Ben Lukuyu MilkIT co-ordination meeting in Morogoro January 22-24, 2014

1. Tentative strategy and timeline for ‘best bet’ feed interventions: Some issues to prompt reflection and analysis Ben Lukuyu MilkIT co-ordination meeting in Morogoro January 22-24, 2014

2. What is the objective of interventions? • To solve a problem – to find a solution to current a pressing problem in villages • To adapt technologies to local conditions (villages) and to the farmers’ specific interests and preferences

3. Some issues to consider for the strategy outline • Targeting interventions using TechFit tool • Need information for the TechFit tool - • Context scores for all villages • Scores on severity of feed ( Is feed an issue?) in all villages • Need to select interventions to test per village (1 or 2 ?) • What type of intervention may be needed? • Technological • Training • Institutional • Need to develop a protocol (for technologies), a guide (for training) and outline ( institutional) interventions. • Need for planning, implementation and management of the interventions

4. Developing a protocol for technological interventions (action research) • How many experiments are farmers undertaking simultaneously at individual, family or community level? [keep these very simple] • Define roles and responsibilities related to managing experiments divided according to gender ( where applicable) • Hypotheses: • Formulate research questions • How many variable and treatments levels (design)

5. Developing a protocol …. • Non- treatment or control (design) • With what will farmers compare the new practice or technology with? • Do we use ‘control plots’ or ‘control animals’? • If not, how will they take external influences into account when interpreting results? • Layout and timing • Location of the trials in the farms or a field? • How big are experimental plots/fields • What type of forages or animals to use? • What is the timing from beginning to the end of the trials?

6. Developing a protocol …. • Data collection and monitoring • Who will be responsible for overall monitoring and gathering of the information? • How will farmers gather information during the trial? • How will farmers keep track of what was done and what resulted? • What will farmers and or researchers observe and measure? • When and how will the observations be made? • What units of measurements and type of records will be collected? • Remember to record farmer perceptions, criteria of assessing experiments/technologies etc. • Data analysis

7. Planning and management of interventions • Decide on who (lead and collaborations); and how to introduce interventions (implement protocol)? • Through platforms where they exists • Were platforms don’t exist use groups – existing or formed?

8. Technological interventions • Engage platforms or groups (where this has not been done) • To discuss with farmers the protocol i.e. selected interventions, objectives and systematize ways of experimentation/ testing so that they appreciate the logic behind it • To be able to deal with any contradictions between current farmer practice and experimental/intervention logic and designs [the ‘how’ and ‘why’] • To be able to identify ‘local experimenters’ i.e. individual who are known in the community to develop or try out new ways of doing things [these can be key in driving interventions] • It is important to keep eyes and ears open to related perceptions, norms/taboos and interests of farmers. Be sensitive to social economic, gender issues etc. • Allow platforms/groups to select test/volunteer farms/sites themselves etc.

9. A training intervention • Training needs assessment (Identify if not already done) • Define basis for training ( e.g. pasture management) • What are the aims of the training? Why is it needed? • What target groups is the training intended? Farmers or extension staff (level of education) • What resources are available? Training manuals, guides, leaflets, brochures etc. • Who will contribute to the program? • How will responsibilities be divided amongst all parties? • What provisions are needed for organizational support and follow up.

10. A training intervention • Define the type of training needed • A lecturer series of one to two hours spread over time? • Brief exposure/orientation training – participants are exposed to new methods/technologies. Could include time to practice • Longer exposure/orientation of 2-5 days course – participants gain a good grasp of basic principles, methods and core concepts. Useful for ToTs. • Field based training (periods may vary) – aim to expose participants to a range of methods and allow them to test and or evaluate them. Trips may fall here • Training of trainers (ToTs) – for extension staff • Develop A PLAN OF TRAINING ACTIVITIES

11. A plan of training activities on pasture management in Manyinga village

12. A training intervention • Selecting and preparing participants and trainers • Who will train extensions staff and farmers? Select and prepare trainers and resource persons • Define selection criteria for farmers/extension staff • Is there need for special attention for participation of female participants? • Consider the motivation of participants • Communicate with participants timely on their training needs and practical issues • Prepare the LOGISTICS • Venue facilities, transport, invitations, documentation, teaching materials/audio visuals, fieldwork etc. • Evaluate the training workshop

13. Institutional/organizational interventions • Institutional arrangements. ... Institutions are commonly defined as the 'rules of the game', including norms, beliefs, values, habits and behaviour in any kind of social structure (Menard, 2000) • Institutional arrangements are defined as the rules and regulations governing resource use (Ostrom, 1990). • They can also be norms based on culture (Mandondo, 1997). • Institutional arrangements often form the basis for guiding the activities of an organisation, though they may also be informal, and not associated with any specific organisation.

14. Institutional/organizational interventions • Problem identified by IP or group or community : With communally owned water sources like dams where people from different villages collect water from, in times of water shortage, skirmishes over the use of the water sometimes occur. • Engage IP or group or community: • Target identifiable groups of users who have a strong stake and desire to manage the water resources collectively (could also be grazing, cattle dips, etc.) • The objectives is to enhance the understanding of the impacts of existing institutional arrangements on access to water resources (Isolate key problems and their root causes). • What are the water sources in question? • What are the institutional arrangements that govern access to various water sources? If any? • How does the existence of different institutional arrangements affect the use and management of water resources in the micro-catchment area? • Who benefits/looses out and what do they get from the institutional arrangements in place? etc

15. Institutional/organizational interventions • Solicit for potential solutions • Define the rules and regulations/agreements governing water use (see example) • What are the mechanisms for enforcing the institutional arrangements? Roles and responsibilities? • What are the existing social networks in the community. (they give weight to informal agreements by ensuring that the agreements are kept). • Monitor how resilient the institutional arrangements in governing water use? Develop monitoring plan with timelines Other examples include establishing marketing arrangements for milk or a system for procuring drugs.

16. Jointly develop guidelines for intervention

17. Group exercise Working in two groups (could have sub groups if needed) Tanzania • Develop a tentative strategy and timeline for ‘best bet’ feed interventions by village • A logical sequence of activities with timelines that will lead us to the testing of ‘best bets’ interventions in 2014 India • Review progress of your strategy and timelines for ‘best bet’ feed interventions by village • What challenges have you faced so far • What improvements could be made • Develop a strategy and timelines for improvements