The Research Into Use programme aims to maximize the impact of previous research on natural resources and to increase the understanding of how knowledge – informal as well as formal – contributes to innovation. Rojiroti, like others supported by the RIU Innovation Challenge Fund, focuses less on the generation of new knowledge than on the processes by which that knowledge is put to practical use by large numbers of people in ways that improve their livelihood.
The project is implemented by a coalition for delivery consisting of three partners:
GY Associates Ltd, UK: overall project direction, design of monitoring and learning processes, and support for communication strategy
Indian Council for Agricultural Research (ICAR) Research Complex for the Eastern Region, Patna: support on agricultural technologies and participatory technology development, and development and implementation of the project’s communication strategy
The project will build a coalition for scaling up, a much broader partnership via which outputs of the project can be extended to many more beneficiaries than will be reached directly via the project itself. Key members of this coalition will be:
Organisations in the formal banking and microfinance sectors. Current partners include BASIX, ICICI Bank and Indian Bank. This coalition is likely to evolve over the life of the project as it leverages credit from the sector and new partners provide finance.
Insurance organisations, through which we aim to develop mechanisms to secure loan recovery in the case of death of a borrower and to insure against other events that put credit at risk.
Non-governmental organisations. We are already in touch with more than 50 NGOs of Bihar that are partially or fully adopting the model of community development that the project promotes. The project seeks to catalyse a dynamic partnership with local and national partners in service provision.
At the state level, the Bihar Innovation Forum, which has recognised the achievements of CPSL by awarding it a prize in 2007 for its innovative work in promoting self-financed community financial services. The project maintains close contact with the forum as Rojiroti’s experience will continue to inform forum members.
Development projects with a rural livelihoods focus. The Madhya Pradesh Rural Livelihoods Project (MPRLP) and the Bihar Rural Livelihood Project (BRLP) are important partners.
Government organisations. These partnerships are being developed over the life of the project and build on important relationships established in the earlier DFID project that gave Rojiroti life.
