In its RIO+20 Call-to-action, CGIAR called for knowledge sharing systems that engage with smallholder farmers to improve the management of their crops, livestock and natural resources in order to increase production as well as minimize negative environmental impacts. Four CGIAR knowledge management specialists share their experiences on AlertNet: Peter Ballantyne (International Livestock Research Institute – … Continue reading
Category Archives: ILRI
Angeline Wafula – new KMIS staff member in Nairobi
Angela, as she prefers, is the new Knowledge Sharing and Communications Officer based at ILRI Nairobi campus. A communication and public relations graduate of Moi University, with journalism and environmental communications background, she is determined to help KMIS realize its vision. Before joining ILRI, she worked as a project/communications officer at Seeds of Peace Africa … Continue reading
Using open knowledge and innovation to support program learning at ILRI
This week in Addis Ababa, the The USAID-funded TOPS Program held a Food Security and Nutrition (FSN) Network Regional Knowledge Sharing Meeting to bring together food security and nutrition grantees, donors, and researchers for peer learning, knowledge sharing, and networking (see event program and details). On the afternoon of the first day, Peter Ballantyne (Head … Continue reading
Komms Klinics reloaded: Get smarter about research information, knowledge and communication at ILRI
ILRI staff, other CGIAR centers and partner organizations involved in research for development all have to work with information, knowledge and communication. In fact they all do it, continuously. Research is indeed about information, knowledge and communication too, whether alone, in teams and in wider and increasingly complex partnerships. We can achieve smarter research through smarter … Continue reading
Voices from the field: Using multimedia to tell livestock stories
In 2010 the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI) started making photofilms to capture event highlights and to tell stories about people who depend on livestock for their livelihoods, food, income and cropping. What are photofilms? A photofilm combines (mostly still) photographs and audio recordings in a multimedia product, usually just a few minutes in length. … Continue reading
Social learning and climate change: CGIAR and partners in the (local) decision-making whirlwind
The CGIAR Research Program on Climate Change, Agriculture and Food Security (CCAFS) last week convened a workshop on communication and social learning in climate change. How did we tackle to challenge of facilitating a ‘social learning’ process with a room full of facilitators and communicators? CCAFS seeks to “overcome the threats to agriculture and food … Continue reading
Getting the right content for ICTs in India
A new IFPRI discussion paper authored by Claire Glendenning (IFPRI) and Pier-Paolo Ficarelli (ILRI) examines content development and management processes occurring in six well-known ICT projects in Indian agriculture. Though there are differences in scale and mechanisms of delivery and feedback, all of the case study projects use a network of experts in relevant fields … Continue reading
Goats and Trees: 10 weeks as a KMIS intern at ILRI, Addis Ababa
On 26 January 2012, Kara Brown travelled to Addis Ababa, Ethiopia to begin a 10-week internship with the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI) Knowledge Management & Information Services (KMIS). Here she reflects on her days in Addis Ababa – the ideas were initially shared with ILRI colleagues on 30 March 2012. It was my very … Continue reading
Communication the focus of Volta Basin workshop – when the Nile visits the Volta, knowledge flows like water
Effectively communicating research for development is a crucial challenge for everyone in the CGIAR. Sometimes, having an external view about one’s own issues frees up some ideas and can help turn challenges into opportunities. It was in this spirit that the Knowledge Management and Information Services team at the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI) supported … Continue reading
Facilitating mechanization entrepreneurship? Yes, we can!
The Knowledge Management and Information Services (KMIS) team at the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI) recently facilitated a regional workshop on ‘Research design for Mechanization Entrepreneurship to Leverage Sustainable Intensification in Rainfed Areas of Eastern and Southern Africa (MELISA)‘. From 10 to 13 April, the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT) organized this workshop … Continue reading