This document provides an overview of the CTA's approach to knowledge management, including their knowledge ecosystems approach. It discusses definitions of knowledge management and different models for organizing knowledge. The CTA uses a framework for knowledge management intervention that focuses on communication management, information management, ICT strategy, knowledge management, and organizational learning. Their approach emphasizes building strong foundations through assessing culture, structure, competencies and developing a strategy. It also focuses on strengthening enablers like communication and technology infrastructure. Finally, it discusses developing knowledge management processes like research, content curation, sharing, and learning.

1. Krishan Bheenick
Senior Programme Coordinator
Knowledge Management
Overview of CTA’s
approach to Knowledge
Management
including the Knowledge
Ecosystems Approach
GFRAS/AFAAS/MEAS/GIZ
East Africa EAS Policy Dialogue
Kampala Uganda, 16-18 June 2015

2. Your reflections so far today…
Agricultural Innovation Systems – definition, concept
RAS in an AIS – role; functions; linkages; exchanges, KM
AFAAS has prioritised Knowledge Management as a priority
in its strategic direction...
So what is Knowledge
Management?

3. Exercise 1: Speed dating…to find KM?
Speed dating of 5 minutes (one round) (5 min)
Q1. Introduce yourself (Job/ function)
Q2. Which knowledge did you recently share in a network?
Q3. How would you describe knowledge management; and
what would be your definition?
In groups of 6, write the definition of knowledge
management in 10 words or less (5 min)
Share with the others ( 10 min)

4. Exercise 1: Speed dating…to find KM?
Did you share knowledge or information?
Where was the knowledge stored?
Are there several definitions? And perspectives?

5. What is Knowledge Management?
• Proposed definition:
KM is the discipline of enabling individuals, teams and
entire organisations to collectively and systematically
create, harvest, share and apply knowledge, in order to
better achieve their objectives, improve their practices and
learn from what they do.
Knowledge = Fn (Information * Skills, Experience, Attitude)

6. Why KM is important
• Improves the ability of individuals and organisations to
solve problems better, adapt, evolve to meet changing
requirements, and survive disruptive changes
• KM approaches can help communities to generate,
access, share and employ knowledge to get their
collective voices heard
• KM is also ultimately linked to longer-term
development goals which seek to empower
communities in developing and transition countries to
participate effectively in development processes

7. Data, Information, Knowledge
Data
“1855TG313”
Information
“Thai Airways flight
313 leaves
Bangkok at 18:55”
Knowledge
“…That’s not a
good flight; often
busy and
delayed.”

8. Different models to KM:
Data-Information-Knowledge-Wisdom

9. Evolution of Knowledge Management over time
We still
recognise
People
Processes
Technology
Still relevant
but mixed up

10. Cross-cutting themes:
Three strategic goals of CTA
Promote inclusive
agricultural
value chains
Support
well-informed,
inclusive agricultural
policies and strategies
in ACP regions
Strengthen ICTs and
knowledge
management
capacities of ACP
institutions and networks
Youth and
Gender

11. CTA’s KM framework for intervention
Organisational Objectives
Communications Management practices Comms Strategy
Information Management practices IM Strategy
ICT strategy, skills & Information systems ICM Strategy
Knowledge Management practices KM Strategy
Org. Learning
Entry point depends on current situation of the organisation

12. More complex models of
organisational KM (e.g. Weggeman)

13. Knowledge Management
•Consultations on KM
•Integral KM Mapping
approach
•CTA-KM Advisory Group
•KM Scan
•Advocacy materials

14. KM needs of ACP organisations
Linked to organisational objectives
Knowledge Management ...generation, curation, synthesis,
packaging, sharing, use & re-use, learning ...
• KM builds on sound Information and Communication management
and Monitoring & Evaluation to promote Organisational Learning
• Knowledge sharing is more effective when the context of the user is
understood
• A lot of tacit knowledge resides among the staff and community
• Organisations already put into practice KM without calling it so...
Knowledge Management Best Practices and Strategy Development

15. KM demands from partners
Europe
EC looking for KM
support to
delegations
International Organisations
GODAN looking for KM support showing data use with
Farmers Organsations
CGIAR interested in comparing KM scan approaches
Caribbean
IICA applying KM
scan methodology
on Value Chains
Pacific
SPC KM Strategy &
roll out to countries;
Implementing KM
platforms
Eastern Africa
-EAFF -Request for
KM support
-ASARECA KI-Hub &
Think Tank
Farmers Org KM
Southern Africa
-CCARDESA IKM
system
-Southern Af
Beans Research
Network
Org & Net KM
West Africa
SAKSS
KM around data for
policy making in
CAADP
Central Africa
-CORAF KM
Directorate
-CORAF-ReGICA
Networking
KM

16. Learning resources in ICKM (2015)
ICM Strategy
Development
M&E Toolkit
F2F training
PublicationsWeb2.0 & Social
Media training
F2F & Online
Knowledge Management – KM Scan; KM Framework
Short course ‘Intro to KM 4 ARD’ also for Mid-Managers
11 online courses
on Information
and Knowledge
Management
Knowledge
ecosystems
approach

17. CTA’s Ecosystems approach to KM
(The Knowledge Management tree)

18. Exercise 2: How do we assess KM in RAS?
Multiple perspectives of RAS:
(a) Country level RAS organisation e.g. Public sector
Extension Institution
(b) Country level Network – e.g. Country Forum
(c) Regional level Network – e.g. RESCAR-AOC,
AFAAS, RELASER etc.
CHOOSE ONE PERSPECTIVE
(3 groups)

19. Building strong foundations of KM

20. Building strong foundations of KM
culture scan
Implement culture
interventions …
structure scan
project-organization
(Belbin) team roles, governance roles
/ responsibilities… Developing situational
leadership. Optimising
management roles…
competence management
knowledge retention practices
master-apprentice
develop subject matter experts
…
strategy development
vision - mission - ambition
SMART objectives
action planning
…

21. Strengthening the enablers of KM
Internal communication
strategy
Brown bag lunches,
meetings, intranet…
Internal think thank,
idea box, ..…
After action review, evaluations,
peer assist,
…
Webportals, exert system
web 2.0, databases
ERP / DMS and other software…

22. Developing the KM processes

23. Developing the KM processes
research, desk studies,
pilots, hiring of external
experts, ...
Develop your KM tree,
knowledge matrix,
mapping exercises,...
strategy development, scenario
planning, M&E of external
services,...
data and
content
curation...
stewardship, subject
matter specialists,
databases, ...
Master apprentice, retention
schemes, exit interviews...
web portals, Brown Bag sessions, master-
apprentice, CoP, learning communities,
web 2.0, internal training and coaching,
KS ...
Training, capacity development,
Media campaigns, back-stopping
Web platform development,
content management, ...
Good/Best practices, lessons
learned, Capitalization,
balance sheets, audits,...

24. KM operates within a
given environment
Analysis of competition, economical
context, natural factors, political
factors…
consultations, partner
organizations, donors,
clients…
External expert
input, facilitation,
Create value and
share knowledge
training, capacity building,
publication of resources, web
portals...
country
assessments,
evaluation of
trainingtraining and follow
up, network support,
webinars...

25. The KM scan results
at individual level Already used by:
NEPAD CAADP programme
CANROP
AFAAS Project
SPC
In the pipeline?
FARA
CGIAR Beans Research Network
in Africa (PABRA)
RUFORUM
EAFF
ASARECA
Applies at
Organisation;
Network &
Individual (self assessment)
http://km4ard.cta.int/kmscan

26. Feedback session- what are we learning?
• Knowledge Ecosystems approach as a framework
for systematic analysis, making sense and
prioritising?
• Reducing complexity following analysis to define
action (AFAAS experience with CIKM Strategy)
• Do you always need to start with a KM strategy?
• Would you recommend the approach and
associated methods and tools.

27. Gallery walk of the KM trees
• A walk in the forest of trees constituting the
Knowledge Ecosystem of RAS at different levels?
• 5 minutes explanation by each group
• Optional: Pitch to a decision maker (2 minutes)
– What's your point about KM?
– What's in it for me?
– What do you want me to do?
• Try out the individual KM scan at km4ard.cta.int/kmscan

28. Organize
Reflect
Facilitation
Act
Share
Face 2 Face
Plan & Adopt
Scaling Up
Mapping
Laboratory
Innovate
Toolkit to put KM into practice
Virtual
Reference
ICM Strategy
Devt Manual
KS & SMART
Toolkits
Analyse

29. Integrated KM serving development
Regional
Sub-Regional
National (NARS)
Organisational
(Institution; Network;
value chain)
Innovation Platforms
Commodity-based
Information and
Knowledge
Management
Platforms
(Web-mediated;
Physical & virtual
interactions;
professional
exchanges;
knowledge
capturing,
curation, sharing
and exchange;
learning resources The KM tree approach
ICT4D
KM
M&E
Organisational
Learning
Impact
Analysis
Experience
Capitalization
Global

30. P
E
R
F
E
C
T
T
E
A
M
Policy makers
Entrepreneurs
Researchers
Farmers
Extension & AS
Comms
Technologists
Transforming
livelihoods
Enabling
environment
Agro-business
approach
Multi-stakeholder
processes
Challenges
& Issues
Food & Nutrition
Security Policies
Resilience
Value Chains
Development
Sustainable NRM
I
n
n
o
v
a
t
i
o
n
f
o
r
What does it take to implement your ICKM system?

31. Learning Resources on KM
Information Management Resource Kit (IMARK)
www.imarkgroup.org
E-learning resources on Food and Nutrition Security
http://www.fao.org/elearning
KM4ARD Blog of CTA
http://km4ard.cta.int
http://km4ard.cta.int/kmscan
Short courses developed by CTA (released under Creative Commons Licence):
•Introduction to KM for Agricultural & Rural Development (4 days) – for
practitioners (https://youtu.be/UUWg1Wr3u18 )
•KM for Senior Management of ARD institutions (2 days) – for mid/senior
management (https://youtu.be/sbaIRD_acw0 )
•KM awareness session (2 hours) – for policy makers

32. Do we really need a KM strategy?
Not if just a document on a shelf
Process is what is important
Assess needs, engage people,
obtain funds
Alternative:
◦ Needs assessment and consultations
◦ “Just Do It”: integrate in work plan,
project or program

33. Linking KM to institutional goals
• Use most recent organisational strategy or
strategic planning
• Use organisational objectives or goals
• Look for those that can be supported by creating,
sharing and applying knowledge
• Align the KM objectives to the strategic
objectives

34. Focusing your KM interventions
KM is broad, where will you focus your
energy, resources, etc. ?
What will bring maximum impact? for e.g:
◦ Internal vs external focus
◦ Collect vs connect focus
Identify the key knowledge needs within
the organisation and provide a plan for
addressing these

35. Structure of a KM strategy document
• KM definition
• Vision statement
• Strategic objectives
• Activities or initiatives associated
with each objectives
• Annex: Implementation plan
• Annex: M&E plan