1. “Collaboration and sharing
of data, tools, and research
capacities to inform future
food security strategies”
Michael Johnson
International Food Policy research Institute
February 7th, 2012
“Food Secure Arab World: A Roadmap for Policy and Research”, UN-
ESCWA, Beirut, Lebanon
INTERNATIONAL FOOD POLICY RESEARCH INSTITUTE

2. Motivation & Context
 Translating evidence into policy action – to strengthen and
impact on food security and economic growth in the region
 Large benefits to had from enhancing the spillover of
knowledge and analysis across countries facing similar
policy challenges and opportunities
 Generating regional and international public goods
(knowledge products, capacity strengthening, and
outreach)

3. Motivation & Context #1
“Translating Evidence into Action”
 Links between research and policy tends to be weak –
different capacities, cultures and incentives:
• On supply side - capacity to generate sufficient, relevant and
credible evidence
• On demand side – capacity among policymakers to demand and
use research
 Research, including data collection and analysis tend to
suffer from a shortage of attention and resources.
 Knowledge sharing is often minimal, with different
agencies sometimes carrying out parallel and overlapping
processes of information gathering and analysis.

4. Motivation & Context #2
“Enhancing knowledge spillovers”
 Underlying biophysical, climatic, and socio-economic
characteristics – across borders (similar and diverse)
 Political, economic and social ties - variations
 Some common problems and emerging issues, policy, and
investment options for ensuring food and nutrition security
 Diversities in stages of economic development and
experiences
 Variations in state of poverty and food insecurity (depth,
distribution)
 Research and technical capacities (individuals &
institutions)
 Knowledge base and data systems

5. Motivation & Context #3
“Generating public goods”
 Evidence-based dialogue and knowledge sharing among
researchers, practitioners and policy makers on key policy
challenges - to contribute to improved food security
outcomes
 Regional and global platforms for exchange of knowledge,
data, analysis, tools, and outreach - to encourage greater
development partner coordination
 Collaborative research outputs and sharing lessons of
practice and data (working papers, policy briefs, web-based
tools) - strengthening national and regional capacities

6. Translating evidence into action
“when evidence matters”
 It is less politically contentious (e.g. in the design of
policy instruments), thus playing a marginal role to
politics
 It is accidental or purposefully, so long as there is a
policy window of opportunity
 It supports a specific political viewpoint
 It satisfies a number of criteria – it is relevant, credible
and salient by policy makers

7. Translating evidence into action
“Understanding the policy process
matters a great deal”
 Social aspects... multiple actors and actor networks who
are defined by local political, social (cultural and belief
systems), as well as institutional (bureaucratic structures
and capacities) realities.
 Human behavior... because they are rooted in people,
vested interests, corruption, and external influence can
sometimes play a distinct role
 Politics.. Power relations and ideas are particularly
important – easily superseding any credible evidence.

8. One way of bringing evidence into the
policy process - the boundary network
Local policy process External Influences
for planning, Regional , International (e.g. World
implementation, and Bank, UN/FAO, donors, academic
M&E of ARD & research institutions, NGOs,
strategies (not private sector)
necessarily circular or
linear as illustrated
here) Office of the President;
Knowledge System / Government ministries Strategic
of ARD, Finance, and
Dialogue Development Planning; Analysis
departments, agencies
Links
Network
local farmers &
Local academic &
trader associations,
research institutions,
practitioners,
policy analysts,
private
think tanks,
sector,NGOs,
statisticial bureaus
media, civil society
Capacity Strengthening

9. Examples
 Africa Model (ReSAKSS-Africa) – launched in 2006 and
established to support the Africa Union and NEPAD’s
Comprehensive African Agricultural Development
Programme (CAADP).
 Asia Model (ReSAKSS_Asia) – in its infancy, to be
officially launched this year.

10. ReSAKSS-Africa Support to CAADP
 Informing and supporting country and multi-country supra-
natural strategy development processes – integration with
the CAADP agenda and process
CONTINENT-WIDE LEVEL
Support for Policy
Dialogue and
Mutual Review
Providing analysis, data, interactive
REGIONAL LEVEL IT-based tools, and capacity support
Support for to promote evidence-based policy
Regional Coordination and planning and implementation
Peer Review
associated with the CAADP agenda.
COUNTRY LEVEL
Support for planning,
Implementation, &
Progress Review

11. ReSAKSS-
Africa
Website
Tool
(www.resakss.org)

12. ReSAKSS-Asia Conference

13. ReSAKSS-Asia
Web Portal

14. Reflecting on lessons
 Networking and dialogue with local policy makers, analysts,
and existing networks is essential during the early stages
 Having local champions has had an important impact on the
effectiveness and speed of implementation – especially on
Steering/Advisory Committee
 Stronger ties with local partner institutions and government
bodies (ownership)
 Ability to maintain quality products produced in close
collaboration with local partners and institutions—raises
credibility and relevance
 Multiple donor support and sufficient levels of resources

15. Lessons also raise research questions
 What’s the existing tools and network in the region?
 What drives the interactions in ReSAKSS networks?
 What factors constrain their ability to function well (such as incentives,
institutional affiliations and tensions, transaction costs, competitiveness,
different underlying development paradigms, values, and approaches)?
 Does the type of membership mix in the networks affect the credibility of the
analysis?
 How can the ReSAKSS balance the supply of credible information (which is
limited) with its demand (which is almost endless)?
 How to incorporate knowledge and research evidence in policy process?
 Can those who seek the information most also pay for it? If not, what are the
tradeoffs for accepting external donor involvement and influence?