Proposal for a West African NGO Workshop on Agricultural Research in Collaboration with CORAF

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1 1. Introduction Proposal for a West African NGO Workshop on Agricultural Research in Collaboration with CORAF For the last two decades, NGOs have been the targets of many multilateral and bilateral organizations in development partnerships. At the same time, research has developed similar partnerships with NGOs. Since 1995, the Consultative Group for International Agricultural Research (CGIAR) opened its doors to nonagricultural research partners such as NGOs, the private sector, farmers organizations, etc. Since then many international centers such as ICRISAT, ICRAF, IRRI,WARDA etc have developed some partnerships with NGOs. The NGOs have linked with research institutions at the national, regional as well as international levels. For example, in Africa, non-research partners participated in the plenary of SPAAR/FARA in Arusha, Tanzania in 1998, in Gaberone, Botswana in 1999, in Conakry, Guinea 2000 and in Nairobi, Kenya in This provided evidence for the willingness to change strategies and the desire for research institutions to build partnerships with stakeholders in agricultural development. Rationale The great demand for NGOs to partner with different institutions has shown the important role that they can play in contributing towards reaching the goal of diverse organization. It is very important to recognize that most of the partnerships established so far have not realised the expectations of both partners. The reasons are numerous; 1) the partnership is initiated too fast with partners not getting the opportunity to know each other. 2) the objectives of the partnership are not clear. 3) often activities are not well defined. One of the most important causes is the fact that NGOs are under-informed about research a whole. For example, NGOs are seldom aware of changes taking place in agricultural research at the different levels. This situation makes African NGOs particularly weak partners. Bearing in mind that an effective and efficient partnership must be based on the recognition of the capacities and, therefore, value of each partner, it is imperative that NGOs have all available information in order to genuinely contribute to ongoing processes in agricultural research to ensure that the desired change is attained. The new partners must have a clear vision, a mandate and well- defined roles and responsibilities. The widely accepted and promoted partnership must be 1

2 based on effective participation, mutual understanding and shared benefits and communication networking. II. Goal and Objectives 2.1 Goal of the project To contribute to the development of more effective and efficient partnerships between research and non-research partners. 2.2 Objectives To inform NGO networks on recent developments in agricultural research at national, sub-regional, regional and international levels. To formulate the NGO vision for agricultural research in Africa in the context of one that has been articulated by researchers. To formulate a mandate for NGOs in relation to the vision and to define the roles and responsibilities of the NGOs in the field of agricultural research. To set up structures representing NGOs in the sub-regions of West and Central Africa. To agree on the criteria and operational principles of NGOs for partnerships with research. To develop a plan of action. III. Activities 3.1 Preparation of the working documents for the workshop Contact all NGO networks in West and Central Africa. Link NGOs and resource persons of the sub-region to the international dialogue. Produce the following documents for the workshop containing; - Information on the institutional evolution of agricultural research at the national, sub-regional, regional and international levels. - Vision, mandate, roles and responsibilities of NGOs with respect to research at all level. - Criteria and operational principles of a credible NGO. - Set-up a communications network linkage Pre-conference workshop with facilitators 2

3 3.2 Organization of the Regional Workshop - Presentation of information on progress made in the field of agricultural research. - A proposal for a vision, mandate, roles and responsibilities of NGOs in agricultural research. - Discussion of the criteria of the criteria and operational principles of a credible NGOs - Discuss and develop an effective communication network - Development of an action plan. - Selection of ten countries to lead an institutional diagnosis (analysis) of members of ten networks. - Development of and action plan for ten networks in ten countries in relation to research. 3.3 Production of a report. 3.4 Dissemination of the workshop proceedings to CORAF, FARA, and GFAR for feedback. 3.5 Dissemination to ASARECA, SACCAR and all national and international centers. IV. Expected Output NGOs informed on the institutional evolution of agricultural research at national, sub-regional, regional and international levels An NGO vision for African agricultural research taking into account one that has been articulated for the region A mandate for NGOs in relation to the vision, roles and responsibilitie The criteria and principles for a credible NGO adopted A structure of representatives of NGOs and communication network Future action plan. VI. NUMBRE DE PARTICIPANTS : representatives from the 17 afircan countries from the sub-region 10 national participants 5 resource persons 5 représentatives from international NGOs 3

4 2 representatives from CORAF 2 representatives from ASARECA sub-region region in which 1 NGO 2 representatives from SACCAR sub-region in which 1 NGO VI. DATE ( September 2001) VII. VENUE : Bamako, MALI VIII. BUDGET in US Dollars (US$) RUBRIQUES AMOUNT OBSERVATION 1. Participants 1.1. Participants of 17 countries from the sub-region (2 representatives) Air ticket $1,200/part.x34 part. Per diem $120/part.x 34 part.7 days 1.2. Participants from other sub-regions (SACCAR and ASARECA) Air ticket $1,500/part.x 4 days Perdiem $120/part. x7 daysx4 part National participants Transport +Perdiem $50/partx10part.x5 days S. Total 1 40,800 28,560 6,000 3,360 2,500 81,220 Facilitators (Air ticket (1), 7,600 Honorary, per diem) 2. presentation (paper) 1,000 3 Supply 2, Local transportation 1,500 5 working group rooms (4) 1,800 6 Photocopies 2,000 7 Secretariat + rental computer etc, 3,000 4

5 8. supply 2, Cocktail 1, Simultaneous translation 4, Charge organization 1, Future activities 3, Media 2, Communication (Fax, Tel. ) 2, Pre-conference organisation with 500 facilitator 16. Follow-up workshop 3, Editing and dissemination of the 5,000 workshop results Total , Miscelleous 10% 7,000 TOTAL ,620 N.B Perdiem = ( Hotel + food +visa) 5