Project Leadership, Management and Proposals’ Development in Agriculture Research Organizations

There has been growing interest in Central Asia in agricultural research. It has made substantial contributions to the economic development of Central Asian countries, particularly in the last 30 years. However, it is generally agreed that agricultural research institutions are now facing several challenges, including effectively and efficiently managing research and development projects. It has become increasingly clear that this problem must do not only with factors relating to the winning and allocating grant funds for research or the technical competence of institutes but also and to a great extent, with factors relating to their managerial efficiency. There have, in fact, been many cases of research programs well provided with human and financial resources but failing to achieve their objectives because of inadequate and poor management practices. There is, therefore, a strong feeling that a major, coordinated effort to improve the management of agricultural research projects would go a long way towards streamlining the process of generation and adoption of new technologies in agriculture, to the ultimate benefit of economic and social development.

There is general agreement that projects are the main operational engagements through which agriculture research organizations realize their mission and goals. Large, competitive, and donor-restricted projects are increasingly becoming a more significant portion of research organizations’ financial base. We recognize that managing the cluster of high-level programmatic, administrative, and financial demands during the initial stages can make or break a project. Without successful implementation, research organizations cannot effectively contribute to improving farming and livelihoods in the developing world. Research organizations’ significant growth, coupled with an increasingly competitive marketplace, demands a consistent approach to project management. Many research organizations have developed models that outline their interpretation of the life cycle of projects and programs.

By the end of the training workshop, participants will be able to:

1. Apply the principals of leadership and teamwork within their institutions;
2. Identify the key activities in the project life cycle;
3. Align the components of project phases to the institution strategies;
4. Develop successful project concept notes and proposals and target potential donors.