Draft India National Plan for ENRAP (Drafted at the Start-up workshop in February 2003, Bangkok) (Drafted at the Start-up workshop in February 2003, Bangkok) Bijoy A. Sangma ENRAP II India National Workshop 15 October 2003, Manesar

Background: The workshop at Bangkok was intended to review the documents of the First Phase with the project partners/representatives to: Plan in detail, ENRAP II activities and outputs over the next three years, and Plan in detail, ENRAP II activities and outputs over the next three years, and Get concrete commitments from project partners to ENRAP activities and outputs as per the detailed plan Get concrete commitments from project partners to ENRAP activities and outputs as per the detailed plan

Voices: “Apart from IT other communication tools such as drama, music, etc also should be used. To this, it was responded that while the use of other media is not ruled out, ENRAP’s primary focus is on electronic networking…” “The Indian delegate was of the opinion that a change in mindset is very important for ENRAP to be able to successfully encourage networking. For this he felt exposure visits could be very useful. Cost was considered a significant obstacle in doing this…” “IFAD project should also link up with other national level agencies such as NGOs, academic institutions, etc. They should participate in other networks such as CBNRM…”

Voices: “Suggestion was made that at the community level IFAD Knowledge Day could be organized once a month to share success stories…” “The Laos participant emphasized information dissemination to communities within projects and suggested that many times what works in one place doesn’t work in another and hence use of shared information should be made carefully. The important issue would be how to empower communities with information so that they can make choices for their development…” “Representative of UNOPS said that while IFAD’s direction/strategy on use of IT is seen for communication, he is yet to see its integration in project design…”

Group Discussions: 1. Potential of ICTs and traditional technologies for knowledge capturing, sharing and Information dissemination ICT tools can differ but shouldn’t be limited by regional, national and local infrastructure available Connectivity at the national, state and district levels is fine but at the community or village level it is poor Organizing information is important Knowledge capturing tools could be case studies, videos, and others such as photographs Knowledge sharing would require appropriate packaging and documentation Incentives to capture and share information need to exist at all levels Capacity building to use ICTs in useful ways would be necessary Strategies for institutional partnership could be the key (Countries from phase I – India, Sri Lanka, Philippines, Pakistan, Nepal)

Group Discussions: 2. Activities and outputs your projects could do for dissemination Make available to the ENRAP website success stories on a periodic basis Capacity building in a variety of areas such as knowledge sharing, project documentation, etc. Communications strategy developed by all stakeholders for knowledge sharing Incentives at all levels of project implementation and community through news coverage, competitions, etc. Software in local languages  (contd.) (Countries from phase I – India, Sri Lanka, Philippines, Pakistan, Nepal)

Group Discussions: 2. Activities and outputs your projects could do for dissemination Issues of connectivity/access at various levels of national, line agencies, project, and community. Poor connectivity or poor access due to illiteracy at the community level. Advocating knowledge sharing Introducing new technologies like GIS, GPS Partnership with existing thematic networks, generating support for partnership at the grassroots level Packaging information in a variety of forms – multi-media, use of local language Facilitating production of radio programmes and training for production (Countries from phase I – India, Sri Lanka, Philippines, Pakistan, Nepal)

Group Discussions: 1.Potential of ICTs and traditional technologies for knowledge capturing, sharing and Information dissemination  Technology is available and ready to use for sharing/dissemination information, connectivity is thus not a problem  Gap exists in terms of capacity both human and logistic, especially at the rural level which do not have access to equipment and internet (‘New’ Countries – Laos, Vietnam, China) ENRAP II India National Workshop 15 October 2003 Manesar

Group Discussions: 2. Activities and outputs your projects could do for dissemination  Working out a mechanism to share information - How to scout for, document and share information? Currently, there isn’t sufficient sharing of information among projects, line agencies and beneficiaries. For instance IFAD web site could be used to access basic information.  Improved management of both external and internal information  Innovative ways to reach people, especially the rural poor  Using other/traditional technologies apart from the Internet to share information/ knowledge/experiences – CD ROMs, video, etc. ENRAP could explore simple applications of GIS  Nature of information depending on who needs what. Some uniformity is necessary in the information system so that it is easily understood by all concerned among the IFAD projects  What kind of information needs to be captured for dissemination - appropriate/relevant information (‘New’ Countries – Laos, Vietnam, China)

National Plan Networking activities Networking activities What is needed? What is needed? Networking among IFAD Projects within India Networking among IFAD Projects within India Knowledge/Information Sharing Knowledge/Information Sharing Building Partnership/Relationship Building Partnership/Relationship How can it be done? How can it be done? E-Discussion E-Discussion E-Newsletter E-Newsletter National Cell National Cell

National Plan Capacity Building & Other Support Capacity Building & Other Support What is needed and could be done. What is needed and could be done. Basic Computer training to Rural Stakeholders Basic Computer training to Rural Stakeholders Web-site registration and preliminary set-up Web-site registration and preliminary set-up Establishment of Community Media and Resource Centers Establishment of Community Media and Resource Centers Facilitate training for local media people Facilitate training for local media people Documentation Documentation Software (local language software) Software (local language software) Inter Project Communication Network (NE Project) Inter Project Communication Network (NE Project)

National Plan E-Discussion E-Discussion Various topics of common interest could be chosen for an active discussion which has value for the larger group Various topics of common interest could be chosen for an active discussion which has value for the larger group

National Plan Key Project personnel Key Project personnel This is a crucial issue and IFAD should integrate this component in the Project design stage This is a crucial issue and IFAD should integrate this component in the Project design stage ENRAP should take up the matter with the Project Management ENRAP should take up the matter with the Project Management Members should be chosen on the basis of on interest and skill Members should be chosen on the basis of on interest and skill A senior official is preferred A senior official is preferred

National Plan Project support to ENRAP activities Project support to ENRAP activities Projects could provide the following kind of support to ENRAP activities: Projects could provide the following kind of support to ENRAP activities: Facilitate exposure visits Facilitate exposure visits Availability of existing hardware etc. Availability of existing hardware etc. Facilitate ENRAP workshops etc. Facilitate ENRAP workshops etc.