Best Practices: Strengthening Policy Research Capacity around the World (IFPRI, 2000, 6 p.): SELECTED TRAINING AND CAPACITY STRENGTHENING BY IFPRI AND THEIR IMPACTS, 1985-1999

Best Practices: Strengthening Policy Research Capacity around the World (IFPRI, 2000, 6 p.)

		(introduction...)
		WHY CAPACITY STRENGTHENING FOR DEVELOPMENT MATTERS
		OPTIONS FOR STRENGTHENING INSTITUTIONAL CAPACITY
		OPTIONS FOR STRENGTHENING INDIVIDUALS’ CAPACITY
		EXAMPLES OF IFPRI’s IMPACT ON POLICY RESEARCH CAPACITY AROUND THE WORLD
		SELECTED TRAINING AND CAPACITY STRENGTHENING BY IFPRI AND THEIR IMPACTS, 1985-1999
		IFPRI’s TRAINING AND CAPACITY-STRENGTHENING ACTIVITIES
		FIVE LESSONS ON CAPACITY STRENGTHENING
		FUTURE CHALLENGES

SELECTED TRAINING AND CAPACITY STRENGTHENING BY IFPRI AND THEIR IMPACTS, 1985-1999

Location/time period	Institutional linkages	Methods employed	Impacts
Pakistan, 1985-1994	Pakistan Institute of Development Economics, Ministry of Food and Agriculture	Collaborative research, visiting research	Policy research leading to major policy changes
Bangladesh, 1988-2000	Ministry of Food, Bangladesh Institute of Development Studies, Dhaka University	Short-term training, visiting research, contract research, collaborative research/advice	Major policy changes, local capacity for policy research
Malawi, 1992-2000	Ministry of Agriculture, Bunda College of Agriculture at University of Malawi	Long-term training, short-term training, visiting research, collaborative research	University emerged as regional center for policy analysis training
Ghana, 1994-1997	National Development Planning Commission (NDPC), University of Development Studies	Collaborative research, personalized training, multidisciplinary training, decentralized training	Decentralized capacity for food and nutrition monitoring systems
Viet Nam, 1995-2000	Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development	Visiting research, short-term training	Acceptance of major policy change/policy analysis capacity for continuation
Mozambique, 1996-2000	Ministry of Finance, Eduardo Mondlane University	Personalized training, visiting research, collaborative multidisciplinary training	Regional capacity for food and nutrition policy analysis
East Africa (Ethiopia, Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, Tanzania, Uganda), 1998-2002	National policymakers, researchers, and NGO members	Consultative national policy dialogue, technical support of in-country research, training and exchange programs	Still in progress; signs of improved national and regional capacity to generate and use food policy analysis
For further information, please contact: Suresh Babu ([email protected]) or Klaus von Grebmer ([email protected]) Communications Division/IFPRI

Contract research. Contract research provides grants to developing-country organizations to conduct research on a topic of regional interest. It generates a body of knowledge while building policy research and analysis capacity with minimal supervisory support.

Visiting research. As part of joint research programs, collaborators visit developed-country organizations and work with researchers there on analyzing data and preparing reports on topics relevant to solving policy problems of their countries. This approach may involve short-term visits to developed-country institutions or long-term interaction and exchange of high-level policy advisory staff from developing countries under the supervision of recognized experts in the field.

Joint product approach. Innovative capacity-strengthening programs can achieve more than one objective. This approach offers support to developing-country students in master’s and Ph.D. programs through collaborative research programs in developing countries. Students’ dissertation research is conducted on a topic of significant policy relevance to the home-country policymakers. Outputs include both the degree and the policy-relevant dissertation.

Short-term training workshops. Workshops on policy analysis for civil servants and policymakers in developing countries typically last 2 - 4 weeks and include lectures, seminars, group discussions, and hands-on exercises. These workshops develop narrow but highly relevant skills and can increase the demand for research outputs.