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Capacity development is one of the key enablers on the pathway to impact. An important area of our research is how solutions can be brought to scale. We capitalize on a network of AMR experts to support capacity building on researching AMR issues and to facilitate access to international AMR research for professionals and institutions in LMICs.
Our main activities are:
- Support capacity building and increase awareness of AMR in the agri-and aquacultural sector (veterinarians, livestock and fish producers, and service providers) by providing research-based knowledge;
- Support exchange programs for LMIC researchers with international institutions and centres;
- Provide and facilitate access to research facilities for researchers from LMICs; and
- Organise and run training programs on AMR, including research and mitigation, using modern online and interactive formats as appropriate to the intended audience.
- Researching on how to best implement solutions at scale.
Building capacity through training and mentorship
A. BecA-ILRI
ILRI is the host institution of the African Union/NEPAD, the Bioscience east and central Africa-ILRI (BecA-ILRI) Hub which is a shared agricultural research and biosciences platform to increase access to affordable, world-class research facilities. Located at and managed by ILRI in Nairobi, Kenya it aims to build capacity to empower African scientists by providing a centre of excellence in agricultural biosciences.
The dedicated facilities of the AMR-hub are within the BecA facilities and thus provide laboratory space and services for scientists across the CGIAR and its partners, including access to state-of-the-art bioscience platforms. Additional laboratory space for training or specific project activities is available in-house, giving the necessary flexibility to ensure smooth operations.
B. Fleming Fund Fellowship Scheme
The Fleming Fund is a UK aid programme that supports research efforts to improve and strengthen AMR surveillance systems with a One Health approach in LMICs. The Fund provides financial support to develop research activities to increase the understanding of AMR through three main programmes: Country Grants, Fleming Fellow Scheme, and Regional Grants.
Through this, the Fleming Fund Scheme aims to support the development of key practitioners and change-makers in selected countries. Two types of fellows can be selected through this scheme: professional fellowships (for leaders working in AMR and AMU surveillance) and policy fellowships (for applicants with strong leadership skills and vision in delivering National Action Plan’s). The Scheme involves mentorship, specialised training, secondments, networking opportunities, strengthening of beneficiary institution and opportunities for collaborative projects.
Two main partners of the CGIAR hub have been pinpointed as host institutions for Fleming fellows to train and mentor research fellows interested in working on antimicrobial resistance - the London School of Hygiene of Tropical Medicine and a consortium around ILRI with the German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR) and the University of Liverpool.
Supporting implementation of interventions at scale
An essential part of our work is to support countries' efforts to implement interventions at scale successfully. Scaling-up interventions that have been shown to be effective is crucial for improving health surveillance systems of AMR and safeguarding the predicted benefits of the solutions proposed in a cost-effective way. CGIAR AMR hub researchers are applying implementation science concepts to practically assess the suitability of these solutions and find the best approach to scale and implement them overcoming any underlying factors that could act as a barrier for their implementation. Through this process, we can contribute to accelerating the translation time of new solutions, ensuring their feasibility, applicability, and ability to reproduce results seen in earlier trials.
