Africa RISING overview and update

1. Africa RISING overview and update Irmgard Hoeschle-Zeledon Africa RISING Coordinator East and Southern Africa 3rd Annual Review and Planning meeting, Africa RISING ESA Project, 9-12 September 2014

2. Mandate: “Through action research and development partnerships, Africa RISING will create opportunities for smallholder farm households to move out of hunger and poverty through sustainably intensified farming systems that improve food, nutrition, and income security, particularly for women and children, and conserve or enhance the natural resource base.”

3. Sustainable agricultural intensification: (Montpellier Panel Report, 2013) • Producing in a durable way more units of output per unit input (land, labor, water, biodiversity, inorganic chemicals, organic matter, seeds, financial capital, knowledge, infrastructure, etc.) through • -their efficient and prudent use - new combinations of these inputs - use of supportive innovations (e.g. communication, marketing, precision agriculture, …)

4. Sustainable agricultural intensification: • Conserve or enhance natural resources for improved environmental services and cultural value (smaller environmental footprint) • Increased resilience of the farming systems • Livelihood perspective: whole-farm and household issues; focus not only on economic aspects but also on social, nutritional, gender, cultural conditions

5. Components of sustainable agricultural intensification: • Genetic: improved varieties and breeds • Ecological: better use natural factors (sunlight, soil, water, biodiversity) • Socio-economic: enabling environment (fair and transparent markets; strengthened FOs, CBOs, extension services; women empowerment; informed decision making)

6. The wider USAID context: • In line with USAID country missions’ priorities • Implemented in FtF target areas • Research to backstop other FtF investments • In line with the CGIAR Humidtropics CRP • Need for conceptual harmonization between the Africa RISING country projects • Strong collaboration with USAID missions and other USAID Bureaus (e.g. Africa Bureau)

7. What we do: Integrated farming systems research Ken Giller, WUR

8. Where do we stand? Guiding principle identified in 2012: stepwise approach to sustainable intensification which requires the adoption of various SI technologies

9. Our trajectory: (TZ, MAL) 2012: quick wins 2012/13: (i) situation analysis (baseline, agronomic, livestock, vegetables production & consumption, pest and disease, post-harvest losses, mycotoxin prevalence, social & institutional constraints to adoption, soil surveys, characterization of farming hh); (ii) evaluation of disciplinary SI technologies (crop varieties, fodder species, fertilizers, water harvesting & conservation) and some combinations (doubled up legumes, rotations, intercropping, crops/fertilizer, crops/ water harvesting)

10. 2013/2014: increased number of research sites (i) situation analysis (baseline surveys, farming systems & value chain analyses), establishment of R4D platform (Babati) and IP (KK) (ii) integration of farmer selected or “proven-by research” technologies; new: livestock, vegetables, post-harvest & nutrition technologies; some farmers’ preferred technologies subjected to impact and adoption studies

11. Africa RISING Years 1-3 • Site selection • Situation analysis • Partnership building • Design of research • Implementation

12. 2014-2016: greater integration of technologies further refining assessment of their potential impact on the natural resource base identifying what really works for who (farm typologies) looking further into the drivers of technology adoption (value addition for better marketability, shelf life; demonstrated profitability and social acceptability, cost-benefit analyses, identification of best-fit technologies) consolidating/strengthening R4D Platforms/IPs new partners for promotion & scaling of proven technologies technical support to other FtF projects

13. Conceptual progress towards sustainable intensification Toward full SI Mateete Bekunda

14. 2014-2016: greater integration of technologies further refining assessment of their potential impact on the natural resource base identifying what really works for who (farm typologies) looking further into the drivers of technology adoption (value addition for better marketability, shelf life; demonstrated profitability and social acceptability) consolidating/strengthening R4D Platforms/IPs new partners for promotion & scaling of proven technologies scientific support to other FtF projects

15. Africa RISING Years 3-5 • Implementation with higher integration • Research refinement & expansion (e.g., IPM, socio-economic studies) • Platforms • Transfer of research outputs • Scientific support to FtF projects

16. Update on changes and highlights since September 2013: collaboration with SIMLEZA Project in Eastern Province of Zambia (funded by USAID mission, addit. funds received from BFS) new project component with MSU to study the Impact of Sustainable Intensification on Landscapes and Livelihoods in Zambia; funded by USAID Africa Bureau; will help making further investment Decisions in Zambia, lessons for other Africa RISING sites proposal to USAID Tanzania mission on strategic scientific support to NAFAKA and TUBOCHA

17. 2013/2014 Fund allocation

18. Field visits: September 2013: USAID delegation in Zambia January 2014: Chief Scientist and Coordinator in Malawi and Zambia March 2014: USAID Delegation in Tanzania; Researchers visit to Malawi April 2014: Steering Committee members in Tanzania

19. Capacity building: 21 students for BA, MSc or PhD attached to the project 16 from Africa, 6 female, 4 from iAGRI

22. Thank You