Dr. Iman El-Kaffass, Head - Capacity Development Unit at ICARDA presented on Capacity Strengthening initiatives for Dryland Systems at the Amman Launch in May of 2013. Key areas of focus for capacity development include answering the fundamental question, “Who will raise and secure incomes and reduce degradation for the 87 million people on the 11 billion hectares targeted by the CRP?” The answer is, institutions and individuals in those targeted areas. In order to facilitate that work capacity strengthening of target groups and institutions is essential to ensure the transfer and adoption of knowledge and proven technologies. Thus, drylands systems will fully integrate capacity strengthening into it’s activities. Target groups and institutions for capacity strengthening include NARS centers, extension systems and agencies, policy development systems, university staff and students, civil society organizations, youth/female groups, and multistakeholder initiatives. It was noted that the CG system has already enjoyed significant successes in this area as to date 80,000 professionals have received training. The suggested strategy is to disseminate proven technology to NARS, extension and farmers associations; to diversify training modalities and delivery mechanisms and to develop a quality assurance and enhancement integrated framework; to implement e- and distance learning programs and infrastructure; to develop a knowledge bank and a library of training material for shared use; to strengthen partnerships with ARIs and universities; to increase follow up with alumni; and to develop a shared system to measure realized impact on the ground. Expected outcomes for this work included wide dissemination and adoption of proven technologies, strengthened institutional capacity to manage research, gender and youth integration in R4D, and well equipped farmer associations enabled to manage the adoption of new know-how.

1. Launch Meeting Amman, 21-23 May 2013
Dryland Systems
& Capacity Strengthening
The global research partnership to improve agricultural productivity and income in the world's dry areas
Iman El-Kaffass, PhD
Head, Capacity Development
ICARDA

2. Title Dryland Systems Program
Why is it important to talk about capacity
strengthening?

3. Title Dryland Systems Program
Dryland Systems Program
aims to improve food security
and generate higher and
more secure incomes for 87
million people over 15 years.
It aims to raise the productive
capacity of natural resources
& reduce degradation
across 11 billion hectares.

4. Title Dryland System Program
Who is going to do that?

5. • CGIAR Research Program on Dryland
Agricultural Production Systems – Launch
Meeting, Amman 21-23 May 2013
Title
Dryland Systems
& Capacity Development
• The realization of the planned
sustainable development and
impact on the ground depends,
among other elements, on the
capacity strengthening of
benefitting institutions and
individuals.
• Capacity strengthening of target
groups and institutions is
essential to ensure the transfer
and adoption of knowledge and
of proven technologies
• Thus, the program will fully
integrate capacity strengthening
into its activities, leading to the
realization of its goals.

6. Capacity Strengthening
Of target groups &
institutions
Two
interconnected
basis for improved
livelihoods
Dissemination of know-
how &impact realization
Transfer of know-how and impact realization need
capacity strengthening of involved actors

7. •
Title Target Groups and Institutions
• National Agricultural
Research Centers
• Extension systems/agencies
• Policy development systems
• University staff & students
• Civil society organizations/
rural communities/farmer
associations/farmers
• Focus on youth and female
beneficiaries/women groups
• Multi-stakeholder initiatives to
be encouraged (more than
one group of beneficiaries)

8. CGIAR Research Program on Dryland Agricultural Production Systems – Launch Meeting, Amman 21-23 May 2013
Title Partners
• CGIAR Centers
• National Agricultural Research Systems (NARS)
• Advanced Research Institutes (ARIs)
• Universities
• Development Partners
• Civil Society
• Private Sector
• Farmer organizations & Women Groups

9. CGIAR Research Program on Dryland Agricultural Production Systems – Launch Meeting, Amman 21-23 May 2013
Title Regional Targets
• West Africa Sahel
and Dry Savannas
• East and Southern
Africa
• North Africa and
West Asia
• Central Asia and
Caucasus
• South Asia

10. CGIAR Research Program on Dryland Agricultural Production Systems – Launch Meeting, Amman 21-23 May 2013
Title
Can we do it?
Building on CGIAR Successes
• 80,000 professionals received
training from the CGIAR
• One fifth of the CGIAR budget
is spent on Capacity
Strengthening
• Proven success in
strengthening capacity
• Led to strengthened CGIAR
network and relationship with
beneficiaries
• Resulted in facilitating &
implementing more impact on
the ground

11. CGIAR Research Program on Dryland Agricultural Production Systems – Launch Meeting, Amman 21-23 May 2013
Title
What are we suggesting? On what
basis?

12. CGIAR Research Program on Dryland Agricultural Production Systems – Launch Meeting, Amman 21-23 May 2013
Title Suggested Strategy
• Strengthen capacity of
researchers, extension and
farmers in higher potential
areas on sustainably
intensifying production,
diversifying the farming
system, and connecting to
profitable markets
• In highly vulnerable areas:
reducing risk and
vulnerability.

13. Disseminate proven
technology to NARS,
extension, farmers
and associations
Diversify training
modalities and
delivery
mechanisms
Develop a quality
assurance and
enhancement
integrated frame of
work
Elements
Suggested Strategy

14. Expand the
geographical
coverage of CS &
ensuring balance
Focus on NARS
priority needs &
constraints,
CGIAR advantages
& CRP mandates
Implement e- &
distance learning
to reach out to
more NARS
Elements
Suggested Strategy

15. Developing a
knowledge bank
and a library of
training material
for shared use
Supporting the
institutional
strengthening of
NARS
Strengthening
Partnerships
with ARIs,
Universities,
NARS, private
sector and NGOs
Elements
Suggested Strategy

16. Strengthen
collaboration with
donors and
diversify funds
Strengthen
contact with
alumni and
follow up on their
progress
Develop a shared
system to
measure realized
impact on the
ground
Elements
Suggested Strategy

17. CGIAR Research Program on Dryland Agricultural Production Systems – Launch Meeting, Amman 21-23 May 2013
Title Suggested Strategy
Providing integrated capacity
strengthening packages
reflecting the system
approach and including:
- sustainable land and water
management,
- crop genetic improvement
and integrated disease and
pest management,
- socio-economics, policy
and institutional options.

18. CGIAR Research Program on Dryland Agricultural Production Systems – Launch Meeting, Amman 21-23 May 2013
TitleThemes of Capacity Strengthening
• Innovation systems
• Integrated options and technologies for
sustainable management of natural
resources
• Integrated options for sustainable
intensification and diversification of
production systems
• Risk and vulnerability management
• Integrating gender and youth in research
to ensure opportunities & benefits for all
• Integrated crop and livestock production
management
• Sustainable agriculture
• Integrated post-harvest management and
marketing
• Institutional policy analysis and
development
• Extension development and innovation
• Geographical Information Systems

19. TitleSuggested Approaches/Modalities
• Group courses
• Individual degree
fellowships – post docs
• Individual non-degree
fellowships
• Train-the-trainer with follow
up on transfer of
knowledge gained
• Fellowships
• Internships
• Visiting Scientist programs
• Field tours
• On farm trials
• Networks /Conferences
• Farmers’ schools
• Web portal
• Virtual platforms
• Web-based information
• Manuals/material
documentation and
dissemination
• South-South interchange of
knowledge and experience
• Joint curricula development
with universities

20. CGIAR Research Program on Dryland Agricultural Production Systems – Launch Meeting, Amman 21-23 May 2013
Title Expected Outcomes
• Know-how and proven technologies is
disseminated and adopted
• Young researchers’ gain acpacity for
research for development
• Target institutional capacity to
produce and manage research is
strengthened
• Gender and youth is integrated in
research for development,
• Policy development systems’ capacity
to produce evidence-based, outcome-
oriented policies is strengthened
• Farmer associations are enabled to
manage the adoption of introduced
know-how
• Farmers are enabled to apply proven
technologies and to link to market

21. CGIAR Research Program on Dryland Agricultural Production Systems – Launch Meeting, Amman 21-23 May 2013
Title
Priority Issues
that Need our Collaboration
• Include planning and budgeting for in
the "Plan of Work and Budget (PoWB)
.
• Analyse milestones and outcomes for
needed capacity strengthening support
• Conduct a Needs Assessment Survey
• Develop collaborative CS interventions
• Develop trainee learning and trainer
teaching assessment tools

22. CGIAR Research Program on Dryland Agricultural Production Systems – Launch Meeting, Amman 21-23 May 2013
Title
Priority Issues
that Need our Collaboration
• Develop a shared evaluation tool for
capacity strengthening activities
• Establish a shared CS/MIS
• Develop a Procedural & QM Manual
• Give priority to train-the-trainer
• Strengthen partnerships with the
private sector & civil society
• Strengthen the reach-out to extension,
farmer associations & men & women
farmers
• Strengthen e-learning initiatives and
using virtual media
• Develop shared procedures and
schemes

23. CGIAR Research Program on Dryland Agricultural Production Systems – Launch Meeting, Amman 21-23 May 2013
Title
Priority Issues
that Need our Collaboration
• Establishing a shared
platform to deliver distance
and e-learning courses
• Establishing a shared
“Knowledge Bank”
• Developing a system-wide
impact assessment system
• Documentation of the
lessons learned

24. 2. Leadership
commitment and support
5. Defining action, timing & scope
and the integrating mechanism
4. Assigning
competent strategy
implementers
3. Reflection
of strategy
in structure
& processes
6. Periodical
assessment
1. Agreeing on the
direction and strategy
Priority Issues
that Need our Collaboration

25. Thank you