R4D Capacity Building

Report to the UK Department for International Development (DFID) on the Development Strand of the World Conference of Science Journalists 29th June 3rd July 2009, London

Wed, 11 Nov 2009 15:46:00 GMT

Miscellaneous WCSJ 2009 74 pp.

The Development Strand at the 6th World Conference of Science Journalists aimed to deliver sessions on the role of the media in reporting on development issues, including food sustainability, climate change, and tropical diseases, and their importance to policy and capacity building.

The strand was intended to be of particular benefit to journalists from emerging and developing countries where these issues are acutely relevant to their audiences and these journalists need to be equipped to cover such issues accurately and critically. The Development Strand also aimed to focus attention of the UK media and journalists from around Europe and North America on development issues. The Strand was to be an opportunity to showcase DFID's ongoing support to the World Federation of Science Journalists' peer-to-peer mentoring programme (SjCOOP) and to the Science and Development Network (SciDev.Net), through discussion panels and in workshops.

More broadly, the strand would highlight DFID policy and projects, and DFID's goal of supporting comprehensive media development (DFID briefing paper "Media and Good Governance" (May 2008).

This report outlines the sessions of the Development Strand at WCSJ2009, the results of evaluations done by questionnaire and interviews on the day of pre-conference workshops (Monday 29th June) and by post-conference questionnaire on Thursday 2nd July and online survey. It also includes individual comments from conference delegates and scholars, including those directly supported by DFID via the World Federation of Science Journalists peer-to-peer science journalism mentoring programme (SjCOOP), and transcripts of the Development Strand podcast by Naked Scientists, and the lunch session organised by DFID on Thursday 2nd July, "Friendship or Friction: How the media relates to the research community".

United Kingdom Collaborative on Development Sciences (UKCDS)

Mon, 09 Nov 2009 16:42:00 GMT

Current

The UKCDS brings together the key UK funders and stakeholders who provide support for the development sciences research base. It will provide a framework for a more coordinated approach to development sciences research, in order to increase its relevance and impact on national and international policies and activities, aimed at improving the lives of the world's poorest people.

The key elements of work of the UKCDS are:

Strategically overview the UK development sciences research base to create an understanding of its international standing, capacity, skill base, resources and impact;
Create a common vision for the future of development science research;
Add value to existing programmes of work through coordination, synergy of activities and gap awareness;
Identify the challenges and opportunities in current and future research funding;
Coordinate and support the initiation of funding and delivery programmes;
Identify working practices which will build on existing collaborative activity;
Raise the awareness of the development sciences research base through proactive communication with stakeholders;
Promote opportunities for the wider application of the UK science base;
Provide a key link with relevant parts of the EUs research framework programme.

Water and Food Challenge Programme

Thu, 05 Nov 2009 09:37:00 GMT

Current

In developing countries, water for agriculture consumes 70 90% of water use. To meet the needs of a growing population, more food must be produced using less water. The CPWF has taken on this challenge from a research perspective. The initiative brings together research scientists, development specialists, and river basin communities in Africa, Asia and Latin America to create and disseminate international public goods (IPGs) that improve the productivity of water in river basins in ways that are pro-poor, gender equitable and environmentally sustainable.

The Challenge Program is working towards achieving:

Food security for all at household level
Poverty alleviation through increased sustainable livelihoods in rural and peri-urban areas
Improved health through better nutrition, lower agriculturerelated pollution and reduced water-related diseases
Environmental security through improved water quality as well as maintenance of water-related ecosystems and biodiversity.

To fund a research programme, extension and capacity building programme that will increase the productivity of water used for agriculture.

The CPWF Research Strategy concentrates its attention on five thematic areas, each one led by a specialist from a different CGIAR center.

System level:

Crop water productivity improvement
This theme takes the view that water productivity can be improved through technological and managerial innovation at the farm level. Hence it seeks plant-breeding solutions for agriculture located in areas affected by drought and saline soils. It studies integrated natural resources management and crop production at field, farm and agro-ecosystem levels. This theme promotes policies and institutions facilitating the adoption of crop water productivity improvements.

Water and people in catchments
This theme focuses attention at the catchment level. It is concerned with water, poverty and risk in upper catchments. It seeks innovations in improved water management and aims to enable people to benefit from the improved management of land and water resources.

Aquatic ecosystems and fisheries
Aquatic environments are a key source of nutrition for many of the world's poor often, they are the sole source of protein for these communities. Research under this theme investigates environmental water requirements; to value ecosystem goods and services; and to seek innovative ways in which to improve the productivity of aquatic ecosystems through policies, institutions, and governance.

Basin level:

Integrated basin water management systems
Increasingly, integrated water resources management (IWRM) is viewed as a promising strategy for managing water resources. This theme identifies appropriate technologies and management practices designed to enable IWRM. It seeks innovative institutional arrangements and decision-support tools and information that can help with the establishment of this managerial strategy.

Global level:

Global and national water and food systems
This theme examines water, its management and use at the broadest of possible scales. Hence, globalization, trade, macroeconomic and sectoral policies have an important bearing on water, how it is used, and its productivity. This theme concerns itself with the kinds of investments and financing for agricultural water development and water supply that may improve water productivity or, indeed, hinder it. This theme area also recognizes that at international levels, the management of water resources is complex and therefore seeks to understand how best to formulate appropriate policy and institutions to deal with this complexity. The theme also considers changes in the global water cycle.

The CPWF's Second International Forum on Water and Food, IFWF2, with a theme of Partnerships for Change, Science for Development was held in Addis Ababa from 9-14 November 2008. More than 240 people participated with representation from each of the CPWF projects.

Crops for the Future ICUC (formerly known as International Centre for Underutilised Crops)

Wed, 04 Nov 2009 09:09:00 GMT

Current Changing lifestyles and the increasing globalization of trade have tended to favour only a few major crops and these have come to dominate agricultural production, processing and commerce, nationally and internationally. The demands for research and hence funding have inevitably concentrated on these same commodities. As a result, not only have a number of food species fallen into disuse, to be replaced by the major crops and the products derived from them, but also many other species are similarly affected such as those that can contribute fibre, medicine, fodder, or construction material. However, these neglected and underused plant species are part of a rich economic, social and cultural diversity. Many have the potential to play a much more important role than they do today in sustaining livelihoods and human wellbeing and in enhancing ecosystem health and stability. In addition, agro-biodiversity helps to keep options open for adaptation to, and mitigation of, climate changes.

Crops for the Future is an organisation dedicated to the promotion of neglected and underutilised plant species as a contribution to humanity. It evolved from the International Centre for Underutilised Crops and the Global Facilitation Unit for Underutilized Species.

It covers the whole range of underutilised species, food and non-food crops;

It catalyses the development of processing and marketing facilities for underutilised crops and will concentrate on developing options for income generation;
It has a global mandate and will thus strengthen national and regional efforts in policy advocacy; coalitions, consortia and alliances with relevant and engaged partners from the public and private sectors will form the base for its operation;
It will follow the innovation systems concept, thus being an initiator and facilitator, not implementer of research and development activities.

Crops for the Future is envisaged for the long-term, its life-span determined by regular and rigorous internal and external reviews. In a novel approach, it will be hosted by Bioversity International in a joint venture with the University of Nottingham's Malaysia Campus and located in Serdang, Malaysia.
Crops for the Future activities are arranged in three major strategic objectives formulated to increase the impact of past and ongoing research and development:
1. increasing the knowledge base for underutilised crops, especially regarding sustained market access, nutritional security, health and climate change,
2. identifying and advocating necessary policy change to promote the use of underutilised crops, and
3. fostering capacity building about underutilised crops.

African Insect Science for Food and Health (ICIPE)

Tue, 03 Nov 2009 13:58:00 GMT

Current

ICIPE has specific objectives in each of the 4-H research areas of human, animal, plant and environmental health. icipe develops, introduces and adapts new tools and strategies for arthropod management that are environmentally safe, affordable, appropriate, socially acceptable and applicable by the target end-users, with full community participation. In addition, there are centre-wide goals that span all programme areas:

Create knowledge: ICIPE aims to serve as the regional focus for bioscience and technology information and knowledge, and to develop and adapt improved arthropod management technologies.
Build capacity: ICIPE will continue to build the capacity of individual researchers and institutions in the tropics to initiate original research activities as new problems arise; to empower women and harness the youth; and to build capacity to use, transfer and teach icipe's technologies.
Develop policy: ICIPE contributes to policy development in areas relevant to its work by cooperating and working closely with African governments and institutions at the local level, and with other policy-making organisations at regional and international levels.
Reduce poverty: The ultimate goals of ICIPE research are to reduce the impact of arthropod pests that have a direct bearing on poverty, food production and well-being; create sustainable livelihoods for rural communities and entrepreneurs through agrobased food, fibre and health products enterprise development; and promote use of beneficial insects.

ICIPE's mission is to help alleviate poverty, ensure food security and improve the overall health status of peoples of the tropics by developing and extending management tools and strategies for harmful and useful insects, while preserving the natural resource base through research and capacity building.

New information on disease epidemics (partly as a result of climate change) permits to re-identify target sites for disease control by using bio-rational pesticide compounds, attractants and repellents detrimental to disease vectors identified.
The epidemiology, transmission and diagnosis of malaria, Human Africa Trypanosomosis (HAT) and leishmaniasis is elucidated (results published and widely recognized).
Modules and monitoring tools for predicting emergence and re-emergence of infectious diseases developed.
For emerging infectious diseases such as Rift Valley Fever and Dengue Fever, Integrated Vector Management (IVM) strategies for use in different ecological settings are developed and disseminated.
Education of African vector control specialists undertaken, activities expanded into other regions and research capacity strengthened.
New icipe tsetse repellent technology optimised and validated in at least 3 different agro-pastoral locations.
New artificial baits (both visual and olfactory) for riverine tsetse developed for monitoring and suppressing fly populations effectively.
Knowledge on the biology, behaviour and ecology of vectors responsible for emerging infectious diseases such as blue-tongue and lumpy skin disease is generated and adequately communicated.
Existing and new vector management techniques are systematically integrated in training programs of icipe and of network partners.
The economics of pest management through IPM strategies, biological control (BC) as well as pesticides and the interaction with human and environmental health is assessed in at least 3 specific studies.
The factors that in- or decrease the risk of aflatoxin contamination of maize grain identified and IPM-programs designed to combat mycotoxin-producing fungi in East and Southern African.
Predictive experimental models to determine possible effects of climate change on invasive and indigenous pests of selected target crops developed.
Improved bio- and chemo-pesticide formulations screened and refined for large-scale field validation in locust control. Visible icipe contribution to a catalogue of African arthropod biodiversity.
Minimum 3 new insect-based enterprises (sericulture, apiculture and butterfly farming) exist in buffer zones adjacent to rich biodiversity habitats, creating income opportunities especially for women. The experience is documented.
Altitudinal shifts in arthropod distributions in response to climate change are monitored to provide indicators of the effects of global warming; and changes in rainfall distribution on arthropod populations are understood and documented for at least 4 model species (pests and beneficials).
200 mid-level practitioners and extension workers from 30 national systems trained for enhanced technology uptake and out-scaling.
Institutional strengthening capacity initiatives for national collaborators and African Universities developed.
Research and capacity building in bio-prospecting for useful products from biodiversity undertaken.

Highlights include:
Community-based management and comprehensive farmer training programmes implemented on:

Deployment of ICIPE's NGU tsetse traps (e.g. in Kenya, Ethiopia and Uganda), reducing fly numbers by up to 99.9% without chemical pollution;
Adaptation of IPM systems for vegetables for semi-arid zones by communities in several parts of Kenya;
Adoption of commercial insects farming in improved apiculture (beekeeping) and domestic and wild silkmoth rearing (sericulture), by over 10,000 farmers and extensionists in 24 African countries;
Introduction of community production and processing facilities for medicinal and insect-repelling plants adjacent to biodiversity-threatened areas.

GCP Brochure 2008

Wed, 28 Oct 2009 17:06:00 GMT

Miscellaneous 2009 4 pp., updated September 2009 The programme, aims and partners of the GCP are summarized.

GCP Brochure - Looking back on Phase I and moving on to Phase II and the future

Wed, 28 Oct 2009 17:02:00 GMT

Miscellaneous 2009 2 pp. This brochure introduces the Generation Challenge Programme, detailing the transitions between Phase I and Phase II of the programme and how it has evolved, and the way the programme is expected to develop and focus in the next 5 years.

Generation Challenge Programme 2009 Annual Research Meeting poster abstracts abstracts

Wed, 28 Oct 2009 16:49:00 GMT

Miscellaneous CGIAR Generation Challenge Programme 2009 Texcoco, Mexico: Generation Challenge Programme. 76 pp. Poster abstracts are presented under four themes. Theme 1: Exploiting allelic diversity; Theme 2: Genomic resources and gene/pathway discovery; Theme 3: Marker development and breeding applications; and Theme 4: Support services and enabling delivery.

Generation Challenge Programme 2009 Project updates

Wed, 28 Oct 2009 16:41:00 GMT

Miscellaneous 2009 Texcoco, Mexico: Generation Challenge Programme. 217 pp. Updates are given of all the competitive and commissioned projects under the five GCP subprogrammes: Genetic diversity of global genetic resources; Comparative genomics for gene discovery: Trait capture for crop improvement; Information systems and bioinformatics; and Capacity building and enabling delivery.

Generation Challenge Programme 2008 Annual Report and Year Six (2009) Workplan

Wed, 28 Oct 2009 16:26:00 GMT

Miscellaneous 2009 Mexico D.F.: Generation Challenge Programme, 98 pp. This 2008 Annual Report and 2009 Workplan summarises research progress and capacity building achievements in 2008 and presents an overview of the competitive and commissioned research portfolio and capacity building and delivery activities for 2009. Financial and budget information is presented, and updates given from the five subprograms: Genetic diversity of global genetic resources; Comparative genomics for gene discovery: Trait capture for crop improvement; Information systems and bioinformatics; and Capacity building and enabling delivery.

The year 2008 marks the end of Phase I (20042008) of the Generation Challenge Programme (GCP), and the transition to Phase II which will extend to 2013. In Phase II, in parallel to research per se, the focus will also be on platform development to guarantee access to, and distribution of, GCP products in a user-friendly and sustainable manner.

Generation Challenge Programme (GCP)

Wed, 28 Oct 2009 15:40:00 GMT

Current Created by the CGIAR in 2003 as a time-bound 10-year programme, GCP's goal is to add value to crop breeding, targeting farmers in drought-prone marginal environments. Through capacity-building and by assisting national researchers to tap into a broader and richer pool of plant genetic diversity, GCP strives to ensure that crops improved by cutting-edge science will reach farmers in the developing world.

Provide access to and promote the use of genetic diversity in plant improvement programmes.
Develop a public platform of genetic and genomic resources and tools, and support a global community that can use them.
Generate and apply knowledge across crops, and demonstrate the potential of comparative genomics to impact plant improvement programmes.
Use genetic diversity and advanced science to develop products for plant breeding programmes to improve the livelihoods of resource-poor farmers in marginal, drought-prone environments.

Development Research Centre for the Future State (Research Scheme R8490) Annual Report 1 July 2008 30 June 2009

Tue, 27 Oct 2009 13:40:00 GMT

Miscellaneous Institute of Development Studies 2009 73 pp.

Progress on the 3 programmes is reported:

1.Public Action and Private Investment
Progress has been steady. Key activities/achievements have included the PAPI 2009 cross cutting workshop attended by representatives of all the major projects. This workshop was also attended by Max Everest Phillips (DfID) and representatives from the Africa Power and Politics RPC and the Institutions for Pro Poor Growth RPC. Closer ties with these RPCs which carry out research in similar themes have been highlighted as having great potential to deepen the research and analysis and vastly improve quality through knowledge sharing activities.

The field research on the 'China's investment in Africa' project was completed and work has now entered a new phase. This project has received a lot of attention from the academic and policy making community. Jing Gu the lead researcher has been highly active in presenting her work and publications are being finalised. Additional funding for this project was recently obtained for the work to continue.

There has been good progress in the Egypt project with a number of publications in the final stages of writing or publication. The projects in Indonesia and Brazil have now been completed with outputs coming from both. The work on particularistic property rights regimes in China is nearing completion. There has been fair progress in the Vietnam project; research partners have been formally identified. With regret the research in Pakistan cannot be completed.

A new project due for completion in March 2010 will attempt to bring some of the key findings of the programme into two publications to answer the core question.

2.Collective Action around Service Delivery (Social Accountability)
Despite good performance as reported in last year's report Modes of Service Delivery in Brazil, India and Mexico (BIM) has experienced some setbacks. It has been formally agreed that Mexico can no longer form part of the project as no researcher of suitable ability could be identified who would be willing to finish the work. There have been some problems with writing up from some of the India researchers, many of whom are younger academics in their early careers. This has led to some delays. Brazil continues to perform well. Despite these setbacks there have been some major achievements especially in the communication of research findings at conferences.

3.State Capacity, Financing the State and Informal Local Governance
Comprising three key research themes (State Capacity, Financing the State and Informal Local Governance), programme three has progressed well over the last year.

There have been some major movements in the taxation work, mainly in communication efforts. The multi country study into the resource curse in Andean countries started and is now nearing completion.

Work into Informal Local Governance institutions has progressed adequately and there is possibility of funding one further stage of work. The multi-country study into donor proliferation in Africa was completed and a research proposal submitted to other funders for follow up work.

Africa Power & Politics. Annual Report 2 (2008-9)

Tue, 27 Oct 2009 10:44:00 GMT

Miscellaneous 2009 38 pp.

Progress is being made in all 4 areas of the programme:

Research

the empirical scope of the programme has been refined and the work has been organised in six firmly led 'research streams';
initial thinking about research approaches (concepts, methods) has been carried into the streams, so that it frames the empirical work;
fieldwork has begun, in teams of various sizes, in 11 African countries;
the programme has started engaging actively with researchers working on cognate topics in other research programmes.

Research-training

research training of five fully-funded fieldwork-based PhD candidates has been overseen;
a number of additional doctoral students have been associated with the programme; and
tailor-made short practical training exercises and/or 'collective enquiries' (preliminary joint fieldwork exercises which serve training objectives) have been mounted.

Organisational capacity strengthening

staff and associates of all member organisations drawn into a relatively high-grade discussion about how to link empirical enquiry, theoretical innovation and policy implications;
this has been applied in specific research streams, with African researchers participating to some extent in training and research activities in countries other than their own;
relevant and accessible library and information resources have been provided to the Southern organisations; and
major investments have been made in the communications and policy engagement capacities of two Southern partner organisations.

Policy influence and policy development.
The APPP's approach to policy influence and policy development has been developed in a revised updated Communication and Policy Engagement Strategy, key elements of which were implemented in Year 2. They include:

a reinforced communications team with clearer roles and responsibilities;
training sessions, workshops and investment in technical equipment;
construction of an 'APPP friends' database;
engagement with key stakeholders to prepare the ground for adoption of policy lessons based on research findings; and
development of the APPP website to provide improved access to the programme's web-published papers, news and events.

Reforming the process of humanitarian response: involving NGOs in the debate

Wed, 21 Oct 2009 01:00:00 GMT

The United Nations has been leading a process of reforming the way that humanitarian aid is delivered, aimed at improving the efficiency and reach of humanitarian response for beneficiary populations. With a growing awareness of the need to better involve NGOs particularly national and local NGOs in the various aspects of reform, DFID-funded research is helping to engage NGOs in the reform process.

This is Open Access Week

Mon, 19 Oct 2009 01:00:00 GMT

This week, 19-23 October 2009, is the first International Open Access Week, which aims to broaden awareness and understanding of Open Access.

WEMC Annual Report. 1 July 2008 30 June 2009

Thu, 15 Oct 2009 15:05:00 GMT

Miscellaneous WEMC 2009 WEMC Secretariat, Southeast Asia Research Centre (SEARC), Hong Kong, China, 85 pp.

With regard to progress on intended outputs the research capacity of 228 individuals has been enhanced; 13 English-language and 10 other language publications printed/in press; the published and widely distributed research framework has been positively received; comparative analysis has commenced. WEMC research products are being used in over 100 institutions; an integrated action research methodology dialectically combining research, capacity building and communication of findings has strengthened women as rights claimants; findings and analyses have enabled evidence based communication with diverse audiences from the grassroots to international policy makers.

Impact of the research programme
Significant progress has been made towards WEMC's purpose to help build 'a sustained growing critical mass of civil society expertise engaged in policy debates for long-term changes in policies and practices that promote women's empowerment in Muslim contexts.' By June 2009, some 10 WEMC specific (or sets of) research-derived recommendations had been accepted and implemented in Pakistan, Indonesia, Iran, and China as well as for migrant women workers in Hong Kong and Indonesia. This year, four new sets of/specific recommendations were accepted by government authorities. Previously accepted recommendations started being implemented. Importantly, research findings are being requested by policy-makers and forums.

Enhanced analytical and communication skills enabled women to successfully negotiate expanded rights, demand expanded/better service delivery and accountability from meso-level government duty bearers (China, Indonesia, migrant workers, Pakistan). WEMC has transformed the approaches of government extension workers (Indonesia and Pakistan) and service providers (Iran). At the RPC level, in August 2008, key WEMC concepts and research results were communicated to UN ESCAP policy-makers at a WEMC-focused forum (Where's the power in women's empowerment?) and followed up by invited inputs to the UN Beijing+15 review process.

Research confirms WEMC's hypothesis that the greatest obstacles to women's empowerment operate at the meso level and that, somewhat counter-intuitively, women's priority expressed need is to have their own spaces for collective strategising, rather than improved linkages with government institutions. If cultural considerations, including interpretations of Islam and 'Muslim' women, are critical factors that keep women immobilized and disempowered, women's own counter-strategies of empowerment are diverse. Women's demands for different sets of rights derive legitimacy from constitutional rights and a re-orientation of cultural concepts as well as religious interpretations.

Enhanced capacity provides women a new/stronger voice in formal and non-formal forums, impacting developmental and governance processes. Women are questioning the dominant discourse culturally justifying women's disempowerment, reorienting religious instruction forums as well as secular arenas; women have started to speak out on empowerment on local radio, television and at public events, including in dialogues with officials.

WEMC has seeded multiplication. To date, at least 20 new initiatives directly catalysed, facilitated or inspired by WEMC transformative new knowledge processes, have emerged supported by reliable, non-DFID resources. Shaped by the research process and informed by findings, these vital meso-level discursive spaces for women's collective sharing and analyses of experiences are enabling indigenous strategies for women's empowerment to be forged, implemented and replicated. WEMC-catalysed collective spaces include five women's self-help groups in Indonesia, eight new Pakistani organisations, a young women lawyers' group and a young people's media group in Iran. In China, 'safe spaces' have developed in the form of a 'health centre', a handicraft initiative created within an academic institution (Gansu Academy of Social Sciences) and around traditional religious spaces. Among Afghan refugees and returnees, research led to a self-help teachers' group. An exciting WEMC-inspired international initiative is the 'Institute for Women's Empowerment', established and registered by several RPC members to:
a. Document and make visible women's empowerment initiatives in different communities and countries
b. Develop women's strategies for empowerment at multiple levels c. Communicate lessons on women's strategies for empowerment for replication and upscaling
d. Build the capacity of civil society groups in multiple countries to advance womens empowerment

IWE is collaborating with the international coordination office of Women Living Under Muslim Laws (WLUML) in the programme 'Women reclaiming and re-defining culture: asserting rights over body, self and public places.'

Support to the Association for Strengthening Agricultural Research in East and Central Africa (ASARECA)

Thu, 15 Oct 2009 14:34:00 GMT

Current ASARECA is a membership based sub-regional research organisation an important part in meeting the UK governments commitments to support faster agriculture sector growth in Africa and to increase investment in African science and technology. It will help African research organisations respond new challenges significantly increase the scale and quality of regional public goods research, making new technology available to governments and farmers Increased economic growth and improved livelihoods in the east and central Africa sub-region. The Project purpose is to contribute to increased sustainable productivity, value addition and competitiveness of the sub-regional agricultural system. The project beneficiaries will be the rural poor who will have greater access to relevant technology and who will benefit from agriculture policy which is better informed by evidence. DFID will achieve the Purpose by providing funding to the Association to Strengthen Agriculture Research in East and Central Africa (ASARECA).

The Project will play a role in challenges such as climate change and rising food prices, researchers to significantly increase the scale and quality of regional public goods research, making new technology available to governments and farmers 1. Significantly increase the utilisation of demand driven technologies and innovations.
2. Improve the sub-regional policy environment with target policy and advocacy interventions.
3. Support the development of performance driven research institutions through sub-regional capacity building initiatives.
4. Increase the availability of information on agricultural research within the sub-region.

Support to the West and Central Africa Council for Agriculture Research and Development / Conseil Ouest et Centre Africain pour la Recherche et le Developpement Agricoles (CORAF)

Thu, 15 Oct 2009 14:17:00 GMT

Current CORAF is a membership based sub-regional research organisation (SRO) covering 23 countries in west and central Africa. CORAF does not do research itself. It generates sub-regional public goods by directing funds to research priorities where there is a clear economic advantage for a sub-regional approach. The CORAF Strategic Plan sets out the commodity and thematic priorities for sub-regional research in order to maximise contribution to economic growth, based on an analysis of development potential. Rapid broad-based agricultural growth sustainably established in West and Central Africa. The Project purpose is to contribute to the sustainable improvement of agricultural productivity, competitiveness and markets in the sub-region. The project beneficiaries will be the rural poor who will have greater access to relevant technology and who will benefit from agriculture policy which is better informed by evidence. DFID will achieve the Purpose by providing funding to the West and Central Africa Council for Agriculture Research and Development (CORAF). 1. Increase the development of appropriate agriculture technologies and innovations.
2. Support strategic decision-making by providing options for policy reform and the development of institutions and markets.
3. Support the development of more effective and better managed agriculture research organisations through capacity building initiatives in the region.
4. Respond better to the demand for research by increasing the numbers of people able to access new knowledge and technology.

The Andes Regional Programme (National Agricultural Innovation Systems that Work for the Poor: Building on the Bolivian Experience). (PRGA)

Thu, 15 Oct 2009 13:56:00 GMT

Current The Andean Change Programme (Allianza Cambio Andino) is a four year program supported principally by DFID. The Programme is designed to systematize and test a set of participatory methodologies in order to document their impact on improving the inclusion of the poor in national agricultural innovation systems in the Andean region. The program aims to feed its findings on the impact of pro-poor, participatory approaches into evidence-based policy dialogue that will help to promote the further use and institutionalization of these and other, similar participatory approaches to benefit poor producers in the region. The Programme is conducted by regional partners in four Andean countries (Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador and Peru), including two CGIAR centers, CIP and CIAT, that share responsibility as the executing agencies for the DFID grant. Regional partners coordinate or collaborate in the Programmes five thematic teams, according to their expertise: participatory methodologies (coordinated by Consorcio Andino, a regional research network), agrobusiness (coordinated by PapaAndina/CIP); impact assessment (PREVAL/IFAD) ,a regional evaluation network), knowledge sharing (COLNODO, a regional ITC provider) and policy dialogue (coordinated by CIP and CIAT). In addition the programme cooperates with at least 20 in-country programs and projects where testing of participatory methods is jointly financed and evaluated. The goal of the project is to contribute to the construction of sustainable livelihoods of poor communities by enhancing their participation in technological innovation processes.

The projects purpose is to improve the alignment of market-led agricultural innovation with poverty reduction by making new agricultural technology more accessible and relevant to the poor through the use of participatory methodologies The expected outputs of the project are a set of successful participatory methodologies which will be widely disseminated in Bolivia and the Andean region through capacity building with different actors in national agricultural innovation systems.

How non-state actors lobby to influence budget outcomes in Zambia.

Thu, 15 Oct 2009 11:27:00 GMT

Miscellaneous S. M. Bwalya, E. Phiri and K. Mpembamoto 2009 Discussion Paper Series, Research Programme Consortium for Improving Institutions for Pro-Poor Growth, Manchester, UK, No. 28, 32 pp. State-business relations have become an important mechanism for improving information flow between government and the private sector, and depending on the policy relevance of the information transmitted state-business relations can help to reduce policy and institutional failures that arise from poor policy coordination and asymmetric information. While recent empirical studies have demonstrated that effective state-business relations increase the productivity of firms in Sub-Saharan Africa, there is little understanding of how such relations influence the national budget and adoption of pro-poor expenditures in developing countries.

In this paper, we examine the role non-state actors play in shaping tax and expenditures policies through formal budget processes, using data compiled from budget submissions for the 2008 budget and lobbying activity data published in print media between 2006 and 2008. Analysis of these data indicate that the current institutional arrangement established to encourage participation of non-state actors in formulating the budget has been utilized quite effectively by several non-state actors to influence budget decisions. The data also show that tax proposals submitted through line government departments and agencies were more likely to be adopted in the budget as bureaucrats helped to shepherd these proposals throughout the budget process. Those more able to articulate and justify their own budget proposal also recorded higher success rates than those who lacked such capacities and skills to more convincingly present their budget proposals to government. Such capacities and skills are largely lacking among several civil society organisations that evidently had the lowest number of budget submissions, albeit quite active in public lobbying through the media.

Donors can help build the necessary capacities in a bid to promote policy dialogue; democratic economic governance and state-building by encouraging civil society participation in fiscal policy-making processes. Measures to strengthen state-business relations and effectiveness in lobbying for more pro-poor fiscal policies and strategies are discussed.

Rewarding Achievements in International Development

Wed, 16 Sep 2009 01:00:00 GMT

DFID, in partnership with Marie Stopes International (MSI) and the Guardian, has unveiled the five finalists of the Guardian Achievements in International Development Award.

DFID releases a new project database

Fri, 21 Aug 2009 01:00:00 GMT

Information about projects funded by DFID, ranging from emergency aid for countries affected by conflict or humanitarian crises, to ongoing support to improve health, education and sanitation in the poorest countries, is now available online.

Communications vacancies at DFID

Mon, 03 Aug 2009 01:00:00 GMT

DFID is seeking applicants for four posts in the Communications Team in its Policy and Research Directorate

DFID call for a synthesis of policy and research lessons from Latin America

Tue, 28 Jul 2009 01:00:00 GMT

DFID seeks to engage a consortium to capture and communicate some of the key policy and research lessons from Latin America

DFID seeks applications for three posts in the Research Uptake Team

Tue, 21 Jul 2009 01:00:00 GMT

DFID is seeking to fill three posts in the Research Uptake team within the Policy and Research Directorate - Team Leader and two Research Evidence Brokers

Support to the World Conference of Science Journalists 2009

Fri, 10 Jul 2009 16:18:00 GMT

Current

The WCSJ is held every 2 to 3 years and attracts over 600 journalists from more than 50 countries around the world, including from developing countries where there is little infrastructure for supporting specialised training in science reporting. The conference allows journalists from around the world to network, and to learn and report on global scientific issues and to discuss todays challenges in order to raise the standards of the profession worldwide.

To allow journalists from around the world to network, and to learn and report on global scientific issues and to discuss today's challenges in order to raise the standards of the profession worldwide.

Provide journalists from developing countries with training and opportunities to learn about, and report on, research that is relevant to development.
Enable developing country journalists to network with counterparts from developed countries, thereby encouraging lasting professional contacts between journalists, scientists or other experts, and with editors who may provide new work opportunities.
Draw the attention of the world's media to development issues and the strategies that DFID is spearheading in order to address these.
Showcase the success of DFID-funded projects such as the WFSJ peer-to-peer mentoring programme (SjCOOP), and the Science and Development Network through participation of key individuals in workshops and discussion panels.

See the website http://www.wcsjnews.org/

First call of the second phase of the joint DFID-ESRC scheme for development research

Fri, 03 Jul 2009 01:00:00 GMT

DFID and the Economic and Social Research Council announce the first call of the second phase of the joint DFID-ESRC scheme for development research, which builds on the success of the previous scheme launched in August 2005

ESRC/DFID International Development (Poverty Alleviation) Research Scheme (ESRC-DFID)

Tue, 30 Jun 2009 16:47:00 GMT

Current

The previous Research Strategy in 2005 committed DFID to explore new mechanisms of delivering research funding and new partnerships. The DFID Research Strategy 2008-2013 commits DFID to 'use different methods of funding to join up national, regional and global research efforts, so that they are more relevant to what matters most to developing countries and to achieve a bigger impact on poverty reduction.' The Strategy sets out plans specifically to explore work with UK Research Councils as a delivery mechanism. Discussions with the Research Councils resulted in DFID and the ESRC launching the first joint programme, providing a joint fund of £13.5 million for three annual calls for research. Interest was very high (on average there were ten applicants for every successful grant funded) and the scheme supported 46 short and medium term projects. 207 successful participants were identified, of which 92 were principal investigators or co-applicants. This suggests that the previous Scheme successfully attracted participation from a large number of countries, building or supporting an extensive network of research relationships across 34 countries, including the UK. Out of 84 collaborating partners, 37 were from Africa, and 22 were from Asia.

We know from the Review of the earlier phase that the scheme 'works'.

It is well managed by the ESRC
uses transparent systems of application
utilises a high profile multi-disciplinary panel
has funded a broad range of social science research
there is a high demand for the scheme.

Key points for DFID to note from the first scheme are a) it was open to Southern Institutions not only as partners but as bid leaders, the first time that a UK Research Council grant scheme provided direct funding to non-registered UK researchers and b) ESRC funding focused on poverty reduction in low income countries and achievement of the MDGs for the first time.

The Review recommended continuation and expansion of the scheme; and for the administration to remain with ESRC. ESRC are a willing partner and are keen to work with DFID again on a further programme of joint funding.

The Scheme has four key objectives:

1. To fund new thinking on international development issues. The Independent Review of the first scheme suggested that in general most small and medium term grant funding for development is for applied and often very context specific work only. For this scheme, applications may be for basic research or more applied research topics. It therefore provides a key window for funding 'blue skies' thinking alongside applied, context specific work.

2. To raise the quality and impact of social science research in development. Methodological rigour is an essential criteria but it is vital that all research for development is able to demonstrate both effective demand from and practical utility to policy-makers and practitioners in the field. All proposals submitted must set out the potential impact of research on poverty reduction, show who stakeholders/potential end users of research outputs are and discuss how they will be involved in the research.

3. Encourage multi-disciplinary research. 50% of each proposal is required to be from the social sciences. Up to the remaining 50% of funds can be invested in other academic lines of enquiry. This contributes to links between disciplines and enables new partnerships on development questions.

4. Give access to international development research funding to a broader set of actors. The Scheme is open to a wide group, beyond the narrower world of departments specializing in development research, e.g. IDS or UEA. Linked to this, the partnerships created allow smaller institutions, who would not be able to develop and manage large grants, to become involved in new research. In addition, this Scheme is open to Southern Institutions as bid leaders, not just as partners. This is unique amongst Research Council grant schemes.

The Scheme allows a very wide range of research hypotheses to be funded.

Generic research challenges that may be addressed include but are not limited to:

Understanding and creating the socio-economic conditions that are necessary to facilitate the alleviation of poverty
New theoretical and conceptual thinking about the nature of development
New theoretical and conceptual thinking about the conditions under which development and poverty alleviation can be delivered
Methodological challenges posed by international comparative work in different social, economic and cultural settings;
Paucity of datasets, especially micro-level and longitudinal data.

For the 2009 call research under the overall banner of poverty alleviation is invited but, in addition there are three themes where work will be of particular interest:

Security, conflict and development
Economic crisis, poverty and growth: the implications for development theory and practice
Cities and development.

46 awards were provided under the first phase of the scheme.

The Independent Review stated that the scheme is 'internationally unique in being a bottom-up, quality driven research funding scheme in the area of development.....to the extent that the Scheme funds more fundamental work in development, there are opportunities for it to act as the 'R&D department' of this wider effort.' This suggests that without the scheme research on more fundamental questions on development may not be explored in sufficient detail and this scheme is a key source of funds for new thinking.

The Independent Review of the first phase of the scheme recommended continuation and expansion of the scheme.

The majority of awards do not finish until late 2009/early 2010. Only one award finished and submitted a final report so far.The end of project peer review rated the work as good to outstanding and stated that 'the research project has contributed significantly to the advancement of knowledge regarding the causes and characteristics of poverty in Vietnam ethnic minorities. The analysis of the project is rigorous and credible and methodology appropriate'.

All end of project evaluations of first phase research will be put on the ESRC website as they are completed.

There is also evidence that the research work from the completed award is feeding into policy debates and research findings have been cited in the Vietnam Development Report. Project authors were also invited to write the poverty assessment chapter in a biennual report to the Government of Vietnam.

Building Capacity for Better Governance and Social Policy Research - Africa. A DFID Call for Expressions of Interest in establishing the African Social Science Research Consortium

Tue, 19 May 2009 01:00:00 GMT

DFID wishes to appoint a service provider to develop and facilitate phase 1 of a programme to build capacity and improve the quality of Africa's political and social science research. The programme will focus on 3 main levels of capacity building: individual, organisational and institutional

The DFID Research Strategy in a Changing World

Tue, 21 Apr 2009 01:00:00 GMT

Head of Research Chris Whitty looks at changes since the DFID Research Strategy was launched last year

Helping African Scientists to talk to the media

Mon, 09 Mar 2009 01:00:00 GMT

In order to sustain positive relationships between researchers and the media, the DFID-funded Relay programme in Southern Africa has formalized their relationship with research institutes

Adapting to climate variability and climate change in Tanzania

Thu, 11 Dec 2008 01:00:00 GMT

With the help of the DFID-funded Climate Change Adaptation in Africa programme, the women farmers in the semi-arid central region of Tanzania are gaining an understanding of how to adapt farming practices to better cope with the changing conditions

Supporting science journalism in Africa and the Middle East

Wed, 03 Dec 2008 01:00:00 GMT

A dozen new teams of science journalists from different countries across Africa and the Middle East trained through the DFID-funded SjCOOP Programme are collaborating on science related stories

DFID fosters learning between Indian and UK knowledge workers

Tue, 02 Dec 2008 01:00:00 GMT

How can India transform itself into the vibrant knowledge-based society it aspires to be? Part of the answer has to lie in the ideas, experience, skills and motivations of this vast nation's information professionals

Better roads for Africa

Wed, 01 Oct 2008 01:00:00 GMT

The Global Transport Knowledge Partnership is helping inform people about new ways to build sustainable road transport in Africa

Sweet success of Bolivia's bitter potato

Thu, 18 Sep 2008 01:00:00 GMT

A regional initiative of the International Potato Center has been helping small farmers in Bolivia access high-value markets for their traditional freeze-dried potato products

Encouraging growth in Africa's seed industry

Thu, 21 Aug 2008 01:00:00 GMT

The DFID-supported programme providing business development services to small and medium-sized seed companies is helping to transform Africa's growing seed industry

Capacity strengthening for East African journalists

Thu, 22 May 2008 01:00:00 GMT

A pilot initiative to provide training to radio and print journalists from East Africa, alongside a major international conference, has helped to strengthen links between scientific researchers and the media

Lessons on adapting to drought in north-east Niger

Thu, 22 May 2008 01:00:00 GMT

Lessons of the new farmers of Namary in Niger were captured through the

Informal local governance in rural South Asia.

Wed, 19 Dec 2007 01:00:00 GMT

Can policy makers and citizens find ways of improving the accountability of local government in India and Pakistan?

R4D Capacity Building

Report to the UK Department for International Development (DFID) on the Development Strand of the World Conference of Science Journalists 29th June  3rd July 2009, London

United Kingdom Collaborative on Development Sciences (UKCDS)

Water and Food Challenge Programme

Crops for the Future ICUC (formerly known as International Centre for Underutilised Crops)

African Insect Science for Food and Health (ICIPE)

GCP Brochure 2008

GCP Brochure - Looking back on Phase I and moving on to Phase II and the future

Generation Challenge Programme 2009 Annual Research Meeting poster abstracts abstracts

Generation Challenge Programme 2009 Project updates

Generation Challenge Programme 2008 Annual Report and Year Six (2009) Workplan

Generation Challenge Programme (GCP)

Development Research Centre for the Future State (Research Scheme R8490) Annual Report 1 July 2008  30 June 2009

Africa Power & Politics. Annual Report 2 (2008-9)

Reforming the process of humanitarian response: involving NGOs in the debate

This is Open Access Week

WEMC Annual Report. 1 July 2008  30 June 2009

Support to the Association for Strengthening Agricultural Research in East and Central Africa (ASARECA)

Support to the West and Central Africa Council for Agriculture Research and Development / Conseil Ouest et Centre Africain pour la Recherche et le Developpement Agricoles (CORAF)

The Andes Regional Programme (National Agricultural Innovation Systems that Work for the Poor: Building on the Bolivian Experience). (PRGA)

How non-state actors lobby to influence budget outcomes in Zambia.

Rewarding Achievements in International Development

DFID releases a new project database

Communications vacancies at DFID

DFID call for a synthesis of policy and research lessons from Latin America

DFID seeks applications for three posts in the Research Uptake Team

Support to the World Conference of Science Journalists 2009

First call of the second phase of the joint DFID-ESRC scheme for development research

ESRC/DFID International Development (Poverty Alleviation) Research Scheme (ESRC-DFID)

Building Capacity for Better Governance and Social Policy Research - Africa. A DFID Call for Expressions of Interest in establishing the African Social Science Research Consortium

The DFID Research Strategy in a Changing World

Helping African Scientists to talk to the media

Adapting to climate variability and climate change in Tanzania

Supporting science journalism in Africa and the Middle East

DFID fosters learning between Indian and UK knowledge workers

Better roads for Africa

Sweet success of Bolivia's bitter potato

Encouraging growth in Africa's seed industry

Capacity strengthening for East African journalists

Lessons on adapting to drought in north-east Niger

Informal local governance in rural South Asia.

Report to the UK Department for International Development (DFID) on the Development Strand of the World Conference of Science Journalists 29th June 3rd July 2009, London

Development Research Centre for the Future State (Research Scheme R8490) Annual Report 1 July 2008 30 June 2009

WEMC Annual Report. 1 July 2008 30 June 2009