Knowledge management, communication and e-extension in the LIVES project

Fanos Mekonnen, Knowledge Management and Communications Expert

LIVES Commodity Value Chain Development Inception Workshop Addis Ababa, 21–24 January 2013

Knowledge

• Is information and data• Could be explicit or tacit• Could be individual or

collective/ organizational• May come in different

formats

Knowledge Management

The right knowledgeIn the right placeAt the right time

Two types of Knowledge Management• Personal knowledge management• Organizational knowledge management

The Five Focus areas of LIVES

1. Commodity value chain development2. Capacity Development3. Knowledge Management and Learning4. Monitoring and Documentation 5. Promotion and Scaling out

People

Processes

Technology (ICT)

3 Major components in KM

Strategic approach to KM in LIVES

1. What knowledge to capture, store & share

2. With whom to share

3. How to share

4. When and where to share

5. How to measure impact of Knowledge sharing

Planned KM and Comms in LIVES

1. Agricultural Knowledge centers2. Online platforms 3. Offline platforms 4. E- extension use of ICTs (E-readers, videos,

Cellphone,….) 5. Training, coaching, skills development

1. Agricultural Knowledge Centers (AKC)

A one stop shop!!!

A one stop shop!!!

1. Agricultural Knowledge Centers (AKC)

Experience from IPMS on AKC

Alaba Alamata Bure Goma0

20

40

60

80

Useful Average Not useful

Usefulness of Agricultural information in AKC

2. Online Platform

www.lives-ethiopia.org

Mahider

3. Offline platforms

Study tours& Technology Exhibition

Field Days Seminars &

Workshops Conferences

Farmer training centers

4. E-extension

The use of information and communication technologies (ICT) for sustainable agriculture and rural development

E-extension

Participatory Agricultural Radios Series

Source: Farm Radio International

E-extension

Market information/ production management

Source: ILRI/ Azage Tegegne

E-extension

E-reader (electronic – reader)

Source: Amazon

Capacity to store 3000 books

E-extension

Source ILRI/Beth Cullen, Nilebdc

Participatory Video Making for engaging farmers in documenting their knowledge

4. Training, Coaching, skill development

Improved capacity to value chain actors (producers, suppliers, service providers )– Training farmers, Das, input suppliers,

processors…..– guidelines on production technology,

market assessment, extension service provision,

Public extension and advisory staff capacity at LIVES district

216

784

Oromia district staff

463

974

Amhara district staff

78

750

SNNP district staff

332

574

Tigray district staff

1089

3082

Total district staff

BSc & Above Below BSc

Training, coaching, skills development

• BSc/ MSc studies• On job training

for practical skills development

At the end of the LIVES project….

1. Strengthened knowledge sharing and learning processes

• knowledge and information is packed in different formats that are appropriate to the needs and interest of its stakeholders, and thus have greater utility

• Enhanced staff capacity on knowledge sharing and learning

At the end of the LIVES project….

2. Increased impact of the project’s intervention, research and capacity development activities

Greater engagement, linkage and collaboration of partners.

Facilitate evidence based decision making on Livestock and irrigated value chains development

At the end of the LIVES project….

Source: www.genardis.apcwomen.org

3. KM and communication approaches, methods and tools are tested, proved and taken up to be institutionalized

www.lives-ethiopia.org