African Researchers and Decision-makers. Building Synergy for Development: Building Synergy for Development

Introduction: Why Reflect on Synergy Between Researchers and Decision-makers in West and Central Africa?

Introduction Why Reflect on Synergy Between Researchers and Decision-makers in West and Central Africa? Research is a fundamental element in the national development process. It plays a key role in every sector: economic, scientific, technical, social and cultural. In the light of the above, IDRC supports projects designed to strengthen research capacities whose objectives focus on: • consolidating specific policy initiatives — to promote equity for the poor, the environment and natural resource management, as well as information and communication technology; • enabling under-represented groups to participate in decision-making; • creating coalitions to support specific policy initiatives; and • contributing to the dissemination of information. The experience of IDRC in development research has enabled it to highlight the real potential of research to: • influence public policy in various ways, for example, by increasing the resources available for policy development, impacting on existing policies or broadening the scope of policies; • promote the emergence of new ideas and skills for their dissemination , and develop new talents to conduct issues-based research and studies. Thus, research can improve the institutional framework for policy development; • introduce new ideas to the larger thematic orientation, ensure that knowledge is provided to decision-makers in a user-friendly form, and promote proactive dialogue between researchers and decision -makers. Research can thus improve the intellectual framework surrounding policy-making; 2 African Researchers and Decision-makers • influence, in certain instances, public policy directly. This can lead to changes in programmes, organisations and legal instruments. Research that Contributes to Development and Influences Public Policy The relationship between researchers and decision-makers has been the focus of considerable literature, reflecting mainly the concerns of numerous institutions whose mission is to promote development research. This literature aims at explaining how research can influence policy-makers and how policy-makers can use research. Initially, one might think that the relationship is direct, in that good research should be relevant and accessible to decision-makers just as good rational policy should be based on relevant research findings . Yet, the reality is far from this ideal vision. Research has pointed to a series of reasons explaining the complexity of the relationship between researchers and decision-makers (Stone, Maxwell and Keating 2001), which include: • limited access to data and studies affecting both decision-makers and researchers; • frequent lack of appropriate research policy to deal with major public issues; • weak researcher understanding of the decision-making process, the issues and their role in that process; • researchers’ lack of will to disseminate research findings; • disconnection from the beneficiaries of research, which may be the fault of researchers or decision-makers, or both; • decision-makers’ lack of awarness of the existence of relevant research; • red tape, which hinders ownership and effective use of research outputs; • governments’ inability to recognize and use research findings, mainly due to insufficient human and financial resources; • the problem may be perceived as not just a matter of research having occasional impact on decision-makers, but as a more profound issue with socio-political, economic and cultural overtones. This may raise the issue of the relevance of research and the choice of topics, hence the adoption of a long-term perspective in which research may not demonstrate its immediate effectiveness, but rather only after many years;1 Introduction 3 • the problem may also have its roots in the political system. In certain instances, the public authorities may challenge the validity of research findings or may even censure or control research for political and ideological reasons. Taking note of the obstacles that inhibit the relationship between researchers and decision-makers, development organisations have taken initiatives aimed at increasing the influence of research on public policies. The Overseas Development Institute (ODI), with its Research And Policy In Development (RAPID) programme, and IDRC, through initiatives such as its strategic evaluation of the influence of research on public policies, have identified methodological orientations to enhance our understanding of the research-to-policy process. ODI established the RAPID2 programme on the principle that better use of research findings in public policy could save human lives, reduce poverty and improve the quality of life. This programme has led to the development of an analytical framework (or matrix) comprising four considerations: (i) the political context; (ii) proof through research; (iii) links between communities, networks and other intermediaries (the media); and (iv) external influences (development partners ). The programme is based on the hypothesis that the relationship between researchers and decision-makers is not...