Managing power differences in ARD partnerships

Although it is not always acknowledged, power differences between partners fundamentally affect Agricultural Research for Development (ARD) partnerships. In referring to its African-European ARD partnerships, PAEPARD has often alluded to aspects of power without naming them as such. The project was established to create “equitable and balanced partnerships” between: a) researchers and research users, and b) African and European partners. It referred to a focus on “inclusive” issues, the need for partners to “recognize and value each other’s uniqueness and cultural differences”; “co-learning”; “co-ownership”; “mutual trust”; “mutually beneficial collaboration”. All of these terms have something to do with relative power between partners.