WA_phase2_proposal_writeshop


 * Africa RISING West Africa**
 * Phase 2 Proposal Write shop**
 * 16 - 18 February, 2016 -** **Accra, Ghana**


 * Objectives**
 * 1) Review Phase 1 research and achievements
 * 2) Draft Phase 2 research proposal
 * 3) Map research and development partnerships for implementation
 * 4) Discuss any other issues


 * Participants**
 * 1) Augustine Ayantunde
 * 2) Fred Kizito
 * 3) Roland Kanlisi
 * 4) Irmgard Hoeschle-Zeledon
 * 5) Bekele Kotu Hundie
 * 6) Abuelgasim Elzein
 * 7) Mahama Saaka
 * 8) Saaka Buah
 * 9) Asamoah Larbi
 * 10) Jonathan Odhong
 * 11) Zemadim Birhanu
 * 12) Jaochim Binam


 * Agenda**

__** Tuesday, 16 February **__ 08:00 Registration 08:30 Session 1: Welcome address and introduction 10:30 Break 11:00 Group task - characteristics of the project region, challenges and opportunities Key questions to address:
 * Welcome and objectives of the meeting - Asamoah
 * Guidelines to regional proposal structure - Irmgard
 * Discussion
 * Overview of USAID evaluators comments - Irmgard
 * Discussions
 * Draft a page on key characteristics of West Africa – focus on Ghana and Mali
 * List 1-5 key challenges in the region for farming systems intensification/diversification
 * List 1-5 key opportunities in the region for farming systems intensification/diversification

Group 1: Roland, Mahama, Bekele, Fred (leader), Ghasim, Asamoah Group 2: Binam (leader), Birhanu, Augustine, Buah, Irmgard, Jonathan

12:00 Reporting back on characteristics of the project region, challenges and opportunities 12:30 Lunch 14:00 Group task - Phase 1 achievements and loose end Key questions to address: Groups same as previous exercise 15:00 Reporting back on phase 1 achievements and loose ends 16:00 Break 16:30 Group task - phase 2 proposals - new research topics/issues/themes to focus on Key questions to address: Group 1: Augustine (leader), Irmgard, Mahama, Jonathan Group 2: Fred (Fred), Bekele, Buah, Birhanu Group 3: Binam, Roland (leader), Gasim, Asamoah 17:30 Reporting back on phase 2 proposal new research topics/issues
 * [[file:Group 1(A)-WAwriteshop.docx|Group 1]]
 * [[file:Group 2(A)-WAwriteshop .pptx|Group 2]]
 * List key achievements of Phase 1 (refer to project technical reports)
 * What are the loose end in Phase 1 that must be tied up
 * [[file:Group 1(B)-WAwriteshop.docx|Group 1]]
 * [[file:Group 2(B)-WAwriteshop.pptx|Group 2]]
 * List 2-4 new issues to be researched in Phase 2 (based on Phase 1 activities and recommendations of the IITA and USAID review recommendations)
 * [[file:Group 1(C)-WAwriteshop.docx|Group 1]]
 * [[file:Group 2(C)-WAwriteshop.pptx|Group 2]]

08:00 Group task - phase 2 research components/themes and objectives Key questions to address: Group 1: Augustine (leader), Irmgard, Mahama, Jonathan Group 2: Fred (leader), Bekele, Buah, Birhanu Group 3: Binam, Roland (leader), Gasim, Asamoah 10:00 Reporting back on phase 2 research components/themes and objectives 10:30 Consolidating final research components/themes and objectives
 * __Wednesday, 17 February__**
 * Which Phase 1 theme should be combined/dropped in Phase 2.
 * List 2-4 key research components/themes for Phase 2.
 * List 2-3 Objectives for each component/theme.
 * [[file:Group 1(D)-WAwriteshop.pptx|Group 1]]
 * [[file:Group 2(D)-WAwriteshop.pptx|Group 2]]
 * [[file:Group 3(A)-WAwriteshop.docx|Group 3]]
 * [[file:Agreed on themes and research objectives.pptx|Consolidated research themes and objectives]]
 * [[file:AR phase 2 structure.pptx|Africa RISING WA phase 2 structure]]
 * [[file:Proposed ToC.pptx|Proposed Log Frame]]

12:30 Lunch 14:00 Group task – Identifying phase 2 research questions, outputs and activities Key questions to address: 16:00 Break 16:30 Group task cont’d (till all groups finish)
 * List 2-4 research questions, outputs and activities to test each of the objectives identified by the group in the previous exercise

__**Thursday, 18 February**__ 8:00 Reporting back on phase 2 research questions, outputs and activities 8:30 Consolidation of phase 2 research questions, outputs and activities 10:30 Break 11:00 Consolidation of phase 2 research questions, outputs and activities bbbbbbbbbb (1) bbbbbbbbbb (2) bbbbbbbbbb (3) bbbbbbbbbb (4) bbbbbbbbbb (5)
 * [[file:Group 1(E)-WAwriteshop.pptx|Group 1]]
 * [[file:Group 2(E)-WAwriteshop.pptx|Group 2]]
 * [[file:Group 3(B)-WAwriteshop.pptx|Group 3]]
 * Final consolidated research questions, outputs and activities

14:00 Group task - mapping of research and development partners Key questions to address:
 * List current local & international research partners & their roles
 * Identify new local & international research partners & their roles

Participants go into Ghana and Mali country groups

15:00 Reporting back on mapping research and development partnership
 * [[file:Partners mapping_Ghana.pptx|Ghana group]]
 * [[file:Partners mapping_Mali.pptx|Mali group ]]

15:30 Plenary - Discussion of cross-cutting issues hhhhhhhh Monitoring aspect of the Africa RISING West Africa has been weak hhhhhhhh The team will need to develop and have clear cut project level indicators and targets for monitoring……see hhhhhhhh At the project level consider having an assistant (in country) for monitoring (will be responsible for uploading data to CKAN, will capture data on issues like hhhhhhhh spontaneous adoption, how to monitor beneficiaries etc) jjjjjjjjjjjjjjjj The project team to develop a monitoring plan lllllllllllllll IFPRI to continue with collection of data which will be important for evaluation ppppppp To address the weakness in uploading data to CKAN, the team will develop in country data base for collecting all data from partners before upload to CKAN
 * Monitoring and evaluation

bbbbbbb Mainstreaming of communication of project activities in-country through the regional coordinators in Ghana (currently has 3 regional coordinators) and Mali (currently bbbbbbb has 2 regional coordinators) bbbbbbb The regional coordinators to report through country coordinator to the AR comms specialist hhhhhhh Production of localized communication materials (in the native language of the beneficiary communities)
 * Communication arrangements

kkkkkkk The team to develop a capacity building strategy enumerating the vison for capacity building by the project (define beneficiary, targeted numbers, how capacity kkkkkkk building will contribute to the project goals, how many to train within the next 5 years, training materials to be produced)
 * Capacity building

mmmmm Irmgard to develop this section
 * Project management and coordination

Key questions to address:
 * What are the 3 main issues that need to be changed/improved in phase 2 with regards to (a) M&E, (b) communication, (c) capacity building, (d) project management and coordination
 * How do we improve these issues in phase 2

17:00 Next steps and closing – Asamoah
 * Asamoah to finalize the draft proposal with the assistance of a consultant
 * Draft proposal to be circulated to the drafting team (all participants at the write shop) by 1 March, 2016