SCALING UP STRATEGY FOR THE TREES FOR FOOD SECURITY PROJECT

Transcription

1 SCALING UP STRATEGY FOR THE TREES FOR FOOD SECURITY PROJECT Prepared by: Catherine Muthuri, Athanase Mukuralinda, Kiros Hadgu, Clement Okia, Abayneh Derero, Claudette Nkurunziza, Miyuki Iiyama, Hilary Agaba, Tenge Ngoga, Evelyn Kiptot, Musana Bernard, Aklilu Neguse, Ruth Kinuthia, Anne Kuria, Jeremias Mowo, Fergus Sinclair 2015/2016 Scaling out is defined as the geographical spread of a technology, practice or systems change over time while scaling up refers to expanding beneficial institutional and capacity building practices within and across organizations and networks at local to international levels (Pachico and Fujisaka 2004). Both mechanisms are needed to achieve widespread and significant systems change. The objective of scaling out and up was defined as leading to more quality benefits to more people more quickly, more equitably and more lastingly over a wider geographic area (International Institute for Rural Reconstruction IIRR 2000). The general agreement is that, scaling up is not just about technologies but is more a development process of scaling up a vision starting from that of the farmers. It is a process for expanding learning and organizational or community capacities to identify and solve new and different problems, and adapt to changing situations. It is expansion resulting from not just having more numbers and larger areas but also from evolving roles and responsibilities that go with improved capacities and diversification of benefits (CSD NGO 2008). Hence, the quality of the process and impacts from scaling out and up are as important as the quantity of impact, particularly in terms of social equity and sustainability. The focus of this project is to scale up the use of trees within farming systems in Ethiopia and Rwanda and then scale out successes to relevant agro-ecological zones in Uganda and Burundi (and Tigray in Ethiopia) through research that underpins national programs. The strategy in year one was characterization where state-of-the art, spatially explicit characterization (including establishing a baseline for M&E) was combined with current knowledge of species and management options for particular sites in Ethiopia and Rwanda. This together with the policy dialogue and capacity needs assessment would then inform the options used in scaling up from years 2 through national scaling programs. Good progress has been made in implementing activities in Bugesera and Gishwati areas in Rwanda and West Shewa and East Wollega and East Shewa Zones with some scaling out activities in Eastern Tigray Zone in Ethiopia. Scaling up activities through participatory trials, seedling supply through Rural Resource Centers RRC and nurseries, demonstration plots, on farm experimentation and training on different approaches, methodologies and technologies using appropriate extension approaches have been ongoing. Model simulations through the new APSIM agroforestry module (and benefiting from on-farm and long-term experimentation) is expected to enhance the scaling efforts by helping predict the impact of incorporating different tree species and management options on 1

2 food production (and water, nutrients etc.) in agricultural systems. This is critical for refining the options provided for different contexts in the scaling up efforts initially in Ethiopia and Rwanda and ultimately to Uganda and Burundi. In Uganda appropriate scaling out successes from Rwanda commenced in year three at the Mt Elgon area in Manafwa and Mbale District where local knowledge and participatory trials training were conducted; and RRC and participatory trials have been established with farmers and various trainings undertaken. Scaling out effects in Burundi has started after local knowledge, seed and seedling and extension surveys identified the key constraints and enabling factors for taking trees to scale. Initial efforts have focused on establishing nurseries within the district to readily provide good supply of planting materials which were in short supply. The political situation in Burundi is affecting project activities implementations especially since partner scientists rely heavily on ICRAF scientists for training and oversight in initial project implementation activities; this situation is likely to improve soon. Scaling up best fit options through government commitments (especially in Ethiopia where 100 million Faidherbia albida trees were to be planted) was not as widespread as promised during the inception meetings. This therefore meant that the project had to put more resources and time on participatory trials and scaling out to bridge the gap. Scaling out / up Achievement thus far The attached excel sheets show the number of people reached by the project through various activities that include direct and indirect project engagement. Below is a summary of the people reached. Number of people reached by the project by December 2016 Country No of people involved in various project activities Capacity Strengthening Trainings Postgradua te students PhD Total Rwanda (all Male) 4 (3M, 1F) Ethiopia (3M, 1F) 6 (3M,3F) Uganda F 5 (3M, 2F) 3032 Burundi (1M, 1F) 3055 Total MSc Mechanisms we have put in place to accelerate reaching out to the target stakeholders in the remaining one and a half years. This will take place through the following activities/ strategies. Key areas of focus in the strategy 1. Technology and practices. Documentation of all the people reached through the various technologies that have been put in place is ongoing. This includes people in direct contact with the project through on farm experiments, participatory trials, supply of seedlings, visits to the nurseries and RRCs etc. Using 2

3 the tracking tool (attached), information has been obtained on farmers and other stakeholders not directly interacting with the project but have benefitted from the project through accessing technologies or information. This will enable the project team to capture information from farmers who have interacted with the project (Level 0) on farmers who are adopting and / or asking for information from Level 0 farmers (level 1). Likewise level 1 farmers could be sharing information with other farmers (level 2) and the cascade continues. Therefore using this tool the project team will be able to capture information on numbers reached by the project up to the level 2 farmers/ other stakeholders. Data collection is enhanced through provision of note books to farmers/ stakeholders in levels 0 and 1 who record these encounters and compiled by project staff every three months. The current status of stakeholders reached through this strategy is also attached 2. Capacity Building and strengthening This includes strengthening of skills, awareness and increased influence on stakeholder s attitudes and involvement in trees for food security issues. Data on all the trainings and workshops, that have taken place and all the people engaged in interviews, open air meetings, campaigns, focus group discussions,- and household surveys has been captured. Information on all the masters and PhD trained students as well as interns in the project is also provided. Training taking place through exchange visits, and farmer to farmer extension has also been recorded. See attached excel worksheet for this information. 3. Communication of outputs from the project Various channels of communicating project outputs are being used to reach out to people within and outside the project sites; some cutting across all the countries and others country specific. They include the T4FS website ( where information on downloads and visitors to the site are collated. The project webpage will be enhanced through tracking of hits per season based on activities in the project, correspondence from the public, queries arising from the public, use of Google optimization etc. Others include blogs, production of brochures, flyers, policy briefs, public campaigns, pamphlets, guides etc. Local media especially local radios stations will be used as an extension medium where possible. Records of success stories from farmers through short videos will also be produced; this will be done for each country and for the project as a whole. The use of mobile phones in conveying key messages will also be explored. Documentation / records on those reached through these media will then be collated. The framework and methodological approaches to guide in collecting the information will be developed 4. Enabling environment. This includes gathering information on governance, collective action, support service provision/industry, knowledge systems including culture and adherence and markets. The community mobilization, awareness creation and formulation of relevant county specific bylaws that will for instance regulate grazing or protect tree seedlings to ensure growing trees are protected from livestock will be carried out. Country specific strategies to reach more people include Rwanda (10,000) 1. Simplifying the participatory trials (reducing the plot size and the number of trees per household) so as to encourage more farmers to participate in these trials. The number of farmers will increase by 250 in both Gishwati and Bugesera November 2016 because the 3

4 quantity of biomass required is now available for small size plots, hence encouraging more farmers to join this activity. 2. Also, this simple farmer practice will attract other farmers around the study area. Therefore, farmer representatives from other sectors will be invited to visit the project experimental sites whereby knowledge received will be spread to other farmers. 3. Develop a strategic partnership with local authorities and existing land restoration projects funded by external donors (Belgium and UNDP). The project activities are expected to complement activities by the potential partners who are working in the same sites and targeting the same farmers. More specifically, the ACIAR T4FS will partner with UNDP in Gishwati area, in building capacity of farmers through trainings and development of technical materials. 150 farmers will be trained and more than 500 will be reached through various technical materials. 4. Sensitization meetings by local authorities assisted by the project team will be conducted at the cell level and at least 600 farmers will be participating by November In October 2014, the Umuganda community work (Government led community work held on one Saturday every month) was organized at Kadahenda cell level (Umuruho hill) and in Gashora sector where 150 farmers and 168 farmers participated in the two sites respectively. Currently, a total of 332 community members including local authorities from cells and sectors have been reached by Agroforestry technologies through the Umuganda approach. An additional 2,000 farmers are expected to be reached through this community approach where tree planting and/or sensitization on agroforestry technologies (by local authorities and project team) is a high priority. This scaling up approach will also be implemented in sectors other than those covered by the project. 6. World vision will also undertake new trainings and recruit more farmers in Bugesera district prior to completion of the project. Approximately 1500 farmers will be reached through provision of seedlings and trainings. 7. Develop training modules for FFS activities and use RAB existing FFS channels to increase the number of farmers using agroforestry technologies. Ethiopia (10,000) 1. In Ethiopia, the target is to reach a total of 10,000 farmers (reach a total of 8000 farmers in eight Woredas in East and West Shewa and East Wellega and additional 2000 farmers in Eastern Tigray) through the following strategies: 2. Continue working with government nurseries in the eight woredas and through the activities of World Vision Ethiopia in Tigray and produce and distribute tree seedlings along with the required trainings on tree planting and management. This year the plan is to reach at least 600 farmers in Ziway (East Shewa) and Eastern Tigray. 3. Establish one additional Rural Resource Center at Bako by November 2016 and continue using the RRC at Ziway for promoting commercial tree seedling production. The RRC are placed in government nurseries and hence a synergy is created with the Woreda office for both diversification and commercialization of tree seedlings. We will train about 100 people in seedling production, grafting and tree establishment. 4. Work intensively with champion farmers so that others will learn from these champion farmers, to whom is given orientation on how to take data on visits by other farmers and stakeholders. We will select a total of 30 champion farmers and each can influence 10 farmers, and hence a total of 300 farmers will be reached through the champion farmers. 5. Improving existing community level water harvesting structures (ponds, wells) and introducing new ones, and introduce participatory trials in determining watering regimes and making efficient use of the water resource by large segment of the community. A total of 25 4

5 people will get ToT on water harvesting, which will be followed by training of the community at four sites involving a total of 100 farmers. Each structure can benefit 5-10 farmers. 6. Mobilizing of community leaders to exemplary sites in animal enclosure system that guaranteed land rehabilitation and enhanced tree establishment. A total of 20 community leaders will be mobilized to the site. 7. Organizing field days in long term trial sites to expose farmers on tree-crop interaction experimentations and present data on crop yield under different tree species. Two field days will be organized where 100 people are expected to participate. 8. Creating synergy with other projects (e.g. DGIS in Eastern Tigray) in ensuring water security for promotion of agroforestry. Uganda (7,000-8,000) 1. Increase on seedling production. In Uganda the project team has gone an extra mile to procure seedlings when the project nursery ran out. Farmers were also more enthusiastic about improved fruit trees which had not yet reached grafting stage at the project nursery, thus necessitating procurement. The project nursery has given some consideration to this and mango and avocado rootstocks have been integrated in the nursery and this will be provided to farmers in the next three planting seasons. 80,000 assorted seedlings were produced last season. In the coming season mostly fruits (mangoes) are being raised. Over 30,000 fruit seedlings are targeted. Including other species, the total target for the coming season is about 200,000 seedlings. Records of all farmers receiving seedlings will be kept. They will include names, type/species, number and location. On average, from the 200,000 seedlings, assuming each farmer receives at least 50 trees, then a total of 4000 farmers will benefit. 2. Diversification of seedling production Centers. Currently seedlings are produced from the central nursery in Mbale and this presents challenges with transportation. The project team will: a) identify locations close to the farmers where mass production will be undertaken and farmers will be encouraged to walk to these centers for the seedlings. Fortunately, one of such centers has been identified in Manafwa district. The project will support with a) seed, potting material and casual labor and save on transportation costs. b) link up with the government s Community tree planting project under the National Forestry Authority (NFA) to supply some specific tree seedlings to project target farmers while technical expertise will be provided by the project team. The team will apply for at least 10,000 assorted seedlings to be supplied to the project area. About 150 farmers will benefit from this by November c) link up with Mbale Coalition Against Poverty (Mbale CAP) which runs a chain of tree nurseries in the Mt. Elgon Sub-region under their 10 million tree campaign supported by the Welsh Government. The project team will provide technical support on nursery to 150 farmers (about 5 trainings each targeting about 30 farmers will be planned). 3. Community sensitization meetings: The project team will hold quarterly community sensitization meetings at parish and sub-county levels to educate the masses about the tree species and their link to food security. The community development officers and parish chiefs in the sub-counties will be very useful in these activities. A record of numbers reached will be kept. In each quarter, about 250 farmers will be sensitized translating to about 1,000 farmers. 5

6 4. Exchange visits and farmer to farmer extension. Community meetings at parishes and subcounty levels where beneficiary farmers are invited to spread the tree planting gospel to others will be used to increase on the numbers. This has to be done at a time when enough seedlings are available otherwise farmers can get frustrated if they fail to get seedlings. Two exchange visits (1 per sub-county) involving about 25 farmers each will be conducted, making an overall total of 50 farmers in exchange visits. 5. Other strategy will include seminars with universities (Islamic University in Uganda in Mbale, Makerere University in Kampala, Uganda Christian University in Mukono and Bugema University in Luwero and Uganda Martyrs University- in Mbale. Five seminars each involving about 40 people, making a total of 200 people. 6. School outreach programs for secondary and primary schools in Manafwa will be conducted where leaflets and brochures containing information about trees and food security will be distributed. Under this approach over 2000 people (pupils, students and teachers) will be reached. 7. Dissemination workshops to share progress of the project will be conducted through which over 100 people will be reached. The workshops will concern seed and seedling systems, extension systems and nursery management practices as well as other relevant aspects regarding the project. Burundi ( ) In addition to the general strategies, Burundi will use the following to reach more farmers (assuming the political situation improves). The numbers as of now can therefore not be so definite. 1. About five nurseries will be set up from the next season to enhance good planting material easily assessable to farmers and hence improved 2. Farmer organizations will be used to help in seedling distribution 3. Farmer field school will be utilized as venues for training 4. Community sensitization meetings will also be carried out on the project activities and technologies, 5. Local NGO like CAPAD ( Farmers confederation) 6