ESApreplan2019

Africa RISING East and Southern Africa Project Pre-Planning Meeting
10 - 11 September 2019
Arusha, Tanzania

Participants

1. Mateete Bekunda, IITA
2. Ben Lukuyu, ILRI
3. Yasinta Muzanila, SUA
4. Elirehema Y.Swai, TARI-Hombolo
5. Francis Muthoni, IITA
6. Ancient Sambala, IITA
7. Julius Manga, IITA
8. Lieven Claessens, IITA
9. Fred Kizito, IITA
10. Bundula Fischer, IITA
11. James Mwololo, ICRISAT
12. Leonard Marwa, ILRI
13. Mawazo J. Shitindi, SUA
14. Christopher Mutungi, IITA
15. Job Kihara, CIAT
16. Chrispinus D. Rubanza, UDOM
17. Anthony A.Kimaro, ICRAF
18. Justus, IITA
19. Jean-Mare, IITA
20. Bright Jumbo, CIMMITY
21. Eveline Massam, IITA

Introduction
This report includes highlights of the two pre-planning meetings held at Arusha, Tanzania July 2019. The meeting brought together project team from Eastern and Southern Africa to discuss and agreed on the presentation templates for the project review and planning meeting in September 10-11. Also engaged project stakeholders to discuss and agree on series of activities and timelines for producing presentation formats and implementing other identified custom products.

Review and response to suggestions from SIAF workshop (Ghana 29-02 Nov.2019) and Learning Event Malawi (5-8 Feb 2019)
Lessons learned from the SIAF Workshops in Malawi and Ghana

Presentation by Job Kihara/CIAT

Job Kihara explained among of the keys things he learnt were mainly on the intensification and mapping of the innovation, social integration and support to capture different path through social work for-example focus group discussions and discussion with individual farmers. Which according to him, it was the biggest lessons he learned from Lujumbula, Ghana. He also shared an example presented on the water management data which for him it was important perspectives. He explained with such kind of information’s they could be able to assess farmers’ perspectives on production, economics and social domains.

Discussions

Question:The question of engaging farmers to practice the technology. The duration of time enough for farmer to interact with the technology, and the leaving part, is it the farmer being at the side or giving the knowledge and let the farmers implement the technology according to how she or he understands. How it is being handled.

Response:Sharing her experience from Ghana where the project works with Nurudini (a farmer) on Maize technologies, Bendula explained the leaving period for farmers to implement the technologies were two seasons. “For the two season farmers are still experimenting the technologies with the input provided, where the third season the input (s) are not provided. Moreover, she noted assessing sustainability of technologies to farmers is difficult if farmers are provided with inputs.

Presentation by Ben Lukuyu/ILRI

Ben Lukuyu from ILRI shared his observations from the experiences from Ghana SIAF workshop, according to him, there is a need and an opportunity to work further on data for human and environment domain because there are still rarely gaps on data for human domain and environment as compares to productivity, profitability and social domain. Moreover, he expressed the significance of integrating data on nutrition for poultry in the system.
Ben also presented his observations on data quality, where according to him lots of data collected were disintegrated; he recommends consistency in reporting pointing out it could be possible if the project team ensures they do work closely together.
Another lesson learnt was on social domain; according to him, for the system to be effective there should be a system that allows farmers to interact and evaluate the technologies, and support toward rating the feedback and respond accordingly.

Insights and perspectives of sustainable intensification: The case for West Africa