RAAKS An Introduction

Kees Manintveld, ETC Ecoculture

2002

Knowledge information management has become an essential element towards sustainable agricultural development. Rapid Appraisal of Agricultural Knowledge Systems focuses on the institutional analysis for understanding and improving agricultural knowledge systems, which are broadly defined to include all those generating, transmitting or using knowledge: researchers, policy-makers, extensionists, farmers and other stakeholders. RAAKS is a recently developed concept with a methodology for stakeholder analysis. It takes interdependent actors through a mutual learning process by opening various 'windows' on their interaction and knowledge. Analysis can focus on the actors, tasks, communication, linkages, co-ordination, knowledge networks and systems. It considers impact, knowledge management, actor potential and planning. RAAKS aims at improving stakeholder problem-solving capacity through improved communication and joint learning. Although action planning is part of the approach, its main strength is the analysis methodology.

RAAKS is a complex and iterative method. In order to carry out interviews with the different actor or stakeholder groups, guidelines for the further development of specific tools may have to be developed such as a problem tree used in Phase A, guidelines for information collection in Phase B (a/o interviewing of stakeholder groups) and guidelines for analysis in Phase C (all used in Leżajsk, Poland).