ABSTRACT
The CARPs’ structure of iterative, inclusive, participatory, multi-stakeholder engagements with communities created rich learning environments and ensured a continuous flow of knowledge to drive value chain development. The approach brought together diverse perspectives and generated step by step practical interventions from the feedback of a continuous cycle of planning, action and reflection. SDG 4 which covers quality education articulates that both experiential and lifelong learning are increasingly understood as important levers in building capacities to innovate and respond to complex challenges. The more communities, researchers and other platform actors work together, the more they learn together and the more knowledge they generate which can be usefully applied. The CARPs’ particular emphasis on relationship building promoted social learning as a response to deep, multi-faceted challenges. The multi-stakeholder format was sometimes challenging to navigate, yet also lent itself to new insights, stronger relationships and out of the box thinking. As learnings from the CARPs are increasingly utilised within the universities and inculcated in students and staff, individual and institutional capacities have been strengthened to facilitate meaningful development.
