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ContentsBackground Information ii1. Summary 12. Progress towards outputs and outcomes in Each Sub-Region 4 CORAF/WECARD 4 ASARECA 6 SADC/FANR 83. Overall Progress on each output 114. Lessons learnt 195. Priorities and milestones for the next 12 months 23
6. Annexes 23Annex 1: SCARDA logical framework 24Annex 2: Financial summary for the programme’s year 30Annex 3: SCARDA Communication Plan 31 1. FARA’s Overall Communication Strategy and Responsibilities 31 2. FARA’s SCARDA Communication Objectives and Main Stakeholders 31 3. FARA’s SCARDA Communication Activities 32 4. Staff Responsibilities and Communication Products 34Annex 4: SCARDA Personnel and officers in charge 43Abbreviations and acronyms 46
SCARDAStrengthening Capacity for Agricultural Research and Development in Africa
Annual Report 2008
Forum for Agricultural Research in Africa12 Anmeda Street, Roman Ridge
PMB CT 173, CantonmentsAccra, Ghana
2010
© Forum for Agricultural Research in Africa (FARA) 2009
Fair use of this material is encouraged. Proper citation is requested:
FARA (Forum for Agricultural Research in Africa), 2010. SCARDA Annual Report 2008. Accra, Ghana. 48 pp.
BluePencil Infodesign • www.bluepencil.in / Pragati Offset Pvt. Ltd • www.pragati.com
Forum for Agricultural Research in Africa (FARA) 12 Anmeda Street, Roman RidgePMB CT 173, Cantonments, Accra, Ghana Telephone: +233 21 772823 / 779421 Email: [email protected]: +233 21 773676 Web site: www.fara-africa.org
ISBN 978-9988-1-3633-8 (print) ISBN 978-9988-1-3634-5 (pdf)
Title of Research Programme: Strengthening Capacity for Agricultural Re-search and Development in Africa
Period covered by report: January – December, 2008Name of Organisation and responsible person: Forum for Agricultural Research In Africa (FARA)
/ Dr. Monty JonesKey Implementing partners: ASARECA, CORAF/WECARD, SADC-FANR,
RUFORUM, ANAFE, AGRHYMET, NRICountries covered by activities: Botswana, Burundi, Republic of Congo, Ghana,
Gambia, Lesotho, Mali, Rwanda, Sudan, Zambia
Planned Actual
Start Date: 14 March 2008
End Date: 30th June, 2010
Total budget allocated: £ 7,845,360 £ 7,845,360
Background Information
1
1. Summary
The programme for Strengthening Capacity for Agricultural Research and Development in Africa (SCARDA) is coordinated by FARA and implemented by the three sub-Saharan sub regional organisations (SROs); ASARECA, CORAF/WECARD and SADC-FANR and NRI provides technical backstopping.
The overall purpose of SCARDA is ‘To strengthen the institutional and human capacity of African agricultural research and development systems to identify, generate and deliver research outputs that meet the needs of poor people’. This purpose is being achieved through an innovative approach that addresses the whole integrated capacity strengthening needs of 12 national agricultural research and develop-ment institutions that are known as Focal Institutions. A wider range of Satellite Institutions is also involved. Firstly to benefit from capacity strengthening events in which they can participate. Secondly so that they can learn about the SCARDA approach and, when convinced of its merit, participate in out and up-scaling it. The Focal Institutions are located in East and Central Africa in Burundi, Rwanda and Sudan, in West Africa in The Gambia, Ghana, Congo Brazzaville and Mali and in Southern Africa in Botswana, Lesotho, and Zambia.
Overall progress towards achieving the programme outputs has been slower than anticipated. This has been mainly due to the delays in signing agreements between the main partner organizations and the resulting re-scheduling of implementation activities. This has had con-sequences for the development of programme-wide and sub-regional plans for M&E and Learning and Communications. However, a sub-stantial effort was made by programme partners to accelerate the pace of programme implementation during the last quarter of the reporting period. Programme-wide performance management and communica-tions plans are now in place and similar draft plans have been prepared for two of the three sub-regions.
2
SCARDA implementation was constrained by the speed at which key staff moved away to new positions and new ones came in who had not been involved in the highly participatory inception activities. This proved to be critical for a programme that is not only advocating a wholly new approach to capacity strengthening, but which is also managed strictly in accordance with the Subsidiarity Principle. In response to this a SCARDA Programme-wide Management Team has been formed to bring all the key actors together at least three times a year to share experiences and to ensure that all parties share the same SCARDA goals and approaches.
In spite of the slow overall rate of progress, there have been credible achievements in several areas and these are discussed in the main body of the report. The most notable achievement has been in the design of an innovative approach to strengthening capacity in agricultural research manage-ment. The approach takes into account the reasons for the limited impact of previous capacity strengthening initiatives. It also responds directly to the priorities of the Focal Institutions, both in terms of content and intervention mechanisms. This was facilitated through the institutional analyses which enabled the Focal Institutions to reflect on their needs and to identify preferred methods of addressing them. NRI led the development of the capacity strengthening approach in research management in CORAF/WECARD and has supported its implementation through the preparation of resource materials, workshop facilitation and organizational mentoring.
Getting all the agreements signed, and setting up the institutional structures has not gone entirely as planned and has been challenging. The reliance on temporary staff in several key positions, with some of them having SCARDA duties piled upon their normal responsibilities, delayed decisions and actions affecting the Programme. This was complicated further by the priority that had to be given to placing the MSc students because of the length of their training relative to the life of the programme. This proved to be a major source of tension between careful planning of the overall implementation and the stakeholder-driven urgency for intensive time-consuming action on one aspect of the programme.
In February 2009, UK-DFID commissioned an independent mid-term output to purpose review. The review found that delays in getting SCARDA implementation underway had caused the Programme to miss datelines set in the log frame. The review also questioned the appropriate-ness of the programme’s purpose statement and expressed concerns about whether it will be achieved.
The review pointed out that the log frame has some flaws that need to be rectified to make it more realistic and reliable as a tool for monitoring SCARDA’s progress. There is an urgent need to develop a logframe that more precisely reflects what SCARDA is about and which will give more reliable indication of its progress and be more useful as a management tool. A start was made to revising the logframe and a new version will be finalised by the end of April 2009.
The assumptions in the logframe were related to the external environment and to the implica-tions for supporting and sustaining institutional change. The attitudes of management and staff, and institutional issues within the focal institutions and their partner organizations, were also built into the assumptions. Institutional arrangements within the programme coordination and implementation were not considered in the assumptions. However, there were some unexpected constraints in putting these institutional arrangements in place. The constraints have been largely overcome but some uncertainties remain which need to be addressed as soon as possible if the programme purpose is to be achieved.
3
Another finding of the review was that SCARDA’s present logframe fails to capture many credible outcomes that have emerged from the organisation, preparation and implementation of SCARDA because they are not restricted to one of the four outputs:
Output 1 Agricultural research management systems and competencies to conduct high quality research strengthened in African NARS.
Output 2 The capacity of African NARS to un dertake quality agricultural research for development sustainably strengthened.
Output 3 Tertiary agricultural teaching and training institutions empowered to match the capacity building they offer to changing market demands.
Output 4. SCARDA approach for capacity strengthening is documented, validated with, and owned by key stakeholders.
It is not clear whether it will be possible or even helpful to change the purpose statement at this stage of the programme. However, the purpose and output-level indicators are being reviewed and will be revised. The aim is to ensure that the performance of the programme can be monitored more effectively and its effectiveness can be evaluated during the end-of-programme review. With more pragmatic and achievable Objectively Verifiable Indicators (OVIs), it is expected that there will be better commitment to deadlines in implementation at all levels; Focal Institutions, SROs and FARA with respect to their roles in capacity strengthening activities.
The mid-term review concluded that the Programme was worthy of continued support provided that certain corrective actions are taken.
Breakout Session at the SCARDA Programme-wide Strategies and Lesson-learning Workshop held at the FARA Secretariat, Accra, Ghana, 27–30 April 2009.
4
2. Progress towards outputs and outcomes in each Sub-Region
CORAF/WECARD: Output 1
1. Strengthened Agricultural Research Management Systems
The Institutional Analyses of the CORAF/WECARD Focal Insti-tutions identified major weaknesses in managerial competencies which informed the design of a framework for course modules to be delivered through a series of agricultural research management group training courses. Outlines for nine course modules to address the identified weaknesses were developed in preparation for the first agricultural research management training course.
A concept paper was prepared by NRI to set out the course’s objec-tives, facilitation, strategy and approach and the way in which it would be refined based on lessons learnt in its implementation. The authors introduced the idea of ‘Participant Action Plans’ that would be underpinned by a series of three workshops. The Participant Action Plans define, justify and integrate specific management and professional development activities for each focal institution that will be continued beyond the life of SCARDA. This approach places less emphasis on the delivery of technical content during the first training workshop and focuses more on exposing participants to new thinking and novel ideas on research management and preparing them to develop Participant Action Plans for their own institutions. This will be reinforced by more detailed technical short courses complemented by mentoring and continuing Institutional Analyses.
An Agricultural Research Management Process Engagement and Ownership Meeting was held in Dakar on 8th – 10th October 2008 which brought together representatives from the Lead Service Provider and all the Focal Institutions (except the delegates from Brazzaville who were stranded by a cancelled flight). This meeting contributed to the success of the first CORAF/WECARD Agricultural
5
Research Management training event in December (1st – 6th) 2008 that involved 20 senior managers and research scientists from the Focal Institutions including the Crop Research Institute, Kumasi in Ghana where the workshop was held. Experience has revealed that strengthening agricultural research management will be pivotal to the overall institutional capacity strengthening and the Focal Persons have made other staff of their respective institutions aware of this.
Another strength of the SCARDA approach to capacity strengthening is the involvement of con-sultants from different African and non-African institutions to deliver the modules. In CORAF/WECARD it involved the Agricultural Research Management Training Institute (ARMTI) in Nigeria; the Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration (GIMPA); and the Annai Business Consultancy, UK. The consultants together with NRI experts held a one-week pre-workshop to refine the course approach and materials. The first course consisted of eight modules:
1. Research approaches and models by Oladele Windapo, ARMTI, 2. Research Planning by Olufemi Oladunni (ARMTI) 3. Business Winning by Olufemi Oladunni 4. Effective Communication by Oladele Windapo (ARMTI) 5. Managing People and6. Monitoring and Evaluation by Joe Taabazung (GIMPA) 7. Financial Management by Dr. C. Amoatey (GIMPA) 8. Change Management by John Beverly (Annai)
The modules were three-hour units incorporating an overview of the topic, presentations, guided discussions and exercises (including role play and mock scenarios). A set of resource materials and references for further study were provided for each module. The modules are available on CD-ROM for use in other institutions and sub regions. A video was produced as an aide to raising awareness about the course’s purpose and outcomes.
The outcome of the initial training workshop was enhanced understanding of the key aspects of research management by senior Focal Institution managers. They also gained a clearer idea of the main areas within their organizations that need to be strengthened and how they can apply their newly-acquired skills to improve the management of their institutions.
The topics for follow up short technical courses have been identified but none have been delivered yet pending redefinition and agreement on the role of the Lead Service Provider following the end of AGRHYMET’s contract in December 2008. The Focal Institutions have each developed Participant Action Plans that are being incorporated into their overall strategic planning but they will need continuing guidance and support to help them implement them and review their prog-ress. NRI is providing some support but efforts are being made towards engaging experienced research management specialists from the region who should take the lead role in the design and delivery of the final training workshop.
2.Strengthened capacity for agricultural research for development
Thirteen (13) MSc. students from CORAF focal institutions in Gambia and Ghana have been admitted to Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), Kumasi in Ghana, and one student admitted to University of Ghana, Legon. An agreement has been signed between CORAF and KNUST. The agreement with UG has been prepared and is yet to be signed. Eighteen (18) Francophone candidates have been placed for MSc. training. Seven (7) in Cameroun (Dschang University) and nine (9) in Abomey Calavi (Benin), one (1) in Ouaga-dougou, Burkina Faso, in irrigation and one (1) in Niamey in Natural Resources Management.
6
NRI has provided two MSc studentships to students from Gambia and Ghana who registered in February 2009 on an MSc programme in Food Safety and Quality Management. The range of disciplines undertaken by the CORAF students reflects particular capacity deficiencies in biotechnology and plant breeding, production and protection.
Profession and technical training
A total of twenty-two candidates from all four Focal Institutions, have been pre-selected by the LSP (AGRHYMET) for technician training. Final steps are being put in place to select the service pro-viders for the training. CORAF has decided to run only short-term courses for technician training.
No short courses were held in the reporting period.
3. Strengthened capacity to meet training demand.
The terms of reference for engaging consultants for the demand studies are yet to be developed in the CORAF/ WECARD sub-region. However, it is expected that these will relate closely to those developed for the other sub-regions.
4. Management & learning system functional approach for capacity strengthening documented and shared strategically.
Staff shortages and uncertainties over the role of the Lead Service Provider constrained CORAF/WECARD’s implementation of M&E. However, the SCARDA Performance Management Plan provides a common framework for the monitoring and regular review of SCARDA’s progress and guidance for regular reflection, documentation, lesson learning and gathering of evidence to inform Programme evaluation. The roles and responsibilities for performance monitoring and management have been defined including documenting and reporting on programme perform-ance. Finally, it outlines a strategy for embedding programme performance related activities in all key levels of programme operation.
The Programme-wide Performance Management plan provides the basis for the preparation of similar plans at the sub-regional level. As indicated above, an M&E and Learning workshop was held in Bamako in late March 2009 which produced a performance management plan for CORAF/WECARD and the four Focal Institutions. The plan includes indicators and targets which will be finalised during the forthcoming Regional Programme Wide Strategies and Learning Workshop in Accra. A strong feature of the work planning process in the CORAF/WECARD sub-region has been the identification of clear short-term milestones and targets, which are designed to simplify the monitoring of progress with implementation.
CORAF/WECARD’s newly appointed Communications and Information Manager (Anatole Kone) has accepted responsibility for SCARDA’s communications strategy with some support available on request from NRI’s Communications Specialist.
ASARECA : Output 1
1. Strengthened Agricultural Research Management Systems
The focus of strengthening capacity for agricultural research management capacity in the three ASARECA Focal Institutions is on:
• Planning, monitoring and evaluation• Basics of financial management for non-finance experts
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• Human resource management: management of teams, alliances and individuals including conflict management, etc
• Project/programme management• Information, communication and advocacy
ASARECA has contracted a Service Provider, Pico Team, through a two-stage competitive process. Pico Team adopts a “Systemic Competency Development approach” where training will not be done under modular topics, but will engage people in learning processes in how to perform their jobs better. Capacity is more along the notion of ‘competencies’ which means the performance for delivery in the job by individuals, teams and organisations. This is much more than qualifications or technical skills; it is the creative and entrepreneurial spirit of doing business and finding innovative solutions to challenges. It requires space for the individuals to develop and the capacity to utilise their space and creativity effectively. They consider strengthening the research management capacity in the NARS much broader than the five areas identified in the call for this Thrust. They have identified 5 core competency areas that research managers require to be able to lead their organisations and their research successfully which are integral to the 5 areas identified in the SCARDA scoping study in the ASARECA sub-region. The competency areas are: i. the foundation competence: ii. facilitation for change; iii. managing research for development and quality science; facilitating partnerships and impact; iv. managing organiza-tions / units / teams; and v. managing self – self-development for leadership. They recognize that each of the five topics are very important, but that if they are not integrated they will neither result in sustainable increased capacity nor lead to system change. What is needed (in Pico Team’s view) is a more systemic organisational approach to achieve lasting results.
Both the similarities and the contrasts in the approaches adopted for agricultural research man-agement capacity strengthening in the ASARECA and the other sub-regions, the lessons that this will provide and the best practices that will emerge are substantial benefits to be derived from SCARDA’s continental perspective.
2.Strengthened capacity for agricultural research for development
By December 2008, 33 students in the ASARECA sub-region were already undertaking training and 1 was due to start in January 2009. Nine students are in Makerere, 10 in Egerton University, 2 in Sokoine University, one in University of Nairobi and one in Jomo Kenyatta University. The range of courses being undertaken demonstrates critical capacity shortages in plant breeding, biotechnology and agricultural information and communications management. RUFORUM, the Lead Service Provider (LSP) has leveraged additional funding from the Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA) and the Development Partnerships in Higher Education (DelPHE) to enable an additional 6 students from Rwanda and 4 from Sudan to be trained. RUFORUM as a lead service provider is ensuring the quality of the services being provided by the Universities. It has developed a monitoring framework for checking progress on the training. These include the progress reports made by students and coordinators every three months, physical visits to the universities and quarterly meetings with the programme coordinators in the various universities
The SCARDA-ECA Programme Management Team meeting in Kigali asked NRI to provide support to new academic programmes in ECA which contribute to SCARDA outputs. Three universities in Kenya are hosting MSc students funded through SCARDA; Egerton University, Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology (JKUAT), and the University of Nairobi. Each of these universities has also launched regional postdoctoral degree programmes
8
in disciplines of relevance to SCARDA. Discussions took place with with NRI to identify ways to provide support to the universities, including short course development and delivery, co-supervision of students and guest lectures. Highest priority was attached to developing and delivering a short course on agricultural information and communication management.
The programme has benefited enormously from complementary initiatives at Makerere Univer-sity, particularly the new MSc. in Plant Breeding and Seed Systems sponsored by the Regional Universities Forum for Capacity Building in Agriculture (RUFORUM). The graduates of this program will be colleagues of the SCARDA students when they take up positions in various public and private breeding programs and so the useful interaction will continue. SCARDA students have also benefited from lectures by some of the leading professionals in plant breeding and related fields that are sponsored by RUFORUM. They are also benefitting from mentorships programs and internship attachments to private plant breeding and seed companies organized by RUFORUM with funding from AGRA. Such close and beneficial working relationships will be enhanced to leverage the investment in SCARDA.
Professional and technical training
The Uganda National Crops Resources Research Institute (NACRRI) has been selected to implement of activities on building capacity for quality research through short courses for scientists and technicians. It is anticipated that training activities will begin in June 2009. In the ASARECA sub-region one of the priority areas for short courses identified during the SCARDA-ECA planning meeting held in Bujumbura in August was Crop Protection. NRI was requested by ASARECA and RUFORUM to develop a Concept Note for a short course on Integrated Pest Management for agricultural technicians. The Concept Note was approved and the first course will be delivered in Rwanda in May 2009.
3. Strengthened capacity to meet training demand.
The Programme Management Team has selected Prof. Malcolm Blackie to conduct the agricul-tural industry (tracer) study and this will be undertaken in April-June 2009.
4. Management & learning system functional approach for capacity strengthening documented and shared strategically.
M&E and Communications
One of the main functions of the SCARDA-ECA Programme Management Team is to serve as a sub-regional learning platform. NRI was requested to draft a learning strategy and this has been shared with other SROs. ASARECA has also advanced plans for SCARDA M&E that is integrated into their existing frameworks. ASARECA is using the results framework that it has developed for its other programmes for SCARDA. This includes linking the generic output performance indicators to specific activity implementation milestones.
SADC-FANR : Output 1
1. Strengthened Agricultural Research Management Systems
In the SADC sub-region institutional analyses were carried out in April 2008 and involved visits by NRI staff to the Focal Institutions. The aim of the visits was to build on progress that had been made in previous discussions in November 2007 so that implementation plans could be finalized before the inaugural programme-wide workshop in late April 2008. This was achieved but subsequent progress was held up until the agreement between SADC and FARA was signed
9
in October 2008. However, planning had continued in the interim and the SADC implementation plan was finalized at a workshop in Gaborone in November 2008.
During the planning meeting, participants agreed to adopt an approach to capacity strengthening in research management based on adaptations to CORAF/WECARD’s threestep modular approach. Dates were scheduled for the first agricultural research management course in the SADC sub-region in 2008 but they have been postponed twice because of delays in the tendering process.
2. Strengthened capacity for agricultural research for development
In view of the delayed signing of the FARA- SADC agreement it was not possible for SADC to register students on MSc programmes at the start of the 2008-09 academic year. However, with the assistance of the intended Lead Service Provider (ANAFE), students were registered on programmes in several African universities in early 2009. ANAFE, through its contacts and experience, was able to facilitate fast tracking admission of candidates to begin their MSc. training in January and February 2009 through the relevant university authorities. Currently, 15 candidates have begun their MSc training in SADC. Two students from Natural Resources Development College in Zambia and National University of Lesotho in Lesotho were registered on the NRI MSc programme on Natural Resources, with a focus on M&E. The range of courses undertaken by SADC MSc candidates shows that there is particular need for capacity strengthen-ing in animal science and in M&E.
Professional and technical training
Two short courses in farmer participatory research have been held in Botswana and Lesotho in February 2009 and participants were drawn from a wide range of organizations, including farmers’ groups. Staff with relevant expertise from the Focal Institutions made contributions to the courses and this should help to generate and sustain local ownership of future Farmer Participatory Research activities. The Farmer Participatory Research capacity strengthening
Opening Ceremony at the 1st ARM Training Workshop for CORAF/WECARD held at the CSIR-CRI, Kumasi, Ghana, 1–6 December 2008.
10
activities provide an important opportunity to foster collaboration among different research and development organizations. In doing so, they are helping to catalyse change in the way that research is carried out at a national level. The courses were developed and led by NRI.
In the SADC, the Focal Institutions have submitted candidates names and areas for technical training and ANAFE is in the process of identifying service providers.
3.Strengthened capacity to meet training demand.
In SADC, ANAFE with assistance from the Focal Institutions has identified national consultants for the task and a Lead Consultant but scheduling of the study has been stalled by the delay in signing the SADC-ANAFE agreement.
4. Management & learning system functional approach for capacity strengthening documented and shared strategically.
M&E and Communications
Despite the impediments imposed by the delay in signing agreements between SADC and FARA, and the continued absence of an agreement between SADC and ANAFE, there was substantial progress towards the achievement of this output. FARA facilitated a planning meeting in Gabo-rone on 25th -27th November, 2008 for the main partner organisations in the SADC sub-region which produced work plans for October 2008 to March 2009 and for October 2008 to June 2010.
During the SADC planning meeting held in Gaborone on 25-27 November 2008 work plans were developed that include some early activities that have short-term milestones. An M&E expert Monica Muratha is backstopping the SADC Focal Person on M&E issues and delivery of SCARDA Output 4. This included the further planning and embedding of M&E through a workshop involving the main partners in the sub-region which was held in Lusaka on 25-28 February 2009. The outputs of the workshop were draft M&E and Communications plans which will be finalised in April 2009.
During the meeting two new innovative activities emerged from the Focal Institutions in Lesotho and Botswana. In both countries the Focal Institutions’ plans included strengthening the capacity of selected partner organisations for Farmer Participatory Research. In Lesotho, smaller propos-als were also developed to support a twinning arrangement with an overseas university and to support an agricultural journal. However, the latter was not supported because it would not have been sustainable after the end of SCARDA funding. Provision was made for the twinning arrangement and Farmer Participatory Research activities in the work plan.
A Lesson Learning Workshop was held in Gaborone on 27-29 January 2009 and this proved to be an extremely useful event. The findings were documented in a detailed report which is being used to guide programme implementation.
11
Institutional analyses teams were formed, composed of staff of the Focal Institutions, NRI and FARA. A methodology and process for conducting Institutional Analyses was developed and tested with staff of the Focal Institutions as the first step in planning institutional capacity strengthening activities. The first round of institutional analyses of 11 Focal Institutions in 9 countries was completed in time for the SCARDA Inaugural Work-shop that was held at the FARA Secretariat from April 28 to 2 May 2008. The analyses reveal the capacity strengths and weaknesses of an institu-tion in all the areas that affect its ability to deliver its mandate for high quality pro-poor agricultural research whether they are in management or in the ability to conduct high quality research. Substantial progress has been made in internalising Institutional Analyses as permanent tools for identifying not only capacity strengthening requirements but also the effectiveness of measures taken to address them.
Institutional analysis is a constant process of organizational and insti-tutional change that will keep the institutions relevant and effective in complex and ever changing external environments. These were facili-tated by experts from NRI but subsequent analyses, reflection and action will be led by the Focal Institutions themselves as they mainstream this approach into their change management process. These initial analyses have been followed up with greater attention to institutional learning and deepening the analyses of key aspects of the challenges facing management to inform the design of management training and M&E throughout the life of SCARDA. By the end of December 2008, Institutional Analyses had been conducted on two occasions in each Focal Institution and development of capacity strengthening plan for agricultural research management initiated in four focal institutions in the CORAF/WECARD sub-region. Mentoring is a vital aspect of SCARDA’s approach to capacity strengthening to firstly support the trainees consolidate and apply the training they have received. Secondly to help ensure that the Focal Institutions’ management and leadership changes their behaviours to be able to make best use of the training that their staff have received collectively and individually.
3. Overall progress on each output
12
Out
puts
OVI
sPr
ogre
ssR
ecom
men
datio
ns/
Com
men
ts
Outp
ut 1
Agric
ultur
al re
sear
ch m
anag
e-m
ent s
yste
ms a
nd
com
pete
ncies
to
cond
uct h
igh
quali
ty re
sear
ch
stren
gthe
ned
in Af
rican
NAR
S.
By M
arch
2008
, eac
h SRO
has a
n ag
ricult
ural
rese
arch
man
agem
ent c
apac
ity
stren
gthen
ing pl
an.
By Ju
ne 20
08 pa
rticipa
ting F
ocal
Institu
tions
have
an IF
of 50
1 in de
velop
ing
actio
n plan
s for
stre
ngthe
ning a
gricu
ltura
l re
sear
ch m
anag
emen
t in re
spon
se to
a pa
rticipa
tory i
nstitu
tiona
l ana
lysis
agre
ed
with
the re
levan
t SRO
.
By S
eptem
ber 2
008,
prov
iders
of ca
pacit
y str
ength
ening
servi
ces h
ave a
gree
d deta
ils2
of CS
inter
venti
ons w
ith F
ocal
Institu
tions
an
d SRO
s.
By Ju
ne 20
09, 1
00%
of F
ocal
Institu
tions
ha
ve im
pleme
nted t
he ca
pacit
y stre
ngthe
n-ing
actio
n plan
s for
agric
ultur
al re
sear
ch
mana
geme
nt.
By Ja
nuar
y 201
0, pa
rticipa
ting F
ocal
Institu
tions
have
an IF
of 90
in at
leas
t thr
ee of
the k
ey ag
ricult
ural
rese
arch
ma
nage
ment
area
s ide
ntifie
d in t
heir a
ction
pla
n.
In the
COR
AF su
b-re
gion,
Servi
ce pr
ovide
rs we
re id
entifi
ed to
de
liver
the fi
rst A
RM w
orks
hop i
n 1-6
th Dec
embe
r, 200
8 and
ca
pacit
y stre
ngthe
ing in
terve
ntion
s had
been
agre
ed w
ith F
Is an
d SRO
s. In
ASAR
ECA,
the s
ervic
e pro
vider
PIC
O Te
am, w
as
selec
ted to
deliv
er ac
tivitie
s to s
treng
then a
gricu
ltura
l rese
arch
ma
nage
ment.
Four
Foc
al ins
titutio
ns ha
ve fin
alise
d the
ir acti
on pl
ans f
or
agric
ultur
al re
sear
ch m
anag
emen
t. Imp
lemen
tation
of th
e plan
for
agric
ultur
al re
sear
ch m
anag
emen
t will
begin
as so
on as
fund
s are
av
ailab
le.
A nu
mber
of th
ese O
VIs h
ave n
ot be
en ac
hieve
d.
Follo
wing
the S
CARD
A mi
d-ter
m re
view,
man
y of th
e OVI
s are
be
ing re
vised
.
It was
agre
ed in
the w
orks
hop
held
in Ac
cra in
Apr
il 200
8 tha
t thi
s ind
icator
wou
ld be
diffic
ult to
me
asur
e. It w
as th
erefo
re dr
oppe
d an
d will
be re
place
d by a
new
indica
tor w
hich w
ill be
finali
zed b
y Ap
ril 20
09.
Due t
o the
unan
ticipa
ted de
lay
in the
star
t of th
e imp
lemen
tation
ph
ase m
any o
f the t
arge
ts we
re
not m
et ag
ainst
the tim
e fra
me se
t in
the O
VIs.
1. IF
= Im
pleme
ntatio
n (o
r Imp
act)
Facto
r der
ived
from
a mult
iple
of %
of F
ocal
Institu
tions
and
the
% to
whic
h the
y hav
e im
pleme
nted
the fa
ctor u
nder
stud
y divi
ded
by 1
00, i.
e., to
tal a
dopti
on w
ould
be in
dicate
d by
an
IF of
100
(1
00*1
00)/1
00. If
half t
he in
stitut
ions a
dopt
to an
aver
age o
f 75%
the I
F wo
uld be
37.5
i.e., (
50*7
5)/10
0 2.
This
could
be m
ost e
ffecti
vely
achie
ved t
hrou
gh a
facilit
ated w
orks
hop p
roce
ss, a
fter F
ocal
Institu
tions
and s
ervic
es pr
ovide
rs ha
ve be
en id
entifi
ed us
ing ag
reed
crite
ria an
d agr
eeme
nts si
gned
betw
een t
hem
and t
he re
spec
tive
SROs
and/o
r FAR
A.
13
Out
puts
OVI
sPr
ogre
ssR
ecom
men
datio
ns/
Com
men
ts
Outp
ut 2
The
capa
city o
f Af
rican
NAR
S to
un d
erta
ke
quali
ty ag
ricul-
tura
l res
earc
h fo
r dev
el opm
ent
susta
inably
str
engt
hene
d.
By Ja
nuar
y 200
8, ea
ch S
RO ha
s a lis
t of
“pre
ferre
d pro
vider
s” for
tech
nical
and
profe
ssion
al ca
pacit
y stre
ngthe
ning a
gree
d wi
th FA
RA.
By Ju
ne 20
08 pa
rticipa
ting F
ocal
Institu
-tio
ns ha
ve an
IF of
75 in
deve
loped
actio
n pla
ns fo
r stre
ngthe
ning p
riority
profe
ssion
al an
d tec
hnica
l com
peten
cies i
n res
pons
e to
an in
stitut
ional
analy
sis.
By Ju
ne 20
09, F
ocal
Institu
tions
have
an
IF of
90 in
imple
menti
ng th
eir ac
tion p
lans
for st
reng
thenin
g prio
rity pr
ofess
ional
and
techn
ical c
ompe
tencie
s.
By Ja
nuar
y 201
0, pa
rticipa
ting F
ocal
Insti-
tution
s hav
e an I
F of
50 in
demo
nstra
ted
appli
catio
n of g
ained
comp
etenc
ies to
their
pr
ioritie
s ide
ntifie
d in t
he ac
tion p
lan.
By Ja
nuar
y 200
9, AS
AREC
A ha
d ide
ntifie
d ser
vice p
rovid
ers
for te
chnic
al an
d pro
fessio
nal c
apac
ity st
reng
thenin
g. Th
ese
orga
nisati
ons w
ill be
contr
acted
by Ju
ne 20
09. C
ORAF
/WEC
ARD
has i
denti
fied s
ome p
rovid
ers b
ut fin
al se
lectio
n has
not y
et be
en
done
.
Seve
nty tw
o can
didate
s sele
cted b
y the
SRO
s hav
e star
ted
MSc t
raini
ng at
17 A
frican
Univ
ersit
ies an
d a fu
rther
four
at th
e Un
iversi
ty of
Gree
nwich
, UK.
The
ir cou
rses w
ere s
electe
d to fi
ll ca
pacit
y gap
s in F
ocal
Institu
tions
and i
n som
e ins
tance
s sate
llite
institu
tions
. It ha
s not
been
poss
ible t
o rea
ch S
CARD
A’s ta
rget
of 30
% fe
male
partic
ipants
beca
use o
f the r
elativ
ely lo
w nu
mber
s of
female
s in t
he st
aff of
the F
ocal
Institu
tions
but th
ere i
s a fe
male
to ma
le ra
tio of
1 in
3 amo
ngst
MSc c
andid
ates.
The M
Sc tr
aining
su
ppor
ted by
SCA
RDA
has p
rovid
ed a
rare
oppo
rtunit
y for
co
mbini
ng in
dividu
al wi
th ins
titutio
nal c
apac
ity st
reng
thenin
g but
this m
ust b
e rein
force
d. In
addit
ion to
the t
echn
ical s
uper
visor
s as
signe
d to s
tuden
ts for
their
rese
arch
wor
k, the
cand
idates
ar
e bein
g ass
igned
supe
rviso
rs an
d/or m
entor
s fro
m the
ir hom
e ins
titutio
ns to
help
them
put th
eir tr
aining
in co
ntext
and p
repa
re
to co
ntribu
te mo
re ef
fectiv
ely on
their
retur
n.
SCAR
DA M
Sc tr
aining
is be
ing co
mplem
ented
with
shor
t term
pr
ofess
ional
and t
echn
ical tr
aining
so th
at the
re w
ill be
the
requ
ired b
alanc
e of s
cienti
sts an
d tec
hnici
ans.
By D
ecem
ber
2008
, sho
rt ter
m tra
ining
in fa
rmer
partic
iparto
ry re
sear
ch w
as
being
plan
ned i
n the
SAD
C su
b-re
gion a
nd tr
aining
in M
&E an
d co
mmun
icatio
n was
being
plan
ned f
or al
l sub
-regio
ns.
Altho
ugh t
he m
ajority
of A
frican
far
mers
are w
omen
ther
e are
co
mpar
ative
ly few
wom
en in
ag
ricult
ural
rese
arch
, dev
elop-
ment,
exten
sion o
f train
ing. T
hat
is als
o tru
e of S
CARD
A’s F
ocal
Institu
tions
mak
ing it
diffic
ult fo
r SC
ARDA
to m
eet it
s tar
get o
f ha
ving 3
0% w
omen
partic
ipants
in
its ac
tivitie
s. In
the C
ORAF
/W
ECAR
D ag
ricult
ural
rese
arch
ma
nage
ment
traini
ng on
ly on
e pa
rticipa
nt ou
t of 2
0 was
a wo
man.
To he
lp co
unter
act th
at in
the
futur
e the
re is
gene
rally
good
pa
rticipa
tion o
f wom
en ca
ndida
tes
in MS
c tra
ining
(33%
for
ASAR
ECA
cand
idates
and a
bout
32%
for c
andid
ates i
n COR
AF /
WEC
ARD)
. Con
tinue
d pro
-acti
ve
meas
ures
will
have
to be
take
n to
incre
ase w
omen
partic
ipatio
n in
other
activ
ities.
14
Out
puts
OVI
sPr
ogre
ssR
ecom
men
datio
ns/
Com
men
ts
Outp
ut 3
Terti
ary a
gricu
l-tu
ral te
achin
g an
d tra
ining
insti
tutio
ns
empo
were
d to
m
atch
the
capa
city
build
ing th
ey o
ffer
to ch
angin
g m
arke
t dem
ands
.
Findin
gs of
rece
nt re
levan
t stud
ies an
d re
maini
ng ga
ps id
entifi
ed an
d pro
pose
d me
thodo
logy f
or st
udy d
evelo
ped b
y Feb
20
08.
Outst
andin
g gap
s in c
ompe
tence
of
agric
ultur
al gr
adua
tes in
resp
ect to
the
emplo
ymen
t mar
ket id
entifi
ed by
June
20
08.
Analy
sis of
futur
e dem
and s
hare
d with
key
stake
holde
rs an
d way
forw
ard a
gree
d by
Sept
2008
.
As a
step t
owar
ds en
surin
g tha
t ther
e will
be th
e righ
t type
and
quali
ty of
grad
uates
comi
ng ou
t of th
e univ
ersit
ies S
CARD
A is
supp
ortin
g stud
ies of
grad
uates
in em
ploym
ent a
cross
the
agric
ultur
al va
lue ch
ains.
That
will p
rovid
e info
rmati
on th
at the
un
iversi
ties c
an us
e in r
eform
ing an
d upd
ating
their
curri
cula.
The d
eman
d stud
ies ha
ve no
t yet
been
imple
mente
d but
they w
ill be
gin in
ASA
RECA
in A
pril 2
009.
Stud
ies in
COR
AF an
d SAD
C ar
e exp
ected
to be
gin in
June
and J
uly 20
09.
The T
erms
of R
efere
nce f
or th
e con
sulta
ncy a
nd m
ethod
ology
for
these
stud
ies is
to be
shar
ed ac
ross
sub-
regio
ns w
hislt m
aintai
n-ing
sub-
regio
nal d
iversi
ty.
Outp
ut 4
SCAR
DA a
p-pr
oach
for c
apac
ity
stren
gthe
ning
is do
cum
ente
d,
valid
ated
with
, an
d ow
ned
by ke
y sta
keho
lders
SCAR
DA co
ordin
ators
(regio
nal a
nd
sub-
regio
nal) r
ecru
ited a
nd in
offic
e by
Janu
ary 2
008.
The H
ead c
ontra
ct for
prog
ramm
e imp
lemen
tation
was
sign
ed
betw
een D
FID
and F
ARA
on 6th F
ebru
ary,
2008
. Sub
-contr
acts
betw
een C
ORAF
, ASA
RECA
and S
ADC
were
sign
ed on
30
th Mar
ch, 2
008;
10th Ju
ne, 2
008 a
nd 17
th Octo
ber, 2
008,
resp
ectiv
ely. S
RO-L
SP co
ntrac
ts for
COR
AF, a
nd A
SARE
CA
were
sign
ed on
23rd Ju
ly, 20
08 an
d 14th M
ay, 2
009,
resp
ectiv
ely.
An M
OU be
twee
n ANA
FE an
d RUF
ORUM
has b
een s
igned
by
the re
spec
tive B
oard
s of A
NAFE
and A
SARE
CA to
supp
ort th
eir
colla
bora
tive a
ctivit
ies. A
majo
r artic
le of
the M
OU st
ipulat
es th
at RU
FORU
M is
LSP
in AS
AREC
A su
b-re
gion a
nd A
NAFE
the L
SP
in SA
DC su
b-re
gion.
Thus
ANA
FE w
ill ba
cksto
p RUF
ORUM
in th
e im
pleme
ntatio
n of S
CARD
A-AS
AREC
A an
d sim
ilarly
, RUF
ORUM
wi
ll bac
kstop
ANA
FE in
SAD
C.
The fi
rst co
mmitte
d fun
ds fo
r pro
gram
me im
pleme
ntatio
n was
re
ceive
d fro
m DF
ID on
31st M
arch
2008
as re
imbu
rseme
nt of
FARA
coor
dinati
on an
d NRI
activ
ities.
15
Out
puts
OVI
sPr
ogre
ssR
ecom
men
datio
ns/
Com
men
ts
The r
ecru
itmen
t pro
cess
es to
ok a
long t
ime t
o fill t
he S
CARD
A va
canc
ies. T
he su
bstan
tive F
ARA
SCAR
DA P
rogr
amme
Of
ficer,
Dr. I
rene
Ann
or-F
remp
ong,
assu
med d
uty on
the 1
st of
Septe
mber,
2008
. The
subs
tantiv
e ASA
RECA
SCA
RDA
Foca
l Pe
rson a
ssum
ed du
ty in
Febr
uary
2009
but C
ORAF
/WEC
ARD
and S
ADC-
FANR
still
depe
nd on
cons
ultan
ts ac
ting a
s SCA
RDA
Foca
l Per
sons
(plea
se se
e Ann
ex 4
for S
CARD
A pe
rsonn
el an
d offi
cers
in ch
arge
).
ASAR
ECA
deve
loped
a pr
ogra
mme m
anag
emen
t team
co
mpris
ing re
pres
entat
ives f
rom
imple
menti
ng pa
rtner
s at th
e su
b-re
giona
l leve
l (SRO
, LSP
, Foc
al Ins
titutio
ns an
d NRI
). Fo
llow-
ing th
e suc
cess
of th
is mo
del, S
ADC
and m
ore r
ecen
tly C
ORAF
/W
ECAR
D su
b-re
gions
have
form
ed S
CARD
A Pr
ogra
mme
Mana
geme
nt Te
ams.
A Pr
ogra
mme-
Wide
Man
agem
ent T
eam
will
be es
tablis
hed i
n Apr
il 200
9.
Stra
tegy a
nd de
tailed
plan
for d
ocum
enta-
tion a
nd le
sson
lear
ning a
gree
d at F
ARA
and S
RO le
vels
by M
arch
2008
.
Docu
menta
tion o
f SCA
RDA
proc
ess
The i
mpor
tance
of go
od qu
ality
docu
menta
tion h
as co
nsist
ently
em
erge
d as a
key i
ssue
for S
CARD
A, pa
rticula
rly at
FARA
and
SRO
levels
. In th
e ASA
RECA
sub-
regio
n the
foca
l insti
tution
s ha
ve ag
reed
to de
signa
te ind
ividu
als w
ith re
spon
sibilit
y for
do
cume
ntatio
n in t
heir i
nstitu
tions
. It ha
s also
been
agre
ed to
pr
ovide
tech
nical
expe
rtise t
o fac
ilitate
and i
nitiat
e the
proc
ess o
f do
cume
ntatio
n at th
e Foc
al Ins
titutio
n lev
el. S
CARD
A wi
ll sup
port
the tr
aining
of da
ta ma
nage
rs at
techn
ician
leve
l or e
xper
tise
will b
e outs
ource
d whe
n nee
ded t
o imp
rove
the d
ocum
entat
ion
proc
ess.
Upon
the r
eque
st of
ASAR
ECA,
NRI
deve
loped
a do
cume
nt on
SCA
RDA
Less
on le
arnin
g whic
h was
shar
ed w
ith
other
SRO
s.
16
Out
puts
OVI
sPr
ogre
ssR
ecom
men
datio
ns/
Com
men
ts
M&E
and r
epor
ting s
ystem
for S
CARD
A at
FARA
and S
RO le
vels
is op
erati
onal
by
June
2008
.
Monit
oring
and E
valua
tion
Imple
menta
tion o
f the M
& E
syste
m ha
s bee
n con
strain
ed by
sta
ffing o
f FAR
A an
d still
rema
ins a
chall
enge
. Dr. B
ocar
Diag
ana
took u
p the
posti
on of
M&E
spec
ialist
at FA
RA in
Octo
ber, 2
008
but w
ill be
leav
ing in
Apr
il 200
9. W
ith hi
s une
xpec
ted de
partu
re,
NRI h
as be
en as
ked t
o imp
lemen
t the F
ARA
level
M&E
activ
ities
and w
ork w
ith th
e SRO
s and
Foc
al Ins
titutio
ns to
harm
onise
their
M&
E str
ategie
s at a
ll lev
els.
A dr
aft P
erfor
manc
e Man
agem
ent P
lan th
at inc
orpo
rates
M&
E wa
s com
pleted
in Ja
nuar
y 200
9. SC
ARDA
’s M&
E mu
st be
fitted
into
over
all sy
stems
whic
h diffe
r betw
een t
he S
ROs
and i
ntegr
ated i
nto le
arnin
g pro
cess
es th
at ar
e link
ed to
the
Prog
ramm
e’s pl
annin
g, de
cision
-mak
ing an
d pro
gres
s rep
ortin
g sy
stems
.
A re
portin
g sys
tem w
as de
velop
ed fo
r all l
evels
of re
portin
g in
Augu
st 20
08. F
urthe
r effo
rts ar
e nee
ded t
o ens
ure t
hat p
artne
rs str
ictly
follow
the r
epor
ting g
uideli
nes.
The p
rogr
amme
partn
ers’
M&E
capa
cities
may
need
to be
str
ength
ened
to bu
ild in
lear
ning a
nd re
flecti
on to
captu
re
emer
ging l
esso
ns w
ith cl
ear li
nks w
ith S
CARD
A’s co
mmun
icatio
n ac
tivitie
s at a
ll lev
els. T
his w
ill be
take
n up i
n disc
ussio
ns on
Pr
ogra
mme-
wide
M&E
, Com
munic
ation
s and
Lear
ning i
ssue
s du
ring t
he P
rogr
amme
wide
Stra
tegies
and L
earn
ing w
orks
hop i
n Ap
ril 20
09.
17
Out
puts
OVI
sPr
ogre
ssR
ecom
men
datio
ns/
Com
men
ts
Know
ledge
shar
ing pl
atfor
ms at
FARA
and
SRO
levels
estab
lishe
d and
oper
ation
al by
Ju
ne 20
08.
Comm
unica
tions
Good
comm
unica
tions
with
stak
ehold
ers i
s ess
entia
l to va
lidati
ng
SCAR
DA an
d ens
uring
owne
rship
by ke
y stak
ehold
ers.
To th
at en
d, FA
RA or
ganis
ed a
side-
meeti
ng on
comm
unica
tions
durin
g the
agric
ultur
al re
sear
ch m
anag
emen
t wor
ksho
p in K
umas
i in
1st - 3rd
Dec
embe
r, 200
8 at w
hich a
draft
FARA
SCA
RDA
com-
munic
ation
s plan
was
deve
loped
(Ann
ex 3)
. This
serve
d as t
he
initia
l step
towa
rds h
armo
nisati
on of
SCA
RDA
comm
unica
tions
at
SRO
and F
ocal
Institu
tion l
evels
.
SCAR
DA N
ewsle
tter
The fi
rst ed
ition o
f the F
ARA
level
prog
ramm
e-wi
de ne
wslet
ter
‘SCA
RDA
Outc
omes
’ has
been
prod
uced
. NRI
has p
rodu
ced t
wo
editio
ns of
an N
RI S
CARD
A Ne
wslet
ter. A
SARE
CA ha
s SCA
RDA
news
letter
s pos
ted on
the R
UFOR
M we
bsite
and C
ORAF
has a
se
ction
in th
e COR
AF ne
wslet
ter de
dicate
d to n
ews o
n SCA
RDA.
Elec
troni
c plat
form
(SCA
RDA
Web
site)
and
grou
p-m
ail
The D
-gro
ups p
latfor
m is
oper
ation
al. T
he m
embe
rship
of the
D-
grou
ps ha
s bee
n exte
nded
to in
clude
one r
epre
senta
tive e
ach
from
all im
pleme
nting
partn
ers.
Docu
ments
have
been
poste
d on
the F
ARA
web s
ite w
ww.fa
ra-a
frica.o
rg in
a se
ction
dedic
ated
to SC
ARDA
. The
docu
ments
avail
able
on th
e FAR
A we
bsite
an
d on t
he S
CARD
A D-
Grou
ps in
clude
the f
ull ra
nge o
f rep
orts
and p
rogr
amme
-wide
stra
tegies
. The
new
sear
ch en
gine h
ttp://
Melzo
o.com
prov
ides r
apid
acce
ss to
SCA
RDA
docu
ments
.
18
Out
puts
OVI
sPr
ogre
ssR
ecom
men
datio
ns/
Com
men
ts
First
revie
w an
d ana
lysis
of lea
rning
at
SRO
and F
ARA
levels
unde
rtake
n by
Janu
ary 2
009.
SADC
-FAN
R, he
ld a L
earn
ing P
latfor
m wo
rksho
p in G
abor
one f
rom
27-2
9 Jan
uary
2009
for p
artne
rs inv
olved
in th
e SAD
C-SC
ARDA
pr
ogra
mme t
o sha
re le
sson
s lea
rnt, a
chiev
emen
ts, an
d cha
lleng
es
on th
e imp
lemen
tation
of th
e SCA
RDA
prog
ramm
e as w
ell as
de
velop
mitig
ation
stra
tegies
to ad
dres
s ide
ntifie
d cha
lleng
es.
It was
reco
mmen
ded t
hat a
t futur
e Lea
rning
Plat
form
meeti
ngs
adeq
uate
time b
e allo
cated
to th
e find
ings o
f the I
nstitu
tiona
l An
alyse
s to a
llow
Foca
l Insti
tution
s to i
nform
their
partn
ers a
nd
satel
lite in
stitut
ions a
bout
SCAR
DA an
d con
sult t
hem
on th
eir
capa
city s
treng
thenin
g nee
ds. T
his w
as co
nsist
ent w
ith S
CARD
A be
ing ab
out s
treng
thenin
g mult
i-stak
ehold
er pa
rtner
ships
to
ensu
re th
at the
outco
mes o
f the p
rogr
amme
lead
to st
rong
er
NARS
and n
ation
al ag
ricult
ural
innov
ation
syste
ms.
In AS
AREC
A, le
sson
lear
ning i
s par
t of th
e Pro
gram
me M
anag
e-me
nt Te
am m
eetin
gs.
The M
onito
ring,
Evalu
ation
and L
earn
ing W
orks
hop h
eld in
Ba
mako
on 30
th Mar
ch to
2nd A
pril i
nclud
ed a
full d
ay on
the
prep
arati
on of
a CO
RAF/
WEC
ARD
plan f
or le
sson
lear
ning a
nd
docu
menta
tion.
This
will b
e use
d as a
n inp
ut to
the de
velop
ment
of a d
raft c
ommu
nicati
ons p
lan w
hich w
ill be
deve
loped
by
CORA
F/W
ECAR
D sta
ff and
NRI
’s Cz
ech C
onro
y in D
akar
on
16-1
7 Apr
il 200
9. Inp
ut fr
om th
e Foc
al Ins
titutio
ns in
COR
AF/
WEC
ARD
will b
e mad
e at th
e Reg
ional
Prog
ramm
e Wide
St
rateg
ies an
d Lea
rning
Wor
ksho
p in A
ccra
and t
he pl
an w
ill be
fin
alise
d by t
he en
d of th
at me
eting
.
Seco
nd re
view
of lea
rning
unde
rtake
n an
d stra
tegy f
or sc
aling
up de
velop
ed by
Oc
tober
2009
.Le
sson
s and
best
prac
tices
docu
-me
nted a
ppro
priat
ely an
d sha
red w
ith ke
y sta
keho
lders
by Ja
nuar
y 201
0.
19
Working with Partners
Excellent working relationships have been developed and maintained between partner organisations in SCARDA. These relationships build on the good rapport and trust that was established during the inception phase and throughout the year.
On several occasions, NRI staff have responded to requests for inputs at short notice with consistently high levels of commitment and willing-ness to be flexible. An important lesson for the future is to improve the planning of capacity strengthening activities so that resource persons and participants have adequate time to prepare for them. This will enhance the effectiveness of these activities and improve the learning experience for the participants.
In the ASARECA sub-region, the roles and responsibilities of ASARECA and RUFORUM have been well articulated and the establishment of a programme monitoring team has streamlined decision-making and facilitated interaction among the partner organisations. In CORAF/WECARD and SADC, the absence of agreements with the Lead Service Providers has meant that the SROs have had to accept more responsibility in planning and running capacity strengthening events. This has placed a heavy burden on the Focal Persons at the Focal Insti-tutions, especially where the capacity of the SRO Secretariat is itself limited. The recently established Programme Management Teams in SADC and CORAF/WECARD should improve programme manage-ment and communication.
Implementation of capacity strengthening activities
Reflection on the process and outcomes of the rapid Institutional Analyses carried out in November and December 2007 helped to shape the revised methodology for institutional analyses. An important lesson was to place less emphasis on ‘expert’ analysis and give more prominence to the role of the teams in facilitating enquiry and planning
4. Lessons learnt
20
by both management and staff in the Focal Institutions. It was found that, in view of the relative day to day autonomy of professionals working in research and academic organisations, there is a need for Management to lead and facilitate change, rather than to direct it. The revised methodology also includes a more targeted approach to engaging with external stakeholders during analyses and planning. One consequence of this is a greater focus on intermediaries rather than “end-users” such as farmers’ organizations.
The analyses interaction with policy makers found that there were sometimes quite difficult relationships between national agricultural research organizations and their line ministries. In some countries ministries of agriculture considered that research was making little contribution to national agricultural development. This indicated that national agricultural research organi-zations need to be able to communicate more effectively with policy makers and to provide them evidence of the high returns to investment in agricultural research for development. They also need to establish clear impact pathways for their research programmes and to be better at documenting the beneficial outcomes of their research.
The participants in the first training workshop in agricultural research management held in Kumasi rated it a success. There was strong ‘buy-in’ from the Focal Institutions both in terms of representation and the commitment of the participants. Several lessons were learned which will be of use to ASARECA and SADC in designing their training workshop in agricultural research management:
• The importance of involving the host Focal Institution fully in the planning and execution of the workshop
• Service providers need sufficient time to absorb the resource material and the more general information about SCARDA before the pre-workshop meeting
• More effort is needed to ensure an appropriate gender balance (only one of the twenty par-ticipants was a woman and the facilitators and service providers were all men)
• Interactive group activities should be more effectively integrated into the workshop sessions which relied heavily on presentations and guided discussions
• Fewer modules should be delivered in a one-week programme: 4-5 rather than 8• Process documentation is essential if maximum value is to be obtained and appropriate
human resources need to be allocated to this• The concept of Participants Action Plans was accepted by participants, but was perhaps not
fully understood. Greater efforts need to be made to explaining the purpose of Participant Action Plans and how they should be implemented. How participants will be supported in the development of their Participant Action Plans has not been clearly defined
Programme management and institutional arrangments
The Programme Management Team established in ASARECA offers good potential to act as a sub-regional learning platform, provided adequate time is allocated for discussing lessons learnt during its meetings. Similar models have been adopted for the CORAF and SADC sub-regions. A programme wide managemennt team has now been inaugurated.
In the selection process for Lead Service Providers, it is uncertain what trade-offs were made between the competences of candidate organisations in SCARDA related subject matters and their competences in the identification and evaluation of service providers. Geographical limitations may also have been under estimated in evaluating the potential of the Lead Service Providers to
21
serve SCARDA purposes. In reviewing the functioning of the Lead Service Providers’ consid-eration in future programmes should be given to options for strengthening the capacities of the Lead Service Providers themselves as an integral capacity strengthening activity.
Communication
Communication among the main partner organisations has been generally good. In particular, communication between FARA and NRI has been efficient and has enabled the two organisa-tions to work together very effectively. One-on-one communication with staff in other partner organisations has also been good.
The experience in implementing SCARDA has demonstrated the importance of effective com-munication between the partners. It is crucial that reports are shared among partners, as freely as possible but with respect to the confidentiality of specifically institutional information gathered during discussions with individual focal institutions. The partners have to be pro-active in sharing information because SCARDA is a complex programme with many partner organiza-tions operating at regional, sub-regional and national levels to ensure that they all have access to appropriate information and are included in the decision making processes. Differences between the SROs, in terms of their procedures, aspects of their institutional development, and working languages will continue to influence the way that FARA manages its relationship and applies the subsidiarity principle. For example, care must be taken not to try to over-standardise the way that SCARDA will operate because that could stifle innovation and slow down progress. Provided that there is careful documentation of SCARDA’s processes the different approaches in programme management and decision making will provide a unique opportunity to evaluate alternative approaches and share best practices.
The D-group website was available but it was not well used. This is an important issue which will be addressed in the preparation for the forthcoming Regional Programme Wide Strategies and Learning Workshop in Accra. It is hoped that, with the interest in common interest groups, where partners can engage in the issues that specifically interest them usage and interactions will improve.
External communication with organizations and individuals interested in agricultural research for development has been quite limited. The main means of external communication has been through presentations on SCARDA by FARA Secretariat staff at regional and international meet-ings. The newsletter which was launched in March 2009 will improve external communication provided that adequate time is spent by actors in the collaborating institutions in preparing issues on a regular basis and the content is made informative and interesting. Another priority for the coming year is to enhance the programme web site.
Monitoring and Evaluation
SCARDA has a complicated programme structure and operates at several organizational and geographical levels. The Programme seeks to develop and promote new ways of capacity strengthening and to do this within a learning environment. This means that SCARDA’s moni-toring and evaluation is a multi-faceted and complex activity. Since there are few comparative examples of good practice in M&E in initiatives like SCARDA the M&E system will have to evolve during programme implementation. This presents an additional challenge to the limited M&E capacity of SCARDA partners. Furthermore, organisational learning is a concept that is quite new for most of the participating organisations so it will take time to foster effective learn-ing environments and further support will be needed to support the Focal Institutions to develop their approaches to learning to review progress and inform future action.
22
The experience of developing M&E plans in the sub-regions has shown that M&E tends to be viewed as a separate activity in operational planning but it should be an integral part of operational planning to help set the parameters for the plan and specify ways in which progress can be monitored. Priority will now be given to finalizing the M&E system and establishing the baselines for the new progress indicators.
Another consequence of the delay in the development of M&E plans in the programme is that inadequate attention has been given to the way in which monitoring data will be collected and collated and the resources that are needed to support this. It is important that the Focal Institutions make adequate provision for this. However, they can benefit from the time and effort put into designing the SCARDA Performance Management Plan to guide them and they have benefitted from the training in M&E and Learning provided as initial SCARDA activities.
Good Practice/Innovation in Capacity Strengthening
SCARDA has developed an innovative approach to capacity strengthening but whether it suc-ceeds depends, to a large extent, on the effectiveness with which it is implemented. Some of the capacity strengthening activities, such as the MSc training, appear to be very conventional. If these are not properly guided by deliberate change management processes they may only make a limited contribution to institutional, as opposed to individual, capacity strengthening. The added value of the SCARDA approach is that the students have been selected based on their expected future contributions to priority programmes of their Focal Institutions. However, this in itself is not sufficient to guarantee benefits for the Focal Institutions and efforts have been made to ensure that students are properly equipped with a wider set of skills that will help them to operate more effectively in multi-disciplinary and multi-institutional teams. RUFORUM has led the way in this endeavour by ensuring that the MSc students in ASARECA receive training in areas such as proposal writing and systems skills.
One of the most innovative features of SCARDA is the approach to capacity strengthening in agricultural research management which is now seen as the entry point for institutional change management. The approach that has been developed comes from the recognition that short-term training in specific areas of management will have limited impact unless it is anchored in a broader process of organisational and institutional change. Supporting key staff within the Focal Institutions to embrace change and to identify priority areas where beneficial change can take place is an important first step which SCARDA has facilitated.
The main instruments for implementing change are the Participant Action Plans. The develop-ment of these plans ensures that the capacity strengthening inputs meet the priority needs of the Focal Institutions, whilst enabling them to take ownership of the change process. The experience in CORAF suggests that there is good potential for the implementation of the Participant Action Plans to enhance the performance of the Focal Institutions. Crucially, the Participant Action Plans are embedded in the core strategic and operational plans of the Focal Institutions rather than being ‘additional’ activities which could be easily sidelined due to lack of time or financial resources.
23
5. Priorities and milestones for the next 12 monthsPlease see details of priorities and milestones for the next 12 months in the revised SCARDA Plan of Action to 2010 submitted to DFID on 18th May, 2009.
6. AnnexesAnnex 1 : SCARDA Logical Framework
Annex 2. Financial summary for the programme’s year
Annex 3. SCARDA Communication Plan
Annex 4. SCARDA Personnel and officers in charge
24
Annex 1 : SCARDA Logical Framework
NARRATIVE SUMMARY
INDICATORS OF ACHIEVEMENT
MEANS OF VERIFICATION
RISKS AND ASSUMPTIONS
GOAL
Poverty is sustainably reduced in sub-Saharan Africa.
These will be derived from relevant higher level indicators ( e.g. MD Goal 1 for poverty and hunger and Goal 7 for environmental sustainability)
- Government statistics
- FAO, World Bank, ADB and Economic Commission for Africa statistics and reports
- ECOWAS , ECCAS, SADC, COMESA, IGAD and other regional organization reports
- UN COM-TRADE statistics and reports
- UNEP statistics and reports
- National and international context enables benefits (at this level)
- Political stability adequate
- National and interna-tional stakeholders and partners cooperate within current and future frameworks to enable benefits
PURPOSE
To strengthen the institutional and human capac-ity of African agricultural research and development systems to identify, generate and deliver research outputs that meet the needs of poor people.
• 70 % of key stakeholders of Focal Institutions express satisfaction and noticeable improvement in the delivery and relevance of research services by 2010.
• 25% increase in value of competitive and other funding secured by Focal Institutions by 2010.
• 30% increased collabora-tive participation of relevant stakeholder partners in pro-poor agricultural research initiatives by 2010.
• 100% of Focal Institutions evidence specific measures to mainstream gender, HIV/AIDs, pro-poor and other social inclusion issues at both internal policy and implementation levels.
• Programme evaluation reports (including stakeholder surveys).
• Annual reports of SROs, target institutions, and capacity strengthening providers.
• Levels of National investment in African Agricultural Research are sustained along with commitments to increase these.
• Steps to prevent and mitigate the specific effects of HIV-AIDS, malaria and tuberculo-sis on human capacity continue and improve.
• Regional mechanisms for sharing relevant knowledge and prod-ucts are sustained and continue to improve.
25
OU
TPU
TSIN
DIC
ATO
RS
OF
AC
HIE
VEM
ENT
MEA
NS
OF
VER
IFIC
ATIO
NR
ISK
S A
ND
ASS
UM
PTIO
NS
Outp
ut 1:
Ag
ricult
ural
rese
arch
ma
nage
ment
syste
ms an
d man
a-ge
rial c
ompe
tencie
s to
cond
uct h
igh
quali
ty re
sear
ch
stren
gthen
ed in
Af
rican
NAR
S.
By M
arch
2008
each
SRO
has a
n agr
icultu
ral re
sear
ch m
anag
emen
t ca
pacit
y stre
ngthe
ning p
lan.
By Ju
ne 20
08 pa
rticipa
ting F
ocal
Institu
tions
have
an IF
of 50
3 in
deve
loping
actio
n plan
s for
stre
ngthe
ning a
gricu
ltura
l rese
arch
ma
nage
ment
in re
spon
se to
a pa
rticipa
tory i
nstitu
tiona
l ana
lysis
agre
ed
with
the re
levan
t SRO
.
By S
eptem
ber 2
008,
prov
iders
of ca
pacit
y stre
ngthe
ning s
ervic
es ha
ve
agre
ed de
tails4
of C
S int
erve
ntion
s with
Foc
al Ins
titutio
ns an
d SRO
s.
By Ju
ne 20
09, 1
00%
of F
ocal
Institu
tions
have
imple
mente
d the
capa
c-ity
stre
ngthe
ning a
ction
plan
s for
agric
ultur
al re
sear
ch m
anag
emen
t.
By Ja
nuar
y 201
0, pa
rticipa
ting F
ocal
Institu
tions
have
an IF
of 90
in at
lea
st thr
ee of
the k
ey ag
ricult
ural
rese
arch
man
agem
ent a
reas
iden
tified
in
their a
ction
plan
.
• Fo
cal In
stitut
ions’
CS
plans
• CS
Ser
vice p
rovid
er
prog
ress
repo
rts
• CS
plan
ning w
orks
hop
repo
rts
• Fo
cal In
stitut
ions’
annu
al re
ports
• SR
O qu
arter
ly an
d ann
ual
repo
rts
• FA
RA qu
arter
ly an
d an
nual
repo
rts
• Se
nior m
anag
ers i
n tar
get in
stitu-
tions
activ
ely su
ppor
t an i
ntern
al ch
ange
man
agem
ent p
roce
ss5,
• Pr
ovide
rs of
capa
city s
treng
thenin
g se
rvice
s agr
ee to
oper
ate in
a co
llabo
rativ
e mod
e sha
ring t
raini
ng
mater
ials a
nd ex
perie
nces
to
gene
rate
regio
nal p
ublic
good
s6.
• IT
infra
struc
ture,
and c
ommu
nica-
tions
in pa
rticipa
ting o
rgan
isatio
ns
conti
nue t
o fun
ction
and i
mpro
ve.
Outp
ut 2:
The
ca
pacit
y of A
frican
NA
RS to
unde
rtake
qu
ality
agric
ultur
al re
sear
ch fo
r dev
elop-
ment
susta
inably
str
ength
ened
By Ja
nuar
y 200
8, ea
ch S
RO ha
s a lis
t of “
prefe
rred p
rovid
ers”
for
techn
ical a
nd pr
ofess
ional
capa
city s
treng
thenin
g agr
eed w
ith FA
RA.
By Ju
ne 20
08 pa
rticipa
ting F
ocal
Institu
tions
have
an IF
of 75
in
deve
loped
actio
n plan
s for
stre
ngthe
ning p
riority
profe
ssion
al an
d tec
hnica
l com
peten
cies i
n res
pons
e to a
n ins
titutio
nal a
nalys
is.
By Ju
ne 20
09, F
ocal
Institu
tions
have
an IF
of 90
in im
pleme
nting
the
ir acti
on pl
ans f
or st
reng
thenin
g prio
rity pr
ofess
ional
and t
echn
ical
comp
etenc
ies.
• NA
RS an
nual
repo
rts
• SR
O an
nual
repo
rts
• Op
erati
ng U
nit an
nual
repo
rts
• FA
RA an
nual
repo
rts
• Se
rvice
prov
ider r
epor
ts
• Pr
ovide
rs of
capa
city s
treng
thenin
g se
rvice
s agr
ee to
oper
ate in
a co
llabo
rativ
e mod
e sha
ring t
raini
ng
mater
ials a
nd ex
perie
nces
to
gene
rate
regio
nal p
ublic
good
s.
• IT
infra
struc
ture,
and c
ommu
nica-
tions
in pa
rticipa
ting i
nstitu
tions
co
ntinu
e to f
uncti
on an
d imp
rove
.
3. IF
= Im
plem
enta
tion
(or I
mpa
ct) F
acto
r der
ived
from
a m
ultip
le o
f % o
f Foc
al In
stitu
tions
and
the
% to
whi
ch th
ey h
ave
impl
emen
ted
the
fact
or u
nder
stu
dy d
ivid
ed b
y 10
0, i.
e., t
otal
ado
ptio
n w
ould
be
indi
cate
d by
an
IF o
f 100
(100
*100
)/100
. If h
alf t
he in
stitu
tions
ado
pt to
an
aver
age
of 7
5% th
e IF
wou
ld b
e 37
.5 i.
e., (
50*7
5)/1
00
4. Th
is c
ould
be
mos
t effe
ctiv
ely
achi
eved
thro
ugh
a fa
cilit
ated
wor
ksho
p pr
oces
s, af
ter F
ocal
Inst
itutio
ns a
nd se
rvic
es p
rovi
ders
hav
e be
en id
entifi
ed u
sing
agr
eed
crite
ria a
nd a
gree
men
ts si
gned
bet
wee
n th
em
and
the
resp
ectiv
e SR
Os a
nd/o
r FA
RA
.
5. Th
is w
ould
cul
tivat
ed th
roug
h a
two
way
dia
logu
e w
hich
, if w
ell c
ondu
cted
ena
blin
g m
utua
l tru
st to
dev
elop
, wou
ld re
sult
in th
e re
leva
nt m
anag
ers/
deci
sion
mak
ers s
igni
ng a
n ag
reem
ent o
f coo
pera
tion.
6. Th
is w
ould
be
unde
rpin
ned
by a
gree
men
ts b
etw
een
the
CS
serv
ice
prov
ider
s an
d SR
Os
and/
or F
AR
A w
hich
incl
ude
the
para
met
ers
for d
efini
ng “
owne
rshi
p” o
f the
trai
ning
pro
duct
s an
d “g
ood
prac
tice
less
ons”
dev
elop
ed.
26
OU
TPU
TSIN
DIC
ATO
RS
OF
AC
HIE
VEM
ENT
MEA
NS
OF
VER
IFIC
ATIO
NR
ISK
S A
ND
ASS
UM
PTIO
NS
By Ja
nuar
y 201
0, pa
rticipa
ting F
ocal
Institu
tions
have
an IF
of 50
in
demo
nstra
ted ap
plica
tion o
f gain
ed co
mpete
ncies
to th
eir pr
ioritie
s ide
ntifie
d in t
he ac
tion p
lan.
• Pa
rticipa
ting i
nstitu
tions
conti
nue
to ha
ve co
nditio
ns re
quire
d for
ap
plica
tion o
f CS
activ
ities a
gree
d in
their C
S pla
ns.
Outp
ut 3:
Tertia
ry ag
ricult
ural
educ
ation
an
d tra
ining
insti
tu-tio
ns em
powe
red
to ma
tch ca
pac-
ity bu
ilding
offer
to
chan
ging m
arke
t de
mand
.
Findin
gs of
rece
nt re
levan
t stud
ies an
d rem
aining
gaps
iden
tified
and
prop
osed
meth
odolo
gy fo
r stud
y dev
elope
d by F
eb 20
08.
Outst
andin
g gap
s in c
ompe
tence
of ag
ricult
ural
grad
uates
in re
spec
t to
the em
ploym
ent m
arke
t iden
tified
by Ju
ne 20
08.
Analy
sis of
futur
e dem
and s
hare
d with
key s
takeh
older
s and
way
for
ward
agre
ed by
Sep
t 200
8.
• Re
view
of ex
isting
stud
ies,
• SC
ARDA
“Tra
cer s
tudy”
repo
rt/s
• W
orks
hop p
rese
ntatio
n/s
& re
lated
repo
rts
• Inv
olvem
ent o
f dec
ision
-mak
ers i
n the
targ
et ins
titutio
ns in
stud
y des
ign
and a
gree
ment
to ac
t on fi
nding
s is
secu
red.
• Ot
her t
raini
ng or
ganiz
ation
s will
acce
pt re
levan
ce of
findin
gs fo
r the
ir cu
rricu
lum re
view
proc
ess.
Outp
ut 4:
SCA
RDA
appr
oach
for
capa
city s
treng
then-
ing is
docu
mente
d, va
lidate
d with
, an
d own
ed by
key
stake
holde
rs.
SCAR
DA co
ordin
ators
(regio
nal a
nd su
b-re
giona
l) rec
ruite
d and
in of
fice
by Ja
nuar
y 200
8.
Stra
tegy a
nd de
tailed
plan
for d
ocum
entat
ion an
d les
son l
earn
ing
agre
ed at
FARA
and S
RO le
vels
by M
arch
2008
.
M&E
and r
epor
ting s
ystem
for S
CARD
A at
FARA
and S
RO le
vels
is op
erati
onal
by Ju
ne 20
08.
Know
ledge
shar
ing pl
atfor
ms at
FARA
and S
RO le
vels
estab
lishe
d and
op
erati
onal
by Ju
ne 20
08.
First
revie
w an
d ana
lysis
of lea
rning
at S
RO an
d FAR
A lev
els un
der-
taken
by Ja
nuar
y 200
9.
Seco
nd re
view
of lea
rning
unde
rtake
n and
stra
tegy f
or sc
aling
up
deve
loped
by O
ctobe
r 200
9.
Less
ons a
nd be
st pr
actic
es do
cume
nted a
ppro
priat
ely an
d sha
red w
ith
key s
takeh
older
s by J
anua
ry 20
10.
• FA
RA qu
arter
ly an
d an
nual
repo
rts
• SR
O qu
arter
ly an
d ann
ual
repo
rts
• Se
rvice
prov
ider r
epor
ts
• Le
arnin
g wor
ksho
p re
ports
• W
ebsit
e and
e-gr
oups
us
age r
epor
ts,
• St
rateg
y doc
umen
t on
up- s
calin
g,
• Ca
se st
udies
and “
polic
y br
iefs”.
• Ex
isting
elec
tronic
infor
matio
n sh
aring
platf
orms
and s
uppo
rt pr
ogra
mmes
in FA
RA an
d SRO
s are
ma
intain
ed an
d con
tinue
to im
prov
e.
• Ta
rget
Institu
tions
have
basic
ac
cess
to in
terne
t ser
vices
.
• Co
ntinu
ity of
invo
lveme
nt by
key
mana
gers
and p
rofes
siona
ls in
the ta
rget
and s
ervic
e pro
viding
ins
titutio
ns.
27
AC
TIVI
TIES
MIL
ESTO
NES
RIS
K M
ITIG
ATIO
N S
TRAT
EGIE
S
Outp
ut1:
Agr
icultu
ral r
esea
rch
man
agem
ent s
yste
ms
and
com
pete
ncies
to co
nduc
t high
qua
lity re
sear
ch
stren
gthe
ned
in Af
rican
NAR
S.
• Fo
rmati
on of
team
/s an
d fina
lisati
on of
meth
odolo
gy
for in
stitut
ional
analy
sis.
• Pa
rticipa
tory a
sses
smen
t of m
anag
emen
t cap
acity
str
ength
ening
need
s in F
ocal
Institu
tions
in re
lation
to
mana
geme
nt of
chan
ge an
d inn
ovati
on.
• De
velop
ment
of ma
nage
ment
capa
city s
treng
then-
ing pr
ogra
mme a
nd ag
reem
ents
with
Foca
l Ins
titutio
ns.
• Im
pleme
ntatio
n of m
anag
emen
t cap
acity
stre
ngth-
ening
train
ing (g
roup
train
ing, a
pplic
ation
plan
s &
follow
-up)
in F
ocal
and S
atellit
e Ins
titutio
ns.
• St
reng
thenin
g/dev
elopm
ent o
f key
man
agem
ent
syste
ms an
d pro
cess
es in
Foc
al Ins
titutio
ns
(men
toring
, adv
isory
and f
acilit
ation
supp
ort o
f pla
nned
chan
ges,
shar
ing go
od pr
actic
e).
Insti
tutio
nal a
nalys
is te
am, m
etho
dolog
y and
pr
ogra
mm
e ag
reed
by D
ecem
ber 2
007.
Insti
tutio
nal d
iagno
stic a
nalys
es u
nder
take
n in
all
selec
ted
Insti
tutio
ns b
y mid
2008
(a
pplie
s also
to o
utpu
t 2).
Grou
p tra
ining
cour
ses c
over
ing p
riorit
y man
agem
ent
area
s dev
elope
d an
d de
liver
ed in
all s
ub-re
gions
by
Dece
mbe
r 200
8.
Risk
1: D
rop-
out a
nd/or
pass
ive re
sistan
ce/to
ken
partic
ipatio
n by F
ocal
Institu
tions
.
Mitig
ation
stra
tegies
:
1a. R
igoro
us ap
plica
tion o
f agr
eed c
riteria
in se
lectio
n of
Foca
l Insti
tution
s (FI
s).
1b. C
lear a
nd tim
ely co
mmun
icatio
n of S
CARD
A ob
jectiv
es an
d app
roac
h to F
I.
1c. P
artic
ipator
y and
tran
spar
ent in
stitut
ional
analy
sis
proc
ess.
1d. L
etter
s of a
gree
ment
signe
d by k
ey de
cision
mak
ers
resp
onsib
le for
FIs.
1e. C
lear p
lan at
FI le
vel fo
r CS
deve
loped
and a
gree
d joi
ntly w
ith C
S se
rvice
prov
iders.
1f. S
iting g
roup
train
ing in
FIs
wher
e pos
sible.
1g. E
stabli
shme
nt of
learn
ing gr
oups
with
code
s of
cond
uct.
28
AC
TIVI
TIES
MIL
ESTO
NES
RIS
K M
ITIG
ATIO
N S
TRAT
EGIE
S
Outp
ut 2:
The
capa
city o
f Afri
can
NARS
to u
nder
take
qu
ality
agric
ultur
al re
sear
ch fo
r dev
elopm
ent s
usta
in-ab
ly str
engt
hene
d.
• Pa
rticipa
tory a
nd st
rateg
ic as
sess
ment
of pr
ofes-
siona
l and
tech
nical
capa
city s
treng
thenin
g nee
ds in
Fo
cal In
stitut
ions (
in re
lation
to pr
iority
rese
arch
and
innov
ation
oppo
rtunit
ies).
• De
velop
ment
of pr
ofess
ional
and t
echn
ical c
apac
ity
stren
gthen
ing pr
ogra
mme a
nd ag
reem
ents
with
Foca
l Insti
tution
s & se
rvice
prov
iders.
• Im
pleme
ntatio
n of p
rofes
siona
l and
tech
nical
(pos
tgrad
uate
attac
hmen
ts, m
entor
ing) c
apac
-ity
stre
ngthe
ning p
lans i
n Foc
al an
d Sate
llite
Institu
tions
.
• Im
pleme
ntatio
n of p
rofes
siona
l and
tech
nical
capa
city s
treng
thenin
g plan
s (sh
ort c
ourse
s) in
Foca
l and
Sate
llite I
nstitu
tions
Post-
grad
uate
cand
idate
s with
train
ing a
pplic
ation
pla
ns id
entifi
ed b
y Apr
il 200
8 an
d pla
ced
by S
ept 2
008.
SRO
deta
iled
plans
for t
echn
ical a
nd p
rofe
ssion
al tra
ining
in p
riorit
y are
as b
y Jun
e 20
08.
Tech
nical
and
prof
essio
nal g
roup
train
ing co
urse
s de
velop
ed a
nd d
elive
red
in all
sub-
regio
ns b
y De
cem
ber 2
008.
Tech
nical
and
prof
essio
nal m
ento
ring
and
follo
w up
acti
vities
dev
elope
d an
d ini
tiate
d in
all S
ROs b
y De
cem
ber 2
008.
Risk
2. M
argin
alisa
tion o
f wom
en. Y
oung
er, ol
der
rese
arch
ers i
n CS
activ
ities
Mitig
ation
stra
tegies
:
2a. A
gree
socia
lly in
clusiv
e crite
ria fo
r sele
ction
of
partic
ipatin
g ind
ividu
als,
1c, 1
d and
1e ab
ove.
Outp
ut 3:
Terti
ary a
gricu
ltura
l edu
catio
n an
d tra
ining
ins
titutio
ns e
mpo
were
d to
mat
ch ca
pacit
y buil
ding
offer
to
chan
ging
mar
ket d
eman
d
• Re
view
of fin
dings
, gap
s and
meth
odolo
gy le
sson
s fro
m pr
eviou
s stud
ies of
dema
nd fo
r and
appli
catio
n of
agric
ultur
al gr
adua
te tra
ining
.
• De
velop
ment
and i
mplem
entat
ion of
a “tr
acer
stud
y” of
futur
e dem
and f
rom
emplo
yers
of gr
adua
tes
involv
ed in
agric
ultur
al inn
ovati
on.
• St
udy r
esult
s sha
red a
nd im
plica
tions
disc
usse
d wi
th ke
y stak
ehold
ers a
t app
ropr
iate f
ora.
Resu
lts o
f tra
cer s
tudy
deli
vere
d an
d dis
cuss
ed w
ith
key s
take
holde
rs b
y July
200
8.Ri
sk 3.
CS
servi
ce pr
ovide
rs ar
e relu
ctant
to co
llabo
rate
with
each
othe
r in de
velop
ment
and d
elive
ry of
traini
ng
mater
ials a
nd sh
aring
of ex
perie
nces
.
Mitig
ation
stra
tegies
:
3a. D
iscus
s coll
abor
ation
and I
PR as
pects
in in
itial
dialog
ue an
d inc
lude c
lause
s in c
ontra
cts w
ith
servi
ce pr
ovide
rs.
3b. E
viden
ce re
cord
of th
e abo
ve du
ring s
electi
on,
3c. J
oint p
lannin
g of C
S inp
uts w
ith al
l main
servi
ce
prov
iders
pres
ent.
3d. In
clude
servi
ce pr
ovide
rs in
lesso
n wor
ksho
p/s.
3e. E
stabli
sh le
arnin
g gro
up/s
for C
S tra
iners.
29
AC
TIVI
TIES
MIL
ESTO
NES
RIS
K M
ITIG
ATIO
N S
TRAT
EGIE
S
Outp
ut 4:
SCA
RDA
appr
oach
for c
apac
ity st
reng
then
-ing
is d
ocum
ente
d, va
lidat
ed w
ith, a
nd o
wned
by k
ey
stake
holde
rs.
• Se
lectio
n and
recru
itmen
t of S
CARD
A co
ordin
ators
at FA
RA an
d SRO
leve
l and
proc
urem
ent o
f rela
ted
equip
ment.
• Co
llabo
rativ
e dev
elopm
ent o
f deta
iled M
&E an
d re
portin
g plan
and s
ystem
for S
CARD
A at
FARA
an
d SRO
leve
ls (in
cludin
g stra
tegies
for m
onito
ring
mains
tream
ing of
cros
s-cutt
ing is
sues
– ge
nder,
HI
V/AI
DS, a
ge et
c).
• Co
llabo
rativ
e dev
elopm
ent o
f deta
iled p
lan an
d sy
stems
for c
ommu
nicati
on –
includ
ing do
cume
nta-
tion a
nd le
sson
lear
ning a
nd sh
aring
at FA
RA an
d SR
O lev
els by
Mar
ch 20
08.
• De
velop
ment
of int
erac
tive e
xper
ience
and
know
ledge
shar
ing m
echa
nisms
for S
CARD
A (e
.g.
learn
ing gr
oups
/”com
munit
ies of
prac
tice”
).
SCAR
DA st
aff a
t FAR
A an
d SR
O lev
el re
cruit
ed a
nd in
po
st by
Janu
ary 2
008.
SCAR
DA M
&E a
nd re
porti
ng p
lans a
t SRO
and
FARA
lev
el de
velop
ed a
nd a
gree
d by
Mar
ch 2
008.
SCAR
DA co
mm
unica
tion
plans
at S
RO a
nd FA
RA le
vel
deve
loped
and
agr
eed
by M
arch
200
8.
Docu
men
tatio
n fra
mew
ork,
met
hodo
logy a
nd le
sson
lea
rning
plan
dev
elope
d by
Mar
ch 2
008.
Elec
tronic
plat
form
(SCA
RDA
webs
ite a
nd g
roup
) es
tabli
shed
by A
pril 2
008.
Proc
ess d
ocum
enta
tion
guida
nce
and
emer
ging
lesso
ns re
view
even
ts he
ld by
Aug
ust 2
008.
Lear
ning
grou
ps “C
omm
unitie
s of p
racti
ce” d
efine
d an
d ini
tiate
d by
Octo
ber 2
008.
Risk
4. S
harin
g and
lear
ning w
ill be
limite
d by c
ultur
al fac
tors a
nd la
ck of
trus
t.
Mitig
ation
stra
tegies
:
4a. P
artic
ipator
y dev
elopm
ent o
f cod
e of c
ondu
ct in
learn
ing gr
oups
.
• Fa
ce to
face
expe
rienc
e sha
ring a
nd le
sson
de
velop
ment
even
ts to
defin
e goo
d pra
ctice
in
institu
tiona
l cap
acity
stre
ngthe
ning.
• De
velop
ment
of a s
calin
g up s
trateg
y for
the
SCAR
DA ap
proa
ch.
• Do
cume
ntatio
n and
stra
tegic
shar
ing of
key l
esso
ns
with
key s
takeh
older
s.
Firs
t less
on le
arnin
g wo
rksh
ops h
eld in
all S
ROs b
y Ja
nuar
y 200
9.
Stra
tegy
for u
p-sc
aling
SCA
RDA
deve
loped
and
agr
eed
by M
arch
200
9.
Synt
hesis
less
on le
arnin
g wo
rksh
ops h
eld in
at r
egion
al lev
el by
Octo
ber 2
009.
Main
less
ons p
acka
ged
and
deliv
ered
to ke
y tar
get
audie
nces
by J
anua
ry 2
010.
30
Ann
ex 2
. Fin
anci
al s
umm
ary
for t
he p
rogr
amm
e’s
year
Stre
ngth
enin
g Ca
pacit
y for
Agr
icultu
ral R
esea
rch
and
Deve
lopm
ent i
n Afri
ca (S
CARD
A)Im
plem
enta
tion
Phas
e Bud
get
Stat
emen
t of E
xpen
ditu
re fo
r the
per
iod
01 Ja
nuar
y 200
8 to
31 M
arch
2009
Act
ivity
Tota
l
Prog
ram
B
udge
t
£
Tota
l
Prog
ram
B
udge
t
US$
Expe
nditu
re
Jan-
Dec
’08
US$
Exp
endi
ture
Jan-
Mar
'09
US$
Tot
al
Expe
nditu
re
Jan’
08-M
ar’0
9
US$
Bud
get
Bal
ance
US$
Inst
itutio
nal C
apac
ity S
treng
then
ing
Institu
tiona
l Ana
lysis
642,6
351,3
17,40
234
6,403
59,48
140
5,884
911,5
18
Quali
ty Re
sear
ch2,0
48,66
74,1
99,76
719
4,040
536,1
1973
0,159
3,469
,608
Profe
ssion
al Sk
ills1,2
85,56
72,6
35,41
265
,487
69,58
313
5,070
2,500
,342
Rese
arch
Man
agem
ent
1,251
,613
2,565
,807
268,1
5114
4,973
413,1
242,1
52,68
2Tr
acer
Stud
ies23
5,902
483,5
990
44,75
044
,750
438,8
49Su
b to
tal
5,464
,384
11,20
1,987
874,0
8185
4,906
1,728
,987
9,473
,000
Lead
Ser
vice P
rovid
ers
439,0
2490
0,000
33,04
887
,841
120,8
8977
9,112
Pr
ogra
mm
e-w
ide
activ
ities
M&E
184,1
4637
7,499
65,41
241
,870
107,2
8227
0,217
Comm
unica
tions
Sys
tem25
5,000
522,7
5052
,616
052
,616
470,1
34
Star
t-up W
orks
hop
83,34
117
0,849
123,3
260
123,3
2647
,523
Mid-
term
and fi
nal R
eview
s80
,976
166,0
010
00
166,0
01
603,4
631,2
37,09
924
1,355
41,87
028
3,225
953,8
74
Prog
ramm
e Coo
rdina
tion
1,269
,220
2,601
,901
897,8
1718
8,316
1,086
,133
1,515
,768
Ca
pital
costs
69,26
914
2,001
3,959
03,9
5913
8,042
GR
AND
TOTA
L 7,8
45,36
016
,082,9
892,0
50,26
01,1
72,93
33,2
23,19
312
,859,7
96
31
Annex 3. SCARDA Communication Plan
February 2009
1. FARA’s Overall Communication Strategy and ResponsibilitiesFARA’s mission is to enhance and add value to the effectiveness and efficiency of agricultural research systems in Africa that will contribute to agricultural development, economic growth and sustainable use of natural resources. FARA plays advocacy and coordination roles for agricul-tural research for development.
The SCARDA programme is part of FARA’s Networking Support Function 4, Capacity strengthening. NSF4 aims to ensure that Africa has the human and institutional capacity, public and private, to achieve improved broad-based agricultural productivity, competitiveness and markets which will contribute to achieving the African Vision of 6% percent annual growth in agricultural production.
2. FARA’s SCARDA Communication Objectives and Main Stakeholders
2.1 SCARDA Communication ObjectivesThe SCARDA Communication Strategy (CS), which was developed during the inception phase and approved at the inception workshop, provides the framework for this communication plan and also those of the SROs. The CS has the following six objectives.1. Foster commitment to and ownership of SCARDA among key partners during and beyond
the programme period by providing mechanisms through which they can contribute to decision-making
2. Build trust and a shared understanding among SCARDA stakeholders, through enabling transparency in SCARDA processes and decision-making
3. Facilitate efficient functioning of and widespread participation in SCARDA activities by making relevant information accessible to all partners
4. Enable the widespread learning and sharing of programme lessons among programme part-ners (esp. Target institutions), the policy community and relevant organisations outside of Africa
5. Raise awareness about SCARDA’s activities, key stakeholders and achievements among (a) policy-makers with a view to improved policy support that will achieve SCARDA’s aims; and (b) current and potential donors, with a view to raising additional resources
6. Foster a learning environment that enables diverse stakeholders to interact effectively to bring about innovations
2.2 SCARDA StakeholdersThere need to be good communication linkages between FARA and its key stakeholders if SCARDA is to function efficiently and effectively. FARA’s principal SCARDA stakeholders are:
• SROs (ASARECA, CORAF, SADC-FANR); • Lead Service Providers (AGHRYMET, ANAFE, RUFORUM): • the Focal Institutions (Focal Institutions)• the Natural Resources Institute, UK; • regional policy makers and bodies (e.g. African Union); and• DFID and other potential donors.
32
The key communication linkages between FARA and its SCARDA stakeholders are shown in Figure 1.
There also needs to be effective communication within FARA, among the different staff members who have roles to play in relation to SCARDA. Staff responsibilities are described in section 4.1.
3. FARA’s SCARDA Communication Activities
The SCARDA inception plan noted that FARA is “responsible for developing programme-wide internet-based communication structures and mechanisms that support these [SCARDA com-munication] objectives, including the SCARDA website and groupware, which will enable a variety of SCARDA stakeholder groups to communicate with each other electronically”.
In addition, FARA will be the lead agency for the SCARDA communication objective concerned with raising awareness about SCARDA’s activities, key stakeholders and achievements among: (a) regional policy-makers (notable the African Union and NEPAD)- with a view to improved
policy support that will achieve SCARDA’s aims; and(b) current and potential donors - with a view to raising additional resources.
FARA and its SCARDA partners are establishing learning platforms at different levels (e.g. regional, sub-regional) in which different partners can come together to review, reflect on and learn from the experiences of SCARDA and other capacity building initiatives.
FARA’s SCARDA communication activities are listed below, grouped in relation to each of these objectives.
Figure 1: Communication Linkages between FARA and its main SCARDA Stakeholders
33
Objective 1. Foster commitment to and ownership of SCARDA among key partners during and beyond the programme period by providing mechanisms through which they can contribute to decision-making1.1. Provide suggestions for appropriate participatory mechanisms at S-R level (e.g. forum in
SADC)1.2. Organise Inaugural workshop 1.3. Support development of FI institutional analysisObjective 2. Build trust and a shared understanding among SCARDA stakeholders, through enabling transparency in SCARDA processes and decision-making2.1. Make visits to the 3 sub-regions to meet all SCARDA stakeholders (SROs, Focal Institu-
tions, LSP) together jointly2.2. Develop SCARDA operations manual2.3. Build database of potential service providers and available scholarships (NSF4 or
SCARDA?)2.4. Maintain frequent and regular email contact with SROs2.5. Hold regular one on one meetings with SRO SCARDA-related staff – focal persons, finance
officersObjective 3. Facilitate efficient functioning of and widespread participation in SCARDA activities by making relevant information accessible to all partners 3.1. Establish the SCARDA webpages as part of the FARA NSF4 website3.2. Maintain and refine the SCARDA webpages at regional level, and associated internet-based
communication structures and mechanisms3.3. Establish SCARDA D-group3.4. Maintain and refine the SCARDA groupware3.5. Develop and/or upload information products/content for use in communication tools
(Website, Blog/Vlog, D-group, SCARDA newsletter)3.6. Develop & publish a SCARDA ‘flyer’3.7. Develop & publish SCARDA newsletter3.8. Develop SCARDA operations manual3.9. Maintain frequent and regular email contact with SROs3.10. Hold regular one on one meetings with SRO SCARDA-related staff – focal persons, finance
officersObjective 4. Enable the widespread learning and sharing of programme lessons among programme partners (esp. Focal Institutions), the policy community and relevant organi-sations outside of Africa (a) Among programme partners
4.1. Develop framework for process documentation by Focal Institutions4.2. Post lesson-learning documents and other information products on SCARDA D-group
(b) Among the policy community and organizations outside of Africa4.3. Post lesson-learning documents and other information products on SCARDA website
- to guide the selection of CB themes for the FARA General Assembly in 2010; and to guide the selection of CB themes for the FARA Bulletin
4.4. Contribute to on-line discussions relating to CB of African AR4D organisations
34
Objective 5. Raise awareness about SCARDA’s activities, key stakeholders and achievements among (a) policy-makers with a view to improved policy support that will achieve SCARDA’s aims; and (b) current and potential donors, with a view to raising additional resources(a) Policymakers
5.1. Implement various activities to influence/improve/support policy/policy direction of the African Union and its members (e.g. via FARA GA)
5.2. Produce reports and other information products suitable for policy-makers containing lessons and evidence that will improve the effectiveness & efficiency of investments in CB
(b) Current and potential donors5.3. Provide DFID with quarterly progress reports and other information products describ-
ing SCARDA's progress and achievements5.4. Provide information products to a wide range of international donors describing
SCARDA's approach and achievementsObjective 6. Foster a learning environment that enables diverse stakeholders to interact effectively to bring about innovations
6.1. Establish and facilitate a learning platform at the regional level6.2. Support the SROs and Focal Institutions in establishing learning platforms at various levels
by:(a) Providing guidelines/guidance to SROs and Focal Institutions on the composition of
the learning platforms (b) Providing guidelines on the monitoring and documentation of learnings by the learn-
ing platforms at various levels.
4. Staff Responsibilities and Communication Products 4.1. Staff responsibilities for FARA’s SCARDA communication activitiesThe FARA SCARDA/ NSF4 staff, and the SCARDA Programme Officer in particular, are responsible for implementing the vast majority of activities. However, for a few of the activities related to Objective 3 (which are shown in the table below) other FARA staff are responsible. SCARDA-related information will need to flow in a timely and transparent manner between all of the staff listed, and also the Executive Secretary.
Table: SCARDA Communication Activities and Staff Responsibilities
General Activities Staff member Position
Ralph von Kaufman SCARDA Coordinator
Irene Annor-Frempong SCARDA Programme officer
Objective 3 Activities
* Establish the SCARDA website
* Maintain and refine the SCARDA website and associated internet-based communication structures and mechanisms
Dady Demby RAILS Programme Officer
* Establish SCARDA D-group
* Maintain and refine the SCARDA groupware
Francois Stepman FARA Communications Specialist
35
4.2. Communication tools and products
FARA will use a wide range and combination of communication tools and products in imple-menting its communication activities. These will use English, and occasionally French, and they include:• Internet-based structures and tools, including the SCARDA website, SCARDA Dgroup,
electronic bulletins/newsletters and email;• Printed materials, including reports (e.g. the inception report), and a SCARDA booklet,
briefing paper, flyer and newsletter;• Face-to-face interactions, including workshops, learning platforms and one to one meetings;• Telephonic communication, including cell phone and Skype; and • CD Roms.
SCARDA web pages have been created on the FARA website, and SCARDA documents uploaded. This is the public or external face of SCARDA at the regional level.
SCARDA Official Documents on Website: 1. Inception Report. SCARDA, Strengthening Capacity for Agricultural Research and Devel
opment in Africa. Volume 1: Main Report 2. Inception Report. SCARDA, Strengthening Capacity for Agricultural Research and Devel
opment in Africa. Volume 2: Preliminary Institutional Analyses of Focal Institutions3. SCARDA briefing papers: Strengthening Capacity for Agricultural Research and Develop
ment in Africa. Volume 34. Agricultural Research Delivery in Africa: An Assessment of the Requirements for Efficient,
Effective and Productive National Agricultural Research systems in Africa. Main Report and Strategic Recommendations.
5. Agricultural Research Delivery in Africa: An Assessment of the Requirements for Efficient, Effective and Productive National Agricultural Research systems in Africa. Executive Summary and Strategic Recommendations.
- Download Brief on SCARDA - (French)
SCARDA Working Documents
1. Report on SCARDA April 2007activities Final2. Report on Dr Tim Chancellor Visit to Accra-Review final 3. Report on Visit to SADC17 April 20074. SADC Implementation Planning Meeting, 8-10 Aug 07 5. SCARDA Ralph Meeting with Prof Mukiibi and Dr Kibwika Entebbe 3 April 2007 6. Scoping Studies Mauritius Table of Content Exec Summary & Abbreviations
NRI7. SCARDA Project Performance Measurement Framework- Lead Service provider Level 8. SCARDA Project Performance Management Plan January 20099. Proposed Process for Developing M&E Framework & Plans at Various Levels of SCARDA
operations
36
10. Developing SCARDA Core Partners' Communication Plans by Czech Conroy11. NRI SCARDA Quarterly Progress Report Jan-Mar 200812. NRI SCARDA Quarterly Progress Report Apr-Jun 200813. NRI SCARDA Quarterly Progress Report Jul-Aug 200814. NRI SCARDA Quarterly Progress Report Sept-Dec 200815. SCARDA Project Performance Measurement Framework at FARA level
SROs’ DOCUMENTS1. SCARDA-CORAF Work Planning Meeting report2. Proceedings of the CORAF-WECARD Stakeholders Workshop, Dakar-Senegal 11-12 July
2007 3. Participatory Scoping Study for the identification of Priority Capacity Strengthening Needs
of the NARS of the CORAF/WECARD sub-region. 4. SCARDA CaSt Action 2008/Niamey Report5. CORAF/WECARD Work plan June 2008 - 20106. CORAF/WECARD Work plan October 2008 - March 20097. SCARDA CORAF/WECARD Quarterly report July - September 20088. SCARDA CORAF/WECARD Quarterly report October-December 20089. SCARDA CORAF/WECARD Quarterly report July-September 2008/ French10. SCARDA CORAF/WECARD Quarterly report October-December 2008/ French 11. SCARDA Agricultural Research Management (ARM) Course Material12. SCARDA Agricultural Research Management (ARM) Workshop report/ English13. SCARDA Agricultural Research Management (ARM) Workshop report/ French
ASARECA1. Project Documents for SCARDA: The Eastern and Central Africa Component 2. ASARECA Implementation plan for SCARDA3. Trainer Overview report on the SCARDA-ECA Agricultural Research Management Train-
ing course January 20094. SCARDA Activity work plan for the ISAR, Kigali-Rwanda5. SCARDA Activity work plan for the ISABU, Bujumbura-Burundi
SADC
1. SADC Report on the FARA/CORAF/SCARDA ARM workshop Dec 2008 2. SADC-FANR SCARDA Quarterly progress report3. SADC Work plan July 20084. April Institutional Analysis visit to the Natural Resource Development College5. SADC Workplan developed at the SCARDA Implementation workshop 24-27 November
2008
37
SCARDA D-group This was established on a pilot basis in May 2008 as a mechanism for supporting internal communication among programme partners, with an initial membership of 14 drawn from FARA, the 3 SROs, the 3LSPs and NRI. It can be used to:
• provide a repository of SCARDA-related documents;• provide a calendar showing all SCARDA events, such as training courses and workshops; and• as a mechanism for electronic dialoguing.
Now that FI focal persons have been identified there is a case for expanding the membership to include them, and perhaps also some additional staff from the other SCARDA partner organisations.
List of SCARDA documents on D-groups1. SCARDA Newsletter Dec. 08 2. SCARDA inaugural workshop report3. English version of the SCARDA Inception reports (Volume 1, 2, & 3) 4. French version of the SCARDA Inception reports. (Volume 1, 2, & 3) 5. SCARDA-CORAF/WECARD Agricultural Research Management (ARM) Workshop
program6. Communication Plan log frame7. Communication Plan 8. SCARDA Approach to link with other Capacity Strengthening initiatives 9. Managing D-groups emails 10. Power point presentation of D-groups11. Innovative farmer advisory services using ICT
Printed materials can play a valuable role in marketing SCARDA, profiling its existence and publicising its achievements. Some reports and a booklet (‘Brief on SCARDA’) have already been published in both English and French. In addition, there is an urgent need for a SCARDA ‘flyer’ that gives a succinct description of SCARDA’s aims, philosophy and approach, and lists all the principal partners of SCARDA. There are also plans to start publishing a SCARDA newsletter in the near future.
Implementation Schedule for FARA’s SCARDA Communication Activities
A barchart showing the timetable for implementing the communication activities is presented below. It covers a 2 ¼ year period, from 1 April 2008 to 30 June 20010, the latter being the end point of the first phase of SCARDA. For activities that occur at specific point(s) in time an ‘X’ indicates the quarter(s) in which the activity takes place; whereas the timing of continuous, ongoing activities is shown by shading of the relevant cells.
38
Bar
char
t: C
omm
unic
atio
n A
ctiv
ities
Sch
edul
e
AC
TIVI
TIES
FY 2
008
(Apr
il-M
arch
)FY
200
9FY
201
0
Q1
(Apr
il-Ju
ne)
Q2
Q3
Q4
Q1
Q2
Q3
Q4
Q1
Objec
tive 1
Prov
ide su
gges
tions
for
appr
opria
te pa
rticipa
tory
mech
anism
s at S
-R le
vel
X Co
raf
X SA
DC,
Asar
eca
Orga
nise I
naug
ural
works
hop
X
Supp
ort d
evelo
pmen
t of F
I ins
titutio
nal a
nalys
is
Objec
tive 2
Make
Visi
ts to
the 3
sub-
regio
ns to
mee
t all s
takeh
old-
ers j
ointly
X Co
raf
X SA
DC,
Asar
eca
(Mid-
term
revie
w)X
SADC
, CO
RAF,
Asar
eca
X SA
DC,
CORA
F, As
arec
a
Deve
lop S
CARD
A op
erati
ons
manu
alX
X
Build
datab
ase o
f pote
ntial
servi
ce pr
ovide
rs
Maint
ain em
ail co
ntact
with
SROs
Hold
regu
lar on
e on o
ne
meeti
ngs w
ith S
RO S
CARD
A-re
lated
staff
X Co
raf
X SA
DC,
Asar
eca
X SA
DC,
CORA
F, As
arec
a
X SA
DC,
CORA
F, As
arec
a
39
AC
TIVI
TIES
FY 2
008
(Apr
il-M
arch
)FY
200
9FY
201
0
Q1
(Apr
il-Ju
ne)
Q2
Q3
Q4
Q1
Q2
Q3
Q4
Q1
Objec
tive 3
Estab
lish S
CARD
A we
b-pa
ges
at re
giona
l leve
l X
Maint
ain an
d refi
ne th
e SC
ARDA
web
site
Estab
lish S
CARD
A D-
grou
pX
Maint
ain an
d refi
ne th
e SC
ARDA
grou
pwar
e
Deve
lop an
d/or u
pload
inf
orma
tion p
rodu
cts/co
ntent
for us
e in c
ommu
nicati
on to
ols
Deve
lop &
publi
sh a
SCAR
DA
‘flyer
’X
Deve
lop &
publi
sh S
CARD
A ne
wslet
terX
XX
XX
XX
Deve
lop S
CARD
A op
erati
ons
manu
alX
X
Maint
ain em
ail co
ntact
with
SROs
Hold
regu
lar on
e on o
ne
meeti
ngs w
ith S
RO S
CARD
A-re
lated
staff
X Co
raf
X SA
DC,
Asar
eca
X SA
DC,
CORA
F, As
arec
a
X SA
DC,
CORA
F, As
arec
a
40
AC
TIVI
TIES
FY 2
008
(Apr
il-M
arch
)FY
200
9FY
201
0
Q1
(Apr
il-Ju
ne)
Q2
Q3
Q4
Q1
Q2
Q3
Q4
Q1
Objec
tive 4
(a) a
mon
g pr
ogra
mm
e pa
rtner
s
Deve
lop gu
idelin
es &
fra
mewo
rk for
proc
ess
docu
menta
tion b
y FIs
X
Post
lesso
n-lea
rning
docu
-me
nts an
d othe
r infor
matio
n pr
oduc
ts on
SCA
RDA
D-gr
oup
(b) a
mon
g po
licy m
aker
s & in
tern
ation
al co
mm
unity
Post
lesso
n-lea
rning
infor
ma-
tion p
rodu
cts on
SCA
RDA
webs
ite
To g
uide
the se
lectio
n of C
B the
mes f
or th
e FAR
A G
A in
2010
To g
uide
the se
lectio
n of C
B the
mes f
or th
e FAR
A Bu
lletin
Contr
ibute
to on
-line d
iscus
-sio
ns re
lating
to C
B of
Afric
an
AR4D
orga
nizati
ons
41
AC
TIVI
TIES
FY 2
008
(Apr
il-M
arch
)FY
200
9FY
201
0
Q1
(Apr
il-Ju
ne)
Q2
Q3
Q4
Q1
Q2
Q3
Q4
Q1
Objec
tive 5
Activ
ities t
o infl
uenc
e/imp
rove
/su
ppor
t poli
cy/po
licy d
irecti
on
of the
AU
and i
ts me
mber
s (e
.g. FA
RA G
A)
Prod
uce r
epor
ts an
d othe
r inf
orma
tion p
rodu
cts co
ntain-
ing le
sson
s and
evide
nce t
hat
will i
mpro
ve th
e effe
ctive
ness
&
efficie
ncy o
f inve
stmen
ts in
CB
Prov
ide D
FID
with
quar
terly
prog
ress
repo
rts an
d othe
r inf
orma
tion p
rodu
cts de
scrib
-ing
SCA
RDA'
s pro
gres
s and
ac
hieve
ments
Prov
ide in
forma
tion p
rodu
cts
to a w
ide ra
nge o
f inter
natio
nal
dono
rs de
scrib
ing S
CARD
A's
appr
oach
and a
chiev
emen
ts
Objec
tive 6
Estab
lish a
nd fa
cilita
te a
learn
ing pl
atfor
m at
the
regio
nal le
vel
1st mee
ting,
March
2nd m
eetin
g, Oc
tober
3rd m
eetin
g, Ma
rch
42
AC
TIVI
TIES
FY 2
008
(Apr
il-M
arch
)FY
200
9FY
201
0
Q1
(Apr
il-Ju
ne)
Q2
Q3
Q4
Q1
Q2
Q3
Q4
Q1
Supp
ort th
e SRO
s and
FIs
in es
tablis
hing l
earn
ing pl
atfor
ms
at va
rious
leve
ls by
(a) P
rovid
ing gu
idelin
es/
guida
nce t
o SRO
s and
FIs
on th
e com
posit
ion of
the
learn
ing pl
atfor
ms:
(b) P
rovid
ing gu
idelin
es
on th
e mon
itorin
g and
do
cume
ntatio
n of le
arnin
gs
by th
e lea
rning
platf
orms
at
vario
us le
vels
X X
43
Annex 4. SCARDA Personnel and officers in charge
Position Name Date of assumption
FARA Coordinator Mr. Ralph von Kaufmann Since inceptionProgramme Officer Dr. Irene Annor-Frempong 1st Sept 2008Interim Programme Officer1 Dr. Aissétou Yayé _Interim Programme Officer2 Prof. Anthony Youdeowei _*M&E Specialist *Dr. Bocar Diagana Oct 2008Communication Expert Mr. François Stepman _Gender Officer _ _
SROs /ASARECA
Focal Person Dr. Joseph Methu 1st February 2009
Interim Focal Person Dr. Patrick OkoriM & E Officer and Interim Oversight Responsibility for SCARDA
Dr. Leonard Oruko from inception
Gender Officer Elizabeth Ssendiwala _Communication Officer Ms. Jacqueline Nyagahima _Contact Person Lead Service Provider Dr. Wellington N. Ekaya _Contact Person Institut des Sciences Agronomiques du Rwanda (ISAR) Rwanda
Mr. Laurent Ndiramiye _
ISAR M & E Officer Dr. Karangwa Antoine _ISAR Gender Officer Ms. Claudine Umukazi _ISAR Communication Officer Ms. Claudine Umukazi _ _Contact Person Institut des Sciences Agronomiques de Burundi (ISABU) - Burundi
Mr. Pascal Ndayiragije _
ISABU M & E Officer Mr Jean Mugisha Wimana _ISAR Gender Officer Mrs Bernadette Hakizimana _ISABU Communication Officer _ _ _Contact Person Agricultural Econom-ics and Policy Research Center Agricultural Research Coorporation (ARC) - Soudan
Dr. Abdelmoneim Taha _
ARC M & E Officer Dr. Abdelmoneim Taha _ARC Gender Officer Ms. Ishtiag Faroug Abdalla _ARC Communication Officer Prof. Kamal Elsiddig Ahmed _
_SROs /CORAF
Focal Person Dr. Samba Ly
Interim Focal Person Dr. Marcel Nwalozie _Interim Oversight Responsibility for SCARDA AND M & E Officer
Dr. Vincent Joseph Mama
Gender Officer _ _
44
Position Name Date of assumption
Communication Officer Dr. Yekeminan Anatole Kone _ Contact Person Lead Service Provider Mr. Djibo Hamidou _Contact Person Crops Research Institute (CRI) - Ghana
Dr. Harrison Dapaah _
CRI M & E Officer Mr. Dankyi Awere Ansong _CRI Gender Officer Mrs Joyce Haleegoah, _CRI Communication Officer _ _ _Contact Person Institut d’Economie Rurale (IER) - Mali
Mr. Lassine Diarra _
IER M & E Officer Dr Gaoussou Traore _IER Gender Officer Dr Mohamed N'Diaye _IER Communication Officer _ _ _Contact Person National Agricultural Research Institute (NARI ) - Gambia
Mr. Jobe Lamin _
NARI M & E Officer Mr. Jarju Ansumana (Western Gambia); Mr. Sulayman Jallow (Eastern Gambia)
_
NARI Gender Officer Mr. Kutubo Joko Sanyang _NARI Communication Officer _ _ _Contact Person Centre de Recherches Agronomiques de Loudima (CRAL/ DGRST)
Mr. Pierre Bandtaba _
CRAL/ DGRST M & E Officer _ _CRAL/ DGRST Gender Officer _ _CRAL/ DGRST Communication Officer _ _
SROs /SADC Focal Person Dr. Joyce MacalaM & E Officer Dr. Monica Murata _Gender Officer _ _Communication Officer Mr. Krishan Bheenick _Contact Person Lead Service Provider Prof. Paxied W. Chirwa _Contact Person Botswana College of Agriculture (BCA) - Botswana
Mrs. Boingotlo Sebolai _
BCA M & E Officer Dr Christopher Tsopito _BCA Gender Officer Mrs M. Monkhei _BCA Communication Officer _ _ _Contact Person Department of Agricul-tural Research (DAR) - Botswana
Mr. Boitumelo Senyane _
DAR M & E Officer _ _
45
Position Name Date of assumption
DAR Gender Officer Ms Mary Molefe _DAR Communication Officer _ _ _Contact Person Natural Resources De-velopment College (NRDC) - Zambia
Mr. Dennis Musonda Sichula _
NRDC M & E Officer Mr. Emmanuel Akilas Sakala _NRDC Gender Officer Ms Zizo Sikananu-Nchimuny _NRDC Communication Officer Mr. Emmanuel Akilas Sakala _ _Contact Person University of Zambia (UNZA)
Dr. Mick Sikaenyi Mwala _
UNZA M & E Officer Mrs. Lubind's _UNZA Gender Officer _ _UNZA Communication Officer _ _ _Contact Person National University of lesotho (NUL)
Dr. Motlatsi nick Mokhothu _
NUL M & E Officer _ _NUL Gender Officer Mrs Nthati Ts'oele _NUL Communication Officer Mrs Nthati Ts'oele _
Participants of the 1st ARM Training Workshop for CORAF/WECARD held at the CSIR-CRI, Kumasi, Ghana, 1–6 December 2008.
46
AGRHYMET Centre Regional de Formation et d’Application en Agrométèorologie et Hydrologie Opérationnelle
AGRA Alliance for a Green Revolution in AfricaAICM Agricultural Information and Communications ManagementANAFE African Network for Agriculture, Agroforestry and Natural Resources
EducationARM Agricultural Research ManagementARMTI Agricultural Research Management Training InstituteARD Agricultural Research and DevelopmentARI Advanced Research InstituteASARECA Association for Strengthening Agricultural Research in East and Central
AfricaAWARD African Women in Agricultural Research and DevelopmentCORAF/WECARD Conseil Ouest et Centre Africain pour la Recherche et le Développement
Agricoles/ West and Central African Council for Agricultural Research and Development
CSIR-CRI Council for Scientific and Industrial Research – Crops Research InstituteDELPHE Development Partnerships in Higher Education ECA East and Central AfricaFARA Forum for Agricultural Research in AfricaFI Focal InstitutionGIMPA Ghana Institute of Management and Public AdministrationJKUAT Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and TechnologyKNUST Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and TechnologyM&E Monitoring and EvaluationNACRRI National Crops Resources Research InstituteNARS National Agricultural Research SystemNARI National Agricultural Research InstitutesNRDC Natural Resources Development College, ZambiaNRI Natural Resources Institute (of Greenwich University, UK)NUL National University of LesothoOVI Objectively Verifiable IndicatorPAP Participant Action PlanPICO People, Innovation and Change OrganizationRUFORUM Regional Universities Forum for capacity building in AgricultureSADC Southern Africa Development CommunitySADC-FANR SADC Food Agriculture and Natural Resources DirectorateSCARDA Strengthening Capacity for Agricultural Research and Development in
AfricaSRO Sub Regional OrganizationUK-DFID United Kingdom Department for International Development
Abbreviations and acronyms
47
About FARAFARA is the Forum for Agricultural Research in Africa, the apex organization bringing together and forming coalitions of major stakeholders in agricultural research and development in Africa.
FARA is the technical arm of the African Union Commission (AUC) on rural economy and agricultural development and the lead agency of the AU’s New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD) to implement the fourth pillar of the Comprehensive African Agricultural Development Programme (CAADP), involving agricultural research, technology dissemination and uptake.
FARA’s vision: reduced poverty in Africa as a result of sustainable broad-based agricultural growth and improved livelihoods, particularly of smallholder and pastoral enterprises.
FARA’s mission: creation of broad-based improvements in agricultural productivity, competitiveness and markets by supporting Africa’s sub-regional organizations in strengthening capacity for agricultural innovation.
FARA’s Value Proposition: to provide a strategic platform to foster continental and global networking that reinforces the capacities of Africa’s national agricultural research systems and sub-regional organizations.
FARA will make this contribution by achieving its Specific Objective of sustainable improvements to broad-based agricultural productivity, competitiveness and markets.
Key to this is the delivery of five Results, which respond to the priorities expressed by FARA’s clients. These are:
1. Establishment of appropriate institutional and organizational arrangements for regional agricultural research and development.
2. Broad-based stakeholders provided access to the knowledge and technology necessary for innovation.
3. Development of strategic decision-making options for policy, institutions and markets. 4. Development of human and institutional capacity for innovation. 5. Support provided for platforms for agricultural innovation.
FARA will deliver these results through the provision of networking support to the SROs, i.e.1. Advocacy and resource mobilization 2. Access to knowledge and technologies3. Regional policies and markets4. Capacity strengthening5. Partnerships and strategic alliances
FARA’s major donors are The African Development Bank, The Canadian International Development Agency, European Commission, the Governments of the Netherlands, United Kingdom, Italy, Ireland, Germany and France, the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research, the Rockefeller Foundation, Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, the World Bank, and the United States of America Agency for International Development.