Project Title
"Enhancing Knowledge Management to Advance INRM Research, Development and Advocacy"

Project Goal
The reach and effectiveness of INRM in the eastern and Central African highlands is maximized.

Project Purpose
Improved grassroots and institutional capacity for natural resource management enhanced though improved documentation, production and sharing of information.

Project Background/Rationale
This knowledge management initiative is borne from the recognition that despite a number of useful lessons emerging from the AHI sites since inception, the impact of these on wider INRM discourse and practice has been limited within the region. In addition, the usual format of documentation used by researchers normally does not include dimensions that are useful to various users or practitioners, e.g. inclusion of social dynamics, attention to documenting methods and processes used (beyond trial techniques), capacity building techniques used, among others. Also, researchers rarely target the presentation of their material to potential users. AHI recognises that impact will not obtained in absence of deliberate documentation, "packaging" and targeting of information, coupled with dissemination and capacity building strategies. AHI also realizes that it is not enough to disseminate information, but to link this to other actions that are improving the capacity and uptake of the information, and to collect feedback on its usefulness.

The project seeks to draw upon, and widely extend the pioneering work of AHI and will "close the loop" by assisting in documentation an disseminating of information derived from past experiences. Strategies for enhancing knowledge management within the AHI Regional Program are twofold: 1) synthesizing, documenting and "packaging" information for diverse end users; and 2) enhancing lessons capture as watershed management interventions progress within benchmark sites. The first of these includes information needs assessments, information packaging and distribution, and impact assessments for each of four target groups: farmers, development organizations, research and policy-makers. The second entails support to site teams to improve skills in process documentation, participatory monitoring and evaluation, and impact assessment.

Project Nature
Non CGS project

Participating Countries and Institutions
Ethiopia: EIAR and partner organizations (Areka and Ginchi benchmark sites)
Kenya: KARI and partner organizations (W. Kenya benchmark site)
Tanzania: DRD and partner organizations (Lushoto benchmark site)
Uganda: NARO, CARE, Africare, CIAT (Kabale benchmark site)

Source of Funding
International Development Research Centre