Catalyzing Afghan Agricultural Innovation (CAAI)...CAAI Annual Report, May 28 – September 30, 2018 PERSUAP Pesticide Evaluation Report and Safer Use Action Plan PMU Project Management

Catalyzing Afghan Agricultural Innovation

(CAAI)

ANNUAL PERFORMANCE REPORT

Fiscal Year 2018

May 28 to September 30

Submitted by:

Center for International Research, Education and Development (CIRED)

526 Prices Fork Road

Blacksburg, Virginia 24061 USA

CAAI Performance Period: May 28, 2018 – May 27, 2023

This publication was produced for review by the United States Agency for International Development. It was prepared by CAAI project staff. The author’s views expressed in this publication do not necessarily reflect the views of the United States Agency for

International Development or the United States Government.

Associate Cooperative Agreement No. AID-OAA-L-12-00002.

Prepared under Leader-with-Associate Cooperative Agreement No. 72030618LA00002,

Noor Seddiq

Chief of Party

Center for International Research, Education and Development

256 Prices Fork Road,

Blacksburg, Virginia 24061. USA

[email protected]

Afghanistan Contact: Asadullah Zarmalwal

Deputy Chief of Party

CAAI/AET Global, LLC Field Office

Kabul, Afghanistan

[email protected]

Van Crowder, Executive Director

Center for International Research, Education and Development

526 Prices Fork Road,

Blacksburg, Virginia 24061. USA

[email protected]

mailto:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]

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CAAI Annual Report, May 28 – September 30, 2018

Table of Contents

List of Acronyms 2

Executive Summary 4

Program Overview 5

Activities and Accomplishments 6

Establishment of AET Global, LLC 6

Establishment of CAAI Field Office 7

Hiring of CAAI Staff 7

Partner Relations 8

Public Officials 10

Kabul 10

Provinces 11

Attending Events of Other Implementing Partners 12

Program Support – Management and Administration 14

Monitoring and Evaluation 14

Gender and Communication 14

Management and Administration 14

Planned Activities for the Next Quarter 15

Challenges 15

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ADS Automated Directives System

AET Agricultural Education and Training

AET, Global LLC Agricultural Education and Training, Global Company

AHS Agricultural high school (under TVET-A)

AIB Afghanistan International Bank

AOR Agreement Officer’s Representative

ARIA Agricultural Research Institute of Afghanistan

ASDPII Second Afghanistan Secondary Skills Development Project

ATVET Agricultural technical/vocational education and training

AVI Agricultural and Veterinary Institute (under TVET-A)

C1 Cohort One (first cohort of Afghan university faculty participants)

CAAI Catalyzing Afghan Agricultural Innovation

CASE Cooperation Agricultural Schools (and) Extension project

CHAMP Commercial Horticulture and Agricultural Marketing Program

CIRED Center for International Research, Education and Development

CLA Collaborating, Learning, and Adapting

COP Chief of Party

CV Curriculum Vitae

DAI Development Alternatives Incorporated

DAIL Directorate of Agriculture, Irrigation, and Livestock

DCOP Deputy Chief of Party

DG Director General

DMTVET Deputy Minister of Technical Vocational Education and

Training

ERF/ERR Environmental Review Form and Review Report

FY fiscal year

GD General Directorate

GIRoA Government of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan

INGO International Nongovernmental Organization

GRAIN Grain Research and Innovation

InnovATE Innovation for Agricultural Training and Education project

IRB Institutional Review Board

LLC Limited Liability Corporation

LMIA Labor and Market Information Analysis

MAIL Ministry of Agriculture, Irrigation, and Livestock

MoE Ministry of Education

MoHE Ministry of Higher Education

MOLSAMD Ministry of Labor, Social Affairs, Martyrs and Disabled

MoWA Ministry of Women’s Affairs

MSU Michigan State University

NAEC National Agriculture Education College

NGO Non-Governmental Organization

NTVETS National Technical and Vocational Education and Training

Strategy

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PERSUAP Pesticide Evaluation Report and Safer Use Action Plan

PMU Project Management Unit

PST Provincial Site Team

R&E Research and Extension

STTA Short-term Technical Assistance

SWIM Strengthening Watershed and Irrigation Management

TBD To Be Determined

TIN Tax Identification Number

TOR Terms of Reference

TVET-A Technical & Vocational Education Training Authority

USAID United States Agency for International Development

USG United States Government

VT Virginia Tech

VTC Vocational Training Centers

VTIC Virginia Tech Innovation Corporation

WGD Women and Gender in International Development

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During the four-month start-up period, Virginia Tech established a new legal nonprofit and

nongovernmental organization under the name AET Global, LLC. This entity was registered with the

Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Economy’s international NGO office. Virginia Tech hired

a chief of party (COP), deputy chief of party (DCOP), and other technical and administrative staff. It

established a program office, registered with the Ministry of Finance to receive a Tax Identification Number

(TIN), and opened a bank account. Therefore, CAAI is fully established and authorized to conduct business

in Afghanistan.

The staff introduced the program and its activities to officials from the Ministries of Higher Education,

Economy, TVET-A, and MAIL, as well as provincial directorates. CAAI was received very well; all public

institutions expressed their support and interest in assisting.

CAAI met with the administrators and educators to discuss the challenges they face and the opportunities

available for CAAI to assist with human and institutional capacity development. CAAI teams visited

agriculture faculties, Agriculture and Veterinary Institutes (AVIs), four provincial universities, and

Agriculture High Schools (AHSs) in Kabul. This exercise revealed gaps between theory taught in class and

practical work in the laboratory and field. CAAI incorporated information from this review of institutions

when preparing its FY19 annual work plan.

Due to a deteriorating security situation, some travel to provincial institutional partners was delayed.

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The Catalyzing Afghan Agricultural Innovation (CAAI) program is designed to strengthen the Afghan

agricultural education and training (AET) system to improve responsiveness to farmers and the private

sector. The project reinforces the linkages between TVET-A institutions (AVIs and AHSs), universities,

and research and extension at MAIL. The project provides support that enables these institutions to deliver

effective agricultural and livestock-related research and educational/training services to farmers, herders

and private sector value chain actors. Additionally, the project provides technical support to AET

institutions in Kabul, Balkh, Herat and Kandahar provinces (Figure 1).Due to recent security issues,

activities in Nangarhar are being postponed.

This five-year program commenced on May 28, 2018. It is

implemented as an associate award under the Innovation

for Agricultural Training and Education (InnovATE)

Leader with Associate cooperative agreement managed by

Virginia Tech (VT). The National Agricultural Education

College (NAEC) will be an implementing partner.

The National Unity Government of Afghanistan has

outlined its vision for self-reliance through joint efforts

with donors to increase Afghan-led development. Key

institutions for achieving this vision are TVET-A, the

Ministry of Higher Education (MOHE) and the Ministry of

Agriculture, Irrigation, and Livestock (MAIL). CAAI strengthens Afghan-led agricultural innovation

through developing capacity in the agricultural education and training (AET) system and by establishing

collaborative relationships between educators, researchers, producers, and the private sector. CAAI uses

highly qualified local professionals backstopped by VT and its partners to enhance the capability of AET

institutions to teach, solve agricultural problems, and promote technology transfer. Through this program,

ATVET instructors, university faculty members, agricultural high school teachers and administrators,

extension workers, and students will be introduced to new pedagogical approaches, educational tools, and

applied research methodologies to use in classrooms, laboratories and the field.

The CAAI program has three components:

Component 1: Strengthen Afghan agricultural education institutions to empower and train women and men

with the necessary skills and practical experience to participate in modern agricultural value chains.

Component 2: Strengthen research and extension actors’ functional capacities to identify, deploy, and

facilitate the use of innovative agricultural solutions.

Component 3: Coordinate and institutionalize effective information sharing among agricultural value chain

actors to set agricultural research priorities and communicate and deploy solutions to practical agricultural

challenges.

In its recent reorganization, the Afghan government made the decision to create the independent Technical

& Vocational Education Training Authority (TVET-A) to organize all TVET-related activities under one

organizational and administrative unit. Previously, TVET was under the Ministry of Education (MOE) and

was managed by a Deputy Minister. TVET-A is undertaking an assessment of priorities for a national TVET

strategic plan.

Recently, TVET-A signed seven MOUs of cooperation and coordination with various ministries including

the ministries of higher education, agriculture, commerce and industries and labor.

CAAI Key Personnel, Technical

Leadership and Support

Noor Seddiq, Chief of Party

Asadullah Zarmalwal, Deputy Chief of Party

Ismail Ghani, Monitoring and Evaluation

Specialist

Pakiza Sarfiraz, Gender and Communication

Specialist

Shahid Ahmed, Director Finance and

Administration

VT/CIRED, home office technical, financial and

administrative support

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Figure 1. Provinces in which CAAI intends to work.

The Catalyzing Afghan Agricultural Innovation (CAAI) began startup activities during the four months of

year one which included one month in fiscal quarter 3 and full 4th quarter of the program’s operation. The

following are the major activities and accomplishments of the program over the past four months.

Establishment of AET Global, LLC

For Virginia Tech to legally implement the CAAI program, it was first necessary to register with the

government of Afghanistan. In June and July 2018, the COP and DCOP filed an application with the

Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) to register AET Global, LLC as an international non-profit NGO

through the Ministry of Economy (MOEC) office of Non-Governmental Organizations. AET Global, LLC

was officially registered on August 1, 2018 (Figure 2). Today the program can be implemented across the country with full support from the government of Afghanistan. The program will provide semi-annual

activities reports to the MOEC based on established INGO laws and regulations.

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Figure 2. AET Global, LLC Registration Certificate

Establishment of CAAI Field Office

CAAI embedded the program field office within TVET-A to support effective program implementation and

to facilitate the necessary close working relationships between CAAI personnel and AVIs and AHSs. The

head of TVET-A and its directors and managers provided CAAI with office space and assured us of their

full support and cooperation. CAAI will furnish and equip this office space and contribute to office

maintenance and upkeep costs. CAAI will follow a similar process in the program’s four implementation

provinces by embedding its Provincial offices within AVIs.

Hiring of CAAI Staff

The first program hires were the two key personnel, the COP and DCOP. Subsequently, the CAAI field

office, assisted by the home office, developed TORs for all 15 technical, administrative, and financial

positions. The positions were advertised on the jobs.af website in Afghanistan. The PMU collected

hundreds of CVs and interviewed top candidates. Both the field and home offices participated in the

interviews. At the time of reporting, the CAAI PMU office in Kabul is fully staffed and almost all of the

technical staff are identified, interviewed, and ready to join the program. Table 1 shows the current status

of CAAI staffing.

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Table 1. CAAI Staffing

No Name Title Joining Date Department/Loc

ation

1 Noor M. Seddiq Chief of Party June 2018 VT & PMU

Kabul

2 Asadullah

Zarmalwal

Deputy Chief of

Party

July 11, 2018 PMU Kabul

3 Shahid Ahmad

Alkozay

Finance and HR

Director

August 1, 2018 PMU Kabul

4

Najimurahman

Hemat

Senior

Administrative

Assistant

August 10, 2018 PMU Kabul

5 Wais Husaini Office Assistant August 10, 2018 PMU Kabul

6 Mohammad

Ismail Ghani

MEL Specialist September 2, 2018 PMU Kabul

7 Mustafa Walizada Senior Finance

Accountant

October 1, 2018 PMU Kabul

8

Pakiza Sarfiraz Gender and

Communication

Specialist

October 13, 2018 PMU Kabul

9

Two suitable candidates (Technical and Education Specialists) have been

identified, and offer will be extended following completion of the vetting

process

PMU Kabul

10

Six suitable regional candidates (3 Provincial Site Coordinators & 3

Provincial Technical Specialists) have been identified and offers will be

extended

PSTs Balkh,

Herat and

Kandahar

Partner Relations

During the quarter, the CAAI team met with representatives of various institutional partners, including

ministries, agencies, and universities; programs implemented under various mechanisms by the

government; and implementing partners from other donor-funded programs. Through these meetings, we

have collected information to design and develop CAAI activities for implementation in FY 2019 and

beyond. Table 2 lists meetings held with institutions in Kabul and the provinces.

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Table 2. Consultation sessions/meetings held with CAAI stakeholders

No Institution Location Leadership/representatives

involved in consultation

1 Agriculture and Veterinary Institute (AVI)

Kabul – TVET,

MAIL, MOHE,

MOLSAMD

Head, Head of Departments,

Teachers and Students

2 QaraBagh Agriculture High School (AHS) Schools’ Head and Teachers

3 Agriculture Research Institute of

Afghanistan (ARIA)

ARIA directors and senior staff

4 Extension Department Extension director general and

his senior staff

5 Home Economy Directorate HED director

6 Agriculture Faculty Faculty Dean and Professors

7 Ministry of Agriculture, Irrigation and

Livestock (MAIL)

MAIL Minister

8 Technical and Vocational Education

Authority (TVET-A)

Head of TVET-A

9

TVET-A Directorates of Planning,

Curriculum Development, Teacher

Education, and Vocational Education

Director of Planning, Director

of Curriculum Development,

Director of Teacher Education,

and Director of Vocational

Education

10 Ministry of Higher Education Deputy Minister in Academic

Affairs


Herat –

Provincial

Offices


Teachers and Students 12 Agriculture Higher School (AHS)

13 Herat University Agriculture Faculty Faculty Dean, Professors and

Students

14 Agriculture Higher School (AHS)

Balkh –

Provincial

Offices


Teachers and Students 15 Agriculture and Veterinary Institute (AVI)

16 Balkh University Agriculture Faculty Faculty Dean, Professors and

Students

17 Agriculture Higher School (AHS) Kandahar –

Provincial

Offices

Head and Teachers


19 Balkh University Agriculture Faculty Faculty Dean and Professors

20 Meeting with GRAIN project leadership Kabul COP, Communication

Specialist, Gender Specialist

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Public Officials

The CAAI PMU senior management had meetings with the head of TVET-A, the Deputy Minister of Higher

Education, the Minister of MAIL,

the Deputy Minister of MAIL, and

other senior directors and senior

officials. In these meetings, we

provided information about CAAI’s

mandates and activities and also

solicited input and suggestions on

how to work together for effective

implementation of CAAI activities

in public institutions and how these

institutions can be more responsive

to the skill needs of the private

sector.

Kabul

Visit to Kabul AVI, AHS and Kabul University Agriculture Faculty

Members of the CAAI PMU met with

Kabul AVI and AHS administrators,

educators and students to discuss the

current situation of the institution. We

received feedback from all

participants, especially from students,

on their current curriculum and

enabling environment. We have

incorporated activities relevant to

development of the human and

institutional capacities of the AVI and

AHS students, educators, and

administrators into the FY 2019 work plan.

The CAAI team also visited the

agriculture high school in Qarabagh district of Kabul, which is very close to Kabul city. This school has

150 male students and no female students. The possibilities of recruiting female students are very high, as

the girls’ high school is next door. Administrators at the girls’ high school have expressed interest in

establishing a classroom inside the agricultural high school to accommodate agriculture education for

girls. CAAI is exploring the options and we see this as opportunity for implementation of the Edu2Fem

initiative under NAEC.

CAAI PMU visiting Kabul AVI student class

CAAI COP & DCOP meeting with MoHE Deputy Minister

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Provinces

Herat and Balkh Provinces AVI, AHS and Agriculture Faculties

The Year 1 work plan specified the convening of a Consultation Conference in Kabul to get ideas and inputs

from Ag faculties, AVIs and AHSs prior to development of the FY 2019 work plan. However, based on

recommendation from the TVET-A senior management, it was decided that the CAAI PMU staff would

conduct several provincial visits instead of one centralized conference, in order to gain on-the-ground

information on the status of academic facilities and ensure representation of as many local stakeholders as

possible. The PMU members conducted a consultation process in Kabul first and then proceeded to the

Balkh and Herat provinces from September 16-18, 2018. We introduced the CAAI program to the academic

institutions, consulted with agriculture education stakeholders on their needs, and observed the realities on

the ground.

The assigned teams conducted meetings, held group discussions and made site visits to the agriculture

faculties, AVIs and AHSs of these three provinces. In-depth discussions took place with deans and faculty

members of agriculture faculties, as well as heads and teachers at AVIs and AHSs. The CAAI PMU also

involved students of these institutions in the consultation process. In both provinces, the agriculture

faculties and AVIs showed their cooperation by offering office space for establishment of CAAI provincial

site offices. Because of time constraints, the consultation with agriculture faculty and AVI in Kandahar

took place via a Skype conference call.

As a result of these consultation processes at the provincial level, the CAAI team got crucial input to include

in the FY 2019 work plan as well as later in the life of the project. The inputs are categorized below:

1. Capacity building activities for Ag faculty members on laboratory procedures; provision of grants to conduct research on prioritized topics.

2. Capacity building activities for AVI and AHS teachers to better implement the newly-revised curriculum.

3. English language and computer courses for AVI and AHS teachers and students. 4. Provide toolkits for Horticulture, Forestry and Veterinary-related practical work. 5. Provide support for development of internship opportunities, study tours, and exchange visits to

link schools to the private sector as well as to MAIL facilities.

6. Provide equipment to labs and research farms associated with schools, as well as raw materials and some media required for practical work.

The team found that stakeholders were interested in engaging in collaborative efforts and activities with

other actors in the agricultural education system. CAAI can provide a platform to ensure close coordination

Qarabagh AHS Building Front-view Qarabagh AHS class students

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among AET actors and can catalyze innovations resulting from the project’s AET relationship-building

activities.

The consultation process enabled the CAAI team to create feasible and well-defined activities for the FY

2019 work plan.

Attending Events of Other Implementing Partners

Over the past four months, the CAAI team has attended major events organized by USAID-funded

programs, the Afghan government, and other donor organizations. A list of the events we attended is

provided in the table below. The most important events we attended were sponsored by USAID

implementing partners. They led to the development of linkages between CAAI and other USAID-funded

programs. The GRAIN work plan activity enabled identification of several areas of cooperation and

coordination, especially supporting women in research and education. We also attended the Afghanistan

Agribusiness Charter (ABC) event at MAIL, presented by the Afghanistan Input Project and the World

Bank. Its charter is important, I was expected to be adopted in August, but its status has not been finalized.

GRAIN work plan Presentation event

PMU team meeting with Herat AVI Head PMU member talking to Balkh AVI students

Afghanistan Agribusiness Charter (ABC) event

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Table 3. Summary of CAAI Participation in Major Events

No Events Location

1 Two USAID value chain project launch ceremonies MAIL Kabul

2

National conference,=: the role of agricultural extension

services and promotions of alternative development in

Afghanistan

MAIL Kabul

3 GRAIN FY 2019 work plan workshop ARIA Conference Room,

Badam-Bagh, Kabul

4 OAG IPs meeting USAID Afghanistan

5 TVET Statistical Report Launch Ceremony TVET-A, Institute of

Finance and Accounting

6 FAO workshop on collaboration between agricultural education

and extension

MAIL Kabul

7 Afghanistan Agribusiness Charter (ABC) World Bank/MOF/MAIL

CAAI participation in these events enabled the team to better plan, design, and coordinate FY 2019 work

plan activities – complementing the efforts of other programs working in the agriculture sector and

avoiding duplication of activities of other projects.

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Monitoring and Evaluation

The MEL Specialist prepared the CAAI M&E plan with input from the home office. CAAI senior

management and the MEL Specialist met with the USAID team and AMELP program analyst and received

advice that submission of the Monitoring & Evaluation and Learning Plan (MELP) will follow approval of

the FY 2019 work plan. The MEL Specialist is ready to monitor the planned activities and is familiar with

the Afghan Info System.

Gender and Communication

CAAI hired a Gender/Communications Specialist. She is working closely with the CAAI’s home office

gender specialist and communications director to review the CAAI Gender Action Plan and Branding and

Marking Plan. She will ensure that all activities in the FY 2019 work plan align with CAAI’s Gender

Integration approach and objectives.

Management and Administration

CAAI hired all PMU staff with the exception of two technical and education specialists whose positions

were recently added during development of the FY 2019 work plan. The technical staff in the PMU as well

as Provincial Site staff will join the program in the next quarter. CAAI is planning an event in India to

provide multi-faceted training to PMU and PST staff.

The home office team at Virginia Tech has provided full support to the field office for program budgeting

as well as banking, accounting, and other financial systems so that the field office and home office will

have a system in place to process all transactions in a clear and transparent manner and provide on time

financial reports within cost categories.

A summary of year one expenditures is provided in Table 4. Due to delayed hiring of the field office

staff, the actual incurred costs were lower than projected for the period.

Table 4.

CAAI SUMMARY BUDGET Year 1 Year 3 Year 4 Year 5 Year 6 Total 5 Years ($)

Line Item Description

Actual Cumulative

Costs as of Sept

30th 2018

Projected (Oct

2018-Dec 2018)

Projected (Jan

2019-Sept 2019

Projected (Oct

2019-Sept 2020

Projected (Oct

2020-Sept 2021

Projected (Oct

2021-Sept 2022

Projected (Oct

2022-May 2023

Total

Expenditures

Personnel 925,213.00 59,738.09 64,334.58 162,262.33 205,961.00 172,124.00 159,941.67 100,851.33 925,213.00

Fringe Benefits 363,662.00 18,302.34 29,389.24 62,591.08 80,261.33 68,282.33 64,095.00 40,740.67 363,662.00

Travel, Transportation, and Per Diem 256,664.00 13,142.06 15,767.94 37,422.00 50,634.67 51,601.33 52,592.00 35,504.00 256,664.00

Equipment - - - - - - - - -

Supplies - 2,199.66 - - - - - - 2,199.66

Contractual 1,983,667.00 100,000.00 123,189.17 289,168.17 387,666.67 386,264.67 405,687.00 291,691.33 1,983,667.00

Contractual - LLC reclassification 3,078,528.00 - 340,555.34 444,939.33 607,062.00 620,290.00 629,991.67 433,490.00 3,076,328.34

Participant Training - - - - - - - - -

Security - - - - - - - - -

Other Direct Costs 110,562.00 2,110.12 10,283.96 16,076.92 21,816.00 22,250.67 22,694.33 15,330.00 110,562.00

Indirect Costs 1,281,704.00 50,256.08 105,632.75 198,780.83 258,891.67 250,783.00 249,421.67 167,938.00 1,281,704.00

Total Estimated Cost 8,000,000.00 245,748.35 689,152.98 1,211,240.67 1,612,293.33 1,571,596.00 1,584,423.33 1,085,545.33 8,000,000.00

CAAI Budgeted va Actual Expenditure Report for May 28th-Sept 30th, 2018 Quarterly Reports

Year 2

Budget

Obligation

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Major activities for the next quarter are:

• Hire two suitable technical and education specialists for the PMU at Kabul and six other regional staff, including three Provincial Site Coordinators & three Provincial Technical Specialists. These candidates

have already been identified through a recruitment process.

• The Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning Plan will be finalized and submitted to USAID for approval.

• A major training event in India

• The terms of reference for a subaward to NAEC will be submitted to USAID for approval.

• VT/CIRED is hosting an international conference on women and gender in development in late February at Virginia Tech. CAAI will support Ms. Nadima Sahar, the head of TVET-A, to participate

and speak at the event. CAAI will submit an approval request to USAID.

• Due current insecurity in Jalalabad, CAAI temporarily postponed some activities in Nangarhar province.

• Due to the current political environment created by the upcoming election and other changes in the public sector, CAAI is experiencing decreased responsiveness from institutional partners (MAIL,

MOHE and TVET-A), but we believe it will get better.

• Based on CAAI staff evaluation of the current enabling environment (including facilities and capabilities for practical work and research) in the targeted institutions, CAAI will need long-term

interventions to build human and institutional capacities.

Documents

Catalyzing Afghan Agricultural Innovation (CAAI)...CAAI Annual Report, May 28 – September 30, 2018 PERSUAP Pesticide Evaluation Report and Safer Use Action Plan PMU Project Management