1. 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

2. 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)

3. 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.

4. 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

5. 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.

6. 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

7. 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

8. 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)

9. 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

10. 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

11. 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 in Mozambique
Countries demanding more work on linkages of policies, indicators of investments to development results

12. 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

13. 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

14. 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

15. 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

16. 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

17. 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