Retreat2015

From africa-rising ilriwikis

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



Participants

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


Notes from the meeting

File:AR_retreat2015_notes.docx

Objectives

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


Agenda

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


File:reviews_iita_insights.docxbrbrbrFile:AR_Ethiopia_review_note_May2015.docxbrbrFile:retreat_pre_swot.docx
Brief ‘presentations’ of key conclusions and recommendations of the reviews
Quick SWOT among us
1030 Break
1100 Session 3: AR program rapid re-think Re-visit the principal elements of the program architecture
What to keep
What to tweak
What to change
1230 Lunch
1400 Session 4: Stocktaking review implications

- Program framework:
* Hypotheses


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

Listing, ranking, prioritization
1530 Break
1600 Session 5: AR theories of change and impact pathways Exercise to document current -> projected impact pathways
Vision of Success / purpose
Outcomes
Outputs
Activities
Looking to Phase II
1700 END Day 1
1800-1930 Side discussion on the science symposium
Wednesday
0800 Breakfast at IFPRI
0830 Session 6: Sustainable Intensification Still valid?
Indicators?
Revisions?
1000 Break
1030 Session 7: Phase II design first cut Building from Session 5
Focus on ‘Science’/R4D
Key elements
1230 Lunch
1400 Session 8: Phase II design outline Phase II rough ‘design note’
WHAT will we do ‘Science’/R4D
1530 Break
1600 Session 9: Prep for USAID visits Day 3 program
Preparations
Process
1730 END Day 2
1800-1930 Finalise USAID session process/products
Thursday
0800 Breakfast at IFPRI
0830 Session 9: Prep for USAID visits
1000 USAID program PRESENTATION AT USAID]
1630 Session 10: Feedback USAID program What did we learn
Key insights
Key implications for our planning and strategizing
1730 END Day 3
1800-1930 some activity
Friday
0800 Breakfast at IFPRI
0830 Process and products for the day
0900 Session 11: Working on Phase II Start from Session 8
HOW will we deliver
Roles, pathways,
1230 Lunch
1400 Session 12. Synthesis, next steps, responsibilities
1500 Session 12. PCT Meeting
1730 END of day 4

SWOT exercise results

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

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

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

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


Arising from the SWOT: Priority actions for the coming 14 months (rest of phase 1)

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


Arising from the SWOT: points captured by PeterB

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

Phase 2: what to do more of; less of

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

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

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


Emerging vision of success

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

File:vision_sketch_v3.pptx

File:toc_sketch_v1.pptx

File:framework_sketch_v1.docx

Emerging structure for phase 2

File:phase2_orgchart_v1.pptx

Phase 1 planning

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

File:phase1_gantt_chart.xlsx

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

Also notes from PCT8 meeting on 5 June 2015




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