More Effective Utilisation of Research Findings

The Sudan and Yemen CPEs both report delays and problems in translating research findings effectively. Further adaptive research in one Sudan project (SRS-016-SU) was abandoned when the project could not persuade the designated research institute to analyse the previous three seasons results.

The use of research findings thus depends on effective collation and analysis of trial results in a form understandable, firstly by extension agents and finally by farmers. In the study area, problems stemmed from inordinate delays in firstly analysing trial results, secondly in compiling them in research publications and thirdly presenting them in a practical manner, user-friendly to extension agents.

In order to utilise research findings quickly and effectively, projects should critically assess what information is available in a form usable by extension. Assistance should be provided for the collation, analysis, and documentation of research findings, if necessary, through technical assistance.

IFAD should support mechanisms which would ensure that recommendations derived from research be quickly published and that, in collaboration with extension step-by-step recommendations for individual crops taking into account agro-ecological differences, be produced. The collation of available information should be a priority.

Where institutional control of research is highly centralised, government should be urged to, and supported in, helping short-circuit the laborious procedures currently involved in collating and analysing research work before it is released to the public. To this end, IFAD should encourage government to allow individual research establishments to release, after on-farm ratification, their own technological recommendations.

References:

1. Egypt - Minya Agricultural Development Project,114-EG R114EGBE, Interim Evaluation, 1992.

2. Sudan - Country Portfolio Evaluation, CPE94 CESSU94E IFAD 1992.

3. Sudan - Western Savannah Project - phase II, 181-SU R181SUAE,Mid Term Evaluation, 1988.

4. Yemen - Country Portfolio Evaluation, CPE92%CESYE92E IFAD 1992.