Operationalizing SAKSS in SADC Countries

1. Key architectural elements for a country SAKSS, potential challenges of and opportunities for operation Strengthening Capacity for Strategic Agricultural Policy and Investment Planning and Implementation in the SADC Region A Regional Methodology Workshop Johannesburg, June 20-22, 2012 Helder Gemo

2. Operationalizing SAKSS in SADC Countries Objectives of the Presentation Share experiences and debate relevant issues on the above subject with participants at the June 2012 Regional (SADC) ReSAKSS Training Workshop

3. Operationalizing SAKSS in SADC Countries: Content • General principles/ criteria for SAKSS establishment • Key architectural elements • Potential opportunities • Potential challenges • Highlights from Mozambique’s experience in implementing SAKSS • Conclusions

4. Operationalizing SAKSS in SADC Countries:General principles/ criteria • Clear and stated demand • Local partners shape its relevance • It adapts to local conditions • It includes broad representation of stakeholders • It has strong links with a local partners • There are sufficient resources (Johnson and Flaherty , 2011)

5. Operationalizing SAKSS in SADC Countries: Key inter-related architectural elements Promoting informed policy dialogue and decision making in agriculture sector Funding and accountability Partnerships & networking

6. Operationalizing SAKSS in SADC Countries: Key architectural elements The proposed architectural framework (In: Johnson and Flaherty , 2011) Primary host/local partner Members of Members of National Advisory Committee IFPRI/other CGIAR Institutions Collaborative research, tools and training Country partners: -Policy makers -Gov agencies, ministries, NARS. -Universities -Research Institutions -Other knowledge systrem -Private sector -Civil society -Develop. partners Advice, staffing, collaborative research, training, tools Services, advises, approves work plan Donors SAKSS Secretariat Funding Approves and evaluates Collaborative research, tools and training

7. Operationalizing SAKSS in SADC Countries: Key architectural elements Implementing the proposed framework: How best can the framework be adapted to country circumstances to ensure acceptance, participation and commitment from key stakeholders? • Political and social context • Institutional issues • Technical issues • Potential opportunities and anticipated challenges

8. Operationalizing SAKSS in SADC Countries: Key architectural elements The case of Mozambique (2009-2011) ReSAKSS-SA (IWMI) National Advisory Committee (NAC) Hosting Institution: Ministry of Agriculture (MINAG) IWMI with > role in providing Info to ReSAKSS (Ag M&E) Various Nationa Various National Directorates and Institutes Directorate of Economics (DE) MozSAKSS: DE, ICRISAT, IFPRI, IWMI Local and international agric. stakeholders Program Team Management Donor(s)

9. Operationalizing SAKSS in SADC Countries: Key architectural elements The case of Mozambique (2009-2011) Ministry of Industry and Trade (MIC) Ministry of Finance (MF) Ministry of Planning and Development (MPD) Cabinet of Studies Nat. Directorate of Trade Nat. Directorate of Studies and Policy Analysis (DNEAP) DE MozSAKSS Some Dev. Partners Ministry of Fisheries (MP) University Eduardo Mondlane Fisheries Economics Dep. Faculty of Agronomy and Forestry Eng. NGOs and Farmers Orgs

10. Operationalizing SAKSS in SADC Countries: Opportunities Identifying and taking advantage of opportunities • Gov. openness, collaboration and support • Level of preparedness of key public institutions • Existence of agric. M&E (sub)systems that can be involved in SAKSS implementation • Willingness for participation and ownership by key agric. sector stakeholders (public and non-public) • Existence of research/ knowledge institutions (local and external) and UN agencies that can contribute to Info & knowledge sharing and policy debate… What lessons can be learnt from other SADC countries with some experience in establishing and implementing SAKSS?

11. Operationalizing SAKSS in SADC CountriesThe case of Mozambique: Opportunities • Gov. (MINAG and others) openness to host and implement collaborative work with research/ knowledge institutions, including foreign • Notable Gov. openness to attend policy dialogue events, if perceived as relevant and involving local institutions • Few, but emerging national qualified agriculture academics and researchers increasingly involved in socio-economic studies and some policy dialogue • Few and in general weak but interested farmers organizations on agric. policy dialogue

12. Operationalizing SAKSS in SADC CountriesThe case of Mozambique: Opportunities • Some local based CGIAR institutions and international education institutions that can contribute to Info & knowledge sharing • Some development partners (DPs) interested in supporting Info & knowledge generation and agric. policy dialogue • Weak, but increasing interest of media (Gov. and private) in following and disseminating relevant agriculture Info, in particular from policy dialogue events

13. Operationalizing SAKSS in SADC Countries: Challenges • Ensuring Gov. collaboration and support • Addressing potential weaknesses in key local institutions in establishing and operationalize SAKSS • Ensuring participation and ownership by key agric. sector stakeholders (public and non-public) • Ensuring that SAKSS respond to a policy research agenda agreed among key agric. sector stakeholders, including Gov and private sector. • Ensuring that SAKSS research outputs are useful, in particular for CAADP implementation What lessons can be learnt from other SADC countries with some experience in establishing and implementing SAKSS?

14. Operationalizing SAKSS in SADC Countries: ChallengesThe Case of Mozambique • Difficulties in implementing joint research activities between participating CGIARs centres and local partners • Limited data (time series), difficulties in accessing required data, and in some cases different systems providing different values/estimates for the same variable • Postponements of high level public policy dialogue events due to agenda problems faced by decision-makers in key Government institutions

15. Operationalizing SAKSS in SADC countriesThe case of Mozambique: Some highlights • Strong efforts in developing awareness and interest among key agric. sector stakeholders in SAKSS is fundamental • Strong efforts in developing a network based on “good inter-relationship” and mutual accountability among key stakeholders, from the beginning is critical • An adequate “buy-in” by Gov. key institutions is crucial, particularly if the research-outputs are to be used in planning and decision (“research for action”).

16. Operationalizing SAKSS in Southern AfricaThe case of Mozambique: Some highlights • Public policy events shown to be useful to debate research results with agric. stakeholders. But much effort is needed in communicating with decision makers on the use of relevant policy findings. • In the medium to long term, SAKSS sustainability depends on participation, internalization and ownership by key local institutions, in particular Gov. and other public institutions (e.g. Universities) • In the short term, key institutions such as MINAG need considerable capacity building in order to play a pivotal/ coordinating role in promoting SAKSS among key stakeholders

17. Operationalizing SAKSS in SADC Countries:Conclusions • SAKSS has a potential to boost evidence-based agric. policy dialogue, particularly in view of CAADP implementation through national policies but its operationalization takes time • Depending on relevant country circumstances, SAKSS implementation might imply different level of adaptation in terms of organizational setup and different level of effort and time towards its establishment and operationalization • Identifying potential opportunities and challenges and ways of addressing them is fundamental • Networking with and promoting mutual accountability among key stakeholders is critical

18. Operationalizing SAKSS in SADC Countries:Conclusions • Efforts to institutionalize SAKSS in key institutions is of paramount importance • Sharing lessons on SAKSS implementation among SADC countries can be helpful

19. Thank you!