Download Workshop Report [PDF] - ICM strategy development - CTA

1. Introduction
The Planning and Strategic Services Department within the Technical Centre for Agriculture
and Rural Cooperation (CTA) has been conducting needs assessment studies, workshops
and priority-setting activities across the Africa, Pacific and Caribbean regions involving
hundreds of senior policy makers, planners and decision-makers, operational staff including
information and extension workers from a wide cross-section of agricultural and rural
development institutions. These activities have revealed deficiencies in the area of
information sharing and dissemination at the planning level within institutions, which makes it
difficult for institutions to effectively monitor, evaluate and learn lessons for the future. The
lack of proper Information and Communication Management (ICM) policies and plans is a
fundamental concern and is viewed as one of the main reasons for the lack of appropriate
human and other resources, and the poor formulation and implementation of ICM activities.
A better understanding of the role of effective ICM among administrators and planners, and
the consequent development of ICM policies and plans will likely lead to improved resource
allocation and utilisation, for the ultimate benefit of researchers and farmers alike.
The ICM workshop in Namibia built on these past experiences and drew upon lessons
learned from similar workshops held in the Caribbean in October 2008 and from the recent
ICM workshop held in the Pacific in September 2009. The main purpose of the workshop
was to explore ways to increase the level of collaboration and sharing of information among
organisations in southern Africa, as well as equipping them with the tools to develop an
information policy.
Objectives
The specific objectives of the workshop were to:
• Sensitise decision-makers on the value and importance of effective and efficient ICM
• Equip participants with the tools to develop ICM policies and strategies in such a way
that they are willing and able to develop policies and plans within their respective
institutions and in partnership with other organisations
• Broaden the net of stakeholders, as well as increase awareness and collaboration
among stakeholders of opportunities for sharing and exchanging information and
data.
Participants
The comprised policy and decision-makers from the southern Africa agriculture and natural
resources sector, drawn from:
• CTA’s national and regional partner institutions
• Those institutions that participated in the needs assessments and priority-setting
exercises
• Institutions that have subsequently been identified as playing a key role in agriculture
and rural development in the concerned regions.
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