“In the present global economy, knowledge production is taking place at a fast pace. Knowledge is also becoming obsolete rapidly. For Africa to compete globally, it is imperative that it not only has
access to global knowledge, but more importantly, it needs to harvest and harness existing local knowledge systematically. While a wealth of information and knowledge exists on the continent thus shaping local development daily, such knowledge tends to be fragmented and often inaccessible to local development partners. Drawing on the ACBF’s operational experience, this
article argues that seeking ways to creatively make this knowledge readily accessible to key decision/policy-makers is central to managing innovation, promoting sustainable development and
the achievement of the MDGs in Africa. The resultant creation of new knowledge will inspire new dialogue on the issues confronting Africa and drastically cut back on duplication of efforts – ensuring
that both local actors and decision/policy-makers have access to the right knowledge at the right time for sustainable development. This will require that governments, communities and donors
learn from one another and share innovative practices and lessons in the art of capacity development. It also requires actors in development to pay attention to creating spaces and
opportunities whereby ideas can be generated and shared and where knowledge can be captured and utilized.”
