Knowledge Programme for Food Security

The Food & Business Knowledge Platform (F&BKP), Embassy Support Programme and Talent Pool will continue as the Knowledge Programme for Food Security. This Programme will increase the impact of Dutch projects, programmes, policies, investments and business on SDG2 by knowledge brokering across professional divides. It will facilitate the creation, exchange and – particularly – the use of knowledge by Dutch actors and their LMIC partners.
Consortium partners Wageningen Centre for Development Innovation (WCDI), AgriProFocus and The Broker implement this Programme financed by the Netherlands Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The Knowledge Programme is expected to be integrated in an envisioned Netherlands Food Partnership which is being established.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has approved the four-year Plan of Action (2019 – 2022) of the Knowledge Programme for Food Security (KP), which builds on the experience of the Food & Business Knowledge Platform (F&BKP) that exists since September 2013 and the Embassy Support Programme run by WCDI for about 10 years. Also included is the Talent Pool which places trainees at Ministries and Embassies.

The shifts in gravity compared to the past years are the following:

• More emphasis on “know-how”, knowledge use and disclosure of existing knowledge.
• More collaboration with “on the ground” work of Dutch actors in LMICs.
• Increasing the cooperation with the private sector.
• Collaboration with multilateral organizations to increase impact.
• Research IN development; more explicitly linking research to implementation of development programmes and policy interventions.
• Integration with AgriProFocus since roles and activities partly overlap.

As such, the new Knowledge Programme is the response to a changing context and inspired by five years’ experience of the F&BKP and its consortium partners.

The KP will be one of the building blocks of the envisioned Netherlands Food Partnership (NFP) and will become the space for Dutch knowledge brokering in the field of Food System Transformation aiming at Food and Nutrition Security (FNS). This is relevant, since the complex and multifaceted character of FNS calls for an integrated approach, creating synergies and countering fragmentation of relevant knowledge and expertise.

The main objective of the KP is to increase the impact of Dutch projects, programmes, policies, investments and business on SDG2 by knowledge brokering across professional divides. The KP will facilitate the creation, exchange and use of knowledge, by the collection, connecting and combining of knowledge for Dutch actors and their partners working in LMICs on Food System Transformation.

Key activity areas in 2019-2022 are the following:

• Country and region-based learning loops; multi-stakeholder learning trajectories across countries and across programmes.
• Knowledge trajectories with thematic networks and sector organizations.
• Support to the Ministries and Embassies.
• Working with multilateral organizations.
• Making research work in practices and policies.
• Investing in the next generation.
• Internet platforms and communication.

The secretariat of the KP will for now operate in a similar mode as in 2013-2018. Further updates on the organizational structure will be provided when the envisioned NFP will be launched.
Until then you can reach the KP Office through the same contact details:

Bezuidenhoutseweg 2
2594 AV The Hague
Email:
Tel: 070-3043 754
www.knowledge4food.net