News

Addis Ababa, Ethiopia - December 13, 2024 - CGIAR and CAADP-XP4 partners have successfully concluded the "Second Workshop to Operationalize the DSPace African Agricultural Data Directory" at the ILRI campus in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. The three-day event, held from December 11 to 13, brought together knowledge management managers, IT specialists and web developers from CAADP-XP4 partners (FARA, CCARDESA, AFAAS, CORAF and ASARECA) alongside CGIAR experts led by the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI). The workshop provided an opportunity to strengthen partnerships and take concrete steps to advance the African Agricultural Research, Information and Innovation Space (AARIISpace).

Key workshop achievements:
The workshop provided an invaluable opportunity to :

• Taking stock of collaborative progress: Participants reviewed achievements and challenges in implementing the Knowledge Management Partnership Framework signed at AASW8 in Durban.
• Building capacity and sharing lessons: The sessions built on ILRI's ten-year experience with CGSpace, enabling the integration of indigenous knowledge, metadata standardization and AI-driven perspectives into AARIISpace.
• Developing technical configurations: We discussed common vocabularies and functionalities for the AARIISpace platform, laying the foundations for operational efficiency.
• Defining clear steps: A timetable for configuring, launching and deploying AARIISpace by mid-2025 has been agreed, to ensure wide accessibility for regional and national partners.

Michael Victor, Head of Communications, Advocacy and Knowledge Management at ILRI, and Benjamin Abugri, Lead Specialist for Knowledge Management, Digitization and Learning, speaking on behalf of the partnership, emphasized that the workshop highlights a shared commitment to transforming agricultural research and innovation through knowledge management. AARIISpace will be the cornerstone of an inclusive, sustainable and scalable impact".

Strengthening partnerships and knowledge sharing 

The workshop's collaborative spirit has been demonstrated by the following achievements over the past three years:

• Active participation in KM4AgD challenges and conferences, resulting in over 21 certified knowledge management practitioners.
• Engagement in strategic policy dialogues and workshops, including the GESI workshop in Malawi and KM sessions in Johannesburg.
• Joint organization of knowledge exchange fairs in Zimbabwe and Ethiopia, showcasing innovative practices and research results.
• Policy validation exercises with regional partners, ensuring alignment with stakeholder needs.  

Future prospects : Areas of collaboration revealed 

The workshop concluded with a joint commitment to : 

• Strengthen partnerships under the existing MOU, extending collaboration to 2025. 
• Publish the first report on knowledge management in Africa in 2025.
• Develop KM4AgD communities of practice through targeted activities. 
• Promote the principles of subsidiarity, by encouraging knowledge management policies and strategies at national level.
• Jointly develop a funding proposal and host a global knowledge management fair focusing on KM4AgD and AI in Africa.

 Appreciation and call to action

CGIAR and the CAADP-XP4 partners expressed their gratitude to all participants for their dedication and contributions. As AARIISpace moves towards full implementation, the partnership calls for the joint mobilization of financial and human resources to ensure the platform's success.  

For media inquiries, please contact : 

Benjamin Abugri - KM, Digitization and Learning Group Leader, FARA - babugri@faraafrica.org

Michael Victor - Communications, Representation and KM Manager, CGIAR-ILRI - mvictor@cgiar.org  

About CGIAR :

The CGIAR (Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research) is a global research partnership for a secure food future, dedicated to reducing poverty, enhancing food and nutrition security, and improving natural resources and ecosystem services. The CGIAR is made up of fifteen (15) institutes, with ILRI coordinating knowledge management within the partnership.

About CAADP-XP4:

The Comprehensive Africa Agricultural Development Program ex-Pillar 4 (CAADP-XP4) Institutions support African agricultural research and innovation in implementing sustainable solutions to improve productivity, resilience and livelihoods across the continent. It comprises the Forum for Agricultural Research in Africa(FARA), the African Forum for Agricultural Advisory Services(AFAAS), the Coordination Centre for Agricultural Research and Development for Southern Africa(CCARDESA), the West and Central African Council for Agricultural Research and Development (CORAF) and the Association for Strengthening Agricultural Research in Central and Eastern Africa(ASARECA).

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