Research into Use through Civil Society: Lessons from the Challenge Program on Water and Food

Andes • Ganges • Limpopo • Mekong • Nile • Volta

Research into Use through Civil Society

Lessons from the Challenge Program on Water and Food

Amy Sullivan, Limpopo Basin LeaderMINAM, Lima Peru

3 June, 2013


Outline:

• Limpopo Basin

• FANRPAN as a host for the LBDC

• Getting research into use and policy

• Lessons learned



FANRPAN:

Food, Agriculture, and Natural Resources Policy Analysis Network

• Formed in response to call by African Ministers of Agriculture (1997) for an independent source of evidence to feed into policy processes;

• Civil Society Organization

• Membership of Farmers’ Representatives; Government; Research; CSOs; & Private Sector

• Approach to getting research evidence into policy processes rests on three keys: PARTNERSHIPS; POLICY ANALYSIS (research) & POLICY ADVOCACY.


Partnerships• Members; Mandates• Convening Power; Communication

Policy Analysis (research)• Analysis of intervention points• Recommendation of leverage points

Policy Advocacy• Engagement platforms (CoPs, Dialogues, etc)• Prepare advocates to convey messages

• Journalist training• Theatre for policy advocacy• Publications, dvds, etc


Limpopo Basin Development Challenge (LBDC)

How can we improve productivity and livelihoods and reduce risk in rain fed systems?


www.fanrpan.org/projects/lbdc


Partners

International Centers: ICRISAT (L3 lead); SEI (L1 lead); IWMI

NARES: Agricultural Research Council-SA (L2 lead);

Government: Provincial Dept of Agriculture; Ministries of Ag;

Universities: from all 4 basin countries;

Private Sector: Progress Milling

CSO and Networks: FANRPAN; GWP-SA; WaterNet


River Basin Organizations, Catchment Councils

Regional Economic Communities

Traditional Authorities

Community groups, Water Users’ Associations

Collaborators


The Projects Project Research Questions Outputs/milestones L1 Targeting &

scaling out

SEI

Which known agriculture water management interventions will work best under which conditions in the Limpopo Basin?

DSS diagnosing successes for replication (for upscaling and outscaling)

L2 Small scale infrastructure ARC-SA

How can SWIs sustainably support smallholder farmers?

Guidelines incorporating lessons learnt on how to develop sustainable infrastructure

L3 Farm systems & risk management ICRISAT

How can improved market linkages lead to sustainable small holder livelihoods and reduced risk?

Innovation platforms – linking smallholder farmers to markets Methodologies on linking fodder & livestock systems

L4 Water &Land Governance WaterNet

Which kinds of institutional arrangements facilitate the most appropriate land & water

Institutional configurations for pro poor access and control of natural resources


Where will the evidence go?

Farmers and extension officers: rain water harvesting techniques, water governance guidelines, improved fodder options and seeds, functionalinnovation platforms and facilitators

Catchment Councils: database of existing small reservoirs with capacity,map of known small water infrastructures with status

Provincial departments of agriculture: training manuals, data bases, maps, prioritized investment options

National governments & Regional organizations: databases, research reports, investment priorities, targeted policy recommendations


Thank you

Education

Research into Use through Civil Society: Lessons from the Challenge Program on Water and Food