1. Role of Non-State Actors in Agricultural
Strategic Analysis & Knowledge Support
Systems (SAKSS) in Nigeria
By
Manson Nwafor
Policy Analyst, ReSAKSS WA, IITA-Ibadan

2. Outline
• Introduction: Some basic targets and principles
of CAADP
• What is SAKSS and Why Is It Needed?
• The Mutual Accountability Framework (MAF)
• SAKSS Implementation in Africa
• A Possible SAKSS Organogram at the Country
Level
• SAKSS in Nigeria
• The Role of Non State Actors in the SAKSS and
MAF
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3. Introduction: Some Basic Targets
and Principles of CAADP
• CAADP is a strategic framework by which to guide country development efforts
and partnerships in the agricultural sector: Agric-led and pro-poor growth; 6%
growth; 10% Allocation.
• Basic Requirements:
• Greater efficiency and consistency in the planning and implementation
of sector policies and programmes
• Adequate level of these expenditures to sustain an annual sector
growth rate of 6 percent,
• Increased effectiveness in translating government expenditures into
public goods and services, and
• Expertise and mechanisms to regularly and transparently measure
performance against targets and keep policies and programmes on
track. This will inform continental, regional and national review and
dialogue processes aimed at improving outcomes.
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4. What is SAKSS and Why Is It Needed: A
Possible SAKSS Structure
Analysis aimed at guiding public
Strategic and private policy/decision
Analysis makers in planning,
implementation and review of
programs/projects/policies
Knowledge (Data, Knowledge (Data,
Information ..) SAKSS Information ..)
Users Providers
Knowledge Small Group of users + providers
Support
Large Group of users + providers Systems/ Group of program monitors
Networks of Group of researchers
people
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5. What is SAKSS and Why Is It Needed?
• SAKSS stands for Strategic Analysis and Knowledge Support System. It is basically a
system that ensures that producers of knowledge are producing what private and public
sector decision makers need to plan, review progress and make timely decisions.
• The review and dialogue processes under the CAADP agenda operate at three different
levels: Continental (Africa wide), regional (ECOWAS) and national levels.
• Countries across ECOWAS and Africa review agriculture and livelihood indicators with
respect to National targets set and achieved as well as the performance of other countries.
• The review and dialogue processes described above add real value to current and future
development outcomes to the extent that they are well informed and are
supported through accurate and intelligent data derived from rigorous analysis.
• This involves strategic analysis in order to identify the requirements for meeting the goals
of the country and CAADP. It also involves assessing the adequacy of government
programs and policies for the achievement of these goals.
• This requires human capacities, technical infrastructure, analytical tools, and
communications instruments to gather the relevant data and information and analyze it to
generate credible, high-quality knowledge products, which can be stored and accessed as
needed to inform and guide the debate associated with the review and dialogue processes.
The above capacities, tools, and instruments are needed both at the regional and country
level and can be provided by a SAKSS.
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6. What is SAKSS?
• Based on SAKSS Guide Book by Johnson and
Flaghety (2010):
• SAKSS is defined as a collaborative network
that acts as a mechanism by which relevant and
timely evidence is generated and utilized to
inform agricultural and rural development
strategy formulation and implementation.
SAKSS brings together two important concepts –
strategic analysis and knowledge support
systems.
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7. What is SAKSS?
• Strategic analysis is an integrated framework of analysis that helps
identify policy and investment options for achieving high-end
development goals. This type of analysis can guide a credible action
plan of policy and investment priorities for the sectors that
contribute to the achievement of desirable development outcomes
(e.g. growth and poverty reduction).
• Such prioritization implies finding answers to a range of strategic
questions such as: What is the role of agriculture in promoting
overall economic growth and poverty reduction in the different
stages of development given a country’s natural resource
endowments? How should public resources be mobilized and
allocated among different sectors, sub-sectors, and regions?
• Answers to these questions can help arm policymakers with useful
evidence on the kinds of tradeoffs and outcomes associated with
their policy and investment choices.
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8. What is SAKSS?
• The strategic analysis is carried out within the context of a knowledge
support system which provides a dynamic network platform for serving the
evidence needs of strategy formulation and implementation.
• This network includes individuals such as farmers, researchers,
policymakers, and development practitioners and institutions such as
government agencies, research institutes, development organizations, and
private and civil society groups.
• Through this network platform, information, data analysis, and knowledge
can be compiled, synthesized and packaged into evidence that is supplied
on a timely and reliable basis to be of use during strategy processes.
• Typical activities of a SAKSS would include: Strategic analysis (informed by
comprehensive M&E reports); capacity building and knowledge
management (including public policy dialogues).
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9. Review and Dialogue Through The
Mutual Accountability Framework
• Mutual accountability is a process by which partners hold one another
accountable for the commitments they voluntarily make to one
another. It is largely targeted at providing incentives for collective
responsibility of partners to achieve shared goals (NEPAD NPCA 2011)
• 3 core activities in the mutual accountability framework are (a) M&E
systems (b) Review and dialogue platforms ( c ) recognition platforms
(NEPAD NPCA 2011)
• ReSAKSS and SAKSS play more role in providing the Monitoring system
which will indicate the annual progress being made in the sector and in the
reduction of poverty.
• Based on the results of the monitoring, review and dialogue is expected to
take place to further understand how the present status was arrived at and
what can be done to improve upon it.
• The recognition platforms are political fora where governments that have
performed well are recognized and encouraged as pacesetters. This is to
motivate others to spur growth in the agriculture sector and reduce
poverty.
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10. SAKSS Implementation in Africa
• ReSAKSS is the Regional Strategic Analysis and Knowledge Support
system (Regional SAKSS)
• It was established in 2005 to support the implementation of CAADP.
• Specifically it was established in order to meet the need for timely and
policy relevant analysis to inform and guide CAADP planning,
benchmarking and implementation processes.
• It is coordinated by the International Food Policy Research Institute and
implemented in 3 Africa based CGIAR centers: IITA for West Africa
(ReSAKSS WA), ILRI for East and Central Africa (ReSAKSS ECA) and
IWMI for Southern Africa (ReSAKSS SA).
• ReSAKSS is guided by a steering committee chaired by the african
Union and NEPAD at the continental level and the regional economic
communities at the regional level.
• In the pre-roundtable stage, ReSAKSS WA facilitated the analytical
processes leading up to the signing of the compacts and subsequently
supported the NAIP review process.
• Presently we are tasked with facilitating the establishment of Country-
SAKSS and promoting monitoring and evaluation of CAADP at the
continental and regional level.
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11. SAKSS Implementation in Africa:
ReSAKSS - Organization
IWMI + SADC
ReSAKSS-SA
IITA +
ECOWAS COMESA
+ ILRI
AU-NEPAD
IFPRI
ReSAKSS-ECA
ReSAKSS-WA
ReSAKSS
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12. A Possible SAKSS Organogram at the
Country Level (Nwafor and Yade)
Ministerial CAADP Steering Committee
CAADP Policy Dialogue Group
(Stakeholders’ Group from across the country )
CAADP Country Team
Coordinated by the Permanent Secretary
Country-SAKSS Unit
SAKSS Steering Committee
Program Coordination and
Implementation Team (PCIT) Coordinator
M&E ICT
Economist
Expert Expert
GOOD PLATFORM FOR
REVIEW, DIALOGUE AND
MUTUAL ACCOUNTABILITY
SAKSS Network of collaborators BASED ON SAKSS
(Farmers, CSOs, National OUTPUTS
Thematic working groups
Statistical
(NAIP based)
Bureau; National Ag and
socio-economic
research System, NGOs etc)
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13. SAKSS in Nigeria
• Organizations in Nigeria which currently have SAKSS like
structures and activities include
– The Agriculture Policy Research Network (APRNet) - public-
private and nationally spread executive committee and
membership; objectives in the area of SAKSS
– The agriculture research council of Nigeria – has departments on
knowledge management and policy analysis.
– Nigeria Institute for Social and Economic Research- strong
research capacities.
– The Nigeria Economic Summit Group – strong public sector
linkages and good track record for public-private dialogue
– The FMARD value chain groups of the agricultural
transformation agenda – bring together stakeholders on the
relevant commodities
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14. SAKSS in Nigeria
• Further work is needed to better coordinate strategic analysis and
knowledge support systems in the country.
– Currently no annual report on the agriculture sector in the
country
– Internet access to agricultural data is difficult thus necessitating
visits to Abuja amongst other difficulties. The result is that very
large volumes of useful agriculture data are unused by
stakeholders
– No website to access and follow up on the government’s
planning process and results thus making the process less
transparent than desirable. This also makes tracking progress
more difficult
– Government’s research needs are also difficult to ascertain as it
is unclear what the communication channels are.
– Overall, there is no central body/knowledge support system that
serves to ensure that applied (policy) research is meeting the
needs of agriculture sector stakeholders. A SAKSS, and in
particular a SAKSS steering committee, is needed for this
purpose.
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15. The Role of Non State Actors in the
SAKSS and MAF
• Participate actively in the M&E system by being
active members of the SAKSS Steering
committee and the working groups which will
provide analytical support for the
implementation of the National Agriculture
Investment Plan. This is critical for redesigning
programs/projects which are not working.
• Where there is no clear SAKSS, form alliances
with research organizations for the purpose of
creating it.
– A website is of special importance after it is
created.
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16. The Role of Non State Actors in the
SAKSS and MAF
• Use the annual report on the agriculture sector and other reports
produced (e.g. program level M&E) to monitor performance –
visit relevant offices and websites etc:
– For more updates on agriculture indicators, SAKSS, CAADP
Implementation and M&E please visit www.resakss.org.
– Other useful sources of data and information on agriculture
include
• The national bureau of statistics (www.nigerianstat.gov.ng)
• The central bank of Nigeria (www.cenbank.org)
• The agriculture research council of Nigeria (www.arcnigeria.org)
• The national program on agriculture and food security
• Etc
• Where there is no annual report, form alliances with research
organizations in order to produce one in partnership with the
government.
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17. The Role of Non State Actors in the
SAKSS and MAF
• Design field monitoring systems through which farmers
can monitor national and sub-national agriculture
expenditure and project execution. Reports from this
type of activity can feed into the Country-SAKSS and
provide up to date grass roots data on the extent of
project implementation in the sector. This can be done
in partnership with research organizations
• Organize an agriculture policy dialogue group which will
meet biannually/annually to review and dialogue about
the status of the agriculture sector and livelihoods based
on the annual report, other output from the SAKSS,
program implementation reports etc. This is critical for
redesigning programs/projects which are not working.
This policy dialogue should create an avenue where
farmers can discuss directly with high level government
officials.
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18. The Role of Non State Actors in the
SAKSS and MAF
• Use the output of the SAKSS for advocacy and
policy reform.
– Legislative meetings (lobbying)
– Policy briefs/Memos to the government
– Policy dialogues/stakeholder forums including annual agriculture
sector review
– Organize recognition/awards for pacesetters in the agriculture
sector
• This entails an alliance and division of labour between Farmers,
CSOs etc and researchers which is to be achieved through the
SAKSS Steering Committee
1. CSOs etc state their knowledge needs to researchers through the
committee
2. the researchers take the lead and produce the knowledge resources
3. CSOs etc take up the results for advocacy purposes as shown above
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19. Possible SAKSS Steering Committee Composition
• Public Knowledge Users - Policy makers
(Legislative committees on agriculture;
FMARD, National Planning Commission etc);
• Private Knowledge Users – NGOs
(Farmer organizations across the country,
Banking sector (for agric funding),
Development partners, etc)
• Knowledge Providers - Research and
Data Leaders (ARCN, CBN, Universities,
IITA, IFPRI, Think tanks, NISER, NBS etc)
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20. Possible Structure of a Nigeria-SAKSS
Membership Members Importance Functions
group
Steering Public Knowledge Users - Policy To ensure that both the demand and 1. Approve the work plan and
Committee makers (Legislative committees on supply of knowledge for evidence budget of the SAKSS.
agriculture; FMARD, National Planning based policy making is increased in a 2. Ensure that the activities of
Commission etc); practical and efficient way. the SAKSS are relevant to the
Private Knowledge Users – NGOs country
(Farmer organizations across the country, This involves providing the data, 3. Mobilize funding for the SAKSS
Banking sector (for agric funding), analysis, laws, financial accounting 4. Maintain high level awareness
Development partners, etc) regulations (for reporting agriculture and political support for the
Knowledge Providers - Research and expenditure) and finance needed for SAKSS
Data Leaders (ARCN, CBN, Universities, private and public policy making
IITA, IFPRI, Think tanks, NISER, NBS based on evidence
etc)
SAKSS SAKSS Coordinator, Knowledge Will provide the personnel needed for To coordinate strategic analysis,
secretariat in managers, administrative secretary, carrying out the functions of the knowledge management, capacity
FMARD thematic working group coordinators SAKSS building and policy dialogue. They will
also lead the activities of the thematic
group.
Thematic Networks of about 40 - 60 staff from the To carry out research into strategic
working members of the steering committee and issues in the work plan. These research
groups related organizations: government MDAs, projects will all emanate from research
(Research civil society, farmers, development gaps observed in relation to the NAIP’s
networks) partners, research and data leaders. programs.
Stakeholders A wider group of MDAs, civil society, To ensure that knowledge To provide feedback on the design and
farmers, development partners, research management (including M&E) impacts of the NAIP. This will provide
and data leaders. involves consultations with a large insight on any areas where there are
number of stakeholders in the knowledge and capacity gaps. They will
country. This will ensure continuous also provide feedback on analysis
policy dialogue and review processes. carried out. Interaction with
stakeholders will provide an avenue for
informing them about available
information options for private and
public policy makers.
Facilitators ReSAKSS WA ( ECOWAS) To ensure that links are maintained Provide the SAKSS with guidelines
with the rest of the sub-region. This adopted at the regional level. Also, to
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will support the shared operational arrange interactions with other Page 20
national
framework of CAADP and international organizations.

21. Thank You For Your Kind Attention
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