Dar_project-design

=Sustainable intensification of cereal-based farming systems in Eastern and Southern Africa = = Project Inception Workshop = = 6-9 February 2012, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania =

=Presentation: Africa RISING - project design across the 3 regions (Jerry Glover, USAid) =

This workshop provides an opportunity for a broad group of important stakeholders to both learn about the project plans and to share their views on expectations from and opportunities for synergies with the project (days 1 and 2) and for the core project team to finalize the project details (days 3 and 4).

This is the presentation 2.1, building upon the Tamale and Addis workshops.
 * High level impact sought through alignment, coordination and integration;
 * Several high level ideas developed: project management, facilitation and communication; project purpose, objectives and outcomes, data management and analysis; research and development model;
 * **Project purpose 2.1**: "provide pathways out of hunger and poverty for smallholder families (define this), particularly for women and children, through sustainably intensified farming systems that sufficiently improve food, nutrition and income security and conserve or enhance the natural resource base".
 * Focus value chains provide starting points (e.g. Maize, horticulture) looking at inputs/services -> production -> process -> marketing.
 * The research scope is on the **production** side of the value chain
 * Do we look then at seeds and breeds, fertilizer, extension, post harvest and storage, miling/packaging or marketing?
 * Our **research scope** is: on productivity / profitability, gender issues, natural resources management, nutrition.
 * We do need strong formalized linkages between other elements that influence production.
 * **Project objectives**: identify, combine, adapt and evaluate SI farming options ( at the farm scale ); (evaluate the effects at the field, farm and landscape scales) ; effectively deliver and scale out research.
 * This is a demand driven R&D project at multiple levels: CAADP priorities, opportunities over medium/long term changes, development partner priorities (e.g. SIMLESA, Concern Worldwide in Zambia) and farmer priorities with options and decision-making tools and opportunities for the project to address issues that are important to farmers in the near term.