1. Africa RISING WA Project - from the start until today I. Hoeschle-Zeledon Africa RISING Coordinator Stakeholder meeting Accra, Ghana, 23 January 2013

2.  Oct. 2011: Brain storming meeting Bamako: agreement on countries and regions: UER, UWR, NR [Ghana], Sikasso [Mali]; agreement on key farming systems  Jan. 2012: Inception workshop Tamale: confirmation of regions and farming systems; need for a thorough research framework (hypotheses, trial design; approach and context); appropriate action and control site selection => fast track workplan building on existing work to produce results by September 2012 The Start

3.  Feb. 2012: First disbursement of funds to AfricaRice and ICRISAT; decision on Program approach; name Africa RISING  February/March: Stakeholder workshops in Mali and Ghana  April: Set up of Project office at SARI in Tamale staff: systems agronomist, administrator, accountant, research supervisor, technician, drivers Next steps

4.  May: Community analysis in Ghana; community action plan; district stratification and characterization in Ghana (rainfall, elevation, population, market access) by IFPRI  June: workplans for Mali and Ghana developed; sub- agreements with partners; disbursement of funds  June - December: Implementation of year 1 field activities

5.  June - January: Selection of future action and control sites in Ghana (socio-economic and biophysical characteristics: length of growing period, market access)  October: Year 1 review and planning meeting  December: Site characterization and selection in Mali; workplans for 2013  Continuously: Strategic Program documents developed (research framework, M&E plan, communication strategy, management structure)

6. Sub-agreements by IITA InstitutionAmount ILRI$195,000 UDS$25,000 WIUC$32,000 SARI$80,000 KNUST$16,000 SRI S3,000 IWMI$100,000 AVRDC$200,688 AfricaRice$299,822 ICRISAT* * sub-contracts with partners in Mali $754,490

7.  Research hypotheses (5), research design, SI?, focus on different hh types, entry points, approach to SI, R4D platforms  Generic to be applicable across all three Africa RISING regions  Flexible to allow site specific adaptation  Program Research Framework Task Force  Workshop in July in Ibadan, Nigeria,  Completed, presented later Research framework

8.  Led by IFPRI  Workshop in Addis Ababa in September  Draft circulated for comments in November  Status: finalization in progress M&E Plan

9.  Leadership by IFPRI  Team located at program and project level  List of tools: http://africa-rising.wikispaces.com/comms_tools http://africa-rising.wikispaces.com/comms_tools Our wiki: http://africa-rising.wikispaces.com/http://africa-rising.wikispaces.com/ Our calendar: http://goo.gl/2m56L or http://africa-rising.wikispaces.com/Calendarhttp://africa-rising.wikispaces.com/Calendar Our outputs on CG Space: http://cgspace.cgiar.org/handle/10568/16498http://cgspace.cgiar.org/handle/10568/16498 Our presentations on Slideshare: http://www.slideshare.net/africa-risinghttp://www.slideshare.net/africa-rising Our pictures on FlickR: http://www.flickr.com/photos/africa-risinghttp://www.flickr.com/photos/africa-rising Our website: http://www.africa-rising.nethttp://www.africa-rising.net Soon, YouTube and Yammer web domains will be established Communication strategy and tools

10.  Assembly of all strategic documents program context purpose, objectives, outcomes guiding principles and conceptual framework research design M&E plan communication strategy management structure standards for engagement Program Document

11. Program Management Structure

12.  Provides advice and oversight on Project activities  Approves annual Project workplan and budget  Reviews and makes suggestions to Project Coordinator on semiannual technical progress reports to USAID  Plans yearly stakeholder meetings with support from Program Communications Team  First meeting tomorrow WA Steering Committee ToR

13.  Chair (R. Asiedu, IITA Regional Director West Africa)  Project Chief Scientist (A. Larbi, IITA)  Project M&E Lead (IFPRI)  Project Communications Lead (K. Lopez, IITA)  ICRISAT (F. Waliyar)  AfricaRice (O. Ayaji); rotating seat  CORAF (E. Asiedu)  CSIR (A. Salifu)  AGRA (K. Makinde)  Donor (J. Glover)  Secretary (I. Hoeschle-Zeledon, AR Coordinator) Membership

14.  to inspect bilateral and multilateral food security programs in northern Ghana  met by SARI Director and Africa RISING chief scientist  visit of demonstration trails of drought and Striga tolerant maize; rice seed multiplication and varietal trials  interactions with farmers 17 August: Visit US Congressional Staff

15. Africa Research in Sustainable Intensification for the Next Generation africa-rising.net