach Centre for Africa Outreach and Promotion of ICT in Research and education in SSA 25-30 missions annually Training in access and use of e-resources Information literacy courses TEEAL, AGORA, HINARI, OARE 32 train-the-trainer workshops in 28 countries held since Apr 2004 1200 faculty, policy-makers, researchers, librarians, information specialists trained 15,000 trained downstream ITOCA –Information Training & Outreach Centre for Africa www.itoca.org

Outreach and Promotion of ICT in Research and education in SSA

25-30 missions annually

Training in access and use of e-resources

Information literacy courses

TEEAL, AGORA, HINARI, OARE

32 train-the-trainer workshops in 28 countries held since Apr 2004

1200 faculty, policy-makers, researchers, librarians, information specialists trained

15,000 trained downstream

Thank You