Information and
knowledge are crucial to ACIAR and play a large role in the success of our
projects. We are fortunate to have highly-respected experts from across many
scientific disciplines and dedicated in-country and local support teams. The
knowledge and experience gained over 30 years of funding and managing
agricultural research projects and programs, across many countries, allows us
to produce consistently positive outcomes and measurable impact.
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| Young farmers in Pakistan trialling ACIAR's 'Seeing is Believing' app. Photo courtesy of Rob Fitzgerald, University of Canberra |
Communicating the outputs of our projects via publications and project information on our website is an important part of how ACIAR shares its knowledge. However, much more can be done to share knowledge and information that is created by ACIAR and others in agricultural research and the broader development arena. New technology and rapidly increasing levels of access to the Internet around the world provides new opportunities to reach greater numbers of people.
Several ACIAR staff participate in the CGIAR ICT-KM network, which provides plenty of useful resources and discusssion on information and communications technology (ICT) and knowledge management
(KM) to improve the effectiveness of agricultural research on behalf
of the poor in developing countries. Movements such
as ICT4Dev and KM4Dev are
also good examples of international collaborative efforts that are providing innovative
ways of connecting people-to-people and people-to-information with the shared
aim of reducing poverty.
Many
organisations and networks are undertaking excellent work in this area. For
example, the Arid Lands
Information Network (ALIN) facilitates information and knowledge exchange
in rural, hard-to-reach communities in Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania. The focus
is on information about small-scale sustainable agriculture, climate change
adaptation, natural resources management, and other issues related directly to
improving people’s lives. Information is accessed through community-based
Maarifa (Knowledge) Centers.
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| Networks such as ALIN are facilitating knowledge exchange in places like rural Kenya. Photo courtesy of the Gates Foundation (CC BY). |
Tapping into
networks such as ALIN is essential for ensuring successful uptake of research
conducted under programs such as ACIAR's SIMLESA (Sustainable Intensification
of Maize-Legume Systems for Food Security in Eastern and Southern Africa)
program, which is managed by CIMMYT. A big part of this work also includes
farmer-to-farmer
information exchange.
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| University of Canberra's Rob Fitzgerald with farmers in Pakistan |
Based on this knowledge-management strategy, ACIAR is trailing a mobile extension platform for scientists and extension officers to better communicate to farmers best-practice technologies and methodologies to improve on-farm productivity. The ‘Seeing is Believing’ platform allows scientists and extension officers to ‘show and tell’ new practices and technologies (such as correct pruning techniques or better irrigation management), using video and images. The platform uses iPad technology, allowing users to capture video and photos in the field of those practices being demonstrated, and used by farmers, and create presentations to illustrate what is possible.
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| Demonstrating the 'Seeing is Believing' app |
Using the example of local
farmers is likely to be more effective in conveying messages of how to do
things, backed up by advice from a ‘scientist’ or ‘expert’. Farmers see what
their peers have done and learn from each other, creating a credible and more
convincing model to follow in implementing changes of practice. Using the
platform, farmers will have a clearer idea of how to improve on-farm practices,
and it is hoped that they can see the evidence of practice-change leading to
greater yields or farm-input efficiencies.
ACIAR is working
towards increasing open access to the information and knowledge that is
produced as part of our work and the projects we manage. Capacity building and
knowledge sharing within project teams and through extension are key aspects of
successful projects and for ensuring the benefits are
more broadly realised.
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