Research Into Use: Natural Resources Knowledge

Natural Resources Knowledge

This series of pages summarises a collection of key outputs from projects run by DFID's recently completed 10-year Renewable Natural Resources Research Strategy (RNRRS).

RNRRS research produced a wealth of outputs designed to enable poor people to better manage their natural resources. During RIU's inception phase the programme created a short-list of 280 research outputs or clusters of projects relevant to livestock, aquaculture, fisheries, post-harvest operations, crop protection, crop post-harvest operations, forestry, food microbiology, soil fertility, land use management and water resource management. This exercise has produced a valuable information resource, or toolbox, which includes stakeholders’ views on impacts to date, remaining potential and obstacles to realizing this potential.

A review of these projects indicated that a significant number of them generated products (technologies, practices, processes and policies) which had validated benefits to users at the field or local level. For an overview of the RNRRS programmes see RNRRS Programmes.
An initial process of clustering validated outputs around logical themes (e.g. crop farmers, livestock keepers, fisherfolk etc.) was conducted in 2007 and is captured in the RIU database booklet and accompanying CD. See also the Listing by Topic where the booklet can be downloaded.
These pages build on that initiative and provide an alternative means of accessing and searching for information on the wide range of often interrelated clusters of research projects, as well as providing additional information on topics such as value chains. The clusters of research projects are organised in two complimentary listings. A listing based on groups of Audience or Beneficiaries, is therefore complimented by a listing based on related groups of Topics.

This appraoch enables different users (farmers associations, providers of goods and services, added value industries, transporters, policy makers, consumers etc.) to visually zero-in on relevant research outputs which address their specific fields of interest – and informs them of the needs and constraints of other members of the value chain. The information products include summaries of clusters of related or inter-dependant research projects, final technical reports and and linkages to related work either through links to reference documents or pages on linked web sites.

Go to the full audience listing concept map.

Village market along road in Western Kenya

Topic Listing

Value Chains:

Value chains represent the linkages between the processes and players along the chain of events from farmer to fork. An understanding of Value Chains is an important component of development.

See an overview and introduction to
Value Chains

Following a brief overview, each of the 280 research clusters are themselves summarised and described in individual pages organsied according to the following general headings and sub-headings. The relevant grographical regions considered by each research cluster are also listed, with links to sets of outline maps of each region, as well as the identified target audiences for the research cluster.

	Description:	Research Programmes
		Relevant Research Projects, including contact details of project leaders and institutional partners
		Research Outputs, Problems and Solutions
		Types of Research Output
		Major Commodities Involved
		Production Systems
		Farming Systems
		Potential for Added Value
	Validation:	How the outputs were validated
		Where the Outputs were Validated
	Current Situation:	Who are the Users?
		Where the outputs have been used
		Scale of Current Use
		Policy and Institutional Structures, and Key Components for Success
	Lessons Learned:	Promotion of Outputs
		Potential Barriers Preventing Adoption of Outputs
		How to Overcome Barriers to Adoption of Outputs
		Lessons Learned
	Impacts On Poverty:	Poverty Impact Studies
		How the Poor have Benefited (including gender and other poverty groups)
	Environmental Impact:	Direct and Indirect Environmental Benefits
		Adverse Environmental Impacts
		Coping with the Effects of Climate Change, or Risk from Natural Disasters
	Relevant Research Projects, with links to the Research for Development (R4D) web site:

Each of the individual research projects identified in these project clusters is listed, with links to PDF files with either the project final technical reports, or other reports summarising the reseach outputs. Links are also provided to the individual pages on the Research for Development (R4D) web site where the projects are described. Where they are currently available in electronic format, the R4D site also includes links to additional reports and other outputs from each of these projects.

The attention of users is also drawn to each of the individual Research Programme web sites, listed under the RNRRS Programmes, where additional project descriptions and downloadable reports and other outputs are available.

Note: This toolbox is available primarily as an online internet product although the RIU programme will entertain requests from those who wish to receive the toolbox on an USB storage device (contact riuinfo@nrint.co.uk).