Policy Briefs
Showing 10 policy briefs
About the SRIFA Project
The Science Granting Councils (Councils) play critical and strategic roles in supporting research and innovation that contribute to the social and economic development of any country. The Councils are charged with the responsibility of research funding, quality assurance, policy and decision-making, knowledge exchange, and training/capacity building of the science system actors to ensure that outputs from the research and innovation endeavours are used to inform policy and practice.
Given this important role, and in view of the dynamic nature of research and innovation developments, their capacity to perform these responsibilities to achieve desired goals needs to be continuously strengthened. Compared to other regions in Africa, only a few countries in West Africa have established agencies responsible for research and innovation funding.
The Science Granting Councils Initiative (SGCI) in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) is providing support that will strengthen the national research and innovation funding agencies in West Africa. This project aims to strengthen the national research and innovation funding agencies where they already exist to improve their performances as well as support the development of institutional frameworks/mechanisms for the development of new research and innovation funding agencies in countries where they do not currently exist.
Participating Countries
The SRIFA project is working with six West African countries to strengthen existing research and innovation funding agencies and establish new ones where needed.
Existing Agencies
Strengthening current funding agencies
- Burkina Faso - Strengthening existing agency
- Senegal - Enhancing agency performance
- Côte d'Ivoire - Capacity building for existing structures
New Agencies
Developing institutional frameworks
- Ghana - Establishing new funding agency
- Nigeria - Developing institutional mechanisms
- Sierra Leone - Creating new research funding structures
Project Work Packages
The SRIFA project is organized into three interrelated Work Packages (WPs) to achieve its objectives:
WP1: Situational Analysis & Needs Assessment
Comprehensive Ecosystem Analysis
Conducting situational analyses and needs assessments of the research and innovation funding ecosystem in all six participating countries to identify gaps, opportunities, and specific requirements for strengthening existing agencies and establishing new ones.
WP2: Training & Technical Support
Strengthening Existing Agencies
Providing targeted training and technical support for strengthening the national research and innovation funding agencies in Burkina Faso, Côte d'Ivoire, and Senegal where they already exist to improve their performance and effectiveness.
WP3: Institutional Framework Development
Establishing New Agencies
Providing technical support for developing institutional frameworks and mechanisms for establishing new research and innovation funding agencies in Ghana, Nigeria, and Sierra Leone where they do not currently exist.
