Data Management Plan: Accelerating Impacts of CGIAR Climate Research for Africa (AICCRA)

Tobon H, Thornton P, Smit W. 2021. Data Management Plan: Accelerating Impacts of CGIAR Climate Research for Africa (AICCRA).

This global data management plan’s primary purpose is to help AICCRA support evidence-based decision-making by ensuring that the research data, which is essential for the integrity, quality, and value of research, is appropriately managed at the project level. It also strengthens the culture of results-based project monitoring and evaluation (M&E) by ensuring the reporting of high-quality information products. AICCRA will make these information products available for the long-term to partners and the scientific community following an Open Access Policy. The CGIAR and the Alliance of Bioversity International and CIAT also recommend the implementation of FAIR (Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, and Reusable) principles for each output.

Additionally, this plan also includes establishing data sharing and management processes from legal agreements through research operations and reporting. This “conveyor belt” process will be applied to AICCRA through the MIS reporting system (MARLO). The system identifies the generated data and information products and verifies that products are made publicly available within timeframes agreed upon contractually with partners. Simultaneously, these processes will guide and support scientists and CGIAR Centers to facilitate the production of well-managed and documented datasets that are easy to use both now and in the future.

AICCRA aims to provide a centralized place to collect all information products generated by its research activities. It expects to attract contributions into the platform from scientists working in related thematic areas even if they are not directly managed or funded by AICCRA. It is expected that this will increase accessibility and visibility of scientific outputs to a global community for adding even more value to the products of research with development outcomes in mind.