When
Wednesday 5th Feb, 2:45 pm

Where
Room B1

Hashtag
#W18

Category
Innovation

Presenter
Joanna Hicks

Abstract

In 2013, the Food Systems Innovation project, a collaboration between four Australian government and research agencies began. The project aims to more effectively apply evidence-based approaches to agricultural development and food security policy and programs. Interestingly the project has a strong focus on learning, knowledge exchange, capacity building and communication.

The project team is working across agencies and many different disciplinary backgrounds: from biophysical and socio-economic science, to knowledge management and adult learning. This has presented a confronting yet fruitful environment for exploring what is, in the eyes of project supporters, critical to ensuring future impact of research for development.

This presentation will summarise some of the activities underway in the project centred around knowledge brokering and communication to improve the creating, sharing, and use of knowledge. Some of these activities include:

• understanding how people, with diverse backgrounds, for example scientists working in CSIRO and program staff working in AusAID, learn and apply knowledge
• developing a knowledge management system, building on the experiences of other projects around the world, as the basis of the online engagement within the Community of Practice
• establishing cross-organisation communication and engagement approaches and priorities.