Challenges faced by African organizations in knowledge sharing: the case of the African Population and Health Research Centre.

Abstract

This paper discusses the challenges faced by the African Population and Health Research Centre (APHRC) in its knowledge sharing efforts across Africa and beyond. It also suggests some possible ways of addressing the challenges. Among the key challenges that APHRC faces in knowledge sharing are inadequate funding and staffing, mass media?s over-concentration on politics, low literacy levels, language barrier, poor telecommunications infrastructure, inadequate technologies, and limited networking. Other challenges include use of inappropriate packaging of knowledge, and low prioritization of knowledge sharing activities. As a way forward, this paper concludes that APHRC needs to go beyond the use of conventional methods of knowledge sharing. APHRC needs to work closely with bodies such as the African Union, New Partnership for Africa?s Development, relevant United Nations bodies, on ways of reaching policy makers, among other stakeholders in the region. It should establish linkages with advocacy groups, including the media. More importantly, APHRC needs to accord as much commitment to knowledge sharing as it accords to knowledge generation. The paper calls on African governments to prioritize automation in their departments, and improve telecommunication infrastructure; and on multilateral and bilateral bodies to sponsor knowledge sharing forums for research organizations and policy makers.