Knowledge Management and Networks

Knowledge exists to be imparted. Ralph Waldo Emerson

Knowledge exchange, or peer-to-peer learning, is an important way to share, replicate, and scale up what works in development. Development practitioners want to learn from the practical experience of others who have gone through, or are going through, similar problems. They want to be connected to each other and have ready access to knowledge and solutions.

In today’s multi-polar world, development experience and knowledge is flowing in every direction. Effective knowledge exchange does three things:

  • Connects and convenes practitioners and/or key stakeholders around shared development challenges
  • Facilitates timely and systematic sharing of knowledge in the form of good practices, lessons learned, and insights
  • Catalyzes results

Development Knowledge Toolkits

Knowledge Sharing Toolkit www.kstoolkit.org
Resource of knowledge sharing tools and methods in the context of international development with a focus on agriculture, fisheries, food and nutrition, forestry and sustainable development.

UNICEF manual for trainers and facilitators in participatory group events produced. Full of great ideas and a good use of photographs to explain what is, after all, a visual process. http://www.unssc.org//a>

FAO Participation Website- The Web site provides an online **course** which will guide you through the concepts applied in this website. After completing the course, you will have learned how to apply the different participatory approaches and methods in the planning, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of projects. We recommend you take this course first so you will make better use of this website.

Online, dynamic knowledge sharing toolkit by UN Office of Human Rights – http://slitoolkit.ohchr.org

UNITAR Wiki on Knowledge sharing tools and methods – http://www.click4it.org/index.php/Overall_Repository

Knowledge bucket list of knowledge sharing tools and methods – http://knowledgebucket.wikispaces.com/Tools+and+Techniques

The FAO Ecosystem Approach to Fisheries (EAF) Tool Database provides access to descriptions of all the tools that have been identified that could assist facilitators, managers and planners move through each of the four steps required for the adoption of the into their management plans in an efficient and effective manner. http://www.fao.org/fishery/eaf-net/eaftool/search/en

Asian Development Bank – Knowledge Solutions. An online repository of tools and papers on different knowledge management techniques. http://beta.adb.org/site/knowledge-management/knowledge-solutions

Selected Networks for Knowledge Management

Bellanet ENGLISH FRANÇAIS ESPAÑOL
http://www.bellanet.org
Bellanet promotes and facilitates effective collaboration within the international community, especially through the use of ICTs. IDRC; SIDA; Danida, CIDA, SDC, + 86 partners.

Come in IT (The Communication Initiative) ENGLISH
http://www.comminit.com
Space to share, debate and innovate for more effective development communication practice.

IICD International Institute for Communication and Development ENGLISH FRANÇAIS ESPAÑOL
http://www.iicd.org
Assists developing countries to realise locally owned sustainable development by harnessing the potential of information and communication technologies (ICTs).
Netherlands, UK and the Swiss Government.

infoDev Information for Development Program ENGLISH
http://www.infodev.org
InfoDev helps developing countries and their international partners use information and communication broadly and effectively as tools of poverty reduction and sustainable economic growth. Housed at the World Bank, it is supported by more than 20 donors partners. World Bank.

it@inwent International Knowledge Networks ENGLISH
http://www.it-inwent.net
The aim and purpose of these networks is to support multiplying IT institutions like universities, internet providers, IT-consultancies, IT-training facilities, and trade promotion organizations in providing state of the art know-how in the field of e-commerce.

Knowledge Management for Development Site ENGLISH
http://open.bellanet.org/km/
KM4Dev is a community of knowledge management (KM) / knowledge sharing (KS) practitioners working in development, whom share ideas and experiences. Bellanet.

OpenKnowledge.net ENGLISH
http://www.openknowledge.net
OKN is an initiative of the DOTForce: the Digital Opportunity Task Force set up by the G8 Heads of State to make a decisive contribution to bridging the digital divide. OKN has since been adopted by the UN ICT Task Force.

UNITeS United Nations Information Technology Services ENGLISH
http://www.unites.org
UNITeS both supports volunteers applying information and communications technologies for development (ICT4D) promotes volunteerism as a fundamental element of successful ICT4D initiatives. UNDP UNV.