Information, Communication and Knowledge Management strategies in Africa

Information, Communication (& Knowledge) Management

strategies in Africa

Krishan BheenickSnr Programme Coordinator (Knowledge Management)

I

Master Project 5

6th AASW Side Event:Information and Knowledge for Food SecurityAfrica Agriculture Science Week, July 2013

Lessons learnt from implementing PSTAD project (2007-2013)?

• Diversity of ARD and ICT environments existing in African countries

• Rural population and small holders live far from connectivity

• Innovations occur at local scale (communities)• Knowledge sharing to support innovations needs

to occur at several levels



• Despite progress made in capacity development on the use of ICTs and Innovation platforms among the NARS, a lot remains to be done…

• Technology also changes with time as capacity to use such technologies is strengthened

• Approaches developed and tested have to be adapted locally for best impact…



• Regular opportunities for personal interactions, professional exchanges and capacity building through the PSTAD project have established a strong Community of Practice among the RAILS and DONATA teams, at national, subregional and regional level.

• The CoP can increasingly complement physical meetings through online interactions



• Good practices in Information, Communication and Knowledge management (ICKM) have to be promoted and adopted at all levels, in order to:– enable effectiveness of innovation systems among

collaborating partners– Document and share knowledge about innovations at

local multi-stakeholder level; value chain level, commodity-sector, national and sub-regional levels


CTA’s Strategic Goals 2011-2015

1. Support well informed, inclusive agricultural policy processes and strategies in ACP regions

2. Promote smallholder agricultural value chains3. Strengthen the information, communication

and knowledge management capacities of ACP institutions and networks

(ICT4D; ICKM; M&E; CIARD Movement)6th AASW Side Event:Information and Knowledge for Food SecurityAfrica Agriculture Science Week, July 2013

Strengthening skills methodologies and tools for Knowledge Management

•

Trends in ICT4D at CTA 2007-2013• ICT4D: (web 2.0 technology, social media)– CTA led Web 2.0 Learning Opportunities (f2f group)– Online modules on social media

(IMARK CD individual)– Online course on social media

applications (UNITAR – group learning)

• ICT4D now: – Social media and mobile applications for AR&D– Open Data– National e-agriculture strategies


Trends in ICKM at CTA 2007-2013• ICM: CTA Publications, Info Management– Information needs assessments – country level– CTA led ICM Strategy development manuals (facilitators’

guide and Users’ guide) (f2f group)– Online module Strategic Approach to Agric Information

(IMARK CD individual)

• ICKM (or Knowledge Management) now:– KM integrating ICM, M&E and innovation (KM scans)– KM advocacy materials (KM Tree)– Knowledge Management curriculum (?)


Capacity building in ICKM


Trends in M&E 2007-2013• M&E:– CTA, IICD & KIT SMART Toolkit for M&E of Information

Projects, Products and Services (Publication, 3-day awareness, 5-day training EN & FR (f2f group)

– French version of SMART Toolkit & CD-ROM version

• Organisational Learning, M & E now: – Joint learning for Organisational Development; Outcome &

Impact Indicators– Impact Pathway analysis & Impact Stories– SMART Toolkit as a wiki version for updates


Trends in CIARD Movement-2013• CIARD 2013-– AR4D shifting to be more inclusive; M&E as a strong

component; Content Management CoP; Expanded set of pathways; Advocacy and best practices documentation

• CIARD-CTA medium term contribution?– Integration of ICM strategy development, M&E materials &

KM scans in toolkit for CIARD movement– Use of pathways as a guide for self- assessment, indicator of

institutional development and guide to signposted learning resources


Integrated KM to support Food Security in Africa


ICT4D

ICM & KM

M&E

Organisational Learning

Impact Analysis

Regional

Sub-Regional

National (NARS)

Organisational (Institution; Network; value chain)

Innovation Platform

Commodity-based

Information and Knowledge

Management Platforms

(Physical & virtual interactions; Web-

mediated; professional exchanges; knowledge

capturing, curation, sharing and exchange

Information and Knowledge

Management Platforms

(Physical & virtual interactions; Web-

mediated; professional exchanges; knowledge

capturing, curation, sharing and exchange

The KM tree


The KM tree approach

The KM scanresults

Some areas for collaboration

1. Increased opportunities for personal interaction and improved techniques for technology-based personal interaction, collective reflection and documentation of such reflection

2. Mutual recognition of the roles, responsibilities and dependence of actors along the Value chain, commodity chain, innovation system and knowledge management system


Some areas for collaboration

3. Harmonisation of data exchange formats and usability along the value chain, commodity chain and innnovation system

4. Improved interoperability and harmonisation of information sharing formats, knowledge capture, curation, sharing and exchange

5. Harmonisation of M&E Indicators and measurement along the VC, CC & Innovation system for improved aggregation


CTA 2013 Annual Conference• 4-8 November 2013, Kigali, Rwanda• 400 participants including farmers organisations• Focus on ICT for Agriculture• Broad media coverage• 1 day innovation discovery

(Plug and Play Day)• 3 day conference• 1 day on the field• + Exhibition• + Hackathon• + 3 competitions’ awards

Education

Information, Communication and Knowledge Management strategies in Africa