5. REGIONAL NETWORK DEVELOPMENT AND SUPPORT ISSUES

5.2 CAAFIN: Central Africa Agroforestry Information Network (J-M. Pennes)

Background

In Eastern and Central Africa, development projects, governmental organizations, NGO's and others aim at promoting agroforestry technologies.

A large number of studies on land-use systems in Central Africa highlands clearly demonstrate potential advantages of agroforestry technologies, addressing crucial problems such as soil erosion, soil fertility improvement, production of fodder, fuelwood or timber, mulch for cash crops, etc. For example, hedgerow intercropping, contour hedges, fodder banks or improved fallows are potential answers which already appear as priority research items, in many parts of the world.

ICRAF, through its Agroforestry Research Networks (AFRENA), works in strong collaboration with national agricultural and forestry research institutions in agroforestry research, training, information and dissemination activities. The East Africa AFRENA works in collaboration with ISABU in Burundi and ISAR in Rwanda. Linking national and international institutions is crucial for impact, adoption and sustainability of proposed agroforestry technologies.

For this to work well, relevant and easily accessible documentation is essential. Because of its multidisciplinary approach, agroforestry research would benefit greatly from documentation support. ICRAF, through its Information & Documentation programme aims at strengthening agroforestry information systems in the national research institutions. This strategy was started in 1992 in West Africa by creating the AFRENA/SALWA information sub-network - an information exchange network that works with selected national institutes and existing regional capacities (e.g. RESADOC).

The aim is to propose the creation of a similar network - the Central Africa Agroforestry Information Network (CAAFIN) - linking ICRAF and Central Africa Francophone countries, namely Burundi, Rwanda and Zaire. Although some of the research centres in these countries have been operational for more than ten years, dissemination of results still needs strengthening.

The idea of establishing a network started in april 1993 during a visit to the three countries in order to identify potential partners among national research and education institutes (see Annex 1). Three activities were carried out:

• identification of information centres processing agroforestry related documents

• collection of existing agroforestry information in identified centres (listings)

• identification of national libraries showing suitable storage capability.

Above actions aimed at implementing (or reinforcing in some cases) information exchange programme between ICRAF and centres, as well as between centres themselves.

Educational and research institutions visited in Burundi and Rwanda were very interested in becoming a partner of this network. Most of them are already working on improving the management of their existing documentation (by computers acquisition) and human resource training at the national level.

Existing documentation is voluminous (mainly French grey literature) and would rapidly and easily enrich the network database.

Concerning the schools and Universities, teaching Agronomy and Forestry education, it is important to note that Agroforestry is to become a major subject in the education programmes in Burundi as well as in Rwanda. ICRAF Training, and the recently established Education, programme will provide support to educational programmes in the following institutions: ISA Gitega, ITAB Karuzi, FACAGRO Bujumbura, UNR Butare.

The collection and dissemination of agroforestry information does not require heavy investments in terms of infrastructure, material and computers. The presence of highly motivated potential partners from the research institutes would facilitate the improvement of quality and quantity of scientific publication through the information network in a relatively short time.

Objectives

The proposed objectives are to:

• Strengthen the agroforestry information management capability of national institutions;

• Enable the identification and acquisition of locally generated agroforestry information in each country;

• Improve dissemination of on-going agroforestry research (on-farm as well as on-station) carried out in French speaking countries of Central Africa;

• Facilitate exchange of agroforestry information at the national, regional and international levels;

• Reinforce Agroforestry education

Methodology

Although ICRAF will be supplying administrative and technical support to the project, the regional coordinating centre will be responsible for planning and regulating information exchange flow, in terms of quantity as well as quality.

National institutions will be sharing responsibilities for collection, analysis, codification of agroforestry documentation, databases management, dissemination processes, communication, human resources involvement, etc.

To illustrate this strategy, the following figure shows how the national, regional and international institutions could interact.

Figure 12. Tentative Network Organization Chart

National institutions are grouped under Documentation, Research and Education sectors. Concerning Education, the CAAFIN network project will benefit from the African Network for Agroforestry Education (ANAFE); this is the first mechanism to be established for educational institutions in Africa to jointly advance agroforestry knowledge.

The collaboration between CAAFIN and ANAFE networks will enable educational institutions interested in agroforestry to collaborate and co-ordinate their actions so as to improve the contents and delivery of agroforestry education.

Proposed Activities

Following successful completion of the first phase, it is proposed that a long term cooperation be established, with the following components:

1. Co-publication of selected bibliographies

   Bibliographic subjects will be discussed depending on research priorities of member institutions. The compiling process of national results on a particular item should reflect all the aspects of a well organized network. Collection of analytic and descriptive data on a chosen item will be done at national level, as contacts and updating will be made easier through the network. The final compilation and editing job will be handled by ICRAF staff within the Information and Documentation programme.

2. Training courses on Scientific publication

   Training Courses on scientific publication techniques (Conferences and seminars under supervision of professionals in publication and editing). This consists in helping selected scientists or persons in charge of publication at national level in editing and writing techniques. It is proposed that CIRAD/SCIST France "publication/redaction" services be involved.

3. Workshop for documentalists

   Agroforestry information management using computerized databases. Once a year a training workshop will take place in a member country. National institution documentalists will then benefit from courses and updating in agroforestry information management, following ICRAF methodology. The main goal is to quickly standardize keying and searching methods.

4. On-the-job training

   Each year, at least one national documentalist will get one month of on-the-job training at ICRAF. This type of training will keep network participants aware of structures and organization of ICRAF's Information/Documentation unit, and contribute to their ability to run their network.

5. Capital equipment for National Institutions

   The selected centre identified as regional basis for the network should have material and an infrastructure exclusively dedicated to network activities management. IRAZ seems to be the appropriate centre to play this role (central location, proximity of agriculture educational institutions, space, qualified human resources). The needs at the centre will be one computer and one printer.

   Five selected libraries will also be provided with computer and printer. The identification trip highlighted the specific needs of each partner which have been prioritized.

6. Reinforcement of national services

   In collaboration with the ICRAF Education programme, and through ANAFE, the goal is to build or improve agroforestry education at national universities. This has been requested by different universities (ISA, UNR, FACAGRO); improvement or support will be in form of curriculum development, teaching materials development and/or supply, staff training and staff exchanges.

Expected Outputs

The outputs of the network will be:

1. Service to agroforestry researchers

2. Access by national scientists to agroforestry literature

3. National institutions in the region will have more comprehensive knowledge of "who's doing what" in agroforestry

4. Enhanced agroforestry education at national institutions

5. Access by ICRAF and its collaborators to Francophone agroforestry literature

6. An efficient literature and information service in the network countries (by providing specialised information services such as SDI, state-of-the-art reviews and databases searches)

7. Increase number of publications

8. Enlarge this regional initiative through linkages with other networks.

Users and Beneficiaries

This initiative should have a stimulating effect on researchers, technicians and extension agents by making their work less "anonymous".

Educational institutions involved in agroforestry will benefit from this initiative which will facilitate interdisciplinary collaboration, exchange of information, teaching material and staff.

The farmers will obviously be the ultimate beneficiaries of this improvement as they will be advised by better informed extension agents.

Project Management

ICRAF Information and Documentation unit will coordinate the network, in terms of agreements made with technical and financial partners. ICRAF will be responsible for the following :

• Securing and managing funds for network activities;

• Promoting the adoption of common tools and methodologies for capturing and disseminating agroforestry information;

• Making available relevant sources of information including agroforestry databases, journals, reviews and directories to national institutes and to the regional coordinating institution;

• Providing educational support to educational institutions;

• Providing technical support for regional-level activities undertaken within the network;

• Organizing training courses and workshops on agroforestry and agroforestry information management;

• Facilitating interaction with similar agroforestry information networks (especially the SALWA network);

Annex 1: List of visited institutions

Burundi: 13-25 April 1993

Ministère de I'Agriculture et de I'Elevage, Direction de la Planification Agricole, BP 1850, Bujumbura

Institut des Sciences Agronomiques du Burundi (ISABU), BP 795, Bujumbura

Faculte" d'Agronomic (FACAGRO), BP 2940, Bujumbura

Département des Forêts, Ministère de I'Aménagement, du Tourisme et de I'Environnement, BP 631, Bujumbura (DEPTFOR)

Institut Supérieur d'Agriculture (ISA), BP 1, Gitega

Institut de Recherche Agronomique et Zootechnique (I.R.A.Z.), BP 91, Gitega

Institut Technique Agricole du Burundi (ITAB), BP 129, Karuzi

ICRAF/ISABU, BP 173, Gitega

PRPE/ISABU (FAC), Projet de Recherche pour la Protection de 1'Environnement, BP 1190, Bujumbura

Rwanda : 26-30 April 1993

Directuer de I'Environnement, MINETO, Projet Aménagement et Développement, BP 46, Kigali

MINAGRI, (CNDA), BP 621, Kigali

USAID, BP 28, Kigali

INADES - Formation, BP 866, Kigali

Universite Nationale du Rwanda/Faculté des Sciences Agronomiques, BP 117, Butare (UNR)

Ecole Agricole et Vétérinaire de Kabutare (EAVK), BP 119, Butare

PARF/ISAR Forestry and Agroforestry Research Project (Coopération Suisse), Institut des Sciences Agronomiques du Rwanda (ISAR), Ruhande, BP 617, Butare

ICRAF/ISAR, Ruhande, BP 617, Butare

ISAR Rubona, BP 138, Butare

Direction des Forêts, Minagri, BP 621, Kigali

Representation FAO, Kigali