DFID Research Strategy 2008-2013. Consultation Exercise - Africa. Executive Summary

Abstract

This summary outlines the results of the consultations conducted in Africa to aid the development of DFID's research strategy for the period 2008-2013. The report provides an overview of the views of researchers and research users about priority research themes and research processes from Uganda, Nigeria and Ethiopia gathered during in-country consultations in Oct-Nov 2007. Overall the consultation highlighted the importance of ensuring that research funding supports context-sensitive research questions and research processes. Global research is important, but to be meaningful and useable in national contexts specific research questions must be informed by local understandings and priorities, and involve multiple stakeholders at all stages of the research process, from agenda setting, to research implementation through to research communication. Importantly, while DFID's broad research themes resonated with national priorities to a reasonable degree, there was very strong demand for approaching research and research into use processes in a fundamentally different way, including working with a broader array of sub-national policy and civil society actors. More specific findings and recommendations that emerged from the consultation process are outlined for the following areas: Agriculture and Economic Growth Climate Change Governance Health Education Priority Setting Partnership Communication Capacity Building