Nyhet: 2018-01-26
Dr Tran Thi Thu Ha from Vietnam National University of Forestry was one of the participant in a course in Bangkok this week. 26 Asian researchers learnt how to communicate effectively, and how to translate research into policy and practice. The course was organized by AgriFoSe 2030 (Agriculture for Food Security) and some of the lecturers were from GMV.
– I wanted to make policy come out of my research. I now learnt 
how I can prepare a plan how to disseminate the results to the stakeholders. How my policy recommendations can be done in reality, says Dr Tran Thi Thu Ha.
The 7-day course is a mixture of lectures, workshops and exercises.
– I like the way the course is organized. It is combined lectures and presentations. When the lecturers present, they also try to get participation from the group, says Dr Tran Thi Thu Ha.
You don’t just listen?
– No, it’s a two-way communication.
The participants got to do a three-minute oral presentation, without powerpoint and reading, in order to clearly deliver the results from their research. They also made a plan for their interaction with stakeholders, and had to think about when in the policy process it is most effective to engage with different stakeholders.
Dr Subir Bairagi from the International Rice Research Institute was another participant.
– So far I am enjoying it. I think it is great. It has a clear vision about how to connect research and policy.
Later this week, the participants will meet different stakeholders at the course in Bangkok, to be able to discuss face-to-face with them, and in that way enhance interaction.
On day four of the course, the 26 researchers are divided into two different groups, depending on their themes. The first one is about “Social and economic dimensions of smallholder based agriculture and food security” and the second about “Multifunctional landscapes for increased food security”.
– We hope to improve the flow and uptake of research results and evidence-based information into the area of food security, says Madelene Ostwald, Theme leader of AgriFoSe's Theme 2.
Dr Anders Ekbom from GMV says that the course is useful to improve the researchers outreach.
– They can be more effective in informing and influencing planners and decision-makers in the agricultural field to improve crop production and food security, says Dr Anders Ekbom.
