Agricultural Knowledge Management in IPMS KM 4 Dev

Agricultural Knowledge Management in IPMS KM 4 Dev Addis, April, 05, 2013 Fanos Mekonnen, Knowledge Management Expert, LIVES

IPMS knowledge management (KM) strategy • What are the outcomes we expect • Who are our targets • How do we communicate our targets

IPMS KM Framework (Internal and external) Capturing • Research • Study tour &field days • Knowledge centers • FTCs • Face to face • Audio visual • Printed stuff sharing storing • Online & offline platforms

What do we need: The 4 things 1. Infrastructure • A knowledge center- publications, PCs, chairs, tables, TV/DVD, shelves • A website- servers, internet, website software, • Publishing- software, cameras,

What do we need: The 4 things 2. Skill/ knowledgeable Human Resource • Skilled person – web designing, managing knowledge center, publishing, video making, managing and facilitating

What do we need: The 4 things 3. Partnership and linkages • Trainers in universities, research, bureaus of agriculture, NGOs, …. . 4. Audience/ our stakeholder’s need and interest • general public, farmers, Das, students, researchers

Practical examples from IPMS

IPMS Agricultural Knowledge Centers location

Agricultural Knowledge centers- inside

Online platform- Ethiopian Agriculture Portal http: //www. eap. gov. et

Online platform- IPMS website

Knowledge Storing/Sharing: Publication and multimedia

Seminars at different levels

Guided study tours to stakeholders

On Job training

Internal KM/ communication activities \ipmsserv www. ipms-ethiopia. org

Some Impacts

Change of Attitude • KM is refered as a significant input of IPMS • Agricultural knowledge centers has been exemplary and scaled out- eg. AGP • Ministry of Agriculture took responsibility of handling the EAP

Linkages and promotions • Created strong linkages with university and research • 120 MSc research thesis were supported • Good documentations and promotion • 31 working papers, 6 manuals, 2 toolkits, 6 commodity synthesis produced and distributed (digital and printed) • Key project outputs translated to local language

Lessons Key points to consider in KM

The power of four People • Who will coordinate our KM initiative? • Who are our target beneficiaries Process • How will we acquire, synthesize, and share knowledge? • How will we measure return on our investment? Technology Organizational Framework • What are the appropriate tools for our target beneficiaries? • What new tools are out there that may create new opportunities for knowledge sharing • How can we ensure the right organizational setup to support knowledge management? • Do we provide KM conducive leadership ?

knowledge management and capacity development is a continuous process requiring "fresh" knowledge and skills addressing emerging problems and opportunities along the development (Dirk Hoekstra)