Climate Research for Development in Africa collaborative research platform: Co-designing, co-resourcing and co-producing user-driven climate information and services

Climate Research for Development in Africa (CR4D) represents a paradigm shift in dealing with climate change and development in Africa. It provides a mechanism for integrating Africa wide climate research initiatives, bringing both the scientists and institutions including development actors together to deliver on priority end user needs. In this paper we revisit CR4D perspective as a collaborative research platform requiring co-designing, co-resourcing and co-production of user-driven climate information and services. CR4D strategically responds to priority research areas for Africa that were identified during the Africa climate conference, 2013; these however require to be further developed into concrete implementable thematic areas. Co-creation and co-production are important facets in the interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary knowledge development and when co-dissemination is added as a third facet it leads to better knowledge integration. These are suitable dimensions to building a knowledge system that provides wide ranging benefits to diverse groups of actors and stakeholders involved in the process. Co-resourcing collaborative research is a complex phenomenon particularly in sub-Saharan Africa where research investment per scientist has been dwindling over the last 30 years. The rise in philanthropic organisations and individuals investing finances to support climate research for greater community benefit in the last 10 years is an opportunity that needs to be strongly explored to fund collaborative research on a medium to long-term basis in Africa.