Africa RISING WA Project - from the start until today

I. Hoeschle-ZeledonAfrica RISING Coordinator

Stakeholder meetingAccra, Ghana, 23 January 2013

Oct. 2011: Brain storming meeting Bamako: agreement on countries and regions: UER, UWR, NR [Ghana], Sikasso [Mali]; agreement on key farming systems

Jan. 2012: Inception workshop Tamale: confirmation of regions and farming systems; need for a thorough research framework (hypotheses, trial design; approach and context);appropriate action and control site selection

=> fast track workplan building on existing work to produce results by September 2012

The Start

Feb. 2012: First disbursement of funds to AfricaRice and ICRISAT; decision on Program approach; name Africa RISING

February/March: Stakeholder workshops in Mali and Ghana

April: Set up of Project office at SARI in Tamalestaff: systems agronomist, administrator, accountant, research supervisor, technician, drivers

Next steps

May: Community analysis in Ghana; community action plan; district stratification and characterization in Ghana (rainfall, elevation, population, market access) by IFPRI

June: workplans for Mali and Ghana developed; sub-agreements with partners; disbursement of funds

June - December: Implementation of year 1 field activities

June - January: Selection of future action and control sites in Ghana (socio-economic and biophysical characteristics: length of growing period, market access)

October: Year 1 review and planning meeting

December: Site characterization and selection in Mali; workplans for 2013

Continuously: Strategic Program documents developed (research framework, M&E plan, communication strategy, management structure)

Sub-agreements by IITAInstitution Amount

ILRI $195,000

UDS $25,000

WIUC $32,000

SARI $80,000

KNUST $16,000

SRI S3,000

IWMI $100,000

AVRDC $200,688

AfricaRice $299,822

ICRISAT** sub-contracts with partners in Mali

$754,490

Research hypotheses (5), research design, SI?, focus on different hh types, entry points, approach to SI, R4D platforms

Generic to be applicable across all three Africa RISING regions

Flexible to allow site specific adaptation Program Research Framework Task Force Workshop in July in Ibadan, Nigeria, Completed, presented later

Research framework

Led by IFPRI

Workshop in Addis Ababa in September

Draft circulated for comments in November

Status: finalization in progress

M&E Plan

Leadership by IFPRI Team located at program and project level List of tools: http://africa-rising.wikispaces.com/comms_tools

Our wiki: http://africa-rising.wikispaces.com/ Our calendar: http://goo.gl/2m56L or http://africa-rising.wikispaces.com/Calendar Our outputs on CG Space: http://cgspace.cgiar.org/handle/10568/16498 Our presentations on Slideshare: http://www.slideshare.net/africa-rising Our pictures on FlickR: http://www.flickr.com/photos/africa-rising Our website: http://www.africa-rising.net Soon, YouTube and Yammer web domains will be established

Communication strategy and tools

Assembly of all strategic documents program context purpose, objectives, outcomes guiding principles and conceptual framework research design M&E plan communication strategy management structure standards for engagement

Program Document

Program Management Structure

Provides advice and oversight on Project activities

Approves annual Project workplan and budget

Reviews and makes suggestions to Project Coordinator on semiannual technical progress reports to USAID

Plans yearly stakeholder meetings with support from Program Communications Team

First meeting tomorrow

WA Steering Committee ToR

Chair (R. Asiedu, IITA Regional Director West Africa) Project Chief Scientist (A. Larbi, IITA) Project M&E Lead (IFPRI) Project Communications Lead (K. Lopez, IITA) ICRISAT (F. Waliyar) AfricaRice (O. Ayaji); rotating seat CORAF (E. Asiedu) CSIR (A. Salifu) AGRA (K. Makinde) Donor (J. Glover) Secretary (I. Hoeschle-Zeledon, AR Coordinator)

Membership

to inspect bilateral and multilateral food security programs in northern Ghana

met by SARI Director and Africa RISING chief scientist visit of demonstration trails of drought and Striga tolerant

maize; rice seed multiplication and varietal trials interactions with farmers

17 August: Visit US Congressional Staff

Africa Research in Sustainable Intensification for the Next Generation

africa-rising.net