The Regional Plan for Collective Action
in Eastern & Southern Africa
Improving post-crisis recovery through
agricultural research
Presented by Ravi Prabhu at the Workshop on Defining a Strategic
Agricultural Research Agenda on Post-Crisis/Post-Shock Recovery in
Highly Stressed Systems, Nairobi, May 22-23, 2008

Overview
The context for the Regional Plan
Strategy
Flagship 4
Conclusion

Africa‟s development
agenda
Africa‟s Development Agenda
 Articulated by AU/NEPAD in CAADP
(esp. Pillars 1 & 4)
 Further interpreted by FARA (FAAP),
 ASARECA – strategy and 7 new
programs, &
 SADC-FANR – RISDP (and MAPP)
6% Agricultural growth target
10% investment in Agriculture target

CGIAR Shortcomings
 Successive reviews – SSA Task Force,
Inter Academy Council highlighted
problems:
 Overlaps
 Gaps
 Competing competencies
 Lack of cohesion & synergy … resulting in
 Inability to contribute effectively to Africa‟s
development agenda

CGIAR Response
 Clear call for greater cohesion,
coordination and collective action
 Many options discussed, including
adjusting present structure of CGIAR
Centers
 Regional Plan process selected as
being the least risky, most promising
 Does not preclude later adjustment to
structure, if required

Regional Plans
 Two plans:
 West & Central Africa
 Eastern & Southern Africa
 Common goal, principles
 Emerged from extensive consultations
among Centers and Partners
 Different emphases, arising from
consultations

Goal
 To foster the emergence of a coordinated,
cohesive program of agricultural research that
 produces clear economies of scale and scope at
low transaction costs,
 in order to successfully address regional
priorities.
 These priorities range from complex problems of
stagnant or falling agricultural productivity, poverty to
impacts of climate variation.

Operational space
The only form of CGIAR Collective Action focusing on
Intersecting Regional Goals with System Priorities
Regional Goals
System Priorities Available Capacities

Complex problems require a systemic
approach and collective action –
if many ‘mini green revolutions’ are to result

Regional Plan for
ESA
Three main outcomes drive the plan:
1. A clearer picture of the research in the region
 (e.g. through an inventory of research)
2. A program of work that adds value and addresses both
regional & system priorities
 (e.g. through the Flagship Programs)
3. A results oriented culture that is based on shared
knowledge, information and action
 (e.g. through self-organising communities of practice of
concerned researchers)

Flagship Programs
 Flagship 1: Integrated natural
resources management
 Flagship 2: Markets, institutions,
information & the upscaling challenge
 Flagship 3: Conservation, use and
enhancement of genetic resources
 Flagship 4: Improving agricultural
livelihoods in high stress/unstable
environments
…

…current focii
 F1: “Understanding and adapting to
drivers of change”; “observatories of
rural change”
 F2: “Market Development as a
mechanism of pro-poor growth”
 F3: “Towards common methods, tools
and approaches”
 F4: CARRSS, Food Price Crisis,
Developing a strategic research agenda

Flagship 4
Improving impact of emergency response
on agricultural livelihoods in highly
stressed and unstable systems – 17 of 25
countries in the region!
Long a) Understanding the impact of „stress‟ on farming
systems, seed systems, livestock and social systems
b) Understanding the impact of aid on these systems to
avoid interventions that exacerbate the consequences of
future shocks
c) Shaping and sequencing the responses during
emergency, post-emergency and recovery phases and
identifying institutional models appropriate in fragile
states
Short

Workshop Aims
1. Develop a shared understanding of the nature of the
research, define its demand and scope
2. Identify/develop a theoretical framework to underpin
the research
3. Distill lessons from past research experiences
4. Identify a possible program of work, project
opportunities
5. Explore opportunities to develop a „community of
practice‟ as the mode for collective action

Conclusion
 The Alliance of the CGIAR Centres,
created by the Centres to better deliver on
the CGIAR mission, is a new framework
and mechanism for collective action.
 The Regional Plans are a concrete
expression of the Alliance‟s commitment
to Africa‟s development agenda.
 Flagship 4 represents an opportunity to
speed up the process of recovery of
agricultural livelihoods and systems

Thank you for your attention!