IITA, Ibadan, Nigeria – From 17 to 21 November, more than 100 IITA scientists converged at the Institute’s headquarters in Ibadan to hold a strategic week-long series of meetings and workshops to review significant program outcomes in 2008 and to develop individual and program-level workplans for 2009. Tagged R4D Week 2008, the review and planning exercise especially focused on the research outcomes of IITA’s seven R4D programs et le Systemwide Program on IPM that it coordinates.
Aside from the plenary presentations by the scientists and program planning workshops, R4D Support units such as Finance, Contracts and Grants, and Project Development and Management also reported on how each provides backstopping to scientists in their work. Highlighting the theme of the week-long event, a poster session entitled “Focus on Research Outcomes” was held on Wednesday that showcased the outcomes of about 30 of IITA’s ongoing projects. At the end of the R4D Week, the Communication Office conducted a half-day workshop on working with journalists and h andling media interviews aimed at helping scientists communicate their research more effectively and align them better to the needs of their target audience.
At the opening of R4D Week 2008 last Monday, Hartmann, IITA Director General, lauded the scientists in the excellent work that they have been doing. Briefing them on the strategic changes happening within the CGIAR, the DG assured them that more scientists – not less – will be needed to catalyze agricultural development especially in Africa and in the light of the food crisis. He also urged them to better articulate the outcomes of their respective research projects if they, and the Institution as a whole, are to remain relevant.
Paula Bramel, Deputy Director General for Research, added that the reforms in the CGIAR might in the future call for a performance-based funding system for its 15-supported centers and, therefore, it is imperative that IITA scientists focus more on the outcomes of their research. She cautions, however, that this would entail increased accountability and a need for a clearer underst anding of communication strategies to get the results of their work from the shelf to the ground. And as the importance of effective partnerships in IITA’s work increases in the future, she encouraged scientists to emphasize research outcomes and impact as donors and other stakeholders would also increasingly look at these for determining support in terms of funding and other resources.
###
For more information, please contact:
Jeffrey T. Oliver, o.jeffrey@cgiar.org
Corporate Communications Officer (International)
Godwin Atser, g.atser@cgiar.org
Corporate Communications Officer (West Africa)
Communication Office
IITA – Headquarters
Ibadan, Nigéria
URL: www.iita.org
À propos de l'IITA
Africa has complex problems that plague agriculture and people’s lives. We develop agricultural solutions with our partners to tackle hunger and poverty. Our award winning research for development (R4D) is based on focused, authoritative thinking anchored on the development needs of sub-Saharan Africa. We work with partners in Africa and beyond to reduce producer and consumer risks, enhance crop quality and productivity, and generate wealth from agriculture. IITA is an international non-profit R4D organization since 1967, governed by a Board of Trustees, and supported primarily by the CGIAR.
Contribué par
Nouvelles connexes