Principles of effective collaboration in agricultural development and research for impact

Abstract
 This paper shares the experiences gained in the course of designing and implementing global partnerships, that have been key to building effective collaboration for impact in smallholder agriculture in sub-Saharan Africa. It describes 'principles of effective collaboration' and lists guidelines to capturing agricultural research project impacts.


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Over the last 20 years the authors have been involved in collaborative research projects in 22 Africa, where we have gained valuable experience and knowledge in effective collaboration 23 in agricultural development and research for impact. We have effectively collaborated with 24 more than 100 institutions globally, regionally, and nationally on different research projects. 25 Effective collaboration has been the key to our success, and we have followed the principals 26 below to maximize impact for smallholder farmers, an analogy of different birds flying to a 27 common goal in a 'V' formation is a good example ( Figure 1). Figure 1 is a visual 28 representation of teamwork and collaboration. These different bird species fly together to a 29 certain destination with a common goal such as looking for food or settlement. They fly in a 30 v-formation and are using powerful instincts. In the front there is a bird who has a vision and 31 can see the final destination-representing a visionary leader. The other birds are arranged in 32 such a way to that when they flap their wings, they are pushing the team forward. At the end 33 of the day they reach their final destination or the goal, with less energy than flying alone. 34 These birds are not of the same species-diversity is key. When partners have something to share, they must be allowed to air their opinion 72 with no judgements. Challenges need to be communicated. If you don't 73 communicate, how will people know you are facing challenges? How people prefer to 74 communicate should also be agreed upon at the start of the project. Need to capture all the benefits to farmers in terms of access to technologies and materials such as improved materials etc 2 What benefits have resulted from infrastructural capacity brought by the project?
Here if the project brought infrastructure to the research institutes such as laboratories, greenhouses etc such that students and other researchers are using them to conduct their research instead of going abroad to do so, you must capture this. 3 How many students and other people have been trained by the project?
Projects often come with capacity building and strengthening activities in terms of short and long-term trainings such that the project contribute to human capacity building and must be captured. 4 How about institutional visibility? Projects bring about visibility to institutions hosting them. They must be documented. 5 Are there new collaborative projects that have resulted from the initial project?
Many times, a single successful project at a research institute may bring about new collaborative project and must be captured. 6 Has the project brought about increase in crop yield, income and food security to farmers?
Capture all changes in terms of crop yield, income and food security as a result of project intervention by comparing the situation before the project (baseline data) and after. 7 Are other projects/NGOs/people using information generated by your projects?
The project generates information that can be used by other projects, NGOs and other people. Such information could include disease prevalent maps that can be used by decision makers and must be captured. 8 How has your government benefited from your project?
How has your project benefitted your government? Eg government extension officers benefited etc 9 What publications have come out of the project results?
Here we would like to capture and document all publications (scientific papers, communication and training materials, leaflets, posters) resulting from the project. 10 How many conferences/workshops and meetings have the project staff attended during the project implementation?
Here you need to document all the meetings, conferences and workshops which the project staff attended to disseminate project results as well as to learn from others. 11 How many new stakeholders have been engaged because of your project implementation?
Capture all the list of new key stakeholders you have interacted with during the project and outcomes of the interactions.
12 How many people have been inspired by the project?
Often projects may lead to inspiration of other people to undertake a similar project to solve a similar or another problem in another areas or object or to write new grant winning proposals. 13 Has the project played an advocacy role during its implementation?
Implementing the research project may play an advocacy role to policy makers. Examples could be change in government regulations, more funding from the government, change in government perception and the way it conducts its business etc 14 How have vulnerable groups benefited from your project?
Capture all benefits resulting from the project to vulnerable groups such as youth, women, orphans etc 15 Has your project resulted into initiation of new businesses among your key stakeholders?
From incomes generated by your key project stakeholders has it led to establishment of new businesses and which are they? Need to capture this. 16 How has the project supported other projects?
A project built around one discipline could have supported other projects in other disciplines and should be captured. For example, plant pathology project supporting plant breeders project. 17 Has there been a change in farmers perception and mind set because of your project implementation?
By farmers participating in your project this may have led to a change in their perception and mind set such as perceiving cultivating a certain crop as a cash crop instead of perceiving it only a food crop. 18 How have other institutions apart from the one hosting the project benefitted from the project?
Capture all the research institutes such as universities, and other research instructions that have benefitted from the project and state how they have benefitted. 19 Has your project contributed to minimizing brain drains?
Projects motivate scientists to stay in the continent and make impact. This needs to be captured. 20 How many new research tools, methods, and protocols have been generated from your project? Document all new research tools, methods and protocols that have resulted from the project.