IWMI Africa Uptake Strategy

12th March 2014

Thor Windham-Wright

Research Uptake and Communications Coordinator - Africa

IWMI Africa Uptake Strategy

Definition

Why? How?

Key elements

Implementation

Tools

Definition of research uptake

“The effective utilization of research-based evidence by decision makers to improve

development practice and policy, and donor investments, leading to positive development

outcomes.”

‘Uptake’ is what a decision-maker or other key stakeholder is doing when they modify their attitude, develop knowledge or skills through the research process and based on the outputs of research.

Putting people first..

Why an uptake strategy?

To:

have a clear, targeted impact

demonstration the value, relevance and practical

utility of our research and its outputs

achieve greater success in research-for-development

Foster an uptake culture within IWMI

Strive to strengthen our knowledge of research

user’s needs

Strategically engage and collaborate

Balance uptake for ongoing/new projects vs

completed projects

Package, communicate and disseminate research

outputs

Monitor and evaluate

CGIAR System Level Outcomes and Intermediate Development Outcomes

Four strategic CGIAR System Level Outcomes (SLOs):

Reduced rural poverty

Improved food security

Improved nutrition and health

Sustainably managed natural resources

CGIAR System Level Outcomes and Intermediate Development Outcomes

“Intermediate development outcomes (IDOs) - represent changes that occur in the medium term that are intended to affect positively the welfare of the targeted population or environment, and which result, in part, from research”*

* Independent Science and Partnership Council (ISPC)

CGIAR System Level Outcomes and Intermediate Development Outcomes

Theories of Change

Outputs - outcomes - impact

Impact Pathways

target

Target Audiences

Key question:

Who are the most influential people whose actions are most likely to bring about the change we seek in the most effective away, impacting the greatest number of potential beneficiaries?

Implementation of this Strategy

Continually raising awareness within IWMI

Project level

Specific uptake

projects (IMAWESA)

National, Regional and pan-

African level

Implementation of this Strategy Project level

Implementation of this Strategy national, regional and pan-African

Two interrelated paths:

Development of Key Issue knowledge products

Targeted stakeholder engagement

Policy focused Research based

New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD) /

Comprehensive Africa Agricultural Development

Programme (CAADP)

Forum for Agricultural Research in Africa (FARA)

African Ministers Council on Water (AMCOW) Association for Strengthening Agricultural Research in

Eastern and Central Africa (ASARECA)

East African Community (EAC) Centre for Agricultural Research and Development for

Southern Africa (CCARDESA)

Economic Community of West African States

(ECOWAS)

West & Central African Council for Agricultural

Research and Development (CORAF/WECARD)

Southern African Development Community (SADC) –

Food, Agriculture and Natural Resources Directorate

(FANR)

Governments of Ghana, Ethiopia and South Africa

Irrigation Revitalization

Tools for planning and fostering uptake

Limitations of Research Uptake

Impacting

end users /

beneficiaries

Engaging

research

users

Research

Activity

Thank you