The 2024 CGIAR Ukama Ustawi Research Initiative Pause and Reflect Closeout Workshop

Hanke-Louw, Nora; Jacobs-Mata, Inga; Mbatha, Valencia

The 2024 CGIAR Ukama Ustawi Research Initiative Pause and Reflect Closeout Workshop

Autores

Hanke-Louw, Nora

Jacobs-Mata, Inga

Mbatha, Valencia

Editor

International Water Management Institute
CGIAR Scaling for Impact Program

Descripción

The Ukama Ustawi (UU) “Pause & Reflect” Workshop marked the formal close-out of the Initiative and served as a strategic bridge toward the next phase of work under the Scaling for Impact Program. Chaired by the Initiative lead, Dr. Inga Jacobs-Mata (Director for Water-Growth and Inclusion, International Water Management Institute [IWMI]), the workshop brought together Initiative leadership to reflect on achievements, assess persistent challenges, and consolidate lessons learned to inform future programming. Discussions underscored the value of collaboration across Work Package teams, the integration of field-level interventions with clearly articulated impact pathways, and the role of private sector engagement in sustaining outcomes beyond the Initiative’s lifespan. Participants reviewed progress highlighting the need to preserve coherence, strengthen partnerships, and align successful approaches as they transition into a unified scaling framework. Key challenges identified during the close-out included gaps in technical assistance, structural inefficiencies within the SME accelerator program, limited synergy across the CGIAR portfolio, and ongoing financial uncertainty beyond 2025. Gender mainstreaming emerged as a critical cross-cutting lesson, with strong consensus on the need for more deliberate and systematic integration moving forward. The workshop also emphasized the importance of unified communication and evidence-based storytelling to clearly demonstrate impact, address the gap between awareness and adoption, and maintain credibility with donors, policymakers, and beneficiaries. The workshop concluded with a shared commitment to embed these reflections into the design and implementation of the Scaling for Impact Program, ensuring that the Ukama Ustawi legacy continues to inform and strengthen efforts toward agricultural innovation, gender equity, and sustainable development across targeted regions.