Africa RISING 2014 achievements summary for Ghana

Asamoah Larbi, IITA

Africa RISING West Africa Project Annual Review and Planning Meeting, Accra, Ghana, 24-25 March 2015

2014 Achievements summary - Ghana

1. Situation analysis.

2. Integrated systems improvement

3. Scaling and delivery systems.

4. Monitoring and evaluation.

5. Capacity building

Situation analysis

Multi-stakeholder partnerships were established.

A mid-term review of the project was conducted.

Livestock feed markets were surveyed.

Livestock value chains were analyzed.

Farming systems were characterized.

A baseline survey was completed.

Aflatoxin prevalence in maize documented.

The ‘Community-based Technology Park’ used to test technologies.

Fertilizer rates for intensive production of maize production defined.

Integrated pest management options for intensive cowpea identified.

Biological control of aflatoxins in maize and groundnut with Aflasafe .

Feeding and health management options to intensify sheep and goat.

Management options to intensify rural poultry identified.

Nutritional knowledge of women was strengthened.

Integrated systems improvement

Feed the Future (FtF) indicators reported.

Projects reports were prepared and submitted.

A multi-year (2014-2016) work-plans was prepared.

Monitoring and evaluation

Two short-courses – data analysis and integrated crop-livestock production – organized for early carrier scientists.

Fourteen graduate students were funded.

Research capacity building

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Africa RISING West Africa

Mid-term Review Recommendation and Response - Research

Asamoah Larbi

International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA)

West Africa Review and Planning Meeting

24-25 March, 2015

Accra, Ghana

Recommendation summary

0 2 4 6 8 10 12

Scaling and delivery

Situation analysis

Communication

Human resources

Cereal-legume systems

Household nutrition

Monitoring & evaluation

Research partners

Livestock & crop-livestock

Project design & implementation

Management

Natural resource management

Development partners

Number of recommendations

Breakdown of recommendations

0 10 20 30 40 50

Ghana and Mali

Mali

Ghana

Number of recommendations

Project design and implementation

Recommendation Response(s)

Finalize log-frame Log-frame being finalized

Operationalize R4D platforms District-level R4D: Ghana (6), Mali (2)

Clarify R4D purposes and functionsJoint planning, facilitation, training planned

Link activities to those of R4DCommunity engagement, joint planning, implementation, learning and review

Situation analysis

Recommendation Response(s)Conduct cost-benefit analysis of SI innovation

Economic evaluation of SI being conducted

Hired a socio-economist and gender specialist

Cereal-legume-vegetable cropping systems

Recommendation Response(s)

Explore using inland valley wetlands Possibilities being explored

Explore dry season vegetable production options

AVRDC addressing dry season vegetable production is planned in Mali and Ghana.

IWMI and the Small-scale Irrigation Innovation Laboratory will evaluate irrigation options in Ghana

Livestock and crop-livestock systems

Recommendation Response(s)Address request of farmers for research and development on small ruminants, poultry and pigs

Ghana – increased funds and closer partnership with Ministry of Agriculture and Veterinary Services.

Mali – exploring ILRI-ICRISAT-IER collaboration.

Include research on crop residues, feed preservation, improved fallows, fodder trees

On-farm feed and feeding, agro-forestry activities are being planned in both countries

Explore options for optimizing feed from cereal-legume cropping systems

Cereal-legume-livestock cropping systems will be evaluated.

Livestock and crop-livestock systems

Recommendation Response(s)Address request of farmers for research and development on small ruminants, poultry and pigs

Ghana – increased funds and closer partnership with Ministry of Agriculture and Veterinary Services.

Mali – exploring ILRI-ICRISAT-IER collaboration.

Include research on crop residues, feed preservation, improved fallows, fodder trees

On-farm feed and feeding, agro-forestry activities are being planned in both countries

Explore options for optimizing feed from cereal-legume cropping systems

Cereal-legume-livestock cropping systems will be evaluated.

Address health delivery systemsLinks with veterinary service providersand training community vets planned

Natural resources management

Recommendation Response(s)

Integrate soil and water management with agronomic studies

CIAT and IWMI have revised theiractivities for more integration in Ghana

Provide support for identifying options for dry season irrigation

IWMI, AVRDC and Small-scale Irrigation Laboratory are planning joint activities.

Link-up with other systems-related CRPs-Dryland and Humidtropics

Africa RISING is mapped under Humidtropics, linked with Drylands CRP.

Address health delivery systemsLinks with veterinary service providersand training community vets planned

Improving household nutrition

Recommendation Response(s)Review data on nutritional status of populations.

Seeking consultants to review data on nutritional status in Mali

Establish links with relevant national health and nutrition programmes covering maternal and child health, and production and nutrition linkages

In Ghana – Ghana Health Services and Community Nutrition Department of Universities are partners. IER has recently joined the Mali nutrition team.

AVRDC, UDS and IER should design research on children and women cutting across Ghana and Mali.

A planning workshop involving the Ghana and Mali nutrition teams was held in January.

Implementation strategy - Ghana

Recommendation Response(s)

Establish links with USAID bilateral projects – ADVANCE and ATT – and routinely inform them about Africa RISING activities.

Meetings have been held with ATT and ADVANCE to agree on joint activities for implementation in 2015.

Implementation strategy - Mali

Recommendation Response(s)

Modify it implementation strategy to include at least two ‘hubs’ to provide a wider learning opportunity and ensure integrations

Funds have been provided to establish two hubs .Hub coordinators are being recruited. Meetings have been held to discuss possibilities for integration.

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