IKM Emergent has been a research and communication programme founded on a critical analysis of current practice in the use of all forms of knowledge, including formal research, within the international development sector. IKM Emergent believes that historically the development sector has adopted a too linear and simplistic understanding of how development takes place and therefore of how it needs to act in order to make change happen. As a result, the sector has generally based its work on too limited a range of knowledges from too limited a range of sources. IKM's philosophy is based on the conception of multiple knowledges, multiple realities.

Understanding relevant multiple knowledges and having the capacity to identify, express, handle, use and share them are central to any effective development practice.

IKM Emergent is an evolving group of development researchers and practitioners who network with others:

• exploring the concept of multiple knowledges and its relevance to development policy and practice
• researching conceptual and practical issues raised by the programme and ways of addressing them
• mapping and making available IKM's work, and related work by others, in order to offer a more holistic and accessible body of knowledge
• identifying and responding to opportunities for communicating with development actors and organisations in order to stimulate and learn from innovation in this area

IKM Emergent was funded as a five year programme by the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs.  It was developed under the auspices of the Information Management Working Group of the European Association of Development Research and Training Institutes (EADI) and, during its funding stage, was administered by the EADI Secretariat, Bonn.

Following the end of its funding period in early 2012, some IKM participants have been engaged in writing up various aspects of their work on the programme and a number of publications are planned for 2013 and beyond.  Ideas for further collaborative work together have been discussed and will be reviewed in the light of our current work and how it is received.