21 March 2004
Several countries in the region face the need for a suitable institutional and technical capacity for responding to the requirements of analyzing , formulating and adjusting policies fir agricultural and rural development within the context of a changing domestic and international environment. A variety of responses have been given to such need in the different countries , according ti their specific conditions and recent history .
FAO and the International donor community are collaborating with member countries in identifying needs and developing the institutional capacity of governments and other stakeholders in the area of agricultural policies analysis . The comparison of, and the lessons drawn , from the experience of others , establishing links within the region among institutions having to render similar services to the respective governments and countries ,and improve the ability of international donor community to assist them upon request to meet emerging needs for agricultural Policies ( NENARNAP) with the support of FAO could also collaborate in providing the opportunity of exchanging experiences and lessons learned in that regard .
Accordingly, officials from ministries of agriculture responsible for agricultural policy and agricultural economics and planning from selected countries of the Near east region- Afghanistan, Algeria, Cyprus , Egypt, Jordan, Kazakhastan , Kyrgyzstan, Iran, Lebanon, Libya, Morocco , Pakistan , Saudi Arabia , Syria , Tunisia , Turkey and Yemen , as well as representatives from interested agencies and relevant international and regional organizations m were invited to a regional workshop which was held recently in Damascus. The major objectives of that workshop was to enhance the knowledge of participating institutions about the conditions for adequate technical and institutional capacity development for agricultural policy work; to disseminate information about the different possibilities of addressing policy analysis requirements; and to better identify needs for and ways of improving existing situations and practices ; and to facilitate regional and international co-operation in this regard.
More specifically , the purpose was to provide a common understanding of what is meant by policy analysis , offering a framework for planning and assessing its impact in terms of influence on he policy- making .
Although no simple one- way relationship analysis decision can be assumed, for many social science researchers , influencing policy makers is an intended result or expectation of their research . A considerable literatures exists detailing the nature of policy processes , and on whether and how research does or does not inform public policy. The main literature on knowledge utilization in decision- making is reviewed , as well as frameworks explaining how policy changes occurs . It appears that the various conceptualizations of the policy process have different implications for the extent to which research is able to influence policy, and for how research could be designed to influence policy. Moreover, each conceptualization has different implications for who are considered to be the main decisions makers in society, and to whom the research should be addressed .
On the other hand, food policy is increasingly becoming the concern of ministers of trade and industry, ministers of the environment , and independent authorities .As a matter of cat , the very concept of agricultural sector has become larger and more diversified , due to the increasing importance of the agro- industrial complex, including transportation networks and the entire distribution system. In addition, the notion of rural development has come to the foreground, which means diversifying the local economy . Finally environmental concerns are there to acquire more weight, from the need of a better management and conservation of natural resources to the elimination of various kinds of pollution .
Moreover, , new challenges have risen that are forcing changes in the organization of food an agricultural policies . Food security is now only one of several goals, while globalization and rapid developments in science, privatization and liberalization of the economy, and challenges of sustainable resource management and diversification are now placing new demands on the System. For developing countries, the scarcity of expertise and financial constraints is likely to be a significant constraint because of the number of sectors involved and the cost of facing these new challenges . An objective analysis , collective wisdom, past experiences and innovative and successful initiatives taken by the others must guide the paradigm shift for greater effectiveness and efficiency of the system.
To serve set objectives, however, the interaction between private - and public sector policy analysis can take place through several channels . Formal links include contract research, consultations , co-operative research projects and joint ventures . Public institutions may purchase technical information for their research activities by hiring experts from universities and consultancy firms . Experience shows that no research institution can thrive and prosper without a continuous exchange and interaction with higher learning institutions , such national and foreign universities . Sound policy research should incorporate worthwhile analyses and well-founded recommendations that already have been developed in other contexts . Indeed using and incorporating previous work done by other institutions can be one of the means consolidating a societal consensus and mobilizing support for the policy's conclusions.
Several countries in the region face the need for a suitable institutional and technical capacity for responding to the requirements of analyzing , formulating and adjusting policies fir agricultural and rural development within the context of a changing domestic and international environment. A variety of responses have been given to such need in the different countries , according ti their specific conditions and recent history .
FAO and the International donor community are collaborating with member countries in identifying needs and developing the institutional capacity of governments and other stakeholders in the area of agricultural policies analysis . The comparison of, and the lessons drawn , from the experience of others , establishing links within the region among institutions having to render similar services to the respective governments and countries ,and improve the ability of international donor community to assist them upon request to meet emerging needs for agricultural Policies ( NENARNAP) with the support of FAO could also collaborate in providing the opportunity of exchanging experiences and lessons learned in that regard .
Accordingly, officials from ministries of agriculture responsible for agricultural policy and agricultural economics and planning from selected countries of the Near east region- Afghanistan, Algeria, Cyprus , Egypt, Jordan, Kazakhastan , Kyrgyzstan, Iran, Lebanon, Libya, Morocco , Pakistan , Saudi Arabia , Syria , Tunisia , Turkey and Yemen , as well as representatives from interested agencies and relevant international and regional organizations m were invited to a regional workshop which was held recently in Damascus. The major objectives of that workshop was to enhance the knowledge of participating institutions about the conditions for adequate technical and institutional capacity development for agricultural policy work; to disseminate information about the different possibilities of addressing policy analysis requirements; and to better identify needs for and ways of improving existing situations and practices ; and to facilitate regional and international co-operation in this regard.
More specifically , the purpose was to provide a common understanding of what is meant by policy analysis , offering a framework for planning and assessing its impact in terms of influence on he policy- making .
Although no simple one- way relationship analysis decision can be assumed, for many social science researchers , influencing policy makers is an intended result or expectation of their research . A considerable literatures exists detailing the nature of policy processes , and on whether and how research does or does not inform public policy. The main literature on knowledge utilization in decision- making is reviewed , as well as frameworks explaining how policy changes occurs . It appears that the various conceptualizations of the policy process have different implications for the extent to which research is able to influence policy, and for how research could be designed to influence policy. Moreover, each conceptualization has different implications for who are considered to be the main decisions makers in society, and to whom the research should be addressed .
On the other hand, food policy is increasingly becoming the concern of ministers of trade and industry, ministers of the environment , and independent authorities .As a matter of cat , the very concept of agricultural sector has become larger and more diversified , due to the increasing importance of the agro- industrial complex, including transportation networks and the entire distribution system. In addition, the notion of rural development has come to the foreground, which means diversifying the local economy . Finally environmental concerns are there to acquire more weight, from the need of a better management and conservation of natural resources to the elimination of various kinds of pollution .
Moreover, , new challenges have risen that are forcing changes in the organization of food an agricultural policies . Food security is now only one of several goals, while globalization and rapid developments in science, privatization and liberalization of the economy, and challenges of sustainable resource management and diversification are now placing new demands on the System. For developing countries, the scarcity of expertise and financial constraints is likely to be a significant constraint because of the number of sectors involved and the cost of facing these new challenges . An objective analysis , collective wisdom, past experiences and innovative and successful initiatives taken by the others must guide the paradigm shift for greater effectiveness and efficiency of the system.
To serve set objectives, however, the interaction between private - and public sector policy analysis can take place through several channels . Formal links include contract research, consultations , co-operative research projects and joint ventures . Public institutions may purchase technical information for their research activities by hiring experts from universities and consultancy firms . Experience shows that no research institution can thrive and prosper without a continuous exchange and interaction with higher learning institutions , such national and foreign universities . Sound policy research should incorporate worthwhile analyses and well-founded recommendations that already have been developed in other contexts . Indeed using and incorporating previous work done by other institutions can be one of the means consolidating a societal consensus and mobilizing support for the policy's conclusions.
Tomader Fateh
© Syria Times 2004
