Improving JSR Practices at Country Level: Achievements and Gaps in Southern Africa Greenwell Matchaya, Coordinator for ReSAKSS Southern Africa (SA), International Water Management Institute (IWMI), South Africa g.matchaya@cigar.org

What is a Joint Sector Review (JSR)? A joint sector review (JSR) is one way of operationalizing the mutual accountability framework at country level The JSR process creates a platform to: assess the performance and results of the agriculture sector assist  governments in setting sector policy and priorities assess how well state and non state actors have implemented pledges and commitments (laid out in NAIPs, and other agreements)

Purpose and benefits of the Joint Sector Review The primary purpose of a JSR is to determine and evaluate observed results of sector performance and their comparison with the intended results or targets Therefore, the JSR: allows diverse stakeholders to get insights into and influence overall policies and priorities of the sector serves as a management and policy support tool for inclusive stakeholder planning, programming, budget preparation and execution, monitoring and evaluation, and overall development of the sector Existing country JSRs need strengthening in terms of design, stakeholder inclusion, data analysis, dialogue and improved quality of implementation.

Principles of a Joint Sector Review National ownership and leadership Relevance to NAIP or cooperation agreement Inclusive participation Commitment to results by all participants Impartiality and evidence-based Enhance national planning Sensitivity to gender Learning experience

What the JSR process does for a country Describe and analyze the structure, conduct and performance (SCP) of the sector against mutually-agreed milestones and targets Identify strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats (SWOT) in the sector Based on the results and findings in the above, make recommendations for improving performance in the sector.

What is monitored in a Joint Sector Review Development results e.g. income growth, poverty and hunger reduction, food and nutrition security, etc Overall agricultural sector growth target, with specific subsector and commodity targets Required financial and non-financial resources to effectively implement the plan Policies, programs, institutions, and implementation processes Linkages (including pathways to achieve the development results), enabling environment and assumptions

Roadmap for undertaking a Joint Sector Review Set up a JSR steering committee chaired by Ministry of Agriculture Establish JSR secretariat Develop terms of reference for the JSR Mobilize resources Constitute review team Undertake the review and dialogue Draw implementation and follow-up plan for the recommendations from the JSR

CAADP-relevant “cooperation agreements” GAFSP (e.g. Rwanda) CAADP Country NAIP (e.g. Ghana METASIP) CAADP Compact (e.g. Burkina Faso) Other Agreements (e.g. Senegal) New Alliance Coop Framework (e.g. Mozambique) Country Strategy Papers (e.g. Tanzania)

Country Outcomes Outcomes and Lessons.. Mozambique Launched Joint Sector Review process was launched in Maputo on 29th August 2013 and finalized in 2014. Malawi ReSAKSS-SA/IFPRI in collaboration with the AUC NEPAD, and COMESA and the Ministry of Agriculture has finalized and validated JSR report at a workshop in Lilongwe in April 2014 Swaziland Launched and finalized in 2015, in collaboration with the AUC NEPAD Zambia

Outcomes Countries are using outcomes of the JSR assessments as well as ATORs to support policy review and dialogue processes. In 2015, Malawi JSR followed the JSR assessment recommendations by ReSAKSS Swaziland’s demand for more technical support in M&E increased following JSR assessment that revealed gaps

JSR work has stimulated demand for more data and hence, strong M&E Outcomes JSR work has stimulated demand for more data and hence, strong M&E Results from the JSR assessment reports used in compiling the New Alliance report for 2013-2014 in Mozambique Countries demanding more work on linkages of policies, indicators of investments to development results

Outcomes -Malawi Recommendations from JSR assessments have helped country to set up ambitious agenda on the JSR process Malawi has incorporated lessons from JSR Assessment exercise into their JSR process JSR processes were largely Ministry of Agriculture focused but are now more inclusive following Mutual accountability process However need to further enhance CSO and private sector participation Issues raised from JSR process delegated to technical working groups under ASWAp for action

Outcomes-Mozambique Various Ministries report progress within their sectors at annual review. Adoption of the CAADP Compact further strengthened review process. Private sector involvement became stronger after adoption of CAADP Implementation of the G8NA further strengthening the process

Outcomes –Swaziland, Zambia Finalized and validated in 2015 Generated demand for better data and M&E systems Zambia finalized the assessment in 2015 Served as a basis for several sectoral meetings in Zambia

Political anchorage by African Union, NPCA is critical Lessons Political anchorage by African Union, NPCA is critical Buy-in at country level is very important for rallying the Agricultural sector Inclusivity from the beginning increases acceptability of recommendations Political ownership/leadership by Ministry of Agriculture is key. Consultativeness is also important

Lessons Inclusiveness is an issue: Government and DPs engage but NSAs are not fully engaged Acceptance of JSR------Effective communication and consultative approach informing stakeholders of the importance of JSR has helped to array the challenges JSR team composition: best left to country to decide but should include (private sector, academia, research, CSO, state etc.) Data availability: sourcing data from private sector and non-state actors has been a challenge. There is need to invest in data infrastructure. SAKSS networks therefore are invaluable tool for data collection and analysis

Future Plan for JSRs Implementation of action plans by initial seven countries Rolling JSR to next set of countries through a process lead by AUC/NPCA