Transcript What Does African Need to Harness Science and Technology

Informal stakeholder consultation
Improving the quality and effectiveness of
development cooperation with African agricultural
knowledge organisations
EC, Brussels, 20-22 March 2012
Forum for Agricultural Research in Africa
FARA’s evolution as a weaver of
knowledge networks
Prof. Monty P. Jones
Executive Director, FARA
Presentation Outline
1. Background
2. FARA’s experience (one case particularly relevant
for learning)
3. What worked well and less well and why
4. Funding (2008-2011); sources, level and
mechanisms
5. Outlook for the future: challenges and
opportunities
Background
• Growth of African economies is hugely dependent on
performance of agriculture
Agriculture, Value Added (Annual Growth %)
GDP Annual Growth Rate (%)
12
10
8
6
4
2
0
-2 1971
1975
1979
1983
1987
1991
1995
1999
2003
2007
-4
• Productivity growth is a key driver for agric. performance
& poverty reduction—accounts for ½ of 6% CAADP target
FARA’s Value Proposition
a strategic platform for networking to reinforce
capacities of Africa’s agricultural research system
Improved performance of institutions &
entire R&D system; better quality R&D
plans, policies & program designs
Improved productivity,
competitiveness & Markets
FARA: single hub network (2002-2007)
FARA started as (single
hub network)
(i) provide African vision
of AR4D
FAAP
(ii) advocacy and
resource
mobilisation;
(iii)promote exchange of
info, tech & HR
Demanded greater
understanding of constituents
= NARS Assessment
SSA CP
RAILS
DONATA
NARIS, FO, NGOs, PS
SCARDA
FARA: facilitating multi-hubs (2007-2012)
Providing
networking
support functions
1. advocacy and
policy;
2. access to
knowledge and
technologies;
3. capacity
strengthening;
4. partnership and
strategic alliances.
Testing & scaling out innovative approaches
Enhancing R&D impact
Stakeholder
Consultations
Institutional strengthening
NARS Assessment
SSA CP
Formulate IAR4D &
assess its performance
SCARDA
Piloting an innovative
approach for institutional
strengthening
Evaluation
Evaluation &
reflection
Scale out approach
via e.g. CAADP Processes,
CRPs, GCARD
Scale out approach
via e.g. CAADP Process
Testing & scaling out innovative approaches
Knowledge & Technologies
Consultations +
scoping studies
RAILS + DONATA
Test innovative approaches for
knowledge management &
technology dissemination
Co-creation & co-learning
Others
• Linking universities,
agribusiness and research
(UniBRAIN)
• Safe Stewardship of
biotechnologies (SABIMA)
• Strategic alliances with other
regions & countries (Europe,
Jean China)—PAEPARD
Jacques Andrianaivo
Brazil,
farmer Leader from Madagascar
(http://www.erails.net/MG/jean-jacques-a/)
Scale out approach
via e.g. CAADP Process
Impacts
• Achieved jointly with partners (AUC, NPCA, RECs, SROs,
CGIAR, actors in Research, Extension & Education; Farmer
Organizations, private sector, DPs, etc)
• Impacts from pilots are to
be replicated numerous
times by scaling out
SSA CP Pilot site in Nigeria
• 120% ↑ in yield of soyabeans
(0.9 – 2.0t/ha)
• Additional US$500/ha / season
• 150K farmer beneficiaries
SCARDA focal institutions:
• Positive changes outnumbered
negative ones 4:1
RAILS
• (Initially ~3,000 stakeholders in 29
countries enhance capacity to
communicate & access knowledge
DONATA
• Farming communities expand
livelihood sources by ~50-100% in 21
countries
CAADP
• 21 IPs aligned with FAAP principles
What worked well (success factors)
• Focusing on major constraints cutting across the
region
• A common framework for the continent (the FAAP)
• Strong buy-in by stakeholders across the value chain
and at all geographical scales
• Partnerships for action
• Funding: availability + stability especially for core
functions (MDTF)
Challenges & why
• Fragmentation
(stakeholders, geog scale-subsidiarity)
• Low absorption capacities
of stakeholders
• Funding: shortfalls +
competition among
partner institutions
• High transaction costs of
working thru partnerships
Why
• Challenges reflect state of
Africa’s science & innovation
and are the focus of FARA
interventions
• New approaches &
partnerships require
incubation period to build
trust and accountability
among partners
Expenditure (2008-2011)
25
19.3m
Millions US$
20
17.2m
15.9m
15
11.5m
10
5
7.8
68%
12.8
10.4
75%
60%
81%
3.7
3.1
2008
2009
0
14.4
4.9
2010
Core funds managed through MDTF;
TBAs: Bilateral agreements
6.8
2011
FARA’s funding (2003-2018): Expenditure, budgeted & projected
Expenditure (actuals)
Projection
Budget
30
25
24.4
22.5
20
Millions US$
17.2
11.5
4.7
5
0
1.2
1.0
5.3
7.8
25.1
TBAs
15.9
10
24.5
21.5
19.4
15
23.2
23.8
TBAs
TBAs
MDTF2
Core (bilateral)
MDTF1
MDTF1
Core
2003 2004 (bilateral)
2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018
2012 and beyond: looking into the future with increase
number of networks, knowledge hubs and stronger linkages
among institutions
FARA Secretariat weaving knowledge networks (2012 and beyond)
Africa’s agriculture science and innovation landscape
Going forward
• FARA set to develop a new
MTOP (2014 – 2018) & refresh
its strategic plan
• Future networking support
to focus on:
1. Advocacy + policy
…1/2
• Envisaged roles
 Connecting (including
observatory & think tank)
 Catalyzing &
 Communicating
• CAADP: deepen integration
of PIV with other pillars;
2. Knowledge & innovation
 Central Africa
3. Capacities & Institutions
• Education & Extension
4. Opportunities &
Investments
• Agric. Science agenda
(CGIAR--CAADP)
Going forward …2/2
NSF
Focus
1. Advocacy & Sustained
Policy
investments in
CAADP Pillar IV
Connect
Catalyze
Communicate
Policy makers
Investments in Policy options
with science &
agricultural
for increased
devt community innovation
investment
2. Knowledge
and
innovation
Competitiveness Knowledge
in a knowledge- resources with
based economy all innovation
actors
Effective
innovation
processes
Knowledge &
innovation to
relevant
actors
3. Capacities
and
Institutions
Building Africa’s
innovation
capacity
CS institutions
with users and
policy makers
CS within
CAADP
Required
changes and
effective
approaches
4. Opportunities and
investments
Identify priority
opportunities &
risks for R&D
attention
Foresight actors, Policy &
think tanks with innovation for
investors
emerging
issues
Required
actions on
emerging
issues
30
Available funding in millions of US$ (2012-13) &
Projected funding requirements for 2014-18
CCARDESA
25
African Govts.
African Govts.
UniBRAIN
20
UniBRAIN
15
PSTAD
PSTAD
PAEPARD
UniBRAIN
UniBRAIN
New TBAs
PSTAD
New TBAs
New TBAs
New TBAs
New TBAs
10
SSA CP
MDTF1
Topup
MDTF2
5
MDTF1
MDTF2
MDTF2
MDTF2
MDTF2
MDTF1
0
2012
2013
2014
2015
2016
2017
2018
Forum for Agricultural Research in Africa
Thank You
www.fara-africa.org