Capacity development (CapDev) has been an integral part of the World Agroforestry Centre’s (ICRAF) overall program to both facilitate the use and impact of its research as well as to enhance the relevance of its research and development for partners’ needs. Capacitating is one of four value propositions ICRAF offers to its clients in its new strategy to achieve the System Level Outcomes (SLO) of the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR).
The World Agroforestry Centre aims to mobilize, upscale and strengthen the institutional and individual capacities of its own staff, its partners, and their networks through a number of ways:
- Mentoring young scientists;
- Seconding ICRAF staff to partners and placing partner staff at ICRAF;
- Developing instructional materials and guides;
- Equipping National Agricultural Research and Extension Systems(NARES);
- Up-scaling tree nurseries;
- Establishing Rural Resource Centers as hubs of knowledge and agroforestry technologies;
- Providing training opportunities to individuals and organizations;
- Convening Fora,
- Strengthening Rural Advisory Service;
- Establishing professional networks at various scales;
- Supporting Agroforestry actors with knowledge and tools for advocacy.
ICRAF’s global Capacity Development Unit (CDU) at headquarters in Nairobi supports ICRAF staff to develop such capacities within its four Priority Themes in each of ICRAF’s six regional offices through Capacity Development Focal Persons.
To achieve its aims and objectives, the CDU facilitates CapDev through:
- Facilitating individual research and practice opportunities through fellowships, internships, volunteerism, and research associations for state of the art research, development and research management. ICRAF’s Student Management Information System registers interests from individuals seeking such opportunities and from ICRAF’s staff offering such opportunities and makes a match;
- Providing assistance to ICRAF’s group-learning opportunities and short-term professional courses, focused on resolving specific capacity problems at different levels and enhancing particular practical skills of scientists, partners, policy makers, and farmers;
- Facilitating periodic courses;(AFPBA, Landscape)
- Providing access to eLearning resources, e.g. training videos, lectures and resources, practitioners’ manuals and guides and publications for self-learning;
- Providing advice on and assisting in carrying out the capacity needs assessments for various partners under various grants on a need basis;
- Providing assistance in applying appropriate training methodologies and tools to enhance effectiveness;
- Facilitating and documenting training events across various research grants;
- Effectively contributing to CGIAR’s Capacity Strengthening Efforts for achieving greater harmonization and effectiveness across various CRPs;
- Conducting research on effectiveness of Capacity related issues;
- Supporting monitoring of Capacity related interventions at ICRAF.
