Social learning in
the CGIAR:
a stocktaking
exercise
Julian F. Gonsalves PhD.
1
Scope
• Innovative social learning related efforts in the
CGIAR
• Lessons we have learned along the way (the
past should inform the future)
• Ensure no duplication with other CCAFS
studies on communications, social
differentiation
2
Activity Duration
• 25-day assignment
• October/November 2012
• Commissioned by CCAF Theme 4
3
Process in a Nutshell
• Review of secondary literature, websites and
extensive personal correspondence
• Center-specific review limited to website-research
and survey respondent inputs
• Compilation of Illustrative Cases (128)
• Conduct of surveys ( one-to-one) and analysis respondents (47) and personal correspondence
(33)
4
PART 1
Reform in CGIAR
5
6
7
8
9
Do we have a more conducive
environment in the CGIAR for Social
Learning Approaches? (What the
survey respondents say)
10
More conducive climate for SL
• Wider recognition of the relevance of
social learning approaches
• Acknowledgement of the need for
engaging a wider range of stakeholders
11
Acknowledging diversity,
complexity and multiple-scales
• Awareness of the diversity and complexities of the
challenges. These complex problems need
knowledge intensive approaches, does not allow
for a “one size fits all” approach not embedded in
easy to disseminate and adopt technologies
• We increasingly focus on more complex challenges
characterized by multiple stakeholders with often
divergent perspectives and competing goals (2.6)
12
Prevailing R & D gaps
• Still a prevailing concern about integrating R&D:
“Somewhere on the continuum between R and D
lies the current reality” i.e. a Gap
• How can we build processes that integrate both
research and development from the outset,
around common issue rather than holing one on
the other opportunistically (Mark Lundy)
13
Improved work arrangements
• Better collaboration across centers (via CRPs than
in the past
• More emphasis on a systems approach that
includes interdisciplinary approaches
• A move towards negotiating shared realities of
problems and solutions
• Research that ‘goes beyond’ biophysical and
economic components
14
• Improved collaboration, cooperation and
communication
“ We are seeing better collaboration and
cooperation among centers than had been the
norm over my long full time involvement with the
CGIAR---so I’m cautiously optimistic about
improved uptake of such approaches. I think the
relevance certainly remains as high as ever”.
- Carol J. Pierce Colfer (2.9)
15
A greater emphasis on outcomes,
theories of change and impact pathways
• A clear push for showing research
outcomes
• More recently a call for intermediate
development outcomes
• The focus on outcome makes
participatory approaches more relevant
16
CRPs and donor emphasis on impact
create “pressure” for partnerships
• Hope to reach the billion left behind by
the green revolution through “new
approaches”
• Will the pressures to bridge the R&D
gaps remain?
17
Challenges remain
•
•
•
•
•
•
Limited communication between scientist and partners on the
Solutions sought in a “linear” manner
Cumbersome working modalities of CRPs
Difficult coordination of CRPs
Communication limited mainly to institutional focal points
How serious is the commitment to development outcomes (big
change in mindset for some)
• Recognition of SL/PM is limited within scientific research
community (struggle for SL proponents to be recognized)
• Mechanisms to link CRPs (focused on global public goods) to
national partners are lacking
18
• The Consortium is working on a new concept of
management for results with concrete and
measurable outcomes for the assessment of the
CRP activities. Is there a risk of result
orientation leading back to old productivity and
breeding orientation of CG?
• What do we do when we know that social
learning and institutional work does not show
“direct” impacts?
19
• CGIAR scientists are now swamped with
design and coordination of CRPs, and
seem to be working pretty
independently in this – making it,
again, difficult "coordinating" among
these differing, if all valuable,
implementation methods (2.3)
20
Yet we are hopeful:
• The goal is to work for a CGIAR better
able to reach the billion left behind by
the Green Revolution through the
broader use of such approaches. (2.14)
21
• Relevance of research will improved greatly if
CRP and CG scientists spend quality time with
the target groups, talk less, listen more and
create enabling environment so that farmers
can make self directed decision making. Before
that they need to question themselves “whose
lives we would like to change?” and once they
are crystal clear on that success is not far
behind. (1.9)
22
PART 2
The Relevance of Social Learning to
Deliver on CCAF’s Theme 4 Objectives
23
Social Learning:
What definitions work for us?
24
Participatory forms of knowledge
creation as social learning
• Shared or dialogical approaches to knowledge
production
• Encouraging discussion amongst various voices
within a community
• Loops of action and reflection
• Awareness and skills learned acted upon by
multiple participants
(CCAF IDS/IIED Study)
25
• The IDS/IIED study states that “Social
Learning approaches help facilitate
knowledge sharing and joint learning
experiences between stakeholders…
through working together to better
understand their situation, new shared
ways of knowing are generated”.
26
• Keen (2005) defines “Social Learning as
the collective action and reflection that
takes place amongst both individuals
and groups when they work to improve
the management of the inter
relationships between social and
ecological systems…”.
27
• Kruijssen et al. (2009) discuss the importance of
social learning for collective action in the
context of smallholder market participation.
• Dialogue and social learning foster collective
cognition and social capital formation, both of
which are necessary for effective joint action.
• Social learning and social capital formation are
also key features of innovation processes.
28
A different terminology
• Steve Waddel preferred not to use Social
Learning when he described large-system
change processes. “When formalised into
new patterns of working together – often
through the creation of new umbrella
organisations with participants from diverse
parts of society – these mutually beneficial
outcomes represent societal learning”.
29
• “Societal learning is a process of changing
patterns of interactions within and between
adverse organisations and social units to
enhance society’s capacity to innovate. Large
scale problems – such as poverty and
environmental degradation – require
substantial societal learning in order for
lasting change to occur”.
Steve Waddel (http://www.pegasuscom.com/bigsyschange.html)
30
A social learning definition that
relates to CGIAR work?
• Social learning is defined as the process through which groups of
people learn, by jointly defining problems, searching for and
implementing solutions, and assessing the value of solutions for
specific problems (Koelen and Das, 2002).
• Social learning brings about a shift from ‘‘multiple cognition” to
‘‘collective cognition”. Individuals involved in social learning
processes begin with quite different perceptions of their current
situation and the potential for change; as they interact, they develop
common, shared perspectives, insights and values.
Source: Personal exchanges ( Andre Devaux, Nov 9th 2012)
31
What do the survey respondents tell us about the
relevance of Social Learning for work in CCAFS
climate change adaptation research
Addressing climate change, whether mitigation or adaptation, is going to require changes in
people’s behaviour. Suggesting or mandating change from on high has long proven fraught
with difficulties and fatal errors. The human variability (along with the environmental
variability) globally means we simply cannot decide what the answer is and apply across the
board. That doesn’t work. We really need to be tailoring both mitigation and adaptation
efforts to local contexts, and that will necessitate the help of local people – a shared learning
approach that analyzes, plans, mitigates/adapts, monitors what happens, and improves on
initial results, in an iterative manner. - Carol Colfer
• Climate change is one among many problems faced by the poor
smallholder farming communities. Participatory research involves
analyzing existing problems and looking for solutions together with a
range of stakeholders. (1.7)
32
Lets be reminded
• The research community is recognizing the need
to go beyond technological fixes...
Governance is an overarching factor. Nontechnological factors have remained "invisible for
too long”.
(Wale Adekunle)
http://www.slideshare.net/gcard/p31-adekunle-ssa-cp-pls-andinnovation-platforms
33
Source: Wale Adekunle. Working with National Innovation Pilot Learning Sites and Inter-regional Innovation
Platforms. Sub-Saharan Africa Challenge Program. GCARD 2. October 28-November 1, 2012. Uruguay.
Source: Wale Adekunle. Working with National Innovation Pilot Learning Sites and Inter-regional Innovation
Platforms. Sub-Saharan Africa Challenge Program. GCARD 2. October 28-November 1, 2012. Uruguay.
Source: Wale Adekunle. Working with National Innovation Pilot Learning Sites and Inter-regional Innovation
Platforms. Sub-Saharan Africa Challenge Program. GCARD 2. October 28-November 1, 2012. Uruguay.
• "There are many implementing groups, facilitators, and
communities of practice experts as there are methods"
• Even if in isolated pockets - not coordinated or
mainstreamed into programs – there is rich array of field
tested social learning related approaches within the CG
system
• We need to recognize that the diversity as it
meets different needs of researchers. Researchers might
become engaged in social learning for different reasons.
We need to grant that this accounts for the range of
approaches.
37
• INDIVIDUAL FARMER LEVEL: Farmer engagement
in diagnosis (PRA typed) or in evaluating
technologies, to more complex participatory
breeding programs
• COMMUNITY LEVEL: Community-based
biodiversity management, adaptive co management, co-management, etc.
• MULTISCALE LEVEL: Innovation platforms,
learning alliances, multistakeholder platforms,
etc.
38
• At whatever scale we work a learning
framework should apply... should be
relevant...
39
Need for
learning
framework
Source: For a full discussion refer to “Integrating research, development and learning to improve the livelihoods of the
rural poor in LAC” by Mark Lundy
40
At the heart of it is the development of methods, tools and
approaches that facilitate learning and skills development.
Then comes knowledge management (“improvement of
information backbone”) .
Elements of process:
1. Begin at the beginning
2. Measure what matters consistently
3. Invest in relationships
4. Cultivate an organisational-support network
41
• Innovation development should include
methodological development
• Regional innovation platforms should be
promoted and eventually facilitated by CG
center to play useful roles in fostering R&D
methods and strengthening national
innovation capacities for promoting pro-poor
innovation processes. (2.13)
42
Methodological diversity
• What the stocktaking exercise came
up with
43
• Check out the cases recommended
by respondents in this survey
44
BUILDING ON CG EXPERIENCES TO SHAPE SL
APPROACHES FOR CCAFS CLIMATE CHANGE RESEARCH
Participatory Plant
Breeding, and
Participatory Varietal
Selection, Community
Biodiversity
Management
Participatory
Market Chain
Analysis/Value
Participatory
Communications
(ICT, participatory
video, etc.)
Multi
stakeholder
dialogue
platforms
Decision-based
approaches eg.
Adaptation
PathwaysWorldFish
Social Learning
for Climate
Change Research
Innovation
Platforms
Farmer Field
Schools/ CIALS
Gender analysis/
Gender
differentiation
Learning
Alliances
J.F. Gonsalves 2012
Adaptive Collaborative
Management, CBM,
and Co-Management
and Conflict
Resolution
Mechanisms
45
• Recognize that communities and individuals are
already adapting and coping with climate variability
and associated change
• Recognize that scientists will use different entry
points for bringing in SL perspective
• Participatory assessments have to be deepened (e.g.
superficial vulnerability assessments won’t help) to
understand how communities cope with adversity
46
• We should celebrate this diversity in
social learning related approaches in
the CGIAR
47
• What about the question of
different scales (local national?)
48
• “Addressing climate change, whether
mitigation or adaptation, is going to require
changes in people’s behaviour. We really
need to be tailoring both mitigation and
adaptation efforts to local contexts, …with
the help of local people – a shared learning
approach that analyzes, plans, mitigates/
adapts, monitors what happens, and
improves on initial results”.
- Carol J. Pierce Colfer
49
Relevance of local scale
engagement in climate change work
We have to deal with location specificities:
• Agro-ecological, climatic, culture, etc.
• Climate change scenarios must get close to
reality and on the other challenge in
bringing locally derived solutions to scale
50
Important considerations in
strengthening local-level action
• Capacities of local level institutions need to
be built
• Strengthening capacities to innovate is just as
important as technological solutions
• Farmer-to-farmer linkages are a critical factor
for horizontal communication ultimately
influencing outscaling
51
• There has been extensive past work on
community-level learning approaches:
Farmer Field Schools, CIALS, Adaptive
Co-Management remain relevant as
“tools” for enhancing learning, fostering
cooperation and as mechanisms for
lower-level outscaling
52
• But working at the local level alone
wont suffice: vertical upscaling
approaches are needed
• Social learning is essential at these
different levels
53
Going to scale is always the
challenge (the need for research on
partnership processes)
• We need platforms and networks which
encourage learning about methods as well.
We need to have more action research on
partnerships and how methods actually play
out with feedback loops to learning.
Mechanistic blue prints won’t work… This is
always the challenge as we go to scale. (2.10)
54
Partnerships and associated
platforms offer possible solution
Source: Working with National Innovation Pilot Learning Sites and Inter-regional Innovation Platforms -Sub-Saharan
55
Africa Challenge Program by Wale Adekunle
A critical role for participatory
communications
• Indeed, one of the challenges I see is how to
integrate participatory communications into
scaling up strategies that are both effective
and sustainable. All of this is deeply
embedded in social learning theory and
practice.
- Kevin Kamp
56
Synthesis: Fostering cycles of
learnings is crucial
• Stakeholder participation processes will
(help) introduce perspectives and insights
that researchers would not otherwise. The
challenge is how do we synthesise the
knowledge that we acquire from
stakeholder networks and feed this into
the action process. (1.4)
57
• Outcome based participatory approaches –
theory of change for planning, evaluation
and organisation building- can help teams
within centers and CRPs stay on track in
delivering on the consortium goals and
agenda (knowing where we want to head,
why and how).
Source: www.theoryofchange.org
58
CGIAR consortium CEO on Partnerships
• While there are no doubt many excellent partnerships in the system, as a
whole we need to improve massively on this front;
• We need to share both budgets and program responsibility more
generously with our partners, both upstream and downstream.
• …Aligning our internal research priorities with those of the countries and
regions we serve is both a need and an opportunity
• Now that our budgets are growing we need to become less defensive and
more open as a system, learning from the good examples we do have.
• We also need to become much more outward facing – now that we have
made very good progress on working better among the Centers, we also
need to work better with partners.
(from Frank Rijsberman reflections on GCARD, Nov 5th)
59
Towards an Enabling
Environment for Social
Learning (Survey Results)
60
What does the CGIAR have to do to
support and help such approaches
(Social Learning related approaches)
Social Learning process should allow for the
incorporation of lessons from the past- the
challenges to not re-invent the wheel and
learn from past experiences – Personal
correspondence: Simone Staiger, Nov. 2012
61
Emphasis on the importance of
institutional culture that:
• Recognizes social science as having its own legitimacy
(“not a hand maiden of biophysical sciences)
• Values collaboration and understanding of
philosophical differences
• Has a commitment to learn from previously
demonstrated work
• Understand the need for more experienced social
scientist: “We are good at bringing in young
researchers and students…”
62
• Change will happen if there are a few “champions”
• Need for a critical mass of like minded professionals
in every organisation
• Also need for a balanced composition of
interdisciplinary research team members (return of
former CG staff to the fold)
• Diversity implies more representation of southern
researchers more especially so if social learning is
our focus
63
• “We need partners from the countries in the
south who have a more detailed
understanding on context. If capacity is a
constraint we should build that... it
strengthens our capacity to understand a
place...“
- Ruth Meinzen Dick
64
• How much of the change is donor driven and
how will a bigger buy-in take place
• Senior management have a key role in
fostering a new environment for change in
emphasis, approaches and commitment to
development outcomes
65
• The incentives structure must be in place. The
requirement to deliver outcomes in term of
development is a key step. Scientific
publications must be considered as only one
contribution to agricultural knowledge for
development. Other knowledge products and
its effects must be compensated. (2.5)
66
Question:
Will the way result management is
implemented discourage participation?
• What results are valued? What about
development outcomes?
• Social learning is difficult to track after all
• Will the recent emphasis on intermediate
development outcomes provide new
windows of opportunity?
67
• "Top priority that all of us can work on is to put in
place a system of managing and monitoring CRP
performance against agreed and prioritized
development outcomes, reported in a timely and
harmonized fashion. This is in essence what the SRF
Action Plan lays out and this is now widely endorsed
and the top priority for implementation in 2013.
(From Frank Rijsberman reflections on GCARD, Nov
5th)
68
• Overall respondents were fairly upbeat about
new prospects for social learning methods
• They felt that Senior Management center
support is warranted
• Incentive, recognition and reward
mechanisms need to be more explicitly
assured
• New work-modalities and focus on outcomes
have made a difference
69