In the last decade, a vibrant community has grown up around capacity development, including Capacity.Org, the United Nations Development Programme’s CDNet, the Learning Network on Capacity Development (LenCD), the UK Institute of Development Studies Capacity Collective, and others. This knowledge architecture reflects an emerging practice focusing on capacity development, particularly in the context of development cooperation, and from within which a body of conceptual and practical knowledge has developed.
Yet, some believe that the concept of capacity development is still too lofty, that it lacks operational relevance and that its practice is ill-defined. Indeed, in striving to develop its own concepts and operational frameworks, the capacity development community risks losing touch with other communities of practice that it needs to interact with and influence.
This article argues that the capacity development community needs to connect more effectively with other communities of practice to engage in dialogue and exchange, harness knowledge and gain insights. That capacity development today is recognised as a central and fundamental development challenge means that such engagement is all the more critical.
Reaching out in this way should not be regarded as one-way traffic but as mutually beneficial. Capacity development offers a powerful and critical perspective on development that can galvanise different communities to work together towards sustainable development. In appealing for more explicit interaction, this article recognises that an intricate network between communities of practice already exists, held together by individuals and groups active in several practice areas. It makes the case for more deliberate engagement and suggests ways to promote this. It also aims to encourage further discussion and exchange.
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