Crossing boundaries: from evidence to impact?Some reflections.

Scott DrimieRegional Network on AIDS, Livelihoods and Food security

Objectives

• Focus on the challenge of translating this emerging evidence into large-scale action, and ultimately better impact.

• Discuss the pathways for policy influence when dealing with such complex interactions.

• Highlight some of the lessons from RENEWAL activity in eastern and southern Africa.

Science – Policy Interface

• Interface not well understood, and is often assumed.

• At least three distinctive perspectives:

– a linear and logical approach; – an iterative and incremental approach; and– an approach centered more on discourse.

Moving in the Divided Space

Improved Multi-Directional

Dialogue

Policy

Programming

Research“Evidence”

Diversity of experiences

• Network centred around a focal institution and advisory group in each country

• Network waxes and wanes around issue/ project

• Partners diverse approaches: research objectives, learning

• Evolution of thinking

Malawi MOA Capacity Strengthening

HIV and Agriculture Task Force

MOA: Ext Services

NAC: 2008Irish Aid: 2009

Strategy – based on scientific evidence Capacity limitations

RENEWAL / BundaSADC VAC training on HIV/FS

Modules for MOAFAO Funding

ScienceSam Bota RENEWAL Malawi

TB and HIV in Mbekweni, South Africa

ZAMBART Research Project

Participant feedbackCommunity engagement

Policy “dialogue” with NAC, DoHRENEWAL National Fora

MSc degrees, publicationsCollaboration – build on strengths

Feedback Meeting:“march on the councilors”

Working as a network: lessons

• The nature of politics and political engagement:

– peculiar politics of HIV&AIDS

– labyrinthine institutional issues

– focus on sustaining relationships

Working as a network: lessons• The maintenance of integrity of interactive

research:

– adherence to principles of science whilst maintaining close relationships with those with political authority

– ensuring accountability to the communities within which the research is conducted.

– To “reach-in” to what individuals and organisations share rather than to focus on differences.

– Need for a strong centre (presence)

Working as a network: lessons• Selecting and nurturing ‘champions’ in government

and scientific organisations:

– senior officials regularly move to new posts

– scientists have a ‘natural’ reticence against use of their research in different forms and ways

– Need to engage in critical commentary and interpretation with different ‘non-science’ parties

New Ways of Working

The “U-Process” in Mamelodi, South Africa:

– Urban-rural links research

• Urban epidemic• Urban informal settlements have double the HIV

prevalence of urban formal areas in South Africa• Risk factors (Weiser et al)• Mobility and spatial connections

Sickness and HIV:if the individual in Johannesburg becomes too sick to work, the majority will return back home

Support

54 %

67%

Importance of

food Burden on the household back

home.

Urban livelihood that supports

another household ‘back home’ would

be affected.

The “U-Process”: Phase 1“ Co-Sensing

Co-Presencing

Co-Realizing

“Learning to see… the first schooling” –Nietzsche

Activities: foundation workshops, learning journeys.

Output: Documented shared understanding of reality.

The “U-Process”: Phase 2“

Co-Sensing

Co-Presencing

Co-Realizing

Retreat and Reflect

Getting in touch with own relationship to the system, ‘inner knowing about it.

Activities: Innovation retreat, Wilderness solos

Output:: Clarity and commitment about what to do to create new reality

The “U-Process”: Phase 3“

Co-Sensing

Co-Presencing

Co-RealisingBringing the new reality into existence

Activities: Implementation of innovations with potential to change the system, prototyping, piloting, learning by doing

Working as a network• The seemingly interminably slow process of

influencing policy requires a long-term perspective:

– Need to be persistent, to adopt an informed, supportive, flexible and adaptive approach.

– gradual strengthening of networks allows trust to be built while securing diverse representatives as a key source of legitimacy and, hence, influence.