Networking:
What have we learned
that you can use
Ann Marie Thro, National Institute for Food & Agriculture,
USDA
athro@nifa.usda.gov
Prepared for the Gines/Mera Workshop:
Discovery, Deployment, and Delivery: Global Genetic
Resources Working for Women and the Poor
CIAT, May 12-13, 2010

Networking Lesson #1
From Dra. Gines
A coordinator who recognizes
the aspirations and accomplishments of individuals
builds shared ownership among members

What experience?
Cassava Biotechnology Network, 1992-1998
Latin America, Africa, Asia
Included members working in: Biotech, genetic resources,
plant breeding farming processing:
breeding, farming,

What experience?
Forage breeder, 1982 1992 Louisiana State Univ USA
breeder 1982-1992, Univ,
It takes a lot of networking
to get cows to evaluate your plots!
Multistate research projects:
Mechanism used in U.S. A. for focusing human resources
and scientific k
d i tifi know-how h
in a shared effort across state lines
When funds can only be used in-state --
But
B t a problem or opportunity requires effort
bl t it i ff t
on a regional scale

Note: Highlights from experience --
In priority order as the items appear important to me
Not a definitive treatment of networking!

Why use a network? One reason:
For research to reach outcomes need four types of assets:
outcomes,
(Brennan and Quade (2004) via F. Bliss, pers.com):
Tangible: Facilities, equipment, funding, germplasm, scientific
knowledge
Human: Experts in scientific disciplines, outreach, policy
/regulatory environment
Organizational: Linkages between: R&D disciplines; research-
delivery chain, basic +applied research + seed systems +
y , pp y
farmers; organizations and sectors (e.g. public-private)
Social: Political & public support + Communication (farmers,
public)

An R&D program that lacks one or another of the “capital
p g p
assets” (-- Tangible, Human, Organizational, Social– )
May be crippled in its ability to achieve its targeted
outcomes (such as poverty alleviation)
-- even if the assets it does have, are outstanding!
Networking can provide a way to access the missing
components.

Network success:
•Shared vision among all involved
Do this first, before starting a network :
Articulate the desired outcome
and the anticipated approach to achieve it
Do all agree? The members, steering committee, donors?
Shared vision = Network may be robust in the face of difficulties
y
Major differences in vision = Network unlikely to succeed

Lessons about how to help a network succeed: , con’t.
Credible impartiality of leadership/coordinator
For international networks,
- leadership often contributed by international
or regional centers
Alternative: Appointment to network,
with salary f
ith l from network funds
t kf d
Leadership “loaned” by a national program may be seen as partial
-has a h d ti
h harder time creating ownership and commitment
ti hi d it t
to the network

Lessons in helping a network succeed, con’t.
•Communicate with members f
C i t ith b frequently ( d b i fl ) –
tl (and briefly)
- Reminding/confirming vision, responsibilities,
milestones, deadlines
- C l b i successes
Celebrating
•Ownership – the lesson from Chusa Gines –
Creates desire to contribute and to keep commitments
Helps retain human resources

Lessons in helping a network succeed, con’t.
•Recognize strategic value of all purposes served by network:
Primary purpose: Produce and deliver research outputs
But -- a well functioning network can also serve
well-functioning
additional purposes:
Support remote members with personal recognition
S t t b ith l iti
Added visibility for the research effort w/in country/region
Serve administrators & donors as visible, attractive example,
to j tif
t justify continued and additional funds!
ti d d dditi lf d !
Help network members to understand and act strategically
regarding these f
functions

Lessons in helping a network succeed, con’t
•Funding
Even a small amount makes a big difference in
network cohesion
for travel, operational costs
can b i ki d
be in-kind,
e.g., grow each other’s lines in test plots

Challenges: Pressures to resist:
Don’t
D ’t spend it all t f t
d ll too fast.
A program of small-grants can help create interest and
stimulate thinking
i l hi ki
•If possible, avoid awarding bulk of grant funds in first year
Wait until initial round of grants returns your “lessons learned”

Challenges: Pressures to resist:
Web t
W b network or action network?
k ti t k?
It’s best to be both …
but ddi i
b additional staff requirements are non-trivial
l ff i i i l
If the funding is only enough for one or the other:
Make a decision, confirm that highest level accepts
decision;
Then focus on doing the one thing well

Challenges:
•Ensure qualified i
E lifi d impartial evaluation at appropriate
ti l l ti t i t
intervals
Frequent enough that network remains responsive &
F h h k i i
flexible
Impartial/external:
Intra-network bonding and loyalty
can make members reluctant to critique colleagues
-- even if network needs higher performance

Challenges:
Assessing and managing correctly if/when network costs
exceed benefits
Administrative reason: Loss of flexibility to change
priorities
Scientific reason:
When does value of competition to stimulate new
thinking and achievements, exceed value of
networking?
Can one design different “layers” or configurations of
networking
net orking -- to allow a mi of collaboration and
allo mix
competition?

What about all the other things that network leaders (coordinators)
and members need to know?
For example,
Leadership and management skills
Best approaches to priority setting
Research training, skills, experience
These are important ! But you know in advance that they are
important
I have touched only on things I did not know or did not fully
appreciate. These are things I learned “on the j
pp g job”.
I’d like to share them with you,
because I hope y can use them to be better p p
p you prepared
and thereby have better outcomes from your networks.

Literature Cited:
Brennan, J. P. and K. J. Quade. 2004. Measuring the impacts
of improving research capacity: the case of training in wheat disease
resistance 48th Annual Conf of the Australian Agricultural and Resource
resistance. Conf.
Economics Society. Melbourne, 2004.
(Thanks to Fred Bliss for drawing attention to the useful 4-part framework
Suggested b B
S t d by Brennan and Q d f th t
d Quade for the types of “capital” to enable research. )
f“ it l” t bl h

~ End ~