All successful businesses need to be continuously innovating, and the level of investment in applied AWM research in Africa is not sufficient to support a scaled-up AWM industry.

In addition to this, limited information and knowledge-sharing at regional and national levels among national AWM professionals restricts knowledge, adoption, and scaling-up of successful innovations and best practice. AgWA would bring together AWM decision-makers and local professionals and facilitate exchange of experiences and learning with a view to improving sector performance.

Main activities within this component are:

• Strengthen national and regional AWM associations and networks.
• Disseminate research results and best practice.
• Establish knowledge hubs.
• Develop exchange programmes and tools (websites, workshops, training programs, flow of students as part of international exchange programs, portfolio of best practices, etc.)
• Develop AWM economic impact assessment and other thematic studies.
• Enhance the quality of services and equipment delivered through development of performance standards and quality certification.
• Application of the Diagnostic Tools for Investment.
• Support research and innovations to improve AWM. Partner’s tools for improving water productivity at farm level, AquaCrop, and to improve irrigation efficiency, MASSCOTE, are a good starting point for this line of activities.
• Preparation of case studies on AWM issues.
•  Prepare lessons learned reports from activities implemented by AgWA.