A critical approach to co‐producing knowledge for development

Abstract Motivation The concept of co‐production has gained currency in development policy as an approach for collaboration and/or stakeholder participation to improve development outcomes. Co‐production implies bringing together different knowledges to create something new, acknowledging that knowledge is both plural and partial; there are multiple ways of knowing and no one way represents truth. Yet existing literature on co‐production tends to focus mostly on strategies for engagement rather than reckoning with structural forces and practical problems to realizing co‐production. Purpose This article asks how the implementation of the co‐production concept can account for relations of power. It develops a conceptual framework and practical guidance for co‐producing knowledge for development. Approach and Methods The study provides an overview of the theory and practice of co‐production and assesses its use in existing development policy. It draws on insights from political ecology literature to construct a conceptual framework and set of practical strategies for implementing co‐production. Findings This article advances an approach to the co‐production of knowledge that integrates political economy, reflexivity, and participatory methodologies to guide collaboration. This approach accounts for historical marginalization and unequal power relations to guide development interventions and/or policy. Policy Implications The article warns against uncritical adoption of co‐production and highlights practical measures to examine power relations in order to understand challenges and enact equitable sustainable development in diverse settings.