12th April 2024
By Shaquille Pennaneach & Benjamin Abugri
The Knowledge Management for Agricultural Development Challenge 2024 #KM4AgD24, officially kicked off on Friday 5th April 2024 via a zoom webinar hosted by the Forum for Agricultural Research in Africa and facilitated Knowledge Management and Communication Cluster leader Mr. Benjamin Abugri and Executive Director for the Knowledge for Development Partnership, Prof Andreas Brandner.
The Challenge’s objective is to improve the capture and dissemination of Knowledge materials, and to strengthen collaboration and alliances of African agricultural knowledge to support achievement of CAADP commitments and SDG targets. Seeking to bolster KM capacity building and generate content in response to the questions for the 2024 Challenge.
Prof. Andreas Brandner (K4DP) and Dr. Sarah Cummings (WUR) delivered opening statements to launch the Kickoff meeting and Challenge. A few past KM4AgD Candidates who are now KM4AgD Fellows also delivered introductory statements and bid this year’s candidates “all the best” during the challenge.
In attendance via zoom were the #KM4AgD24 candidates, their mentors, organizing institutions, stakeholders, collaborating partners including individuals across the global Knowledge Management community/network.
17 candidates in total were selected to take part in the 2024 Challenge, mentored by 21 Mentors/Facilitators. 5 candidates from INTERFACES and CORAF respectively, 4 candidates from CCARDESA, and one candidate each from AFAAS, CGIAR and WFP.
The KM4AgD24 challenge comprises of a certification course that will run from 8th April till 8th May 2024, 3 peer-learning sessions in May/June 2024 for KM Strategies and KM4D Award nominations, 4 sessions on the KM4AgD sector challenges knowledge brief development in May/June 2024 and will climax in Kigali, Rwanda for the 4th KM4AgD Conference 2024 and the KM4D Award Ceremony 29-31 July 2024, as part of the Science and Partnerships for Agriculture Conference 2024 #SPAC2024.
The Knowledge Management for Development Award programme is an initiative of the Knowledge for Development Partnership, established to encourage, guide and recognize organizations and companies to apply an integrated and systematic approach to knowledge management to better achieve the targets of the organization and to contribute to the sustainable development of citizens and societies.
To become a “Certified Knowledge Manager”, the selected candidates will demonstrate their ability to apply the lessons from the Certification course in their specific contexts, ie: developing a KM Strategy/Concept for their respective organisations, guided by their Mentors or facilitators in this process with procedures, templates and individual feedback and support. Other assignments can be agreed on, as per decisions taken in the course of the Challenge.
To be awarded “Certified Knowledge Manager for Sustainable Development”, candidates will need to apply the knowledge society learnings from the certification course in the context of agricultural development. Teams will be formed to identify KM challenges in the Agricultural sector and to co-create solutions. In previous KM4AgD Challenges, knowledge policy briefs were developed, but also other knowledge products can be created which advance knowledge in the African agricultural sector.
For more information and updates on progress throughout the #KM4AgD24 Challenge, kindly visit km4agd.faraafrica.org