Toolkits developed to support Africa RISING partners’ capacities in Ethiopia
The first year of the second phase (2017-2021) of the Africa RISING project in the Ethiopian highlands is now ending. The first phase (2012-2016) of the project provided evidence of successful innovations that could be scaled up. Phase II is focusing on backstopping and providing capacity development support for the implementation of the innovations from phase I; and creating more advanced partnerships with clearly defined targets and zones of influence for each partner.
The capacity development goals are based on the program’s overall capacity development pillars which seek to strengthen the intervention strategy design based on a needs assessment; design and deliver innovative learning materials and approaches; develop partnering capacities, and strengthen the organizational development of national partners.
In line with developing its partners’ capacities, the project, in collaboration with the Capacity Development Unit of the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI), has developed a scaling up strategy for project innovations and capacity development and knowledge management toolkits. The toolkits will help to synthesize and integrate the project’s thinking and approaches to develop the scaling up capacity of its partners.
The scaling up strategy will be further developed into a scaling up plan that will provide a focused and practical guide for identifying pathways for scaling up innovations, and the steps (with a checklist), and key performance indicators for success. Additionally, the strategy will guide the process of finding partners and developing partnerships.
Scaling up approaches are just as important as as the technical innovations themselves in the successful implementation of project activities. The project has integrated and articulated its capacity development and knowledge management approaches and methods with the aim of strengthening the scaling up capacity of partners. The toolkits also provide structure and a wide-ranging set of tools to facilitate knowledge and skills development and sharing.
While the primary users of the toolkits are project staff and partners, they can also be used by those working in research for development projects.
Link to the toolkits
Scaling approaches and methods Africa RISING in the Ethiopian Highlands
Capacity Development and Knowledge Management Toolkit—Africa RISING in the Ethiopian Highlands
Written by Mamusha Lemma, capacity development officer at ILRI.
