Complexities of linking researchers with policymakers in Africa

Abstract

Research uptake aims to address the gap between research and its potential beneficiaries. It aspires to develop and refine approaches to catching, maintaining and sustaining the attention of target audiences so that knowledge generated through research can be utilized to address clear and present needs. Rather than a one-way flow of information, artfully broadcast from ivory towers dotted across the landscape, research uptake promotes a continuous feedback loop – an interaction between practitioners and researchers that should permeate both national discourse on policy and the shaping of research agendas. This article examines some of the challenges and approaches to research uptake present in developing country contexts through a case study of an intervention in Uganda.