Rice+team+stakeholders'+planning+meeting,+Morogoro+-+Tanzania


 * Rice team stakeholders meeting**
 * 21 January, 2016**
 * Morogoro, Tanzania**

** __ Venue: Edema Conference Centre, Morogoro __ **
 * Agenda**


 * **Time** || **Item** || **Responsible** ||
 * 8:15 – 8.40 am || Welcome and Introductions
 * Welcome
 * Objectives
 * Expectations
 * Self-Introduction || Haroon ||
 * 8.40 – 9.10 am || Welcome remarks || Mateete/Silvanus/Victor ||
 * 9.10 – 9.50 am || Proposed Project components (incl roles of partners) || Sophy/Charles ||
 * 9.50 – 10.20 am || Discussions || Victor ||
 * **10.20 – 10.45 am** || **Break** || **Hotel** ||
 * 10.45 – 12.00 pm || Small group work to refine the workplan/budget || Sophy/Charles/Haroon/Mateete ||
 * 12.00 – 12.40 pm || Plenary presentations || Haroon/Victor/Silvanus ||
 * 12.40 – 12.55 pm || Way forward || Mateete/Sophy/Haroon ||
 * 12.55 – 1.15 pm || Closure/Housekeeping || Haroon ||
 * **1.15 pm -** || **Lunch and Departure** || **Hotel** ||


 * Participants List**

0714579025 ||  0754643478  ||  0754643478  ||  0763491717  ||  0755331168  ||
 * ** S/N ** || ** Name ** || ** Organization ** || ** E-mail address/phone ** ||
 * 1 ||  Mateete Bekunda  ||  IITA/Africa RISING  ||  m.bekunda@cgiar.org  ||
 * 2 ||  Sophia Kashenge-Killenga  ||  ARI Chollima, Dakawa  ||  sophykashenge@yahoo.com  ||
 * 3 ||  Haroon Sseguya  ||  IITA/Africa RISING  ||  h.sseguya@cgiar.org  ||
 * 4 ||  Francis Muthoni  ||  IITA/Africa RISING  ||  f.muthoni@cgiar.org  ||
 * 5 ||  Victor H. Mgoo  ||  NAFAKA  ||  vmgoo@nafaka-tz.org
 * 6 ||  Gloriana Ndibalema  ||  IITA/Africa RISING  ||  gndibalema25@gmail.com  ||
 * 7 ||  Charles Chuwa  ||  ARI Chollima, Dakawa  ||  chuwacj@yahoo.co.uk
 * 8 ||  Emmanuel Mandike  ||  MVIWATA, Morogoro  ||  e.mandike@nafaka-tz.org  ||
 * 9 ||  Aguster Mattembo  ||  Mvomero District Council  ||   ||
 * 10 ||  Henry Lisanga  ||  RUDI  ||  lisangahenry@yahoo.com  ||
 * 11 ||  John Kaduma  ||  National Irrigation Commission (NIC) - Mbeya Zone  ||  jkaduma@yahoo.co.uk  ||
 * 12 ||  Urban Kalimba  ||  Iringa District Council  ||  urbankalimba@ymail.com  ||
 * 13 ||  David Chemka  ||  NIC - Morogoro Zone  ||  Chemka20@yahoo.com  ||
 * 14 ||  Daina Muywanga  ||  Mvomero District Council (DAICO)  ||  dmuywanga@gmail.com
 * 15 ||  Linusy Lalika  ||  Idodi Scheme, Iringa (farmer)  ||  0752244842  ||
 * 16 ||  Dominick Rutta  ||  Idodi Scheme, Iringa (Field Officer  ||  dominicrutta@gmail.com  ||
 * 17 ||  John Maharage  ||  Mbuyuni Scheme, Mbarali (farmer)  ||  0762246996  ||
 * 18 ||  Hakika Mbwile  ||  Majengo Scheme, Mbarali (Field Officer  ||  0763713523  ||
 * 19 ||  Rose Kenga  ||  Mbarali District Council (DAICO)  ||  0754656477  ||
 * 20 ||  Beno Kiwale  ||  MATI (Training Institute), Igurusi, Mbarali – Ag. Principal  ||  benokiwale@yahoo.com
 * 21 ||  Joel Zakayo  ||  ARI Chollima, Dakawa  ||  joelzakayo@yahoo.com  ||
 * 22 ||  Ndimubandi Mvukiye  ||  ARI Chollima, Dakawa  ||  Mvukiye2013@yahoo.com
 * 23 ||  Paul Ibrahim  ||  ARI Chollima, Dakawa  ||  paulibrahim@gmail.com  ||
 * 24 ||  Johnson Tillya  ||  ASA Morogoro  ||  johsontillya@gmail.com  ||
 * 25 ||  Rozalia Patrice  ||  ASA Morogoro  ||  mtengarose@gmail.com  ||
 * 26 ||  Mohammed Omar  ||  ARI Katrin, Kilombero  ||  m.mmangaomary@yahoo.com  ||
 * 27 ||  Braison Mangula  ||  Dakawa scheme, Mvomero (farmer)  ||   ||


 * Minutes of Meeting**


 * 1. ** ** Introduction remarks / Opening session **

The meeting started at 8:30 am with an introductory session facilitated by Dr. Haroon Sseguya, the technology Scaling Project and coordinator for the Africa RISING-NAFAKA-TUBOCHA scaling project. He noted the objective of the meeting as being to get the team together to plan for activities of the rice component for the project. He further shared the expectations as being to (i) clarify roles of the rice team component on the project, and (ii) plan and refine the work plan and budget. He then presented PowerPoint slides depicting an overview of the AR-NAFAKA-TUBOCHA project focusing on objectives, locations, targets and indicators, reporting requirements, other key issues. It was also made clear that this is a three year project that runs from October 2014 to September 2017. The first year (October 2014-September 2015) was led by AfricaRice but results were not forthcoming as expected. So, a new arrangement whereby ARI Dakawa will take lead and constitute a team with which it will implement project activities beginning January 2016 is in place. This meeting is being organized with this in mind.
 * 2. ** ** Welcome remarks **
 * Mateete welcomed participants and informed the team of the need to be transparent; one of the key issues that led to problems with the previous arrangement was lack of transparency. He also emphasized a focus on delivery on what is promised at planning level in line with what is in the proposal. The project donor, USAID, cannot fund work with teams that cannot deliver.
 * Bekunda informed the team that research scientists need to have technologies that development organizations and institutions will disseminate to the beneficiaries. He inquired from ARI Dakawa researchers whether they have technologies ready for dissemination, as this is not a national institutions’ challenge but also international institutions. He made it clear to the team that USAID mission is very supportive to national institutions, therefore ARI Dakawa is challenged to deliver and if it succeeds for the two years then they are in good position to potentially attract more support from donors.
 * He also informed the team about the Africa RISING wikispace, which donors and other stakeholders access to get an update on what is happening with what Africa RISING and partners do. He thus urged the team to post reports and other updates on what is being done on the wiki. He finally encouraged the team to work and move forward together for the whole project’s success.
 * Victor also shared information about NAFAKA as the main scaling platform for the project, noting that it is a consortium of many international, regional and national partners in development. So, the rice team should consider working closely with the mechanisms already in place in NAFAKA to bring the innovations and technologies to scale


 * 3. ** ** Proposed project components **

Charles, the technical lead for the project under this project, presented an overview of the rice work plan 2015/2016 to the participants. This included the technologies, partner roles and timeline. He noted that the team will focus on three technologies: He mentioned the sites of focus will be five villages each in the districts of Mvomero, Mbarali, Iringa rural and ten villages in Kilombero district. To put the problem of salt affected soils clear, Dr. Sophia Kashenge-Killenga, the director of ARI Dakawa, presented PowerPoint slides on the distribution of salt affected soils in the rice growing areas of Tanzania and potential solutions available from research (e.g. use of Farm Yard Manure, rice husks and gypsum). **4.** **Discussion**
 * Improved rice varieties,
 * Management of salt-affected soils (SAS), and
 * Safe alternative wet and drying (AWD)
 * Participants inquired whether there is a possibility for ARI Dakawa to continue with some of the technologies that AfricaRice had started working on. For instance the weed management. A clarification was made on what ARI Dakawa knew concerning the weeding machines technology found at Dakawa under AfricaRice. ARI Dakawa also explained that they can use safe herbicides instead of weeding machines.
 * It was noted that the timing for publishing should not be at the end of the year as indicated in the plan. This can start early.
 * It was recommended that the project’s technologies for dissemination should be effective and attractive. It was noted that many technologies from research are effective but not attractive to the beneficiaries. It was further explained that the attractiveness of the technology is characterized by availability and affordability. It was noted that the suggested solutions for salt affected soils seem to require too much amounts which may pose sustainability challenges (economic feasibility and environmental soundness/health). So, Mateete suggested that environmental and socioeconomic evidence should be available before we can agree to disseminate some of the technological solutions for salt affected soils. So, part of the work on soil affected soils should continue to be in research phase (environmental health, efficacy, and other socioeconomic factors) to inform subsequent activities.
 * The extension officers requested the project to disseminate the SAS technology as some areas really face that challenge and the only way to help farmers is an advice of using manure.
 * The team was advised to put into consideration the farmers’ preferences when selecting rice varieties, i.e. aroma, adaptability, yields.
 * The scientists were advised by farmers and extension officers not to worry about the affordability of technologies but rather show the science behind them and farmers will be ready to adapt as long as they will solve their problems.
 * The team was asked if they will do soil testing for soil pH identification to know the proper type of fertilizer application. A clarification was given that the team was behind schedule. So, they will just use the national fertilizer application recommendations, although they will collect samples and start working on them for the next year’s activities.
 * Reporting: The project has data collection forms on different project indicators that the team will have to report on. Haroon noted that the rice team will start reporting on its activities from the date indicated in the contract (most likely January 2016). He also informed them that they will be required to submit quarterly and annual reports as will be stipulated in the contract.


 * 5. ** ** Way forward **
 * Bekunda requested the team to refine the work plan and budget for 2015/16 and submit them by the following day of 22 January 2016, so that funds can be provided to them to start activities immediately.
 * Sophia noted that there is a heavy and hard task ahead of them to deliver according to the project’s expectations since the previous team had left a mark of disappointment; therefore they have to go extra miles. Besides that she noted team work and proper supervision from the rest of the project’s team will help them meet the outcome.


 * 6. ** ** Closure **

Haroon thanked the participants for the enthusiasm and commitment as exhibited by the good turn up (all invited people attended) and active participation in the deliberations. He requested the team to continue with the same spirit for successful outcomes of the project.


 * 7. ** ** Small group work to refine the work plan/budget **

A small group of nine people (from ARI Dakawa, Africa RISING and NAFAKA) stayed behind after the official closure of the big meeting to refine the work plan. This was finalized by the end of the day and the remaining task of refining the budget in light of adjustments in the work plan was assigned to the lead institution, ARI Dakawa. The plan was to have the final budget and workplan ready within a week. Haroon will coordinate this task in consultation with Mateete and ensure that the two documents reach Irmgard, the Africa RISING manager, within this timeframe. This will ensure that the implementer, ARI Dakawa, get the resources they need to do the job early.