retreat2015

Africa RISING program coordination team retreat Date : 2-5 June 2015 Venue: IFPRI, Washington DC

toc =Participants= Jerry Glover Irmgard Hoeschle-Zeledon Peter Thorne Carlo Azzarri Bernard Vanlauwe Siboniso Moyo Asamoah Larbi Kindu Mekonnen Salvador Fernandez Peter Ballantyne Sara Signorelli Beliyou Haile Cleo Roberts

=Notes from the meeting=

=Objectives=

1. Draft an AR phase II program concept and outline note with purpose, outcomes, activities, hypotheses geo focus; plus initial 'delivery' framework 2. Take stock of current project and program strengths, weaknesses and external review comments to feed into objective 1 3. Interact with and Influence USAID and other influentials in Washington about 1) AR results and promise and 2) importance of SI 4. Briefly, discuss issues and plans on the immediate/18 month phase I agenda 5. Agree scope organizational lead for the science symposium in October

=Agenda=

- Insights from external reviews - SWOT exercise
 * Tuesday ||  ||   ||
 * 0800 || Breakfast at IFPRI ||  ||
 * 0830 || Session 1: Objectives and outputs and outcomes of the week || What does success look like for this week? ||
 * 0900 || Session 2: Stocktaking





|| Brief ‘presentations’ of key conclusions and recommendations of the reviews Quick SWOT among us || What to keep What to tweak What to change ||
 * 1030 || Break ||  ||
 * 1100 || Session 3: AR program rapid re-think || Re-visit the principal elements of the program architecture
 * 1230 || Lunch ||  ||
 * 1400 || Session 4: Stocktaking review implications

- Program framework:
 * Hypotheses

still to do:
 * Data management
 * M&E
 * Organization and management
 * Harmonization across regions || Critical implications of session 2 and 3

Listing, ranking, prioritization || Vision of Success / purpose Outcomes Outputs Activities Looking to Phase II ||
 * 1530 || Break ||  ||
 * 1600 || Session 5: AR theories of change and impact pathways || Exercise to document current -> projected impact pathways
 * 1700 || END Day 1 ||  ||
 * 1800-1930 || Side discussion on the science symposium ||  ||

Indicators? Revisions? || Focus on ‘Science’/R4D Key elements || WHAT will we do ‘Science’/R4D || Preparations Process ||
 * Wednesday ||  ||   ||
 * 0800 || Breakfast at IFPRI ||  ||
 * 0830 || Session 6: Sustainable Intensification || Still valid?
 * 1000 || Break ||  ||
 * 1030 || Session 7: Phase II design first cut || Building from Session 5
 * 1230 || Lunch ||  ||
 * 1400 || Session 8: Phase II design outline || Phase II rough ‘design note’
 * 1530 || Break ||  ||
 * 1600 || Session 9: Prep for USAID visits || Day 3 program
 * 1730 || END Day 2 ||  ||
 * 1800-1930 || Finalise USAID session process/products ||  ||
 * Thursday ||  ||   ||
 * 0800 || Breakfast at IFPRI ||  ||
 * 0830 || Session 9: Prep for USAID visits ||  ||
 * 1000 || USAID program || 1100-1230 - seminar focus on program, results, insights
 * 1000 || USAID program || 1100-1230 - seminar focus on program, results, insights

1300-1500 - informal discussions with Economic Growth, Education and Environment Bureau, Africa Bureau and Bureau for Food Security

PRESENTATION AT USAID || Key insights Key implications for our planning and strategizing || HOW will we deliver Roles, pathways, ||
 * 1630 || Session 10: Feedback USAID program || What did we learn
 * 1730 || END Day 3 ||  ||
 * 1800-1930 || some activity ||  ||
 * Friday ||  ||   ||
 * 0800 || Breakfast at IFPRI ||  ||
 * 0830 || Process and products for the day ||  ||
 * 0900 || Session 11: Working on Phase II || Start from Session 8
 * 1230 || Lunch ||  ||
 * 1400 || Session 12. Synthesis, next steps, responsibilities ||  ||
 * 1500 || Session 12. PCT Meeting ||  ||
 * 1730 || END of day 4 ||  ||

SWOT exercise results
systems perspective - multiple components, trade-offs, partnerships Flexibility - to address important demand-led R4D issues [no pre-set R4D agenda]. 'Flexibility within borders' Partnerships - extent, breadth, depth System research rater than single commodity Multi-disciplinary approaches looking at realities on the ground multi-stakeholder - different CG centres working together to facilitate change and impact partnership centred on farmers
 * Strengths**

Insufficient / patchy attention to higher-level FtF outcomes and indicators [gender, nutrition, etc] Insufficient interactions on science issues integration challenges scaling issues clarity of research methodology, hypotheses, analysis No close consistency and defined boundaries Lack of practical document to complement the general research framework Old wine in new bottles? we need to avoid CG centres going own way, focusing on too many research activities difficulties in integrating AR projects
 * Weaknesses**

Emerging partnerships in development - more attention to AR from missions, donors, national development partners More conducive policy environment for SI and similar Increased attention of R&D partners to engage with AR Increased interest from R partners and donors for systems expertise Working across different agro-ecologies using integrated systems as a basis for development planning
 * Opportunities**

management complexity overwhelms us [lack of defined borders, complex partnerships, lack of harmonisation] insecure long-term funding [need to articulate and illustrate results and impacts] losing systems experience in the teams [need to mentor and grow perspectives] inability to demonstrate tangible change at livelihood level through systems R4D not partnering with competing SI projects leads to missed opportunities challenges dealing with national partners lead to under-performance risk of CG centres falling back into old ways leading to under-performance tension between specific interventions and generalizable results
 * Threats**

Arising from the SWOT: Priority actions for the coming 14 months (rest of phase 1)
a. Explain and document and capitalize on our system-level perspectives a. Define AR identity and unique selling points - roles, beneficiaries, value added ... b. Document and contextualize impact/adoption through data c. Recruit AR coordinator/administrator at program level b. Explain/document R&D impact and institutional impact d. Strengthen national partners c. M&E data staffing/people into each regional project e. Boosting cross-project science learning f. Data management: farm/farmer data; queryable database of AR farmers b. Documenting early change g. Identify and document technology packages (link to farmer typologies) b. Carry out socioeconomic analysis ad risks h. Revise program framework - hypotheses i. Develop and use system-wide SI indicators j. Clarify IPs roles, objectives and approach k. Agree, test, validate approach to typologies; start to operationalize this

Arising from the SWOT: points captured by PeterB
The system perspective and associated integration is central We need a system to store and analyze data on individual farmers (barcodes) We miss some standard design/implementation device and indicators that bridges the program framework and associated hypotheses with project implementation We need to capture tangible evidence on outcomes, many small changes Demand orientation (within some borders) is a strong point of the program We need to document and explain and clarify 'the' systems approach we use Researching scaling is important alongside actual scaling Grasping opportunities needs us to proactively approach partners Greater scientific interactions are needed The demand orientation is interlinked with program flexibility Complexity management is required We need the 'systems perspective' to be taken up and adopted within the science team It's important to generate evidence around the FtF indicators Cross-cgiar collaboration and engagement is a strength Collaboration with partners close to the ground is a strength Cross-project collaboration can provide agro-ecological insights

Phase 2: what to do more of; less of
Do more ... 1. more evidence to inform actions for target typologies of farmers [extend what we do now] 2. more publications and articles 3. stocktake all the data and feed into decisionmaking / farmer communities 4. Pay more attention to the enabling environment and how this affects/influences/determines SI; Decide what actions AR can do in this area 5. Link work on plots / households with work on landscapes 6. Refine the SI indicators we use 7. do more research on scaling up 8. Have more coordinated planning 9. Do more monitoring of adoption changes 10. specify clearer roles and responsibilities of AR actors 11. more data sharing across levels 12. More differentiated approach to data - for different levels and scales 13. capacity development on data for national partners 14. do research on delivery systems [linked to more scaling up research]

Do less ... 1. collect less data, less often; but better (thru better and more coordinated planning) 2. caution to avoid institutionalization of IPs

What's different in this? 1. Move 'beyond agronomy' towards combinations of options and interventions in 'packages' ? 2. More research on interactions among interventions 3. Have innovations 'ready to adapt' by farmers, under ranges of conditions 4. Partner with extension so our technologies in their packages 5. More 'marketing' of interventions focus

Emerging vision of success
This very preliminary material was produced by the groups as a starting point for visioning and strategizing.







Phase 1 planning
This Gantt chart gives information on what was agreed as priority tasks for the coming period



See also plans for the Africa RISING Program Strategy Workshop in October 2015

Also notes from PCT8 meeting on 5 June 2015

 - Insights from external reviews - SWOT exercise || Brief ‘presentations’ of key conclusions and recommendations of the reviews Quick SWOT among us || - Program framework - Hypotheses - Harmonization - Data management - M&E - Organization and management || Critical implications of session 2 Listing, ranking, prioritization || What to keep What to tweak What to change || Vision of Success Outcomes Outputs Activities Looking to Phase II || Indicators? Revisions? || Focus on ‘Science’/R4D Key elements || WHAT will we do ‘Science’/R4D || Preparations Process || Mini-seminar/presentation about AR, with USAID influentials? Show and tell Individual visits/discussions Maybe agrilinks webinar/lunchtime thing with wider than USAID? (online etc) on SI || Key insights Key implications for our planning and strategizing || HOW will we deliver Roles, pathways, || - Big milestones - Big issues / Opportunities - Budgets - Preparing for the External Evaluation - Data sharing - Program-level activities, 18 month calendar - AOB ||  ||
 * Monday ||  ||   ||
 * || Arrivals || Accommodation? ||
 * Evening || Meet for dinner? ||  ||
 * Tuesday ||  ||   ||
 * 0830 || Session 1: Objectives and outputs and outcomes of the week || What does success look like for this week? ||
 * 0900 || Session 2: Stocktaking
 * 1030 || Break ||  ||
 * 1100 || Session 3: Stocktaking review implications
 * 1230 || Lunch ||  ||
 * 1400 || Session 4: AR program rapid re-think || Re-visit the principal elements of the program architecture
 * 1530 || Break ||  ||
 * 1600 || Session 5: AR theories of change and impact pathways || Exercise to document current -> projected impact pathways
 * 1730 || END Day 1 ||  ||
 * Wednesday ||  ||   ||
 * 0830 || Session 6: Sustainable Intensification || Still valid?
 * 1000 || Break ||  ||
 * 1030 || Session 7: Phase II design first cut || Building from Session 5
 * 1230 || Lunch ||  ||
 * 1400 || Session 8: Phase II design outline || Phase II rough ‘design note’
 * 1530 || Break ||  ||
 * 1600 || Session 9: Prep for USAID visits || Day 3 program
 * 1730 || END Day 2 ||  ||
 * Thursday ||  ||   ||
 * 0830 || Session 9: Prep for USAID visits ||  ||
 * 1000 || USAID program || Assume Jerry puts this together
 * 1000 || USAID program || Assume Jerry puts this together
 * 1630 || Session 10: Feedback USAID program || What did we learn
 * 1730 || END Day 3 ||  ||
 * Friday ||  ||   ||
 * 0830 || Process and products for the day ||  ||
 * 0900 || Session 11: Working on Phase II || Start from Session 8
 * 0900 || Session 11: Working on Phase II || Start from Session 8
 * 1230 || Lunch ||  ||
 * 1400 || AR phase 1 ‘housekeeping’ and planning
 * 1530 || Break ||  ||
 * 1600 || Synthesis, next steps, responsibilities ||  ||
 * 1700 || END of day 4 ||  ||