by Ana Ugalde-Brenes, MDP and Nargiza Ludgate, PhD

Capacity strengthening often focuses on improving skills, knowledge, and attitudes through training, which typically target individuals. Training approaches to building capacity struggle when they fail to recognize how individuals behave and interact with each other, and within organizations and the broader context in which they and their organizations operate. 

Many development agencies treat capacity strengthening as a core mechanism of development support, and the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) has established a clear policy framework for it. For capacity strengthening to be successful, it requires a nuanced understanding of how individuals operate within their local system (e.g., organization, network of actors and the enabling environment) so that capacity-related interventions transform the entire system.

Finding What Works

Effective localization, which in the context of capacity development refers to the process of adapting or tailoring capacity-development interventions to the specific context, needs and priorities of a particular country or community, requires a focus on strengthening the capacity of local systems and actors. This approach involves investing in local institutions to enhance their ability to develop, lead, and manage development efforts. By working collaboratively with local organizations, international partners can leverage their own resources and expertise to support the development of sustainable, locally driven and locally led solutions.

The Feed the Future Innovation Lab for Livestock Systems at the University of Florida approaches local capacity development (LCD) as being about strengthening local systems that already have knowledgeable actors, relations, institutions, and networks. Our emphasis is on strengthening what exists. This approach aligns with USAID’s emphasis on local capacity strengthening, recognizing that empowering local communities and actors is crucial to achieving sustainable development outcomes. 

Offering Awards

In the second half of fiscal year 2022, the Livestock Lab launched a competitive award process for local partner organizations in five target countries: Burkina Faso, Ethiopia, Nepal, Niger and Rwanda. Our goal was to provide opportunities for local organizations to implement activities that address their needs and contribute to system-wide changes in the livestock research system. This approach was guided by the principles of local ownership and design by local actors. To this end, the award process was crafted to encourage locally led projects with all project leaders and collaborators being embedded in local organizations. This ensures that the focus remains on strengthening the capacity of local actors and co-learning, rather than relying on external expertise and resources. 

Designing Together

We embarked on a co-designing process in conjunction with the Livestock Lab’s annual meetings in our target countries. The co-designing process was based on the Capacity Development for Agricultural Innovation Systems (CD4AIS) approach and involved a two-day workshop to help local stakeholders to operationalize local capacity development and systems thinking, and jointly to develop an LCD project. During the workshop, the partners mapped out the system actors and analyzed their needs based on the findings of the Human and Institutional Capacity Development (HICD) gap analysis conducted by the Livestock Lab during its first phase. The participants discussed constraints and blockage areas and looked for synergies to bolster their plans for a proposed LCD activity. The co-designing sessions focused on what could be accomplished in the local systems by employing context-specific, system-wide approaches.  

Writing Proposals

From these workshops, LCD project proposals were developed by leaders in each country to address some of the perceived gaps in capacity strengthening within the livestock research system.  Some examples of proposed work include the development of multi-stakeholder platforms that bring together researchers, educators, extension, the government and the private sector.  Other examples include targeted professional development for graduate students and junior researchers to enhance their research skills and communication, and especially to translate research for use by extension professionals, farmers, practitioners and policymakers.

Effective localization of capacity development is critical to achieving sustainable development outcomes in the livestock sector. While capacity strengthening presents its own challenges, we, as international organizations, must remain committed to this approach, recognizing the immense potential it holds for empowering local organizations to be the drivers of development.