Lessons learned and ways forward on CGIAR capacity development: A discussion paper

This paper is a contribution to the establishment of a new capacity development (CD) 9 strategy, a process that the Consortium Office will facilitate, with external input, during 2013. The paper explores the lessons learned from CGIAR’s experience with CD and reflects the findings of a working group that was brought together in late 2012. The objective of the paper is to identify the roles that individual and institutional CD might play in CGIAR in order to increase CGIAR’s impact on the welfare of smallholder farmers and the sustainability of their farming systems. A number of case studies have been included; these indicate the need for a more comprehensive approach to documenting the lessons learned to date. The paper also discusses possible interventions by the Consortium to ensure that CD contributes positively to achieving development outcomes through the CGIAR Research Programs. While the paper gives only partial answers, the authors have found it to be an important opportunity to learn and start to re-engage as a CD community.