WA closeout2022

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Africa RISING WA Project Close-Out Event
1 - 3 November 2022
Bamako, Mali

Objectives

  1. Present and critically assess the major research and development outputs and deliverables of the project.
  2. Explore opportunities for further scaling of project outputs and outcomes beyond the life of Africa RISING.


Day ONE [1 November 2022]

  • 08:30 Participants registration
  • 09:00 Introduction of participants/ overview of agenda for the day
  • 09:30 Welcome & Opening remarks
  • ICRISAT West and Central Africa Director – Tabo Ramadjita
  • IITA Sahel Hub Director - Tahirou Abdoulai
  • Representative from USAID Mali Country Mission
  • USAID Center for Ag. Led Growth leadership (Washington DC) - Jerry Glover/Zachary Stewart
  • 09:50 Welcome remarks by DG of IER - Modibo Sylla
  • 10:00 Timeline presentation of Africa RISING, specific focus on WA – B. Zemadim
  • 10:30 Break
  • 11:00 Integration approaches for sustainable intensification in West Africa/Intro. to the WA Handbook of Technologies – F. Kizito, WA Chief Scientist
  • 11:30 World Café Session: Reviewing and gathering inputs into the WA Handbook of Technologies
Key questions to answer as part of the world café: (i) what linkages should be expressed within & between the chapters? (ii) what components/technologies/opportunities are missing but should be included in the chapters? (iii)how could/should the chapter authors enhance their key messages to ensure they resonate with development agents/policy makers who are the primary target audiences for the handbook?
  • CHAPTER 1: Participatory Gender Assessments in Sustainable Agricultural Intensification - Benedict Boyubie, Kipo Jimoh, Gundula Fischer, Martina Cavicchioli, Nurudeen Abdul Rahman, Mahama Saaka, Mirja Michalschek
  • Gender-assessment tools based on the five SIAF domains
  • Matrix-scoring based on SIAF 
  • Case study: Matrix scoring to assess gender dimensions of the cowpea living mulch technology in northern Ghana  
  • CHAPTER 2: Genetic intensification for resilient cropping systems - Saaka Buah, Mumuni Abudulai,Felix. Bodolo, Samuel Saaka Buah,Nicholas Ninju Denwar, Abdoulaye Diallo, Madina Diancoumba, Prince Maxwell Etwire, Issah Sugri, Asamoah Larbi, Roger Adamu Luri Kanton,James Kombiok, Francis Kusi, Baloua Nebie, Mamourou Sidibe, Jean-Baptiste Tignegre, and Aboubacar Toure
  • Drought and Striga tolerant maize varieties
  • Sorghum hybrids (Pablo, Fadda and Sewa, Dual-purpose sorghum)
  • Soybean for Sustainable Intensification
  • Aflatoxin resistant and early maturing groundnut varieties
  • Vegetables varieties - tomato (Rio Grande), African eggplant (L10), Okra (Konni)
  • CHAPTER 3: Practices to intensify and diversify mixed crop-livestock systems - Nurudeen Abdul Rahman,Mumuni Abudulai, Richard Agyare, Felix Bodolo, Saaka Buah, Nicholas Ninju Denwar, Prince Maxwell Etwire, Sugri Issah,Roger Adamu Luri Kanton, James Kombiok, Bekele Kotu, Francis Kusi, Asamoah Larbi, Shaibu Mellon, Jerry Asalma Nboyine, Baloua Nebie, John Nzungize, Robert Kwasi Owusu, Ahmed Seidu, Mamourou Sidibe, Albert Rouamba, Jean-Baptiste Tignegre, Mukhtaru Zakaria, Birhanu, Zemadim, and Paul Zaato
  • Maize-legume strip cropping (cowpea and groundnut) strip cropping
  • Sorghum-legume (groundnut) intercropping
  • Integrated pest management for cowpea - genotype and insecticide spray regime
  • 12:40 Lunch
  • CHAPTER 4: Integrated Soil Fertility Management for improving cropping systems - Nurudeen Abdul Rahman, Francis Marthey Tetteh, Fred Kizito, Bekele Hundie Kotu, Samuel Saaka Buah, Roger Adamu Lori Kanton, Prince Maxwell Etwire, Asamoah Larbi, Folorunso Mathew Akinseye, Madina Diancoumba, Birhanu Zemadim, Julius Yirzagla, Bouba Traore, Moumini Guindo, and Hama Kassé.
  • Soil fertility management practices/technologies
  • Maize-NPK
  • Cowpea with starter N
  • Rice-N fertilizer
  • Compost application technique for sorghum
  • Maize with cowpea living mulch
  • CHAPTER 5: Strategies for Improving Land, Soil and Water Resources Management in West Africa and the Sahel - Birhanu Zemadim Birhanu, Fred Kizito, Kalifa Traoré, Henry E. Igbadun, Minh Thai, Cofie Funke, Clarisse Umutoni, Arouna Dissa, Katrien Descheemaeker, Ramadjita Tabo, and Anthony Michael Whitbread
  • Contour bunding technology with fast growing tree species
  • Innovative Water Management Tools for Scheduling Irrigation
  • Effectiveness of maize with cowpea living mulch for soil and water conservation
  • Local policy instruments to govern natural resoruces management and farmers’ inclusion in agricultural value chains
  • CHAPTER 6: Improved livestock management within mixed crop-livestock farming systems - Addah Weseh, Terry Ansah, Fred Kizito, Abdul-Rahaman Nurudeen, Augustine Abioye Ayantunde, Sadat Salifu, Théophile Dembele, Solomon Konlan, Franklin Avornyo, Mohammed T. Shaibu, Mariesta K. J. Ahiagbe, and Emmanuel K. Panyan
  • Crop residue production, processing and preservation as livestock feed
  • Integrating Napier grass and Pigeon pea fodder production in farming systems to produce fodder for improved small ruminant productivity
  • Small ruminant feed and health management for West Africa
  • Developing the Small Ruminant Value Chain
  • CHAPTER 7: Minimizing food waste and improving food safety - Ortega-Beltran Alejandro, Bandyopadhyay Ranajit, Agbetiameh Daniel, Sugri Issah, Abubakari M, Zakaria M, Konate D, Waliyar F, Desmae Haile
  • Integrated practices to minimize grain storage
  • Aflasafe for aflatoxin control
  • Management of aflatoxin in groundnut using pre-and post-harvest technologies
  • CHAPTER 8: Improving household nutrition and food quality - Mahama Saaka, Caroline Sobgui, Jean Baptiste Tignegre, and Linda Edoh
  • Engaging mothers and fathers to increase support for optimal child feeding practices using the Care Group Approach/Model
  • Integration of Nutrition education with agricultural interventions for improved child dietary diversity
  • Preservation of Vegetables Using the Zero Energy Cool Chamber (ZECC) for Food Security
  • CHAPTER 9: Integration and landscape-based approaches for Sustainable intensification - Kizito Fred, and Bekunda Mateete, and Birhanu Zemadim
  • CHAPTER 10: Approaches for taking agricultural technologies to scale for smallholder farmers - Descheemaeker Katrien, Birhanu Zemadim, Muthoni Francis, Groot Jeroen, Badolo Felix, Kizito Fred
  • Targeting of innovations to the biophysical context
  • Targeting to farm and household features
  • Farmer Research Networks
  • Technology parks
  • Innovation Platforms as means to boost the adoption of improved technologies
  • Scaling through mass media approaches
  • 16:00 Break
  • 16:45 End of day 1

Day TWO [2 November 2022]

  • 08:50 Overview of agenda for the day
  • 09:00 World Café Session: Reviewing and gathering inputs into the WA Handbook of Technologies continued
  • 10:20 Break
  • 10:50 World Café Session continued
  • 11:50 Summarized feedback from Chapter leads
  • 12:30Closing discussion from World Café Sessionss
  • 13:00 Lunch
  • 14:30 Lessons in implementation
  • 14:30 - 15:30 Panel discussion: Partnerships in Scaling - Bougouna Sogoba, Mohammed Dicko (AMEDD), John Nzugize (ARDT-SMS), Mohammed Dicko, Maimouna Rep MaliMark, Nana Ntiamoah (DEGAS), Chief Amadou (SEEDPAG), Tumaini Sidibe (FENABE), Patrick Kiao (ESOKO)
  • 15:30 Break
  • 16:00 Reflections from regional Chief Scientists
  • Mateete Bekunda, Chief Scientists ESA
  • Kindu Mekonnen, Chief Scientist Ethiopian Highlands


  • 16:30 Next steps for closure of project and what follows (administrative focus) – F. Kizito
  • 16:45 Closing remarks
  • 17:00 Wrap up/ Close of science outcomes & impacts review meeting


Day THREE [3 November 2022]

[To hold at ICRISAT campus in Samanko]
  • 09:00 Registration
  • 09:30 Achievements of AR Program in Ghana [N. AbdulRahman] and in Mali [B. Traore]
  • 10:00 Exhibition tour, coupled with farmer testimonies
  • New crop varieties of crops - sorghum, vegetables- Akinseye Folorunsu (Aminata Coulibaly Tangara)
  • Nutrition - value addition - Mahama Saaka and Alpha/Raki (Farmer testimony)
  • Compost manure and cattle corralling system work - Bouba Traore (Farmer testimony by Nfa Coullibaly)
  • Mechanization - Bekele Kotu (Farmer Testimonies in form of Video display (training on machine maintenance)
  • Contour bunding - Kalifa Traore Farmer Testimonies by Adama berthé
  • 12:30 Speeches and remarks from the Sous Prefects of Koutiala and BougouniMande
  • 13:00 Vote of Appreciation - Irmgard Hoeschle-Zeledon and Fred Kizito, Former and Current Africa RISING Project Managers
  • 13:15 Closing and then Lunch
  • 18:30 Cocktail at the hotel


NOTES


  • Day ONE [1 November 2022]

Welcome & Opening remarks

  • Fred Kizito
The end of one journey is the venture of opportunities for a new beginning. I do believe that this will offer us an opportunity for a new beginning. As we stand here you may see we have invited people from different places. We have invited our colleagues from the Ethiopia highlands and ESA because we are closing down. But as we are closing down we want to end with a very nice deliverable which is related to the handbook. The purpose of our being here is to ensure that we are in one room together as the editorial team. As the editorial team, the members include Prof Mateete Bekunda, Birhanu, myself,Fred Kizito and Jonathan Odhong. Another member Willemien could not make it to the event.
In my address, you will see I have designated strictly to the handbook because many times when you are closing down people expect you will show all the presentations of what happened before, but that will be integrated into the handbook. So we are going to assess the major achievements through R&D in the work we have done, that critical assessment is going to come through our integration in the handbook, and I do hope you managed to read the chapter summaries of the handbook that Jonathan shared on your travel here. The essence of this was to share with you a global picture of what the handbook is all about when you arrive and your contributions during the World Cafe session. During the World cafe, please try and think about how you can add value during the session.
We also need to think through how we can scale out this work, and I think the handbook
  • Birhanu Zemadim
It is a privilege for me to see you all, with who we worked very for the past ten years, and hopeful our next three days will be very fruitful. I am happy to see especially those farmers with who we worked very well in the Kandu village and other AR intervention sites, also partners with who we have been together in the fields. Colleagues from Ghana, thanks for the willingness to come to the closeout meeting in Mali, you could have said why not do it in Ghana but you agreed to come, so it’s nice and thank you very much.
I think we have many events happening today and tomorrow, so hopefully, we will be together because our coordinators have done a good job to make sure you will be comfortable wherever you are in Bamako, feel free to ask for whatever you want as I am sure there will be nice delicious food for you in all times, welcome.
  • Haille (ICRISAT Country Representative) on behalf of the ICRISAT West and Central Africa Director - Tabo Ramadjita
Welcome all of you to this meeting on behalf of our Director who has travelled to Ghana for prior commitments, he sent his apologies and wishes us fruitful deliberations. As Birhanu said we welcome you to Bamako, I and my colleagues are around to offer any assistance required. I wish you a peaceful stay. Thank you.

Reading opening remarks from the Director

The Africa RISING project has been running for over ten years in west Africa (Mali and Ghana) in two phases; 2012 to 2016 (First Phase), and 2017-2021/22 (Second Phase).
The project started with the identification of few quick-win activities in ten villages in Mali and twenty-five communities in Ghana.
The success of the quick-win activities led to the formulation of working packages that delivered outputs under seven broad strategies:
1. Genetic integration involving the introduction of new crops and varieties,
2. Manipulation of crop ecologies to get more food and feed on limited land,
3. Integrated soil fertility management as a cost-effective approach to replenish soil fertility,
4. Introduction of land management technologies that include soil and water conservation technologies and practices,
5. Improved livestock feeds and feeding, housing, health care and breeding management,
6. Introduction of post-harvest approaches to reduce food waste and improve food safety and,
7. Introduction of nutrient rich food crops and nutrition sensitive agricultural practices and technologies.
The Africa RISING project in West Africa was considered one of the successful multi-disciplinary and multi-institutional research for development (R4D) projects bringing multiple actors from international and national research institutions. NGOs and Private sector institutions were also part of the technology validation and successful scaling of project activities.
During the past 10 years, the Africa RISING project contributed immensely to the understanding of the Farming Systems in both countries. Through the holistic approach of Farm to Landscape model, evidence-based solutions were generated and used by the national research systems and development actors. Key result areas in terms of Crop-Livestock Integration and Natural Resources Management were integrated into the national research strategic agenda of Mali and Ghana. The concept of a Technology Park (TP) for technological co-validation, training and dissemination of project outputs was the salient feature of the Africa RISING project in both countries. Currently, the concept of TP has been widely utilized by multiple developmental projects in West Africa.
Implementation of the Africa RISING project in West Africa was not without challenges. The funding disruption in the year 2017 created a challenge to deliver project outputs timely. After a Six-month delay, however, activities resumed and with the strong commitment of project partners and scientists, it was possible to bring the project on track to achieve the milestones as per the project logframe.
In the First and Second Phases of the project, over 20 technologies and practices were co-validated and disseminated to benefit over 11, 426 direct beneficiaries and 92,339 indirect beneficiaries. The project also benefitted over 50 graduate students (both MSC & PhD), many interns and short-term scholars in both countries. Over 100 peer-reviewed publications and blog posts were delivered and shared widely.
Key lessons from the Africa RISING project include but are not limited to:
1. The R4D platforms at different levels played an important role in research priority setting and mainstreaming of research outputs,
2. The Technology Parks were found to be suitable means for technology validation, awareness creation, farmer capacity building, and collective action,
3. Gender-sensitive research planning and data collection, rigorous socio-economic assessment of technologies, and consideration of the different farmer typologies enabled the delivery of quality project outputs,
4. The attachment of students to specific pieces of research was a cost-effective approach for the implementation of research activities and capacity building,
5. The placement of regional coordinators in Ghana and district coordinators in Mali helped in strengthening partnerships and implementation of the activities at the regional/district level.
A strong partnership between institutions played a critical role in the successful implementation of the Africa RISING project in West Africa.
• USAID provided the financial support through its FtF Program
• IITA played a regional coordination role and fund management
• ICRISAT coordinated the project in Mali
• NARS of Mali and Ghana played active roles in shaping and formulating the research agenda and knowledge dissemination aligned with the national strategic plan
• International NGOs, local NGOs, and the private sector had strong commitments to the co-validation and dissemination of project outputs.
It is my strongest belief that the documented lessons of the Africa RISING project provide useful inputs to improve Food and Nutritional Security not only for Mali and Ghana but also for other West African countries.
Finally, I wish for a fruitful close-out of the Africa RISING project in West Africa.

Welcome remarks by DG of IER - Modibo Sylla

It is for me an honour and a real pleasure to participate in the opening the closing ceremony of the Africa RISING project. Allow me to welcome you to this workshop of great interest for the IER because it will be an opportunity to review the achievements of the project.
The Strategic Framework for Economic Recovery and Sustainable Development CREDD 2019-2023 has made the bitter observation that Mali is more than ever exposed to the effects of climate change, some of which are manifested by recurrent droughts, floods, in short, natural disasters. etc Thus, in the face of these phenomena, it is important to provide rapid responses to reduce the vulnerability of producers. This is why the research program proposed by Africa RISING has attracted the attention of the Institute of Rural Economy because, following its strategic plan which pleads in favour of a co-construction with the producers with a view to a better adaptation and better resilience of ecological systems, economic systems and social systems in the face of the effects of climate change.
If Africa RISING is coordinated at the Regional level by IITA, it is with ICRISAT which is a very long-standing partner, that the collaboration contract was signed. This fact has made it possible to develop several technologies, including the holistic development of contour lines coupled with agroforestry and animal supplementation. It will also be necessary to add the introduction and promotion of the sorghum*soya association for the benefit of women who derive income from it and improve the nutritional quality of their households.
If Africa RISING has enabled the capacity building of producers on development techniques, agroforestry, micro-dosing and cropping systems, it has also enabled diploma training. Thus, 1 PhD, 2 Master, 1 License and 1 Agriculture Technician were carried out, all on topics relevant to IER.
It, therefore, appears that the role of research is central in the production of solutions to climate change phonemes. However, research alone is not enough, which is why we also work closely with development services and NGOs for wider dissemination and adoption of the technologies developed.
This workshop, which is part of a framework of exchanges and consolidation of achievements in a common work, is important in more ways than one and I invite frank discussions.
Before concluding, I wanted to thank IITA, ICRISAT, USAID and Africa RISING for their confidence in the Institute of Rural Economy for the conduct of the activities of this project.
I wish you every success in your work and thank you for your attention.


Timeline presentation of Africa RISING, specific focus on WA – B. Zemadim

AR timeline is a journey started in 2011 with a few colleagues from IITA, USAID and local partners, ICRISAT, ILRI, WorldVeg and that’s how it was formulated, and you can imagine AR today is 10 or 11 years old, matured with good outputs and useful deliberations in terms of technologies, practices, capacity building for young scientists from Ghana and Mali. Also, we have learnt a lot over the past 10 years in the process.
I remember Dr Jean Baptist told me that AR research is unique research in different things like developing protocols, very well managed and supervised by theme leaders. I think we are lucky to have committed managers like Dr Lamega and chief scientists also from different countries who made sure that the science part of the protocol is not missed, Deliverables like publications, posters, comments we used to exchange with scientists and also the M&E which stared by different people but later led by Benedict. All this is a journey really, but I will present a few slides that will show how that journey was successful and how we reached this point.
I used different presentations and pictures from different countries to illustrate that. We always consider that the real work of AR started in 2012 but discussions, partnerships modalities and formalities started in 2011. The quick wins were locally identified both in Ghana and Mali and activities officially started in 2012
This is the diagram that was used by Jonathan in Tanzania, we call it a snake diagram, it shows the chronology of events over the past 10 years, but it usually illustrates what we did, achieved and useful products of the project and challenges in different phases.
The second phase started in 2016-2017, there was a distraction for like 6 months but we then continued till 2022. Fortunately, recently, the donor approved the local extension until 2023 which will help us to finalize most of the outputs for us to deliver. So, we have time until March to complete all the deliverables of the agreed work plan.
As most of you know, AR activities in Ghana were introduced in the Upper North and Upper East and Mali in the Sikasu region, districts of Kuchala and Pugmi initially in 10 villages but later reduced to 9 villages. There were also some changes in Ghana especially additional and reduction of the communities.
As it was mentioned by the OIC of the Regional Director, these are the key interventions and outputs that we obtained. From the first phase 2011-2016, the outputs were documented in the booklet called the Footprint of Africa RISING, this document is a very useful and important document that was compiled under the leadership of Jonathan, it has got the technologies, practices that were validated with partners and were available for scaling and dissemination. I just request you to refer to this booklet and also promote it to different stakeholders and partners that you have. I don’t want to go through all this, but it talks of genetic integration, crop ecology, landscape management levels, intercropping, livestock research, the introduction of postharvest and also nutrition activities. These are the interventions that were in the first phase and are documented in this booklet.
Then there was the evolution to the second phase, the good thing is that we were successful in delivering the outputs in the first phase and the donor was impressed by it and they wanted to continue the second phase, this is a blessing for most of us because the donors did not want us to stop at where we ended. A team of few people sat together to reflect on the achievements and gaps of the first phase, this brought the concept of this evolution from phase I to phase II. We discussed thoroughly the intervention communities, it is not always easy to work in different villages/communities, so in the achievement of the project. It was necessary to reduce some villages and the need to increase new communities in other regions. In Ghana, five villages were reduced from one region and five other regions were added to the other region. In Mali we stopped working in one region Folila because of the logistical inconveniences and farmers were less engaged in the targeted activities.
The phase II approach was to combine continuity with evolutionary change to ensure that the technologies identified in Phase 1 drive wider adoption at scale through effective development partnerships. In this phase, we focused more on the private sector and development partners. IFPRI supported the design of a protocol that would help to track the beneficiaries over the years.
The R4D at community and district levels and because of the innovation platforms, we were promoting the multi-stakeholders groups. In phase II, we had a capacity development strategy.
Achievements for phase II
- Achieved more direct beneficiaries of over 11,000
- Africa RISING interventions/technologies were picked by other institutes in Mali ie KEMALI. Sorghum varieties were picked for more regions in the country
- The Science component was enhanced by a new approach, the Sustainable Intensification Assessment Framework (SIAF), which helped the deliverable of the science output.
- Success stories documentations of technologies.
Lessons
- Innovation platforms at different levels helped to promote the technologies to other development partners, who bought the Africa RISING innovations.
- Challenges of establishing the innovation parks in Mali and Ghana. This was the first attempt by Africa RISING to start the technologies parks.
- Important to have a gender-based research approach.
- Enhance the capacity building of young scientists.
- The presence of site coordinators helps the facilitation of project activities implementations but ensures the collation of important quality data.


Integration approaches for sustainable intensification in West Africa/Intro. to the WA Handbook of Technologies – F. Kizito, WA Chief Scientist

If you are thinking about integration in a kind of what we are doing, you cannot think about it without including the Sustainable Intensification Assessment Framework. This has five domains productivity, economic, social, human and environmental. Thinking about these domains will help some of the colleagues who have not been in the regular caucus attendance but are participating in the write-up of the handbook. Including these domains in their thinking would help to contribute better. This thinking of looking at synergies and trade-offs using SIAF can happen plot level, farm level, household level or community level.
We will take you through a quick tutorial on how to get your hands dirty with SIAF, we have relevant examples prepared.
To benefit from the integration we need to use the landscape approach, this is an approach that can integrate policy and practice across different multiple uses of land, to increase its gains. But also, increases and uses the ability to adapt and mitigate the potential impacts of climate change. So if you use the landscape best approach, you are able then to look at something beyond just a small plot where you are working, but you are thinking about the interconnectivity of these other components across that landscape.
When we are writing this handbook, let’s think about other components that are not our areas of speciality so that we can integrate all of them to bring about sustainability. Also, let’s all do the cross-referencing, this will help one is reading the book they will not think that they are reading ten different chapters but one holistic, blended and flowing chapter together. I think it will be very important for us to think about cross-referencing. You may read a summary of chapter 9, there is a way it shows cross-referencing.
This is the end of my presentation and I hope this triggers your thinking on how we are going to work together on this handbook in these few days. Those who are part of the handbook writing team will be together until the 7th of November. I am hoping in 2 weeks from now November 15th, we will get the revised chapter from you. We are doing a heavy lifting here because,
i. The editorial team that gave us these comments is here, so if there is anything that requires clarification we are more than happy to provide that clarification
ii. As we do this writing, there might be other team members that might not be with us, I request the coordinating lead authors to loop them in or request their inputs virtually based on the chapters shared by the editorial team.
On February 6th, if you can all mark your calendars, we are going to have a program-wide close-out event including the Ethiopian Highlands, East and Southern Africa (Malawi, Zambia and Tanzania) and West Africa (Mali and Ghana) will all assemble in Ghana for the closeout. USAID has promised to be present in that closeout event. We have eight people who will be coordinating this (Jonathan, Birhanu, Mateete, Fred, Lurciged, Kindu, Willemien, and Nurdini). Whoever has been part of this meeting would need to be in the program closeout event.




  • Day TWO [2 November 2022]

Discussions emerged from the World Cafe Session: Reviewing and gathering inputs into the WA Handbook of Technologies

  • CHAPTER 1: Participatory Gender Assessments in Sustainable Agricultural Intensification - Led by Benedict Boyubie
- Refining of the topic:
1. Tools for participatory gender assessment in sustainable agriculture intensification
2. Participatory gender approaches to sustainable agriculture intensification
3. Tools for gender inclusiveness for assessing SI
4. Social relation assessment on sustainable agriculture intensification.
i. Linkages between chapters
- The chapter can be linked to chapter 8, sharpening the tool to ensure the involvement of men is better.
- For any bias noted on the technology, the team seeks to provide a guide or recommendations on how to overcome the bias on the challenges mentioned.
- Gender to not appear in the first chapter of the handbook’
- Need for the team to look at other chapters and look at how to solve those issues related to gender.
ii. Missing components
- The powered relation was not included in the chapter.
- State what strategy to incorporate and how to convince gender participation in technology that is determined by gender roles and culture/norms.
- Consider the subject’s perspectives/interests before giving suggestions on decision-making.
- Include the techniques on inclusions.
iii. How to enhance key messages
- The language/words are to be refined from the third person.
- Keep consistency of stratification throughout the writeup.
- The language is more scientific, making it more extension friendly.
- Pick the lessons from previous gender studies and incorporate them into the book to make it more simple and understandable.
- Indicate key policy messages about the gender assessment.
- Make the language easier to understand.
- Training to be given on the tools, or make the tools more simple for extension officers to understand them.


  • CHAPTER 2: Genetic intensification for resilient cropping systems - Saaka Buah
i. Linkage within and between chapters
- The new improved cereal varieties can be linked to chapter 4 on soil fertility improvement by intercropping legumes or crop rotation,
- Chapter 1 on participatory gender,
- Chapter 6 on improved livestock management.
ii. Missing components:
- It excluded the crops of soybean, groundnuts and vegetable.
- If the maize varieties were made up of hybrids and OPVs to be separated and grouped as such. The fertilizer application should be stated
- Figures were missing on the sorghum varieties to be able to compare the differences
- There should be validation of the technologies in areas that were not tested before, to have the backup information showing the technologies can be implemented in both countries for adoption.
- Digestability and nutrition values should be added to convince the farmers about the animal feed attributes of the variety.
iii. How to enhance key messages
- Food security and nutrition of both the early maturing maize varieties and dual purpose need to be emphasized.
- State the attributes of the varieties when giving out information to the farmers.
- The information on duo purpose can add the nutrition values of all crops.
- Policymakers should support, promote and sustain the production of the improved varieties to make the seeds varieties accessible to the end users.


  • CHAPTER 3: Practices to intensify and diversify mixed crop-livestock systems -
There was a suggestion on changing the title of the chapter to ‘Technologies to intensify and diversify cropping systems.
i. Linkages within and between chapters
- To need to specify which technology (crop rotation, intercropping) depends on the ideal farmers' categories.
- To link the chapter with chapters 1, 2, 4, 5 and 6.
- Chapter to be merged with chapter 4 instead of being independent chapters.
ii. Missing components
- Combine elements 4 and 5 as there is no clear difference between them.
- Be specific with special features.
- Benefits or opportunities associated with the technology
- Farmers' responses on technologies (testimonies)
-Challenges of the technologies
iii. How to enhance key messages
- Use simple language for people to understand.
- Use visuals and graphics for easy messages that are in texts.
- An effective partnership among relevant stakeholders to have integrated information about the technology
- Best bet technologies generated out of comparisons should be actual technologies to write about
- There is no sufficient validation data on ‘Agroforestry options for intensive fruit, vegetable and fodder production, so this can be taken out.


  • CHAPTER 4: Integrated Soil Fertility Management for improving cropping systems - Led by Nurudeen Abdul Rahman
i. Linkages within and between chapters
- The technologies could be linked to chapter 1; there is a need to know the roles that gender plays in this technology and how the gender benefits from the technology.
- Chapter 2, need for showing the link between the soil fertility technology that has been developed with the type of newly released varieties.
- Chapter 5; How to harness the benefits of soil and moisture conservation practices developed.
- Chapter 6: how soil fertility management would improve fodder production, and how fodder production will link with the quality of feed and availability of feeds for livestock production
- Chapter 8: providing good nutrition for the crop, and how it is related to the improvement of family nutrition.
ii. Missing components
- Need for cross reference on the technologies in publication for readers to have detailed information.
- What are the limitations of the technologies, this is to be included for users to have better decision-making while making choices?
- There is a need for conclusions for each technology.
iii. How to enhance key messages
- The language used is technical for farmers/laymen to understand. technical jargon used in the fertilizer section.
- Mentioning the specific types of fertilizers that were used for readers to know, and related it with available fertilizers in the market for farmers to have a clear guide on their use.
- Structure how technologies were presented. Start with presenting the benefits of technologies as key messages, this will attract the readers more than starting with the technology descriptions.


  • CHAPTER 5: Strategies for Improving Land, Soil and Water Resources Management in West Africa and the Sahel - Led by Birhanu Zemadim Birhanu
- Link the chapter with chapters 3 and 4, also cross reference
- The need to include other useful grass species
- Include the preconditions to implement the technologies
- Include the local convention for readers' understanding
- The need for social cohesion on the technology needs to be highlighted
- Need to have a local formal agreement in implementing the SWM in the community as collective action.
- Inclusion of the maize cowpeas leaving mulching, to be put in an independent chapter.
- Include the cost benefits of the technology.


  • CHAPTER 6: Improved livestock management within mixed crop-livestock farming systems -
i. Linkages within and between chapters
- The components of crop residues, Napier grass and pigeon peas are to be merged into one.
- The component on Napier has linkages to chapter 3, on integrated pests management as Napier grass is used to control pests in maize and at the same time harvested as feeds to livestock.
- Link the chapter with chapter 4, on soil fertility, to capture the recycling of nutrients animals get from crop residues and being brought back as manure.
ii. Missing components
- In economic analysis, there is not enough information on economic benefits, they are not clear.
- Validation of the data/message has no clear presentation.
- Recommendations to farmers were not clear.
- Suggestion on technology stands as a tool.
- Be specific in conclusion on the varieties used so that the farmers can make the decision on which ones to select, do not generalize.
- The steps involved in cultivating the forages and steps for sillages are not presented.
iii. How to enhance key messages
- Keep the messages simple and use infographics than too many texts.
- Message on manure utilization should be indicated, how does the technology improve the manure collection and utilization to smallholder farmers.


  • CHAPTER 7: Minimizing food waste and improving food safety -
i. Linkages within and between chapters
- Link the chapter with chapters 2, 3 6 and 8.
- Linkages by aflasafe, hermetic and PICS bags should be clear, both technologies complement each other to minimize food waste but also improve food safety.
ii. Missing components
- Indicate other aflatoxin management options and indicate why Aflasafe should be used
- Postharvest gains should be converted into monetary terms to make more sense to the farmers.
- Economic cost-benefit on the PICS bags, a study done in Tanzania to be used to add more information to the chapter.
- Did not highlight the perceptions of farmers on the technology.
- Address the negative issues related to technology.
- Indicate the moisture contents with varieties needed for the technologies to be used.
- Indicate the benefits associated with the technologies, and link them to SI domains.
- PICS bags are highly used in Mali and is it new technology in Ghana.
iii. How to enhance key message
- Rephrase the key messages to include other technologies ie biocontrol and PICS bags.
- Aflasafe is quality improvement technology but its benefits are not visible to people, making the technology attractive for policymakers


  • CHAPTER 8: Improving household nutrition and food quality -
i. Linkages within and between chapters
- The utilization aspect in the chapter interlinks with all chapters discussed. All the technologies interlink with the activities discussed.
- In one gender aspect, there is an intervention that involves men. How do we include men to improve the utilization of nutritious food through education?
ii. Missing components
- The zero energy chamber is missing the cost and maintenance information.
- Demonstrate the added value of including men in nutrition education.
- Duration of the storage of zero energy chamber and types of veg tables that be stored, the info is missing.
- The limitations of the technology.
- Highlight the policy implication of the technology.


  • CHAPTER 9: Integration and landscape-based approaches for Sustainable intensification - Led by Kizito Fred
- Synthesize it and make it part of the introduction.
- Explicitly talk about integration, instead of using a landscape approach it will be rewritten to a ‘Farming system approach.’
- Put all the components as a bundle that is ready to be taken for scaling.
- Increasing visibility on Gender and social inclusion should strongly appear in the chapter.
- The need to have a key message for the chapter.
- Rethink the way the graphic/ diagram can be presented in the chapter, to show synergies and interdependency
- The language is more scientific, making it more easy and simple for the community to understand.
NB: Also let’s prepare the key messages for all the chapters that will be put in a brief 2 pages (at least three for each that would be coherent, brief and crispy) that will be communicated to policymakers, and stakeholders about the technologies.
Question: Wouldn’t there be a repetition of the key messages?
Response: All the key messages of the chapters will be presented in the introduction section. These will be for policymakers. Make it simple and infographic for people to remember.


  • CHAPTER 10: Approaches for taking agricultural technologies to scale for smallholder farmers - Francis Muthoni
i. Linkages within and between chapters
- Add more practical examples of how particular technologies from chapters 2-8 were taken to scale.
ii. Missing components
- Outline the benefits and limitations of each approach for development partners to be more informed for better selection.
- Include more descriptions/manuals on how development partners can implement the six approaches
- Add approaches to engage partners.
- Add the need for sustainability of the development platforms and technology parks beyond the project phase.
- Provide how the agro advisory through ICT and digital tools will be updated in the future.
iii. How to enhance key messages
- Elaborate on whether the technology parks were used for research or demonstration purposes for validated technologies.
- Some approaches are difficult to be implemented by the development partners ie GIS, and Farm typologies. Explain to partners how these can be done when the project phases out.
- Sections on farm typology should be presented in simple and easy language including the manuals on how these approaches can be implemented.
- Identify the target audience and tailor the messages accordingly.


Panel discussion: Partnerships in Scaling

  • Kalifa; IER
- I will emphasize the Africa RISING side: In the first phase, we dealt with developing the technologies, and in the 2nd phase we upscaled technologies.
- We had a strategy for upscaling the technologies. In soil and water conservation we created teams in each village. Each team is composed of 7 men and 10 women. We trained the teams on how to implement the technology, how to use the tomographic level and make structures of the contour bunding technologies. and since we combined these technologies with agroforestry, we trained the team women how to make a nursery and later plant them in the contour bunding. They planted this technology in other cities and shared experiences with other farmers.
- In the beginning, they just planted the first growing tree species, but later on, they started planting fruit trees like guava, which was very interesting. We reached a huge number of farmers through this approach.
- We organized two farmers' field visits annually, each involving more than 300 farmers. It was a very good way to upscale the technology.
- In other projects, the approaches we used are farmers' field schools and platforms. In FFS you can reach a huge number in a short time, I collected farmers from several farmers' organizations that were composed of 30 farmers, so when you 30 FFS multiplied by 30 you will get 900 farmers reached. We also used the WhatsApp groups for all agricultural stakeholders where we shared information, and training and it worked.
  • Maimouna, rep MalikMark
- I joined Africa RISING in 2014 which had 5 villages where one village failed, and we remained with 4 villages. Phase 1 dealt with research activities including soil fertility, legume improvement and livestock management. In each village we had an extension agent to disseminate all the Africa RISING technologies.
- The task of the NGO was to mobilize the farmers to adopt technologies to achieve the project objectives. Farmers were trained on several technologies like soil SWM technologies and improved varieties technologies.
- To foster the AR technologies many discussions and meetings were conducted and finally the management of all checks of the villages formed a site of AR technologies ‘Technology Park’ with all the technologies. When Madina saw the park, they wanted to host the second park, thus how the site ended in Madina. In all parks, there are water facilities, but the one that still operates is the park in Madina where they do vegetable farming.
- For upscaling, we relied on the platforms where AMMED and FINAGE NGOs gave part-time trainers to train two platforms (Flola and Puguni), these platforms have been a source of finding solutions for challenges the farmers face.
- We also have farmers' field visits every year and on the last visit, the farmers discussed how to sustain the AR technologies since the project is phasing out.
- After the last farmers' field visits, the recommendation was how to organize research on the sustainability of the project activities; we saw the park and then we gave clear strategies on how to sustain the technologies. Two communities created a group of five people who will lead the management and follow up on the activities of the technology parks for sustainability.
- Africa RISING has been beneficial to us, it allowed us to be the coordinator of a big project related to agroecologies and work in five countries. This will help a lot in policymaking with the government.
  • Linda-World Vegetable Center
- I worked with Africa RISING through the World veg centre, in trying to transfer the Zero cooling chamber we disseminate it through learning by doing. When we were at the field men said if it's a woman doing it then we can also do it.
- We did it both as research and practical session for farmers.
- Due to a culture which distinguished gender roles, we needed to emphasize that we needed both men's and women's participation during the meetings, if this was not addressed, women will never appear. The gender role made certain groups not attend certain activities.
- For selling and trading, it was mainly for women while farming was for men, so if you do not specifically invite women on farmers' day, they will never attend.
- The chambers can stay for 3 years once constructed. It needs pests and insects free areas while constructing the chambers
- Develop protocol and farmers appreciated the technology because we involved them in the intervention.
- Not only to consider gender as an entity but also to consider gender roles in the adoption process of the technology.
  • Franklin
- We had innovation platforms, where we had several stakeholders to identify the challenges they needed solutions. The challenges they needed were;
1. The sorghum varieties
2. We selected the household model to encourage manure housing for others to adopt
3. No one was responsible for the value chain; In Burkina Faso livestock value chain was superior, and we wanted to know why. We were informed that Ghana needs to organize all producers and link them. We started linking the producers at the national level with the farmers so that they can share ideas and network. We are working on getting more support from the national level to increase productivity and improve income.
  • Saaka Buah
- For our agro-ecologies intervention, we carried out demonstration activities through farmer field days where we intended to capture farmers' perception of the technologies.
- On scaling the technologies; we took some farmers for an exchange visit where they learned about land degradation conservation. We also took farmers to farmers' festivals so that they could share their technologies with others.
- We closely work with Esoko who provides farming advice and recommendations through texts to reach more farmers.
- We also work with development partners with different expertise since we are just researchers.
  • Gilbert – AMEDD
- AMEDD is one of the implementers of the project on the ground, but also, we worked on farming activities documented.
- The implementation of technologies in the park and the organization of farming activities by NGOs, municipalities, and schools.
- We also mapped and documented the adoption of Africa RISING technologies and worked on land use and land change.
- Also, we mapped the use of organic manure and the use of improved varieties, and we can say that 90% of households have adopted it. These are among the 31 technologies experimented with in the park.
- The less adopted technology was on aflatoxin management, less than 10% of households have adopted the technology on Aflasafe. Currently, we are writing a journal.

Q & A

Karamoko: What is the state of the park since AR has not used it?

Response: During the rainy season, they did not implement any activity but they are planning to start the off-season activities since the budget is available.

Francis: What could be the cause for the low adoption of Aflasafe technology?

Response: The techniques taught in managing the aflatoxin were not well understood by farmers, but the recent technology introduced by IITA (Aflasafe) is easily understood. Easiness in use of technology is the cause for low adoption of the Aflasafe.


Reflections from regional Chief Scientists

  • Kindu Mekonnen, Chief Scientist Ethiopian Highlands
I would like to thank the organizers for the invitation to this nice workshop
1. A volume of good work done in West Africa both in Mali and Ghana
2. Feedback from local partners showed recognition of the contribution of the project activities on capacity building, partnership, scaling and multi-disciplinary expertise from the team.
3. The outputs of the major interventions were indicated, including the direct and indirect beneficiaries. This was very interesting.
4. Fred elaborated on the trade-offs and integration of the SI indicators and the importance of the landscape approach.
5. World cafe was helpful, interactive and informative, where the team got the opportunity to understand the contents of every chapter. In Ethiopia, we are preparing the extension materials and I believe we will use this approach to improve that manual.
  • Mateete Bekunda, Chief Scientists ESA
Thank you very much, I and Kindu did not get together to see how we present because I knew Kindu is a diplomat, telling you too many good things but I am the opposite... We succeeded to produce an ESA handbook and Fred invited me to support/whip the WA scientists into shape. So, I will present my reflections based on the handbook.
1. Lead authors, I think some have not read their chapters, because you go through and then the person says this guy hasn’t the information, and the other guy has to explain. The lead author has to that lead of this chapter, you have to synthesize the materials in the chapter, with no excuses. If you are asked about the chapter, you need to give answers. Please do your job.
2. Glad that the inputs I gave during the discussion came up in the feedback. How do we calculate the economics of the technologies to solve the issues we are addressing?
3. Technologies are never perfect; I recommend that every technology has a warning section for the readers to be aware of when they take to scale.
4. Two important sections in the chapter are:
- Validation, have data to show that the technologies work by providing the numbers.
- Have a how-to-doit. Every technology has instructions on how one can operate and do the technology on their own.
5. Repetition; let’s not repeat the information in several chapters. Pull it out and have a special section to talk about that specific topic.
6. To align the language so that it can be clear.
7. Difference between tools and technologies. Some chapters are not writing about the technologies but rather tools.
8. Find the data from the literature available on the technology we are writing about.
9. Think outside the box. When you write the information give more information that will be sufficient to development partners and go beyond what you do. Usually, we do things but do not record them, and very important. In science, we need to collect qualitative and quantitative information to support our work.


Next steps for closure of project and what follows (administrative focus) – F. Kizito

Thanks to my fellow chief scientists from both Ethiopia Highlands and East and Southern Africa for the insightful remarks, I hope my colleagues have taken them on board. Colleagues, I want you to remember that this is a special time, we will never get such time again when we are all together in the same place for a common cause to give the deliverable product that allows us to showcase to our donor the good commitment over the money that they had accorded us over the years. So, I want you to take this with passion and commitment and mostly focus.
About the issue of language raised by Prof, we have hired a consultant who will help to align the language align and blend. In the write-up workshop, we will need to include all the contents provided by fellow scientists and partners from the world cafe to be incorporated into the chapters.
Jonathan, I kindly request you to send partners the emails following the USAID guideline to inform them of Africa RISING disengagement. It is true Africa RISING is ending but we have started an initiative that will continue implementing some of the technologies, unfortunately, Tanzania and Mali are not in the initiative, but we might need some expertise from partners we have been working with.




  • Day THREE [3 November 2022]

Farmers testimonies

  • Adama BERTHE, KANI VILLAGE
We did not know how to plant trees; we also learnt the soil fertility. They showed us the technology on soil fertility, and I planted the trees. Contour bunding properly guarantees high yields.
Tree planting has given me more feeds for my animals. But before you leave (Africa RISING), we would kindly request you to give us equipment that will assist us to continue and easily use the technology.
  • N’fa COULIBALY, SIRAKELE VILLAGE
We were taught about different issues but mostly on food nutrition that has improved our children’s health. I have been supporting and training other women in preparing their children’s meals.
We kindly request you keep training us on how to properly feed our children and help us make them grow.
  • Adiaratou DIAKITE, M’PESSOBA VILLAGE
We were trained to make manure compost using the wastes from cotton seed cakes, and sorghum residues. This has been beneficial to see how the wastes from crops and livestock can be returned to the field and increase productivity. We request our development partners to train us more on compost making so that we do not rely on fertilizers alone.
We are thankful to the project for the technologies and knowledge provided. We request that they assist us with mechanization tools that will assist us with manual labour so the farmers can improve themselves.
  • Comments

What will farmers do to ensure the capacity they have been given can scale out, together with the government?

Response: We are ready to scale up these technologies and knowledge to other farmers/communities, but the financial issues can be a challenge when arise. We are ready to be in cooperatives so that we can work together with you (the government/ community leaders).
Additionally; We need more equipment and mechanization that will be the source of income generation so that we can work in groups and be more engaging.

How are you scaling up the nutrition knowledge to the community?

Response: I am working closely with health experts in the community. We train mothers on proper feeding, but the challenge we are facing is accessing the seeds needed for recipes. I would appreciate it if the team assist us to have these.


Vote of Appreciation

  • Mayor OF M’PESSOBA, KALIFA COULIBALY
We thank Africa RISING project for the support that they have invested in that has produced such impacts and outcomes. Being here for these three days has allowed us to interact but also learn so much from the team, this has been a memorable experience.
For the first time, people needed support but now we are capacitated and entitled to take this action forward when the project is phasing out.
  • Fred Kizito
These are very rich testimonies that we can harness for some stories.
As we all know, this has been a rich and successful partnership. We have been hosted in Mali for a couple of years, there has been very good coordination from ICRISAT which could not be possible without the leadership of Birhanu and Bouba, I welcome Birhanu to say some farewell remarks.
  • Birhanu
It has been a pleasure for you to accept to come to this close-out event. As I said on day one, it is a journey AR has passed through several challenges but it is good to close out this way. But there are some deliverables we need to accomplish like the handbook, reports, so I request your cooperation when we are requested to provide information and contributions whenever the request comes from the communication team so that we can finalize before the project phases out in March. I look forward to continuing working with you in the future whenever the opportunity arises in Mali because this is the team.
Also, I would like to appreciate the Africa RISING management team (first led by Irmgard and then Fred) for their guidance to ensure the deliverables are achieved. I wish you all a safe journey back home, thank you very much.
  • Kalifa Troure, IER
-Africa RISING is a very particular project, I have coordinated several projects and I know the particularity of this project
1. Putting more than 20 PhD holders to go in the same direction is always not easy.
2. Multi-disciplinary expertise
3. With Africa RISING I have several deliverables because I am a scientist, not a politician.
- I want you to know that all the reports I have presented at the ministry and IER reports on the technologies have received good reports.
- I would like to thank Birhanu for coordination and Jonathan for facilitating our meetings and making us always dance. Thank you all for coming.