Poster prepared by Iddo Dror for the 7th Multi-Stakeholder Partnership Meeting of the Global Agenda for Sustainable Livestock, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, 8–12 May 2017

1. Capacity development (CapDev) is
increasingly acknowledged as a crucial
part of agricultural development. In the
CGIAR Strategic Results Framework(SRF),
CapDev is included as a ‘cross-cutting issue’
and as a strategic enabler of Research for
Development (R4D) impact for CGIAR and
its partners. It goes far beyond the transfer
of knowledge and skills through training,
and cuts across multiple levels.
Recognizing the importance of CapDev,
the SRF established a dedicated Intermediate
Development Outcome (IDO) on CapDev,
targeting the enablement of national partners
and other beneficiaries.
A Seriesof Briefs
about Developing
Capacity Across
Individual,Community,
Organizational and
System Levels
Capacity
Development in
Agri-Food Systems
Capacity Development in Systems - Practice Brief # 1
PhotoCreditbyVivianAtakos(CCAFS) Rationale
In recent years, capacity development
(CapDev) in agricultural research for
development (AR4D) has seen a mix
of traditional approaches along with
experimentation and innovation that has
been recognized as good practice. However,
taking a ‘business-as-usual’ approach still
seems to prevail when it comes to CapDev,
with MSc/PhD training and ‘one-off’
workshops continuing to dominate activities
and investments.
Cross-cutting CapDev piloted in the CGIAR
Research Program (CRP) on Integrated
Systems for the Humid Tropics (Humidtropics)
included elements such as blended
Leveraging
AlternativeLearning
Approachesand
Technologies to
Enhance R4D
Outcomes
Can Our Research
Benefit From ‘Tech,
Fun and Games’?
Capacity Development in Systems - Practice Brief # 2
PhotobyVedChirayath(Samasource)
Rationale
Most recent agricultural research for
development (AR4D) programs, including the
second phase of CGIAR’s Research Programs
(CRP), have a strong focus on addressing
the drivers of poverty and malnutrition by
tailoring interventions using an integrated
systems approach. This approach also
addresses existing social and gendered norms
that may affect the ability of the poor to
access and benefit from research resources
and outcomes. Using an integrated systems
approach has strong implications for the
required capacities of researchers, who are
experts in their own technical areas but may
need help to integrate systems approaches in
their work (i.e. gender and youth analysis
Guided Action
Learning on
Agricultural Innovation
Systems, Integrating
Gender andYouth and
Nutrition inAR4D
Coaching
Capacity Development in Systems - Practice Brief # 3
photo:©WorldFish
Rationale
Agri-food systems are complex and so are
the problems that keep them from functioning
optimally. Problems have different dimensions
(e.g. biophysical, technological, institution-
al) that are embedded across multiple levels
(e.g. farm, community, regional, national).
Further-more, multiple stakeholder groups are
affected by the problem and involved in
exploring solutions. In such a complex web of
dimensions, levels and stakeholders, it is essen-
tial to identify entry points for innovation that
have a high potential return on investments in
terms of achieving development impact, and
are supported by different stakeholder groups.
RAAIS (Rapid Appraisal of Agricultural Innova-
tion Systems) is a tool that can do this.
Integrated
Analysis of Complex
Agricultural Problems
and Identification
of Entry Points
for Innovation in
Agri-Food Systems
Community Level
Entry Points
Capacity Development in Systems - Practice Brief # 4
PhotobyMarcSchut
Rationale
Everybody agrees that science alone cannot
solve the complex agricultural problems that
the world is facing and that multi-stakeholder
processes (MSP) are needed to explore
pathways to overcome these problems. The
Learning System for Agricultural Research for
Development (LESARD) provides integrated
quantitative and qualitative data on MSP
performances through an effective, accessible
and affordable data management system.
It contributes directly to monitoring and
learning in order to improve the effectiveness
and functioning of MSPs for achieving
development impact.
Measuring the
Effectiveness of
Multi-Stakeholder
Processes and
Partnerships for
Innovationand
Scaling
Effective
Multi-Stakeholder
Processes
Capacity Development in Systems - Practice Brief # 5
Photo:GeorginaSmithCIAT
Rationale
contacts with the partners provide sufficient
context for framing and designing the work.
However, there is a real risk that project design
may be suboptimal, especially where CapDev
investments are concerned, unless the project
has clear and reliable information on basic
questions such as: Whose capacities?
Effective Targeting
of Interventi
Based on Capa
Needs Assessme
and Intervention
Strategies
Capacity Needs
Assessments
Capacity Development in Systems - Practice Brief # 6
PhotobyOllivierGirard(CIFOR)
Rationale
learning materials and approaches”, which
most CRP have prioritized. This includes:
content development, adult learning theory
and instructional design, and harnessing
technology for CapDev initiatives. However,
it is still rare to find rigorous evaluations –
both of effectiveness as well as return on
investment – of investments in CapDev.
Effectiveness
Capacity
Development
Effectiveness
Capacity Development in Systems - Practice Brief # 7
Photocredit:IFPRIFarhaKhan
Rationale
CGIAR Strategy and Results
)2016-2030, siteintegration
entities to“coordinate with
sure that, in keygeographies,
re aligned formaximum
ers a valuable entry point
ordinated, alignedand
pacitydevelopment
(CapDev) activities at country-level as a key
delivery mechanism towardsimpact.
Leveraging Building andThe starting point of any capacity Capacity Development (CapDev) inthe first According to the
ons development (CapDev) planning process Instructional Design round of CGIAR Research Programs (CRPs) Sustaining Capacity Framework(SRF
should be an assessment of existing capacities, saw a mix of traditional approaches along aims for CGIAR
city and a comparison with the capacities needed and Experimental with experimentation and innovation that in National Systems each other to en
to carry out the intended activities along a has been recognized as good practice. The (their) activitiesa
nts project’s impact pathway. Currently, CGIAR Research Design CGIAR CapDev Framework takesa broad,
Through Coordinated, impact.” Thisoff
Research Programs (CRP) rarely carryout such holistic approach, with nine defined elements, for achieving co
assessments, and instead assumethat previous including “Design and deliveryof innovative collaborativeca
to Increase the Aligned and
Collaborative CapDev
of CapDev Interventions
Site Integration
and Capacity
Development
Capacity Development in Systems - Practice Brief # 8
Photocredit:ILRI/CammilleHanotte
BRIEF# LEVEL TITLE OFBRIEF
1 Overview
Capacity Development in Agri-Food Systems: A Series of Briefs about Developing
Capacity Across Individual, Community, Organizational and System Levels
2 Individual
Can Our Research Benefit From ‘Tech, Fun and Games’?: Leveraging Alternative
Learning Approaches and Technologies to Enhance R4D Outcomes
3 Individual
Coaching: Guided Action Learning on Agricultural Innovation Systems,
Integrating Gender and Youth and Nutrition in AR4D
4 Community
Community Level Entry Points: Integrated Analysis of Complex Agricultural
Problems and Identification of Entry Points for Innovation in Agri-Food Systems
5 Community
Effective Multi-Stakeholder Processes: Measuring the Effectiveness of
Multi-Stakeholder Processes and Partnerships for Innovation and Scaling
6 Organizational
Capacity Needs Assessments: Effective Targeting of Interventions Based
on Capacity Needs Assessments and Intervention Strategies
7 Organizational
Capacity Development Effectiveness: Leveraging Instructional Design and
Experimental Research Design to Increase the Effectiveness of CapDev
8 System
Site Integration and Capacity Development: Building and Sustaining Capacity in
National Systems Through Coordinated, Aligned and Collaborative CapDev Interventions
Capacity Development in Systems - Practice Briefs
Aseriesof briefsfor
CGIARResearch Programs andpartners
This document is licensed for use under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0. November 2016
We thank all donors and organizations which globally support its work through their contributions to the CGIAR system