Strategic Analysis and Knowledge Support Systems (SAKSS): Translating Evidence into Action

As many sub-Saharan African countries have committed to the continent-wide goals of the Comprehensive African Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP) of the Africa Union and New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD), policymakers are challenged with designing and implementing national agricultutal strategies and policies that will allow them to achieve these goals. This chapter introduces the concept of a Strategic Analysis and Knowledge Support System (SAKSS) as a framework by which evidence can be used to inform and strengthen the effectiveness of agricultural strategies in Africa, and in particular, CAADP. The framework describes a range of ‘strategic analysis’ options and the kind of tools and approaches needed to ensure effective ‘knowledge support systems’ for promoting evidenced-based dialogue and decisionmaking, including practical approaches on how to go about setting up such systems at country level