Food and Nutrition Security Community of Practice: Leveraging Knowledge Through Information and Communication Technology
Gopi Ghosh, Deepika Anand · Journal of Knowledge & Communication Management · 2011
The United Nations Country Team (UNCT) in India initiated a Knowledge Management (KM) programme now popular as Solution Exchange (SE). It provides a neutral forum to the development practitioners in India to learn, share, collaborate, ask, and discuss issues, concerns, programme strategies, and policy guidelines for mutual benefit. The Food and Nutrition Security (FNS) community of practice is hosted by the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) of the United Nations that fosters focused and constructive collaborations and facilitates live networking on pertinent food and nutrition security issues. As query-based moderated mail group the community network, picks up discussion topics from practitioners that leads to practical and specific outcome. The community hosts more than 3000 members and over 200 knowledge products. The efforts of community members have led to many local level initiatives like introduction of vegetables in the mid-day meal scheme in schools of Delhi; revision of Dietary Guidelines for Indians; focused and constructive discussion on the draft National Farmer's Policy (NFP), and more. The community is an example of sustainable form of knowledge sharing where the extension agents seek online solutions to their problems from a wide sector of experts.