The drivers of environment and development challenges are complex and cross-cutting in nature, requiring the collaboration of different disciplines and sectors, often across geographies, to understand and address them. However, the increasing disciplinary specialization has led to a corresponding fragmentation of knowledge. Approaches are needed deliver tailored knowledge for policy and practice. However, there is a lack of institutional memory, driven by lack of reporting, around how to effectively produce such knowledge for impact in the context of diverse research partnerships. Understanding this is key to increase the effectiveness of research funds and deliver impact in both practice and policy.

Alexandre will present research from the Sentinel research partnership on capacities for knowledge production in interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary teams. The research partnership brings together academic and development organizations across the UK, Zambia, Ethiopia, and Ghana to produce research on impacts, risks, and trade-offs between the social, economic and environmental dimensions of agricultural development pathways to inform policy in Ghana, Zambia, and Ethiopia. Learning lessons will focus on individual competencies, and research team characteristics and processes, including internal communication.