Improving CGIAR Effectiveness through Knowledge Sharing

The 15 Centers supported by the CGIAR and their many national partners are together creating a wealth of knowledge that can help rural communities in developing countries build sustainable livelihoods. They are also doing much to ensure this knowledge is widely shared. Yet, formidable obstacles to knowledge sharing remain, both within Centers and between them and their partners, and these reduce the effectiveness of our R&D efforts.

Through the 2004 Investment Plan, four CGIAR Centers (CIAT, IWMI, CIFOR and CIMMYT) have been actively involved in testing knowledge sharing (KS) approaches and tools through the KS Project of the ICT-KM Program. Under pilot initiatives supported by the project, each Center has successfully incorporated KS principles and approaches into high-profile events, which have served as entry points for promoting change in the Centers' institutional culture. Specifically, the events have demonstrated how Centers can plan, conduct, and evaluate their work with greater efficiency by drawing more fully on the collective knowledge of their staff.

Phase II

To build on the interest and gains generated by Phase I, the second phase of the KS Project was launched in early 2007 to offer CGIAR Centers new opportunities to develop, apply, evaluate and share innovative approaches for making their work more effective. Entitled "Improving CGIAR Effectiveness", this two-year initiative comprises two main components: Institutional Knowledge Sharing (IKS) and Knowledge Sharing in Research (KSinR).

INSTITUTIONAL KNOWLEDGE SHARING (IKS)

Managed by CIAT, the IKS component focuses on scaling up project activities in CGIAR Centers and Programs, with the aim of mainstreaming knowledge sharing principles and tools. CIAT will also foster further development of the community of KS practitioners in the CGIAR, expanding it to involve professionals from all areas of the Centers' work, including research, capacity building, research support, and management.

The IKS Project objectives and activities are threefold:

1. Institutional change driven from the top is incorporating KS into strategic activities at the CGIAR system level by supporting the design and preparation of the Science Forum at the CGIAR’s 2007 Annual General Meeting in Beijing, China; and working with the CGIAR Secretariat on the CSO Initiative to help facilitate the CGIAR-CSO engagement process.
2. Institutional change deep inside is fostering the gains from the first project phase and introducing KS into organizational change management projects of the CGIAR Centers by supporting and learning from three IKS pilot projects

3. Strengthening KS champions is being achieved by (a) supporting virtual collaboration; (b) developing and offering a KS training course; (c) actively participating in KM4Dev community activities; (d) developing the KS toolbox further; and (e) supporting project communications through the KS Website and blog, Dgroups, etc.

Contact: Simone Staiger-Rivas (s.staiger@cgiar.org)

In an effort to promote and encourage KS activities across the CGIAR, the following pilot projects, led by staff of CGIAR Centers, are supported as part of the Institutional Knowledge Sharing project:

Institutional Knowledge Sharing (IKS) Pilot Projects

• Good Practices for Managing Research Data
• Using KS Approaches to Facilitate Organizational Learning and Change
• Storymercials: Attracting People to Our Knowledge and Keeping Their Attention

KNOWLEDGE SHARING IN RESEARCH (KSINR)

The KSinR component is a new addition to the ICT-KM Knowledge Sharing portfolio aimed at looking more closely at the needs and potential of knowledge sharing within the research domain. Managed by IWMI, this component will identify and pursue opportunities to enhance collaborative learning and innovation in major CGIAR partnerships through the use of KS approaches (Scaling Out).

The goal of this component is to improve the effectiveness of Centers in working with partners, delivering research results and achieving development outcomes. The main objectives and related activities of this component are:

• Knowledge Generation - Learning about knowledge sharing concepts, approaches and tools that may be used and useful for enhancing collaboration, learning and innovation within the CGIAR research domain by:
  
  • Supporting and learning from six KSinR pilot projects (research projects piloting KS approaches)
  • Conducting a CGIAR-wide KSinR study
  • Reviewing KSinR in literature, on websites, and in other projects/initiatives


• Knowledge Sharing & Brokering - Sharing and brokering knowledge gained through the project, both internally and externally derived, with the CGIAR and its partners and stakeholders by:
  
  • Documenting knowledge generation activities (pilot project experiences, a CGIAR KSinR study and KSinR review)
  • Incorporating participatory monitoring and evaluation (M&E) into the pilot projects
  • Using alternative knowledge sharing mechanisms - website, toolbox, blogs, etc.
  • Interactively sharing knowledge through events, meetings, visits, mentoring, etc.


• Knowledge Application - Using information, lessons learned, experiences, impact and evidence of KSinR to influence and support its wider adoption within the CGIAR by:
  
  • Influencing Centers and Challenge Programs, through recommendations and support
  • Supporting and developing related initiatives in the CGIAR
  • Developing and supporting a network of KSinR champions

Contact: Nadia Manning (n.manning@cgiar.org)

In an effort to promote and encourage KS activities across the CGIAR, the following pilot projects, led by staff of CGIAR Centers, are supported as part of the Knowledge Sharing in Research project:

Knowledge Sharing Research (KSinR) Pilot Projects

• Applying KS Tools to Impact Monitoring and Project M&E
• Learning Alliances for Wastewater Agriculture and Sanitation for Poverty Alleviation (LA WASPA)
• Knowledge Management Harmonizing Research Output
• A Knowledge Sharing Approach to Safe Food
• International Farmers Conference
• Shared Learning to Enhance Research Priority Assessment Practices

More information available on www.ks-cgiar.org

Lead Administrative Center

Institutional Knowledge Sharing (Strengthening Champions): CIAT
Knowledge Sharing in Research (Scaling Out): IWMI

Project Coordinators

Simone Staiger-Rivas (CIAT)
Nadia Manning (IWMI)

Project Status

Project activities initiated 2007

Project in Detail

Download the project details

For More Information

Contact us at ictkm@cgiar.org