Challenges and cases in research-policy linkages in the agriculture sector: reflections from the early days of the e-agriculture initiative

Gracian ChimwazaExecutive Directorgracian@itoca.org

ITOCA- Information Training & Outreach Centre for AfricaITOCA

Locating the power of in-between – Pretoria July 2008

Locating the power of in-between – Pretoria July 2008

Research-Policy Linkage

• Research plays a major role in policy-making process (1)

– Can provide communities and policy-makers with useful info to make informed relevant recommendations to solve problems

– Systematic collection and presentation of info– Informs individuals, communities, researchers

• Access to relevant up-to-date information• Manner in which info is gathered and presented is important• Understand & identify key issues that impact the policy

– Alternatives are considered and best recommendations are effectively communicated to the policy-makers

1. “Understanding the Link Between Research and Policy” Rural Communities Impacting Policy Project 2002 By Steven Dukeshire & Jennifer Thurlow

Locating the power of in-between–Pretoria July 2008

Research Plays Important Role

• Research informs policy making – Helps in formulating pragmatic, action oriented

policies: research to action paradigm– Sound policy decisions can be made– Solid foundation of expertise ad knowledge– Caters for differing levels of knowledge depending on

situation and policy

ITOCA –Information Training & Outreach Centre www.itoca.org

Challenges: Weak linkages

• Different types of research can be done depending on the need/intended outcome (2)

– Focused Synthesis; Secondary Analysis; Field Experiments; Qualitative Methods; Surveys; Case Studies; Cost-benefit Analysis

• Major sources of Information– Media; Official statistics; Polls; Think tanks and

Specialized Policy Analysis Units; Traditional knowledge; Academic community

2. “Understanding the Link Between Research and Policy” Rural Communities Impacting Policy Project 2002 By Steven Dukeshire & Jennifer Thurlow

Many Challenges in the Research –Policy linkage

• Recognizing problems and identifying them• Understanding Key issues• Supporting a selected Plan of Action • Monitoring and Evaluating Impact

Locating the power of in-between–Pretoria July 2008

Challenges: Weak linkages

• Inadequate research done– Identify important issues and gain better understanding of the

issues before making any policy recommendations• Poor access to research output, governments docs by rural

poor and communities• Limited discussion and communication with policy-makers• Access to published literature/peer-reviewed literature

prohibitively expensive for many researchers in Africa

Locating the power of in-between–Pretoria July 2008

FREE Access to Published Literature

• April 2000 - WHO meeting - researchers identified as one of their highest priority needs – access to high quality up-to-date research

• Scientific information is essential to development– Economic growth depends on healthy people, food

security, viable environment– Direct access to scientific information empowers

researchers, practitioners & policy makers• Free/Low cost access vital

Locating the power of in-between–Pretoria July 2008

Journal Access Initiatives• TEEAL, www.teeal.org Mann Library, Cornell University• HINARI, www.who.int/hinari WHO/ Yale Library• AGORA, www.aginternetwork.org FAO/Mann Library• OARE, www.oaresciences.org UNEP/Yale Library• PERI, www.inasp.info INASP• eIFL, www.eIFL.net AND Kronos• AJOL, www.ajol.org INASP/NISC• Others

• Hundreds of publishers offering thousands of full-text journals (free/low cost to low income countries)

• Agriculture, health, medicine, environment; social sciences, etc

• Multiple languages; multiple delivery systems

GPM Washington DC 28 July 2008

Objectives of these journal programmes

• Better Research• Updated Curriculum • Research based policy decisions• Connections to international scientific community• Reduced “publishing gap” & improved locally

produced journals• Ultimately – improve Research; policy; food

security; health, environment; MDGs

ITOCA –Information Training & Outreach Centre for Africa www.itoca.org

E-agriculture promoting access & sharing experiences

• Partner initiative led by FAO• Improved information and communication

processes through sharing– Experiences– Best practices– Innovations– Informing policy making

ITOCA –Information Training & Outreach Centre for Africa www.itoca.org

ITOCA-Info Training & Outreach Centre for Africa

• Outreach and Promotion of ICT in Research and education in SSA– 25-30 missions annually

• Training in access and use of e-resources– Information literacy courses– TEEAL, AGORA, HINARI, OARE – 32 train-the-trainer workshops in 28 countries held since Apr 2004– 1200 faculty, policy-makers, researchers, librarians, information

specialists trained– 15,000 trained downstream

Thank You