QUARTERLY REPORT JAN MAR 2018 - Africa Lead · 2018-06-08 · QUARTERLY REPORT JAN – MAR 2018 MAY 2018 produced by the Feed the Future: Building Capacity for African Agricultural

FEED THE FUTURE: BUILDING CAPACITY FOR

AFRICAN AGRICULTURAL TRANSFORMATION

(AFRICA LEAD II)

QUARTERLY REPORT JAN – MAR 2018

MAY 2018

This publication was produced by the Feed the Future: Building Capacity for African Agricultural

Transformation Project (Africa Lead II) for the United States Agency for International Development.

Program Title: Feed the Future: Building Capacity for African Agricultural Transformation (Africa Lead II)

Sponsoring USAID Office: USAID Bureau of Food Security

Award Number: AID-OAA-A13-00085

Awardee: DAI

Date of Publication: May 2018

Author: Africa Lead II Team

Cover photo: A participant in the Partnership for Resilience and Economic Growth (PREG) shares her

experience during the bi-annual learning event in the counties of Marsabit and Isiolo. Photo credit: Africa

Lead.

This publication was prepared by DAI and funded by the U.S. Agency for International Development

under Cooperative Agreement No. AID-OAA-A13-00085. The authors’ views expressed in this

publication do not necessarily reflect the views of the United States Agency for International

Development or the United States Government.

FEED THE FUTURE: BUILDING CAPACITY

FOR AFRICAN AGRICULTURAL

TRANSFORMATION (AFRICA LEAD II)

Contents

Acronyms .............................................................................................. i

I. Introduction ................................................................................. 1

II. Capacity Building ........................................................................ 3

Improved skills for government actors ........................................................................ 3

Private sector capacity building .................................................................................. 4

Increased female and youth empowerment ............................................................... 5

Table 1: Key Partners and Collaborators in Q2 FY 2018 ........................................... 7

III. Policy Support ............................................................................. 9

Improved Intsitutional Architecture (IA) for agricultural policy change ........................ 9

Facilitation support to develop high quality NAIPs ................................................... 13

IV. Knowledge Sharing ................................................................... 15

Improved Program Learning ..................................................................................... 15

Development partner exchanges and events ........................................................... 18

V. Mission Dashboards ................................................................. 21

Bureau for Food Security ......................................................................................... 22

East Africa Mission ................................................................................................... 25

Kenya Mission .......................................................................................................... 27

Tanzania Mission ..................................................................................................... 31

Ghana Mission ......................................................................................................... 32

Guinea Mission ........................................................................................................ 34

Senegal Mission ....................................................................................................... 35

Nigeria Mission ......................................................................................................... 37

Annex A. Program Updates ............................................................... 38

Resilience Partners Design New Impact Evaluation for Programs Operating in Northern Kenya .................................................................................... 38

Transformational Leadership Training to Enhance Collaboration in PREG Counties ........................................................................................................ 39

PREG Lessons Learned Event ................................................................................ 40

Africa Lead Lessons Learned Event ........................................................................ 42

Institutional Architecture Assessment (IAA) Workshop ............................................. 44

Tanzania Premiere of Kumekucha: Fatuma New movie features Africa's everyday superheroes, women farmers ....................................................... 46

GFSS CLA Planning Workshop: Supporting Field Visits, Mapping, and Dialogue to Strengthen CLA .............................................................................. 48

Assessing Impact and Value for Money at the Economics of Resilience to Drought Learning Event ....................................................................................... 49

PREG Bi-annual Learning Event: Strengthening Reflection, Analysis, and Collective Action ................................................................................................ 51

East Africa Seed Network Webinar Brings Together Seed Companies and Investment Funds .............................................................................................. 53

Annex B. Performance Indicator Tracking Table (PITT) .................. 55

Annex C. Environmental Compliance .............................................. 58

i

Acronyms

ACTESA Alliance for Commodity Trade in East and Southern Africa

AgCK Agricultural Council of Kenya

AUC/DREA African Union’s Department of Rural Economy and Agriculture

C4C Champions for Change

CAADP Comprehensive African Agriculture Development Programme

CILSS Comité permanent Inter-Etats de Lutte contre la Sécheresse dans le

Sahel/Permanent Interstate Committee for Drought Control in the Sahel

CNC CAADP Non-State Actor Coalition

COMESA Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa

COMSHIP COMESA Seed Harmonization Implementation Plan

CORAF Central Africa Council for Agricultural Research and Development

ECOWAP ECOWAS Agricultural Policy

ECOWAS Economic Community of West African States

IFPRI International Food Policy Research Institute

NAIP National Agriculture Investment Plan

NEPAD New Partnership for Africa's Development

NPCA NEPAD Planning and Coordinating Agency

NSA Non-State Actor

OCA Organizational Capacity Assessment

PNIASA National Agriculture and Food Security Investment Plan

RAIP Regional Agricultural Investment Program

TOT Training of Trainers

AFRICA LEAD QUARTERLY REPORT – Q2 | 2018

1

I. Introduction

Africa Lead — Feed the Future’s (FTF’s)

Building Capacity for African Agricultural

Transformation Program — supports the

advancement of agricultural transformation

in Africa that aligns with the African Union

Comprehensive Africa Agriculture

Development Programme (CAADP). Africa

Lead has traditionally contributed to the FTF

goals of reduced hunger and poverty by

building the capacity of champions — i.e.,

men and women leaders in agriculture —

and the institutions in which they operate to

develop, lead, and manage the policies,

structures, and processes needed for

transformation. Africa Lead continues to

evolve in the services provided to support

new, emerging challenges in food security.

During FY2018, this includes strategic

facilitation to improve government agency

planning, providing backbone support to

collective impact activities (such as

resilience), as well as strengthening

agricultural value chains by improving

integrated pest management (IPM) for Fall

Army Worm, seed distribution and buyer

contracts.

The Bureau for Food Security (BFS) at the

U.S. Agency for International Development

(USAID) has established three priority areas

of agriculture policy change: (1) changes in

policies themselves; (2) changes in systems

to formulate and implement policy changes;

and (3) laying the foundations for the next

generation of policy change.

By concentrating on building capacity and

strengthening processes of individuals,

institutions, and networks of both, Africa

Lead promotes changes in systems to

formulate and implement policy changes in

four ways:

▪ Evidence-based planning – The extent to which policy, legislation, regulations, and programs are informed by recognizable, objectively verifiable, and reliable sources and processes for gathering relevant evidence or data pertinent to agriculture and food security challenges.

▪ Mutual accountability – The extent to which stakeholder groups seeking to improve food security conditions clearly articulate their actions and hold themselves and each other accountable for achieving objectives and learning from achievements and mistakes.

▪ Coordination and inclusiveness – The extent to which government ministries, departments, and agencies that play the major role in structuring and governing the agriculture sector coordinate their efforts toward broadly shared goals, and the extent to which all stakeholders believe they have and actually do have a formalized and practical role in policy development.

▪ Policy plans/institutions – The extent to which policies are articulated, prioritized, and widely shared, and the extent to which institutions are organized, equipped, staffed, and trained to implement the prioritized policies and programs.

This report covers the program’s major

accomplishments and outputs from January

through March 2018, which is Quarter 2 of

Africa Lead’s fifth year of implementation. It

highlights the support, facilitation, and

training that Africa Lead provides partners

to improve institutional capacity and broader

systems and institutional architecture to

manage agricultural transformation as well

to promote the effective, inclusive

participation of non-state actors (NSAs) in


2

policy processes. Africa Lead activities

promote and sustain a culture of learning

and continue to build a process by which

evidence can play a greater role in

determining policy directions and programs

in agriculture.

By design, Africa Lead activities are

demand-driven, and the project serves as a

flexible mechanism to support various

USAID initiatives at the mission and

continental level. Africa Lead is truly greater

than the sum of its parts; to appreciate its

full impact, individual activities must be

viewed within the context of the continent-

wide goals that drive them. To illustrate the

program’s complex network of activities,

Sections 2-4 of this report summarize

project-wide progress during Quarter 2

(FY18 Q2) in the three cluster areas of

capacity development, policy support, and

knowledge sharing to align organizations,

policies, and systems around CAADP.

Section 5 includes mission-level

dashboards, which provide a snapshot view

of FY18 Q2 activities and performance

indicators for each of the project’s buy-ins.

A participant speaks on seed investment opportunities at the “Unlocking Financing for Seed Company

Development” webinar hosted by Africa Lead’s East Africa Seed Network on March 20, 2018.

Photo credit: Africa Lead.


3

II. Capacity Building

Project-wide highlights and achievements in

FY18 Q2 to strengthen and develop

organizational capacity to institutionalize the

four systems changes that Africa Lead

supports are described in this section.

Activities in this cluster provide support and

training to change agents at the

organizational and individual level to

develop, lead, and manage agricultural

transformation. For this quarter’s report, we

have organized our support according to the

following results, which are aligned to the

cross-cutting intermediate results in the new

Global Food Security Strategy:

▪ Improved skills for government actors

▪ Private sector capacity building

▪ Increased female and youth empowerment

Improved skills for government actors

To strengthen service delivery and the

technical capacity of the Nigeria

Agribusiness Resource Center (NARC),

Africa Lead, in collaboration with MDF /

West Africa and Mel Consult, delivered

three courses of three days each on public

private partnerships in agribusiness

facilitation, value chain analysis, and

monitoring and evaluation. The public

private partnership (PPP) course included

content on the benefits of PPPs in the

agricultural sector, the NARC’s role in

establishing them, and best practices in

developing and implementing PPPs. The

Value Chain Analysis course addressed

concepts and definitions around the value

chain approach as well as guidance on

conducting a value chain sub sector

analysis and related performance

management. ABMD and NARC staff that

attended the course can now describe the

value chain approach, how to conduct sub-

sector analysis, and better understand

NARC’s role in promoting the value chain

approach to increase investment in the

Nigerian agriculture sector. The monitoring

and evaluation (M&E) course discussed

concepts and definition around M&E and

results-based management, the five steps

to designing an M&E system, including

indicator development and target setting. By

the end of the course, the staff had

developed a results chain and a draft M&E

plan for the center which will enable them to

effectively monitor and evaluate NARC

activities, and to document outputs and

outcomes.

In Senegal, Africa Lead continued to

provide capacity building support to the

“Cellule de Lutte contre la Malnutrition”

(CLM) – the government entity working to

implement the government’s multi-sectorial

plan to improve nutrition in Senegal. During

the quarter, Africa Lead delivered a

leadership and management skills training

workshop with an emphasis on leadership

styles, emotional intelligence, and

situational leadership. The workshop helped

participants to develop every day

management skills such as feedback,

communication skills and strength of

working in teams. National executive senior

staff of CLM attended the workshop


4

organized over a five-day period. The first

team building workshop, which was

organized in July 2017, was in the first in a

series of three workshops designed to

strengthen CLM skills to achieve its mission

and more importantly, help make it a

learning organization.

Private sector capacity building

In Senegal, Africa Lead supported

Senegalese National Union of Traders and

Manufacturers (UNACOIS) in organizing a

sensitization workshop to share the

successful experience of Mamelles Jaboot,

a large dairy processing firm, contracting

with rural millet producers to produce

consumer ready-to-eat yogurt/millet

breakfast blend; and to inform UNACOIS

members about the principles of

contracting. The workshop highlighted the

mutual benefits of contracting for all

stakeholders in the millet value chain – the

contract mechanism provides a set price at

delivery, crop insurance and technology,

minimizing the risk to the point where banks

provide planting loans to farmers – and

informed private actors and public

authorities on the value of promoting this

approach in transforming Senegalese

agriculture. Workshop participants included

a large proportion of women working in

agriculture, commerce and distribution

sectors. From initial evidence, contracting in

the agricultural sector appears to be an

excellent mechanism for transforming

Senegalese agriculture and as such, Africa

Lead will continue to support stakeholders

to disseminate and develop the approach.

Participants at the SIRDA/VSLA meeting in January 2018. Photo credit: Africa Lead.


5

Africa Lead’s program in Ghana partnered

with the National Farmers and Fishermen

Award Winners Association, Ghana

(NFFAWAG), organized a five-day

Agribusiness and Entrepreneurship

Development course, in Kumasi, from

February 26 to March 2, 2018. This program

brought together women entrepreneurs

engaged in various agribusiness ventures

across the country. Through a rigorous

selection criterion developed by Africa Lead,

the course brought together women from all

ten regions of Ghana. Most of the women

participants were former National or District

Award Winners that are engaged in crop

and livestock production. Some participants

were also involved in activities along the

value chain such as processing,

aggregation, agricultural information

dissemination, sales and marketing. The

course empowered and equipped women

with additional skills and knowledge to

either start up or grow profitable and

sustainable agribusinesses that will

enhance agricultural productivity, create

jobs, and increase food and nutrition

security. The course developed the capacity

of these women in agribusiness

identification, planning, and management.

The 5-day course contained fourteen

training modules that were designed to

strengthen the participants’ capacity in the

principles and practices of agri-

entrepreneurship, the use of the business

model canvas, market research, agri-

business plan development, the importance

of record keeping, and financial and risk

management. The course highlighted

careers in agriculture along the value chain

by describing each function as well as

various players and business opportunities

along commodity chains. The trainers

utilized participatory learning methodologies

including hands-on activities such as self-

assessments, group discussions, group

exercises, and role-playing. The participants

examined agri-business case studies from

existing enterprises across West Africa to

enhance learning and practical application.

To foster networking and knowledge

sharing, participants had the opportunity to

share their experiences and perspectives on

agribusiness opportunities, technologies,

successes and lessons learned. An

example of an immediate outcome included

a participant who did not have a market for

her rice business; because of the training,

she is now linked with buyers.

Increased female and youth empowerment

In Ghana, Africa Lead supported the

Savanah Integrated Rural Development

Agency (SIRDA) to strengthen non-state

actors to promote gender issues, women’s

empowerment and gender mainstreaming in

agribusiness, and to increase access to

markets and financing. Through a grant

facility, Africa Lead supported SIRDA in

increasing the capacity of rural women in

Northern Ghana by providing access to

three basic financial services – savings,

credit and social insurance. Through this

grant, SIRDA reached over 2,000

beneficiaries in more than 40 Village

Savings and Loan Associations (VSLAs),

providing training and support around

transparent governance and efficient

resource management. Several

beneficiaries have reported an increased

sense of empowerment and improved

household income without seeking external

capital or financing for their activities. During

FY18 Q2, the groups conducted the annual

cash share-out process where accumulated

savings and interest are paid out to the

group members and a new annual saving

cycle begins. During the cash-out event,

Africa Lead met with members who reported

increased influence on household decision-


6

making and greater control over household

business decisions since participating in the

program.

At a much larger scale, Africa Lead

partnered with MFDI to develop, produce

and launch multimedia campaign to inspire

women and youth to enter agricultural and

agribusiness in Tanzania. During Q2, Africa

Lead launched the second feature film

Kumekucha: Fatuma on March 1, 2018, in

Arusha, Tanzania as part of Africa Lead’s

multimedia programming. The premiere

event attracted more than 150 people from

the media, private sector, non-state actors

(NSAs), and the Government of Tanzania.

Following the premiere, MFDI broadcast the

film on several regional and national media

channels across Tanzania and distributed

5,000 DVDs and posters to established

video libraries/bandas that are part of the

Tanzania Video Library Association (TVLA)

in Iringa, Mbeya, and Morogoro.

In Makueni, Kenya, Global Food Security Strategy (GFSS) Collaborating, Learning, and Adapting

(CLA) workshop attendees made field visits to private sector industries to observe the push and

pull effect of the market system in relation to the GFSS. Photo credit: Africa Lead.


7

Table 1: Key Partners and Collaborators in Q2 FY 2018

Mission Organization Type Africa Lead Support Provided

BFS Kenya Ministry of Agriculture and Irrigation (MoAl)

Gov Institutional Architecture Workshop & Action Planning

BFS African Union/Department of Rural Economy and Agriculture

Gov CAADP and Malabo implementation

BFS CAADP Non-State Actors Coalition

NGO Organizational development

BFS Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA)

Regional Organization

East & Southern Africa NAIP workshop facilitation

East Africa Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD)

Gov Support in development of IGAD Implementation Letter

East Africa Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA)

NGO Support to Seed Network Webinar

East Africa East Africa Trade and Investment Hub (EATIH)

NGO Support to Seed Network Webinar

Ghana Agriculture and Natural Resource Management Program

NGO Champions for Change training

Ghana National Farmers and Fishermen Award Winners Association, Ghana (NFFAWAG)

NGO Agribusiness and Entrepreneurship Development Course training

Guinea Government of Guinea Gov Technical Assistance

Kenya National Drought Management Authority (NDMA)

Gov Support the Development of NDMA Strategic Planning 2018 – 2022

Kenya Agricultural Council of Kenya (AgCK)

Gov Capacity building support

Kenya Joint Agricultural Sector Consultation and Cooperation Mechanism (JASCCM)

Gov Capacity building support

Nigeria Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development

Gov Capacity Building

Senegal Cellule de Lutte contre la Malnutrition (CLM)

Gov Leadership and management training

Senegal Ministry of Trade Gov Logistical support

Senegal Union National des Commerçants et Industriels du Sénégal (UNACOIS)

Private sector

Workshop facilitation

Senegal Ministry of Agriculture Gov Technical collaboration and coordination for NAIP revision

Senegal Groupe de Dialogue Social et Politique (GDSP)

Civil society Technical assistance for the editing and printing of the NAIP 2.0 document

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=5&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0ahUKEwjAh5rkopLTAhWKJcAKHSgwDdoQFgg-MAQ&url=https%3A%2F%2Fen.wikipedia.org%2Fwiki%2FIntergovernmental_Authority_on_Development&usg=AFQjCNH-w41WXjG7Kuv2hptIlMT_EbKfYQ&sig2=1V6mIzbuqOmjHd3uLKh5lA&bvm=bv.152174688,d.ZGg

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=5&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0ahUKEwjAh5rkopLTAhWKJcAKHSgwDdoQFgg-MAQ&url=https%3A%2F%2Fen.wikipedia.org%2Fwiki%2FIntergovernmental_Authority_on_Development&usg=AFQjCNH-w41WXjG7Kuv2hptIlMT_EbKfYQ&sig2=1V6mIzbuqOmjHd3uLKh5lA&bvm=bv.152174688,d.ZGg


8

Tanzania Policy Analysis Group NGO Technical assistance

Tanzania Tanzania Private Sector Foundation (TPSF)

NGO Facilitation and technical assistance

West Africa Regional

Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS)


Technical Assistance


Permanent Interstate Committee for drought control in the Sahel (CILSS)




West and Central Africa Council for Agricultural Research and Development (CORAF/WECARD)




9

III. Policy Support

This section describes project-wide

highlights and achievements in FY18 Q2 to

support policy development and

implementation processes at various levels,

as well as to strengthen overall institutional

architecture for policy change in the

agriculture and food security sectors.

Activities in this area support the enabling

environment for developing, aligning, and

managing the policy process — which

includes the effective engagement of non-

state actors (NSAs) — for agricultural

transformation. For the purposes of this

quarter’s report, the support has been

organized along the following activity areas:

▪ Improved Intsitutional Architecture (IA) for agricultural policy change

▪ Facilitation support to develop high quality NAIPs

Improved Intsitutional Architecture (IA) for agricultural policy change

In Kenya from February 28 – March 1,

Africa Lead piloted and facilitated a

workshop on the participatory approach for

developing an Institutional Architecture (IA)

improvement plan. More than 70 Kenyan

stakeholders participated in addition to

representatives from USAID and the

Agriculture and Rural Development Donor

Group. Kenyan stakeholders included

leadership from the Ministry of Agriculture

and Irrigation (who issued the workshop

invitations and made a presentation on IA

status in Kenya), representation from the

Joint Agriculture Secretariat, and

representatives from county government,

civil society, the private sector, think tanks,

and research institutes. The IA workshop

methodology, developed by Africa Lead,

allows for local actors to convene to conduct

analysis and prioritize an action plan on how

to improve their national institutional

architecture. Africa Lead is in the process of

developing an IA Toolkit – comprised of

tools to use before, during and after the IA

workshop. Elements include facilitator’s

guide as well as a 360-degree survey of

stakeholders in advance of the workshop,

(which was piloted with Kenyan NSAs in

advance of the workshop). Additional

elements of the toolkit include an Action

Plan template, a suggested workshop

stakeholder composition profile, and Terms

of Reference for an Action Plan Workshop

Steering Committee. As a pilot, the Kenya

experience tested the hypothesis that

stakeholders would constructively work

together in a short time to create an Action

Plan to improve the country’s institutional

architecture. The pilot was successful,

providing evidence that the methodology

can be useful to other countries.

Outputs from the workshop include:

1. The Kenya IA Action Plan that can serve

as an example and provide lessons

learned for other countries.

2. A plan from the Ministry of Agriculture to

appoint and support a steering

committee to manage the IA Action

Plan, monitor progress over time and

organize a follow-up workshop to review

achievements in the plan in a year’s

time.

3. A video explaining the IA workshop

concept and demonstrating its value in

the Kenya pilot with interviews from key

stakeholders.

https://youtu.be/fVJRPaj4U6Y


10

4. Incorporation of recommendations in the

new Kenya Agriculture Transformation

Strategy as mechanisms for

coordination of sector actors, regular

institutional arrangement tracking and

improvement and support for similar

arrangements and processes at the

county level.

Key IA resources, including materials from

the Kenya pilot, are now available on Africa

Lead’s website here. Lessons learned from

this experience are integrated in new

iterations of the tools in the toolkit, which will

be tested in the Senegal pilot workshop in

May.

Following the workshop, Kenya’s CAADP

country team convened a meeting on

broader Malabo domestication, which was

attended by national government, county

governments and non-state actors

representing youth, farmers organizations,

private sector, research and academia. The

focus of the meeting was to address follow-

up for the Biennial Review (BR) process

and initiate preparations to address gaps in

next BR cycle. The recommendations from

IA workshop were revisited and a formal IA

steering committee was called for by the

Ministry of Agriculture and Irrigation (MoAI).

Part of the mandate of the IA steering

committee in Kenya will be to monitor and

report on the IA Action Plan to the MoAI.

In addition, as a result of the IA workshop,

county governments in Kenya have shown

interest in domestication of the IA

framework to facilitate institutional capacity

and help improve coordination of actors.

Justus Monda, the Chairman of the Agriculture Council of Kenya (AGCK), gives closing remarks at the

Institutional Architecture Assessment (IAA) workshop held in Nairobi, Kenya in March 2018.


https://www.africaleadftf.org/institutional-architecture-assessment-for-food-security-policy-change/#1522927752818-1f2e14f0-3a01


11

For example, the AgCK was requested to

lead by sensitizing NSAs on IA policy

reforms for agricultural development

through their members and planned county

chapters.

The following sections describe key

achievements in improving institutional

architecture supported by Africa Lead

during Q2 to the improve systems,

processes, and relationships that influence

food security policy and programs. The

sections are organized by the following

thematic areas of institutional architecture:

• Inclusivity and stakeholder

coordination

• Intragovernmental coordination

• M&E and evidence-based analysis

Achievements in these areas contribute to

the development of better performing, more

effective policy systems and over time, can

lead to improved policies and policy

outcomes at the subnational, national and

regional levels.

Inclusivity and stakeholder consultation

In Tanzania this quarter, Africa Lead

continued to provide support to the

Partnership Accountability Committee’s

(PAC) Secretariat through technical

assistance and coaching in inclusive policy

dialogue. Because of Africa Lead support,

PAC coordination and planning has

improved, including that in February 2018,

the PAC met and developed

recommendations in the areas of

horticulture and manufacturing for

amendments on the Finance Act 2016.

In Senegal this quarter, the “Direction de

l’Appui au Secteur Prive” (DASP), with

support of Africa Lead, attended a

consultative workshop with the agro-

industries communities and the university

Gaston Berger of Saint Louis. The purpose

of this meeting was to organize a dialogue

with large, macro, as well as small and

medium-sized enterprises, to identify

challenges and initiate other reforms that

would contribute to the improvement of a

favorable agri-business climate. The

workshop brought together participants from

the public and private sectors, the University

Gaston Berger’s incubation center, research

institutions and NGOs. This meeting was of

critical importance to DASP and indeed

helped to (i) solicit feedbacks on constraints

of actors in the Ag Sector, (ii) support the

effective implementation of existing reforms,

(iii) identify reforms to be undertaken to

improve the business environment of the

Agricultural Sector, and (iv) initiate the

implementation of new reforms with

decision makers.

Africa Lead is also supporting the Ministry of

Trade in Senegal. The Ministry has recently

developed a National Policy Strategy to

bring department actions into line with the

president’s plan and objectives as

expressed in the “Plan Sénégal Emergent”

(PSE). This national policy is considered as

one of the flagship instruments guiding the

implementation of PSE axes 1 and 2.

During the quarter, Africa Lead supported

the ministry to organize the validation

workshop of the policy document. The

workshop brought together stakeholders

from the public, private and civil society

sectors. As part of Africa Lead’s continued

support to the ministry, Africa Lead will (i)

organize a team building workshop for the

Ministry of Trade to help create a common

understanding of expectations throughout

the department and link key operational

systems and processes to the

organization's mission and objectives, and

(ii) facilitate a series of capacity


12

strengthening workshop for the ministry

senior staff.

Also in Senegal this quarter, Africa Lead

supported the “Groupe de Dialogue Social

et Politique” (GDSP) to publish its

contributions to Senegal’s new National

Agricultural Investment Plan (the NAIP 2.0).

GDSP is a non-state actor group whose

mandate is to improve participation by non-

state actors in the implementation of

CAADP in Senegal. During the quarter

GDSP also presented the strategy

document of contributions to a group of

stakeholders representing the government,

civil society, farmers' organizations and

donors. In the document, GDSP defined its

strategy to monitor the implementation of

the NAIP 2.0; define the role it intends to

play to influence policy change around

water, land, forest, and fishing to ensure

food security and sustainable development.

With the support from Africa Lead, GDSP

published and disseminated 2,000 copies of

its strategy to stakeholders from the

agriculture sector in Senegal.

Another important initiative that Africa Lead

is supporting to improve the quality of

inclusive, participatory stakeholder

coordination and engagement in the food

security policy process is the Non-State

Actors Small Grants Program, which was

launched in 2017 in Kenya and Senegal in

partnership with the CAADP Non-State

Actor’s Coalition (CNC) – a key Africa Lead

partner at the continental level. The Small

Grants Program (SGP) aims to enhance

NSA capacity to contribute to CAADP goals.

While the role of citizen engagement in

policy processes takes on many forms, the

SGP focuses primarily on strengthening

capacity of NSAs to generate new

information to monitor and evaluate

government policies, programs, and

practices against Malabo commitments, to

enrich the public policy agenda with NSA

perspectives, to connect and create

networks among NSAs, and to empower

marginalized communities, particularly

smallholder farmers, to participate in public

policy.

During previous quarters, Africa Lead

reached out to over 30 Africa-based

networks as well as hundreds of specific

organizations, Africa Lead partners, and

CNC members to promote the SGP. In

response, Africa Lead received a total of

130 applications from NSA groups in Kenya,

Senegal, Uganda and Nigeria. While Africa

Lead received an overwhelming number of

compelling concepts, the evaluation

committee prioritized those which

emphasized innovative approaches to

engaging citizens and other stakeholders in

policy dialogue as well as coverage in FTF

Zones of Influence Beyond the finalists, we

are also excited by the interest generated

through the call and the diverse roster of

NSAs working in CAADP that the CNC is

now connecting with in Kenya, Senegal,

Uganda and Nigeria.

During the selection process, Africa Lead

used an online application tool called

Screendoor, which enabled us to collect

input and feedback on the concepts from a

diverse set of evaluators, including CNC

partners in the region, Africa Lead regional

staff, local civil society experts as well as

the CNC Coordinator and Secretariat.

Through a two-phase competitive process,

Africa Lead shortlisted a total of eight

applicant organizations, including six

finalists in Kenya and two in Senegal.

Following a final review and due diligence

process, Africa Lead expects to issue

awards in Kenya early next quarter.

http://cncr.org/fr/publications/publications-du-cncr/propositions-des-organisations-de-producteurs-et-de-la-societe



13

Intragovernmental coordination

In FY18 Q2, Africa Lead continued to

provide technical support to the new inter-

governmental consultation and cooperation

mechanism, the Joint Agricultural Sector

Consultation and Cooperation Mechanism

(JASCCM). An Africa Lead-seconded

Senior Technical Advisor within the Joint

Agricultural Secretariat (JAS) continues to

provide technical assistance and support to

guide the secretariat in support of JASCOM

operations and their role in the current

development of the Kenya Agriculture

Transformation Strategy (ATS) and National

Agriculture Investment Plan (NAIP). JAS

was instrumental this quarter in working with

national government and counties in

convening the Kenya Institutional

Architecture Assessment (IAA) workshop

and integrating JASCCOM as a key element

of the agriculture strategy structure in policy

coordination. In Q3, Africa Lead will

facilitate a team building and operational

orientation for performance workshop for all

JAS staff and a high-level meeting to

respond to the Fall Army Worm (FAW) crisis

in Kenya.

M&E and evidence-based analysis

In Guinea, Africa Lead performed a rapid

assessment and an analysis of the different

types of subsidies on seeds, fertilizers, and

agricultural equipment to determine the

impact of the Government of Guinea’s

subsidy programs on agriculture and if and

how the subsidies can be used as a lever

for the promotion of the private sector. This

quarter, Africa Lead shared findings and

recommendation of the study with key

USAID/ Guinea mission staff. Subsequently,

the team finalized and submitted the report

to the USAID Mission and the Ministry of

Agriculture. These recommendations are

expected to inform the design of the

Government of Guinea’s policy on subsidies

and promote private sector development.

In Senegal, Africa Lead is supporting the

Ministry of Finance’s “Direction de l’Appui

au Secteur Privé” (DASP) in its mandate to

assist with the formulation and coordination

of policies to promote private sector

activities in Senegal. To effectively support

evidence-based policy development, DASP

requires an effective M&E system. During

the quarter, Africa Lead provided DASP with

coaching and technical assistance in

development of their M&E manual. DASP

core management staff and two

representatives from the Ministry of

Economy, Finance, and Plan took part into

the process including development of data

collection tools, data collection, compilation,

entry and analysis, and development of

recommendations around evidence-based

decision making. Other departments within

the Ministry have since expressed

interested in learning from DASP’s

experience and in developing their own

M&E systems.

Facilitation support to develop high quality NAIPs

In Kenya, Africa Lead continues to provide

technical assistance and facilitative

engagement to the development of the

Agricultural Sector Transformation and

Growth Strategy (ASTGS) and the National

Investment Plan (NAIP). As a member of

the ASGTS Task Force Core Technical

Team, Africa Lead facilitated additional

targeted meetings to guide the ASTGS

process including joint meetings with FAO

and AGRA, supporting a workshop for

senior directors and technical staff from the

Ministry of Agriculture and Irrigation (MoAI)

to review the draft strategy and plan. Africa

Lead also facilitated with AGRA a second

private sector consultation meeting in March


14

to validate flagship initiatives under the

ASGTS and co-design public-private-

partnership arrangements for

implementation. To ensure private sector

buy-in of the ASTGS/NAIP process, Africa

Lead facilitated a workshop in February

2018 that convened private sector actors,

government officials, and development

partners including USAID, FAO, AGRA, and

GIZ. The objective of the event was to

engage private sector players as a follow-up

to the 1st meeting in December 2017 to

validate the ASTGS and design a public-

private alliance (PPA) for implementation.

Next quarter, Africa Lead will facilitate

plenary sessions for the agricultural sector

at the 5th Annual Devolution Conference

that will be attended by over 2000

participants from all 47 counties. Africa

Lead will also lead a C4C training for

national senior ministry staff.

Also in Q2, Africa Lead facilitated a regional

workshop by Common Market for Eastern

and Southern Africa (COMESA) on

Accelerated Domestication of Malabo

Declaration by Members States and

Regional Economic Communities. The

purpose was to mainstream Malabo

thematic areas into the National Agriculture

Investment Plans (NAIP) and Regional

Agriculture Investment Plans (RAIP)

processes and was aimed at helping

member states and RECs to conduct an

informed process for enhanced alignment

and harmonization with CAADP and the

Malabo Declaration. The workshop

culminated in detailed country roadmaps

with clear deliverables, responsibilities, and

timeframe towards the formulation and

implementation of NAIPs in member states

(Uganda, Rwanda, Malawi, Zimbabwe,

Eritrea, Seychelles, Zambia, Swaziland,

Ethiopia and Kenya). The workshop report

can be accessed here. By sharing

experiences and lessons learned from

Biennial Review exercise, member states

committed to implementation of the CAADP

process and agreed on next steps which

included creating awareness on Malabo

Domestication at country level, aligning

NAIPs to National budgets and plans,

enhancing data management systems and

implementing the developed NAIP

roadmaps.

https://www.africaleadftf.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/COMESA_regional_workshop_on_Malabo_Domesticdation_March2018.pdf


15

IV. Knowledge Sharing

This section describes project-wide

highlights and achievements for FY18 Q2 in

knowledge sharing to promote and sustain a

culture of learning and to continue to build a

process by which evidence can play a

greater role in determining policy directions

and programs in agriculture. These activities

support learning events and exchanges,

dissemination of policy-relevant research,

and the development of knowledge and

learning products. By design, Africa Lead

activities are demand driven, and the project

operates as a flexible mechanism to support

various USAID initiatives at the mission and

continental level. As such, these activities

are adapted to the needs of our

stakeholders and partners.

This quarter, Africa Lead’s knowledge-

sharing activities focused on the following

areas:

▪ Improved Program Learning

▪ Development Partner Exchanges and Events

Improved Program Learning

Africa Lead held a four-day Lessons

Learned Event (LLE) in Nairobi, Kenya this

quarter. The purpose of the event was to

capture lessons learned and generate

recommendations for near and long-term

food security capacity building efforts. Over

100 participants from across sub-Saharan

Africa reflected on the continental project’s

past four years and discussed opportunities

for additional food security and capacity

building programming, as well as how to

ensure the sustainability of existing

programs. Non-state actors, government

partners, and Africa Lead and USAID staff

from Washington, DC and across the

continent reviewed the project’s efforts to

support continental, regional, country, and

sub-national level progress in achieving the

goals of the Comprehensive Africa

Agriculture Development Programme

(CAADP). Africa Lead kicked off a three-day

learning event focused on developing a

report on key lessons learned that can

inform future African-led food security

efforts. Key highlights from the workshop

included discussions on the legacy of Africa

Lead’s C4C program and ways to improve it

in the remaining period. Participants

discussed successes of the CAADP

Biennial Review process and the

institutional architecture efforts that Africa

Lead is currently championing within

national agriculture planning efforts.

Additionally, speakers presented eight

thought pieces based on Africa Lead’s

lessons and experiences, followed by group

discussion and analysis in breakout

sessions. As a follow up to the event, Africa

Lead will share various outputs with

partners, including a lesson learned report,

as well as engage key stakeholders to

finalize next steps.


16

Africa Lead also organized a Lessons

Learned Event in Ghana on March 22, 2018

to reflect on the successes, lessons

learned, and challenges and to make

recommendations for current and future

programming. At the event, participants took

stock of four years of collaboration,

partnerships, progress, and impact, and

reflected on key lessons and perspectives

on what made a significant difference and

how, as well as any contributing factors.

Participants at the event included

representatives from USAID Ghana and

West Africa, university and research

institutions, and civil society and agri-

business partners and beneficiaries. During

the workshop, participants walked through

and reflected on the gallery of

transformation, a photo and audio-visual

display and exhibition of Africa Lead’s work

over the last four-years. During a panel

discussion, beneficiary representatives

presented their successes, innovations and

results. Africa Lead staff presented findings

from the project’s internal program review

and thought papers on lessons learned in

leadership and management capacity, youth

workforce development, mutual

accountability, policy dialogue and

advocacy. Participants shared additional

lessons learned and made

recommendations for the future in group

discussions. Through the event, Africa Lead

documented lessons and recommendations

to inform program design and activities over

the remaining years of the broader Africa

Lead project and beyond.

Annie Dela Akanko, Monitoring & Evaluation Manager, Africa Lead West Africa, presenting at the

Africa Lead Lessons Learned Event in Nairobi, Kenya in February 2018.



17

Also this quarter, Africa Lead organized a

sustainability workshop for C4C Networks

Ghana. Since participating in C4C training,

many graduates have established learning

networks to stay connected and share in

customization and replication of the

material. Out of the nine networks

established, seven remain active and viable.

During the workshop, network members had

the opportunity to share successes, failures,

and lessons learned and to discuss

strategies, approaches and methodologies

to grow and sustain their network activities.

The network members learned about the

importance of strategic communication,

collaboration, partnerships and resource

management and about various fundraising

tools and strategies that can help them

sustain their work. By the end of the

workshop, each network team had

developed a five-year sustainability action

plan.

Africa Lead’s Agribusiness Leadership

Internship Program (A-LEAP) in Ghana

placed university students and graduates in

small and medium sized agribusinesses for

periods ranging from three to twelve

months. Through the program,

undergraduate students and graduates from

top tertiary agricultural institutions

performed professional internships within

local agribusinesses during their academic

breaks. During the quarter, Africa Lead held

a learning event for interns and host

organizations to share lessons learned and

highlight the success or impact of the

internship program. The event also included

a post-internship career planning session to

guide interns in their professional growth. A

key lesson shared by the majority of the

host partners was that the internship

programs can be leveraged as a high-

impact technical assistance tool to fill

institutional gaps through demand-driven

placements. Most interns expressed desire

to have participated in Africa Lead’s training

programs in addition to the pre-internship

orientation. Overall, both host supervisors

and interns expressed great satisfaction

with the program.

Through the East Africa buy-in this quarter,

Africa Lead and partner TNS incorporated

feedback into their impact evaluation of the

Don’t Lose the Plot (DLTP) reality TV show.

The report covers impact of the TV program

in the areas of levels of knowledge as well

as change in attitudes and behaviors of

youth viewers (aged 18-35 years) from

Kenya and Tanzania. The study indicates

that the program succeeded in changing the

attitudes of youth towards farming,

improving knowledge on record keeping,

irrigation, use of fertilizer and budgeting

among the youth, and eliciting a change in

behavior towards farming among youth in

the two countries.

In Kenya this quarter, Africa Lead facilitated

a Partnership for Resilience and Economic

Growth (PREG) Lessons Learned Event

(LLE), as part of Africa Lead's wider LLE to

reflect on the project’s performance over the

last five years. The PREG LLE focused on

Kenya's Resilience Program in the Northern

Kenya development context, including a

presentation of findings from a case study

on the PREG model. Participants from

PREG, implementing partners, and donor

agencies from the Arid and Semi-Arid Lands

(ASAL) donor group, USAID staff from

Washington D.C, Kenya and East Africa

Missions, and Africa Lead staff attended the

learning event. The focus of the event was

to learn from PREG members and external

partners, and to gain insight into PREG

collaboration and partnership processes.


18

Also with the Partnership for Resilience and

Economic Growth (PREG) this quarter,

Africa Lead facilitated the development of a

case study on the PREG Model to examine

its level of success as a model of

collaboration and coordination, what worked

and didn’t work, as well as key lessons

learned. Key successes identified in the

study included strong buy-in and

commitment from implementing partners,

investments in continuous learning and

adaptation, and flexibility in roles and

responsibilities. Recommendations included

enhancing government and community

ownership in PREG, building collaboration

from the beginning of the design phase, and

incentivizing innovation for outstanding

partner activities. The case study was

finalized and shared with USAID.

Development partner exchanges and events

The Fall Army Worm (FAW) is a caterpillar

that causes serious infestations in many

crops around the world and recently it has

been causing substantial devastation in

grains and especially maize crops in Africa.

The effect of FAW infestations in some

countries has been so grave as to

necessitate the declaration of an

emergency. African governments and

donors are struggling to control the FAW

infestation. One way to help in this process

is for key actors in control efforts to learn

how governments in other parts of the world

are working to control their own outbreaks

of Fall Army Worm. Early in 2018, USAID

Esther Omosa, a Nutrition Specialist at the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI),

takes PREG partners through activities implemented by the Accelerated Value Chain

Development (AVCD) program as part of the Agri-Nutrition Tupendane Community Unit in Isiolo

County, Kenya. Photo credit: Africa Lead.


19

requested that Africa Lead consider a

request from the BFS-based member of a

multi-agency FAW Task Force for Africa

Lead to provide planning, logistical and

follow up support to a study tour for a group

of Ministers of Agriculture to visit Brazil to

see, first hand, how Brazil is combating

FAW. The Brazilian government spends

$600m per year on anti-FAW measures.

Furthermore, Brazil has a combination of

large industrial farms and smallholder

agriculture each of which needs distinct

approaches. Specifically, the study tour and

engagement with Brazilian FAW control

authorities sought to expose African

decision-makers to proven and successful

technology to combat the Fall Armyworm in

a country with a similar agro-ecological

zone -- using applied Integrated Pest

Management principles, and to understand

the pros, cons and limitations of various

technologies and the enabling environment

required to develop or apply these

technologies in their own countries. The

study tour focused largely on policy makers,

with the intent being to improve the enabling

environment in their countries to allow for

better access to agriculture technology

(including pesticides, seeds, and other

technology solutions). Africa Lead held this

study tour in Brazil from March 24 – 29,

2018, (prime time to see anti-FAW

activities) with more than twenty participants

from ministries in ten countries in Africa,

(Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Malawi, Mali,

Mozambique, Niger, Nigeria, Uganda,

Zambia), from the African Union’s

Department of Rural Economy and

Agriculture (DREA), and regional economic

communities in West, East and Southern

Africa - the Economic Community of West

African States (ECOWAS), the Common

Market for Eastern and Southern Africa

(COMESA), and the Southern African

Development Community (SADC).

In East Africa, Africa Lead conducted

consultations with six bilateral missions

(Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Rwanda,

Burundi, and Ethiopia) this quarter to

capture their input on the upcoming Feed

the Future and Trade Africa Regional

Conference in May 2018, in Nairobi.

Interviews identified key issues for the

agenda and design, potential panelists, and

meeting participants. The USAID/Office of

Economic Growth Integration (OEGI) also

received feedback on its support and

partnership with bilateral missions and

identified specific actions to enhance

program implementation. A summary report

and agenda were generated from these

consultations.

In East Africa, Africa Lead facilitated an

Economics of Resilience to Drought

Learning Event in Nairobi in March 2018.

The event brought together participants

from donor agencies, implementing

partners, PREG members, the National

Drought Management Authority (NDMA),

and USAID/Kenya and East Africa

representatives. The main objective for the

event was to create awareness and

disseminate study findings of the

Economics of Resilience to Drought

assessment commissioned by the

USAID/Center for Resilience and USAID

missions in Kenya, Ethiopia, and Somalia.

By the end of the event, stakeholders

recognized the need for governments to

take the lead in resilience building initiatives

and invest more in early warning and early

response systems to facilitate timely actions

to mitigate adverse effects and losses.

In addition, Africa Lead facilitated the

development of a PREG manual to develop

a common understanding of the operations

of the PREG model and to promote

collaborating, learning, and adapting (CLA)

among PREG partners. The manual was

used to induct PREG national level and


20

county level leadership through facilitation

of a national level orientation and refresher

workshop for county leads and deputies,

where partners developed leadership action

plans and identified priority areas for

layering and integration.

Africa Lead also facilitated a thematic

meeting for the PREG Nutrition Technical

Working Group (NTWG) that was held in

Nairobi in January 2018. Participants from

USAID, National Drought Management

Authority (NDMA), and PREG members

attended and discussed mechanisms for

enhancing program collaboration amongst

partners. During the meeting, partners

shared their individual, organizational FY18

priority activities, interventions for increasing

nutrition sensitive and specific

programming, and areas and opportunities

for layering and integration with one another

for collective impact and the desired result

of reducing malnutrition rates in the ASALs.

Partners agreed to develop and share their

FY18 nutrition sensitive/specific work plans

while indicating their collaborating

counterpart, targeted activities for

integration in the identified county’s/sub-

county’s, and the period of implementation.

Next quarter, partners will onboard a

nutrition expert to lead an assessment of

nutrition programming to improve synergy

and collaboration among PREG partners to

address chronic malnutrition levels in the

Northern Kenya.

This quarter Africa Lead continued its

coordination with USAID/Kenya and East

Africa to prepare and circulate monthly

eUpdates with partners within the East

Africa region, Senegal and Washington,

Global Alliance Members, IGAD, and other

key stakeholders. Three eUpdates were

shared this quarter with the objective of

enabling partners to have regular updates

and learn from each other on resilience

programming across the region, share alerts

on upcoming events, and disseminate

information on resilience matters and

documents such as research, reports, and

case studies.


21

V. Mission Dashboards


22

BUREAU FOR FOOD SECURITY

Q2|FY2018

KEY DATA POINTS

KEY PARTNERS

ACTIVITIES

Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) regional workshop. Africa Lead facilitated a regional workshop by Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) on Accelerated Domestication of Malabo Declaration by Members States and Regional Economic Communities. The purpose was to mainstream Malabo thematic areas into the National Agriculture Investment Plans (NAIP) and Regional Agriculture Investment Plans (RAIP) processes and was aimed at helping member states and Regional Economic Communities to conduct an informed process for enhanced alignment and harmonization with CAADP and the Malabo Declaration. The workshop report can be accessed here.

During the workshop, member states conducted an assessment of current status to (a) understand the specific country context of NAIP formulation and implementation, (b) build

PROGRAM RESULTS BY INDICATOR Q2 PY5

Number of organizations supported 62 62

Number of private sector and civil

society organizations supported

11 11

Number of individuals supported

through program events

102 102

Number of individuals trained 0 0

Number of food security events 3 3

ORGANIZATION TYPE AL SUPPORT

African Union/Department of Rural Economy and Agriculture

RIGO CAADP and Malabo implementation

CAADP Non-State Actors Coalition NGO Organizational development

Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa

(COMESA) and COMESA member states

RIGO NAIP workshop facilitation

Kenyan Ministry of Agriculture and Irrigation

(MoIA)

Gov Institutional Architecture

Workshop

67%

33%

Male Female

https://www.africaleadftf.org/comesa_regional_workshop_on_malabo_domesticdation_march2018/


23

consensus among CAADP focal points and experts on ways forward for NAIP formulation, and (c) identify needs for institutional strengthening to successfully implement the NAIP. This exercise showed that progress of NAIP formulation and implementation varies from country to country. For example, Rwanda is implementing NAIP II and formulating NAIP III, while Malawi, Ethiopia, Kenya, Zambia, Seychelles, and Uganda are at different stages in formulating NAIP II. Zimbabwe and Swaziland are formulating NAIP I, while Eritrea is a new entrant in the process. Given these differences in status of countries in relation to NAIP formulation and implementation, it is important to recognize that each country has different support needs.

Institutional Assessment (IA) and Action Planning Workshop Kenya. Africa Lead collaborated with the Kenyan Ministry of Agriculture and Irrigation (MoIA), the Joint Agriculture Sector Secretariat (JAS), and the Agriculture Council of Kenya (an apex NSA group) to organize the first pilot of the IA workshop and toolkit elements. The workshop was a success as it brought together 70 stakeholders from government, the private sector, civil society, think tanks, research organizations and other development partners and resulted in a concrete action plan and a MoAI commitment to appoint a steering committee to follow-up on the Action Plan and workshop recommendations. A video explaining the IA workshop concept and demonstrating its value in the Kenya pilot with interviews from key stakeholders can be found here. In Q3 Africa Lead will pilot elements of the IA toolkit in Senegal in May. In July, a third pilot will be conducted in Tanzania, in partnership with USAID/ ASPIRES, the Policy Analysis Group (PAG), and the Partnership Accountability Committee (PAC).

Africa Lead is testing an approach which emphasizes country ownership through self-assessment and by facilitating structured, consultative dialogue to strengthen local system capacity to manage inclusive and evidence-based policy reform. As such, the process, key players, problems and solutions will be context-specific in each country. However, because the toolkit is based on the IA framework, lessons learned and insights can be compared and analyzed across countries to improve learning and highlight successful solutions for common problems.

Africa Lead Lessons Learned Event. Africa Lead held a four-day Lessons Learned Event (LLE) in Kenya to capture lessons learned and generate recommendations for near and long-term food security capacity building efforts. Over 100 participants from across sub-Saharan Africa reflected on the continental project’s past four years and discussed opportunities for additional food security and capacity building programming, as well as how to ensure the sustainability of existing programs. Non-state actors, government partners, and Africa Lead and USAID staff from Washington, DC and across the continent reviewed the project’s efforts to support continental, regional, country, and sub-national level progress in achieving the goals of the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP). As a follow up to the event, Africa Lead will share various outputs with partners, including a lesson learned report, as well as engage key stakeholders to finalize next steps.

Non-State Actors Small Grants Program in Kenya. In 2017, Africa Lead launched the Non-State Actors Small Grants Program in Kenya in partnership with the CAADP Non-State Actor’s Coalition (CNC). The NSA Small Grants Program aims to enhance NSA capacity to contribute to CAADP goals. While the role of citizen engagement in policy processes takes on many forms, the Small Grants Program focuses primarily on strengthening capacity of NSAs to generate new information to monitor and evaluate government policies, programs, and practices against Malabo commitments, to enrich the public policy agenda with NSA perspectives, to connect and create networks among NSAs, and to empower marginalized communities, particularly smallholder farmers, to participate in public policy. Through a two-

https://youtu.be/fVJRPaj4U6Y


24

phase competitive process, Africa Lead shortlisted a total of eight applicant organizations in Kenya and Senegal this quarter and expects to issue awards early next quarter.

Fall Army Worm Study Tour in Brazil. Africa Lead organized a study tour in Brazil from March 24 – 29 with more than twenty participants from ministries in ten countries in Africa, (Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Malawi, Mali, Mozambique, Niger, Nigeria, Uganda, Zambia), the African Union’s Department of Rural Economy and Agriculture (DREA), and regional economic communities in West, East and Southern Africa - the Economic Community of West African States, the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa, and the Southern African Development Community. The study tour focused largely on policy makers with the intent to improve the enabling environment in their countries to allow for better access to agriculture technology (including pesticides, seeds, and other technology solutions) in combatting this caterpillar that is causing substantial devastation in grains across Africa.


25

EAST AFRICA MISSION

Q2|FY2018

KEY PARTNERS

ACTIVITIES

Assessment of How Best to Promote Regional Seed Trade. Africa Lead in partnership with subcontractor Agri Experience concluded field data collection this quarter on regional seed trade. Data collection was carried out in March 2018 and focused on six countries and 10 border points and included consultations with over 90 respondents from seed companies, seed trade associations, regulatory authorities, development partners, and other service providers supporting seed trade. Agri Experience is in the process of concluding additional consultations with key informants and analyzing data and reporting which will culminate in a validation workshop in May. Study findings will inform USAID and Africa Lead interventions in FY2018 and FY2019 to improve seed trade across the COMESA region.

Impact Evaluation of the Don’t Lose the Plot Reality TV Show. In Q2, Africa Lead in partnership with subcontractor TNS incorporated feedback into their impact evaluation of the Don’t Lose the Plot (DLTP) reality TV show in a final report. The report covers impact of the TV program in the areas of levels of knowledge as well as change in attitudes and behaviors of youth viewers (aged 18-35 years) from Kenya and Tanzania. The study indicates that the program succeeded in changing the attitudes of youth towards farming, improving knowledge on record keeping, irrigation, use of fertilizer and budgeting among the youth, and eliciting a change in behavior toward farming among youth in the two countries.

Consultations for the Feed the Future and Trade Africa Regional Conference. Africa Lead conducted consultations with six bilateral missions (Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, and Ethiopia) this quarter to capture their input on the upcoming Feed the Future and Trade Africa Regional Conference in May 2018 in Nairobi. Interviews identified key issues for the agenda and design, potential panelists, and meeting participants. The USAID/Office of Economic Growth Integration (OEGI) also received feedback on its support and partnership with bilateral missions and identified specific actions to enhance program implementation. A summary report and agenda were generated from these consultations.

ORGANIZATION TYPE AFRICA LEAD SUPPORT

Alliance for a Green

Revolution in Africa (AGRA)

NGO Workshop facilitation

USAID/Center for Resilience Government Workshop facilitation

Intergovernmental Authority

on Development (IGAD)

Regional

Institution

Conference facilitation

Agri Experience NGO Seed assessment


26

Facilitation of the Launch of the Economics of Resilience to Drought Study. Africa Lead facilitated the Economics of Resilience to Drought Learning Event in Nairobi in March 2018. It brought together 93 participants from donor agencies, implementing partners, PREG members, the National Drought Management Authority (NDMA), and USAID/Kenya and East Africa representatives. The main objective for the event was to create awareness and disseminate widely study findings of the Economics of Resilience to Drought assessment commissioned by the USAID/Center for Resilience and USAID missions in Kenya, Ethiopia, and Somalia. By the end of the event, stakeholders recognized the need for governments to take the lead in resilience building initiatives, and invest more in early warning and early response systems to facilitate timely actions to mitigate adverse effects and losses.

Support in Development of IGAD Implementation Letter. Africa Lead provided technical support this quarter to the development of the IGAD four-year implementation letter (2017 to 2021) for the resilience component of USAID’s Regional Development Objectives Grant Agreement (RDOAG). The purpose of the Implementation letter is to serve as a strategic guide to IGAD’s priority areas of focus within the resilience agenda for the next four years. The Implementation Letter identifies linkages and opportunities for improving synergies and leverage across activities for enhanced partnership and coordination between IGAD units, partners, and other relevant programs.

Monthly HoRN e-Update. Africa Lead coordinated with the USAID/KEA to prepare and circulate a monthly eUpdate with partners within the East Africa region, Senegal and Washington, Global Alliance Members, IGAD, and other key stakeholders. Three eUpdates were shared this quarter with the objective of enabling partners to have regular updates and learn from each other on resilience programming across the region, share alerts on upcoming events, and disseminate information on resilience matters and documents such as research, reports, and case studies.


27

KENYA MISSION

Q2|FY2018 KEY DATA POINTS

KEY PARTNERS

ACTIVITIES

Inclusive multi-stakeholder policy dialogue support to the JASCCM and JASSCOM. In Q2, Africa Lead continued to provide technical support to the new inter-governmental consultation and cooperation mechanism, the Joint Agricultural Sector Consultation and Cooperation Mechanism (JASCCM). An Africa Lead-seconded Senior Technical Advisor within JAS continues to provide technical assistance and support to guide the secretariat in support of JASCOM operations and their role in the current development of the Kenya Agriculture Transformation Strategy (ATS) and National Agriculture Investment Plan (NAIP). JAS was instrumental this quarter in working with national government and counties in convening the Kenya Institutional Architecture Assessment (IAA) workshop and integrating JASCCOM as a key element of the agriculture strategy structure in policy coordination. In Q3, Africa Lead will facilitate a team building and operational orientation for performance



Number of private sector and

civil society organizations supported

14 41



198 436




Joint Agricultural Sector Steering

Committee (JASSCOM)

Gov Capacity building support, meeting

facilitation

Agriculture Council of Kenya (AgCK) NGO Capacity building support

Agriculture Rural Development Donor

Group

Development

Partner

Capacity building support

67%

33%

Male Female

80%

20%


28

workshop for all JAS staff and a high-level meeting to respond to the Fall Army Worm (FAW) crisis in Kenya.

Supported Policy Change and Alignment. Africa Lead continued providing technical assistance and facilitative engagement to the development of the Agricultural Sector Transformation and Growth Strategy (ASTGS) and the National Investment Plan (NAIP). As a member of the ASGTS Task Force Core Technical Team, Africa Lead facilitated additional targeted meetings to guide the ASTGS process including joint meetings with FAO and AGRA, supporting a workshop for 55 senior directors and technical staff from the Ministry of Agriculture and Irrigation (MoAI) to review the draft strategy and plan. Africa Lead also facilitated with AGRA a second private sector consultation meeting in March for 87 participants to validate flagship initiatives under the ASGTS and co-design public-private-partnership arrangements for implementation. In Q3, Africa Lead will facilitate plenary sessions for the agricultural sector at the 5th Annual Devolution Conference that will be attended by over 2000 participants from all 47 counties. Africa Lead will also lead a C4C training for national senior ministry staff.

Strengthened Donor Coordination. In Q2, Africa Lead continued supporting donor coordination for the Agriculture Rural Development Donor Group (ARDDG) and the Arid and Semi-Arid Lands (ASALs) Donor Group (DG), as well as the Cabinet Secretary for the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries (MoALF). Africa Lead strengthened complementarity and synergies amongst donors in the financing of the NAIP, provided regular updates of the donor investment mapping, and strengthened sector coordination through technical and operational investments to the JAS. Africa Lead also established linkages with the Regional Donor Coordination on CAADP to support increased collaboration between Kenya and AUC leadership.

Supported the Agriculture Council of Kenya (AgCK). Africa Lead continued to provide technical assistance to AgCK this quarter to strengthen their institutional sustainability. A technical advisor collected data and began designing a business plan, a sustainability strategy and membership scheme, and developing organizational marketing materials for AgCK. Africa Lead facilitated a meeting of 15 AgCK national steering committee members facilitated to provide feedback and input into the process. A report and concept notes for resource mobilization are expected from the process. Africa Lead also shot a video on “The AgCK Story” which will showcase institutional development for non-state actor formation under CAADP at the national level. In Q3, Africa Lead support will focus on Youth in Agribusiness through sensitization, customized C4C for agribusiness opportunities in ASTGS/NAIP, and linkages with other regional programs such as the East Africa Trade and Investment Hub on business skills development and opportunitiess to access competitive start-up funds.

Strengthened Private Sector Engagement in Agriculture Policy. To ensure private sector buy-in of the ASTGS/NAIP process, Africa Lead facilitated the second workshop in February 2018 that convened 82 private sector actors, government officials, and development partners including USAID, FAO, AGRA, and GIZ. The objective of the event was to engage private sector players as a follow-up to the 1st meeting in December 2017 to validate the ASTGS and design a public-private alliance (PPA) for implementation.

Development of a PREG Manual for Induction of PREG National level and County level leadership. In Q2, Africa Lead facilitated the development of a Partnership for Resilience and Economic Growth (PREG) manual to develop a common understanding of the operations of the PREG model and to promote collaborating, learning, and adapting (CLA) among PREG partners. The manual was used to induct PREG national level and county


29

level leadership through facilitation of a national level orientation and refresher workshop for county leads and deputies, where partners developed leadership action plans and identified priority areas for layering and integration.

PREG Lessons Learned Event. In Q2, Africa Lead facilitated a PREG Lessons Learned Event (LLE) on 20 February 2018 in Nairobi, as part of Africa Lead's wider LLE to reflect on the project’s performance over the last five years. The PREG LLE focused on Kenya's Resilience Program in the Northern Kenya development context, including a presentation of findings from a case study on the PREG model. 91 participants from PREG, implementing partners, and donor agencies from the ASAL donor group, USAID staff from Washington D.C, Kenya and East Africa Missions, and Africa Lead staff attended the learning event. The focus of the event was to learn from PREG members and external partners, and gain insight into PREG collaboration and partnership processes.

Development of PREG Case Study. Africa Lead facilitated the development of a case study in Q2 on the PREG Model to examine its level of success as a model of collaboration and coordination, what worked and didn’t work, as well as key lessons learned. Key successes identified in the study included strong buy-in and commitment from implementing partners, investments in continuous learning and adaptation, and flexibility in roles and responsibilities. Recommendations included enhancing government and community ownership in PREG, building collaboration from the beginning of the design phase, and incentivizing innovation for outstanding partner activities. The case study was finalized and shared with USAID.

PREG Bi-Annual Learning Event. In Q2, Africa Lead facilitated a high level five-day PREG bi-annual learning event in the counties of Marsabit and Isiolo for more than 100 participants from PREG partners, ASAL members, USAID staff, and county government representatives from Isiolo and Marsabit. The event provided an opportunity for PREG partners and other key stakeholders to engage in a participatory process of critical reflection, analysis, and collective action for improving resilience programming and impact in the ASALs, including site visits based on key thematic areas: community drought risk reduction in practice, linkages between the market systems, and communication. Partners recognized that there was a need for improvement in measuring and communicating impact and sustainability. Development of a final report with actions and areas of improvement is currently in progress and will be shared with USAID and partners once completed.

Thematic Meetings: Nutrition Technical Working Group. Africa Lead facilitated a thematic meeting for the PREG Nutrition Technical Working Group (NTWG) that was held in Nairobi in January 2018. 25 participants from USAID, NDMA, and PREG members attended and discussed mechanisms for enhancing program collaboration amongst partners. During the meeting, partners shared their individual, organizational FY18 priority activities, interventions for increasing nutrition sensitive and specific programming, and areas and opportunities for layering and integration with one another for collective impact and the desired result of reducing malnutrition rates in the ASALs. Partners also agreed to develop and share their FY18 nutrition sensitive/specific work plans while indicating their collaborating counterpart, targeted activities for integration in the identified county’s/sub-county’s, and the period of implementation. In Q3, partners will onboard a nutrition expert to lead an assessment of nutrition programming to improve synergy and collaboration among PREG partners to address chronic malnutrition levels in the Northern Kenya.

Support the Development of NDMA Strategic Planning 2018 – 2022. In Q2, Africa Lead provided technical support to the National Drought Management Authority (NDMA) in the development of their 2018-2022 Strategic Plan, which will align with Kenya Medium Term


30

Plan (MTP) III and will incorporate recommendations highlighted in the NDMA OCA report. Africa Lead support will strengthen NDMA’s capacity to execute its mandate and carry out core functions and responsibilities to mitigate drought in the arid and semi-arid lands. The development of the strategic process is ongoing and will be finalized next quarter.

Continued Communications Support to Enhance PREG Collaboration and Learning. In Q2, Africa Lead continued to facilitate sharing of information amongst the 26 PREG partners at the national and county level. Africa Lead developed and disseminated a total of three eUpdates, which include county and national meeting minutes, key upcoming events, and resources shared by partners.


31

TANZANIA MISSION

.

Q2|FY2018

KEY PARTNERS

ACTIVITIES

Kukemkucha FATUMA Film Premiere. Africa Lead in collaboration with subcontractor MFDI launched the second feature film Kumekucha: Fatuma on March 1, 2018 in Arusha, Tanzania. As part of Africa Lead’s multimedia programming in Tanzania, the objective of Kumekucha: Fatuma was to inspire women and youth to enter agricultural and agribusiness in Tanzania. The premiere event attracted more than 150 people from the media, private sector, non-state actors (NSAs), and the Government of Tanzania. Following the premiere, MFDI broadcast the film on several regional and national media channels across Tanzania and distributed 5,000 DVDs and posters to established video libraries/bandas that are part of the Tanzania Video Library Association (TVLA) in Iringa, Mbeya, and Morogoro.

Impact Assessment of Kukemkucha Multimedia Programming. In Q2, subcontractor IPSOS held a training for enumerators who will collect information in the field next quarter. Field data collection, analysis, report consolidation and presenting the findings to USAID will conclude in Q3.

Support to the Policy Analysis Group (PAG). Africa Lead’s inclusive policy consultant continued to provide technical assistance to the PAG this quarter. Following the Annual Agricultural Policy Conference (AAPC) in February 2018, Africa Lead and the consultant held meetings with the PAG Task Force and will complete the PAG guidelines next quarter.

Support to the Tanzania Private Sector Foundation. During this quarter, Africa Lead continued to provide support to the Partnership Accountability Committee’s (PAC) Secretariat through technical assistance and coaching in inclusive policy dialogue. As a result of Africa Lead support, PAC coordination and planning has improved, including that in February 2018, the PAC met and developed recommendations in the areas of horticulture and manufacturing for amendments on the Finance Act 2016.


Ministry of Agriculture Livestock and Fisheries

(MALF), President’s Office Regional Administration

and Local Government Authorities (PO-RALG)

Gov Capacity building support,

workshop facilitation

Policy Analysis Group (PAG) NGO Conference facilitation

Alliance for Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA),

Agricultural Sector Policy and Institutional Reform

Strengthening (ASPIRES) project

NGO Capacity building support,

workshop facilitation


32

GHANA MISSION Q2|FY2018

KEY DATA POINTS

KEY PARTNERS

ACTIVITIES

Agribusiness Leadership Internship Program (A-LEAP) Information Sharing & Learning Event. Africa Lead held a learning event for interns and host organizations to share lessons learned and highlight the success or impact of the internship program. The event also included a post-internship career planning session to guide interns in their professional growth. A key lesson shared by the majority of the host partners was that the internship programs can be leveraged as a high-impact technical assistance tool to fill institutional gaps through demand-driven placements. A majority of the interns wished that they could have participated in Africa Lead's training programs in addition to the pre-internship orientation. Overall, both host supervisors and interns were satisfied with the program.

Facilitation of Agribusiness and Entrepreneurship Development Course for members of the National Farmers and Fishermen Award Winners Association of Ghana. In partnership with the National Farmers and Fishermen Award Winners Association, Ghana (NFFAWAG), Africa Lead organized a five-day short course on agribusiness and





12 102



95 264




Agriculture and Natural Resource

Management Program

NGO Champions for Change training

National Farmers and Fishermen Award

Winners Association, Ghana (NFFAWAG)

NGO Training on Agribusiness and

Entrepreneurship Development

26%74%

Male Female

41%59%


33

entrepreneurship development in Kumasi, Ghana. The short course brought together women entrepreneurs engaged in various agribusiness ventures, such as crop and livestock production, processing, aggregation, agricultural information dissemination, sales and marketing. The short course empowered and equipped the participants with additional skills and knowledge to either start up or grow profitable and sustainable agribusinesses that will enhance agricultural productivity, create jobs, and increase food and nutrition security. The course also developed the capacity of these women in agribusiness identification, planning, and management.

Delivery of Champions for Change Leadership Training of Trainers Course for staff of USAID's Agriculture and Natural Resource Management Project. Africa Lead held a Champions for Change Leadership Training of Trainers course for staff of the Agriculture and Natural Resource Management Project and leaders from the Community Resource Management Areas (CREMAs). The course enhanced participants' facilitation and presentation skills, and enabled them to mobilize and train other community leaders and trainers in the CREMAs.

Organization of Sustaining the Momentum Beyond Africa Lead Workshop for the Champions for Change Networks. In March 2018, Africa Lead organized a workshop to enable network members to share their successes, failures, and lessons learned as well as discuss strategies, approaches and methodologies to grow and sustain their network activities. Champions from six networks participated in the event. The network members learned about the importance of strategic communication, collaboration, partnerships and resource management. By the end of the workshop, each network team had developed a five-year sustainability action plan for their network.

Organization of Lesson Learned Event. Africa Lead held a lesson learned event on March 22, 2018 to showcase and celebrate the achievements of the Ghana program, and to make recommendations for future programming. Participants included agri-business partners and beneficiaries, and representatives from USAID Ghana and West Africa, university and research institutions, and civil society organizations. During the workshop, beneficiary representatives presented their successes, innovations and results. Africa Lead staff presented the findings of Africa Lead's internal program review, and thought papers on the project's leadership and management capacity, youth workforce development, mutual accountability strategies, and policy dialogue and advocacy. Participants shared additional lessons learned and made recommendations for future programming discussions..


34

GUINEA MISSION Q2|FY2018

KEY PARTNERS

ACTIVITIES

Presented the findings and recommendation of the assessment of the Government of Guinea’s agricultural subsidy programs. In order to determine the impact of the Government of Guinea’s subsidy programs on agriculture and the private sector, an Africa Lead expert performed an assessment of the different types of subsidies on seeds, fertilizers, and agricultural equipment. Africa Lead shared findings and recommendation of the study with key USAID/ Guinea mission staff. Subsequently, the team finalized and submitted the report to the USAID Mission and the Ministry of Agriculture. These recommendations are expected to inform the design of the Government of Guinea’s policy on subsidies and promote private sector development.


Ministry of Agriculture Gov Evidence-based policy

development


35

SENEGAL MISSION

Q2|FY2018

KEY DATA POINTS

KEY PARTNERS

ACTIVITIES

Facilitated M&E manual validation workshop for the “Direction de l’Appui au Secteur Prive” (DASP). As part of support to DASP, Africa Lead facilitated a workshop for 23 participants from the Ministry of Finance and the private sector. DASP leveraged this

PROGRAM RESULTS BY

INDICATOR

Q2 PY5




4 74



235 670




Direction de l’Appui au Secteur Privé

(DASP)

Gov Technical assistance, coaching, logistical

support

Cellule de Lutte contre la Malnutrition

(CLM)

Gov Leadership and management training

Ministry of Trade Gov Logistical support

Union National des Commerçants et

Industriels du Sénégal (UNACOIS)

Private

sector

Workshop facilitation

Ministry of Agriculture Gov Technical collaboration and coordination

for NAIP revision

Groupe de Dialogue Social et Politique

(GDSP)

Civil

society

Technical assistance for the editing and

printing of the NAIP 2.0 document

73%

27%

Male Female

67%

33%


36

opportunity to: (i) share experience on the process of developing the M&E manual; (ii) welcome participants’ feedback; and (iii) validate the manual. As a follow up, Africa Lead will support DASP in implementing the M&E procedures and manual.

Delivered leadership and management training to executive staff from the “Cellule de Lutte contre la Malnutrition” (CLM). Africa Lead delivered two leadership and management trainings for the executive staff of “Cellule de Lutte contre la Malnutrition”, following the validation of the government multi-sectorial plan for nutrition. Through the workshop, participants strengthened their leadership and management skills, and subsequently established individual development plans.

Supported the Ministry of Trade strategic policy validation workshop. Africa Lead supported the Ministry of Trade to organize a policy validation workshop for its national strategy policy, the “Lettre de Politique Sectorielle de Developpement” (LPSD). The workshop brought together participants from civil society organizations, and the public and private sectors. Following the workshop, the ministry shared the document, collected participants’ inputs, and validated the five-year national strategy policy document.

Supported DASP participation to agro-industries consultative workshop. Africa Lead supported DASP staff members to attend an agro-industries consultative workshop on March 17, 2018. This consultative workshop enabled participants to meet representatives from the agro-industries and identify constrains, challenges and opportunities for improvement. DASP will use participants’ contributions to draft reforms that will contribute to improved business operations.

Facilitated workshop on public private partnership (PPP) contracting with “Union National des Commerçants et Industriels du Sénégal” (UNACOIS). Africa Lead facilitated a sensitization workshop to share the successful experience of large firm Mamelles Jaboot and rural millet producers, and to inform UNACOIS members about the principles of contracting. The workshop highlighted the mutual benefits of contracting for all stakeholders in the millet value chain. It also informed private actors and public authorities on the value of promoting this approach in transforming Senegalese agriculture. Workshop participants included a large proportion of women working in agriculture, commerce and distribution sectors.

Supported the “Groupe de Dialogue Social et Politique” (GDSP) contribution document to the NAIP 2.0 edition. Africa Lead supported the “Groupe de Dialogue Social et Politique” (GDSP) to finalize and publish its contribution to Senegal’s National Agricultural Investment Plan. The document highlights four areas of interest:

o Area 1: Monitoring and animation of the political dialogue around the implementation of the NAIP 2.0 and other public policies

o Area 2: Increasing and preserving agriculture production systems

o Area 3: Promoting inclusive governance for sustainable management of land, pastoral and fisheries resources

o Area 4: Developing food systems based on the promotion of local products



37

NIGERIA MISSION

Q2|FY2018

KEY DATA POINTS

KEY PARTNERS

ACTIVITIES

Support to the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development’s Nigeria Agribusiness Resource Center (NARC). To strengthen service delivery and the technical capacity of the Nigeria Agribusiness Resource Center (NARC), Africa Lead delivered three separate short courses of three days each on public private partnerships in agribusiness facilitation, value chain analysis, and monitoring and evaluation. Additionally, the Young Professional intern assigned to the NARC delivered technical and administrative services to visitors and prospective investors. Since the center serves as the main source of data and information regarding prospective investments and projects in agriculture, the intern worked closely with both the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (FMARD) and the Agribusiness and Market Development unit staff, conducted research, and searched for market intelligence and opportunities for clients. The intern helped identify and develop profiles for target investors to facilitate partnerships, and matched suppliers with potential off-takers.



Number of private sector and civil society

organizations supported

0 5

Number of individuals supported through

program events

15 64




Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural

Development (FMARD)

Gov Training in value chain analysis, public-

private partnerships, and M&E skills

67%

33%

75%

25%

Male Female


38

Annex A. Program Updates

Resilience Partners Design New Impact Evaluation for Programs Operating in Northern Kenya

Nairobi, Kenya (7 December 2017)

Africa Lead facilitated the Northern

Kenya Impact Evaluation and

Planning Workshop on 7

December 2017, at the Lord Erroll

restaurant in Nairobi. Fifty

participants, including the Director

of USAID’s Center for Resilience

in Washington DC, Greg Collins,

USAID staff, and Partnership for

Resilience and Economic Growth

(PREG) partners, attended the

one-day workshop. Tim

Frankenberger, President of

TANGO (Technical Assistance for

NGOs) International, was the lead

facilitator for the workshop.

The purpose of the workshop was

to create and foster buy-in and co-

ownership by PREG partners of an impact

evaluation from design, implementation, and

evidence perspectives. Presentations and

discussions provided the background of the

impact evaluation of programming in

Northern Kenya, findings from the impact

evaluation design 1.0, and rationale for an

impact evaluation design 2.0. While the first

evaluation measured the resilience of

pastoralists to drought and other shocks

and stresses, the design failed to capture

change between the baseline and the

interim stages, leading to the need for

impact evaluation 2.0.

Participants provided input on the design of

impact evaluation 2.0, feedback on the

content of resilience modules, experiences

in various shocks and stresses, and

advantages of resilience management

systems.

Moving forward, TANGO will revise the

questionnaire for the impact evaluation 2.0

design and consider feedback and input

from the partners. TANGO will conduct the

impact evaluation, analyze the results, and

write a final report in late 2018.

Greg Collins addresses the partners during the Northern Kenya Impact

Evaluation Planning Workshop. Photo credit: Africa Lead.


39

Transformational Leadership Training to Enhance Collaboration in PREG Counties

Nairobi, Kenya (29 – 31 January 2018)

Africa Lead facilitated a two-and-

half day transformational

leadership workshop for

Partnership for Resilience and

Economic Growth (PREG) county

leadership from 29 to 31 January

in Nairobi. The purpose of the

workshop was to provide PREG

county leaders with skills to more

effectively coordinate activities

with local partners, county

governments, and the national

level PREG secretariat. The

training also focused on the PREG

joint work plan and orientation of

new partners. Ten participants

from six PREG counties (Wajir,

Garissa, Turkana, Marsabit, Isiolo,

and Baringo) as well as Jennifer Maurer,

USAID Kenya Resilience Coordinator, and

Dorine Genga, PREG Learning Activity

Manager attended the workshop.

One session helped partners understand

how PREG aligns with the Ending Drought

Emergencies (EDE) policy framework while

other sessions strengthened leadership and

strategic planning skills. Another session

introduced participants to USAID’s

Geographic Information System (GIS)

mapping and layering tool.

In the final session, participants developed

leadership action plans for their respective

counties. “I’m still fairly new to PREG, but

I’m glad I attended this course and met my

counterparts from other PREG counties. I’m

now more familiar with the partnership’s

operations and functions, and will put into

practice everything I learned when I return

to Wajir,” Amir Omar, Livestock Market

Systems’ (LMS) County Coordinator in

Wajir, said.

Sam Ombeki of Kenya RAPID (left) and John Kutwa of Livestock Market

Systems (right), develop a leadership action plan for Garissa County.

Photo credit: Joanne Kihagi


40

PREG Lessons Learned Event

Nairobi, Kenya (20 February 2018)

Africa Lead facilitated the

Partnership for Resilience and

Economic Growth (PREG) Lessons

Learned Event (LLE) on 20

February 2018, at the Trademark

center in Nairobi. Ninety- one

participants comprising PREG

members, implementing partners,

donor agencies from the ASAL

donor group, United States Agency

for International Development

(USAID) staff from Washington

D.C, Kenya and East Africa

Missions, and Africa Lead staff

from Bethesda, West, and East

Africa offices attended the one-

day learning event.

Representatives from the Bureau

of Food Security, Chris Shepherd-Pratt,

Division Chief for Policy, and Courtney

Buck, Policy Analyst, also attended.

The overall objective of the PREG LLE was

to strengthen institutional coordination,

learning, and collaboration. The event

focused on Kenya’s resilience program in

the Northern Kenya development context,

including findings from a case study on the

PREG model. It also provided PREG

members and stakeholders a platform to

share experiences, insights, and lessons

learned that will inform future resilience

programming in the region.

Additionally, the learning workshop involved

three “fishbowl” discussions by which

participants discussed the rationale and

evolution of PREG as well as partners’

experiences. The small groups provided a

platform for rich discussions based on

firsthand experiences within the partnership

and lessons learned in implementation of

resilience programs. Participants also

identified the comparative advantage PREG

has offered them, in addition to opportunities

to leverage with other PREG partners. “As a

market systems expert, I never saw the

relationship between market systems and

nutrition issues beyond messaging until I

joined PREG’s nutrition technical working

group and appreciated how the nutrition

lens fits within market systems

programming,” said Bonface Kaberia, Chief

of Party of REGAL-AG.

Mores Loolpapit, Chief of Party for the AphiaPlus Imarisha program, asks

a question during a plenary session at the PREG Lessons Learned

Event. Photo credit: Joanne Kihagi/Africa Lead


41

The learning workshop also

included a panel discussion with

representatives from the Economic

Community of West African States

(ECOWAS), USAID Somalia and

the Catholic Relief Services

(CRS), who shared their

experiences of partnership and

coordination from different

collaboration contexts. The

panelists emphasized the

importance of having a common

results framework and continuous

communication and engagement

with partners at all levels to avoid

conflict. “To avoid duplication of

efforts, we [ECOWAS] developed a donor

matrix to ensure that each donor partner

has a clear role. We’ve also learned over

the years that harmonized regulations and

results frameworks are key to check if the

partnership is working,” said Fatmata

Seiwoh of ECOWAS, Regional Agricultural

Policy (ECOWAP).

Findings from a case study on PREG,

“Learning from PREG,” identified key

successes of the partnership, as well as

recommendations for improvement. Some

key successes included strong buy-in and

commitment from implementing partners,

investments in continuous learning and

adaptation, and flexibility in roles and

responsibilities. However, study

recommendations encompassed enhancing

government and community ownership in

PREG, building collaboration from the

beginning of the design phase, and

incentivizing innovation for outstanding

partner activities.

By the end of the event, partners

determined key lessons and areas for

improvement which include better

engagement with the national government,

building trust and creating more impact at

the community level, continuously engaging

with stakeholders for better coordination

and partnerships, and developing a

structured mechanism or tools for sharing

information among the partners and

stakeholders. “PREG is real. The essence

of a partnership is working together to

improve our outcomes. And our outcomes

are collaboration, learning and adaptation,

to inform better and improve outcomes,”

said Vicky Liyai of USAID Kenya.

Fatmata Seiwoh of ECOWAS speaking during a panel discussion on

partnership and coordination. Photo credit: Joanne Kihagi/Africa Lead


42

Africa Lead Lessons Learned Event

20-23 February 2018; Nairobi, Kenya

Africa Lead held a four-day Lessons

Learned Event (LLE) in Nairobi,

Kenya. The purpose of the event

was to capture lessons learned and

generate recommendations for near

and long-term food security capacity

building efforts. Over 100

participants from across sub-

Saharan Africa reflected on the

continental project’s past four years

and discussed opportunities for

additional food security and

capacity-building programming, as

well as how to ensure the

sustainability of existing programs.

Non-state actors, government

partners, and Africa Lead and

USAID staff from Washington, DC and

across the continent reviewed the project’s

efforts to support continental, regional,

country, and sub- national level progress in

achieving the goals of the Comprehensive

Africa Agriculture Development Programme

(CAADP). The event consisted of full day

pre-event focused on lessons learned from

USAID-Kenya's Partnership for Resilience

and Economic Growth (PREG). Following

the pre-day, Africa Lead kicked off a three-

day learning event focused on developing a

report on key lessons learned that can

inform future African-led food security

efforts.

Africa Lead employed a combination of

presentations, plenary discussions, thematic

group breakout sessions, and an interactive

‘Gallery of Transformation’ exhibit, featuring

22 thematic presentations and infographics.

During one session, Africa Lead launched

highlighted findings from the Program

Review that measured results across the

project.

In his opening remarks, Patrick Wilson,

Acting Mission Director for USAID Kenya

and East Africa, reflected on the importance

of food security work, after taking a tour of

the event’s Gallery of Transformation. “This

is about Africa governments... civil society…

farmers… setting the agricultural agenda,

changing the state of this continent. And I’m

convinced, when Africa leads, Africa wins,”

he said, urging participants to keep working

toward a food-secure Africa.

Other key highlights from the workshop

included discussions on the legacy of Africa

Lead’s Champions for Change (C4C)

program and ways to improve it in the

remaining period. Participants also

discussed successes of the CAADP biennial

review process and the institutional

architecture efforts that Africa Lead is

currently championing within national

Africa Lead partners, staff, consultants, and USAID staff gather for the

Africa Lead Lessons Learned Event in Nairobi, Kenya. Photo credit:

Victor Oloo/Africa Lead


43

agriculture planning efforts.

Additionally, speakers presented

eight thought pieces based on

Africa Lead’s lessons and

experiences, followed by group

discussion and analysis in breakout

sessions.

Gilead Teri, Director of Policy,

Research, and Lobbying at

Tanzania Private Sector

Foundation (TPSF), reiterated that

inclusion of private sector

associations is crucial in policy

spaces, especially for countries

with a growing agricultural sector. “These

policies and reforms need to be

leveraged and the private sector

expected to invest,” he said.

Speaking at the event’s closing

ceremony, Chris Shepherd-Pratt, Bureau for

Food Security Division Chief for Policy, said,

“It’s important to keep in mind that your

work, experiences and voice will translate to

people long after [the project’s] ending.

African countries and leaders have now

come together for ambitious needs to meet

food security.” Chris emphasized

agriculture’s importance in realizing

development goals in sub-Saharan Africa

and urged participants to take it seriously.

As a follow up to the event, Africa Lead will

share with partners combined lessons

learned and recommendations in a Lessons

Learned report. Various Lessons Learned

activities will serve as a follow up to the

event, including an event for Ghana-specific

activities that is currently scheduled for mid-

March 2018.

P Dorcas Mwakoi, Africa Lead Kenya Program Lead, takes Patrick

Wilson, USAID Kenya/East Africa’s Acting Mission Director, through

the Gallery of Transformation. Photo credit: Emmanuel Adu-Boadu/

Africa Lead


44

Institutional Architecture Assessment (IAA) Workshop

February 28, 2018, Nairobi, Kenya

Africa Lead supported the Kenya Ministry of

Agriculture and Irrigation to hold a two-day

workshop on Kenya’s agriculture institutional

architecture. The event was attended by 75

participants from state actors (government

ministries, departments, units and

agencies), and non-state actors (Non-

Governmental Organizations (NGOs),

farmer organizations, Civil Society

Organizations (CSOs), private sector

partners, and the donor community

including USAID/Bureau for Food Security

representative Courtney Buck. Other

notable guests were the Agriculture Rural

Development (ARD) Donor Group chair, Mr.

Michael Nicholson (USAID/Kenya and East

Africa Deputy Chief, Office of Economic

Growth and Integration); the Kenya

Agriculture Secretary at the Ministry of

Agriculture and Irrigation, Madam Anne

Onyango; Eng. Jasper Nkanya, Council of

Governors (COG) representative; and Mr.

Justus Monda, the Agriculture Council of

Kenya (AgCK) chairperson.

This was one out of a series of meetings

Africa Lead has supported the ministry to

convene since the commencement of the

IAA activity in 2015.

The workshop’s goals were to build a

shared understanding of institutional

architecture and its link to the National

Agriculture Investment Plan (NAIP), the

Joint Sector Review (JSR) and Biennial

Review (BR) processes; to identify the

elements of a good NAIP and BR; and to

identify ways in which robust institutional

architecture contributes to a successful

NAIP process. Participants also deliberated

and scored each of the IA elements to

identify priority areas for improvement and

reach consensus on recommendations and

an IA Improvement Plan. This information

was gathered through group discussions,

Workshop participants during the Institutional Architecture Assessment workshop in Nairobi, Kenya. Photo credit: Africa Lead

/ Hellen Githakwa


45

presentations, plenary sessions, and an

online survey.

The overall result of this meeting was a

compiled action plan highlighting

recommended activities to bolster the IA

process. These activities cover issues such

as building the capacity of the private sector

and CSOs to effectively participate in the

process, refinement of the existing policy

development schedule and a “pathway” to

improving alignment with government

budgeting cycles, integration between

national and county processes,

strengthening data collection, monitoring

and evaluation, as well as domestication of

the JSR, NAIP, MTP, and the IA.

These recommendations will inform the final

action plan currently being drafted by the

technical advisory committee.


46

Tanzania Premiere of Kumekucha: Fatuma New movie features Africa's everyday superheroes, women farmers

Arusha, Tanzania (1 March 2018)

Farms and fields across sub-

Saharan Africa are full of everyday

heroes. Smallholder farmers, both

men and women, overcome

incredible odds every day to feed

their families. Many times, women

are at the heart and center of

these family operations and as a

result, are a key part of Africa’s

agricultural prosperity and future.

Yet, all too often women are left

out of decision-making at the farm

level and are underrepresented in

discussions at the policy level.

The struggles and triumphs of

African women farmers are the

focus of the Africa Lead supported film

Kumekucha: FATUMA. Filmed in

Tanzania’s fertile Arusha region, the film

follows the main character Fatuma and her

daughter Neema’s dramatic journey in

search of recognition for their

uncompromising contributions to their family

farm. Fatuma, played by actress Beatrice

Taisamo, is a traditional rural woman who

has always risked body and soul, without

reward or thanks. She does this to farm her

husband’s land and keep the family fed and

cared for. Throughout, she fights

unfavorable weather, pests, and poverty.

However, when her husband squanders her

prized harvest and schemes to marry off

their daughter, Fatuma has to make her

biggest stand to protect her family.

The film explores a handful of difficult but

accurate realities for women in agriculture

and agribusiness in sub-Saharan Africa.

While women contribute a significant portion

of the labor for Tanzania’s agriculture

sector, decision-making around farming can

be dominated by men. Unfavorable

regulations and biased socio-cultural norms

negatively impact agricultural productivity by

reducing women’s access to resources

including training, finance, equipment and

the right to own land.

On March 1, 2018 in advance of

International Women's Day, Africa Lead and

its Tanzania partners, USAID/Tanzania and

Media for Development International

(MFDI), celebrated the world premiere of

the Africa Lead supported film. Over 150

guests including the film's cast and crew,

Tanzanian government officials, USAID and

Feed the Future program partners, local

agriculture and women's groups, youth

entrepreneurs, and media houses covering

the event, attended the premiere. The event

was similar to the red-carpet event held for

the premier of Kumekucha: TUNU.

A scene from the film Kumekucha: Fatuma featuring the struggles and

triumph of women farmers in Tanzania. Photo credit: MFDI


47

Prior to the screening, Africa Lead

and MFDI hosted a media briefing

which included statements by the

cast and crew as well as local

women and youth agribusiness

entrepreneurs supported by USAID

and Feed the Future programs.

“A stable and productive agriculture

sector is a key driver of growth and

development, but this can only be

achieved by supporting the women,

youth, and small holder farmers who

are its foundation,” said Michelle

Corzine, Deputy Office Director for

the Office of Economic Growth,

USAID Tanzania, in her opening

remarks.” Through USAID, the U.S.

Government supports numerous activities to

expand opportunities for growth in

agriculture, including new farming

techniques, reducing malnutrition, improving

infrastructure, and developing policies that

are more conducive to growth. And through

programs like the Kumekucha multimedia

campaign, we make sure to engage more

women and youth every step of the way."

In the face of rising youth unemployment

and under representation of women in

agricultural leadership, Africa Lead’s

Kumekucha (“It’s a new dawn” in Swahili)

media campaign seeks to inspire youth and

women to become champions for and

participate in Africa’s agriculture future. The

continent’s agriculture sector makes up over

15 percent of the continent’s GDP on

average and offers opportunities for jobs,

food security, and countering violent

extremism.

Africa Lead partnered with MFDI in January

of 2016 to develop the Kumekucha

campaign. Specifically, Kumekucha consists

of a 52-week 30-minute radio drama (July

2016 – July 2017) and two feature-length

(90 minute) films – Kumekucha: TUNU

(released in April 2017) and Kumekucha:

FATUMA (March 2018). The multimedia

activity uses a storytelling approach to

highlight challenges, but more importantly

the rewards that women and youth can reap

from participating in the agriculture sector.

Learn more about Kumekucha, listen to the

entire season of radio shows, watch the

films, and get the scheduled television and

online broadcast dates at

www.kumekucha.co.tz

Lead actors in the film Kumekucha: Fatuma attend the premiere

screening of the film in Arusha, Tanzania along with USAID Tanzania

and partners. Photo credit: Victor Oloo


48

GFSS CLA Planning Workshop: Supporting Field Visits, Mapping, and Dialogue to Strengthen CLA

Nairobi, Kenya (5-8 March 2018)

Africa Lead facilitated a four-day

USAID/Kenya Global Food

Security Strategy (GFSS)

Collaborating, Learning, and

Adapting (CLA) workshop in

partnership with USAID for 47

representatives from

USAID/Kenya and implementing

partners. The first two days of the

workshop were held in the

counties of Machakos and

Makueni, where attendees made

field visits to private sector

industries to observe the push and

pull effect of the market system in

relation to the GFSS.

A field visit by participants to

Twiga Foods showed the

importance of pull within a market and the

need for a dependable market for

smallholder farmers to supply quality

product.

The last two days of the workshop were

held in Nairobi and included discussions of

CLA principles and practices, adaptive

management, the Kenya GFSS theory of

change, and a mapping of pull, resilience,

inclusion, and nutrition within the market

system at five levels: activity, intra-zonal,

cross-zonal, USAID- IP, and inter-agency.

Workshop outcomes included the

development of learning questions that will

be incorporated into the USAID/Kenya

GFSS CLA plan, feedback from

implementing partners on how CLA can be

incorporated into programming and M&E

plans, and several specific action items

focused on improving CLA between USAID

and implementing partners that USAID

will take forward in the next year.

USAID East Africa and Kenya program staff and implementing partners

meet with Twiga Foods CEO Grant Brooke at the Twiga Foods

headquarters in Machakos, Kenya to discuss market systems

investments.


49

Assessing Impact and Value for Money at the Economics of Resilience to Drought Learning Event

Nairobi, Kenya (14 March 2018)

Africa Lead facilitated the

Economics of Resilience to

Drought Learning Event on March

14, 2018 at the Trademark Hotel in

Nairobi. Ninety- three participants

from donor agencies,

implementing partners, PREG

members, representatives from the

National Drought Management

Authority (NDMA), and United

States Agency for International

Development (USAID) staff from

the Kenya and East Africa Mission

attended the half-day learning

event. James Oduor, NDMA CEO

and Patrick Wilson, USAID/Kenya

and East Africa Deputy Mission

Director, opened the event.

Courtenay Cabot Venton, the principal

researcher of the Economics of Resilience

to Drought study, was the lead facilitator for

the learning event.

The main objective of the event was to

create awareness and disseminate widely

the findings of the Economics of Resilience

to Drought study commissioned in Kenya,

Ethiopia, and Somalia by the USAID Center

for Resilience in collaboration with NDMA.

The learning event set out to create a

platform for stakeholders such as

government, donors, international non-

governmental organizations, implementing

partners, the United Nations, and

Intergovernmental Authority on

Development (IGAD) to develop key steps

on the best way forward in terms of use of

the information in improving resilience

programming and showing value for money.

Patrick Wilson, USAID/Kenya and East

Africa Deputy Mission Director emphasized

in his opening remarks that, “building

partnerships among all the key stakeholders

in resilience for joint programming is

important to support economic growth and

reduce poverty in the region.”

Presentations and discussions focused on

the impact and economic value of early

humanitarian responses, safety nets, and

investments in resilience on humanitarian

assistance visa via late humanitarian

responses. Partners widely agreed that

early humanitarian responses to drought

and other disasters are more cost effective,

saves lives, and reduces losses as opposed

to responding after households are

engaging in negative coping strategies and

prices are destabilized.

Additionally, the learning workshop involved

five group discussions by which partners

James Odour, NDMA CEO, giving his opening remarks during the

Economics of Resilience to Drought learning event. Photo credit: Africa

Lead


50

discussed the highlights of the

study, gaps that needed to be

addressed in the study, practical

steps for translating the study

findings into programming, and the

implications of the findings to

donors and policy makers.

By the end of the event, partners

identified key next steps and

recommendations to improve

future resilience programming and

humanitarian assistance:

governments at the national and

sub-national levels need to take

lead in resilience building

initiatives, invest more in early

warning and early response

systems to facilitate timely actions

to mitigate adverse effects and losses,

adequately budget for resilience building,

design more adaptive programming, collect

evidence based data to guide resilience

planning and programming, and develop a

policy framework for coordinating

humanitarian assistance.

Tyler Beckleman, Deputy Mission Director

for the Somalia Mission Field Office, closed

the event by encouraging the participants to

take resilience programming forward and

conduct follow-up studies and learning

events to inform future programming and

planning.

Courtenay Cabot Venton, the Lead facilitator presenting the findings of

the study report to participants during the Economics of Resilience to

Drought Learning Event. Photo credit: Africa Lead


51

PREG Bi-annual Learning Event: Strengthening Reflection, Analysis, and Collective Action

Isiolo and Marsabit, Kenya (19-23 March 2018)

The United States Agency for

International Development

(USAID) Partnership for Resilience

and Growth (PREG) conducted a

bi- annual learning event from

19-23 March 2018 in the counties

of Isiolo and Marsabit. The five-day

event brought together over 100

participants from PREG partners,

international NGOs (selected from

the ASAL Donor Group), USAID,

and representation from the two

county governments, including

Josephine Kirion from the County

Executive Committee of Education

of Isiolo and Tori Doti, Deputy

County Secretary for Marsabit

County.

The objective of the learning

event was to provide an opportunity for

PREG and other partners to engage in a

participatory process of critical reflection,

analysis, and collective action for

improving resilience programming and

impact in the arid and semi-arid lands

(ASALs). The event, grounded in the PREG

model of sequencing, layering, and

integration, included site visits in various

sub-counties in Isiolo and Marsabit, and

reflection sessions that were guided by the

following sub-thematic areas: community

drought risk reduction in practice, market

systems, and communications. The

selection of sites was guided by the

learning event objectives and an attempt to

identify learning opportunities for program

implementation on the three learning sub-

themes.

After two days of site visits in Isiolo and

Marsabit, participants held a reflection and

learning session in Marsabit Town. The

session focused on highlighting lessons and

areas of improvement from each of the

learning sub-themes. Participants noted

that the impact of layering and integration

at the different sites visited was evident and

getting more efficient and effective. This

was especially highlighted at the Merille

Health Center in Marsabit County. When

asked how community members had

fared in the 2017 drought compared to

the 2011 drought, a member of a

community-based mothers’ support group

responded, “We were able to respond to the

current drought better because we

accessed holistic services at the clinic”.

Participants,

Photo 1: Esther Omosa, a Nutrition Specialist at the International

Livestock Research Institute (ILRI), takes PREG partners through

AVCD’s activities in the Agri-Nutrition Tupendane Community Unit in

Isiolo County. Photo credit: Africa Lead / Joanne Kihagi


52

however, noted that measurement

and communication of impact, and

sustainability were areas that

needed improvement. Regarding

improving sustainability of PREG

programs, an example of ensuring

the sustainability of the community

health volunteer (CHV) model was

cited. This is because CHVs are a

crucial link between communities

and health facilities. Participants

also agreed on the need to

address root causes of

disempowerment, such as

illiteracy, in the communities

visited.

On the third day of the learning event,

participants visited Kalacha, a drought

hotspot area in Marsabit County. The sites

were selected to help partners to determine

how to adapt programming and how they

can collaborate with PREG. The following

day, participants held another reflection

session to share lessons learned from the

visit to Kalacha, and possible areas of

collaboration for the next year. At the end of

the session, Tori Doti, the Marsabit County

Secretary, shared his appreciation for the

opportunity to attend the learning event and

appealed for more engagement by PREG

partners with county governments,

especially in future learning events.

On the last day of the learning event,

participants returned to Isiolo County for

final site visits. In the closing session,

Josephine Kirion from the County

Government of Isiolo, representing the

Governor in her remarks, recognized the

significance of USAID as the largest

external development partner in the county.

At the end of the learning event, participants

identified key lessons learned and what

needs to change in the implementation of

projects. Partners also recognized that

sensitizing all partners, county

governments, and relevant stakeholders on

nutrition integration in their individual

programs will be essential for strengthening

the impact of resilience activities in the

region. In terms of resilience and

development, partners highlighted the fact

that the inclusion of women leverages

impact and building resilience. There was

recognition of the need to develop

information and communication packages

for advocacy as part of the next steps to

realize the positive changes PREG wants to

achieve. A report with actions and

commitments in areas of improvement for

partners and USAID will be developed by

Africa Lead and shared with PREG

partners.

A health worker at the Merille Health Center explains the different

services offered to community members at the facility. Photo credit:

Africa Lead / Josphat Muiyuro


53

East Africa Seed Network Webinar Brings Together Seed Companies and Investment Funds

Nairobi, Kenya (26 March 2018)

How can we improve financing for

seed companies in East Africa?

This remains a relevant point of

inquiry for the private sector and

seed companies in supporting

access to and production of quality

and improved seed in the region.

The East Africa Seed Network, a

professional online collaborative

and learning platform facilitated by

Africa Lead, approached this

question through its second

webinar and live presentation,

“Unlocking Financing for Seed

Company Development” on 20

March 2018 at the East Africa

Trade and Investment Hub in

Nairobi, Kenya.

Moderated by Richard Jones,

Chief of Party for Scaling Seed and

Technologies Partnership (SSTP) in Africa

being implemented by Alliance for Green

Revolution in Africa (AGRA), the discussion

included a panel of experts representing

impact funds, including Ashley Olson

Onyango, Financial Inclusion Program

Manager for Mastercard Foundation; Fiona

Kyomugisha Lukwago, Portfolio Manager

for Agribusiness for African Enterprise

Challenge Fund; Robert Opini, Consultant

for Harbor Point Investments Ltd; and

Hedwig Siewersten, Head of Inclusive

Finance for AGRA. Thirty-five participants

from impact funds, seed companies in the

region, implementing partners and

USAID/Kenya and East Africa attended the

presentation online and in-person, with one-

third of participants representing private

sector seed companies.

The objective of the webinar was to discuss

financing needs for small and medium-sized

seed enterprise companies, accessing non-

grant finance, technical assistance support

needed to address access limitations, and

plans to address these limitations within the

organizations represented. Dr. Jones led

the discussion with a brief presentation on

AGRA’s work capacity building for seed

companies through investments and

business development services such as the

Seed Enterprise Management Institute

(SEMIs) through the University of Nairobi.

These services provide seed companies

with skills in seed crop production,

marketing, quality assurance, business

management, and other essential skills

needed to develop into successful seed

companies.

Dr. Richard Jones, Chief of Party for Scaling Seed and Technologies

Partnership (SSTP), asks panelists to describe the current finance

landscape and opportunities for seed companies in the region. Photo

credit: Africa Lead/ Victor Oloo


54

However, seed companies still

struggle to remain sustainable

because of constraints in cross-

border trading and seed policy

harmonization. Additionally,

companies supported by grants

also face issues with working

capital after funding ends. Fiona

Kyomugisha, Portfolio Manager for

Agribusiness Africa Enterprise

Challenge Fund (AECF),

described that the success of seed

companies funded by her

organization is dependent on the

marketability of the seed variety,

the readiness of the market to

accept a particular variety and the

ability to form partnerships with

other agro-input actors along the value

chain. “It is important for seed companies to

be able to pitch to non-seed actors and to

show a financier from a non-seed industry

why seed is important,” said Ashely

Onyango, Financial Program Manager for

Mastercard Foundation.

The presentations ended with leaving the

floor open for attendees and investment

fund experts to discuss opportunities for

finance, technical trainings, and financial

literacy for actors within the sector. Future

East Africa Seed Network webinars will

focus on building linkages between the

public and private sector in regional seed

trade and seed policy. The East Africa Seed

Network has over 100 registered

participants representing 15 regional

institutions, 10 private sector companies,

and six country-level institutions

Fiona Kyomugisha, Portfolio Manager for Agribusiness Africa Enterprise

Challenge Fund (AECF), responds to participants during the Q&A

session. Photo credit: Africa Lead / Victor Oloo


55

Annex B. Performance Indicator Tracking Table (PITT)

# Indicator Type

Indicator FY18 Achieved by Quarter FY18 (Y5) Achieved

FY18 (Y5)

Target

LOP Target

Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4

Intermediate Result 1: Improved capacity among key institutions to achieve their mandates in developing and managing national agricultural and food security programs

1.1 Output Number of individuals participating in USG food security programs

985 645 1,630 1,035 14,966

% Women 35% 38% 36% 35% 35%

Indicator Comment for Q2 FY18: Since setting FY18 targets, Africa Lead data collection process and systems have improved significantly. As such, the project is over-performing against the original anticipated target in this indicator

1.2 Output (EG.3.2-1)

Number of individuals receiving USG-supported short-term agricultural sector productivity or food security training

59 121 180 955 5,409

% Women 31% 51% 44% 35% 35%

Indicator Comment for Q2 FY18: Due to the early phaseout of several key buy-in’s, Africa Lead is not conducting as many individual trainings as anticipated

1.3 Outcome Number of individuals in the agriculture system who have applied improved management practices or technologies with USG assistance

N/A N/A N/A 478 1,366

Indicator Comment for Q2 FY18: Indicator reported annually

1.4 Output Number of organizations receiving targeted assistance to build their capacity and/or enhance their organizational functions

40 9 49 15 72


1.5 Outcome Percentage of institutions/organizations benefitting from targeted Africa Lead II capacity building activities that apply improved practices

N/A N/A N/A 85% 85%


1.6 Output Number of organizations/institutions benefitting directly and indirectly from Africa Lead II programming

535 156 691 43 2,773


56

# Indicator Type


FY18 (Y5)

Target

LOP Target

Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4

Indicator Comment for Q2 FY18: Since setting FY18 targets, Africa Lead data collection process and systems have significantly improved. As such, the project is over-performing against the original anticipated target in this indicator

Intermediate Result 2: Enhanced capacity to manage policy change and reform across Africa

2.1 Output Number of knowledge products generated with support from Africa Lead II

17 13 30 10 74

Indicator Comment for Q2 FY18: Africa Lead is over performing against the targets in this indicator due to the robust set of learning and other knowledge products produced for the PREG activity

2.2 Output Number of events supported by Africa Lead to improve institutional effectiveness of food security actors in managing agricultural transformation across Africa

19 26 45 15 406

Indicator Comment for Q2 FY18: Target setting for this indicator was done in aggregate (vs. a compilation of each buy-in). Therefore, the project did not adequately anticipate the number of events that would be supported for each bilateral and regional Mission program

2.3 Output/ Outcome

(EG.3.1-12)

Number of agricultural enabling environment policies completing the following processes/steps of development as a result of USG assistance in each case Stage 1: Analyzed; Stage 2: Drafted and presented for public/stakeholder consultation; Stage 3: Presented for legislation/decree; Stage 4: Passed/approved; Stage 5: Passed for which implementation has begun

N/A N/A N/A 13 68


Intermediate Result 3: More inclusive development and implementation of agriculture and food security policies and programs, through greater engagement of NSAs

3.1

Output (EG.3.2-4)

Number of food security private enterprises (for profit), producers organizations, water users associations, women's groups, trade and business associations, and community-based organizations (CBOs) receiving USG assistance

208 41 249 279 1,555

Indicator Comment for Q2 FY18: Africa Lead is slightly under target for this indicator due to the phaseout of several buy-in activities in the WA region

3.2 Outcome (EG.3.2-20)

Number of private enterprises, producers organizations, water users associations, women's groups, trade and business associations, and CBOs that apply improved technologies or management practices as a result of USG assistance

N/A N/A N/A 24 88


3.3 Outcome Percentage of NSAs that report satisfaction with their participation in mutual accountability activities supported by Africa Lead

N/A N/A N/A 65% 65%


57

# Indicator Type


FY18 (Y5)

Target

LOP Target

Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4


3.4 Outcome Number of participants attending events to support greater engagement of NSAs in agricultural development and implementation

489 288 777 259 822

% Women 43% 48% 45% 35% 35%



58

Annex C. Environmental Compliance

On March 22, 2013, Africa Lead II received a categorical exclusion as part of its environmental compliance reporting

requirement. There has been no change in the past quarter (or year) with respect to this status.

Documents

QUARTERLY REPORT JAN MAR 2018 - Africa Lead · 2018-06-08 · QUARTERLY REPORT JAN – MAR 2018 MAY 2018 produced by the Feed the Future: Building Capacity for African Agricultural