pct11

=Africa RISING design team meeting= =Date : 1-3 September 2015= =Venue: Wageningen=

PCT page

Phase 2 design team meeting with most PCT members plus some others

Bernard PeterT Irmgard Kindu Asamoah Mateete PeterB Jeroen Carlo

Agenda/topics with leads

 * 1) Systems approach - bernard [2-pager, evidence, arguments, messages, implications, value proposition - what 'we' mean by 'research'; research design considerations; farming systems versus livelihoods systems]


 * 1) Phase 2 vision of success - bernard
 * 2) Phase 2 theory of change - bernard
 * 3) Impact pathways / theory of change prototype - peter t
 * 4) phase 2 scaling targets / //zones of influence// - carlo
 * 5) farmer engagement guidelines - irmgard
 * 6) IP guidelines - irmgard
 * 7) AR 'immediate' SI assessment framework - carlo [short-term]
 * 8) Phase 2 hypotheses - bernard [testable for phase 2]
 * 9) evidence based narratives - peter b/carlo
 * 10) typologies - irmgard

Documents
see also documents from Washington DC

12. October workshop Planning
Invitations sent; IHZ: WILL BE DONE BY ICRISAT NEXT WEEK Local host: ICRISAT Financing: 40:60 SPLIT BETWEEN IFPRI AND ILRI; EACH PROJECT PURCHASES THE TICKETS FOR THEIR MEMBERS; I HAVE REQUESTED PASSPORT COPIES TO START PURCHASING THE TICKETS Agenda ||
 * Work stream || Discussion points/actions || people responsible (**process shepherd pre-meeting)** || Preparation phase ||
 * Logistics ||  || Irmgard leading organizing committee || Organizing committee
 * **Evidence-based narratives**, stories, briefs, products for different audiences || PB to follow up with Carlo || Carlo; **PeterB,** Asamoah, Mateete || Agree template (2-pager); - ET project testing one this week. ||
 * ^  ||^   ||^   || Produce model (with content); ||
 * ^  ||^   ||^   || Solicit stories and ideas for technologies to be discussed at meeting (min 3 per country) ||
 * Reflections and guidance on **typologies, farmer engagement, and R4DPs/IPs** ||  || **Irmgard**; Jeroen, Carlo, Asamoah, Mateete, Kindu || Tables of typologies by country; ||
 * ^  ||^   ||^   || Info on ways we engage with farmers by country; ||
 * ^  ||^   ||^   || R4DP/IP status by country ||
 * Targets and scaling approaches ||  || **Carlo**; Bernard (for diagram write-up) || Draft template across the 5 SI dimensions; ||
 * ^  ||^   ||^   || Proof of concept of possible scaling targets ||
 * SI indicators and assessment framework ||  || Sieg, **Carlo**, **PeterT** || Draft assessment framework; ||
 * ^  ||^   ||^   || SI lab concept note ||
 * Phase II proposal ||  || **Bernard,** PeterT, Jeroen, || Vision of success; ||
 * ^  ||^   ||^   || ToC; ||
 * ^  ||^   ||^   || Hypotheses; Research Questions ||
 * ^  ||^   ||^   || System perspective write-up ||
 * ^  ||^   ||^   || (**to be generated in the september design group meeting**) ||


 * Systems research/approach**

do we do something new? change? or just more of the same? increased attention to interactions and tradeoffs? defining 'boundaries' shift the emphasis ...? moving up? some cross-project similar 'integrated' activities? what criteria to start/stop in next phase? specify entry themes as a way to limit demand/focus? exit strategy in case no phase 2?


 * Vision of success**

diagram targets benefits - Y axis by country blue and purple lines legend different


 * Theory of change**





Outcomes?

1. By 2021, within Africa RISING target areas/communities, improvements in livelihood status (income, nutrition) by X% for at least Y households with Z improvement of NRM status and ensuring that benefits are equitably shared within farming communities….

2. By 2021, X development/scaling/value chain partners are advancing research results to Y households beyond the Africa RISING target areas/communities…

do we bring back the original objectives and outcomes


 * Research questions**

1. which combinations of technologies/interventions/components (spatial/temporal) result in the most attractive/highest net benefits in terms of at least 3 SI dimensions for all farm/household typologies and agro-ecologies?

2. How and in what ways does systems research (and its various components/elements) deliver higher/more attractive net benefits (in terms of SI dimensions) than traditional/conventional component research does?

3. How can innovations be best scaled? What scaling approaches work?

4. How do cross-scale (plot, farm, landscape) interactions affect the net benefits (in terms of SI dimensions)?

5. How can systems research inform farmer, policy maker and research decision makers to implement SI?

Extra action/question to be asked at end of phase 1: What are the application domains of phase 1 results that need to be continued into phase 2? To guide the process of selecting the promising innovations to continue into phase 2 - where, and how

complete the rapid assessment tool/instrument validate in bamako test via the postdocs devise the aggregation protocol for the net benefits [proof of concept with weights and current data] then the regional projects can use it
 * SI framework**


 * Farmer engagement**

phase 2 - ifpri has a modified scope envisaged. ifpri to finance 'data managers' in each regional project need to also have local M&E specialists in each regional project/country - perhaps same person as the data manager. aim to recruit these folks to be in place before phase 2 starts need clear guidance on what data needs to be collected for program M&E as well as research purposes need joint M&E/research planning in the planning meetings. nothing much we can change now for phase 1 / aiming for phase 2 [also session in bamako]
 * M&E**

4 uses - get from Jeroen scientists to be trained to use/build typologies see the action list from Carlo first 2 science symposium in march 2016 the big exposure of the scientists to using typologies - how to move from typologies to targeting
 * Typologies**


 * 2016 science symposium**


 * phase 2 writing team**

proposal target date april/may 2016 core team - who wider engagement - process PCT decide in bamako 'template' / outline / table of contents - use it in the bamako meeting - asamoah


 * Products**

systems piece - bernard and jeroen to send next draft; then comments; then session in bamako research questions - peter to update and re-order and simplify; develop sub-questions in bamako typologies piece for proposal, generate typologies in phase 1; plan of action to use the typologies - carlo and jeroen follow up. - with systems piece discuss in bamako. vision of success diagram [country diagrams (carlo) and to validate, overall diagram, assumptions narrative for each country] - success targets and SI benefits - carlo, peterT, jeroen [the aggregator/weighting thing] - include the postdocs; available after bamako. TOC and IPs piece - peter to tidy. complete fr ethioipia. other regions after banmako meeting. SI framework to validate then test - carlo to update/validate; then to bamako, then to postdocs farmer and IP engagement piece - irmgard to complete, then to bamako phase 2 proposal outline/template - asamoah to draft

narratives - peter circulate model; carlo a couple with ifpri info; several examples (also of cba studies) review in bamako; then produce more

event planning - prepare messages from icrisat - peter and irmgard - agenda update - peter and ewen - session assignments and session process and documentation- peter and ewen - per diems message to icrisat - peter