Survival guides take experiences and share it with would-be travelers. The CGIAR System is embarking on a collective journey aboard 15 new vehicles called CGIAR Research Programs (CRPs). Prototype CRPs exist and have been working since 2004 in the shape of CGIAR Challenge Programs. Like CRPs, Challenge Programs were designed to explore new ways of linking research to development outcomes through work conducted across a range of partnerships. Boru Douthwaite, innovation and impact director for the CGIAR Challenge Program on Water and Food (CPWF), has been part of the CPWF journey since 2005. In this presentation he shares hard-won lessons that will help us all not merely survive aboard our CRPs, but make the trip thoroughly worthwhile.

1. A Survival Guide to the CGIAR Change Process Boru Douthwaite, Innovation and Impact Director, CPWF

2. 1990s – Eco-regional approach, system-wide programs 2001 - Launch of Challenge Programs 2004 Generation Challenge Program Harvest Plus Challenge Program on Water and Food (CPWF) 2005 Sub-Saharan Africa Challenge Program 2008 Climate change, agriculture and food security CGIAR Challenge Programs as prototype CRPs

3. Prototype nature of CPWF A big experiment Addresses a Global Challenge through a programmatic approach Emphasis on partnership Impact focus Key pillar of previous CGIAR reform program 3

4. CRPs are not all the same, so CPWF is prototype of what? 4 Source: CRP5 Proposal

5. Understanding the Prototype CPWF aims to increase the resilience of social and ecological systems through better water management for food production Through its broad partnerships, it conducts research that leads to impact on the poor and to policy change 5

6. CPWF Basins in phases 1 and 2 2 1

7. Six basin development challenges (highly abbreviated versions) Andes – Benefit-sharing mechanisms Ganges – Floods and salt in the Delta Limpopo – Small reservoirs, rainwater and livelihoods Mekong – Dams and livelihoods Nile – Rainwater management in Ethiopia Volta – Small reservoirs, rainwater and livelihoods Phase 2 finishes in 2014

8. An example of a BDC R4D program– the Ganges – the vision Store more fresh season water within polders Use for high value post-rainy season crops and aquaculture Change in sluice gate management to let water in when it is fresh, but keep it out when it is saline 8

9. An example of a BDC R4D program– the Ganges - projects G1 Spatial targeting, which strategies for which polders G2 On-farm water management: getting the most value out of scarce stored fresh water G3 Water governance: who gets how much water, when, and for what purposes – and who gets to decide (sluice gate management) G4 External consequences and global drivers, downstream consequences of success, likely effects of global drivers G5 Coordination and change: policy engagement, communications, fostering change, M&E 9

10. BDC structure 10 CPWF MT BL G5 – C&C project G4 G2 G3 G1 Technical projects

11. 11 Ganges BDC Partners

12. 12 CPWF Phase 2 Partners

13. 13 CPWF Partners

14. Emerging planks of the CPWF’s R4D approach Know you are a research for development program Work on compelling development challengesin real places Through co-developing theory of change Through partnership Through working at different scales While ensuring integration of research and knowledge management 14

15. 1. Know you are an R4D Program Be crystal clear that you do research to achieve developmental outcomes Researchers don’t become development workers But, do have responsibility to link to next users and end users 15

16. 2. Work on compelling development challenges in real places Gets people on board Motivates participation It grounds the research, gives it context, relevance and a purpose Makes priority-setting easy BUT … must invest in the coordination and change; leadership … don’t overload it 16

17. 3. Co-develop and test theories of change What is TOC? Description of how a project or program thinks it will achieve developmental change Shows the logic; the assumed causal steps Can be expressed in a number of ways LogFrames; tables; graphic depictions; narratives; logic models And developed in a number of ways Top down, participatory 17

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19. Example of project ToC 19

20. Benefits of ToC Developing and agreeing project ToC with partners and stakeholders helps build commitment; purpose Helps set priorities Basis for M&E Basis for comms and uptake strategy Aids subsequent reflection; helps justify course corrections “Improvements in poverty alleviation, food security and the state of natural resources result from dynamic, interactive, non-linear, and generally uncertain processes of innovation.” EIARD, 2003 20

21. 4. Work through partnerships Duh! Difficult to build, easy to break Contract them in! Commission not competitive Set up the rules of the game In basin research org, out-of-basin research org, next user Budget share Visualize them Be a network weaver, see collaborative research as a means 21

22. Theory of Network Weaving (Krebs and Holley, 2004)

23. What projects liked in CPWF Phase 1 had much to do with working in partnership Survey of PLs, principle scientists (n=79) Greater diversity Multidisciplinarity Complementarity Wider geographic reach Adopting a basin-scale perspective Smaller organizations could increase their reach (through networks) Sullivan and Alvarez, 2009

24. Less positive aspects Poor internal communication, worse further away for CP Secretariat Mismatch between length of project and expected impact Lack of continuity (changes in team composition, leadership) Lack of coordination (time, many meetings, ‘unfunded mandates’) 24

25. 5. Work at different scales 25

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27. CRESMIL Example: Impact needs three outcome pathways Reduction in poverty and increased food security in the Ganges Delta Pathway 3 Policy enabling environment Pathway 1. On-farm change in technologies Pathway 2 Improved water supply to farms Adapted from MacDonald 2008

28. Pathway 1: On farm changes in the technology 28

29. Pathway 2: Improved water supply to farms 29

30. Pathway 3: Enabling policy environment 30

31. A characterization of the CRPs 31

32. Bangladesh Impact 2500 farmers increase returns by 50 to 100% Rice-shrimp farmers increase returns by 157% BWDB and LGED change polder management policy Farmer adoption of double cropping, storage of water in canals, new varieties (incl. from Vietnam, fish culture with shrimp) Local BWDB and LGED staff allow polder infrastructure to be used to store water Adapted from MacDonald 2008

33. Before… and after the project. (Photograph by Olivier Joffre) CRESMIL impact in Vietnam, showing what is possible Mr. Nguyen Hoang Ben Ap Lung Chim, Xa Dinh Thanh, Dong Hai.

34. 6. Integration of Research and Knowledge Management Knowledge management (KM) Range of strategies and practices Support learning and reflection Identify, create, represent, distribute and enable adoption of insights and experiences Insights and experiences = knowledge Knowledge is embodied in individuals or embedded in organizational processes and practices Main pillars of KM in CPWF Communications, M&E, information management 34

35. Normal versus CPWF view of KM 35 Research Comms, Uptake Planning M&E M&E KM as a service and support to Research V Equal partnership 

37. KM is about designing and facilitating these learning cycles

38. KM and research must be planned together; happen together36 

39. Ensuring integration in practice ToC provides a common framework Invest in leadership, coordination and making change happen, about 20% of program budget 37

40. Coordination and change function C&C Project and BL functions: Ensure quality and relevance of science Coordination Facilitating change Adaptive management Innovation research 38 BL G5 – C&C project G4 G2 G3 G1 Technical projects

41. CRP Survival Guide Know you are part of a R4D program Work on compelling development challengesin real places Through co-developing and testing theory of change Through partnership Through working on technical, institutional and process innovations at different scales While ensuring integration of research and knowledge management 39

42. Reasons to be cheerful Experience to learn from Successful test flights Does what it says on the label 40

43. Thank you and enjoy the ride! 41