Background and Rationale

Knowledge has always been viewed as a key factor in poverty reduction. However, due to the magnitude of challenges that face it, the development community has only recently embraced the real potential of knowledge in the context of learning from past successes and failures, sharing experiences with partners and clients, linking research to policymaking, and applying into practice the latest ideas and technologies. Accordingly, “managing” development knowledge, using different approaches to codify and share knowledge, has become a priority for a number of organizations, regardless of size, location, and focus. Creating effective knowledge management approaches is a difficult process and involves more than purchasing a sophisticated information technology application. The more pressing need is to build the capacity of staff to develop and apply new KM approaches with the goal of enhancing organizational effectiveness. In response to this need, several initiatives have been launched to build organizational capacity in KM for development. Since June 2006 the Global Development Network (GDN), World Bank Institute (WBI), African Capacity Building Foundation (ACBF), and Development Bank of Southern Africa (DBSA), Busoga Rural Open Source and Development Initiative (BROSDI), and Centre d’Analyse des Politiques Economiques et Sociales (CAPES) have partnered together to deliver KM workshops and conferences for representatives of research institutes, NGOs, and universities in Africa. GDN and WBI are now launching a similar program in the South Asia Region.