Strengthening Grassroots Engagement in ARD Policy Processes

Organised by: NEPAD

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The objective of this session is to understand better how ICTs can amplify the role and participation of grassroots communities in ARD policy processes. A study commissioned by the NEPAD Agency and funded by the CTA reveals that there are elements of a Community-Informatics approach to how ICT4D and ICT4Ag interventions are being implemented in Africa, even though the term Community Informatics may not have entered mainstream usage. The study also finds that most initiatives were not designed or are not being used to engage communities in policy processes. Using three real-world examples taken from Colombia, Sudan and Kenya, the session will challenge participants to unpack the elements that are essential for strengthening the participation of grassroots communities in ARD policy processes. The session will use a modified World Café format that will engage participants in conversations applying the CI framework (an output of the NEPAD-CTA study) to the three examples. This will help to determine the usefulness of the framework as well as identifying and addressing potential gaps and challenges. Participants will come away from the session with insights into how they can apply the CI approach to strengthen policy processes in ARD with emphasis on participation of grassroots communities.