tackling climate change a knowledge management approach
TRANSCRIPT
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‘My Contribution to Understanding and Tackling the Climate Change and Development Nexus’
(Telling a story through a case study of a development project, Kenya -a knowledge management and knowledge transfer perspective)
Dr Parminder Singh Sahota
Presentation structure
• Background to the Project case study and a conceptual framework of its knowledge repository
• Data collection and mapping onto the knowledge matrix – agencies against knowledge archetypes
• Examples of data collected and interventions
• The knowledge matrix – gaps and interventions
• Summary – relevance of case study and skill set required
Background to the Project and its knowledge repository
The Environment(MDG
UNFCCC, GLOBALECONOMICS)
The case study
•The information used for decision making is stored in various physical locations (knowledge repository)
• Knowledge repositories have knowledge storing and information processing capabilities
AGENCIES KNOWLEDGE REQUIRED KNOWLEDGE COLLECTION METHODOLOGY Map onto knowledge audit matrix
Individual and Groups Socio-economic data, farm location, size, history and current state, farmer knowledge and skills in farm management, group structures
Base line survey, satellite mapping, site risk assessment and semi-structured interviews and desk study
Area Infrastructure – roads, shopping centre, bridges, water sources, water availability and quality, soil types and condition, climatic data
Satellite mapping, walks with local farmers, water testing, soil testing, interviews with farmers, agencies, institutions and NGOs and maps
National National policies on poverty reduction, agriculture, water management, exports , cost of doing business
Desk Study, meetings and interview
Local Administration (Chiefs, District Officers
Location requirements of engagement with the local farmers and groups
Meetings and interviews
Ministries (Agriculture, Water, Land)
Policies on agriculture and water management. Identify areas of cooperation and assistance available
Meetings and interviews
Local Supply Chain Actors Identify suppliers and exporters Local contacts and networks, interviews
European Supply Chain Actors Identify customer Desk Study, email, interviews
Technology Identify current technologies in use
Base line survey
NGOs, local and overseas universities and institutions
Local projects carried out, identify relevant expertise
Desk study, email and interviews
Knowledge requirements and collection
Mean annual rain
800 to 1000 mm
General Slope Location, size and water sources
Soil Map Rainfall distribution
Baseline
• Poverty and low incomes• Inadequate Natural Resource
Infrastructure• Maintenance and deterioration of
existing infrastructure• Inadequate human capital skills for
system planning and management• Few proper and empowered
institutions• Inappropriate land use and
management• Inadequate knowledge in good
agricultural practices• Poor health and sanitation• Low education• Gender inequality and child mortality
Climate Change data
• Rainfall patterns inconsistent and makes scenario generation under current conditions difficult
• It is expected that such extremes could potentially increase and exasperate current vulnerability (UNEP 2007)
• Mean annual temperature has increased since 1960 by 1 degree
• There is a projected increase in temperature by 2060 to 2.8 degrees and by 2100 by 4 degrees (UNEP 2009)
• Such increases will have serious impacts on diverse aspects of climate venerable sectors in Kenya (NEMR 2009)
• Predicting precipitation at downscaled level proved to be difficult.
• Rivers are drying up and becoming seasonal
Flooding caused by R.Samuru in Thayu. Land degradation
Demonstration farms Drip irrigation
Water harvesting Field Schools
Spring well protection Community interaction
EmbrainedFormal, abstract ortheoretical knowledge“universal laws”(abstract knowledge - knowing)Individual explicit
EmbodiedAction oriented-Context specific(knowing how – practical thinking and experience, intimate knowledge of a situation)Individual tacit
EncodedInformation conveyed through signs and signals
Collective explicit
EmbeddedKnowledge insystemic routines and shared norms
Collective tacit
EnculturedShared understanding through socialisation it is dependent on language, socially constructed and open to negotiation
Collective explicit
Individual and Groups Limited Limited Limited Limited
Area Limited Limited Limited
National Limited Limited
Local Administration (Chiefs, District Officers
Limited Limited Limited Limited Limited
Ministries (Agriculture, Water, Land)
Limited
Local Supply Chain Actors
Limited Limited Limited Limited Limited
European Supply Chain Actors
Limited
Technology Limited Limited Limited Limited Limited
NGOs, local and overseas universities and institutions
Limited Limited
The knowledge audit matrix – gaps and interventions
Knowledge flows and knowledge transfer - building adaptive capacity
This approach provided a road map to develop and implement strategies for:
targeted change in the knowledge repository for both reactive adaptation and anticipatory adaptation
maintenance of the desired knowledge for the targeted knowledge repository
***redundancy or slack (or fat) i.e. build into the system the ability to respond to the unforeseen in ways that are not covered by existing procedures and mind-sets
***The project did not anticipate the post election violence that griped Kenya in 2007 – 2008, and this led to system failures, for example:
• Supply chain disruptions • Famers mind sets
Summary – relevance of case study and skill set required
• Project management, consultancy and engagement skills in the developing world
• Problem identification, proposal writing, research and analytical skills
• Networking expertise and awareness of policies on global frameworks related to climate change and development
• Preparation of training materials and teaching
• Expertise in knowledge management, innovation and supply chain management
• Good understanding of risk management and adaptation