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Research Review & Planning Meeting Africa RISING – East & Southern Africa Project 1-5 October 2012, Arusha, Tanzania. Year 1 Overview. I. Hoeschle-Zeledon Africa RISING East/Southern Africa Coordinator.
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Research Review & Planning MeetingAfrica RISING – East & Southern Africa Project1-5 October 2012, Arusha, Tanzania Year 1 Overview I. Hoeschle-ZeledonAfrica RISING East/Southern Africa Coordinator
The StartOct. 2011: Brain storming meeting in preparation of inception workshop, agreement on countries Nov./Dec. 2011: Development of Concept Notes Feb. 2012: Inception workshop DSM, decision on Program approach and name Africa RISING, call for jumpstart project proposalsApril 2012: Approval of 10 jumpstarts, contracts, fund disbursementMay 2012: Office set-up and staff recruitmentContinuously: Strategic Program/Project documents developed, teams established
Approved jumpstart projects Grant ($120k) to MSU for first 6 months of research on Agroecological Intensification in MAL and TZ through Action Research
Lessons learnt • Entry points: • - SI to build on existing policies, technologies • Gaps identified to fill (technological, capacity, policies, institutions, existing data) • Opportunities: • Participatory approaches towards integration of disciplines, evaluation of best bets, land use planning • seed systems improvement • private sector involvement • Partnerships and engagement • Interaction among researchers • internal/external communication • Policy maker/private sector engagement • Logistics and organization • contractual issues, inadequate infrastructure
Research framework • generic to be applicable across all three Africa RISING regions • flexible to allow site specific adaptation • test a set of hypotheses linked to research outputs and associated development outcomes
Selection of Action Sites • Co-location with USAID country mission investments/other actors • Representative regarding drivers of intensification to allow for scaling up to areas with similar conditions: population density, market access, agro-ecological condition • Provide for rigorous M&E to determine impact of AR • IFPRI: stratification/characterization of target wards and villages • TZ: Kiteto, Kongwa, Kilombero, Babati districts • MAL: Ntcheu, Dedza districtsZAM: Eastern Province
Communication Strategy and Tools (ILRI leadership)wiki , website, repositories for docs, images, presentations M&E Plan (IFPRI leadership)Program LogframeProgram Document: assembly of all strategic documents • program context • purpose, objectives , outcomes, • guiding principles and conceptual framework • research design • logframe • M&E plan • communication strategy • management structure
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Communication Strategy and Tools (ILRI leadership)wiki , website, repositories for docs, images, presentations M&E Plan (IFPRI leadership)Program LogframeProgram Document: assembly of all strategic documents • program context • purpose, objectives , outcomes, • guiding principles and conceptual framework • research design • logframe • M&E plan • communication strategy • management structure
Provides advice and coordination on Project activities • Provides science guidance to Project implementers • Guides Project planning and all activities • Advises on annual Project workplan and budget • Oversees coordination between Project components and partners • Liaises with IST to oversee M&E; cc PCT on all reporting • Keeps PCT informed of activities via the Project Coordinator • Reviews and makes suggestions to Project Coordinator on semiannual technical progress reports to USAID • Plans yearly stakeholder meetings with support from Program Communications Team • Decisions made by consensus • Meets annually in personal and virtually as called by the Chair Project Coordination Committee (PCC)
ESA PCC Composition • Chair: IITA Reg. Dir. for EA • Project Coordinator, serves as Secretary (IITA) • Project Chief Scientist (IITA) • Research partners: CGIAR (1, AfricaRice), yearly rotation sub-regional research organizations (1, ASARECA) NARS (1, COSTECH) and others as designated • Project M&E Lead (IFPRI) • Project Communications Lead (IITA) • USAID Activity Manager
Science Advisory Group Proposed members: Maggie Gill (DFID) Ken Giller (WUR) John Dixon (ACIAR) Bruno Gerard (CIMMYT) Dave Harris (ICRISAT) Bernard van Lauwe (IITA) Reps. from CRSPs USAID gender specialist AR chief scientists (3, ILRI/IITA) USAID Activity Manager (J. Glover)
USAID visit, June 17-22 • J. Glover and E. Witte from DC: • meet with project staff in Tanzania • meet with USAID country mission partners, e.g. NAFAKA, SUA • see ongoing activities • get better idea of future action sites • discuss alignment with MAFSC , USAID mission, other actors