The Virtual Kick-off workshop of the second edition of the KM4AgD 2022, took place on the 10th of June 2022 in lieu of the Challenge and Conference themed; Strengthening the African Knowledge Ecosystem for achieving & Sustaining the CAADP Malabo targets 2025. Mr Benjamin Abugri, the Forum for Agricultural Research in Africa’s Knowledge Management Learning & Communications Cluster Lead Specialist moderated the workshop on behalf of the [i]CAADP-X Pillar 4 Institutions Knowledge Management (KM) Working Group. The KM working group members took turns to introduce all twenty-five participants for the 2022 three-month challenge, who have been competitively selected from fifteen countries across Africa to all the over 160 participants who joined the workshop.
The other members of the KM Working Group are Mr Andri Raso of AFAAS, Ms Bridget Kakuwa of CCARDESA, Mr Ben Moses Illakut of ASARECA, and Mr. Amadou Ngaido of CORAF Mr. Michael Victor represented the One CGIAR to introduce the seven participants from the CG Centres.
From Left Dr. Andreas Brandner, K4DP – Ms Bridget Kakuwa, CCARDESA – Mr Benjamin Abugri, FARA
In his welcome remarks, the Executive Director of FARA, Dr. Yemi Akinbamijo, acknowledged the KM4AgD Challenge as the lighthouse project for a knowledge-based development in Agricultural Research for Development (AR4D) in Africa. He touched on the achievements of the previously trained and certified Knowledge Managers from the 2021 KM4AgD Challenge, one of which being the Accra Declaration on the KM4AgD agenda for Africa and the production of National Knowledge Management Policies and organizational strategies for over 20 National Agricultural Research and Extension Systems. He mentioned that the KM4AgD 2022 Challenge aims to improve the capture, dissemination and use of knowledge in African agriculture and expressed that “FARA, AFAAS, ASARECA, CCARDESA and CORAF are committed to deploying the KM4AgD Challenge and invite key partners and other key stakeholders within Africa’s Agricultural Innovation System to join in sustaining this initiative.
” He expressed his appreciation to the One CGIAR for joining hands already in this journey. Dr, Aggrey Agumya, the Director for Research and Innovations at FARA expressed appreciation to the leaders of the CAADP-XP4 institutions for showing strong commitment and invited the Executive Directors to give their remarks and goodwill messages. The Executive Director of ASARECA, Dr. Enock Warinda, who is also chair of the Advisory Council, in his remarks, underscored that “ASARECA recognizes that improved management and access to up-to-date knowledge and information is central to making informed decisions and in taking action” and encouraged all participants to get the best out of the challenge. The Director for Research and Innovation in CORAF, Dr. Emmanuel Njukwe speaking on behalf of the Executive Director, affirmed that CORAF is prepared to promote knowledge management not only in the CORAF region of work but across the partnership. On his part, Dr. Cliff Dlamini, Executive Director of CCARDESA, highlighted that organizations that prioritize knowledge management thrive more than those that do not. He re-echoed CCARDESA’s strong belief that the KM4AgD challenge would improve knowledge translation processes.
from left; Marc Ghislain Bappa Se, AFAAS – Cameroun Bridget Kakuwa MSc Information & Knowledge Manager at CCARDESA, Paul; Atsu Agbemenya YPARD Africa – Ghana
In his incisive remarks, the Executive Director of AFAAS, Dr. Silim Nahdy, mentioned the fallacy of a single entity’s ability to manage information and emphasized the relevance of partnerships in the management of knowledge. On his part, Mr. Victor Michael, Head of Communications and Knowledge Management at the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI) and speaking on behalf of the One CGIAR, affirmed the relevance of knowledge management in the dissemination of implicit and explicit information. Dr. Sarah Cumming, a Director at the Knowledge for Development Partnership (K4DP), reiterated the importance of partnerships in delivering improved knowledge management outputs. She reminded participants that these partnerships are not achieved within the three-month period but must be mainstreamed and sustained.
On behalf of the donors, Dr. Amin Belhamissi, the Technical Specialist at IFAD, acknowledged how Africa possesses great amounts of knowledge, and affirmed IFAD and the European Commission’s unflinching support for the KM4AgD initiative through the CAADP-XP4 programme. The KM4AgD Challenge is a joint activity under the CAADP-XP4 programme with funding support from the European Commission (EC) administered by IFAD. The overall objective of the CAADP-XP4 programme is to enable agricultural research and innovation, including extension services, to contribute effectively to food and nutrition security, economic development, and climate mitigation in Africa. Specifically, the annual challenge seeks to build appropriate capacities, establish communities of practice for Knowledge Management and strengthen the knowledge ecosystem to accelerate the achievement of the CAADP Malabo goals by 2025 and the SDGs by 2030.
It is implemented through an integrated, strategic, educational, and transformational approach. During the maiden edition in 2021, thirty (30) participants from 20 countries who successfully completed all requirements of the 3-month challenge were awarded as “Knowledge Managers for Sustainable Development” jointly by the CAADP-XP4 Partners, K4DP and Partner Universities (Makerere University & International University of Namibia), and GFAR (FAO). Again, twenty (20) National Knowledge Management Policies, twenty-six (26) organizational Knowledge Management Strategies, and ten (10) thematic Knowledge briefs were developed and are currently being mainstreamed at the country level.
Group photo from the Maiden Edition of KM4AgD Conference held in Accra, Ghana (2021)
The 2022 Challenge which is the second edition, starts on June 11 and spread over to September 9. Findings from the Challenge will be shared through a Continental KM4AgD Conference to be held in Accra, Ghana during the week of September 12 to 16, 2022. Look out to the call for registration.
For highlights of the 2021 Challenge, please watch
For more details about the KM4AgD Challenge, please visit www.km4agd.faraafrica.org or contact babugri@faraafrica.org with a copy to dpeprah@faraafrica.org
[i]The CAADP XP4 consortium comprises FARA, the African Forum for Agricultural Advisory Services (AFAAS), the Centre for Coordination of Agricultural Research and Development for Southern Africa (CCARDESA), the Association for Strengthening Agricultural Research in Eastern and Central Africa (ASARECA) and the West and Central African Council for Agricultural Research and Development (CORAF)
Source: faraafrica.org
