Capacity.org RSS Feed

Strengthening pastoralist voices in Tanzania

Tue, 14 Feb 2012 16:31:43 +0000

This booklet, and its accompanying DVD, reports on the ‘Strengthening Voices’ project, underway in two districts in northern Tanzania. The project aims to strengthen the capacity of pastoralist communities and local governments to shape strategies for adaptive environmental management and poverty reduction in Tanzania’s drylands. At the core of the project is a training course that explains the economic and ecological processes at the heart of pastoral systems - clarifying the rationale that underpins pastoral livelihood strategies.The course is based on a similar initiative that has been field-tested and run in the Sahel region of West Africa since 2000.

Building resilient (agro-) pastoralist systems

Sun, 05 Feb 2012 10:16:49 +0000

The recent drought in the Horn of Africa was the latest of a series of recurring famines that continue to ravage parts of the continent. The crisis seemed to confirm the views of those who question the future of livelihoods in African drylands. Despite the omnipresence of (agro-) pastoralism on the continent, a dominant school of thought regards it as an 'inefficient' system that cannot cope with current market and food demands. According to this viewpoint, pastoralism should make place for modern livestock-keeping systems that are 'better equipped' to supply the demands of the current market. At best, pastoralists may just manage to survive in remote areas, but will almost certainly remain dependent on food aid. A contrasting viewpoint claims it is too early to predict the demise of (agro-) pastoralists in modern societies: there is no viable alternative for many of the drylands in which they survive. But it also misrepresents their positive contribution to the economy and to the sustainable use of land and water.

Greening Development: Enhancing Capacity for Environmental Management and Governance

Thu, 02 Feb 2012 15:37:17 +0000

This new publication from OECD (February 2012) outlines a number of steps to be considered when building capacity for greening national development planning, national budgetary processes and key economic sector strategies. The report identifies the key actors to be engaged in the decision-making processes, outlines possible capacity needs and suggests how these can be addressed.

Building capacity for competitive agricultural systems and enterprises in West Africa (Video)

Mon, 30 Jan 2012 09:15:31 +0000

This film presents four examples of Agri-Business Clusters in Ghana and Togo. They illustrate the experience of entrepeneurial individuals in building small to medium scale businesses through new relationships with colleagues and so-called Agri-Business Cluster and Value Chain partners.

Supporting improved livelihoods for pastoralists

Fri, 27 Jan 2012 08:57:10 +0000

Pastoralism is often depicted as an anachronistic system that cannot cope with the demands of modern development. However, practical experience reveals that pastoralism is not only capable of changing with the times, it is often the only viable livelihood option, particularly for communities living in remote, dryland environments. This collection of case studies from SNV Netherlands Development Organisation demonstrates that external support can help to strengthen pastoralists' voice in policymaking, enhance their engagement with markets and improve service provision and natural resource management in some of the most challenging environments in Africa today.

Using (South-South) knowledge exchange for capacity development: What works in global practice?

Thu, 26 Jan 2012 14:46:23 +0000

While knowledge exchange, especially between countries facing comparable challenges, is widely recognised as a tool for facilitating development innovation, there has been little empirical work to assess the effectiveness of such programmes with a view to informing global practice. This joint study by the Korea Development Institute (KDI) and World Bank Institute (WBI) assessed three of their South-South knowledge exchange programmes in Asia, Africa and Latin America.

Building nonprofit capacity

Thu, 26 Jan 2012 11:20:00 +0000

This book uses the organisational lifecycle framework to help the nonprofit sector and its leaders figure out how to effectively shepherd a change process in their organization. The book is based on research by the TCC Group, a New York based consultancy, in the area of organizational effectiveness studies. It also includesd results from the core capacity assessment tool (CCAT) - a 146-question online survey that measures a nonprofit organization's effectiveness in relation to four core capacities - leadership, adaptability, management, and technical capacities - as well as organizational culture.

Resource mobilization: A practical guide for research and community-based organizations

Thu, 26 Jan 2012 09:15:39 +0000

Donor scoping studies commissioned by IDRC in 2004 and 2008 showed that multilateral and bilateral agencies are now more focused on large-scale, sector-wide funding, awarding bigger grants to fewer organizations, with less money available for medium to small groups. The second edition of this guidebook, co-pubished by IDRC’s Donor Partnership Division and the Philippines-based Venture for Fundraising in 2010, pays specific attention to the resource mobilization needs of community-based development research organizations, contained within their South and Southeast Asian contexts.

Capacity building for local NGOs: A guidance manual for good practice

Thu, 26 Jan 2012 08:20:35 +0000

In the early 1990s, as Somaliland emerged from civil war and conflict, indigenous non-governmental and community-based organisations mushroomed. International organisations began targeting reconstruction and development aid through local organisations and quickly came to realise the need for institutional strengthening and capacity building. To coordinate these efforts, a number of organisations came together to create an international NGO forum known as the Capacity Building Caucus (CBC) in 1999. The aim of the CBC was to ensure learning from best practice, coordinate, capacity-building activities, and eventually to promote sustainability through a ‘training of trainers’ programme for Somali capacity- building officers.

This package of manuals was developed in part as a curriculum for the training of trainers programme, and in part for use by individual local organisations to assist them in the ongoing process of developing their own capacity.

Pathways out of poverty: Applying key principles of the value chain approach to reach the very poor

Mon, 23 Jan 2012 14:40:22 +0000

The value chain approach has traditionally focused on improving the competitiveness of the entire market system through engaging existing value chain actors; few programmes have deliberately targeted the extreme poor or disaggregated direct impact by poverty levels. This discussion paper from the USAID microlinks programme was designed to present guidance for practitioners, recognizing that consensus around best practice is still emerging.

How to write Terms of Reference for an evaluation

Mon, 23 Jan 2012 10:45:52 +0000

Developing an accurate and well-specified terms of reference (ToR) is a critical step in managing a high-quality evaluation. The evaluation ToR document serves as the basis for a contractual arrangement with one or more evaluators and sets the parameters against which the success of the assignment can be measured. This practical guide from the World Bank's Independent Evaluation Group sets out a few basic principles and guidelines to help in the development of an effective evaluation.

Empowerment: A journey not a destination

Thu, 19 Jan 2012 15:01:10 +0000

The DFID-funded Pathways of Women’s Empowerment Programme launched a synthesis report based on the findings and recommendations from five years of research in London on 13th January. The report, entitled 'Empowerment: A Journey not a Destination' draws on the collective works of 60 academic-activists in 12 countries on four continents. With six companion policy papers and case studies, the publication shares the latest learning and analysis on what works to enhance women’s empowerment in different parts of the world.

Bringing the invisible into perspective: ECDPM call for reflection and materials on the 5Cs framework

Tue, 10 Jan 2012 11:14:06 +0000

In December 2011, the European Centre for Development Policy Management (ECDPM) published a synthesis report on initial practices and lessons emerging from organizations in developing countries that are using the five core capabilities (5Cs) framework to support capacity development at various levels. The reference document is intended to make these and other practical experiences more widely accessible.

Linking agricultural research and practice: Climate analogues tool helps farmers anticipate their future climate

Mon, 09 Jan 2012 20:48:45 +0000

"Climate Analogues" is a new open access tool launched at the UN Climate Change conference in Durban in December 2011 that aims to help farmers to assess the impacts of progressive climate change on agricultural production. The tool locates sites where the climate today is similar to that predicted for another location in the future, enabling farmers and policymakers to determine how to adapt to anticipated changes.

International resourcefulness now

Mon, 12 Dec 2011 11:10:47 +0000

Although the recently-concluded conference in Busan was the last in a series of high level discussions on aid effectiveness, doubts are mounting on the very concept of development aid itself. Aid and trade, the heralds of the Western capitalist market model have been pushing the poverty frontline backwards. Aid sometimes prepared the ground for trade by supporting an enabling environment of security, infrastructures, education, and public sector reforms. Otherwise, development aid offered relief to the vulnerable and the losers. All in all, aid and trade have been rather successful (not perfect) in spreading prosperity over the globe. From time to time development aid strategies are adapted to a changing environment. This time around new donors will lead to new partnerships, as new poor will lead to new policy.

CAPACITY → RESULTS

Wed, 30 Nov 2011 10:52:15 +0000

This new publication from the Learning Network on Capacity Development (LenCD) features case stories on capacity development and development results. The collection showcases how endogenous investments in capacity development have led, over time, to produce short, medium and long-term sustainable results.

Learning to evaluate capacity development: The making of 'Facilitating resourcefulness'

Wed, 30 Nov 2011 10:24:22 +0000

This article is a supplement to Issue 43 of Capacity.org. It takes a look behind the scenes of an extensive evaluation of 26 case studies covering the support to capacity development of seven Dutch Development Partners under the coordination and partial responsibility of the Policy and Operations Evaluation Department (IOB) of the Netherlands Ministry of Foreign affairs. The evaluation aimed to draw lessons on how to improve the effectiveness of future capacity development interventions.

Consider the organizational life cycle when evaluating the effectiveness of capacity-development support

Tue, 29 Nov 2011 13:28:41 +0000

In August 2011, the Policy and Operations Evaluation Department (IOB) of the Netherlands Ministry of Foreign Affairs, published a report titled ‘ Facilitating resourcefulness’, which presented the results of an extensive evaluation of Dutch support for capacity development, based on the five core capabilities (5CCs) evaluation model. One of the evaluation’s key findings is that Southern organizations exhibit a high level of donor-dependency. For NGOs in particular, donor funding provides a vital lifeline. In other words, without donor support they do not have the capacity to survive, or as it is described in the 5CCs parlance, “the capability to adapt and self-renew.”

Supporting domestic accountability: why quick fixes won't work

Mon, 28 Nov 2011 07:49:32 +0000

In an interesting review of the process towards the 4th High Level Forum in Busan, the two co-chairs of the OECD/DAC working group on aid effectiveness, Talaat Abel-Malek and Bert Koenders, noted that while it fell short of its targets, good progress had been made towards putting into action the principles of the Paris Declaration. One of these targets is ‘enhanced accountability to citizens and parliaments’, on which only slow progress was recorded. At the initiative of the same Bert Koenders, then in his role of Minister for Development Cooperation in The Netherlands, SNV Netherlands Development Organisation has been working in partnership with the Dutch Ministry to support domestic accountability in a number of countries in (mainly) East and Southern Africa.

E-learning tool to build adaptive capacity for rural livelihoods

Fri, 25 Nov 2011 14:59:50 +0000

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) has developed a modular e-learning tool to enhance awareness and technical capacities for promoting community-based adaptation in agriculture. It consists of four interactive learning modules, structured in 24 sessions, that link research-based knowledge on climate change impacts with examples and experiences on community-based adaptation drawn from various FAO field projects, and a range of other country-specific case studies. It is available in English, French and Spanish.

SNV Practice Brief: Supporting domestic accountability

Fri, 25 Nov 2011 12:11:57 +0000

Accountability can be an abstract concept, but it comes alive for ordinary citizens if it involves looking at whether (and how) funding for services is distributed and spent at the local level. This Practice Brief is the first of a new series prepared by practitioners working with the SNV Netherlands Development Organisation. It helps to shed some light on what support organisations can do to amplify the voice of local stakeholders in demanding greater accountability from governments and service providers.

Capacity development for education for all (CapEFA): Translating theory into practice

Thu, 24 Nov 2011 21:28:21 +0000

UNESCO's Education for All Global Monitoring Report (2011) suggests that national barriers to Education for All (EFA) have been largely under-estimated and that, over the past decade, insufficient attention has been paid to strategies for overcoming them. The recently launched publication “Capacity Development for Education for All: Translating Theory into Practice” offers an opportunity for UNESCO to reflect upon its capacity development approach while bringing together some of the crucial achievements and lessons learned through the CapEFA programme.

3ie launches online database on systematic reviews

Wed, 16 Nov 2011 08:07:07 +0000

The International Initiative for Impact Evaluation (3ie) has launched an online database of systematic reviews. This database provides policymakers and practitioners with easy access to systematic reviews that examine evidence on the effects of social and economic development interventions in low- and middle-income countries. It currently has over 100 reviews for many sectors, including agriculture, education, nutrition and health.

Humanitarian action in drought-related emergencies

Fri, 11 Nov 2011 11:06:40 +0000

The Action Learning Network on Accountability and Performance in Humanitarian Action (ALNAP) has published a Lessons Paper that identifies seventeen key lessons for humanitarian agencies responding to droughts, on topics such as: early warning, targeting, working with government, food aid, water interventions and nutrition. It builds on the 2007 ALNAP/ProVention paper Slow-onset Disasters: Drought and food and livelihoods insecurity and a review of over 100 evaluative documents produced by humanitarian agencies in the period 2007-2011.

Training opportunity: Facilitating value chains

Thu, 10 Nov 2011 13:40:53 +0000

Enterprise Development through Value Chains and Business Service Markets: A Market Development approach to Pro-Poor Growth is an 8-month distance learning course offered by the International Training Centre of the International Labour Organisation (ITC ILO) in Turin, Italy. The course will appeal to professionals involved in developing and implementing Value Chain and enterprise development projects. The course starts on 19th March 2012 and will comprise four modules of two months each.

Strengthening local capacity for sustainable development: its not just about the money

Fri, 04 Nov 2011 09:53:58 +0000

With another economic crisis looming, money talk is everywhere and the international development sector is feeling the pinch. Discussions at the upcoming Climate Change conference in Durban and the Fourth High Level Forum on Aid Effectiveness in Busan, Korea, are likely to be overshadowed by Europe's financial crisis. Add to this the fascinating debate that has built up around the evaluation of the Columbia University Millenium Villages project, and the limits of the MDG approach more broadly: the notion that with sufficient funding, it is possible to develop the “ perfect” poverty-reduction project and then to replicate it across the world (see recent posts at the CGD blog).

In and above Conflict - A study on Leadership in the United Nations

Thu, 27 Oct 2011 13:49:05 +0100

Peace is seldom concluded when a peace deal is signed. The principal external role in consolidating peace frequently falls to United Nations (UN) missions and agencies. Their ability to achieve this task is contingent on many factors including resources and cohesive international political support. It depends most critically on effective leadership. What are the unique, defining challenges to UN leadership in conflict and post conflict environments? How have effective UN leaders approached these challenges?

VACANCY: Policy Advisor, Capacity Development

Thu, 13 Oct 2011 02:53:26 +0100

The UNDP Capacity Development Group (CDG) in New York is looking for a policy advisor to work on the national implementation capacities portfolio. CDG is UNDP’s source of in-house expertise for optimizing the impact of development interventions through capacity development. The incumbent will be responsible for the following functions: policy development and advisory services; project team management and results management; practice advocacy; and knowledge management.

NB: The application deadline has been extended to 24 October

Building competitiveness in Africa's agriculture: a guide to value chain concepts and applications

Tue, 11 Oct 2011 12:54:10 +0100

Using real examples, mostly from African countries, this book reviews and illustrates a range of concepts, analytical tools, and methodologies centered on the value chain that can be used to design, implement, and evaluate agricultural and agribusiness development initiatives that strive to enhance productivity and competitiveness.

Implementing the Paris Declaration: No end in sight

Wed, 05 Oct 2011 09:15:59 +0100

The results of the 2011 Survey on Monitoring the Paris Declaration make for sobering reading, according to the OECD. At the global level, only 1 out of the 13 targets established for 2010 has been met, which makes for a tough agenda as countries prepare to meet in Busan, Korea, for the Fourth High Level Forum on Aid Effectiveness.

World Development Report 2012: Gender equality and development

Tue, 04 Oct 2011 09:00:30 +0100

Policymakers and practitioners still face gaps in knowledge both in how gender equality matters for development and how best to incorporate these links in policy design. The World Development Report 2012 aims to bridge these gaps by building upon the growing body of multidisciplinary theory, evidence, and data on these links while highlighting the knowledge gaps that remain across the world in the context of the development process. The Report argues that closing gender gaps is not only a core development objective in its own right, it is also smart economics.

When does rigorous impact evaluation make a difference?

Tue, 04 Oct 2011 08:12:03 +0100

Different methods to estimate impacts are clearly suitable in different settings. But there is sharp disagreement about exactly when high standards of rigour in impact estimation are a luxury and when they are a necessity. Advocates of more rigorous impact evaluation argue that it can improve incentives for development agencies by increasing transparency and avoid the waste of scarce resources on attractive but ineffective projects. Advocates of more indirect and heuristic impact evaluation methods argue that high demands for rigor are often better suited to academics than practitioners, focus inordinate attention on easily quantifiable outcomes, take too long to yield results, and divert scarce resources away from interventions already known to work well. The Center for Global Development's Working Paper 225 (October 2010) seeks to contribute to this debate by dissecting the case for and against rigorous impact evaluation in one concrete and high-profile setting: the Millennium Village Project (MVP), a large, experimental intervention which aims to spark local economic development in fourteen village clusters across Africa.

Case study: Mainstreaming gender in local governance processes in Afghanistan

Fri, 16 Sep 2011 08:22:07 +0100

To minimize gap between the Community Development Councils and Provincial Government Organizations, Afghanistan’s National Area-Based Development Programme (NABDA) started to establish District Development Assemblies (DDAs) in 2006. This case study describes the process used to mainstream gender in these local governance processes and some of the concrete results achieved so far.

Can we genuinely learn from evaluations?

Tue, 13 Sep 2011 08:16:43 +0100

The concept of capacity development with its in-built appreciation of endogenous systems and ownership is at the heart of the principles of the Paris Declaration on Aid Effectiveness. As developing countries increasingly take control over their own capacity development, donors and international development agencies need to respect their leadership and take on a much more supportive role than they have in the past. However, not all external partners can easily adjust to this new role. The contributions in Issue 43 of Capacity.org illustrate that those who do can make a vital contribution in supporting endogenous development efforts.

Guest Column: Avoid the failure trap

Mon, 12 Sep 2011 18:01:30 +0100

Peter Malinga, Coordinator of technical services at the Government of Rwanda Public Sector Capacity Building Secretariat (PSCBS)

Not all technical assistance is capacity-development support

Every year, members of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) contribute some $25 billion to developing countries, much of which is aimed at delivering what is increasingly being referred to as ‘capacity development’. However, many of these interventions do not demonstrate any clear evidence that they are having the desired impact.

Interview: Caring into the future

Mon, 12 Sep 2011 17:16:48 +0100

Paul Banda, Director of the Environment Council of Zambia

Enforcing compliance with Zambia’s environment laws

Over the years, the Environmental Council of Zambia (ECZ) has developed its capacity to enforce environmental laws and advise the government on how to manage the country’s environment and natural resources.

Interview: Less teaching more learning

Mon, 12 Sep 2011 15:49:35 +0100

Sombath Somphone, Director of the Participatory Development Training Centre, Laos

Innovative education in Laos

PADETC, the Participatory Development Training Centre, introduces active approaches to learning in Laos, where education is still based on a passive and traditional one-way-transfer of knowledge from teacher to students.

Interview: A well respected voice

Mon, 12 Sep 2011 15:15:00 +0100

Betty Maina, Executive director, Kenya Association of Manufacturers

Fostering a beneficial business environment in Kenya

The Kenya Association of Manufacturers has tackled a very challenging political system to bring about a more favourable business environment.

Interview: Changing the sanitation mindset

Mon, 12 Sep 2011 14:44:21 +0100

Abadh Kishore Mishra, Regional director, Regional Monitoring and Supervision Office of the Department of Water Supply and Sewerage in Surkhet, Nepal

Water and sanitation in Nepal’s Midwestern Region

In the past, efforts to improve access to sanitation in Nepal’s Midwestern Development Region were hampered by fragmentation and by the rigid mindset of some development agencies. This changed when the country’s Regional Monitoring and Supervision Office at the Department of Water Supply and Sewerage stepped in.

Interview: Riding the green wave

Mon, 12 Sep 2011 12:53:29 +0100

Elizabeth Dipuo Peters, Minister of Energy, Republic of South Africa

South Africa’s path to universal energy access

South Africa is on track to achieve near-universal access to energy by 2015, a remarkable achievement given that 15 years ago, only 30% of the population had access to electricity. Minister Elizabeth Dipuo Peters, explains how they did it.

Voices of capacity development

Mon, 12 Sep 2011 12:36:28 +0100

External aid can provide a significant boost to country-led processes. However, if external partners focus on the performance of their own aid, policies, approaches and knowledge, their support is more likely to hinder than support a country’s efforts. In this special issue published to coincide with the Fourth High Level Conference on Aid Effectiveness in Busan, Korea, Capacity.org invited a number of change agents in the South to speak about their experiences in leading change processes. The interviews cover a wide range of sectors and countries: achieving universal access to energy in South Africa, improved sanitation in Nepal, a more favourable business environment in Kenya, enforcing compliance with environmental laws in Zambia, and introducing active approaches to learning in Laotian schools.

Lacor hospital’s approach to the vertical funding dilemma

Mon, 12 Sep 2011 12:22:20 +0100

Letter to the editor

The topics ‘strengthening health systems’ and ‘vertical programming’ addressed in issue 42 of Capacity.org struck a chord with us at St Mary’s Hospital in Lacor, Northern Uganda. Lacor Hospital is a general referral hospital that focuses on diseases that are prevalent in the region it serves – mostly tropical and infectious diseases such as malaria, pneumonia, tuberculosis, intestinal parasites, etc.

Understanding capacity development from within

Mon, 12 Sep 2011 11:40:48 +0100

The Capacity.org editorial board

Our message to Busan

This November, representatives from 91 countries will attend the Fourth High Level Forum on Aid Effectiveness in Busan. Here they will review global progress on improving the impact of development aid. Since the previous forums on aid effectiveness in Paris (2005) and Accra (2008), capacity development has featured prominently in efforts to achieve lasting results. Despite the progress that has undoubtedly been made, there is still a long way to go.

Evaluating capacity development

Mon, 12 Sep 2011 08:35:21 +0100

Why evaluations seldom satisfy – could we do better?

As capacity development becomes mainstreamed in international development assistance programmes, demand for the systematic evaluation of capacity-development initiatives is growing. Doug Horton explains how the evaluation of capacity development can be improved.

A practitioners guide to results-oriented capacity development

Fri, 09 Sep 2011 10:16:30 +0100

Capacity development is usually marketed as a ‘process of change’. However, there is little point to change for the sake of change. Results-Oriented Capacity Development. A Practitioner's Guide for Leaders of Organizations and Development Managers, published in August 2010 by the Austral Foundation, offers a simple and practical approach to leaders, programme designers and managers, advisers and facilitators for implementing a results-based approach to capacity devleopment.

Assessing leadership capacity needs for building a knowledge society in Africa

Fri, 09 Sep 2011 08:57:20 +0100

GESCI, Founded by the UN ICT Task Force, in partnership with the African Union have released four country reports and a synthesis document that assess the environmental, institutional and individual leadership capacity needs for the transition towards a knowledge society in Africa. The study was carried out in Zambia, Tanzania, Mauritius and South Africa as part of the Africa Leadership in ICT (ALICT) programme.

Facilitating resourcefulness: Synthesis evaluation report of Dutch support for capacity development published

Mon, 29 Aug 2011 19:29:40 +0100

A long-awaited evaluation report of Dutch support for capacity development carried out by the Policy and Operations Evaluation Department (IOB) of the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs has been published. The report synthesizes the findings of seven separate evaluations carried out since 2008, and covering 26 individual case studies. The evaluation is the result of collaboration between IOB and six Dutch NGOs (Agriterra, Netherlands Commission for Environmental Assessment, Netherlands Institute for Multiparty Democracy, Partos, PSO, SNV) and the Ghana Ministry of Health.

Changing minds: A guide to facilitated participatory planning

Fri, 26 Aug 2011 16:12:34 +0100

This book draws on the work of thinkers and doers throughout the world who have grappled with the challenge of planning complex institutions, especially health systems and development projects. Their problem: Conventional planning methods often do not work. The solution: Involve all the key stakeholders in making the plan. The challenge: Devise a planning system that the principals and stakeholders can trust, and that is inclusive, balanced, and dynamic.

Local governance and ICTs in Africa: Case Studies and guidelines for implementation and evaluation

Fri, 26 Aug 2011 15:23:32 +0100

E-governance has the potential to enable local governments to engage citizens in greater participation, leading to socioeconomic developments at local and national levels. But this potential remains largely unexploited. This book offers studies from nine African countries that explore how ICTs can transform service delivery, tax, financial management, land management, education, local economic development, citizen registration, and political inclusion.

Social Equity and Integrated Water Resource Management (IWRM)

Wed, 24 Aug 2011 10:38:17 +0100

This paper from the Global Water Partnership explores what it calls the least understood of the 3 E’s (equity, economic efficiency and environmental sustainability) in the concept of integrated water resources management. The paper sets out an overarching framework to guide decision makers in designing policies, interventions, and programmes aimed at the equitable distribution of benefits from water resources.

Integrated Water Resources Management in practice

Wed, 24 Aug 2011 10:05:24 +0100

Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM) is widely recognized as a prerequisite for achieving equitable and sustainable development. However, this approach is poorly understood, even within the water sector. Using case studies, this book published in March 2009 explores how IWRM has contributed, at different scales, from very local, village-level experiences to reforms at national level and beyond to cases involving trans-boundary river basins.

Creative capacity development

Wed, 24 Aug 2011 09:44:31 +0100

The development community seems constantly and restlessly in search of a singular approach that will “ solve” poverty, unveiling new buzzwords every few years only to toss them aside. Reflecting on personal experience as Director of a Cambodian capacity-building NGO, VBNK, Jenny Pearson argues that the fundamental flaw with prevailing development approaches is that they remain embedded in a technocratic and specialized paradigm that is ill-equipped to deal with the complexity of real-world development contexts.

Enhancing the development effectiveness of health systems funding

Fri, 19 Aug 2011 08:56:31 +0100

Established in 2009, the Health Systems Funding Platform is one of the latest initiatives to improve coordination amongst the numerous external funding organizations working to support health care institutions in developing countries. It has advanced farthest in two countries, Ethiopia and Nepal, and is currently expanding to several others. A new Working Paper from the Center for Global Development analyses the role of the Platform as a case study of how to resolve tensions between the aid and development effectiveness agendas.

The Capacity Project: final report

Thu, 18 Aug 2011 12:07:33 +0100

Human resources for health (HRH) first attracted global attention when it became evident that the health workforce in the developing world was facing a crisis, and that this was affecting health service delivery and health outcomes. The Joint Learning Initiative on Human Resources for Health and Development (JLI), a consortium of more than 100 health leaders from around the world, undertook an exploration of the HRH landscape during 2002-2004 and identified three major aspects of an accelerating global HRH crisis: (i) the devastation of HIV/AID; (ii) an accelerated level of out-migration of health professionals from developing countries; and (iii) chronic underinvestment in human resources. The study concluded that “mobilization and strengthening of the health workforce is central to combating health crises in some of the world’s poorest countries and for building sustainable health systems.”

Tracking health workers in Botswana

Thu, 18 Aug 2011 11:12:22 +0100

In June 2011, Botswana's Ministry of Health began partnering with CapacityPlus to implement iHRIS Manage, a free, open source software (OSS) designed to maintain information on health worker deployment and attrition. CapacityPlus is a USAID-funded global project that focuses on strengthening human resources to achieve the Millennium Development Goals. The goal of the Botswana programme is to track all health workers in the country, what districts they work in, and what cadre they belong to, in order to ensure that the right provider is at the right place with the right skills.

Strengthening rural livelihoods with ICTs

Wed, 17 Aug 2011 17:27:35 +0100

Enthusiasm amongst international development agencies about harnessing the potential of Information and communications technologies (ICTs) for development has waned as observers have recently questioned the impact and sustainability of such interventions. By presenting the findings of research specifically designed to measure impact on livelihoods, this publication offers new evidence for the development benefits of ICTs.

Designing a results-focused capacity development strategy

Wed, 17 Aug 2011 12:42:05 +0100

In this guide published in August 2011, the World Bank Institute (WBI) presents operational steps to help a project leader or task team facilitate stakeholders in designing a capacity development strategy.

Perverse governance: State incapacity by design in Bihar, India

Wed, 17 Aug 2011 11:53:29 +0100

Poor governance is often attributed to historical and structural factors that are difficult to change: “it is there because it is there, or because of a legacy of pathologies like colonial rule and an unnatural degree of socio-linguistic diversity." IDS Working Paper 366 (May 2011) by Santhosh Mathew and Mick Moore explores the role of individual agency and the incentives and opportunities that powerful political insiders may face to weaken state capacity in their own interests. It focuses on governance practices during the tenure of Chief Minister Lalu Prasad Yadav, from 1990 to 2005.

Resisting "vertical programming": The case of Lacor hospital in Northern Uganda

Fri, 01 Jul 2011 16:01:08 +0100

In Northern Uganda, a region that has been scarred by decades of conflict, there is only one doctor for every 25,000 persons. Before 2003, Lacor Mission Hospital in Gulu was among a handful of health care institutions serving an extremely vast area. The devastating conflict had also forced thousands of local residents - along with hospital staff - to seek shelter within the hospital compound. Dominique Corti, describes how the management struggled to offer a full range of health services at a time when almost all external support was earmarked to combating AIDS.

SNV Practices - Developing capacities in Rwanda

Tue, 21 Jun 2011 18:56:52 +0100

The entry point of this collection of experiences by practitioners working with SNV-Netherlands Development Organisation in Rwanda is that to effectively strengthen the capacity of local organisations for economic and social development requires a multi-faceted approach that covers social, psychological, technical, managerial, entrepreneurial, and governance capacity needs. The booklet explores diverse capacity building experiences and interventions covering the agricultural production, education, renewable energy, tourism, and the water, sanitation and hygiene sectors.

Taking responsibility for complexity

Tue, 21 Jun 2011 08:54:09 +0100

Implementers of development policies and programmes must deal with interdependent problems, navigating nonlinear and often unpredictable change processes, involving a diverse range of stakeholders. The point of departure of this ODI discussion paper published in June 2011 is that the main problem is not (necessarily) intractable problems, or poor application of the right tools, but rather use of the wrong tools for the job. Rather than specify what problems should be considered ‘complex’, the paper aims to give readers the tools to decide for themselves whether an issue faced is complex, and to provide guidance on what to do if it is.

Micro methods in evaluating governance interventions

Tue, 21 Jun 2011 07:51:47 +0100

Although billions of dollars have been invested on improving governance in developing countries in the past decade, few of the programmes that have received funding have been subjected to strong and rigorous impact evaluation. The aim of this discussion paper from the German Development Institute (DIE) is to answer three key questions: what are the features of governance interventions that make rigorous impact evaluation difficult and challenging? Second, what aspects of governance have been evaluated by rigorous quantitative methods? And third, what evaluation lessons can we learn from previous experience and what practical implications does it have?

Women's leadership and participation

Mon, 20 Jun 2011 18:19:17 +0100

Hoare, Joanna and Gell, Fiona, Practical Action Publishing, 2009

Women are often denied the right to participate in decision-making, whether as active citizens, or as leaders. In particular, women living in poverty often have little opportunity to influence decisions and policies that will have a direct impact on the welfare of themselves, their communities, and their livelihoods. This book brings together lessons and experience in building up womens involvement from Oxfam GB and its partners.

Bare Foot Guide 2 now available

Mon, 20 Jun 2011 15:36:23 +0100

Following the success of the original Barefoot Guide to Working with Organisations and Social Change, a brand new Barefoot Guide to Learning Practices in Organisations and Social Change (BFG 2) has been launched. Like the first volume, it is meant to be a resource for leaders, facilitators and practitioners wanting to improve and enrich their learning processes inside their organizations and in the field. It is freely downloadable and includes a practical Companion Booklet for facilitators.

Embedding ICT in development

Thu, 09 Jun 2011 09:00:51 +0100

How can Information and Communication Technology (ICT) support development efforts? ICT cuts across sectors and affects all layers of society; it is used by both micro-projects and large institutions. This issue of Capacity.org explores some of the practical approaches taken by a range of support organizations working to build ICT capacities.

Free e-learning package on knowledge sharing for development

Thu, 09 Jun 2011 08:20:47 +0100

IMARK [an e-learning initiative in agricultural information management developed by FAO and partner organizations] has developed a new module on "Knowledge Sharing for Development". The resource kit comprises 36 lessons designed to equip organizations and communities with the necessary tools and methodologies required to develop their knowledge capacities, and enable them to work more effectively.

The knowledge translation toolkit: Bridging the Know-Do Gap

Wed, 08 Jun 2011 12:44:34 +0100

Published in May 2011 by Sage India and IDRC, this resource provides a thorough overview of what knowledge translation (KT) is and how to use it most effectively to bridge the “know–do” gap between research, policy, practice, and people. It presents the theories, tools, and strategies required to encourage and enable evidence-informed decision-making.

Guest column: The forgotten link

Sat, 28 May 2011 17:28:34 +0100

Abdul Ghaffar, Executive director of the World Health Organization Alliance for Health Policy and Systems Research, Geneva

Why health systems are failing

Both 1978 and 2000 were watershed years for world health. The conference of health leaders in Alma Ata in 1978 and the United Nations Assembly in 2000, where the Millennium Declaration was adopted, stand out as the two international gatherings that threw global health into the spotlight and put it on the development agenda.

Case study: Diabetes, Cambodia's silent killer

Sat, 28 May 2011 17:01:34 +0100

Accessible care for diabetes in Cambodia

In Cambodia, diabetes is a devastating disease. Expensive clinical care is accessible only to the urban rich, while the poor remain untreated and die. The Cambodian organisation, MoPoTsyo, has an innovative solution that has already saved many lives.

Case study: Strengthening district health systems in Karamoja

Sat, 28 May 2011 15:42:27 +0100

Inside the district health system

In Karamoja in northern Uganda, many children do not live to see their fifth birthday. In an initiative to improve child survival, Doctors with Africa, Cuamm has formed a partnership with UNICEF to strengthen Karamoja’s district health systems.

Interview: Giving substance to pretty words

Sat, 28 May 2011 15:14:48 +0100

NGO's role in bolstering public health systems

Promoting ‘country ownership’ in aid-dependent countries is central to the debate on aid effectiveness – but global health initiatives have often encouraged the opposite. In 2008 a code of conduct was drafted to address this trend. Capacity.org talked with Wendy Johnson, director of new initiatives with Health Alliance International (HAI), who was one of the architects of the code of conduct.

Case study: Applying the Paris Declaration to Zambia's health sector

Sat, 28 May 2011 14:50:30 +0100

Earmarked and vertical funds are often at odds with commitments to strengthen health systems. Can such funding be tweaked to prevent a negative impact on health systems?

Exploring a diagonal approach

Sat, 28 May 2011 09:48:13 +0100

Integrating antiretroviral treatment into primary health care

Programmes aimed at fighting single diseases have helped many, but they have also weakened public health systems. This does not have to be the case. Individual disease programmes can help to develop the capacity of primary health care systems.

Editorial: Strengthening health systems

Sat, 28 May 2011 09:40:12 +0100

Many developing countries have health systems that are ailing – and well-intentioned development aid is contributing to the problem. Between 2000 and 2010, annual development assistance for health surged from US$10.5 billion to US$27 billion. Most of this was channelled through donor-driven programmes targeted at specific diseases, most prominently HIV/AIDS. Such ‘vertical’ programming has undermined the development of strong national health systems and drawn resources away from countries’ other health priorities.

The road to Busan

Sat, 28 May 2011 05:55:19 +0100

Capacity development and aid effectiveness debates

The Fourth High Level Forum on Aid Effectiveness will take place in Busan, South Korea later this year. How will the question of capacity development be addressed in the forthcoming debates?

Strengthening health systems: we can do better

Fri, 27 May 2011 16:01:45 +0100

Since the start of the millennium, annual development assistance for health has surged from US$10.5 billion to US$27 billion 2010. This has led to notable successes, such as the fight against HIV/AIDS, which benefitted from having roughly one-third of official development assistance targeted at this single disease. Unfortunately, there is also a downside to disease-specific progammes. As representatives of 91 countries prepare to convene in Busan in November for the Fourth High Level Forum on Aid Effectiveness, the editorial committee of Capacity.org decided to publish a special issue of the journal focusing on the impact of aid in the health sector. We sought contributions from all levels of health service delivery, from frontline health workers to policymakers at the international level. They had a clear message for Busan: there needs to be a shift in emphasis from fighting diseases to strengthening the capacity of health systems.

Bringing African indigenous wisdom to organizational development and social learning processes

Fri, 27 May 2011 07:58:38 +0100

Understanding Organizational Sustainability Through African Proverbs: Insights for Leaders and Facilitators (Practical Action, forthcoming 2011), authored by Chiku Malunga and Charles Banda, explores how the traditional wisdom that is contained in African proverbs can be applied to organizational development and change. Rediscovering the power of African proverbs opens up creative avenues to communicate organizational improvement efforts in a language that touches peoples hearts and motivates them to personal and organizational transformation. It also offers an entry point for much-needed cross cultural dialogue among individuals, organizations and societies in an increasingly diversified world.

Theories of change: A resource list

Wed, 25 May 2011 21:00:38 +0100

Research to Action has developed a list of resources for researchers and organizations looking to develop a ‘theory of change’ for their work. The page is worth visiting for capacity development practitioners as many of the resources provide practical guidance on how to fit the different theoretical frameworks to a variety of practice contexts.

Theory of Change: A thinking and action approach to navigate in the complexity of social change processes

Wed, 25 May 2011 14:34:04 +0100

Jointly published by Hivos and UNDP, this guide synthesizes the core of the methodological contents and steps that are developed in a Theory of Change design workshop. It is aimed at the rich constellation of actors linked to processes of social development and change: bilateral donors, community leaders, political and social leaders, NGO’s representatives, community-base organizations, social movements, public decision makers, and other actors related to social change processes.

Supporting capacity development for environmental sustainability

Wed, 25 May 2011 13:56:12 +0100

The purpose of this publication is to provide practical guidance to UNDP staff, partner countries and other development partners on the nature of environmental capacity and how to support capacity development for environmental sustainability (CDES). The guide presents the undp approach to CDES, including guiding principles, an analytical framework and a five-step process that can be adapted to various settings. The guide builds on UNDPs Practice Note on Capacity Development and Practice Note on Capacity Assessment and incorporates best practices from CDES experience.

Strengthening stakeholder ownership for capacity development results: A conceptual framework

Wed, 25 May 2011 13:33:12 +0100

This 48-page paper published by the World Bank Institute (WBI) in May 2011 seeks to deepen understanding of the importance of stakeholder ownership in achieving development goals. It describes the conceptual framework and processes that underpin WBI's approach - the Capacity Development Results Framework - which aims to bring about development outcomes by supporting institutional change.

An innovative methodology for assessing multi-stakeholder networks

Wed, 25 May 2011 09:35:44 +0100

In this informative blog post, Steve Waddell reflects on a recent study focusing on the effectiveness of multi-stakeholder relationships, which he describes as a notoriously under-developed field. The study was commissioned by the International Land Coalition, a multi-stakeholder network aiming to promote secure and equitable access to, and control over, land through advocacy, dialogue, knowledge sharing and capacity building. The blog explains the unique methodology developed by iScale (a global network that works to advance the effectiveness of social change efforts through process, methodological and technological innovations) for conducting such assessments.

Strengthening the role of civil society in conflict and post-conflict settings

Wed, 25 May 2011 08:48:02 +0100

Against the backdrop of popular protests across the Middle East and North Africa region, the May 2011 issue of ONTRAC, a newsletter of the International NGO Training and Research Centre (INTRAC), explores the role that civil society can play in promoting social development and bridging divides. Drawing on lessons from diverse contexts, including Kyrgyzstan, Cyprus and Somaliland, the articles analyse how civil society can contribute to building trust and reconciliation, maintaining peace and security, and rebuilding indigenous institutions for sustainable development and more democratic governance.

Strengthening health systems

Tue, 24 May 2011 15:20:44 +0100

Virtual evaluation writeshop 2011

Mon, 16 May 2011 11:58:29 +0100

BetterEvaluation - a new interactive web facility that allows those dealing with evaluations as designers, commissioners or implementers to make informed methodological choices - seeks participants for its first-ever "Virtual Writeshop" on evaluation, to run between May and September 2011. Interested evaluation professionals with experience in diverse aspects of evaluation - including design, collection, sensemaking and reporting - are invited to participate.

Inaugural Africa Capacity Indicators Report published

Fri, 29 Apr 2011 17:33:38 +0100

The 2011 Africa Capacity Indicators Report (ACIR) is the new flagship publication of the African Capacity Building Foundation. It aims to track the evolution of African capacity across space and time. The report builds upon and augments the existing body of knowledge to help optimize the use of capacity development strategies, with particular attention to Africa's post-conflict states.

"Evaluation revisited" workshop report published

Fri, 29 Apr 2011 16:19:04 +0100

This report published in March 2011 summarizes the outputs of the Conference ‘Evaluation Revisited: Improving the Quality of Evaluative Practice by Embracing Complexity’’, which took place in Utrecht, the Netherlands, in May 2010. It also adds additional insights and observations related to the themes of the conference that have emerged at follow-up events.

Ethics and integrity in developmental leadership

Fri, 29 Apr 2011 15:10:09 +0100

Many developmental problems are attributed to the failure of leadership, and in particular to the absence of either ' ethical leadership' or 'integrity. But what is ‘ethical leadership’? What is ‘developmental integrity’? How is it achieved? And what are the conditions for sustaining it? This is the focus of a new study by the Development Leadership Programme, published in March 2011.

The role of ICTs in empowering rural Indian women

Fri, 29 Apr 2011 12:43:58 +0100

This paper reviews a range of initiatives to bridge the digital gap in India, exploring in particular the role of ICTs in empowering Indian rural women. The paper concludes that, while most of the ICT initiatives are disseminating useful new information and knowledge, many women are not able to
make use of it due to lack of access to complementary sources of support and services.

Organizational learning in Mexican agriculture

Fri, 29 Apr 2011 12:04:13 +0100

To be an effective poverty alleviation instrument, agricultural policies (including research, extension, and innovation) must be based on an evolutionary approach that emphasizes experimentation, learning, and active interactions among diverse partners. However, most agricultural research and extension policies and institutions in developing countries lack the necessary flexibility to implement such an approach. Instead, they apply uniform recipes and struggle with organizational rigidities and other problems. Notable exceptions to this trend have been the Mexican Produce Foundations (PFs).

Preparations for Busan aid effectiveness summit intensify

Thu, 28 Apr 2011 15:40:51 +0100

The official website for the Fourth High-Level Forum on Aid Effectiveness to be held in Busan, Korea, from 29 November to 1 December 2011, has been launched. To facilitate knowledge-sharing and priority-setting ahead of the meeting, the OECD/DAC, in cooperation with the Learning Network on Capacity Development (LenCD) and the Southern initiative CD Alliance, are coordinating broad consultations on capacity-development related issues in the aid effectiveness agenda.

"Investing in the immaterial": Development practitioners reflect on the messy business of facilitating change

Wed, 27 Apr 2011 13:54:55 +0100

Development resources are scarcer than ever before which means that at all levels of development practice, there is pressure to demonstrate (and perhaps to creatively tweak) the results of projects and processes. It is therefore refreshing to come across a set of candid personal reflections on the challenges of facilitating change in complex real-life settings. "Investing in the Immaterial" is the first of what aims to become an annual practice digest compiled by the South-African based Community Development Resource Association. Its goal is to contribute to building a body of practice in this area and kicks this off with 10 thought-provoking contributions from practitioners across the development spectrum.

Rethinking governance and development in Africa

Fri, 15 Apr 2011 08:47:30 +0100

Below the apex of the national political systems and behind the headlines, in most parts of sub-Saharan Africa most of the time, governance is failing to work for development. The better-off solve their livelihood problems privately, while for the majority life remains harsh, troubled and short.

It is against this backdrop that a new research venture, the Africa Power and Politics Programme, is exploring more effective forms of delivering public goods, under the guiding hypothesis that "institutions function better when they 'work with the grain' of the society which hosts them."

New book on ownership and political steering in developing countries

Tue, 05 Apr 2011 18:26:30 +0100

Donors increasingly recognize the political dimension of development cooperation and that they themselves are political actors. But how can this 'political' role be aligned with the interests and ideas of partner countries, and with the principle of ownership? How are partnerships and mutual trust created and maintained through the ups and downs of daily cooperation? How does policy making take place in partner countries, and how can donor and supply driven cooperation be avoided? This collection of essays, published by GIZ, offers important practical insights for policy-makers and practitioners alike.

Rebuilding local governance structures in Afghanistan – a long walk

Tue, 05 Apr 2011 16:26:15 +0100

This case study on efforts to build sub-national governance institutions in Afghanistan illustrates the challenges of implementing decentralization programmes in a post-conflict setting. The focus of the UNDP-supported National Area-Based Development Programme (NABDP) is to transform informal local Shuras (committees) into Community Development Councils and higher-level District Development Assemblies (DDAs). The reality, however, is that the newly elected local representatives face an uphill battle to achieve widespread acceptance as legitimate interlocutors of local development.

Making evaluations matter

Fri, 01 Apr 2011 10:25:55 +0100

“ Too often evaluations are shelved, with very little being done to bring about change within organizations that requested the evaluation in the first place." This new guide published by the Wageningen University Research Centre for Development Innovation explains how to maximize the usefulness of evaluations. It explains some of the conceptual issues involved and discusses how the evaluation process can help contribute to changing mindsets and empowering stakeholders.

Scaling up in development cooperation

Fri, 01 Apr 2011 10:04:12 +0100

For over 30 years one of the core tasks of the German international cooperation agency GIZ's core tasks has been to support people, organizations and societies in developing and emerging countries as they undergo the learning and change processes needed to achieve capacity development. Specifically, this entails supporting people in acquiring technical expertise, managerial competence and performance capability. And it means supporting organizations, public institutions and private companies in making their organizational, management and production structures more efficient and effective.

The benefit of hindsight: Lessons on improving development effectiveness

Fri, 01 Apr 2011 09:44:46 +0100

Impact and Aid Effectiveness: Mapping the Issues and Their Consequences, is a free-to-download compilation of analytical work spanning three decades. One of the interesting insights that can be gained from such a historical perspective is a better understanding of how some ongoing preoccupations have been shaped by their proximity to other debates or policy concerns.

How can donors best support the strengthening of domestic accountability in developing countries?

Wed, 23 Mar 2011 08:12:16 +0000

Rather than encouraging the adoption of particular models of governance, donors should seek to nurture the environment of transparency and accountability out of which appropriate solutions to the challenges of development might emerge, led and owned by local stakeholders. This is one of the key messages from a panel discussion on domestic accountability during the European Development Days in Brussels, on 6th December 2010. It is also the focus of a new ECDPM discussion paper that explores how emerging capacity development perspectives can help foster democratic ownership.

South African municipality scores for learning-based approach on water and sanitation

Tue, 22 Mar 2011 22:04:50 +0000

The eThekwini Municipality in Durban, South Africa, is one of the two global recipients of the 2011 UN "Water for Life" Best Practices Award. The local authority was commended for its innovative approach to communication and awareness raising and its outstanding contribution to addressing key challenges related to water and sanitation in an urban area.

Wikileaks, technology futures and a president’s dream

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 10:17:42 +0000

A series of encounters over the past few months have got me thinking about alternative pathways to African development.

The first was reading media articles based on the now-infamous Wikileaks diplomatic cables, from early 2010. They describe a Kenyan diplomat’s blunt comparison of the capacity-building approach of Western donors vis-à-vis that of China. The second was a book presentation by Japser Grosskurth, author of Futures of Technology in Africa, highlighting the findings of a foresight study of three 'technology hotspots': Nairobi, Johannesburg and Lagos. The third was an interview I did recently with a Brussels-based Southern African diplomat, which painted a picture of a new wave of African leaders who are strategically reorienting the resources at their disposal to tackle the root causes of poverty and underdevelopment.

At first glance, the three cases do not seem to have much in common.

New online discussion: Is capacity development on the brink of maturity?

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 09:26:27 +0000

The Broker, a magazine and web portal focusing on development cooperation, has launched an online discussion entitled Capacity on the Brink of Maturity? It builds on themes explored in " Capacity Development in Practice ," the resource volume for practitioners that was published by Earthscan in 2010. The discussion will focus on strategies for improving the effectiveness and results of capacity development by expanding on some of the 'what next' questions addressed in the book.

As a first step, the magazine has published a series of blog posts by the co-editors and other contributors to the Volume. To read the entries and participate in the discussion, please click on the link below.

http://www.thebrokeronline.eu/en/Online-discussions/Blogs/Capacity-on-the-brink-of-maturity

Evaluation of capacity-building impacts of Belgian NGO Partnerships

Fri, 04 Mar 2011 11:01:44 +0000

This report describes the results and conclusions of the evaluation of Belgian NGO partnerships and capacity development (CD) commissioned by the Belgian Directorate-General of Development Cooperation and carried out by a consortium led by HIVA at the University of Leuven.

Online discussion: Is capacity development on the brink of maturity?

Sat, 19 Feb 2011 17:28:15 +0000

We are pleased to invite you to participate in an online discussion on some of the issues tackled in "Capacity Development in Practice", the resource volume for practitioners.

How to survive and thrive in the knowledge pond

Thu, 10 Feb 2011 05:50:23 +0000

"Knowledge sharing and communication professionals now inhabit a much more crowded workspace than 15 years ago. There is more noise, more competition and more strategic thinking needed to make your knowledge stand out and be heard. However, this community is far better networked than ever before. There are opportunities to build knowledge-brokering relationships across the globe."

These are among the highlights of discussions at a recent workshop on ‘Improving the impact of development research through better communication and uptake’, as reported in a blog post by Andrew Clappison from the Climate and Development Knowledge Network (CDKN). The workshop was co‐hosted by AusAID, DFID and UKCDS on November 29th and 30th in London and involved 80 participants from around the world.

An analytical framework for assessing decentralized local governance and the local public sector

Sat, 05 Feb 2011 11:17:45 +0000

In recent years, a consensus among development practitioners and decentralization experts has emerged that decentralization is about more than merely shifting power and resources away from the central level or strengthening the administrative capacity of local governments. Instead, decentralization is increasingly defined as the empowerment of people through the empowerment of their local governments. This definition recognizes that decentralization is a means rather than an end in itself: decentralization should be pursued in order to empower people over the public sector so as to achieve improvements in the delivery of public services.

This new perspective has important implications for how we measure and assess progress on decentralization reforms and on the status of decentralized governance systems.

First "State of the Humanitarian System" report published

Sat, 05 Feb 2011 10:14:38 +0000

The aim of this report, commissioned under ALNAP’s Humanitarian Performance Project, was to provide a system-level mapping and assessment of international humanitarian assistance. The research team synthesized the ﬁndings of roughly 500 global survey responses, 100 recent evaluations, 89
interviews, stafﬁng and budget information of over 200 aid organizations and a ﬁnancial analysis of global humanitarian aid ﬂows. The resulting report
represents a pilot effort to broadly assess the ‘state of the system’ with the intent, if it is found useful, to repeat the exercise once every two years.

In one of its key findings, the study depicts "a system steadily and incrementally improving its own internal mechanics and technical performance, while remaining deﬁcient in some 'big picture' requirements for effectiveness".

Review of Impact and Effectiveness of Transparency and Accountability Initiatives, Institute of Development Studies (2010)

Fri, 04 Feb 2011 21:30:15 +0000

As traditional forms of state-led accountability have been increasingly found to be inadequate, thousands of multi-stakeholder and citizen-led approaches have come to the fore, to supplement or supplant them. Despite their rapid growth, and the growing donor support they receive, little attention has been paid to the impact and effectiveness of these new transparency and accountability initiatives. Responding to this gap, this report, based on a review of literature and experience across the field with special focus on five sectors of transparency and accountability work, aims to improve understanding among policy-makers and practitioners of the available evidence and identify gaps in knowledge to inform a longer-term research agenda.

The road to Busan: How does capacity development fit into the coming aid effectiveness debates?

Fri, 04 Feb 2011 16:31:34 +0000

On 29 November–1 December 2011 the Fourth High Level Forum on Aid Effectiveness will take place in Busan, Korea. It will be a political, multi-stakeholder event of up to 2000 participants from over 150 countries. Organizers would like it to be a milestone for international development co-operation, reflecting the conclusions of several years of collective effort by donors, partner countries and other stakeholders to improve the quality and effectiveness of aid.

The lead up to Busan contains a variety of processes to define the 3-day agenda there. Most recently, 28 January was the deadline for those closest to the process to suggest themes for discussion. It would appear at this stage a given that some form of “capacity development” will be one of the themes, whether at the political or technical level, or both.

How to identify a South-North consensus on capacity approaches, though? Not easy!

About "Theory U": Resources from the Society of Organizational Learning

Sat, 29 Jan 2011 11:26:51 +0000

In Theory U: Leading from the future as it emerges (SoL, 2007), C. Otto Scharmer expounds on the theoretical foundations of what he calls "the social technology of precensing". Presencing is a blend of the words "presence" and "sensing", and is defined as "the ability to sense and bring into the present one's highest future potential—as an individual and as a group".

Theory U is presented as a new territory of scientific research and personal leadership, one that is grounded in real life experience and shared practices. Otto Scharmer invites us to see the world in new ways by learning to become aware of our "blind spot", by sharing from his own personal and professional development. The final chapters lay out principles and practices that allow everyone to "participate fully in co-creating and bringing forth the desired future that is working to emerge through us".

New process guide for facilitating organizational change processes

Sat, 29 Jan 2011 07:56:26 +0000

The Barefoot Collective's "Course Guide for Facilitators on Foundations in Organisation Development" is a new resource from the South African-based Barefoot Collective. It is designed to accompany their landmark Barefoot Guide to Working with Organisations and Social Change. The new guide is an adaptable resource for facilitators wishing to run structured courses for practitioners who are not organizational specialists, but find themselves supporting the development of local organizations.

"Click here to submit your failure": Canadian network offers a novel approach to sharing and learning

Fri, 28 Jan 2011 15:10:44 +0000

(The Capacity.org team is grateful to Helen Hambly of University of Guelph for sharing this information via the Pelican Network).

We all know that we learn as much, if not more, from our mistakes as our successes. But how many of us actually go ahead and put our money where our mouth is? Well, all those brave souls that would like to broadcast their failures to the world now have the opportunity to do so. On Friday, January 14, the Canadian-based "Engineers Without Borders" - along with development thinker Ian Smillie, and Executive Director of Peace Dividend Trust Scott Gilmore — publicly launched a new website admittingfailure.com .

A reaction to Allan Kaplan's essay: "A New Integrity"

Wed, 26 Jan 2011 13:18:01 +0000

We are pleased to publish this response to an earlier blog post on Allan Kaplan's essay. This post is a reaction to: Allan Kaplan (2010) Towards a larger integrity: Shining a different light on the elusive notion of capacity development.

Multi-stakeholder learning partnerships in support of small-scale farming

Sat, 22 Jan 2011 17:16:30 +0000

The December 2010 issue of "Farming Matters", a quarterly magazine published by the Centre for learning on sustainable agriculture (ILEIA) addresses the theme of "Partnerships for learning." Some questions raised in this issue include: what do the many different people and organizations labelled as "stakeholders" in small-scale family farming learn from each other? How do they learn to work together to create more sustainable agriculture? What drives them to collaborate?

Local governance self assessment: guidelines for facilitators

Mon, 17 Jan 2011 21:06:15 +0000

This local governance self-assessment tool for community facilitators is based on experiences in Bangladesh.

LenCD strategic planning survey: Call for input

Mon, 17 Jan 2011 11:24:27 +0000

This year marks an important point for the Learning Network on Capacity Development (LenCD) and we would like to invite you to take a few minutes to give us your suggestions about the future of the network. In February, network partners will convene in Kigali to review and define the future strategic direction of the network. We hope you will be able to share with us in advance your thoughts and suggestions about the network and its role in capacity development through a strategic planning survey.

We would appreciate input before 25 January -- why not take a few minutes to respond now? The survey consists of only 12 questions and can be found at the following link: http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/lencd

Call for applications: Establishing multi-stakeholder partnerships to promote demand-driven agricultural innovation and research

Wed, 12 Jan 2011 10:41:38 +0000

The second phase of the Platform for African-European Partnership in Agricultural Research for Development (PAEPARD) is a European Commission-funded (FP7) programme to support partnerships for agricultural innovation. PAEPARD II nurtures partnerships to increase the quantity and quality of joint proposals (leading to more funded initiatives).

The programme has issued a call for applications from innovative partnerships interested in seeking funding under this window. The deadline for applications is 28 January 2010.

Systems Concepts in Action: A Practitioner's Toolkit

Wed, 12 Jan 2011 10:20:33 +0000

Systems Concepts in Action: A Practitioner's Toolkit (Stanford University Press, 2010) is a welcome addition for practitioners' understanding of how to work with complexity and systems-thinking concepts.

Written by Bob Williams and Richard Hummelbrunner, the book explores the application of systems ideas to investigate, evaluate, and intervene in complex and messy situations. The text serves as a field guide, with each chapter representing a method for describing and analyzing; learning about; or changing and managing a challenge or set of problems.

The partnership brokering project

Tue, 28 Dec 2010 20:59:17 +0000

Established in 2000, the Partnership Brokering Project builds capacity for cross-sector partnerships across a broad range of development sectors. The project aims to change the partnering landscape for the better by promoting good practice and influencing leaders, planners, donors, policy makers and practitioners.

Theory U - "leading from the future as it emerges"

Tue, 28 Dec 2010 20:29:32 +0000

Presencing," a blend of the words "presence" and "sensing," refers to the ability to sense and bring into the present one's highest future potential—as an individual and as a group. This approach is promoted by the Presencing Institute (PI) - a global awareness based action research community for profound societal innovation and change.

People-centred M&E: Aligning Incentives So Agriculture Does More to Reduce Hunger (Special Issue, November 2010)

Tue, 28 Dec 2010 18:15:37 +0000

After more than two decades of hiatus agriculture is back on the agenda of donors and governments. Issues of harmonisation, results orientation, mutual accountability and payments for performance have become mantras in development assistance. Placing intended beneficiaries at the centre stage is the new motto. But the articles in this seminal IDS Bulletin provide systematic evidence to lay open the widely shared secret among development practitioners that the cupboard of agricultural monitoring and evaluation (M&E) is bare. Agricultural M&E has been weak at best. Where it exists it has concentrated on tools and methods, a narrow focus on project performance ratings and 'rates of return' with accountability upwards to donors rather than downwards to the intended beneficiaries of programmes.

IDS Bulletin 41.3 (April 2010) Reflecting collectively on capacities for change

Sun, 26 Dec 2010 07:34:51 +0000

‘Capacity development’ implies a promise of growing self-reliance, national ownership and sustainability, yet practice seems consistently to fall short of this emancipatory promise. This publication argues for a reframing of capacity development for emancipatory social change.

"Towards a New Integrity" an essay and call for joint reflection on alternative approaches to capacity building from the Proteus Initiative

Sun, 26 Dec 2010 06:33:41 +0000

Allan Kaplan is one of the foremost thinkers on capacity development and as we come to the close of 2010, we would like to highlight his latest reflective essay and call to join a new collaborative action research project into alternative approaches to capacity building. The following excerpts give a sense of the depth of the proposed exploration. To download the full essay, please visit the Proteus Initiative website (link is provided at the bottom of this page).

Steve Waddell (2011) Global Action Networks: Creating our future together, Palgrave Macmillan

Fri, 24 Dec 2010 07:42:49 +0000

This book seeks to provide guidance for those engaged in multi-stakeholder processes at the global level through Global Action Networks (GANs). Steve Waddell sees GANs as communities of like-minded people from different backgrounds working together to address global challenges such as climate change, deforestation, the international financial crisis and poverty. GANs bring together people working with government, businesses and NGOs.

Case studies: Multi-actor systems as entry points to capacity development

Tue, 21 Dec 2010 06:10:08 +0000

The following case studies from Ethiopia, Uganda and Kenya provide some real-life experiences of how multi-actor capacity development takes place.

Welcome to the new Capacity.org website

Thu, 16 Dec 2010 10:44:49 +0000

By Wangu Mwangi, Web editor

Congratulations! you are one of the very first visitors to the brand new Capacity.org website. As you may be aware from visiting the old site, we have been busy updating the website to enhance its role as a knowledge gateway for capacity development practitioners. We are currently entering final revisions to the topic pages, and carrying out the last technical tests. So before you move on, we would be grateful if you would visit a few pages and take a few minutes to post your comments. We look forward to hearing from you.

A focus on primary health care helps build strong health systems: Call for contributions

Wed, 15 Dec 2010 18:28:52 +0000

by Heinz Greijn, Editor-in-Chief, Capacity.org

Over the last 10 years there has been a surge in the levels of international funding earmarked for the health sector. While this is a no doubt a very laudable development, the effects are not all positive. A large proportion of the funds was channelled through donor-driven programmes that targeted specific diseases and that can undermine health priorities within recipient countries.

What it takes

Mon, 13 Dec 2010 13:51:01 +0000

Competencies needed to design and facilitate MSPs

Multi-stakeholder processes (MSPs) are playing an increasingly important role in sustainable development. Designing and facilitating MSPs depends on a set of diverse competencies.

Paradox or synergy?

Mon, 13 Dec 2010 13:39:46 +0000

Multi-stakeholder partnerships as a donor strategy

The Interchurch Organisation for Development Cooperation (ICCO) is a Dutch donor agency engaged in facilitating and funding multi-stakeholder partnerships. Its unique approach has been adopted by five other organisations in the ICCO Alliance.

How do our readers see us?

Fri, 10 Dec 2010 12:25:57 +0000

Coming up to the end of 2010, we decided to ask our readers what they thought of Capacity.org. So far, there has been a tremendous response, in English, French and Spanish. As we go to print, we have had a high level of response from staff and affiliates of SNV and ICCO and we are still receiving responses from ECDPM policy makers and other personnel. We would like to thank everyone for taking the time to respond and pass on their opinions and ideas.

The Change Alliance

Fri, 10 Dec 2010 12:05:45 +0000

The Change Alliance is an emerging global network that aspires to increase the effectiveness of multi-stakeholder processes (MSPs) working for transformational social change, particularly in complex settings.

The dynamics of change

Fri, 10 Dec 2010 10:51:33 +0000

Dealing with power – the key to successful MSPs?

For over ten years, Wageningen UR Centre for Development Innovation (CDI) has been offering capacity development programmes to support the practitioners of multi-stakeholder processes (MSPs). One of the most important functions of these programmes is to prepare facilitators to work with power and conflict in order to bring about successful outcomes.

Working with power and love

Thu, 09 Dec 2010 16:26:46 +0000

Solving our toughest problems - uncoventionally

Conventional approaches to solving problems cannot deal effectively with increasingly complex social crises. Our efforts to address ‘tough’ issues in this way often cause us to become ever more confused, polarised and stuck.

From token inclusion to transformative engagement

Thu, 09 Dec 2010 15:48:58 +0000

Urban planning in India

Although labelled ‘participatory’, many urban planning processes in India involve only select elite groups. This article explains what is required to achieve genuine participation involving all stakeholders, including the poor and the marginalised.

Facilitating multi-actor change

Wed, 08 Dec 2010 16:06:29 +0000

In the practice of capacity development, we have seen a gradual shift away from training individuals to strengthening organizations. Currently, the emphasis seems to be shifting again; from working with single organisations to facilitating multi-stakeholder processes (MSPs). But it would be a mistake to assume that MSPs are just the latest fad in the discourse on capacity development (CD). In fact, they have always been an integral part of human interaction. MSPs spring up whenever people or organisations see that collaboration can help to seize development opportunities.

Facilitating multi-actor change

Wed, 08 Dec 2010 15:51:32 +0000

Multi-actor systems as entry points to capacity development

Wed, 08 Dec 2010 14:47:00 +0000

Reasons for a revision of intervention logic

It is often assumed that capacity development starts from within individuals and organisations and then permeates into society. But capacity also comes about through interaction between actors. This suggests that a change in intervention logic and repertoire can boost effectiveness.

Facilitating WASH forums

Wed, 08 Dec 2010 14:26:24 +0000

Multi-stakeholder partnerships on water, sanitation and hygiene in Africa

Clean water and basic sanitation are among the most powerful drivers for human development. The crisis in water and sanitation is a crisis mainly for the poor, with some two-thirds of those lacking access to clean water living on less than US$2 a day.

The Huairou Commission

Mon, 06 Dec 2010 21:21:13 +0000

Isis-Women’s International Cross-Cultural Exchange (Isis-WICCE) exists to promote justice and empowerment of women globally through documenting violations of women’s rights and facilitating the exchange of information and skills to strengthen women’s capacities, potential and visibility.

Capacity.org reader survey yields interesting findings

Mon, 22 Nov 2010 10:01:58 +0000

by Heinz Greijn, Editor-in-Chief, Capacity.org

In the last quarter of 2010 we conducted a survey among readers of the printed journal. I would like to thank the hundreds of readers who responded to our call for feedback. We are gratified, and challenged, by the results.

Capacity building in humanitarian crises

Mon, 08 Nov 2010 18:22:16 +0000

This INTRAC Praxis Note published in June 2010 , analyses five years of support to capacity development of civil society organizations in humanitarian crises, drawing on the experiences of members of the Dutch network, PSO.

Monitoring and Evaluating Capacity Building: Is it really that difficult?

Mon, 08 Nov 2010 18:22:16 +0000

Whilst few doubt the importance of capacity building, and the need for effective monitoring and evaluation (M&E) to support this work, the M&E of capacity building is as much a challenge now as it was two decades ago.

"Locating the power of in-between"

Mon, 08 Nov 2010 18:22:16 +0000

This report by the Human Sciences Research Council, South Africa, and the Institute of Development Studies, UK, presents the outcome of a conference held in 2008 to explore the role of research brokers, and knowledge and information intermediaries in supporting and enabling evidence-based, pro-poor policy and practice. A group of organizations actively involved in intermediary work are taking forward ideas and action from the conference through the I-K-Mediary Network.

How research brokers and intermediaries support evidence-based pro-poor policy and practice

Mon, 08 Nov 2010 18:22:16 +0000

The Human Sciences Research Council (HSRC), South Africa, and the Institute for Development Studies (IDS), UK, have co-published a conference report analysing discussions and presentations at the 'Locating the Power of In-between conference' in Pretoria, South Africa in July 2008.

Capacity development knowledge fair: case studies now online

Mon, 08 Nov 2010 18:22:15 +0000

All 175 case stories, 50 videos and 90 images submitted for the 'Capacity is Development' Knowledge Fair in 2010 are available online. The top 30 Finalists in the case story category and 10 Top Finalists from the video category were determined by a panel of 18 judges in a process coordinated by the UNDP Capacity Development Group, the Learning Network on Capacity Development (LenCD) and Impact Alliance. The cases showcase policies, investments and programmes that have proven successful in driving human and institutional capacity development in diverse settings around the world. Out of the Finalists, five outstanding entries were selected for personal representation at the upcoming Global Event in Marrakech. Visit website

Innovations in capacity development: the role of networks

Mon, 08 Nov 2010 18:22:15 +0000

SNV Netherlands Development Organisation hosted a seminar titled Next Steps in Capacity Development: Dealing with Multi Stakeholder Systems, in the Hague on 22 February. This first event in SNV’s ‘Innovations in Capacity Development’ series explored the "Capacity, Change and Performance"study conducted by the European Centre for Development Policy Management (ECDPM). Following presentations on the study findings, representatives of Dutch-based development agencies debated how to deal with the challenges of working with multi-actor systems in practice. Read more

New guide on linking research and policy

Mon, 08 Nov 2010 18:22:15 +0000

UK's National Environmental Research Council has published a new guide for researchers to help them engage more effectively with policymaking processes.

Perspectives on partnership

Mon, 08 Nov 2010 18:22:15 +0000

Empirical studies of partnerships are few and far between. This Working Paper by the International Potato Center in Lima, Peru, reports on a wide-ranging review of the literature on partnerships and other closely related forms of collaboration.

Podcasting experiment stimulates farmer-to-farmer knowledge exchange in Zimbabwe

Mon, 08 Nov 2010 18:22:14 +0000

An innovative application of the ‘people-content-technology’ focus that is behind the success of online podcasting in more developed countries is yielding interesting results in Zimbabwe.

Tracking progress in advocacy

Mon, 08 Nov 2010 18:22:14 +0000

This INTRAC paper, published in December 2009, introduces the scope of, and rational for, engaging in advocacy work as part of development interventions. It then focuses on the issue of monitoring and evaluating these efforts – offering reasons why and when these processes should be planned and implemented, what’s involved, and who should be engaged in the process. Download paper

African learning platform on capacity development

Mon, 08 Nov 2010 18:22:14 +0000

The African Capacity Development Learning Platform emerged from a collaborative initiative in the lead up to the Busan High-Level Forum on Aid Effectiveness in 2011.

Capacity development learning network

Mon, 08 Nov 2010 18:22:14 +0000

This network was created in June 2009 following a learning forum organized by the World Bank Institute and InWEnt Capacity Building International in Washington DC. The goal is to unite international partners in the development learning community with a shared agenda to improve the practice and results of learning programmes.

Capacity Development: Improving the results of learning programmes

Mon, 08 Nov 2010 18:22:14 +0000

Essays on effective development cooperation

Mon, 08 Nov 2010 18:22:13 +0000

The Effectiveness and Quality Department (DEK) of the Dutch Ministry for Development Cooperation has published a series of essays under the title, "A Rich Menu for the Poor: Food for Thought on Effective Aid Policies".

Online expert roster and study database on impact evaluation

Mon, 08 Nov 2010 18:22:13 +0000

3ie is a US-based organization that seeks to improve the lives of poor people in low- and middle-income countries by providing, and summarizing, evidence of what works, when, why and for how much.

African Governance Institute

Mon, 08 Nov 2010 18:22:13 +0000

Based in Dakar, Senegal, the African Governance Institute (AGI) seeks to advance pan-African perspectives on governance through analysis, dialogue, knowledge sharing and capacity strengthening.

Gender in value chains

Mon, 08 Nov 2010 18:22:12 +0000

This online platform by Agri-ProFocus is a resource and a virtual space to exchange experiences and knowledge concerning gender in value chains. It is for professionals worldwide interested in increasing the gender sensitivity of working on economic development with a sustainable rural development perspective and a value chain approach in particular.

Rwandese Association of Local Government Authorities

Mon, 08 Nov 2010 18:22:12 +0000

A massive capacity building effort is required in Rwanda to help local governments come to grips with their new roles given the decentralisation process taking place. RALGA acts as a broker between capacity building needs expressed by its members and those providing the services. RALGA is developing a database to track the quality of services provided and the evolution of capacity development needs. It will help RALGA gain an in-depth understanding of the needs of its members and become a reliable source of capacity development services.

No more consultants: we know more than we think

Mon, 08 Nov 2010 18:22:11 +0000

We have all smiled at the apocryphal tale of the consultant who borrows your watch to tell you the time, and then walks off with your watch! This book by Geoff Parcell and Chris Collison aims to equip readers with the tools to tap into the capabilities of the organization that already exist but are as yet, inaccessible.

UNDP launches revised M&E handbook

Mon, 08 Nov 2010 18:22:11 +0000

UNDP's latest Handbook on Planning, Monitoring and Evaluating for Development Results includes, for the first time, a section on planning. The Handbook is designed to help UNDP staff to support national capacities in these areas in close collaboration with national counterparts and institutions. Click here to view the online version.

Thinking strategically in the face of complexity

Mon, 08 Nov 2010 18:22:11 +0000

What development interventions make sense when much is unpredictable and uncertain? What is possible when the biggest impacts come from the unforeseen or serendipitous events? Are there alternatives to linear ways of planning, strategizing and making policy?

Bridging the “know-do” gap from research to action

Mon, 08 Nov 2010 18:22:10 +0000

The IDRC 'Research Matters Knowledge translation toolkit' explores the interface between two fundamentally different processes: those of research and those of action.

Supporting the creation and mobilisation of practial knowledge for social change

Mon, 08 Nov 2010 18:22:10 +0000

Conventional methods such as surveys, questionnaires, and focus groups offer little scope for imagination or originality in search for solutions which are meaningful and relevant to the people involved.

Eldis: topic-based knowledge resources

Mon, 08 Nov 2010 18:22:10 +0000

Based at the Institute of Development Studies, University of Sussex, Eldis aims to enhance access to the latest resources on development research, policy and practice. Eldis maintains a large collection of selected online documents, all available free of charge. It also provides a range of topic-based resource guides with quick access to key documents, organizations, research themes and discussions.

Organisational learning: A Mexican success story

Mon, 08 Nov 2010 18:22:10 +0000

IFPRI research report abstract 162 explores “Successful Organizational Learning in the Management of Agricultural Research and Innovation: The Mexican Produce Foundations”. Using a theoretical framework that draws on the literature on innovation systems, complexity theories, and organizational cultures and governance, a recent FAO study analyses the factors that have enabled Mexican agricultural research organisations to become successful learning organisations

Strengthening local governance: The case of TEHIP (Tanzania)

Mon, 08 Nov 2010 18:22:09 +0000

The goal of the Tanzania Essential Health Interventions Project (TEHIP) is to determine the feasibility of an "evidence-based" approach to health planning - an approach whereby decisions on how to allocate scarce health care resources are made based on information obtained locally - and measure its impact.

Enhancing the impact of humanitarian assistance

Mon, 08 Nov 2010 18:22:09 +0000

The focus of humanitarian evaluations is shifting towards analysis of the impact of humanitarian assistance - to understand, in an evidence-based way, how aid ultimately affects the lives and livelihoods of aid recipients.

Diversification Booklets: Opportunities for increasing the incomes of small-scale farmers

Mon, 08 Nov 2010 18:22:08 +0000

What opportunities are there at farm and local community level to increase the incomes of small-scale farmers? This series of booklets published by FAO aims to raise awareness and provide decision support information about opportunities for increasing the incomes of small-scale farmers. Each booklet focuses on a farm or non-farm enterprise that can be integrated into small farms to increase incomes and enhance livelihoods.

Strengthening country procurement sytems in Bangladesh: 2 case studies

Mon, 08 Nov 2010 18:22:08 +0000

At the Accra High Level Forum on Aid Effectiveness in September 2008, donors agreed to use country systems as the first option for aid programmes in support of activities managed by the public sector. These two UNDP case studies describe how this works in practice in Bangladesh. The first case study: 'Towards use of country systems for procurement in Bangladesh', analyses the challenges of assessing capacity at the national level as a first step towards aligning national procurement systems. The second study highlights a promising community-level initiative to enhance local monitoring of Millenium Development Goal-related project procurement.

Putting Policy into Practice: Participatory Monitoring and Evaluation in Ethiopia

Mon, 08 Nov 2010 18:22:07 +0000

Published in 2004 by INTRAC, this book focuses on eight UK-based international NGOs (INGOs) engaged in rural development interventions in Ethiopia.

Technical Guide on Integrated Financing for Value Chains

Mon, 08 Nov 2010 18:22:07 +0000

Developed by the World Council of Credit Unions (WOCCU), this technical guide provides an overview of WOCCU’s recent initiatives to help credit unions finance agricultural production in Peru and Kenya. It highlights best practices in providing value chain finance to increase income among small farmers, promote economic growth and ensure food security.

UNDP Governance and Conflict Prevention Community of Practice

Mon, 08 Nov 2010 18:22:07 +0000

Established in 2006, the UNDP Governance and Conflict Prevention Community of Practice brings together practitioners from around the world working on projects, programmes and policies at the nexus of governance and conflict prevention.

Democratic processes in governance and peacebuilding

Mon, 08 Nov 2010 18:22:07 +0000

IDRC Canada is supporting case studies in eight countries examining the links between poverty reduction, risk mitigation and democratization.

Global Partnership for the Prevention of Armed Conflict

Mon, 08 Nov 2010 18:22:07 +0000

GPPAC is a world-wide civil society-led network which aims to build a new international consensus on peacebuilding and the prevention of violent conflict. It was established in 2003 in response to the call of former UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan in his Report on the Prevention of Armed Conflict (2001). GPPAC strengthens civil society networks for peace and security by linking local, national, regional, and global levels of action and provides an effective vehicle for engagement with governments, the UN system, and regional organizations.

Combining local knowledge and global science: A practical guide

Mon, 08 Nov 2010 18:22:07 +0000

This practical guide developed by DFID’s Research Into Use programme draws on practical experience in Nepal to show how the combination of external and local knowledge helps improve the lives of small-scale farmers by producing practical solutions suited to their needs.

Information and knowledge service markets for promoting rural innovation

Mon, 08 Nov 2010 18:22:06 +0000

The Knowledge Markets approach aims to build the capacity of rural communities to demand and draw on locally relevant knowledge services that are themselves networked with other national and international knowledge services.

Linking technical capacity building to women’s empowerment: The Feminist Tech Exchange

Mon, 08 Nov 2010 18:22:06 +0000

The Association for Women’s Rights in Development (AWID) Forum is the largest recurring event of its kind in the women’s movement, bringing together women’s rights leaders and activists from around the world every three years to strategize and learn.

People Building Peace: Successful stories of civil society

Mon, 08 Nov 2010 18:22:06 +0000

This collection of stories by the Global Partnership for the Prevention of Armed Conflict comes in both a print edition and an online edition, and aims to show how civil society has made a difference in conflict areas around the world.

Sustaining Business and Peace: A Resource Pack on Corporate Responsibility for Small and Medium Enterprises

Mon, 08 Nov 2010 18:22:06 +0000

This resource package offers much-needed practical guidance to show why and how SMEs can make a contribution to sustainable peace

International Initiative for Impact Evaluation (3ie)

Mon, 08 Nov 2010 18:22:05 +0000

The International Initiative for Impact Evaluation (3ie) works to improve the lives of people in the developing world by supporting the production and use of evidence on what works, when, why and for how much. 3ie is a new initiative that responds to demands for better evidence, and will enhance development effectiveness by promoting better informed policies. 3ie finances high-quality impact evaluations and campaign to inform better programme and policy design in developing countries.

Online sourcebook for fostering learning and performance-enhancing change in research organisations

Mon, 08 Nov 2010 18:22:05 +0000

Institutional learning and change initiative: Produced in 2009 by the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR), this online sourcebook highlights concepts and conceptual frameworks for fostering learning and performance enhancing change in research organisations.

Sourcebook on institutional learning and change

Mon, 08 Nov 2010 18:22:05 +0000

Produced in 2009 by the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR), this online sourcebook highlights concepts and conceptual frameworks for fostering learning and performance enhancing change in research organisations.

Linking research and public policies in Latin America

Mon, 08 Nov 2010 18:22:05 +0000

Regional conference discusses linkages between knowledge-based policymaking, democracy and development

Improving the evidence base for health policy

Mon, 08 Nov 2010 18:22:04 +0000

Delhi Impact Evaluation Seminar discusses strategies to enhance impact evaluation of women’s reproductive health interventions in India.

Linking smallholders to the New Agricultural Economy: Evaluation of the Plataformas Programme in Ecuador

Mon, 08 Nov 2010 18:22:04 +0000

This FAO Working Paper published in April 2009 analyses the impact of participation in multi-stakeholder platforms (Plataformas) aimed at linking smallholder potato farmers to the market in the mountain region of Ecuador.

International network on conflict and fragility (INCAF)

Mon, 08 Nov 2010 18:22:04 +0000

Established in 2009 as a subsidiary body of the OECD Development Assistance Committee (DAC), INCAF is a unique decision-making forum that brings together governments and international organizations to support peacebuilding as well as effective and legitimate state institutions.

Transitional justice and development: making connections

Mon, 08 Nov 2010 18:22:04 +0000

Published in 2009 by the International Center for Transitional Justice, this book examines the relationship between the fields of transitional justice and development.

From fragility to resilience: concepts and dilemmas of state-building in fragile situations

Mon, 08 Nov 2010 18:22:04 +0000

This OECD/DAC Discussion Paper aims to promote greater consensus and clarity in the international community on what state building means in a situation of fragility.

Call for submissions: Review of Leadership in Africa

Mon, 08 Nov 2010 18:22:04 +0000

Review of Leadership in Africa (RoLA) is a scholarly journal that provides a forum for the rigorous examination of the ideas and practices of leadership in Africa in all its ramifications.

Transparency and Accountability Program, TAP

Mon, 08 Nov 2010 18:22:03 +0000

The Transparency and Accountability Program (TAP) is a programme of The Results for Development Institute, a private nonprofit organization based in Washington, DC. Started in 2006 with support from the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation, TAP works to increase the capacity of civil society organizations conducting research and evidence-based advocacy to reduce corruption and inefficiency in social sector public spending and better hold government accountable for equality in public resource division.

Revealing Health Spending Research in India and Kenya

Mon, 08 Nov 2010 18:22:03 +0000

This is one of several civil society initiatives highlighted in the 48th issue (May-June 2009) of the International Budget Partnership e-newsletter.

"Designing impact evaluations: different perspectives"

Mon, 08 Nov 2010 18:22:03 +0000

This International Initiative for Impact Evaluation (3ie) Working Paper published in July 2009 brings together four key perspectives on evaluation design, presented at the Cairo Impact Evaluation conference in April.

Knowledge to policy: Making the most of development research

Mon, 08 Nov 2010 18:22:03 +0000

New IDRC publication explores how research influences public policy and decision-making

The world becomes a village – implications of social networks

Mon, 08 Nov 2010 18:22:02 +0000

This posting on the Web2fordev portal highlights a number of support initiatives for development-oriented social networking and content generation.

New Portal for Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation of rural development

Mon, 08 Nov 2010 18:22:02 +0000

The PREVAL monitoring and evaluation network has launched a new bi-lingual web portal in Spanish and English, focusing on Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation (PM&E) for rural development.

Farmers as entrepreneurs

Mon, 08 Nov 2010 18:22:02 +0000

The June 2009 issue of LEISA Magazine, published by the Centre for Information on Low External Input and Sustainable Agriculture (ILEIA) focuses on the entrepreneurial efforts of small scale farmers tunder complex, often hostile, market conditions, and calls for better calibration of external support efforts to address the underlying structural inequalities that hamper scaling up and sustainability of such initiatives.

The wisdom of crowds? Innovative development experiment called to account

Mon, 08 Nov 2010 18:22:02 +0000

Can the internet phenomenon of “crowdsourcing,” or collective intelligence, which has been successfully applied in such areas as open source software development and medical solutions, also be chanelled to promoting rural development?

Evidence-Based Policy in Development Network (EBPDN)

Mon, 08 Nov 2010 18:22:02 +0000

The Evidence-Based Policy in Development Network website, established in the framework of ODI’s Civil Society Partnership Programme, has been designed as a community website that provides: knowledge on bridging research and policy, details of members of the network, a directory of training and advisory expertise, discussion forums, and a partnership brokering area.

Research on Poverty Alleviation (REPOA)

Mon, 08 Nov 2010 18:22:01 +0000

REPOA is a Tanzanian NGO that recognises that research is central to economic growth and the eradication of poverty, and a basis for making decisions and designing interventions. REPOA seeks to build the capacity of, and mobilise stakeholders to understand the importance of research, and to facilitate the use of information for policy dialogue and development. REPOA specialises in economic and social research and has a core staff of 13 researchers.

Rapid Evidence Assessment (REA) Toolkit

Mon, 08 Nov 2010 18:22:01 +0000

The increasing prominence of evidence-based principles has ledto a need for government departments and agencies to have ways of accessing, harnessing and using the best available research evidence for effective policy making – and the first step in this is to review what is already known. While existing evidence is clearly not the only source of information available topolicy makers, it is an obvious and vitally important strategy to determine what is already known about the issue in question.

Research4Development (R4D), UK

Mon, 08 Nov 2010 18:22:01 +0000

R4D is the portal to the UK Department for International Development (DFID) centrally funded research. It provides up-to-date information on DFID's current research portfolio.

Healthlink Worldwide

Mon, 08 Nov 2010 18:22:01 +0000

Healthlink Worldwide provides expertise in communication, knowledge management and learning. It works with organisations and institutions at all levels, from local and national NGOs to national and international decision making bodies.

CIPPEC, Argentina

Mon, 08 Nov 2010 18:22:01 +0000

The Center for the Implementation of Public Policies Promoting Equity and Growth (CIPPEC) links research and policy to improve the livelihoods of people in Latin America and the Caribbean. CIPPEC advocates for greater use of research by civil society organisations (CSOs) and think tanks that are trying to influence decision-making processes in Argentina and Latin America. In 2005 CIPPEC consulted with the Overseas Development Institute (ODI) in the UK to coordinate the Civil Society Partnerships Programme (CSPP) in the Latin American and Caribbean (LAC) region. Since then, the organisation has developed methods of strengthening capacities for using research evidence when promoting pro-poor policies.

Research and Policy in Development (RAPID)

Mon, 08 Nov 2010 18:22:01 +0000

RAPID is a programme of the UK-based Overseas Development Institute (ODI) that aims to improve the use of research and evidence in development policy and practice through research, advice and debate. The RAPID programme has been researching the interface between research and policy for several years, and running workshops, seminars and coursesfor a diverse range of stakeholders.

Knowledge and innovation for agricultural development

Mon, 08 Nov 2010 18:22:01 +0000

This brief from IFPRI, an international food policy research organization, outlines how formal and informal knowledge and innovation can be linked to accelerate sustainable agricultural development.

“On Being a Scientist”: Third Edition

Mon, 08 Nov 2010 18:22:00 +0000

This book describes the ethical foundations of scientific practices and some of the personal and professional issues that researchers encounter in their work. It applies to all forms of research--whether in academic, industrial, or governmental settings-and to all scientific disciplines.

IDRC in the Public Policy Process

Mon, 08 Nov 2010 18:22:00 +0000

This study aims to clarify and document what the Centre (IDRC) means by ‘policy influence’; to examine more systematically the extent to which and the ways in which the research it supports influences policy; and to examine the factors which affect the extent of policy influence resulting from its projects.

Practitioner led research in Africa

Mon, 08 Nov 2010 18:22:00 +0000

This book introduces a series of research studies carried out by SNV advisors on a range of topics relevant to their capacity development practice.

Key Lessons for Up-scaling and Out-scaling of DFID Research

Mon, 08 Nov 2010 18:22:00 +0000

This DFID “Research into Use” Practice Note consists of a series of short syntheses that bring together key lessons for up-scaling and outscaling research, based on 19 key reviews, summaries and reports detailing DFID natural resources research. Each synthesis provides important background information and valuable key points, while the lessons learned are illustrated using examples and case studies.

Strategies for Impact and Policy Relevance

Mon, 08 Nov 2010 18:22:00 +0000

Over the last five years ODI’s Research and Policy in Development (RAPID) programme has been involved in research and advisory and capacity development work with a wide range of organisations throughout the developing world keen to improve the impact of their research on policy and practice, and has produced a wide range of practical guidelines and toolkits. This publication documents the lessons learned, summarised in six simple lessons.

Evidence & Policy

Mon, 08 Nov 2010 18:22:00 +0000

Evidence & Policy is a peer reviewed journal that focuses on the relationship between research evidence and the concerns of policymakers and practitioners, as well as researchers. International in scope and interdisciplinary in focus, it addresses the needs of those who provide public services, and those who provide the research base for evaluation and development across a wide range of social and public policy issues – from social care to education, from public health to criminal justice.

Knowledge to policy: Making the most of development research

Mon, 08 Nov 2010 18:21:59 +0000

Does research influence public policy and decision-making and, if so, how? Published in 2009, this book analyses the outcomes of 23 research projects funded by Canada’s International Development Research Centre in Asia, Africa and Latin America to understand the effects of research in the field of international development. Written in a reader-friendly, journalistic style, the analysis gives the reader a deeper grasp and understanding of approaches, contexts, relationships, and events.

test

Global Development Network

Mon, 08 Nov 2010 18:21:59 +0000

This GDN toolkit provides broad tips and practical suggestions for communicating academic research using the internet. It draws on best practice for web strategies from the information and commercial worlds, especially selected to help the successful electronic dissemination of your research.

DFID database on practical development research outputs

Mon, 08 Nov 2010 18:21:59 +0000

This series of pages summarises a collection of key outputs from projects run by DFID's recently completed 10-year Renewable Natural Resources Research Strategy (RNRRS).

Toolkits on linking research and policy

Mon, 08 Nov 2010 18:21:59 +0000

The website of the Danish Research Network for International Health provides useful information on linking research to policy as well as a number of links to overviews, publication and guidelines on research communication and promotion of research in development activities and policies. The materials contain useful references and/or links to further reading.

Parliamentary outreach and advocacy in India

Mon, 08 Nov 2010 18:21:59 +0000

CUTS is a civil society organization that strives to influence national policies in the areas of international trade, competition, consumer protection and economic regulation.

Research and trust-building in international negotiations

Mon, 08 Nov 2010 18:21:59 +0000

The African Union Ambassador to the EU describes the role of researchers in backstopping African, Caribbean and Pacific negotiators engaged in complex trade negotiations with the EU.

Learning from NGO campaigns to influence trade policy

Mon, 08 Nov 2010 18:21:58 +0000

Since the mid-1990s, when trade policy was understood by only a few experts, NGO campaigns have done a lot to increase the public exposure and awareness of trade issues.

Policy engagement in East and Southern Africa

Mon, 08 Nov 2010 18:21:58 +0000

In promoting evidence-based policy in developing countries, the links between civil society organisations and legislators in the research-policy-practice interface have been insufficiently studied.

Political Science? Strengthening science-policy dialogue in developing countries

Mon, 08 Nov 2010 18:21:58 +0000

Public-interest issues such as climate change have strengthened international debate about sustainable development and poverty reduction, creating an opportunity for evidence-informed policy dialogue to improve development policy and practice.

Policy Matters

Mon, 08 Nov 2010 18:21:58 +0000

Global Development Network initiatives to shape global policy debates and bridge research and policy consultations.

GDN Global Research Project Bridging Research and Policy

Mon, 08 Nov 2010 18:21:58 +0000

The Global Development Network (GDN) is working in collaboration with 11 regional partners on the Global Research Project Bridging Research and Policy. The aim is to improve understanding of the links between research and policy, and to bridge the gap between researchers, policy makers and intermediary organisations such as media and professional associations in order to promote evidence-based policy making in low- and middle-income countries.

Communicating health research