MANILA, Philippines – The Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA) has successfully conducted the Workshop on the Development of a Knowledge Management Strategy to Promote Agricultural Advisory Services in the Asia-Pacific Region under the project funded by the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) titled Supporting Smallholder Farmers in Asia and Pacific Islands Region through Strengthened Agricultural Advisory Services (SAAS). Held on 16-17 April 2018 at the Dusit Thani Hotel in Manila, the workshop was attended by 17 participants representing SAAS Project Partners, namely, the Agricultural Extension in South Asia (AESA), Asia-Pacific Islands Rural Advisory Services Network (APIRAS), Bangladesh Agricultural Extension Network (BAEN), Philippine Department of Agriculture - Agricultural Training Institute (DA-ATI), Pacific Islands Rural Advisory Services (PIRAS), and Secretariat of the Pacific Community (SPC).
As one of the major deliverables of the SAAS project, the regional and sub-regional networks are expected to further determine knowledge management (KM) needs and develop KM plans at the country and regional levels. With this, the workshop focused on developing a Regional Knowledge Management Strategy and each country presented their specific KM Strategy Framework that is aligned to the regional KM Strategy.
The workshop commenced with a short message from Dr. Gil C. Saguiguit, Jr., SEARCA Director, which was delivered by Ms. Nancy M. Landicho, Program Specialist and Officer-In-Charge of Project Development and Technical Services (PDTS). The message underscored that knowledge being communicated should be responsive to the information and capacity building needs of the resource poor farmers. In addition, the regional KM Strategy framework will serve as a guide in managing, utilizing, and sharing knowledge resources to promote learnings that support agricultural and rural development. The opening program was followed by a presentation of the Draft Regional KM Strategy framework by Dr. Alexander G. Flor, KM Specialist and resource person of the workshop. He presented a KM for Development (KM4D) strategy for APIRAS that covers the foundation, systems, content, and capacities of the network as a whole. The framework also introduces an agricultural advisory delivery model based on the Science of Delivery.
During the afternoon session of Day 1, the representatives from Bangladesh (BAEN), Fiji (PIRAS), and the Philippines (ATI) worked on crafting their respective country specific strategic plans, which they presented on Day 2 of the workshop. Their presentations include KM4D vision, mission, and goal statements as well as identified strategic thrusts and requirements, and these were consolidated into a Strategic Framework Matrix. The workshop concluded with the agreement to conduct a country-level KM audit and implementation of the Regional KM4D Strategy.
The activity was organized by the SAAS Project Management Office (PMO) led by Dr. Rex Victor O. Cruz, Project Coordinator, together with Dr. Filma C. Calalo, Regional Technical Coordinator. PDTS staff of the IFAD SAAS PMO Ms. Sarah Grace L. Quinones, Project Associate; and Ms. Ana Kristina M. Aquino and Mr. Jerrel Edric B. Mallari, Project Assistants were also present. SEARCA was represented by Ms. Landicho and Ms. Imelda L. Batangantang, Program Specialist, of PDTS. (Sarah Grace L. Quiñones)
