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Brief Presentation on Planning and Achievements

What KariaNet is About and What it Achieved?

Presented by:

Mustapha Malki

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KariaNet in brief1 Title = Knowledge Access in Rural Interconnected Areas Network1 Mandate = Strengthening Knowledge Sharing among members through an intensified use of ICTs3 Partners = IFAD, IDRC, and 10 IFAD-funded projects in NENA3 Years = 2005 – 2007 for the 1st Phase5 Countries = Egypt, Jordan, Morocco, Sudan, and Tunisia2 IFAD-funded Projects per country2 Pilot Projects = Egypt National Network and Community ICT Center10 Project Knowledge Facilitators = 1 for each member proj.5 components (or outputs - all integrated)

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General overviewGeneral overview1st year (2005) mainly devoted to the network foundation.

Capacity-building on Knowledge Sharing, ICT use, and networking started in 2006, and intensified in 2007.

Each year, an Annual Thematic Workshop organised, as a “face2face” Knowledge Sharing platform.

Tangible efforts made in 2007 on improving documentation skills, ICT use and video making at project level.

A new website redesigned and activities on content development given more attention in 2007.

LET'S REVIEW THE MAIN ACHIEVEMENTS…

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Output 1 – IMS & IT Capacity Improvement

All member projects have a LAN, 8 with an ADSL Internet connection.

6 member projects have established a website; 3 have designed theirs but not yet publicised so far.

All member projects organised training to improve their staff skills on ICT use.

On-line dialogue scheme established through collaborative tools promoted by KariaNet (Dgroups, Skype, etc.).

e-Discussion forum through Dgroups called Email Learning Forum.

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Output 2 – KM and Documentation Capacity Training of Project Knowledge Facilitators (PKF) in Knowledge

Sharing and Facilitation. 1st Annual Thematic Workshop on Participatory Planning and

M&E of Project Interventions (Tunisia, September 2005). 2nd ATW on Microfinance and Rural Women (Jordan, September

2006). 9 success stories. Proceedings published in Arabic and English.

3rd ATW on Transfer of Technology, Marketing Constraints, and Tested Solutions (Egypt, October 2007). 8 case-studies were presented by project members. Proceedings published in Arabic and English.

Regional Training Workshop on Video making for Knowledge Capture and Dissemination (Alexandria, Egypt, March 2007). 10 members projects’ staff were trained on clip taking, PC editing, and VCD production.

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Output 3 – Content Development & Networking New website developed and publicised. Lots of resources

uploaded. Training of member projects’ staff on website content management.

In addition to collaborative tools promoted by KariaNet, development forums (virtual workspace) inserted in the new website.

3 brochures prepared ICARDA: Com Dev Manual, Sheep Husbandry, and Rangelands Improvement & Management.

Reviewing Gender Mainstreaming experience in the region and changes in projects’ operations and women conditions.

Networking at national level through joint KS workshops organised by member projects in the same country.

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Output 3 – National Network in Egypt

Minister of Agriculture signed a decree on 20 January 2008 setting up governance and executive bodies of the NN (Steering Committee, Technical Committee, and Facilitation Unit).

1st meeting of TC PREN held on 28 February 2008. 1st meeting of SC PREN held on 8 April 2008.

A National Network for Knowledge Sharing on Rural Poverty Reduction (PREN) was setup in Egypt in April 2006 (Activity 3.12).

Strategy Paper and Plan of Action approved by MALR. Training on KS and Facilitation in November 2006. A Dgroup opened for this network.

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Output 4 – Community ICT Pilot Project Hartha community in Jordan selected, basic analysis of

KIS, Protocol signed in June 2006.

Community-Based Knowledge Facilitator (CBKF) organised many sessions of information retrieval. Community members documenting success stories.

Local Knowledge Network at Hartha community setup took place in early June 2007. Community ICT Center officially inaugurated.

“Twinning” activities started in June 2007 to link Hartha to Shegeira community, sponsored by Karak-Tafila project in Jordan.

2 awareness workshops organised in 2006 A series of training courses on computer literacy and ICT

use in 2007. Courses were well gender-balanced and concerned members of different ages (up to 55 years).

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Coordination Unit & KariaNet Mediatisation

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KariaNet Self-Assessment Study: main findings Accountable to the Design Document (70-80%

implemented). Labelled as “Good Achievement”. Implemented activities were mostly relevant to achieving

the objectives. Outputs effectively implemented and most results were

achieved in spite of delays. Some shortcomings were reported:

– Connectivity at PMU level was not complete;– Regional website was very delayed though

alternatives tools were innovatively used.– Content development activities did not come up to

expectations.– Lack of a good management information and learning

system at project management. In terms of sustainability, the design document did not

suggest strategic ways of dealing with ending IFAD-funded projects, or when KariaNet comes to end.

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KariaNet Self-Assessment Study: main learnings Strong involvement of private sector in capacity-building

and assistance on ICT use, LAN maintenance, and project websites.

Training is necessary but not sufficient. On-going coaching and support for learning by doing is needed.

Initiating learning through identification and documentation of success stories was a success. Require further development.

Annual Thematic Workshops provided opportunities for projects’ staff to meet, build relationships, and share knowledge. Impetus for continuing networking online.

The concept of PKF holds considerable promise for learning and innovation.

Collaborative e-discussions can be very useful when addressing the members’ needs and well moderated.

National networks may prove to be the anchor for stability and sustainability of knowledge networks.

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My presentation is over.

Thanks for your attention.