| Title | Policy and Transition Processes for Sustainable Development |
|---|---|
| Period | 01 / 2006 - 12 / 2009 |
| Status | Completed |
| URL | http://www.kennisonline.wur.nl/BO/BO-10/005/01/beschrijving.htm |
| Research number | OND1313781 |
| [Problem statement and owner]: The demand for adequate knowledge development, circulation and capacity building is one of the main challenges needing to be addressed in international agricultural, nature and food security and safety. International agreements and conventions such as the WSSD, and the MDG s are but examples of the International frameworks which demand for knowledge development, circulation and capacity building across a knowledge chain. In this knowledge chain linking scientific research, policy makers, producers and consumers and practitioners (implementers or capacity-builders) will be crucial. Processes that are involved in creating sustainable agriculture, sustainable natural resource management and food security and safety include creating market chains based on sustainable production practices, creating sustainable food chains and creating platforms for sustainable natural resource management. Most of these processes require institutional development based on multi stakeholder involvement leading to wider societal change through social learning. Policy development, internationally as well as in the Netherlands, is one of the outcomes supported by the knowledge development taking place. Against this general background there are many specific issues impacting on how knowledge systems, transition processes and policy development in the agriculture, food, rural development and natural resource management sectors function. These include: Recognition that practitioners, local people and policy makers have valuable knowledge that must be captured and utilized alongside the knowledge generated by scientific research; Sustainable development problems require not just technological solutions but also institutional change and such change requires different approaches to research and knowledge generation; The need for society and policy makers to focus on the big picture in an integrated way, yet knowledge institutions remain focused on highly specialized disciplinary expertise; Rapidly increasing involvement of private sector in providing knowledge and capacity building services; The strong link between poverty and a lack of access to knowledge and engagement in knowledge and learning systems; The opportunities created by communication technology and the web for networking, knowledge sharing, and information services, yet the lack of access to such technology by the poor; Knowledge systems need to be able to support coping with rapid change and high levels of uncertainty; Mismatch between knowledge needs and knowledge availability. A key challenge is to better link the different actors and processes in the knowledge chain and in particular to integrate formal scientific knowledge with the knowledge of policy makers, practitioners and the rural population, across different scales. In order to better link knowledge actors and processes, there is a need for an overarching conceptual framework for knowledge and learning, innovative methodologies and tools and improved capacity of knowledge institutions to support policy and change. [Relevance for LNV and others]: The articulation of high quality knowledge questions, knowledge circulation through knowledge valorisation and knowledge sharing and the production of knowledge in a participatory manner have been identified by the Ministry of LNV in its Vision paper on Knowledge in the International domain as the essential elements of an integrated knowledge chain. It has also been widely recognised that promoting multi-disciplinary and multi-level integration across the knowledge chain is a difficult and complex issue. Researchers, policy makers, practitioners and the population are involved in production and consumption of e.g. food, horticultural products, and dairy for household consumption and for the market as well as activities for the promotion of a sustainable environment. However knowledge processes are marked by a lack of a common understanding about knowledge and learning systems capable of informing policy for transition; Different paradigms and lack of shared language; inadequate approaches and capacity to upscale and link generated knowledge across different levels (e.g. local to global); and inadequate access to (web-based) knowledge and engagement in learning systems are but some of the factors that influence the effective functioning of an integrated knowledge chain. This proposal also addresses the interest of LNV in giving attention to the facilitation of processes in which knowledge is used by various target groups. This project specifically addresses this issue. [Objectives]: Goal: Develop and strengthen knowledge chains enabling, policy makers, scientists practitioners and rural populations to effectively articulate, produce and circulate (sharing and valorising) and use knowledge in the four areas of attention: markets and trade, rural development and sustainable agriculture, sustainable biodiversity and water for food and eco-systems, leading to institutional development, multi-stakeholder participation and wider societal learning and change. Purpose: Policy makers and other relevant actors mentioned above, internationally as well as in the Netherlands are able to learn from the lessons and have access to knowledge generated in the WUR programmes in close co-operation with practitioners, researchers and the rural population and have consequently articulated new knowledge demands, have revised policies and changed approaches using knowledge for the realisation of their goals in market and trade, sustainable agriculture, food security and safety, natural resource management and the use of water for food and eco-systems. [Results Workplan 2006]: This project has three main areas of work, the knowledge related courses, Development of WISARD and the reflection on Cluster BO projects in relation to enhancing knowledge and policy processes. The first two areas have been fully executed according to schedule. The third area which is one third of the budget will be implemented by March 2007. There have been some delays due to the link with the bilateral projects and staff capacity constraints. Output 1: In 2006 (until March 2007) the project has executed the foreseen activities and largely realised its outputs. The activities under output 1 have been implemented and as a result of our ongoing work in promoting Multi-stakeholder Processes and Societal Learning and Participatory Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation that more programmes are now recognising the need for and the value of such processes as a foundation for sustainable development processes, knowledge creation by all concerned leading to enhanced capacity for learning for impact. The two functioning resource portals are highly appreciated by the wider research, policy and practitioners communities. Many from outside the direct participants in WUR programme do find our portals useful, and of high quality. Some new initiatives for resource portals are emerging from recent programmes that merit being further developed and opened to a wider community of users. Output 2: The project Enhancing Knowledge and Learning for Sustainable development ( BO-10-005-01) was approved in January 2006. Due to the belated start of the bilateral projects it has been agreed with LNV that the work on this output can be carried forward in 2007 until March when the bilateral projects are completed. As this output is based on reflecting on the results of projects in 2006 most of the work is scheduled for later 2006 early 2007. There has been some delay in progress due to capacity limitations however it is anticipated that all work will be completed by March 2007. The emphasis of the activities under output 2 is on developing 3 country level case studies, describing the knowledge generation, valorisation, dissemination and capacity building processes that have occurred due to the BOCI projects implemented in these countries. A seminar in The Netherlands will present the findings and promote discussion on knowledge development in BOCI projects and the strategic role of Attachés in promoting such processes. Based on the case studies an initial feedback and capacity building seminar will be organised in the Africa region in which Agricultural Attachés and DLO staff involved in the country activities will participate joined by local stakeholders. This seminar replaces the seminar mentioned under output 2 as the Africa Regional seminar. Because of the interest of inviting agricultural attachés from Africa to participate in the seminar this will take place around the presence of the attachés in the Netherlands around February 2007. A visit to key programmes and Embassies in Africa will be planned preceding the conference. Output 3: In output three good progress has been made in the creation of a network of stakeholders that will hopefully in the short term take over the management of the WISARD database. There is a wide group of important users acknowledging the importance of WISARD for their work interested in taking more responsibility. The role of LNV can consequently be reviewed as one of the future stakeholders. Some budget (15.000) from within this projects budget output 3 will be reallocated to allow a good and sustainable new WISARD set-up. This after approval by DK of LNV (mrs. Patricia Wagenmakers) The envisaged study based on concrete WUR- BOCI experiences has not yet fully developed. Part of this project was established to reflect on and learning lessons from the other projects. Because the project will engage with both bilateral and multilateral projects carry over until March 2007 has been discussed with and in principle agreed to by LNV DK Patria Wagenmakers who sees it as an important contribution to the further development of the Cluster International work. A background paper outlining the main issues in knowledge generation, circulation and valorisation for policy development is currently being developed and will be one of the inputs in a seminar to be organised in The Netherlands in which LNV policymakers will be involved. This seminar will have a double focus. A one day seminar inviting a wider community of professionals involved in knowledge generation, circulation and valorisation for sustainable development, agriculture and natural resource management and a second day for a more selected group of participants in which a wider deepening of conceptual, practice-based and policy issues will take place. In this seminar links with the KB7 group will also be further established. |
| Secretariat | Wageningen UR Centre for Development Innovation (CDI) (WUR) |
|---|---|
| Financier | Department of Knowledge (EL&I) |
| Project leader | Dr. A.J. Woodhill |
|---|
| A20000 | Plant production and animal production |
|---|---|
| D42200 | Social and public administration |
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