ProgCloseOut

Africa RISING Program Close-out Event
7 - 9 February, 2023
Accra, Ghana

OBJECTIVES

1. Showcase Africa RISING achievements at regional and program level.
2. Present and critically assess the major research and development results of the program.
3. Explore opportunities for further scaling of project outputs and outcomes beyond Africa RISING.
4. Harness key lessons for Africa RISING and sister projects.

EXPECTED OUTPUTS

1. Documentation of Africa RISING's results and their transition pathways
2. Synthesis notes capturing implementation lessons on systems research and SIAF from the perspectives of Africa RISING and other projects like CSISA and SIIL

DAY ONE, 7 February [Tuesday]

• 08:30 Registration
• 09:00 Participant introductions - Facilitators
• 09:45 Close out event objectives – Fred Kizito/Peter Thorne
• 09:50 Opening/welcome remarks

• Africa RISING Program Coordination Team Chair - Siboniso Moyo, ILRI DDG-R4D Livestock Genetics and Feeds & Forages
• USAID Leadership at the event - Jerry Glover/ Zachary Stewart, USAID BRFS
• Ghana Ministry of Food and Agriculture Representative - (name tbd)

• 10:20 Agenda overview and logistics for the meeting - Facilitator
• 10:30 Coffee break and group photo
• 11:00 Timeline review of the Africa RISING Program [key milestones] - Fred Kizito/Peter Throne/Carlo Azzarri
• 11:30 The big picture (program-wide) of Africa RISING achievements - joint presentation by Fred Kizito, Peter Throne, Carlo Azzarri

12:00 Market Place of project level technologies/achievements (in poster format) organized around three thematic SI entry points: (i) genetic intensification, (ii) ecological intensification, and (iii) socio-economic intensification.

• Genetic intensification

• Improved crop varieties (Faba bean with bread wheat) in Ethiopia – Zewdie Bishaw
• Improved forage varieties in Ethiopia – Melkamau/ Kindu Mekonnen
• Drought tolerant quality protein maize – Patrick Okori
• High yielding disease resistant groundnut – Patrick Okori
• Dual purpose sorghum varieties – Folorunso Akinseye/ Bouba Traore/ Birhanu Zemadim
• Improved/diseases tolerant vegetable varieties adapted to northern Ghana – Jean Baptiste Tignegre

• 13:00 - 14:20: Lunch break
• 14:30 Market Place Cont'd...

• Ecological intensification

• Landscape-scale rehabilitation in Ethiopia – Degefie Tibebe
• Site-specific fertilizer recommendations – Getachew Agegnhu
• Doubled up legumes – Regis Chikowo
• Targeting crop sequencing – Regis Chikowo
• Soil and water conservation in Tanzania – Fred Kizito
• Cowpea living mulch in Ghana – Nurudeen Abdul Rahman
• Contour bunding in Mali – Kalifa Traore/ Birhanu Zemadim
• Soil and Water Conservation in Ghana – Wilson Agyei

• 15:30 Coffee break and group photo

• Socio-economic intensification

• Feed trough in Ethiopia – Melkamu/ Kindu Mekonnen
• Small scale mechanization (2WT tractors) in Ethiopia – Rabe Yahya
• High value fruit trees in Ethiopia – Endalkachew Woldemeskel
• Technologies for reducing post-harvest losses – Christopher Mutungi
• Vegetable gardens in Mali – Mahama Saaka/ Jean Baptiste
• Maize shellers in Ghana – Bekele Kotu
• Advisory services in Ghana and Mali – Fred Kizito
• Efficient feed utilization through feed troughs in West Africa – Sadat Salifu

• 16:30 End of day 1

• 18:30 Welcome Cocktail

DAY TWO, 8 February [Wednesday]

• 08:30 Overview of Day 2 agenda
• 08:40 Recap of previous day (Menti excercise)
• 09:00 Discussion on implementing the SIAF: What challenges were faced? What were the key lessons? the broader implications of SI as an approach for agricultural development? [Contributers: Regis Chikowo, Patrick Okori, Jim Hammond, Peter Thorne]
• 10:30 Coffee break
• 11:00 Data management discussion - Benedict Boyubie, Daniel Mgalla, Birhan Abdulkadir
• 11:30 Returns on Investment - Bekele Kotu, Jim Hammond, and Julius Manda
• 12:00 Program-wide synthesis study results - Carlo Azzarri
• 13:00 Lunch
• 14:30 Fishbowl: Partnerships in Scaling – Lessons from selected scaling partners - Million Gebreyes (ILRI), Haroon Sseguya (IITA), Patrick Kiao (Mwanga), Leonard Sabula (NAFAKA), Betty Maeda (frmr. USAID Tanzania), Nana Ntiamoah (Degas), Aminata Coulibaly (Mali Mark)
• 15:30 Coffee break
• 16:00 Experiences and lessons in harnessing diversity and research partnerships in projects like the Africa RISING partnerships? – Chief Scientists, M. Bekunda/ K. Mekonnen/ F. Kizito
• 16:45 Wrap up day 2

DAY THREE, 9 February [Thursday]

• 08:30 Overview of day 3 agenda
• 08:40 Recap of day 2
• 09:00 Panel discussion: How to conduct systems research and showcase value – experiences from Africa RISING, CSISA, and One CGIAR Mixed Farming Systems Initiative. Suggested panel: Peter Thorne (AR), Santiago Lopez (Mixed Farming Systems Initiative),Irmgard Hoeschle-Zeledon, Jerry Glover/ Zach Stewart (USAID)
• 10:30 Coffee break
• 11:00 Building upon Africa RISING successes - F.Kizito, K. Mekonnen and M. Bekunda
• 12:30 What to expect in the upcoming end of program report - Jonathan Odhong
• 13:00 Lunch
• 14:30 Fun debrief exercise with all participants
• 15:00 Closing remarks

• USAID Ghana Mission Representative
• USAID – Jerry Glover
• High level leadership from the lead centers

• Siboniso Moyo, ILRI / Iain Wright, ILRI
• Robert Asiedu, IITA

• Min. of Ag. Representation from the host/implementing country

• 16:00 Wrap up of event