Lessons Leant from RAILS Implementation

Update from RAILS in Tanzania

Presented to a Workshop on the RAILS Lessons Learning 14-15 August 2013, Mombasa-KENYA

Janet Kaaya, Division of Research & Development, Ministry of Agriculture Food Security & Cooperatives, B.O. Box 2066,

Dar es Salaam, TANZANIA

Update from RAILS Platform in Tanzania Introduction

Focal Point Division of Research & Development (DRD),

Ministry of Agriculture Food Security & Cooperatives (MAFC)

Implemented by the Information & Documentation Unit of DRD with close collaboration with DONATA Focal Point (SARI)

On behalf of the Tanzanian NARS (incl. DRD-MAFC, DRTE-MLDF, Universities [SUA, UDSM-IRA, UDOM], TAFORI, TAFIRI, TPRI, private research institutes, NGOs, IARAs, etc.)

RAILS Experiences in Tanzania Introduction

ObjectivesTZ-RAILS shares the overall objectives of other RAILS

platforms in Africa: To undertake advocacy to encourage increased investment in

agricultural information systems by the Government of Tanzania and its institutions.

To improving access to information and the ability of stakeholders in the country to contribute to global agricultural knowledge.

To facilitate synergies by linking stakeholders in Africa information conduits to global providers of agricultural information.

To develop and maintain a platform for agricultural information and learning systems.

RAILS Experiences in Tanzania RAILS Actors in Tanzania

• Founding RAILS team members constitute 36 participants of the Tanzania Agricultural Information Stakeholder Workshop of 21-22 February 2011 and their institutions.

• The Workshop was jointly organized by ASARECA/FARA and DRD and was held in Morogoro-Tanzania.

• Participants represented key agricultural sector ministries (MAFC and MLFD) and their research institutes, agricultural related R&D institutions, community-based organizations, farmer representatives, the private sector and the regional and international agricultural research institutions.

RAILS Experiences in Tanzania RAILS Actors in

Tanzania From the objectives of the RAILS-TZ founding Workshop, the participants came up with the following

outcomes: Awareness created among stakeholders on RAILS as well

as its Africa-wide agricultural information system. The national RAILS Team was established along with the

development of the national AIS gateway, eRAILS, http://www.erails.net/TZ

The roles, terms of reference and expected outputs of the TZ-RAILS were agreed upon.

Eight members of the core national RAILS team were selected and their responsibilities agreed upon: These represented research (Ms.Rose Ubwe), extension services (Mr. Jamhuri Amin), education and universities (Dr. Afred Sife), NGOs/CBOs (Mr. Senzia Donald), the private sector (Jackie Laisser), farmer organizations (Mr. Susuma Susuma), agricultural sector lead ministries (Dr. Hubert Lyimo) and ICTspecialists (Mr. Festo Renatus).

RAILS Experiences in Tanzania RAILS Actors in

Tanzania From the objectives of the RAILS-TZ foundingWorkshop, the participants came up with thefollowing outcomes:

Awareness created among stakeholders on RAILS as well as its Africa-wide agricultural information system.

The national RAILS Team was established along with the development of the national AIS gateway, eRAILS, http://www.erails.net/TZ

The roles, terms of reference and expected outputs of the TZ-RAILS were agreed upon.

Eight members of the core national RAILS team were selected and their responsibilities agreed upon

RAILS Experiences in Tanzania RAILS National Core Team Members

1. Researchers - Ms.Rose Ubwe [SARI]2. Extension – Mr. Jamhuri Amin [FEU]3. Education and Universities- Dr. Sife [SUA]4. NGOs/CBOs- Mr. Senzia Donald [PELUM-TZ]5. Private sector - Ms.Jackie Laisser [HODECT]6. Farmer organizations – Mr. Susuma Susuma

[MVIWATA]7. Agricultural Sector Lead Ministries – Dr. Hubert

Lyimo [MLFD]8. ICT/M specialists – Mr. Festo Renatus [ARI-

Uyole]

RAILS Experiences in Tanzania ICT Equipment

Procurement of ICT Equipment through the PSTADA Project• 4 desk top Computers – delivered and distributed to

DONATA & RAILS Focal points• 2 Printers– delivered [RAILS & DONATA] • 4UPS for Computers & 2 for servers – delivered [RAILS &

DONATA) • 2 servers – delivered [RAILS & DONATA) • 10 notebook computers delivered and distributed to

institutions based on FARA criteria (plus website assement; one withheld)

• 2 digital cameras delivered and distributed [RAILS & DONATA]

Supply of Internet connectivity for RAILS/DONATA focal points• In process

RAILS Experiences in Tanzania ICT Equipment: Distribution

• DONATA and RAILS Focal Points – 4 PCs, 3

netbooks & 2 digital cameras

RAILS Experiences in Tanzania ICT Equipment: Distribution

One netbook each to the following institutions:

- Tanzania Fisheries Research Institute- Tanzania LivestockResearch Institute- Agric ResearchInstitutes (ARI) Uyole, ARI-Tumbi, - MVIWATA (farmer organization),- Sokoine University

of Agric- [One netbook computer earmarked for extension services has

not been collected]

RAILS Experiences in Tanzania ICT Equipment: Distribution

RAILS Experiences in Tanzania People and Institutional Engagement

The portal, with its 30 websiteshas the potential of providing access to agricultural informationto some 7,974 extension workersbased at ward/village levels throughout Tanzania with a triggereffect on about 5m farm familiesin the country.

RAILS Experiences in Tanzania People and Institutional Engagement

National stakeholder workshop (21-22 February 2011):

• TZ-RAILS and its eRAILS portal established• 36 participants:

– Research (National) – 20M-4F– Research (IARCs) – 1M-0F– Extension – 1M-1F– NGOs – 1M-0F– Private sector – 0M-1F– Farmer organizations – 1M-0F– Govt bureaucrats – 2M-0F– Universities and S&Ts – 3M-1F

RAILS Experiences in Tanzania People and Institutional Engagement

Follow-up: DRD/ASARECA Training workshop on eRAILS-Tanzania: 27-28 May 2012– Total 23:

[female 6, male 17]

RAILS Experiences in Tanzania People and Institutional Engagement

DRD/ASARECATraining workshopon eRAILS:

More capacity in managing info on eRAILS

More websites created

More awarenessMore support

(research managers invited as participants

RAILS Experiences in Tanzania People and Institutional Engagement

• Ministry of Agriculture Food Security and Cooperatives and its institutions • Division of Research & Development (DRD), MAFC  

– ARI-Selian, Arusha– ARI-Naliendele, Mtwara  – ARI-Tumbi, Tabora  – ARI-Selian, Arusha  – ARI-Makutopora, Dodoma  – ARI-Uyole, Mbeya  – ARI-Uyole, Mbeya

• Farmers’ Education Unit, MAFC• Ministry of Livestock and Fisheries Development  • Tanzania Fisheries Research Institute, DSM• Tanzania Livestock Research Institute• Horticultural Development Council of Tanzania• MVIWATA (Farmer umbrella organization)• PELUM-Tanzania, Morogoro• Sokoine National Agricultural Library (SNAL), Sokoine University of

Agriculture (SUA), Morogoro

RAILS Experiences in Tanzania List of Best Websites

• RRCoE-EAAPP http://www.erails.net/TZ/rrcoe-eaapp/

• ARI-Uyole http://www.erails.net/TZ/ari-uyle/ • MVIWATA: The Defender of the Farmer is the

Farmer http://www.erails.net/TZ/mviwata/ • ARI-Tumbi http://www.erails.net/TZ/ari-tumbi/ • PELUM Tanzania: Promotion of Sustainable

Agric. http://www.erails.net/TZ/pelum-tanzania/

• Sokoine University of Agriculture, SUA http://www.erails.net/TZ/sua/sua-/

RAILS Experiences in Tanzania DONATA-RAILS Links

• Sharing platforms: participation

• DONATA presence on the portal (2 websites)

• Core RAILS team member: DONATA Focal person

• Training workshops: DONATA focal person involved

• PSTAD Equipment: Equa sharing

RAILS Experiences in Tanzania Challenges of RAILS

• Late comer [with implications]• Low human resources capacity [to support

the focal point and to manage the websites]• Long & cumbersome procurement

procedures (both at national level & FARA).• Poor Internet connectivity and erratic power

supply– Affects not only the management of the national

eRAILS portal– Affects regular access to institutional e-mail

account by the RAILS Focal Person which greatly compromises communication with partners [sometimes the focal person misses important notices from FARA regarding

project reporting].

RAILS Experiences in Tanzania Achievements of RAILS

• Significant expansion of the national eRAILS portal:– from 6 websites in December 2011 (year of RAILS-Tz

formation) to 48 websites in July 2013– from 7 downloadable materials in December 2011 to 40 in

July 2013.– from 36 RAILS members in December 2011 to 55 members

in June 2013.• Organized training workshop for RAILS members

and research managers on managing information on eRAILS:– This training contributed to the expansion of the portal in

terms of the number of websites and information content including downloadable materials.

– More awareness and support• Increased awareness on the existence/importance of

the portal:– scientists and extension officers requesting uploading of

their outputs onto the portal

RAILS Experiences in Tanzania Achievements of RAILS

• Institution – More outreach to partner institutions and

stakeholders– PSTAD equipment– More capacity in managing knowledge– More institutionalization of RAILS and

DONATA

• Individual– More skills: Training workshops including ToT– More networking with partners– Access to PSTAD equipment

RAILS Experiences in Tanzania Improving Knowledge Sharing and

Management• Lessons learnt that should be encouraged

– Great support from host and participating institutions– PSTAD equipment very useful but not all participating

institutions have access to the equipment– eRAILS: Great opportunity for disseminating/sharing

knowledge – encouraging NARS to participate– Encourage institutionalization of RAILS and DONATA– Encourage more websites– Support from ASARECA & FARA– Capacity development