The document discusses the Regional Strategic Analysis and Knowledge Support System (ReSAKSS), a network of collaborating partners that provides data, analytical tools, and research to inform food and nutrition security policymaking. It aims to 1) provide strategic analysis and monitoring of interventions, 2) manage knowledge on key indicators, and 3) strengthen capacity and policy communication. ReSAKSS will develop a website for accessing and sharing this information to support evidence-based policies across countries in the region. The document also discusses several specific issues and opportunities that ReSAKSS could address to better meet policy needs, such as spatial disaggregation of strategies and monitoring of food security indicators.

1. Michael Johnson and Bingxin Yu
International Food Policy research Institute

2.  Facilitated by IFPRI, the Regional Strategic Analysis and Knowledge
Support System (ReSAKSS)concept describes a multi-country network of
collaborating partners represented by regional web-based platforms that
provide access to open data sources, analysis, and readily-available tools
and research evidence for informing development strategies while promoting
greater cross country learning and sharing of experiences.
 The primary goal of ReSAKSS is to provide relevant data, analytical and
visualization tools, and research evidence that can help promote greater
peer review, mutual learning, and progress monitoring during the design
and implementation of deveopment strategies for reducing poverty and
improving food and nutrition security.

3.  To develop a website platform upon which readily-available
information and analytical tools can be easily accessible
 To establish a network of key partner institutions and individuals who
share in the goals of ReSAKSS
 To make available information and tools that include:
• Open data sources from national governments, regional and international
organizations for tracking a few key indicators
• To monitor and assess progress on key issues concerning agricultural economies,
poverty reduction, and food and nutrition security at local, national, and regional
levels
• To promote cross-country lessons from research, policy analyses, impact
assessments, policy processes, and practical experiences
• Provide simple tools for visualizing, modeling, analyzing, and communicating
changing patterns in the chosen key indicators
 To assist in strengthening the capacity for the utilization of
information and tools for evidence-based policy making, peer review,
and mutual learning
 To develop the system in such a way that it can be easily transferred
and fully operated by a local entity.

4. 1. Strategic analysis: provide data, tools and analysis for monitoring and
assessing the impacts of interventions
2. Knowledge management: develop a common pool of up-to-date
information on a few key indicators at various levels for undertaking
strategic analysis; document lessons from past and ongoing research,
policy analysis, impact assessment, policy processes, and practical
experiences for improving future strategies
3. Capacity strengthening and policy communication: collaborate and
work closely with national and regional networks of partners in carrying
out the above activities and in the exchange of skills, training, and practical
experiences
4. Policy Communication: communicate through various media and
interactions with policy makers on key trends, results of analysis, and
emerging challenges at all levels, as well as research findings from both
local and international sources.

5.  A Web-based platform for accessing data, analytical and
visualization tools, knowledge products, and links to
related resources.
 Policy Briefs and Working Papers analyzing key policy
issues for food and nutrition security that are generated
within the ReSAKSS network of partners among local,
regional and international governmental and non-
governmental institutions.
 A flagship trends and outlook report with an evolving
focus – displaying broader shifts over time and
differences across space in key indicators, representing
emerging issues in the region

6.  Two main issues raised at regional level..
 Given diversity in the region, including within a country, important
for disaggregation and localized information for targeted policy
options, and
 Critical to be worrying about how best to get the information into
the policy process (approaches and tools).
 Lots of local knowledge and strong capacities in some countries –
challenge is
 Drawing such expertise to support those with weaker capacities
 Generating research and compiling the evidence on practical
lessons relevant to key policy challenges faced in the short to
medium term
 Translating the research results and evidence into policy action
and investments – and most of all – learning from M&E

7. 1. Developing information systems with data analysis relevant to local
policy needs – given that:
 There is lots of information but a lack of using data for serious analysis and
incorporation into policy process.
 National systems are already doing well in statics and data visualization for
policy communication – but even more useful if can be interactive with the
ability to produce tables, charts, and maps.
 Provision of latest key indicators from national sources would be particularly
useful for policy
 incorporating simple simulations from policy analysis tools to assess
alternative policy impacts.
2. Providing access to state of the art tools and methods
3. Developing a knowledge bank through a network among interested
local research institutes producing relevant and credible evidence on
agriculture and food security – to make their work more visible at
regional and international level and easily accessible.

8. Spatial disaggregation of strategy options for food security
 Sub-national typology to provide more relevant information for policy makers to
identify food insecurity “hot spots” – working with other efforts (e.g. WFP and others)
– and alternative policy responses.
 National typology to distinguish different needs in food security (food importers vs.
food exporters, food self-sufficiency vs. imported food affordability, and more
importantly, what’s the different nutritional needs, it could be low calorie intake, lack
of certain micronutrient, or gender imbalance, or by different demographic group)
 Regional typology to assess potential spillover effects from neighboring districts that
are more food secure or with better food availability or higher income.
Monitoring key indicators and corresponding evidence relevant to policy
 Examining trends and lessons for relevant policy areas – e.g. Food production and
performance along the value chain; food price trends; wages and incomes, including
remittances; on key inputs and along the value chain (fertilizer, credit) for food staples
and value added commodities (food processing, horticulture).

9.  Tools and approaches for M&E and impact assessment of national
and sub-national targeted programs
 Developing M&E frameworks and selection of indicators
 Establishing baseline surveys for future impact evaluation
 Undertaking impact evaluation
 Capturing lessons of design and implementation
 Tools and approaches for translating evidence into policy action
 There is a clearly a demand on how to better translate evidence into the
policy process –especially as it concerns actionable research (based on
practical lessons in the region).
 We need to be testing how evidence from both research and practice can
be communicated and shared with policy makers and other practitioners
– what approaches, methods and tools work best? Under what
conditions?
 More needs to be done with regard to information and lessons on how it
can feed into the design and implementation of agricultural and food
security interventions.

10.  Through the website, can provide links to various institutions
and their ongoing work
 Undertake collaborative work in key areas and on a demand
basis – to fill key knowledge gaps
 Organize periodic seminars and training workshops on state of
the art tools and methods
 Provide ease of access to national level data and trends on key
indicators, ongoing efforts across all development partners to
encourage greater harmony of individual efforts, peer review,
and ensure country-led processes

11.  Current workshop web link is already being hosted on the
future site of ReSAKSS-Asia (www.resakss-asia.org)