1.
Multistakeholder Platforms:
What are they and what are they good for?
Krister Andersson
December 13, 2022

2.
Motivation
• Advise CGIAR Initiatives that work with MSP,
specifically…
• Introduce relevant resources;
• Advise initiatives on how to strengthen
their work on MSPs;
• Develop a proposal for future
collaborative and comparative research
(community of practice)
• This workshop will inform the development
of these products

3.
• Zoom Poll Results
First, a few questions for the panel…

4.
What is an MSP?
Multistakeholder Platform [Partnership,
Process, Forum, Initiative] is an
“organized interactive process that brings
together stakeholders to participate in
dialogue, decision-making and/or
implementation regarding actions seeking
to address a problem they hold in common
or to achieve a goal for their common
benefit”
Source: Sarmiento Barletti et al., 2020: 2

5.
Why MSP?
• To ensure that our research is
trusted by stakeholders
• Without trust in research,
stakeholders will not use its
findings
• Trust in research depends on
perceived relevance, credibility,
legitimacy (Matson et al 2016)

6.
Challenges
• In 1-2 words, what do you find to
be the most challenging about
organizing MSPs? [in Zoom
chat]

7.
Benefits and Costs
Provides structure for more
inclusive governance
Increases likelihood of uptake
But, also
- Time consuming
- Risk of undermining existing
and legitimate institutions

8.
Toward a Community of Practice
“groups of people who come together to
share ideas and strategies, determine
solutions, and build innovations around a
common concern or interest.”
• To reduce costs and enhance
benefits of MSPs
• Provide ongoing support to MSP
activities in each initiative
• Facilitate research on MSP in
CG activities

9.
Next
• Set up follow-up conversations
with initiative reps
• Jointly
• assess current state of MSP work
• draft a plan for how to move
forward
• Start CoP in 2023?

10.
Resources
• Synthesis of relevant literature
on MSPs
• Conceptual,
• Empirical, and
• Practical
• Shared folder available, email
Ruth about access!

11.
Thank you
krister@colorado.edu
Krister Andersson
December 13, 2022

12.
Instructions for Breakout rooms
 Decide who in the group will be facilitator, note taker, who will report back
 (For Agroecology, Nexus Gains and Mitigate +) Focal point from Initiative presents brief recap of
how/why the Initiative uses MSPs
 Discussion, guided by structured questions in google doc
https://docs.google.com/document/d/14MQBm-
3LjFQAPUUUsdOqeBj4RgFpx3V9_jFZQhDjg20/edit?usp=sharing
 When there is at least 10 minutes left, fill in
• Top 3 needs of our Initiative(s) to use MSPs effectively (to meet Initiative objectives):
• Top 3 research questions that we can address through a Community of Practice on MSPs