CBNRMASIA VRC an interactive website for information sharing and networking Mantang Cai Beijing Development Institute, Peking University Beijing, P.R.China 100871 mtcai@pku.edu.cn

HOW MANY NETWORS ARE YOU INVOLVED IN ? 1 – 2 – 3 – >3 –

WHY DO WE NEED NETWORKS ?

WE NEED NETWORKS BECAUSE… we have similar interests; we are part of a team for a particular goal; we want to improve information exchange; we want to strengthen our competitive capacity; we want to improve our management; ……

WHAT ARE IMPORTANT FACTORS FOR SUCCESSFUL NETWORKING?

effective communications! FOR SUCCESSFUL NETWORKING, WE NEED … motivated members and their active participation; strong leaderships and facilitations; communication technologies and tools; resources to support networking activities (funds etc.) …… effective communications!

WHAT ARE MAJOR COMMUNICATING MEANS IN YOUR NETWORK(S)?

SOME EXAMPLES OF NETWORK COMMUNICATION MEANS ARE traditional communication means face-to-face regular mails, telephones and faxes … electronic/internet-based communication means emails and email distribution lists discussion forums websites and interactive websites online team work for document preparation

WHAT ARE MAJOR COMMUNICATION DIFFICULTIES YOUR NETWORKS FACE?

OUR NETWORK COMMUNICATION IS NOT EFFICIENT BECAUSE: traditional communication means – EXPENSIVE? TIME CONSTRAINTS? electronic communication means - DIFFICULT TO CHANGE? STILL EXPENSIVE? POOR ACCESS TO INTERNET? LACK OF SKILLS OF USING INTERNET? NO APPROPRIATE TOOLS AVAILABLE? … communication facilitations – POOR SOCIAL ARRANGEMENT WITHIN YOUR NETWORK? POOR FACILITATION SKILLS?

HERE IS THE CBNRMASIA VRC STORY!

In 2000, some hundred people gathered in Guiyang, China… It was the 2nd CBNRM WORKSHOP

They talked to each other, … and found out …

? Resource Management Policy Ratanakiri (Cambodia) Phase 3 CBNRM and the Farmer Centered Research Network, China Small-Scale Wetland Indigenous Fisheries Management (Laos) Sustainable Management of Common Natural Resources in Mongolia Community Forestry (IIRR/LATIN) (Philippines) Community-Based Upland Resource Management (HCM) Phase 2 Vietnam ?

They thought that they may need to strengthen their NETWORK They thought that they may need to strengthen their NETWORK! But they were wondering if they really have something to share with each other! Therefore,… a game, networking wall, was played by network members, and found out that …

WE NEED TO IMPROVE COMMUNICATIONS AMONG PROJECTS WE NEED EFFICIENT AND INTERACTIVE COMMUNICATION TOOLS CBNRMASIA VRC CBNRM ASIA VIRTUAL RESOURCE CENTRE

VRC DEVELOPMENT – The original concepts CBNRMASIA VRC is a website where the members can share information for CBNRM researchers and innovators in Asia. In the CBNRMASIA VRC, the members are able to: Announce and receive NEWS Post and get RESOURCES Join discussion FORUMS Work together on DOCUMENTS Expand and strengthen the CBNRM research community in Asia

VRC DEVELOPMENT – The stakeholders CBNRMASIA VRC is owned by its user community. It is jointly developed, maintained and managed by members, who are: Researchers Development workers Grassroots decision-makers and policy makers Land and other natural resource managers Development project managers Others interested in CBNRM R&D activities

VRC DEVELOPMENT – The interactive philosophy It is a website where everyone can post up and take information from which the users could access and different tools (or sections) on the site can be changed depending on you project needs. Those who maintain the VRC are not content providers. The users are the information contributors as well as receivers and the site is coordinated by a researcher in Asia.

HERE IS VRC! http://www.cbnrmasia.org

VRC IMPLEMENTATION – Activities Launch and online demonstration (Chiang Mai, Thailand); An information needs assessment; Provision of “document distribution” for workshops (research-policy linkage workshop in Chiang Mai and SAGA workshop in Beijing); Communications with all projects under CBNRM PI for joining efforts of VRC development; Continuous improvement of VRC system; Continuous discussions on the strategic development directions of VRC; and Promotion of VRC as a networking tool for FCRNC (China).

VRC IMPLEMENTATION – Lessons Open Access vs. Community-based! (unclear tenure！) Under estimated the differences among members Resources vs. communication tool (forums, document discussion, …) Still Centralized/Top-Down Lack of “Cultivation” of Awareness & Change of Work Habits

VRC IMPLEMENTATION – Change of Strategies Public to CBNRM PI Community Open Access to Community-Based Management General Platform to Need-Driven Modules project/network oriented work in our own language research/management tool for CBNRM PI projects Integration to Routine Project Management

VRC IMPLEMENTATION – Change of operational modes Decentralization and Localization China: FCRNC Country Coordinators (Laos/Cambodia/Vietnam…) Capacity Building? Computer/Internet Use Training Technical support

VRC FUNCTIONAL MODULES Functions News 1. Read news by categories 2. Submit news online Workspace 1. Join online discussions – Forums 2. Collaborative document drafting – Doc. Discussions Resources 1. Browse and/or download web-links and documents; 2. Submit and/or upload web-links and documents Community 1. Member list 2. Photo galleries 3. Calendar Searching 1. Site search 2. Metal search

FCRNC ANNUAL PLAN Date FCRNC activities Supports needed from VRC All year Daily communication Normal support for forum / Training manual of using VRC / Personal instruction in the sites /Listserv added (VRC+email) Exchange of existing lessons and thoughts on participatory approach Space for internal data / Space for publications Jan. 2003 Understanding and learning process of participatory methods applied in practices (incl. CBNRM and PTD) Forum discussion / Specific room for translated material (E-C) / Translation of news and publications from E to C / Network Meeting or workshop? Jan. 2003 Exchange of the reports on Research Problems Diagnosis Dissemination and discussion of the reports Feb. Exchange of the reports on Technology Development Plan Feb- Mar 2003 M&E for the Network Dissemination and discussion of the questionnaire and the result of M&E March 2003 Preparation of initial PM&E training workshop: needs assessment; training material preparation; logistic arrangement Discussion of the purposes and needs of PM&E / Dissemination of needs assessment and prepared training material April 2003 Implementation of PM&E Specific room for the exchange of the process and experiences of PM&E Sept Exchange visits in terms of small grants projects and PM&E Nov. 2003 3rd progress report of small grants projects discussed and submitted Dissemination of progress reports on small grants projects Dec. 2003 Preparation of second PM&E training workshop Dissemination of report on PM&E, needs assessment and prepared training material FCRNC ANNUAL PLAN

` What can Internet help for networking? It is a communicating tool, like a telephone for a farmers who is a member of a farmers’ association! The fundamental condition for successful electronic networking is the network socially existing - NETWORKING DEMANDS! Electronic networking will help an socially existing network improve its communication.

The CBNRMASIA VRC is funded by: International Development Research Centre P.O. Box 8500, Ottawa ON K1G 3H9 CANADA Tel: (613) 236-6163 Fax: (613) 567-7749