National innovation coalition
The NIC: a journey from a management groups to 'an innovation platform at national level charged with policy advocacy'.
The National Innovation Coalition (NIC) was established in February 2008. It was conceived as the driving engine of RIU in Rwanda. There was a view that it should try to ensure the sustainability of promotion of agricultural innovations beyond the life time of the programme, through a consortium of the major stakeholder. However - it was very focused on overseeing the RIU work programme. Initially it had 11 members with including suppliers, intermediaries and end-users of agricultural research knowledge. They were drawn from...
Government institutions
Private sector
Civil society
Women's equality This group reflected the main groups involved in innovations in agriculture in Rwanda.
The NIC provided links with the platforms. This was achieved through members acting as champions:
It developed partnership with other organisations/projects dealing with innovations in the agricultural sector (PAPSTA, PANSVA, etc).
Over time the development of the NIC was constrained by poor participation of certain members. It also lacked a strategic approach and commitment to advocating for innovations at a national level.
NIC Reform Process
The vision emerged for the NIC to become the driving engine of getting research into use in Rwanda guaranteeing the approach beyond the lifetime of the programme. This is why RIU Rwanda made strengthening the capacity of the NIC a priority.
In August 2009, NIC members started a self-assessment process and initial findings revealed the lack of strong links between RIU activities and individual members' interventions on the ground. The NIC resolved to undertake a reform process in order to enable it to fulfil its mandate.
A task team was set up and produced an assessment report that was validated in November by the NIC. Note that the following criteria were used for assessing individual NIC member's performances:
The assessment report revealed that of the 11 members:
Immediate measures were thereafter taken by NIC in order to challenge non-performing members, bring new members on board and improve the level of representation in NIC meetings as well as individual members' contribution.
However, the NIC has strong leadership and some members are determined to induce change and improve its performance.
In September 2009 a brainstormed meeting on the reform process agreed to appoint soon an ad hoc committee to look at new membership, leadership positions, incentives and members' contribution as well.
The NIC resolved to undertake a reform process in order to enable it to fulfil its mandate. They agreed that the NIC needed senior representation from partner organisations if it was to be successful. Members would start to make a financial contribution for membership and take turns in hosting NIC meetings.
New members on board and new commitments
NIC held a special session on 20 November 2009 and four new members were welcomed. These include:
In order to increase the effectiveness of the NIC, it was decided that only high level managers will represent their respective organisations at meetings. An addendum to the existing Memorandum of Understanding and internal rules and regulations was signed early January 2010 setting out the new approach of the NIC. This defined the purpose of the NIC as 'an innovation platform at national level charged with policy advocacy'.
NIC support to platforms will be intensified, specifically with regard to championing some of their activities and playing an active and focused role in Platform performance assessment: RIU will support the NIC to organise inter-platform Learning events aimed at:
Progress
By November 2009 the NIC will have redefined itself as a policy dialogue platform at national level and undergone the necessary transformations.
They also contributed to the concept note on the use of the Flexibility Fund which then went out to the Innovation Platforms for comment.
Following the Rwamagana planning workshop, and the NIC meeting, RIU held internal working sessions which aimed at refining the activities, milestones and tasks.
Special attention was put on the relevance of all these intervention with regards to RIU outputs:
A new version of the explanatory note (January 2010) was produced in order to incorporate recommendations provided by the Central Research Team
First National Innovation Coalition retreat
As part of the NIC reform process quarterly, 2-3 day retreats were proposed in order to monitor implementation of the RIU work plan, continue the NIC self-assessment process and provide space for NIC members' capacity building as well. Sessions/trainings will be facilitated either by a NIC member or an external resource person.
The first NIC retreat was in Gisenyi in March 2010. The agenda is as follows:
Going forward, in order to contribute to a better understanding of the re-positioning of RIU as an action research programme, the NIC will pilot the design of a 'Strategic roadmap for enhancing demand for research outputs'. This will be done through working sessions with representatives of the RIU Central Research Team and the Research Fellows.
The NIC has a clear focus on evidence-based policy dialogue and policy relevant research topics will accordingly be identified and research conducted to produce appropriate documents (policy briefs) for policy dialogue. These briefs will also be based on lessons learned during the implementation of various tasks. At this level, lessons learned will be extracted to improve on performance. These workshops will also provide space for capacity development of NIC members where special sessions will be dedicated to pre-identified topics relevant to NIC work or development challenges/ opportunities.
Government institutions
- Rwanda Agricultural Development Authority (RADA)
- National Institute of Agricultural Research (ISAR)
- Rwanda Animal Resources Development Authority (RARDA)
- Rwanda Cooperative Agency
- National University of Rwanda/Faculty of Agriculture.
Private sector
- Rwanda Development Bank (BRD)
- Private Sector Federation (PSF)
- Former Support Centre to Small and Medium Size Enterprises (CAPMER)
Civil society
- Rwanda Development Organisation (RDO)
- Network of Farmers' Organisations in Rwanda (ROPARWA)
Women's equality This group reflected the main groups involved in innovations in agriculture in Rwanda.
The NIC provided links with the platforms. This was achieved through members acting as champions:
- ISAR local research centres (all platforms)
- RDO field support officers (Cassava and Maize Platform)
- ROPARWA members (IMPUYAKI Cooperative for the Potato platform)
It developed partnership with other organisations/projects dealing with innovations in the agricultural sector (PAPSTA, PANSVA, etc).
Over time the development of the NIC was constrained by poor participation of certain members. It also lacked a strategic approach and commitment to advocating for innovations at a national level.
NIC Reform Process
The vision emerged for the NIC to become the driving engine of getting research into use in Rwanda guaranteeing the approach beyond the lifetime of the programme. This is why RIU Rwanda made strengthening the capacity of the NIC a priority.
In August 2009, NIC members started a self-assessment process and initial findings revealed the lack of strong links between RIU activities and individual members' interventions on the ground. The NIC resolved to undertake a reform process in order to enable it to fulfil its mandate.
A task team was set up and produced an assessment report that was validated in November by the NIC. Note that the following criteria were used for assessing individual NIC member's performances:
- regular participation in NIC meetings
- active participation in NIC meetings
- specific interest for the organisation to be part of NIC
- relevance of membership with regards to NIC mandate.
The assessment report revealed that of the 11 members:
- 4 qualified as excellent
- 1 qualified as very good
- 3 qualified as good
- 3 qualified as fair
Immediate measures were thereafter taken by NIC in order to challenge non-performing members, bring new members on board and improve the level of representation in NIC meetings as well as individual members' contribution.
However, the NIC has strong leadership and some members are determined to induce change and improve its performance.
In September 2009 a brainstormed meeting on the reform process agreed to appoint soon an ad hoc committee to look at new membership, leadership positions, incentives and members' contribution as well.
- the meeting discussed in depth how to achieve the new mandate of the institution as a policy dialogue platform at national level
- it was decided that a validation workshop of the work plan will be organised on 10 September 2009
The NIC resolved to undertake a reform process in order to enable it to fulfil its mandate. They agreed that the NIC needed senior representation from partner organisations if it was to be successful. Members would start to make a financial contribution for membership and take turns in hosting NIC meetings.
New members on board and new commitments
NIC held a special session on 20 November 2009 and four new members were welcomed. These include:
- DUTERIMBERE, a woman umbrella organization that has strong records in empowering rural women entrepreneurship
- Umutara Polytechnic University (located in the same district as the Maize Innovation Platform)
- ISAE Busogo Agriculcural Institute
- Rwanda Association of Microfinance Institutions
In order to increase the effectiveness of the NIC, it was decided that only high level managers will represent their respective organisations at meetings. An addendum to the existing Memorandum of Understanding and internal rules and regulations was signed early January 2010 setting out the new approach of the NIC. This defined the purpose of the NIC as 'an innovation platform at national level charged with policy advocacy'.
NIC support to platforms will be intensified, specifically with regard to championing some of their activities and playing an active and focused role in Platform performance assessment: RIU will support the NIC to organise inter-platform Learning events aimed at:
- reviewing progress
- generating lessons
- providing guidance on policy advocacy/dialogue
- advice on setting platform priorities
Progress
By November 2009 the NIC will have redefined itself as a policy dialogue platform at national level and undergone the necessary transformations.
They also contributed to the concept note on the use of the Flexibility Fund which then went out to the Innovation Platforms for comment.
Following the Rwamagana planning workshop, and the NIC meeting, RIU held internal working sessions which aimed at refining the activities, milestones and tasks.
Special attention was put on the relevance of all these intervention with regards to RIU outputs:
- Promotion
Enhancing the demand for and putting into use the outputs of RNRRS and other research for the benefit of poor, for example through creating agricultural enterprises - Learning
Generating evidence about getting research into use and sharing lessons.
A new version of the explanatory note (January 2010) was produced in order to incorporate recommendations provided by the Central Research Team
First National Innovation Coalition retreat
As part of the NIC reform process quarterly, 2-3 day retreats were proposed in order to monitor implementation of the RIU work plan, continue the NIC self-assessment process and provide space for NIC members' capacity building as well. Sessions/trainings will be facilitated either by a NIC member or an external resource person.
The first NIC retreat was in Gisenyi in March 2010. The agenda is as follows:
- Introduction to RIU Research design
- Review implementation of RIU work plan and discuss way forwards
- Redefining NIC role in policy dialogue
- Special session on private sector investment and innovation in agriculture (facilitated by the Chairman/Private Sector Federation in Rwanda).
Going forward, in order to contribute to a better understanding of the re-positioning of RIU as an action research programme, the NIC will pilot the design of a 'Strategic roadmap for enhancing demand for research outputs'. This will be done through working sessions with representatives of the RIU Central Research Team and the Research Fellows.
The NIC has a clear focus on evidence-based policy dialogue and policy relevant research topics will accordingly be identified and research conducted to produce appropriate documents (policy briefs) for policy dialogue. These briefs will also be based on lessons learned during the implementation of various tasks. At this level, lessons learned will be extracted to improve on performance. These workshops will also provide space for capacity development of NIC members where special sessions will be dedicated to pre-identified topics relevant to NIC work or development challenges/ opportunities.
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