Babati_wardlevel_r4d_inception_meetings

=Babati District ward level R4D platform inception meeting= =22 - 24 February, 2017= =(Dareda, Bashnet and Gallapo) Babati District, Tanzania=

Background
Babati district in Northern Tanzania is one of the action sites where Africa RISING project, under USAID sponsorship; is promoting sustainable intensification of maize-legume-livestock integrated farming systems dominated by small holder farmers. A large proportion of small scale farmers are not sufficiently knowledgeable on a full range of improved farming and livestock management practices; they have limited capital, access to reliable markets, entrepreneurship skills, and insights in farming as business. The district has had a number of development partners engaged in agricultural activities, quite often operating individually and addressing specific concerns affecting the livelihoods of targeted beneficiaries. This practice fails to integrate interlinked needs of farming communities; needs that influence sustainable uptake and ultimate impact of otherwise innovative technologies. A strategic multi-stakeholder platform (JUMBA) was formed at district level in April 2014 to serve as a hub for coordinating agricultural research and development activities on agriculture, livestock and natural resource management at district level. Its primary role is to bring together diverse actors operating in the district to respond more efficiently and effectively to emerging needs of different stakeholder categories.

Objective of Ward level platform inception meetings
A ward is a sub –sub district administrative unit comprising of a number of villages with defined geographical boundaries. The aim of the inception meetings in the three pilot wards is to sensitize the local communities and to form operational level platforms; as a tool for coordinating demand driven research and development initiatives in each ward.

List of participants
Participants will comprise of farmer representatives from each village within a ward; extension agents, local leaders, community development officers, agro-dealers and NGOs operating within specific wards. Selection of farmer representatives will consider gender balance and the potential role of innovative and influential farmers. The expected number of participants is around 50 people per ward.

Main Agenda of the meeting

 * Highlight of key Africa RISING research findings
 * Rationale for multi-stakeholder functional platforms at ward level
 * Streamlining challenges and opportunities at ward level
 * Election of Ward level Platform management committee members