1. ENRAP: How can it Support IFAD Projects?
Shalini Kala,
ENRAP II Pakistan National Workshop
26-27 January 2004, Islamabad, Pakistan

2. World Development Report, 1998/99 “Knowledge for Development”
“The exploding capacity and plummeting costs of communications technology greatly expand the potential for both the acquisition and absorption of knowledge, creating new opportunities for two-way information flows.”
World Development Report, 1998/99 “Knowledge for Development”
From the project experience workshop to ENRAP meeting – a logical extension of thoughts and ideas
Very aptly summarize why ENRAP? (the reason for formulation of ENRAP)
Would like to mention another very important point here – this process can have remarkable impact on the way the projects operate (improving efficiency) and their developmental outcomes.

3. ENRAP Background ENRAP – a learning process
Strategy of knowledge networking
Progress made and Challenges
This presentation is broadly divided into four parts

4. Background What is ENRAP? What is the goal? Where does it work?
A Knowledge networking project to facilitate reciprocal exchange of knowledge between IFAD projects and better dissemination of lessons learned
What is the goal?
To address rural poverty through strategic intervention and application of ICTs
Where does it work?
With IFAD projects in selected countries of Asia/Pacific
Who are the promoters?
Basic hypothesis here is that a lot of learning exits from the experiences of IFAD projects and if projects can share this information better, the impact on their project outcomes will improve……
Planned over , Coordination from IDRC regional office, Delhi

5. Coverage: countries/projects/organizations
Direct support for 8 countries in the region (India, Nepal, Pakistan, Philippines, Sri Lanka, Laos, Vietnam and China)
IFAD projects in other countries are invited to participate with their own funding
Related organizations are most welcome

6. ENRAP- a learning process
ENRAP I
Impact:Recognition of the necessity to capture and share local knowledge and good practices
Learning: While “hardware/connectivity” is the enabler, the spirit of sharing is the key
Response: ENRAP II, Modified design with more focused goals and objectives
ENRAP is currently in its second phase.
Impact: Enhanced communication, ENRAP website, Developed some successful pilot activities involving village communities, project staff and local and external specialists
Learning: Evaluation findings
Knowledge sharing and communications between projects via or the internet was not very extensive
Coverage, ENRAP was viewed as a separate project and not as a core component of the IFAD project rather than as a separate project in itself

7. Some ICT initiatives in ENRAP I
Website training in Singapore
Multimedia guide on pruning of lime and orange trees, Sri Lanka
Local language newsletter for farmers, Mindanao project, Philippines
Self-help group assessment manual on the Internet in Marathi and English, India
Database of regional development initiatives, India
Knowledge mapping training for project staff, India
Training for Internet use
ENRAP website
Some of the ICT initiatives undertaken during phase I which received much appreciation from project staff.

8. ENRAP II
Goal: Improve impact of IFAD-funded projects through strengthening and deepening of knowledge sharing networks
While the goal remains same, in the second phase ENRAP is more focused in its approach, targeting specific areas for improved impact. This is reflected in the four objectives articulated.

9. Objectives
Assess and strengthen current technical networking capacity of projects
Build and expand the capacity of project staff and stakeholders – including CBOs, NGOs and line agencies in the use of electronic media
Develop local, national and regional networks for sharing knowledge, experiences and best practices
Design and test innovative technical and institutional models demonstrating effective use of ICTs for rural development
Everybody may not have access to same kind of infrastructure, this needs to be assessed and resolved
Integrate technology in the whole range of project operation, implementation at all levels including all the stakeholders
Local networks among project and stakeholders, national networks of projects and other collaborators and regional networks between the national networks
Sharing local and indigenous knowledge too
Selected innovative projects for demonstration - such as telecenters

10. First objective on connectivity
Each project should be properly connected – to set minimum standard
Projects are expected to invest significantly in computer equipment and access to Internet
Innovative funding methods will be used (matching of investments in ICT)
At least 3-4 persons per project should be trained in information management sharing
Project stakeholders should be connected
Basic connectivity – internet access, access to a computer, individual address, 28.8K connection…
Most projects have computers, utilization and access for internet technology

11. Second Objective on capacity building…
…of project stakeholders to use ICT for knowledge sharing
Information Management training for better communication at national level
Training on Web site design and management of on-line discussions
Will use train-the-trainer approach
What do you need in terms of capacity building within your country? Use of s, discussion list, web site design etc. May be training is needed, ENRAP could help with training of trainers, one project taking the lead in each country…?

12. Within-project networks
Initiated and lead by the project management unit or project stakeholder
Linking project stakeholders including line agencies and collaborating institutions
Focus on use of local language
Conducting knowledge mapping - finding where information/ knowledge exists
Stimulating discussion and knowledge exchanges
Organizing stakeholders training
Someone from the project who is particularly interested/skilled.
Develop project web sites, design innovative dissemination activities based on local needs and information available
One of the objectives on this meeting is also specify other activities, to hear from you

13. National Networks
Initiated/coordinated by one of the country projects - ‘Champions’ or lead projects
Stimulating exchange of Knowledge between IFAD projects (e-discussions, meetings) and resource institutions
Promote use of locally preferred language
Organizing training
Champions or lead projects could be rotated
Within and among projects and then with other institutions such as national agricultural organisations, lead NGOs, research and extension institutions, etc
National language – China, Vietnam etc.
National networks should organise training for their members as necessary, may vary from country to country -

14. Regional network Lead by ‘Champions’ who can commit time and efforts
“Train-the-Trainers” regional workshop
Feeding ENRAP website
On-line discussions coordinated by regional coordinator
Feeding with information, news, success stories of best practices
Discussions on popular topics/key issues in the region, approaches to integrating the gender component in projects, forming and using self-help groups for development, micro-enterprise, agriculture technologies, etc.

15. Innovative models Will be done by selected projects for demonstration
Combination of new and traditional methods to disseminate knowledge
2 - 3 projects could experiment with telecentres
Experiment with community radio, etc
CBNRM – collaboration with IDRC on web-based tools
Projects could prepare proposals for innovative ideas and some of these could be tried and tested, for demonstration
Using internet with other traditional tools of communication, such as radio
Telecentres for market prices, etc.
We could further develop this list with your ideas

16. Strategy Support Projects in improving:
Access: Connectivity, Staff capacity
Documentation: Project stories, staff capacity, tools
Dissemination: ENRAP website, Newsletters, ENRAP list
Knowledge networks: ENRAP list, links to knowledge resources, national and regional meetings
ENRAP is a support mechanism to promote use of ICTs by building capacity within projects and among their stakeholders. Shared costs and efforts between projects and ENRAP in all activities.
Key elements of ENRAP’s strategy are:……Apart from documentation and dissemination (of grassroots innovation and best practice), what is key is access to information and opportunity to network with relevant people and knowledge resources. Clearly the focus here is on using ICTs to access, document, disseminate and create knowledge networks
Access:
Documentation: stories from projects staff and from my visits, training on documentation and writing skills, and helping with tools such as creation of websites
Dissemination: ENRAP website, ENRAP list, newsletters both ENRAP and project initiated
Knowledge Networks: Project visits along with ENRAP list, links to resources through website and at meeting, IFAD workshops, meetings

17. Progress Made
Assessing and strengthening connectivity – REAP- Sri Lanka, Laos and SEWA India
Capacity building for project staff – Laos, Philippines, India, Nepal, Vietnam
National meeting – India, China, and now Pakistan
ENRAP network
Resource persons – China, India, others….
Newsletters
Project visits
Website
National plans were drafted in the Planning workshop and some revisions were made by some later
Proposals received for LAN, tele-centers, strengthening project staff’s capacity to document
For national networks the lead projects were identified earlier, now resource persons are being hired for some countries – China, India
In Nepal and Sri Lanka their seems to be a good interaction between the projects
The e-discussion list provides an opportunity for members to network with each other, my visits to projects and also contact with them over and phone is helping me to connect with them and to connect them with others in the list and knowledge resources outside
ENRAP was provided an opportunity to participate in project formulation missions of IFAD and provided inputs to strengthen infrastructure and capacity of projects to document, disseminate and access knowledge

18. Some Pictures

26. Challenge
Trigger knowledge sharing and exchange between projects and their stakeholders
Building commitment for use of ICTs
Connectivity, access to internet – enabling environment
Information exchange among projects – content and language
Knowledge networking/sharing over ICTs

27. Future action ENRAP will send report on workshop in 10 days
Send an to ENRAP in one week’s time
Supplementary information to be provide in 10 days DASP
Proposal from NADP in 15 days time
BVDP proposal in 8 days
BADP NWFP proposal in 15 days
Neelum Jhelum to send some information 9 days

28. Future actions Send photos, audio, 2 presentations
Next national meeting discussion by projects – tentatively after 6 months
Explore possibility of a regional meeting for gender mainstreaming with projects –IFAD-UNIFEM, ICIMOD, IDRC, ENRAP
ICIMOD to send ENRAP some best project stories
Govind to send 3-4 gender good practice studies and conceptual material