Innovative Approaches of Knowledge Management in Agriculture:

Experiences from IPMS project–Ethiopia

11th regional conference of Southern and Eastern African Association for Farming research-Extensions (SEAAFSRE)

South Africa, 19-21 November 2012

Fanos Mekonnen, Ermias Sehai and Dirk Hoekstra

A successful Knowledge Management initiative is one that has been institutionalized within a given organization and/or community with measurable positive impact

KM overview

IPMS KM interventions

Lessons learned

Outline of topics

Agricultural Extension in Ethiopia- Now

More infrastructure

More public staff

More ICT

Agricultural knowledge management

KM is about developing and nurturing a system

Learn from each other, leverage collective knowledge resources, share knowledge, and use knowledge…

Why KM in IPMS

Knowledge determines winners and losers

Leverage indigenous knowledge

IPMS KM Framework

Multidirectional knowledge flow, empowerment of practitioners, and partnership

Agricultural knowledge centers

MSc studies Field days Technology exhibitions Action researches

Knowledge Capturing

Knowledge Capturing: Agricultural kknowledge centers

Student shares his researchout put to district experts

IPMS Agricultural Knowledge Centers

Knowledge Capturing: Guided study tours

On Job training

Knowledge Storing

• Ethiopian Agriculture Portal

• Project publications• Multimedia • Project website

Knowledge Storing: Ethiopian Agriculture Portal

http://www.eap.gov.et

Knowledge Storing/Sharing: Publication and multimedia

knowledge sharing

• Participatory Radio Sereis• Workshops, conferences...• Publications • Technology Exchibitions• Field days• Media

Agricultural technology exhibitions

Field Days

Key Project Results

Change of Attitude KM is refered as a significant input of IPMS Good acceptance of the agricultural knowledge centers;

it has become exemplary Ministry of Agriculture have pretty much took

responsibility handling the EAP, Created strong linkages with university and research

120MSc research thesis were supported Good documentations

31 working papers, 6 manuals, 2 toolkits, 6 commodity synthesis produced and distributed (digital and printed)

Key project outputs translated to the local language Excellent promotion and scaling out

Knowledge Sharing before and after IPMS intervention

Alaba Alamata Bure Goma0

20

40

60

80

100

Same as before > volume of information > Diversity

Lessons, challenges and opportunities

Knowledge is refered as a significant IPMS contribution by benificiaries

Inter-related approaches to KM, capacity development and partner linkage makes it a whole.

Awareness on KM is progressive process Focus is what the KM system can do for them

and not on what they can do to make it better for everyone

The power of four: Key points to consider

• Who will coordinate our KM initiative? • Who are our target beneficiariesPeople• How will we acquire, synthesize, and

share knowledge?• How will we measure return on our

investment?Process

• What are the appropriate tools for our target beneficiaries?

• What new tools are out there that may create new opportunities for knowledge sharing

Technology

• How can we ensure the right organizational setup to support knowledge management?

• Do we provide KM conducive leadership ?

Organizational Framework

Conclusion

Knowledge is a critical input to agricultural development

KM strategies should be coupled with capacity development strategies

Many oopportunities: Internet, mobile phones, FTCs

Plan, Implement, learn, and modify and DOCUMENT

A successful Knowledge Management initiative is one that has been institutionalized within a given organization and/or community with measurable positive impact

We say, IPMS has progressed significantly in doing so, what do you say?

Livestock and Irrigation Value chains for Ethiopian Smallholders