Building institutional capacity

Objective
Improve the efficiency and effectiveness of NARS through fostering partnership linkages, human resource development and rendering technical assistance in defining, planning, executing and controlling research and development agenda.

Background information and methodology
The effectiveness and efficiency in developing, adapting and disseminating improved agricultural technologies depends on the existence of a strong research base comprising personnel, infrastructure and financial resources. For constructive regional collaboration, national system requirements need to be distinguished at their different stages of institutional development and strategies developed which will evolve as NARS grow in strength.

EARRNET aims at:
¨ creating and maintaining a database on countries, containing information on cassava research needs and capacities of national agricultural research systems
¨ devising means for measuring and classifying key cassava research related factors, which include agro-ecological zones, scale of research systems (e.g., human and financial resources, sizes and types of institutes, types and quantity of local research programs)
¨ identifying mechanisms and strategies for setting priorities and allocating resources to cassava research
¨ evaluating national and regional research environments to help countries exploit opportunities for acquiring new technologies from outside
¨ identifying and assessing mechanisms that enable NARS to manage their links with policy makers, local producers, and external sources of knowledge and technology
¨ improving identification of research and training needs
¨ establishing partnerships which are relevant to specific NARS needs and consistent with their stage of development or absorptive capacity
¨ serving a monitoring function for internal demand of technology and ensuring that development of improved technologies on cassava is "demand pulled"

The network operations will use a team approach among donors, national collaborating scientists, extension staff, private sector and non-governmental organizations and farmers to create an environment for effective linkages. The structure, organization and participatory characteristic of the network will ensure continuous interaction among the collaborators, who must take the responsibility to experiment, exchange ideas and manage the network. EARRNET will develop the capacities of its collaborating scientists and create opportunities for them to contribute to a regional process. This will enable the collaborators to assume greater responsibility in defining, planning, executing and controlling their regional cassava research agenda. By tapping the comparative advantage of each collaborating program, the network will be able to attract other interested parties such as NGOs and the private sectors. Assistance would be provided to NARS to prepare research proposals, identify potential sources of funding support and monitor research progress with collaborating scientists.

Activities under training and information exchange constitute integral aspects of institutional capacity building. EARRNET will provide some financial support and technical assistance for the human resource development of the NARS. Opportunities for medium level training in research management would be sought for the root crops leaders in member countries.

To increase familiarity with the NARS' research and development environment, validate profiles, facilitate communication and feedback about NARS strategic needs, and establish a work program for strengthening IITA/NARS partnership, visits will be made to different countries to:

° participate in annual research work planning conferences
° follow-up preparations for execution of regional projects
° coordinate and participate in monitoring visits
° facilitate scientific visits and placement of candidates for research and training attachments at IITA, regional institutions and in country
° assist NARS colleagues to concentrate their efforts on the most pressing problems on cassava in a coherent/holistic approach to avoid fragmentation, inconsistencies and confusion so that the total impact will be greater than the sum of the individual parts.

Activities
¨ Creation and maintenance of a data base on NARS.
¨ Promotion of linkages among stakeholders.
¨ Development of human capacity for specific NARS/regional needs.
¨ Improvement of NARS financial status.
¨ Development of infrastructure.
¨ Priority setting and resource allocation.

Expected output
¨ NARS profile and needs identified
¨ Collaboration among stakeholders improved
¨ Adequate human capacity developed
¨ Enhanced/improved institutional capacity to access donor funds
¨ Improved NARS infrastructure capacity for research and development activities

Indicators for monitoring progress and impact
· Data base on NARS capacity constructed
· Number of stakeholders participating in network activities
· Frequency of exchanges of materials, information and visits among stakeholders
· Number of trained NARS personnel
· Improved funding level to NARS for cassava research and sub-sector development
· Number of equipment/materials purchased
· Documentation of priorities and identified opportunities