Asarecamay2013

Nairobi, 9-10 May 2013

---

Tom Randolph participated in a meeting with ASARECA on May 9-10, 2013 to discuss alignment. The report of the meeting is available at [[1]].

From meeting report:

Livestock and Fisheries Working Group

5.2.1 Suggested areas of collaboration Geographical areas • L&F - 3 value chains: pigs in Uganda; dairy in Tanzania; shoats in Ethiopia • Food safety/nutrition in A4NH also links to L&F value chains (and other CRPs) • AAS: Planning for CRP phase 2 (2015-2018) this will have two additional countries one in E Africa: AAS are exploring Uganda/S Sudan. This is open to discussion with stakeholders. • ASARECA can also help expand targeted value chains to regions

Priority topics • AAS: Sustainable crop, livestock fisheries interactions (theme 4 and subtheme 4.2) also exploring moving to coastal ecosystems (sub theme 1.5) • Priorities (stakeholder led) have been set out in detail for both CRPs and ASARECA but priorities are evolving as we generate evidence • Production/Productivity topics: Feed, breeds, health, post-harvest, husbandry, market demand • Externalities of agriculture topics: environment, role of women, health, nutrition

5.2.2 Suggested collaboration mechanisms including action plan • Develop joint calendar of important events are coming up for ASARECA and CRPs. Mutual involvement of CRP/ASARECA in important planning and reporting events (especially country level meetings). • Joint planning for CRP activities: involve ASARECA in CRP country plans (AAS workshop next week in Lusaka and based on outcome develop a specific plan involving ASARECA). • Discussion ongoing as to how to involve all stakeholders (including ASARECA) in the planning for the next phase of CRPs (2015-2017). CRP leaders to inform ASARECA when modality is known • When CRPS engage with NARS they should also include ASARECA in that discussion. Need to identify ‘hats’ because same person may be NARS, ASARECA and CRP in different roles. • Start dialogue with CRPs and ASARECA to explore collaboration. ASARECA to join CG gender network. • ASARECA programs in process of aligning priorities to OP 2. CRP to be involved in this alignment of priorities so overall coordination between CRPs, ASARECA (and CAADP). During OP 2 planning discuss to what extent the CRP working sites could also be a shared resource with ASARECA and to what extent the ASARECA centers of excellent can be shared resource with CRPs • Student and scientist training – strengthen links between ASARECA and BecA • Joint program development and implementation • Opportunity to link OP2 to CRP impact pathway so they are explicitly linked • Set up regular meetings to review CRP-ASARECA partnership (6 monthly) perhaps linked to FARA or other event. Next meeting at BUJUMBURU ASARECA GENERAL MEETING.

5.2.3 Resources needed to operationalize the collaboration • Map the ‘donor market’ to see which are most attractive to different institutes/programs • Use evidence generated by CRP/ASARECA to strengthen the case for funding • Joint resource mobilization with a focus on scaling out technologies from value chains/system to the regions • CRP to seek opportunities not just for the CRP but also for all research stakeholders with interest in the value chain/system • ASARECA to involve CRPs in the project –( trade off because CG involvement is costly) – CRPs can commit resources to subsidize their involvement in ASARECA projects providing these projects contribute to the impact CRPs have committed to deliver and especially for regional scaling out • Bring additional expertise from CRPs which is not traditional agricultural research e.g. nutrition, ecosystems help