Resource information
Knowledge exchange, or peer-to-peer
learning, is a powerful way to share, replicate, and scale
up what works in development. Development practitioners want
to learn from the practical experience of others who have
gone through, or are going through, similar challenges. They
want to be connected to each other and have ready access to
practical knowledge and solutions. When done right,
knowledge exchange can build the capacity, confidence, and
conviction of individuals and groups to act. Examples of
these direct results or intermediate outcomes from a
knowledge exchange include: i) technical water specialists
in several sub-districts of Bangladesh learn new skills to
replicate good practices (shared by their peers) for
building and maintaining a safe water supply; ii) dairy
sector and ministry of agriculture officials in Tanzania
reach agreement on a blueprint of potential dairy sector
reforms because of a new shared understanding and improved
collaboration; and iii) farmers in Kenya adopt an innovative
rice growing methodology, System of Rice Intensification
(SRI), to increase the yield from their land after learning
from the experience of countries that pioneered this
methodology. This edition contains a full revision of the
original art of knowledge exchange as well as new chapters
on implementation and results. It draws lessons from over
100 exchanges financed by the World Bank South-South
Facility, analytical work conducted by the World Bank
Institute and the Task Team for South-South Cooperation, and
reflects the experiences of dozens of World Bank Group
staff, learning professionals, government officials, and
other international development practitioners who have
brokered and participated in South-South knowledge exchange activities.
