Scaling-up and uptake promotion of research findings on NRM in Tanzania.
Abstract
Improved technologies and innovations are essential to support increased productivity of natural resources in watershed management. Many research and development programmes and projects on natural resources management (NRM) have been conducted in Tanzania to address problems of declining natural resource productivity. Due to the nature of interventions in NRM, it often takes a long time for significant and appreciable change and impact on livelihoods to happen. This is because few of the recommendations from NRM research have been put into use by the target end users. Lack of an enabling policy environment is one of the major causes for non-adoption. This is attributed to inadequacy in communicating research findings by researchers to stakeholders other than farmers. A study was conducted to better understand the research and communication processes, barriers and efficacy of various communication methods and media used for various stakeholders across a range of levels and research for development sectors. Results showed that most research projects do not have communication plans for ensuring uptake of findings by other stakeholders such as policy makers, input suppliers, traders and manufacturers. Much of the resources for research are allocated to conducting field-work rather than production and dissemination of knowledge-sharing products. The study proposes that research projects should include communication strategies to ensure that research findings are well communicated to the targeted stakeholders in order to influence decision-making and resource allocation, to enhance utilisation of improved technologies. Improvement in research design is envisaged to improve the impact of research on the livelihoods of the poor and increase environmental benefits in the watershed.
Citation
Lutkamu, M.H., Shetto, M.C., Mahoo, H.F. Hatibu, N. 2005. Scaling-up and uptake promotion of research findings on NRM in Tanzania. Paper presented at East Africa Integrated River Basin Management conference. Annex C3 of the Final Technical Report of project R8381. Nairobi, Kenya: SWMnet of ASARECA. 19 pp.
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