Conservation Agriculture Knowledge and Information Management:
The case of ACT
byHamisi Mzoba and Saidi Mkomwa
Email: [email protected]
5th World Congress on Conservation Agriculture, Brisbane, Australia 26-30 September 2011
Scaling Up CA in Africa
Outline
• Knowledge and Information Management functions for ACT
• Tasks and pathways• Key stakeholders for CA information
sharing• SWOT analysis• Way forward
Knowledge and Information Management Functions
One Stop Information Support Facility
Knowledge memory “bank” and learning
Stimulate & strengthen strategic thinking and networking on CA and Natural Resource Management
Promotion, lobbying and advocacy
Training support on CA and Sustainable Land Management``
functions cont…..
Web-based platform for knowledge and information support to members and others (www.act-africa.org)
CA databases and intranets support for on-going CA/NRM projects
Electronic newsletters and special topic forums.
Tasks and Pathways
Conservation Agriculture National task forces (CANTFs)
List serves, on-going projects and on-line communications
Conservation Agriculture Regional Working Groups e.g. CARWG currently supported by FAO-Southern Africa.
Tailor made and International CA training courses
Tasks and Pathways cont… Web based sharing, blogging Promotional materials (booklets, fliers, posters, brochures) Audio visuals (Radio, Televisions etc) Meetings (workshops, Conferences etc) Use of social networks communications (Face book,
Twitter etc)
Key stakeholders for CA KIM sharing:
Farmers (small, medium and large scale) Technicians Development partners Policy makers Researchers Academia Private sector Media
Strengths Existence of local, regional and international knowledge
networks e.g. ACT, Infonet-Biovision, African land care network and Eco-agriculture, FAO-CoP among others.
Conservation Agriculture National task forces (CANTFs) for managing country specific information
Conservation Agriculture Working Groups e.g. CARWG (for ease in coordination of CA stakeholders in specific regions).
ACT sub-regional offices and partners organization across the globe
Own and partners CA organized meetings and events (e.g WCCA)
A growing databank of identity of key stakeholders and CA service providers across the continent.
Weaknesses
Project focused other than network wide focus Limited data gathering structure and tools. Isolated operations among stakeholders
promoting CA Lack of catalogued and accessible documentation
centre Poor flow of information on on-going CA
projects and activities across the continent
Opportunities
Access to a wide range of development partners in subject thematic areas of CA/NRM, climate change etc
Active and functional CA National Task Forces in some countries
Supportive Regional Economic Communities (RECs) Use of social networks communications (Face book,
Twitter, blogging) Exchange fora among key stakeholders (Farmers, policy
makers, technicians) Access to key stakeholder information systems and data
bases
Threats
Lack of comprehensive data usable for policy advocacy Undocumented success stories among key stakeholders Lack of common definition and understanding of CA
among practitioners Lack of centralized factual information and data on CA Highly variable CA farmer conditions across agro
ecological systems Lack of value chain approaches
Way Forward Formation of platforms for information sharing and exchange of
experiences among all stakeholders Develop tools for information gathering from project leaders and
other contributors Strive to build effective national task forces in all CA-active
countries. Engage the CA task forces to supply national level related
information Conduct a GIS supported mapping of CA adoption, prospects and
spread To promote dissemination of targeted CA alternatives and
approaches through training and capacity development To reinforce existing knowledge networks on CA, building their
institutional capacities and establishing sustainable South-South and North-South research partnerships to allow exchange and dissemination
In Conclusion:
How do we capture without bias, the CA success stories/failures, share information, coordinate and network to ensure effective support to CA scaling up?
Accessibility to knowledge and information of CA will create more demand (networking) among stakeholders.
THANK YOU
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