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The Effectiveness of Knowledge Sharing: the Case of Promusa

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The Effectiveness of Knowledge Sharing: the Case of Promusa The effectiveness of knowledge sharing: The case of ProMusa ProMusa is a knowledge-sharing platform on bananas with the goal of helping banana farmers make a better living and ensuring that bananas – in all their diversity – continue to thrive in a healthy environment. Bioversity Bioversity International’s ProMusa Discussions are encouraged through International’s series of Impact network (www.promusa.org) is a an online discussion forum, a Assessment Briefs global platform of scientists and community blog, and mailing lists. aims to inform ProMusa also organizes a biennial readers about the other stakeholders to facilitate the major results of exchange of information, knowledge scientific symposium to help its evaluations carried and know-how on banana, in members stay up-to-date on the out by the centre. particular to researchers in poorer latest Musa research, encourage countries for whom access to exchange of ideas and facilitate information is often more difficult. collaboration between scientists and Face-to-face interactions are across disciplines. combined with online resources and In 2013, a study was undertaken to tools such as an electronic newsletter assess the nature and effectiveness (InfoMus@), an online compendium of ProMusa from the point of view of of banana knowledge (Musapedia), its members and subscribers, what a bibliographic database (Musalit), outputs are produced and how these an image bank (Musarama) and a are translated into outcomes and contacts database (Musacontacts). disseminated outside the network. Bioversity International is a member of the CGIAR Consortium. CGIAR is a global research partnership for a food- secure future. ISBN: 978-92-9255-013-4 Dessert bananas on display at a fruit and vegetable market in Nairobi, Kenya (photo by A. Vezina). IMPACT ASSESSMENT BRIEF NUMBER 15 Methodology communication between members and with next users, and dissemination of information The scope of the evaluation was to assess: and knowledge within and outside the network • The network’s evolution, partnerships, outputs 3. Network effects: In this area, a number of produced and outcomes generated variables measure the progress of the network • How services and products are perceived and in achieving its outputs, outcomes and impacts used by network members for members and beyond, its added value and unique role. They also look at who the next • Who the network’s next users are and how users benefiting from network outputs are and they are influenced by the network how they benefit. The methodology used to achieve the above Results from a user survey and key informant draws from a paper issued by Innovations for interviews were cross-checked with information Scaling Impact and Keystone Accountability from a literature review, to measure and assess (2010). ProMusa’s effectiveness is therefore the above-mentioned interlinked indicators. assessed along three interlinked categories: Specifically we used the following data: 1. Network vibrancy or liveliness: Variables in this • An online survey sent to network members category measure the structure of the network between March and April 2014 and its leadership; the diversity of network members, partners and next users; the degree • Key informant interviews with selected of their participation in network activities; and network members, chosen according to their the alignment of priorities and shared values answers to selected questions 2. Network connectivity: In this category, we • Official Bioversity International reports measure whether the network is fostering released in 2011 and 2009 THE STRUCTURE OF THE NETWORK AND ITS LEADERSHIP Originally established in 1997 as the Global Programme ProMusa is currently composed of 689 members. for Musa Improvement, ProMusa’s goal was to support the Information on their professional activities is available limited international public sector breeding effort on banana. for 392 members: about two thirds are researchers ProMusa’s principal method of working was through six (67.5%), followed by academics (19.7%), people from interconnected working groups – one addressing crop the commercial sector (7%), extensionists (2%), and improvement in general, the others addressing specific other (3.8%). About 31% of the network members constraints to production (or breeding targets) such as come from Africa, 24% from Latin America, 28% from weevils, nematodes, virus diseases and the main fungal Asia, 15% from Europe, 4% from Northern America and diseases. Bioversity International provided a full-time 5.9% from Oceania. The network’s Steering Committee is composed of the chair and vice-chair of each of the coordinator and a secretariat for the network while other three working groups-elected by the respective working organizations provided the elected chairs of the working groups and the chair of the ISHS section on banana and groups. After an interlude, when the network did not have plantain – elected by the members of that section, as well a full-time Coordinator, the network was re-launched as a representative of MusaNet and each of the regional in 2006/2007 under the auspices of the International banana R&D networks, and the ProMusa coordinator. Society for Horticultural Sciences (ISHS), providing the Bioversity International continues to provide a coordinator basic structure for the banana and plantain Section of the and (part-time) logistic support, and manages the network Society. At that time, there was a growing consensus that through funding from the CGIAR Research Program on ProMusa needed to focus on a broader range of topics to Roots, Tubers and Bananas. The secretariat is responsible include also production and post-harvest issues, as major for administering the website and the various databases, determinants for adoption of new materials by farmers releasing the newsletter and assisting in the organization and consumers. ProMusa was therefore restructured in of meetings and symposia. It also maintains the mailing three working groups: Crop Improvement, Crop Protection lists to ensure efficient information flow between members, and Crop Production, with the intent to encourage inter- assists in the organization of elections of chairpersons, and disciplinary thinking. maintains records and reports of the programme. IMPACT ASSESSMENT BRIEF NUMBER 15 • Documents provided by key informants during the interviews • Information from the network website and other related documents. The survey, available in English, French and Spanish, was sent electronically to 1,857 ProMusa members and subscribers to the InfoMus@ mailing list. A total of 322 surveys (17%) were completed and used for the analysis. Those survey respondents that mentioned farmers among their main partners and those who developed dissemination and capacity building activities (24 respondents in total) were invited for a brief interview to understand how the next users of ProMusa are reached and influenced by the generated outcomes. Seven key informants were interviewed by phone. by ProMusa to its final users. About 23% ‘Virupakshi’ bunch from the In pictures section of the collaborate closely with NGOs or CBOs, 23% Results ProMusa website (photo with private businesses, and 17% with local by Tamil Nadu Growers’ 1. NETWORK VIBRANCY and national governments, which increases Federation). THE DIVERSITY OF NETWORK MEMBERS, the potential scaling out of the information PARTNERS AND NEXT USERS and knowledge shared through ProMusa. This The profile of the respondents to the survey diversity of partners, collaborators and people reflects the profile of the actual ProMusa who receive ProMusa’s outputs makes the membership. According to the survey, there is a network’s potential reach quite large. good diversity of expertise in the network: pest MEMBERS AND SUBSCRIBERS’ and disease management is the most common PARTICIPATION IN NETWORK ACTIVITIES area of intervention (33%), followed by crop About 65% of the respondents value the overall production (31%), crop improvement/breeding quality of interactions with the Secretariat as (27%), characterization and assessment of high or very high. In terms of participation banana diversity and organization or capacity in online activities, in 2013, the ProMusa web strengthening activities (both 22%). The survey resources (including the main site and the also showed that online presence is important, databases) received 83,796 visits and 201,018 as 28% of respondents got to know and page views1 , with visitors coming from 209 joined the network through an online search. countries. The members’ participation in On the other hand, members also “spread network events is good but not very high: the word” (25% of respondents joined on only about 20% of respondents have recently another members’ suggestion) and network attended ProMusa conferences. It is however activities are relevant to reach out to new not because of lack of interest but rather due members (13% of respondents joined through to lack of funding, as pointed out in comments. ProMusa events). Respondents largely come These events are of clear interest to network from research institutions and academia. A third of respondents say their main partners are colleagues from their own organization. KEY FIGURES About 70% have national and local research • ProMusa web resources (including the main institutes as their main partners, followed by site and the databases) received 83,796 visits academia (51%) and international research and 201,018 page views with visitors coming institutes
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