RCSF East Africa Consultation Workshop

NSCE
North South Consultants Exchange
Professionals in Sustainable Development

Research Communication Support Facility

East Africa consultation

Workshop Report

October 2009

Sara Methven
NSCE International

This workshop report has been prepared by a NSCE International team supplied to the Department for
International Development. NSCE International would like to thank the Development Research Team DRT
in Uganda for their role in facilitating and convening the workshop in Kampala.

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RCSF East Africa Consultation Workshop

DFID Research Communication Support Facility (RCSF)

Uganda Consultation workshop

CONTENTS

1. Background

2. Consultation Methodology

3. Challenges to the communication and uptake of research in East Africa

4. General findings from the Consultation

o Capacity and Capability

o Mapping
o Lack of Cross Fertilisation
o IT Access

5. Main Finding : Challenges of getting research into use in East Africa

6. Suggested Quick Wins

7. DFID current thinking on research communications

8. Visioning and changes

9. Effective communications and key recommendations

ANNEXES:

ANNEX A : East Africa Workshop - Participant lists, invites and attendance

ANNEX B : Workshop agenda

ANNEX C : Long list of challenges from Uganda workshop

ANNEX D : Workshop Presentations

o Uganda National NGO Forum
o Mediae
o Ifakara
o CABI Africa/FAO
o DFID

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RCSF East Africa Consultation Workshop

1. Background
A two day workshop with participants from East Africa was held in Kampala on 14-15th October as
part of the Research Communication Support Facility (RCSF) scoping mission. The participants
were invited from the DFID Funded Research Programme Consortia (RPCs) and Research
Communication Programmes (RCPs) represented in the region. To ensure a broader set of
opinions a selection of people from other research institutes and research projects, civil society
think tanks and advocacy NGOs were also invited. The second group were asked to attend for the
first day only but in some continued on the second day. (The full lists of invitees and actual
participants can be found in Annex 1)

2. Consultation methodology
Participants at the workshop were selected by the team using several and different criteria. A long
list of participants was drawn from people in Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania and Uganda participating
in on-going Research Programme Consortia and who were indicated as having a responsibility
for communications aspects of the research. The other indirect stakeholders were drawn from the
region on invited as participants in the Research Communications programmes. Invitees from the
researchers in Uganda in sectors not represented by the RPCs, e.g. Agriculture who work in
international programmes were also invited. Representatives from civil society organisations that
engage in research and advocacy , and are understood as potential research users were also
invited. A full list of invitees and list of participants is available in Annex 1.

Invitees were requested to reflect and prepare presentations on the following issues:
Challenges to effective research communication and examples of overcoming them, in East
Africa.

The workshop objectives were to:

1. Identify the main challenges and constraints to communicating research in East Africa
2. Map capacities and capabilities for communicating research in East Africa
3. Identify where DFID could add value and appropriate mechanisms for this.

The full programme, as adjusted during the two days, is available in Annex 2.

During the two days the programme evolved in response to participant requests and interests.
Two significant changes were made to the programme during the workshop. Participants were
enthusiastic about identifying potential solutions and “quick wins” immediately after the session on
identifying challenges of research into use. As a result this session took place instead of the
mapping of existing capacities and capabilities. During feedback from a workshop monitoring
group at the end of day 1 participants suggested that it was difficult to talk about potential
solutions and mechanisms without knowing “what this RSCF beast might look like”. In response it
was agreed that the DFID Communications Advisor would provide an outline of the thinking to
date on day two. Thus the programme for day two was adjusted and to allow participants time for
reflection and identifying the longer term changes the mapping session was not included. With
hindsight , the mapping of capacity and capabilities which aimed to find out about other initiatives
in support of research communication in the region would only have provided a sliced snapshot ,
based on the knowledge in the room which although perhaps strong in their own niches was not
broad enough to provide an useful picture of a constantly changing landscape.

An evaluation of the two days was carried out which included an opportunity for participants to
provide suggestions for the forthcoming Ghana workshop as well as any further suggestions on
the scope and operationalisation of the facility.

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RCSF East Africa Consultation Workshop

Some participants made presentations while others bought their reflections and experience to the
group work. The Executive Director of the Uganda National NGO Forum was asked to provide a
scene setting presentation on the challenges of getting research into use in Uganda. (A full list of
participant presentations is in annex 3).

3. Challenges to the communication and uptake of research in East Africa

The main points from the presentation drew on experience of being a research user in
government and a researcher within the civil society:

3.1 Limited understanding of the added value of research communication:

• Emphasis within a research cycle is on generating evidence with less investment in the
need to communicate
• Communication methods used are not always applicable to the target audience. In
particular in Uganda there is a low reading culture amongst all levels of society and as
such it is unreasonable to expect people to read long reports.
• If decision makers make demands for more appropriate data etc. this is often
misinterpreted as a request for more research not more appropriate methods of
communication or clear messages.

3.2 The emphasis on generation of evidence means there is a volume of research does not
match absorption capacity which is in turn limited by
• Time available versus volumes of evidence overwhelm people’s capacity to absorb ,
analyse and use
• When there is a lot of evidence the process of selection of evidence for policy is neither
linear or rationale
• Lack of information management means that respositories and archives of research are
inaccessible and scattered. This weak knowledge management creates risk of reinventing
research questions
• Overall the lack of information and knowledge management limits the extent to which
previous research used. research

3.3 A lack of people with real understanding of why communication matters:

• Institutional incentives within the universities are more about publishing than dissemination
• A small number of communication specialists: there is no specialist group but you need to
work with many different types and understand their interests. The mass communication
course at Makerere is more about training people for the media and journalism.
• Contrasting needs of journalists who want juicy short stories and less interest in
development questions-

In the case of Uganda a shift in the attitude of Government toward controlling communication was
noted . When communication is effective it can be threatening to those in power.

3.4 Overcoming some of the challenges Innovative methods have been used which attract
decision makers: this will shift all the time but examples are short video films (UPPAP), getting
message across as a jingle on FM radio but the latter is becoming expensive. In conclusion the
advice from the NGO Forum was that it is important to keep reinventing ways of meeting decision-
makers needs for information and finding methods and styles that are appropriate.

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RCSF East Africa Consultation Workshop

4. General findings from the Consultation

4.1 Capacity and Capability

In broad terms the workshop found that capacity and capability to use appropriate communication
methods to leverage change by getting research into use is not well developed in the region.
There are however, pockets of communication excellence such as, the TV soap opera Mukutano
Junction using edutainment to spread research messages by the organisation Mediae. It also
consults it audience on what gaps there are information and responds to this.

The Ifakara Research Centre’s objective is to move from research to policy change in health
issues. In the provision of ITN bed nets and Integrated Management of Child Illness programme
has influenced policy change at national level in Tanzania (Annex 4: presentations). It takes a
holistic view of potential audiences and uses a broad range of techniques:
• Academic papers and policy briefing documents;
• Popular media and IT : newspapers; emails/SMS; website/digital library;
• Word of mouth, community meetings and drama
• Leaflets (in English and Swahili); videos/DVDs

4.2 Mapping is required

A second general finding is that the RCSF will have to carry out a thorough mapping of all the on-
going initiatives and existing support to research communication to ensure synergy and
complementarities with other initiatives in the region: For example:

IDRC is a major supporter of “knowledge translation” around health systems issues (Research
Matters1 with Swiss Development Cooperation) and previously REACH (Regional East Africa
Community Health) . IDRC also supports research institutes and more recently the Think Tank
Initiative which aims to strengthen the capacity of CSOs and research institutes. It is a rich
resource for the RCSF and researchers in the region.

And FAO is supporting change in the area of Agriculture and research into use (see Annex 3 for
full presentation). One intervention within this programme is an open-access website KAINET
which provides the following services:

o Access to Global Online Research in Agriculture

o GFIS - Global Forest Information Service
o TEEAL - The Essential Electronic Agricultural Library
o OARE - Online Access to Research in the Environment
o Information Management Resource Kit

There is a similar initiative which is repositioning a network in Ghana for better communication of
Agriculture Research (GAINS)2 These examples are provided to indicate that it will be important in
the inception phase of the RCS Facility to gather up-to-date intelligence on all the various
initiatives at regional level to ensure that effective links are created and complementarities
identified.

4.3 Lack of cross-fertilisation

1
www.research-matters.net
2
GAINS http://www.gains.org.gh

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RCSF East Africa Consultation Workshop

It was also apparent that people tend to have knowledge about the initiatives within their own
sector or thematic area of research, there is very limited cross-fertilisation and joint learning about
research communication.

4.4 IT Access
Although access to broadband has been a significant impediment in the past, with the arrival of
the fibre-optic cable broadband access speeds should improve and costs should be reduced. Any
strategic communication must be conscious of if and how this is affecting a particular target
audience.

5. Main Finding
The main findings from the consultation are:

5.1 Challenges of getting research into use in East Africa:

The main challenges identified during the workshop can be categorised as: contextual,
institutional (capability) and individual knowledge and capacity.

Amongst the contextual challenges some are regional and some are nationally specific. Across
the region a major issue was the perception that research agenda are not set by southern
governments or southern research institutes. As a result of this weakness the government as
one of the key potential stakeholders and users of research did not consider research as a
key source in development of policies and was neither a funder of research. Likewise further
down the user chain it was felt that research was not attractive to the general public. A cultural
contextual challenge was expressed as a “low reading culture”.

The institutional challenges: There were some general challenges across the region and across
sectors on how research gets into use. The well-rehearsed view that academic incentive and
career progression is linked more to publish in peer reviewed journals as was mentioned but was
contested. The participants from a CGIAR funded agricultural research project say their
performance assessment includes reaching user with their research. A more nuanced
understanding from one of participants whose experience was that writing for the media had
made a difference to his career progression as well as increasing his profile amongst a wider
audience outside the country. It was accepted that not all academics understood the “reputational
value” of reaching different audiences.

A tension between academics and communicators was related broadly to differing interests and
timescales for journalists and researchers. In particular there was a degree of fear amongst
science researchers that their messages would not be understood or explained successfully.
Less mention was made of differing interests and timescale of researchers and decision or policy
makers or other users.3

There was also recognition of limited cross –fertilization between sectors, on communication
best practice. There are initiatives several within the agriculture sector which aim to create
opportunities and networking amongst different researchers in agriculture4 but these are less
evident in other sectors (represented in the workshop).

3
There were no government representatives in the Uganda workshop, except a parliamentary researcher.
4
Jane Asabi : presentation
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EAST AFRICA:
RCSF East Africa Consultation Workshop
TOP 13 CHALLENGES RELATED
TO RESEARCH INTO USE
Lack of frameworks which determine
national research sectors and
agendas.
A lack of demand for research
caused by/resulting from limited
involvement of key stakeholders in
research design.
The research, and communication,
agenda is often directed by the
donors.
Pressure to communicate on
research from donors.
The media have different, conflicting
objectives to the researchers.
A lack of incentives to communicate are important to change and can be influenced by the RCSF. Groups
through mass media, for example
the need for academics to publish in particular sector. A general caveat from the participants was that
peer reviewed journals for career
progression.
Donors sometimes restrict what
research findings can be
communicated, or don’t want to be
associated with it.
Research is not attractive, or ‘sexy’, became the priority for the discussion amongst the workshop
to the public.
Understanding the audience and
picking the appropriate media to
communicate to this audience.
Limited skills in communicators.
(Lack of) experience amongst
researchers leads to a poor attitude
and a low level of trust in popular
media communication.
Technological challenges, for
example lack of broadband and IT
knowledge.
A lack of funding for research
communication.
Effective communications, are limited by a general lack of skills
amongst researchers and communications people, specifically
understanding the needs of diverse audience and selecting
appropriate media to inform different groups. This was generically
described as re-packaging skills which would include inter alia
writing skills for different audiences, awareness and application of
different methods of communication such as theatre , new media etc.
A list of main challenges emerged from a review of all the challenges
listed: These top 13 were selected by participants using an additional
filter, where direct intervention could bring about change: Once again
there were limited differences between the challenges and
responses between the researchers views and those of the
communications people.
Using the “Top 13” participants discussed and identified areas which
worked on a sector basis to identify and explore “quick wins” in their
some areas are much bigger than the facility and difficult to
influence, for example the differing motivations of media and
researchers. Identifying entry points to start incremental changes
would be possible but joining up with other initiatives would also be
necessary to gain the leverage necessary for wider change.
Identification of where change is a priority and can happen quickly
participants.
6. Suggested quick wins:
o A stronger move by research funders to condition grants
on the inclusion of communication (as per the 10% for
RPCs) as well as including in research proposal appraisal
and performance assessment.
Additional suggestions included:
o A mapping of all the different communication related
functions within (diverse) research processes to provide
guidance to the institutional thinking on communication.
o Creating incentives to communicate unpopular (‘unsexy’)
research by sensitizing and highlight the benefits of
publishing in popular media.
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RCSF East Africa Consultation Workshop

o Increasing awareness of communication brokers such as WREN media5

o Sharing of best practice on innovative communication approaches and methods : for

example data league tables) and show-casing centres of communication excellence

b) Developing the skills for these quick wins in both researcher and communicators were seen as
requiring training and coaching and mentoring as well as increased access and sharing of best
practice.

c) Understanding different audiences: Training and

awareness raising on communication skills, inter
alia: writing for different audience, using non- “Our problem is co-orientation.
written communication as a way to increase the I’m a communications and
range and use of appropriate communication research person in a research
methods. Some of this could extend to improving centre.
We produce materials to inform
understanding of new media and IT as a means of
policymakers. I have problems
communicating with different audiences.
with researchers, who only want
to publish in peer reviewed
A repository function such as a literature search journals; the journalists say the
function as resource for knowledge transfer: material is not sexy enough; the
Participants suggested that DFID could fund a policymakers are only interested
virtual Wikipedia-type innovations portal that is in the election cycle.”
open access where people can add their own
research communications etc.
How can we bring about a
situation where the triad is
To enable any web-based ideas to work effectively it
working together?
was also considered that investment in appropriate
modern technology and training in how to use it
would be necessary.

In health, especially health systems the key problem was seen as a lack of co-orientation:
Particular emphasis was given to quick wins by catalyzing a virtuous circle of better
relationships between key actors. This would start to overcome the problem of limited co-
orientation between the different actors, research producers, research users and communicators.

Increasing co-orientation could be achieved in various ways:

This can be started by convening national and regional workshops for sector research
coordination which includes researchers and policy makers in joint priority setting. The
REACH6 programme supported by IDRC specifically targeted changing attitudes and practice in
both decision makers (specifically Health professional and policy makers as well research
producers.

7. DFID current thinking on research communications

On the second day of the workshop and in response to feedback from the group, a brief
presentation of the thinking so far on what the facility might do (function) and how it might do this
was provided by Megan Lloyd-Laney. (See following page for schematic view of the RCSF).

5
http://www.wrenmedia.co.uk
6
Regional East Africa Community Health Policy Initiative : Mission to Access , synthesise , package and
communicate evidence for policy and practice and for influencing policy relevant research agendas for
improved population health and health equity
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RCSF East Africa Consultation Workshop

In general, the comment from the group was that the visual representation was useful in setting
the scene but more definition was necessary. At this stage of the consultation, scoping and design
of the facility it was considered important to keep to broad brush ideas so as not to influence
participants thinking and contributions.

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RCSF East Africa Consultation Workshop

Key questions raised about the RCSF were:

How will an African focused facility work with Research Programme Consortia that work
with partners both in Africa and outside Africa?
In the case of Asian partners it would be expected that these would benefit from the yet to be
established Regional Research Unit in Delhi. The challenge was also put to the RPCs to engage
with the facility in a way that would ensure benefits would be shared.

How will the facility be sustained after 5 years:

The expectation is that other donors will pool funds to support the facility and resource
mobilisation will be an explicit activity in the first phase. One aspect of the RCSF M&E system will
be designed to generate evidence of the difference that the facility makes.

8. Visioning and changes

What are the anticipated benefits if the Research Communications Support Facility is
successful?
Groups were requested to do “blue-sky” thinking on what it will look like in 5 years time if this
facility is successful at tackling the challenges currently faced of getting research into use.
Desirable changes were identified in key stakeholders, researchers, policy makers, communities.
Using project planning terminology these are broadly categorised as indicators of change both as
contributions to change and impact at goal level and facility outcomes:

The first set of changes that were explored was the environmental changes, in the first instance
by the group looking at the ‘Bigger Picture’ changes including:
• A significant push towards evidence based policy making, as result of better targeted
research though collaborations and more consistency and coherence in policy making.
• More efficient research decision-making
• Increase in the capturing and utilization of research data and information
• Less duplication of research
• Strengthening of partnerships, networks and synergies.
• Success breed success: other donors will increase spend this area.
• An increase in communication which would in turn improve development results (i.e. the
MDGs)
• A better informed society able to dialogue on issues affecting their lives and livelihoods as
well as increased citizen/public participation in the development agenda. These changes
could potentially lead to increased demand for public goods research.

• Emergence of regulatory frameworks which require the dissemination of research.

Institutional changes were recognised as requiring attitudinal as well as structural and skills
changes:

Changes for research institutes included for the institutions and individuals within them:
• Increased collaboration and partnerships,
• More inclusive research processes, including wider stakeholder group in agenda setting
• Improved visibility of research institutions (especially African institutions);

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RCSF East Africa Consultation Workshop

• Improved skills base and increased appreciation of the value of research communication
and improved research skills;
• Dedicated research communication budgets;
• Better usage of websites including more updating and interactivity (this change would be
very easy to measure and quantify) and a better appreciation of research niches because
of an increase in communication clarity between researchers.
• Enhanced understanding and increased use of innovative communication ‘gizmos’ and
therefore improvements in communication skills and capacities.
• Creation of jobs both in research and communication.
• Research communication training embedded in research methodology for post-graduate
courses,
• A reduction in research duplication (double funding for same piece of research),
• Increased inclusiveness of research agendas (because stakeholders awareness in
development research would be improved)

Beyond the universities and research institutes the changes which could occur are:

A professional communication body which would encourage a community of practice and a

national/international network of communication professionals would emerge.

Changes in the way government could work with more:

• Demand and support for research
• Awareness of the value of evidence based communication
• Institutional communication capability within government and
• Policy makers demanding and using evidence based research a
• Prioritization of research issues as a contribution to development goals

Changes in private sector were similar to the ones previously mentioned however in addition, the
private sector could become a better user of public goods research rather than commissioning its
own.
Following this participants were asked to reflect on what could happen now to start this process.

What can happen quickly and easily to create the shifts necessary for the longer term
changes? The main points:
• Awareness raising amongst key stakeholders on the benefit of synergies between different
actors and how and what communication can bring was seen as critical , to move away
from an individualistic approach in both institutions and individuals.
• The inclusion of directors and leaders of research institutes in initial set up discussions to
get their interest and support as well as central to changing how institutions work was
emphasised.
• Toolkits were mentioned as an accessible way to provide ideas on “how to” resources.
• Establish mechanisms for encouraging the mining of completed DFID research and offer
these an opportunity to access the facility services and perhaps a 10% post research
communications budget.
• Including communication milestones etc. during the research process was suggested as
important element of embedding communication..

The RCSF must be mindful of the fact that southern research institutions are generally more
geared toward influencing policy than their Northern counterparts whose focus tended to be more
on knowledge creation and development.
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RCSF East Africa Consultation Workshop

9. Effective Communications and key recommendations

The workshop closed with two presentations from participants:

9.1 Tried and tested methods of effective communication:

An oral presentation by APHRC explained the importance of three principles when working with
multi-stakeholders: researchers; communicators and policy makers on improving communication
as illustrated in the text box opposite

The common ground is that all are interested in publishing, albeit that the medium of publication
differs between them.

All actors need to be gratified. Therefore it is important to show people that there is something
to be gained from the communication. What is it that resonates with researchers,
communicators and policy makers and will bring joy to the process of communication for each of
them?

An example of agenda setting is that politicians can Three principles for

use researchers and the media to influence the media. improving multi-stakeholder
The key actors can use each other in this way without communication:
necessarily conflicting with each other’s priorities. Co-orientation which
means find a common
The more successful DFID is in identifying areas of ground between the key
common ground between the three key actors
actors/stakeholders, the quicker the RCSF will take off. Gratification theory: In
Effective communication
conclusion it was advised that the mechanisms and
must gratify the actors.
processes adopted by the RCSF should aim to
Agenda setting:
encourage all three. The key actors set the
agenda and influence what
9.2 The final presentation by CABI International everybody thinks about and
explained how FAO is currently supporting improved use each other to achieve
communication in the agriculture sector. This this end.
presentation explained how FAO had identified trends in
how communication in sub-Saharan Africa will develop
over the next 10 years and communication
mechanisms which could maximize this process. As a result there are several new initiatives
which are already being undertaken.

Communication should be understood from three perspectives: research to -research, research

to policymaker and research to rural service provider.
It identified four main actions to encourage communication and the dissemination of research:
advocacy and promotion, development of guidelines, development of pilot implementations and
training materials and skills development.

What makes the agricultural sector unique is the huge array of players and there is an increasing
effort to network and collaborate at all levels, from local to global. It also creates challenges to
ensure there is sufficient coherence and synergy between all these actions. Institutional support
from all the actors was seen as critical to change.

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RCSF East Africa Consultation Workshop

In conclusion : key recommendations arising from the 2 presentations – the RCSF must :

• Ensure there is common understanding and co-orientation amongst all the potential
stakeholders. In its processes it must engage with diverse motives and work towards
satisfying these interests.

• Focus on ensuring that the initiatives build on existing capacity and initiatives as well as
managing the synergy between different services and functions of the RCSF.

• Collaborate with institutions willing to do things differently as a foundation to success.

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RCSF East Africa Consultation Workshop

ANNEX A : East Africa Workshop - Participant lists, invites and attendance

DAY 1
NO NAME ORGANISATION TITLE STATUS
1 Specioza Kiwanuka Action Aid Advocacy Confirmed
2 Onesmus Mugyenyi ACODE Acting Directior confirmed
3 Esther Nakazi The East African confirmed
4 Melinda Judith NGO FORUM Communications confirmed
5 Richard NGO-Forum Executive Director Partial
Ssewakiryanga
6 Were Juliet Ogutu ISIS-WICCE MK4D Bridge confirmed
7 Mwanga Julius KRC Kabarole Research Centre Confirmed
8 Thomas Dubois IITA International Institute of Tropical confirmed
Agriculture
9 Dr. Daniel Coyne IITA International Institute of Tropical confirmed
Agriculture
10 John De Connick CCFU Cross Cultural Federation Ug. Declined
11 Kenneth Katungisa Uganda National Did not attend
Farmers
Association
12 Alex Ruhanda KRC Director represented
13 Manisurah Aheebwa WOUGNET
Day 1 & 2
14 Fredrick Golooba MISR RPC CRISIS States Only on the 14th
15 Lydia Kimenya ASARECA Association for Strengthening confirmed
Agricultural Research in East &
Central Africa
16 Joseph Kiguddu EPRC Economic Policy Research confirmed
Centre
17 Dr. Sarah Ssewanya EPRC Economic Policy Research Sent
Centre representative
18 Geoffrey Okoboi EPRC Economic Policy Research Confirmed
Centre
19 Baker Ntambi UCC Uganda Communications confirmed
Commission Research
Specialist
20 Charles Okigbo APHRC Africa Population & Health confirmed
Research Centre
21 Mbarwa Kivuyo Ifakara Health Head - Information & Confirmed
Institute Communication Unit
(CREHS)
22 Jane Frances Asaba CABI-ARC CABI Africa Regional Centre confirmed
23 David Campbell Mediae Director Makutano Junction confirmed
24 Dr. Graham Reid IDRC confirmed
25 Dan Kyabayinze Malaria Consortium confirmed
26 Peter Da Costa DRC Independent R&C consultant confirmed
27 Jane Namuddu Development Senior Program Officer confirmed
Research and Chronic Poverty & Vulnerability
Training (DRT)
28 Winnie Musoke DRT IT/Projects Officer confirmed
29 Paul Onapa DRT Senior Program Officer Social confirmed
Policy
30 Chris Elliott DRT Volunteer confirmed
31 Wanyaka Sam Parliament Director of Budget confirmed

Invited Non- Attendees

32 Patrick Masambu UCC Uganda Communications Did not attend
Commission

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RCSF East Africa Consultation Workshop

33 Lawrene Bategeka Economic Policy Did not attend

Research Centre
34 Lawrene Bategeka EPRC Economic Policy Research Did not attend
Centre
35 Kevin Storey CABI Did not attend
36 Janet Coffey Did not attend

37 Jan Kolaczinski Malaria Consortium Did not attend

38 James Tibenderana Malaria Consortium Did not attend
39 Andrew Kawooya DRT Senior Program Officer Human Did not attend
Rights & Governance
40 Bernard Muock Did not attend
41 Evariste Karangwa Education Did not attend
42 Wambi Michael PANOS Journalist trained Did not attend
43 Paul Kibwika PICO Did not attend
44 Frank Kasiime MUIENR Did not attend
45 Joseph Methu Association for Did not attend
Strengthening
Agricultural
Research in East
& Central Africa
46 Kakaire Kirunda, The Institute of Journalist Did not attend
Public Health futurehealthsystems.org
(IPH), Makerere
University
47 Benson Droti Uganda Virus Evidence for Action RPC Did not attend
Research Institute (HIV/AIDS) Journalist

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 RCSF East Africa Consultation Workshop

ANNEX B : Workshop Agenda

East Africa: RCSF Scoping Consultation Workshop: Kampala 20-21Oct 2009

Day l Understanding the landscape for research communication in East Africa
9- 9.15 Registration
9.15- Setting the Scene :
10.00
• Introduction to the workshop, Sara Methven
• Participant introductions
10 -10.45 Research Communications in DFID and why a Support Facility
TEA BREAK
11.00-
12.00 Presentation and Discussion
Presentations from Ifakara Health Institute
Mediae Communications
Experiences and challenges of communicating research
Plenary discussion
12- 1.15 Analysis of challenges from a regional , national and thematic perspective
• 4 groups 45 mins in Groups on main challenges:
• External environment and context
• Regional issues
• National
• Institutional
• Individual capacity
• and feedback on flip charts
• Particular research thematic challenges
Gallery walk
BREAK

2.00 Presentation by Richard Ssewakiryanga NGO Forum Uganda on the

challenges in research communication in Uganda
Plenary discussion
3.00 Selecting the main challenges identified and potential solutions
Evaluation and debrief
Day ll Identifying areas for change and how this can be done
9.00- Summary of Day 1 and presentation of day 2 agenda
10.15
10.45- Presentation of the current ideas for RCSF: functions and structure
12.00 Feedback from participants
2.00- Identification of short term priorities and how this can be done
300 Group work and plenary discussions
LUNCH 1.15 – 2.00
3.00- Presentations: Tried and Tested Communication methods
4.15 APHRC : Co-orientation , Gratification and Agenda Setting
CAB International : Research Communication in Agriculture in East Africa

4.15 Concluding remarks next steps

-4.30

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RCSF East Africa Consultation Workshop

ANNEX C : Long list of challenges from Uganda workshop

External and contextual challenges :

 Lack of frameworks which determine national research sectors and agendas.

 A lack of demand for research caused by/resulting from limited involvement of key
stakeholders in research design.

 The media have different, and sometimes conflicting objectives to the researchers.

Broadband access limits use of new media as method for accessing information and
communication techniques

Lack of regulation of media , leads to uncertainty about how messages will be used

Copyright restrictions and lack of intellectual property rights

Limited southern ownership

Who is hungry for the research?:
Lack of frameworks for setting research priorities nationally or regionally, and in absence:
 The research, and communication, agenda is often directed by the donors.
 Pressure to communicate on research from donors. BUT

 Donors sometimes restrict what research findings can be communicated, or don’t want
to be associated with it if it is communicated i.e. genetic modification research in
agriculture.

 Research is not attractive, or ‘sexy’, to the public.

Capability to communicate:

 Academic incentives are more geared to publishing in peer reviewed journals for career
progression not mass communication (contested) :
 Limited understanding of diverse audiences and matching appropriate media to audience.
 Limited specialist skills amongst journalists
 (Lack of) experience amongst researchers leads to a poor attitude and a low level of trust
in popular media communication.
 Technological challenges, for example lack of broadband and IT knowledge.
 A lack of funding for research communication including limited ring fenced funds for
research communication

17
RCSF East Africa Consultation Workshop
ANNEX D : Workshop Presentations
PRESENTATION I : Uganda National NGO Forum – 8 slides
Challenges and Constraints in
Uganda for Effective Research
Communication
Richard Ssewakiryanga
Execu tive Director
Uganda National NGO Forum
Plot 25, Muyenga Tank Hill Rd, Kabalagala
PO Box 4636, Kampala, Uganda
Off ice: +256 312 260 373/ 414 510 272
Fax: +256 312 260 372
Website: www .ngof orum. or. ug
The Challenges
• Communication and dissemination of the published findings
from research can also be deficient.
• Many times, research agencies lack the skills
or personalities needed for effective communication with
non- technical audiences.
• Having worked very hard to assure that the data
and analysis are sound and meet all the research
protocols, it does not come easily for all researchers
to translate the results into just a few key policy
messages, which do not seem to do justice to all the work
involved.
• In other cases dissemination of research results is
sometimes not as paying as going on to do another
research project, and several researchers will finalize
one report and then take on another assignment.
Absorption Capacity of Research Users
is Limited by….
• Time available to policy makers is little when compared to the
volumes of evidence available to be read
• When there is a lot of evidence the process of selection
of evidence for policy is neither linear or rationale
• Lack of information m anagem ent means that
repositories and archives of research are not accessible
as they are scattered: not well known where they exist, and
do not link up
• Weak knowledge management : Limited access to past
research creates risk of reinventing research questions
• Even where it’s accessible, the way knowledge
written/presented is difficult to understand
The Tension
• Researchers are always faced with a dual allegiance
between producing publishable products versus producing products
that have policy relevance
• In many instances the set of research questions that are
most relevant to development policy overlap only partially with the
set of questions that are seen to be in vogue by the editors
of the professional journals, at any given time.
• The dominance of academia in the respected publishing outlets
can sometimes make it harder for researchers doing work more
relevant to development practitioners, even when that work
meets the standards of more academic research.
• Academic research which is more published draws its
motivation from academic concerns that overlap imperfectly with
the issues that matter to development practitioners.
Limited understanding of the added value of
research communication
• The emphasis within a research cycle is on
generating evidence with limited consideration and
investment in the need to communicate
• There are no incentives for researchers to communicate
and sometimes the budget for doing so are very small
• There is still a strong oral tradition and therefore people
do not always read long reports
• When decision makers do make demands for more
appropriate data this is often understood or
interpreted as the need for more research and more
evidence not more appropriate methods of
communication or clear messages
Changing attitude of Government which
can use control
• When communication is effective it can sometimes lead
to clamp down of communication channels
• Communication Channels can also be
used/abused/misused
• Government stands at the boundary between
liberalized communication channels and controlled
communication channels
• Policy research sometimes suffers the need to
be politically correct and therefore this may lead to
is
cheery- picking strategies by government
18
 A lack of people with real understanding
of why communication matters
• Institutional incentives within the universities are more
about publishing than communication
• There are a small number of communication specialists:
there is no specialist group but you need to work
with many different types and understand their interests.
• The mass communication course at Makerere is more
about training people for the media and journalism.
• Journalists like juicy short stories and not many are
interested in development questions that can require
more innovative ways of communication
Some Solutions
• Short video films (UPPAP), getting messages across as jingles
on FM radios, TVs
• Networking as a strategy in which research results and ideas are
communicated, not in publications or media, but through
human and institutional relationships – bringing together
different types of policy entrepreneurs, change agents, leaders
• Not trying to train a ‘new breed of knowledge intellectuals’
but instead to work in teams drawing on the skills which do exist
and setting them the challenge of working together
to use communications effectively
• Keep reinventing ways of meeting decision makers needs
for information and in style that is appropriate – this requires
building the capacity of people to understand their audience’s
changing needs for information – today we see podcasts,
youtube, DVD reports, audio books e.t.c as important
PRESENTATION II : MEDIAE – 6 slides
PRESENTATION III : IFAKARA – 10 slides

IHI mission
 To develop and sustain a district-based health research
and resource centre, capable of generating new
knowledge and relevant information for public health
policy and action.

One of the objectives

is:
 Evidence-based policy formulation and translation of
research into public health action is promoted.
Kampala, Uganda Oct 14, 2009

Mbarwa Kivuyo
Ifakara Health Institute

There are policies that have been directly influenced by the

work of IHI. Example:
 Integrated Management of Childhood Illnesses (IMCI) shows
 National scale-up of Insecticide Treated bed Nets (ITN): 13% reduction of deaths in under five age children. P oli cy
ITN Ac tion: The findings accelerated the implementation of IMCI
has contributed to 27% improvement on child survival and in all districts and as part of the NSGRP.
60% reduction of malaria and anaemia. P olicy Ac tion:
The
 Intermittent Preventive treatment in infants (IPTi) 59%
findings were among the basis for national scaling-up of reduction of clinical episode, anaemia. The approach is
being validated in several other countries in Africa with the
ITN. support from Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, and it has
the potential to become the new global strategy for malaria
control.
 IHI developed a tool to identify high risks community with
urinary schistosomiasis. P olicy Ac ti on: The tool was
validated in seven African countries and it is now in WHO
Schisto
Manual for wider use.

Phase lll RTS,S malaria vaccine candidate trial launched in  Briefing document (Spotlights, innovations)
May
09. Different stakeholders involved in all steps.  Newspaper article
◦ At com mun
requested to ity
voluntarily.
level, leaders,
participate parents Sign
in the studies. and guardians are
consent forms  E-mail / text message
◦ At district level , theon,
authorities are aware of the type
 Website/digital library (www.ihi.or.tz)
research that is going and the benefits if success ful. of
 Speech (word of mouth)
◦ At national leve l, regulatory bodies (NIMR, Ministry, Tanzania
Food and Drug Authority) are fully involved. Research clearance
is
sough t from these bodies. The Minister for Health and Social  Community meeting (to give feedback to
Welfare is updated regularly on the progress of the trial. Mass communities that participated in the
media play a vital role in the dissemination of results. research, e.g. RTS,S Malaria Vaccine
trial)
 Academic papers (mainly for other
scientists,
e.g. The Lancet, Malaria journal, etc)
 Leaflets (on specific research issues-In
Swahili and English)
 Videos (saved in CD roms
 Plays (use of community drama)
 Research papers are too technical
 Researchers/Scientists communicate
with their fellow researchers
 (Less) trust between researchers
and communicators
 Attitude towards previously reported events
– could be a bad experience with a particular
research institution
 Lack of communication skills, i.e. scientists
use jargons – no specialized research
reporters

 Scientific bureaucracy (i.e. don’t

publish before certain date [embargo]
…)

 Differing schools of thoughts (media

vs scientists)
PRESENTATION IV : CABI Africa/FAO – 15 slides
Summary of Expert Consultation on
Mechanisms for Documenting and
Disseminating Outputs of Agricultural
Research in Africa
Organised by FAO & CABI, Nairobi, May 2004
by
Jane Frances Asaba, CABI Africa
DFID Research Facility Consultation
W • Developments in ICTs providing
orkshop
14th – 15th October 2009
Objectives
• To identify key trends & issues likely
to affect info. systems in Agric. S&T in
the coming decade
• To envision the documentation &
communication mechanisms to maximise
the impact of Agric S&T
• To make recommendations on
approaches that will achieve the vision &
stakeholder roles
Three Tracks
Communication of research outputs
analysed along 3 tracks:
• Research – Research
• Research – Policymaker
• Research – Rural Service Provider
Rationale
• Agriculture Africa’s Engine of growth
• Weak mechanisms for documenting &
disseminating science
• Rapid changes in:
– Agric. Knowledge & Information Systems
– Research Systems
– Global markets
opportunities for dissemination
Participants
• Mainly from sub-Saharan Africa
• Representing the public, private & and civil
society
• National organisations
– Research, extension, Academic, Farmer Organisations
• Regional and international organisations
– CG Centres, IARCs (CABI), FARA, SRO (ASARECA, CORAF),
FAO, CTA, Regional NGOs (ALIN), ITOCA
• Donor agencies e.g. DFID, USAID
Research – Research
Key channels
• Journals articles
• Meetings/workshops/conferences
Constraint
• Limited access to scientific literature
Interventions
• Build publishing skills (scientists)
• Publish more African journals
• Increase access to global journals – online initiatives e.g.
AGORA, AJOL
• Raise awareness of E-workspaces, E-journals
• Training & toolboxes to enhance utilisation
• Pilot projects to demonstrate & obtain experience
 Research – Policymaker Research – Rural Service Providers
Key channels
Key channels • W ide range: print media, digital interactive, audio, video,
• Dialogue – formal & informal dialogue (meetings, workshops, FFS, exchange visits), fax,
• Print media phone, etc.

Constraint Constraint
• W eak communication/advocacy skills • Access to ICTs in rural areas – limited & expensive

Interventions Interventions
• Capacity building (individual & institutional) • Low-cost publishing & print on demand (cost & how current)
e.g. use of mass media • Institutional networks to include private sector
• Disseminate outputs through statutory bodies & • Exploit potential of electronic media
intergovernmental processes
• Content accessible through mobile phones
• Think tanks
• Good practice guidelines • Rural information centres

Priority action to encourage

documentation & communication of
Priority action (Cont’d)…
research
• Development of pilot implementations
– E-repositories and E-workspaces related to
• Advocacy and promotion African Agricultural Research
– Partnerships with Regional & SRO • Training materials and skills development
– Support from Development partners – Repackaging, science writing, methods &
tools for publishing e-journals, electronic
• Development of guidelines publishing, etc.
– Good practices, case studies

Progress in implementing Progress in implementing

Priority actions
• Advocacy and promotion
– Partnerships with Regional & SRO
• RAILS – Regional Agricultural Information and Learning
System established under FARA
• Sub-regional research organisations e.g. ASARECA, CORAF
and SADC-FANR supporting development of information
systems/services
• National networks and learning teams being established
• IAALD (International Association for Agricultural
Information Specialists) Africa Chapter launched in July
2006 – website at: http://ww w.iaald-africa.org/
– Support from Development partners
• Increasing support for communication of research -
DFID, CTA, FAO an others
Priority actions
• Development of guidelines
– Good practices, case studies
• FAO is producing case studies on establishment
of national agricultural information
networks/institutional information systems (see
FAO W AICENT website)
• Various guidelines in ICM produced e.g. on
development of Information management
strategies
 Progress in implementing
Priority actions
• Development of pilot implementations
– E-repositories and E-workspaces related to
African Agricultural Research
- KAINet – Kenya Agricultural Research network
[www .kainet.ke.or]
launched in May 2009 (4 institutional and 1 centre repository)
- GHAINS – Ghana Agricultural Information Network under
development
Progress in implementing
Priority actions
• Training materials and skills development
– Repackaging, science writing, methods &
tools for publishing e-journals, electronic
publishing, etc.
• FAO has produced a serious of tool kits on
management of Agricultural Information under the I-
MARK initiative
• MSc in Agricultural Information Management Launched
• INASP, FAO and others are training in various ICM
skills e.g. INASP on journal publishing (AJOL)
 Further reading
Full report on consultation available at:

http://www.fao.org/gi/gil/pdf/report_nairobi_e
n.pdf
PRESENTATION V : DFID (Research Uptake team) – 14 slides

DFID SIX RESEARC H AREAS

RESEARCH STRATEGY
GLOBAL PUBLIC GOODS RESEARCH
1. GROWTH
2. SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE

£1BN OVER 5 YEARS 3. CLIMATE CHANGE

4. HEALTH
‘By 2010 we will invest up to
5. GOVERNANCE IN CHALLENGING ENVIRONMENTS
30%
6. FUTURE CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES
of our research budget in

making research available,

accessible and useable through

a range of means’

FOUR RESULT AREAS W HAT ARE GLOBAL PUBLIC GOODS?

New policy knowledge created for
developing countries, the
international community and DFID
Existing and new evidence better
informs decision-making about
international development
• NON-RIVALROUS CONSUMPTION –
• i.e. consumption by one individual does not stop someone else
consuming it
• NON-EXCLUDABILITY – i.e. almost impossible to exclude an individual
from enjoying the good

New technologies developed and

used in developing countries • NOT policy-commissioned research

Capability to do and use research • NOT country-specific research

strengthened

RESEARCH UTILISATION FIVE STRATEGIC PRIORITIES

NARROW DEFINITION RESEARCH ON COMMUNIC ATIONS

• Useful for econo mic growth or comme rcial aims
KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT AND M+E

COMMUNIC ATION OF RESEARCH

BROAD DEFINITION
• Social utilit y – use of research for soci ety at large SUPPORT TO THE ENVIRONMENT FOR
• Political utilit y – in support of political decision- making RESEARCH UPTAKE AND USE

SUPPORTING RESEARCHERS TO
DIRECT AND IMMEDI ATE USE COMMUNIC ATE
• Advice given and acted upon
• Research used to infor m decision- making
• Research leads to chang es in ex isting technologi es or deve loping new ANNUAL SPEND

£10m (2009-10)
INDIRECT (MEDI ATED) USE
• Findings lie dor mant in public domain until they are ‘disco ve red’
• “kno wledge cree p” – a background of empirical generalisations and ideas that + £3m through 10% spend
cree p into polic y deliberations
+ % £37m Research into Use
 COMMUNICATING RESEARCH SUPPORTING UPTAKE AND USE

WORLD FEDERATION OF
SCIENCE JOURN ALISTS

Me ntoring to
strengthen science
communica tion

ww w. rese arch4
de ve lopme nt.i nfo ww w.s ci de v.ne t

PANOS RELAY –
training
journalists to report
rese arch

htt p:// www.i ds .ac. uk/g o/k no wle dge -se rvices / mk4d MUKATANO JUNCTION
http://ww w.i ps ne ws .ne t/ ne w_foc us /c ha
nge lives / 5m regular viewers in Kenya

SUPPORTING RESEARCHERS TO ..2…

COMMUNICATE (1) 10% POLICY ON RESEARCH COMM UNICATIONS
A CLEAR POLIC Y, ROLLED OUT WITH SUPPOR T, CAN BRING ABOUT CHANGE
(ODI review of DFDI 10% policy on Research Communications 08)

PROGRAMME POSITIVES PROGRAMME CHALLENGES

INASP PERI: improved access to
academic journals at no cost for southern
rese archers
GLOBAL DEVEL OPMEN T NETWORK
GDN ET
– south-south rese arch networks
• system atic engag eme nt at progra mme
start;
• M+E probl em atic
• Advisor y groups representing multipl e
stakeholders • Organisational tensions betwee n
research and comm unication
• Incr eased dem and from targ et
audi ences and • Lack of incenti ves to comm unicat e and
inno vate
• Evidence that research itself more
R4D COMM UNICATIONS CORN ER • Not regarded as necessary and
dem and-dri ven
Wee kly blog to inform and inspire integrat ed part of QA deve lopme nt
• Mor e multi-disciplinar y research research me thodology
Monthly Podium Post – views from the front
line

RESEARCH COMMUNICATIONS SUPPORT FACILITY EVIDENCE IN POLICY AND PRACTICE

The thinking so far :

RCSF AIMS TO
BUILD SKILLS AT PERSONAL AND INSTITUTIONAL LEVELS
TO COMMUNICATE MORE EFFECTIVELY

 RAISE VISIBILITY – AND BUILD CAPACITY – OF

INTERMEDIARY ORGANISATIONS TO COMMUNICATE
RESEARCH

PROVIDE INCENTIVES and /or REDUCE IMPEDIMENTS –

FOR RESEARCHERS TO COMMUNICATE

TO STRENGTHEN THE CAPACITY AND DEMAND FOR

 WHAT DO WE WANT TO ACHIEVE? ‘BEST PRACTICE’ – WHAT COMMUNICATIONS STRATEGIES AND
APPROACHES MAXIMISE POTENTIAL FOR RESEARCH UTILISATION

EXPLICIT AND INTENTIONAL COMMUNICATION WITHIN –

AND OF - DFID- FUNDED RESEARCH MORE SYSTEMATIC USE OF RESEARCH BY DEVELOPMENT
POLICYMAKERS, AND PRACTITIONERS

‘SHOW AND TELL’ – EVIDENCE TO ENCOURAGE

OTHER DONORS TO SUPPORT POLICY AND PRACTICE GLOBAL ‘COMMUNITY OF PRACTICE’ OF RESEARCH COMMUNICATIONS
PRACTITIONERS
 WHAT DO WE WANT TO PROVE, TO WHOM?
TO POLIC YMAKERS
Research is a good deve lopme nt
spend AND within it…
Comm unication is a good and
necessary inve stme nt
Polici es and practic es which draw
systematically on research findings
are robust BUT..
Research nee ds to be more accessible
and relev ant to nee ds
TO ACADEMICS
System atic and intentional comm unications
is both necessary and desirable to achi eve
research obj ectives
You don’t have to become ‘ex pert
comm unicators’ for your research to be
effective ly comm unicat ed….
Comm unications add value
PURPOSE OF WORKSHOP
1. Identify main challenges and constraints to
communicating research in East Africa
2. Map existing capacity and capabilities
3. Identify areas where DFID could add value with proposed
Research Communications Support Facility
RCSF East Africa consultation workshop report

TO THE MEDIA AND INFORMATION INTERMEDIARIES

Research is a source of human interest and audi ence-
relev ant stori es Research ers have a story to tell which could
help you do your job better Gro wing prof essional area of
research comm unications

32