22 - 23 June 2022. Upscaling private sector participation and science-based outreach in West Africa. hosted by CSIR-STEPRI in Accra, Ghana. Science and Technology Policy Research Institute (STEPRI) one of thirteen institutes under the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) in Ghana. 23/06 Session 5: The Power of Networks – Strategies for external communication and science-based outreach Mr. Benjamin Abugri, Forum for Agricultural Research in Africa (FARA), Ghana

1. LEAP4FNSSSA ● Actors, Alliances, and Policies ●FNSSA
Systems Improvement ● 22-23 July 2022
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LEAP4FNSSA
Long-term Europe Africa Partnership
for Food and Nutrition Security and Sustainable Agriculture
West Africa Event
“Upscaling private sector participation and
science-based outreach in West Africa”
22-23 June 2022
Accra, Ghana

2. LEAP4FNSSSA ● Actors, Alliances, and Policies ●FNSSA
Systems Improvement ● 22-23 July 2022
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Benjamin Abugri| FARA | Lead Specialist - Knowledge Management, Learning & Communications – babugri@faraafrica.org
West Africa Event: “Upscaling private sector participation and
science-based outreach in West Africa”
The Power of Networks
Strategies for external communication and science-based outreach
FARA’s Outreach Strategy
11:00 AM – 12:30 GMT
CSIR-STEPRI, Accra, Ghana

3. LEAP4FNSSSA ● Actors, Alliances, and Policies ●FNSSA
Systems Improvement ● 22-23 July 2022
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1. Introduction
• Summary of KM in FARA
• About FARA
• Priority setting approaches
2. Outreach Strategies at FARA
3. Concluding thoughts
Outline

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Systems Improvement ● 22-23 July 2022
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1. Observatory for Africa Agriculture (FARADataInformS)
2. Strengthening the Knowledge Ecosystem through the
KM4AgD Agenda
3. Learning through last mile Knowledge Products (Flagships,
Lessons Learnt, thematic KP)
4. Collaborative engagements, Networks and Partnerships
Priority Setting Partnerships
Knowledge Management &
Outreach at FARA

5. LEAP4FNSSSA ● Actors, Alliances, and Policies ●FNSSA
Systems Improvement ● 22-23 July 2022
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A Continental Apex
Organization coordinating
AR4D in Africa
FARA serves as the entry
point for agricultural
research initiatives in
Africa,
and it is designed to have a
continental reach spanning
more than one sub-region.
About FARA

6. LEAP4FNSSSA ● Actors, Alliances, and Policies ●FNSSA
Systems Improvement ● 22-23 July 2022
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Forum for Agricultural Research in Africa
SRO for
Western &
Central Africa
22
countries
SRO for
Northern
Africa
5
countries
SRO for
Southern
Africa
16
countries
SRO for
Eastern
Africa
12
countries
Global Forum on Agricultural Research (GFAR)
Partnership in
AR4D
FARA reaches the AU Members States through the SROs
FARA’s structure

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Sustainable Development Goals
AU Agenda 2063
Feed Africa
CAADP-Malabo STISA PIDA etc
APPs, NARS progs, CGIAR & other IARC African Progs, FARA & SRO progs, AGRA, AATF, etc
guided by existing frameworks and targets
Priority setting in Africa

8. LEAP4FNSSSA ● Actors, Alliances, and Policies ●FNSSA
Systems Improvement ● 22-23 July 2022
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Using
Capturing
Finding
Acquiring
Creating
Sharing
KNOWLEDGE
LIFECYCLE
KNOWLEDGE
ASSETS
SUSTAINABLE
DEVELOPMENT
PROCESSES
Relational
Assets
networks, CoPs,,..
Human
Assets
skills, experiences,..
Structural
Assets
databases, processes,..
Knowledge
Services
Researching, training
advising, convening,
facilitating, catalysing,
communicating, etc.
Products
Publications, extension
resources, technology and
innovation pratices, policy
briefs, articles, videos, etc.
SDGs - Global
Development
Organisational
Development
Agricultural
Development
Knowledge Leadership and Governance
Monitoring and Learning
Continental
KM4AgD Framework
Source: Abugri & Brandner (2021): Continental Data Capture Strategy
KM Framework

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Systems Improvement ● 22-23 July 2022
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wwww.faradatainforms.faraafrica.org
TARGETED
PRODUCTS &
SERVICES
PARTNERSHIPS &
COLLABORATIONS
QUALITY
ASSURANCE &
FEEDBACK
INTENTIONAL
LEARNING
OPPORTUNITIES
Observatory for Africa Agriculture

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simple solutions for building online
communities
 Web-based platform that
hosts, powers and connects
groups.
 The Dgroups platform is
hosted and maintained in
collaboration with Influent.
 We collaborate to ensure the
platform meets a diverse
range of needs for online
groups, communities of
practice and communities of
interest
Tool for Networking - Dgroups

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https://faraafrica.community/fara-net
FARA Dgroups Platform

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Dgroups platform – Key data
• Public/private; open/closed; moderated/unmoderated; Africa & Europe
700+ communities – 50 FARA
• Int’l orgs; Gov’t agencies; Nat’l/Int’l NGOs; individuals; professional groups
1.1M + registered users –
40,000 (FARA)
400,000+ email
messages delivered daily
• over 50% exchanged with & within African countries and European partners

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Research, 12,072 ,
30%
Extension, 6,036 ,
15%
Farmers, 3,622 , 9%
Academia, 4,024 ,
10%
Policy, 6,036 , 15%
Private Sector
(Agribusinesses,
etc), 3,622 , 9%
NGOs/Networks,
2,817 , 7%
Others, 2,012 , 5%
Dgroups platform – Outreach

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Experts Directory

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Systems Improvement ● 22-23 July 2022
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What makes Dgroups more powerful and preferred for CoPs?
• Dgroups is multilingual
• Dgroups is flexible and scalable
• Easy Integration with other Websites- RSS feeds
and an open API
• Dgroups is non-commercial and respectful of
privacy
• GDPR Compliant
• Dgroups targets low bandwidth users
• Dgroups can be described as a global public good

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Systems Improvement ● 22-23 July 2022
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Challenges
 Language barrier
 Capacities to facilitate
discussions
 Packaging to meet the
needs of your lastmile
Mechanisms for
improvement
 Partnerships
 Feedback & Insentives
 Quality assurance
Enabling factors
 Multi-stakeholder
Partnerships (Ips, etc)
 Trust
 Relevant engagement
(Private sector & Youth)
Expected impact
 Shared ownership
 Policy support
 Agenda setting
 Sustainability
Conclusion

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THANK YOU