Minutes from launching meeting 28 April 2006

Participants:
Professor Kjell Havnevik (NAI)
Docent Tekeste Negash (Högskolan Falun)
Atakilte Beyene (PhD, Center for Gender Studies, Stockholm University)
Emil Sandström (PhD candidate, SLU, Institution for Urban and Rural Studies, SOL)
Linley Chiwona Karltun (PhD, SLU/SOL)
Caroline Kyhlbäck (research assistant, NAI)
Dorte Thorsen (Phd, NAI)

Aim
The initiative for establishing a research network has originated out of the concern and observation in the poor progress and change in many sub-Saharan African countries. As various research results indicate, there is a lot of dynamic processes taking place at local levels in different social, economic, political and ecological systems in Africa. Similarly, various approaches and strategies have been delivered over the last decades. However, these processes have not transformed into desired goals such as economic progress. Many countries still suffer from poverty and poor progress in development. We argue that there is something we still do not understand of Africa. To address this poor understanding, we need new efforts that would help us tackle the problem.

The aim of this network is to try to set up a research platform for future research network. The network we intend to establish is defined along thematic areas (see Swedish Interdisciplinary Research Network Proposal). There are fairly sufficient research findings across the thematic areas, but we do not have theoretical and methodological explanations for the interrelationships among the themes. This network will provide the platform for researchers who are competent in the area of rural development to put their ideas and visions, and be able to interact with each other, and come up with better explanations for future research cooperation and network.

Strategy

a) PARTICIPANTS OF THE NETWORK

1) The coordinators: The Nordic Africa Institute is the coordinating institution. The role of the coordinators is to facilitate agenda setting, make summaries of discussions, facilitate the platform, communications, identify publishable material, etc.
At the final stage, the coordinators will prepare a final report and proposal for establishing a research network.
2) Core researchers: These researchers are competent/working in the field of rural development in general and the thematic areas, and are willing to share their ideas be involved in the future network.
3) Co-members:
4) Associates:  

b) INTERNET POOLS

As the name indicates, this initiative is about networking. Hence, much of the activities will be networked through electronic communication.

For this purpose, two types of internet pools are proposed.
1) Among researchers: a website that is accessible (using password) by core researchers. These researchers are identified by the coordinators taking into consideration their interest, commitment, areas of competence, etc.
The purpose of the website is to enable the researchers to put their ideas and findings so that every researcher has the possibility to read and comment on every idea put forward on the site
The coordinators will play the role of facilitating the interactive communication, make summaries of the discussion, identify and setting common agendas, etc.
2) Public webpage (at the Nordic Africa Institute web page):
The purpose of this will be to put new ideas, findings, seminars, etc to the public. Publishable/edited materials will also be put in this page.
The cost of constructing an independent webpage can be expensive, but it can be much cheaper if NAI allows a website within the NAI webpage.
The coordinators will take the responsibility of editing the material that will be put on the public site.

c) BI-MONTHLY PUBLICATION (if possible): Publication of news letters may be considered.

Workshop (in November 2006)
There will be a workshop in Harare in November 2006. Researchers from Sweden, Norway, Ethiopia, Tanzania, Uganda and Zimbabwe will be participating.
The outcome of the workshop will be a major input for the initiative.

Outcome (by May 2007)
1) Identify research agenda
2) Identify people and institutions committed to pursue research/cooperation on the agenda set
3) A well formulated research proposal for establishing a research network

Back to main page of the Swedish research network on livelihoods.