Mapping Power Brokers

Background

Although climate change is a long‐term phenomenon, the actions taken over the next 10 years will be critical. Solid foundations must be set for responsive, adaptive agricultural technologies and policies that help people reduce their vulnerability to climate variability, while at the same time paving the way for the successful management of long‐term changes. Also effective modes of engagement with a range of stakeholders are crucial for identifying appropriate interventions, assessing their effectiveness, and leaving a sustained legacy of improved decision making. The global policy environment increasingly influences the opportunities and constraints to implement actions in response to a changing climate. One aspect of ensuring adaptation in agriculture and food security is thus through the use of appropriate policies at the national scale. It is therefore essential that CCAFS understands the institutions and individuals most active and influential in making policy decisions in agriculture and associated sectors.

Objectives

• To identify the real “movers and shakers” rather than the officially designated holders of policy.
• To map out organizations, groups and individuals - may be in government (legislative, executive, judiciary), civil society or the private sector – who either a) strongly influence policy around adaptation options, or b) actually make the decisions themselves.
• To Identify, together with CCAFS staff, a list of 5‐10 adaptation policy options that CCAFS research may inform in future. “Policy” spans national legislation, ministerial policy positions, investment plans and implementation approaches, but also international policies and private sector strategies if these are especially important to adaptation outcomes.

Activities

• One‐day workshop -Focus Group Discussion (FGD)- organized in Kampala with 3‐5 people who have intelligence on how Ugandan policy works, in order to map out individuals, groups and organizations involved in policymaking
• Apply ”Stakeholder influence mapping” power tool (http://www.policypowertools.org/Tools/Understanding/SIM.html) during workshop to provide maps of individuals, groups and organizations
• Provide contact details and any other useful intelligence on the individuals, groups and organizations
• Provide any helpful feedback on the methodology to inform future country exercises

Outputs

• The FGD mapped out in a brief report, organizations, groups and individuals that influence climate change, agriculture and food security related policy making processes in the present (2010) setting.

Partners

This case study was conducted with the support of a civil society partners: the Advocates Coalition for Development and Environment (ACODE), a policy research and advocacy think-tank based in Uganda.

Timeframe

August 1 – 30 September , 2010