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The Society for Bangladesh Agricultural Extension Network (BAEN) has been awarded a grant by IFAD through SEARCA to implement “Supporting Smallholder Farmers in Asia and Pacific Islands Region through Strengthened Agricultural Advisory Services (SAAS)” project in Bangladesh. The project in Bangladesh part comprises of four major activities: (1) Capacity assessment of country fora, (2) Human resource capacity building, (3) Strengthening knowledge management, and (4) Policy engagement in high level policy dialogue. For performing the activity No. 3, the Bangladesh part of the SAAS project hired a team consisting of two consultants for developing Knowledge Management (KM) strategy at country level in Bangladesh. The Consultants formulated a draft strategy in consultation with key members and stakeholders. Further the draft strategy was validated through stemming the feedback of the BAEN members’ representatives in a workshop.
At the outset of the assignment, the consultants did a rapid survey using online platform in order to understand the state of arts in regards to KM practices. 33% responded were from public institutions while 33% from academic institution, 17% research institute and 17% were from NGOs. 67% responded opined that they have no formal KM function in the organization and the rest (33%) have KM function to some extent. BAEN website is yet to be popularize because only 33% respondents visit the site regularly. Organizing workshops (100%) was found the major channel of knowledge sharing followed by face-to-face, E-mail and social media. Education and training were perceived the major knowledge resource followed by best practice, office memo, idea sharing, and periodic meeting.
Knowledge management (KM) is the discipline of creating, assessing, controlling, communicating and socializing knowledge. The goal of knowledge management is to transform information into actionable knowledge to support farming communities and public and private service providers farming strategy and execution. Knowledge management is understood as a cyclical process that takes place in an enabling environment comprised of organizational leadership, ICT tools, organizational culture and strategic direction. BAEN considered eight key principles of KM such as: assets, social, shared, accessible, work produces the knowledge, secured, decentralized and sustained. The three primary knowledge reservoirs considered are Knowledge in People, Knowledge in Artifacts, and Knowledge in Organizational Entities. Knowledge in People is quite accessible by word of mouth, interactions, meetings, communities of practice and similar activities. Knowledge in Artifacts is the easiest to access as it is usually documented using documents, technology knowledge repositories. Knowledge in Organizational Entities is often the least accessible. Access to it is via meetings, discussions, word of mouth, interactions, etc. It is vital that this knowledge be documented in order to prevent its loss.
Four strategic pillars/directions are considered in BAEN’s KM Strategy, these are: improving access to information; transfer information into actionable knowledge/recommended practices; sharing and reuse of knowledge; and leveraging Agriculture Extension in country. To foster the BAEN KM strategy, both IT and non-IT based tools were identified and proposed that expected to facilitate BAEN to share and disseminate relevant knowledge resources among its stakeholders.
In order to strengthen BAEN and its member organizations capacity of knowledge management, BAEN should establish a Knowledge Management Team. The Team should consist of KM Team Leader, KM Coordinator, Content editor and System Administrator.
BAEN will play roles in mobilizing KM practices with partner organizations through support member organizations in developing KM Plan and mentoring for effective implementation of KM Plan, share KM best practices through workshop, exchange visits, and promote a positive policy environment so that member organization can continue KM practices effectively and efficiently.
Key Words: Knowledge Management, BAEN, Agricultural Extension, Agricultural Advisory Service
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