Global Forum on Food Security and Nutrition (FSN Forum)

Many a time work done by scientists doesn’t contribute to policy, because of several barriers:

  1. The work being done may not have any policy implications considering the national priorities & global realities
  2. Scientists may not be knowing how to draw attention of policy makers to work done & evidence generated
  3. Lack of opportunities including ignorance on how to contribute in the policy development processes like consultations, feedback etc.

The private sector agencies proactively promote their products often succeeding in getting included their interests in policy documents. While public organizations often don’t so proactively promote their work- may be lack of motivation & encouragement, lack of incentives etc.

  1. The scientists prefer to publish their work in science journals, but the papers published in subject specific journals are not generally read by policy makers, decision making bodies. There are other modes like blogs, newspaper/magazine articles and social media channels, which can attract the attention of policy making bodies, since these are written in simple and easily understood ways compared to complex scientific writings.
  2. The scientists if they are passionate about work they have done and believe that it has strong policy implications, have to strive hard to make it widely available so as to get attention of policy makers. This is required at the level of individual scientists since institutional mechanisms are often not in place to facilitate conveying scientists’ work to policy making bodies.

I have tried to reach to wider audiences via my blogs on contemporary issues, which are read by people close to policy making bodies, who would otherwise not care to read my articles published in journals on my subject. For instance, I found Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) as an important way-out to meet expenses incurred in outreach activities, since public sector funds are increasingly getting scarce.

Example: I guided one PhD thesis in on CSR, made conference presentations, wrote research articles and published blogs at popular platforms like Agrilinks (USAID) & AESA. This effort may slowly reach or already in discussion that CSR funds can be tapped to reach unreached in rural areas.

  Can We Improve Public Extension Services Using Corporate Social Responsibility Funds?

https://agrilinks.org/post/can-we-improve-public-extension-services-using-csr-funds

   Can CSR Funds Strengthen Indian Livestock Sector?

                https://www.aesanetwork.org/can-csr-funds-strengthen-indian-livestock-sector/

Livestock Farmers’ Perception on Animal Husbandry Services Rendered Under Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR)

https://acspublisher.com/journals/index.php/ijvsbt/article/view/2459

Seizing and scaling Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) for Improving  Public Extension Services

https://www.aesanetwork.org/9th-global-forum-for-rural-advisory-services-gfras-annual-meeting-addressing-challenges-and-seizing-opportunities-developing-effective-partnerships-in-ras-23-25-october-2018-headquarter-of-the-ru/