A yeAr of renewAl

AnnuAl report 2011

Reuters/Novum.

Adding value to agriculture and rural development

in African, Caribbean and the Pacific countries

Table of content
Message from the Director
Page 05 CHAPTER 1

AgRiCulTuRAl PoliCiEs

CTAs new results-oriented strategy

Page 07

CTA

Shaping climate change policy A new lease of life for agricultural extension?
Page 08 CHAPTER 2

A. Johnstone/Panos/ Hollandse Hoogte

MARkETs And vAluE CHAins

Making the most of markets Standing out from the crowd
Page 14

Resources
Page 30

Impact stories
Page 34

Golden Pixels LLC / Alamy

CHAPTER 3

knowlEdgE MAnAgEMEnT
Opening the archives Knowledge matters
Page 18

CHAPTER 4
J.Silberberg/Panos/ Hollandse Hoogte

A call for action Listening to farmers

Page 24

iCTs foR dEv

2011 HigHligHts

CTA helped to organise Agriculture and Rural Development Day at the UN climate-change conference in Durban.

CTA has expanded its work on agricultural value chains. Processing pineapples in Ghana.

Research plays a vital role in improving agricultural productivity.

Getting to grips with computers and the Internet. Students at a primary school in Uganda.

All Rights Reserved

S. Bauer

J. Hahn/ Panos/Hollandse Hoogte

All Rights Reserved

MESSAGE FROM THE DIRECTOR

A YEAR OF RENEWAL
wRiTTEn by

For CTA, 2011 was a year of renewal. Following the approval of the 20112015 strategic plan at the beginning of the year, we undertook important steps to realign our programmes and operations to our strategic objectives.
We reduced the number of programmes from twelve to two, established a new monitoring and evaluation unit, and began recruiting staff to put our results-oriented strategy into action.

Charlie Pye-Smith
CTA EdiToRiAl TEAM

Thierry Doudet Stphane Gambier Armelle Degrave

gRAPHiC dEsign TRAnslATion

Stphanie Leroy

Marie Deblonde
PRoofREAding

We are now placing a much stronger emphasis on creating strategic partnerships with regional policymaking organisations, farmers groups and others who work for the benefit of rural communities in Africa, the Caribbean and Pacific countries. To give just one example, we have sought to align our operations more closely with those of the New Partnership for Africas Development (NEPAD) and the Comprehensive African Agricultural Development Programme that NEPAD coordinates. We have also become more proactive at leveraging our limited resources. For example, we organised the largest-ever conference on agricultural extension, held in Nairobi in November in collaboration with almost 20 other organisations. By establishing partnerships such as these both globally and locally we are now in a better position to achieve our strategic objectives of advancing agricultural policies and strategies, strengthening smallholder value chains and building the knowledge management capacities of ACP institutions and networks. Michael Hailu
2011 HigHligHts 

Jacques Bodichon Jacqueline Cessou

PRinTEd by

PURE IMPRESSION
CTA 2012 - isbn

978-92-9081-492-4

#1 AGRICulTuRAl pOlICIES

47 000
Spore / Esporo subscribers

kEy figuREs foR 2011

participants at the CTA co-organised Agriculture and Rural Development Day

500

participants at the Brussels Development Briefings

750

The new strategy for 2011-2015

will enable CTA to focus on the critical issues facing ACP agriculture, and to marshal its efforts through knowledge-sharing, networking and capacity-building.

450
delegates from 85 countries at the CTA co-organised international extension conference
 2011 HigHligHts

34 660
subscribers to the CTA publications Distribution service

550
trainees sponsored by CTA to take part in Web 2.0 training sessions

270
researchers supported by CTAs Seminar support programme

CTAS STRATEGY

fter decades of under-investment, agricultural and rural development has moved to centre stage in the discourse about poverty and hunger. Never before has there been such a high degree of global consensus and financial commitment about improving agricultural productivity and increasing farmers incomes. Agricultural growth has finally been recognised as essential to achieving food and nutritional security as well as fighting poverty. However, ACP countries still face many challenges to transforming agriculture into an engine of sustainable growth. CTA has developed a bold new strategy for 20112015 to address some of these challenges. Over the next five years, CTA will pursue clearly defined goals in three distinct thematic areas. These are: strengthening agricultural and rural development policy processes

and strategies; improving agricultural value chains, especially for small-scale producers; and enhancing the information, communication and knowledge management capacities of ACP institutions and networks. Under the new strategy, CTA will intensify many of its partnerships, ensuring that it continues to obtain the best results from its limited resources. In 2011, CTA began to establish new partnerships with the private sector, for example with businesses operating in agricultural R&D and the provision of information and communication technologies (ICTs). CTA is now placing a stronger emphasis on e-publishing, and has begun the process of consolidating its websites to make them more accessible and user-friendly. CTA will continue to focus on improving the welfare of women and young people. CTA has restructured its programmes and operations to meet the requirements of

CTA has restructured its programmes and operations to meet the requirements of its new strategic plan.

the new strategic plan. It has reduced the number of programmes and established a monitoring and evaluation unit. Henceforth, there will be a strong emphasis on obtaining results. In 2011, CTA began the process of hiring new staff with the skills and expertise needed to make the new strategy as effective as possible. The new strategy will help CTA to achieve its ultimate aim, which is to advance food and nutritional security, increase prosperity and encourage sound natural resource management.

CTAs NEW REsULTsORIENTED sTRATEGY

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CHAPTER 1 AGRICulTuRAl pOlICIES

CTA promotes policy processes that empower everyone engaged in the food chain, with a strong focus on benefiting smallholder farmers. In 2011, CTA helped organise major events on climate change and agricultural extension, and launched a range of other policy initiatives. Below are some of the years highlights.

A
N. Palmer/CIAT

shApING CLImATE ChANGE pOLICY

climate change is already threatening food production, especially in the developing world. Agriculture should therefore be at the heart of climate change policy. This was one of the key messages to emerge from Agriculture and Rural Development Day (ARDD). Held in Durban, South Africa, during the 17th meeting of the Conference of Parties (COP 17) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and co-organised by CTA, ARDD brought together over 500 scientists, policymakers, farmers, media professionals and enviTina Joemat-Pettersson, South Africas Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, gave the opening address to ARDD in Durban.

griculture is a significant cause of climate change, directly responsible for 1012% of greenhouse gas emissions. However, farmers, pastoralists and fishermen are victims too:

ronmental activists. The meeting helped to position agriculture within the global negotiations and showcase a range of climatesmart farming practices which can increase food production, assist farmers in becoming more resilient to climate change and reduce greenhouse-gas emissions.

A greater emphasis should be placed on agriculture in climate change negotiations.

2011 HigHligHts

Key speakers at the Brussels Development Briefing on The Water we eat.

All rights reserved

CAPTURING The lATeST ThoUGhTS oN PolICy

In 2011, CTA organized five Brussels Development Briefings, which have become a key event in the policymakers calendar. A joint initiative of CTA, the European Commission, the Secretariat of the ACP Group of States and CONCORD, the briefings provide the latest insights into key issues affecting ACP farmers and food production. CTA also launched a new series of Policy Briefs, published in English and French, to bring the findings and recommendations to a wider audience. See: http://brusselsbriefings.net/about/policy-briefs

eNCoURAGING hIGh-qUAlITy JoURNAlISM

A journalists competition organised by CTA encouraged ACP media professionals to submit articles about the challenges and opportunities facing extension services. The six winners representing each ACP sub-region vied for the top three prizes during the Nairobi conference. The candidates showed talent, creativity and originality in bringing out local experiences and practices, said competition judges Alison Saunders and Gervais Mbarga. The overall winner was Anish Chand of Fiji TV Ltd.

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#1 AGRICulTuRAl pOlICIES
Meteorologists could learn from the traditional knowledge of Africas pastoralists. Cattle at a water hole in Chad.

A two way exchange is needed between pastoralists and meteorologists.

ge and climate science could be used in tandem in order to help pastoralists adapt to climate change. At present, much of the information provided by meteorologists is inaccessible and unintelligible to pastoralists says Giacomo Rambaldi, CTA senior programme coordinator. At the same time, meteorologists are failing to benefit from pastoralists traditional knowledge about how to cope with variations in the weather and seasons. What we need is a two-way exchange. The NDjamena Declaration, one of the key outputs of the conference, highlights the relevance of traditional and scientific knowledge systems and their potential synergies, and the need to ensure effective communication between scientists, pastoralists and policymakers. A learning event at ARDD, co-organised by CTA, helped to promote the recommendations of the NDjamena Declaration. n

G. Rambaldi/CTA

Although no work programme for agriculture was established in Durban, as we had hoped, ARDD raised its profile in climatechange deliberations and negotiators decided to refer agriculture to the next meeting of the Subsidiary Body for Scientific and Technological Advice (SBSTA), says CTA Senior programme coordinator, Jos Fonseca. CTA and its partners will continue to press for a work programme on agriculture, which would help to attract the finance needed to promote climate-smart farming practices. These are described in CTAs first Policy

Pointers booklet, Farmings Climate-Smart Future, which was launched at ARDD.

Getting traditional knowledge on the policy agenda

A month before the Durban conference, CTA, the Indigenous Peoples of Africa Coordinating Committee (IPACC) and the Association des Femmes Peules Autochtones du Tchad (AFPAT) hosted a conference in NDjamena, Chad, which provided the opportunity for indigenous people and meteorologists to explore how traditional knowled-

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CollABoRATING wITh NePAD FoR IMPRoveD PolICy PRoCeSSeS

In 2011, CTA strengthened its relationship with the NEPAD Planning and Coordinating Agency, which is helping African countries to take full control of their development agenda and work more closely together. As part of our new strategy, we are paying greater attention to supporting regional policy processes, and that is why we decided to increase our collaborative activities with NEPAD, says Isolina Boto, who runs CTAs Brussels office and manages the Brussels Development Briefings. In May 2011, CTA organised a regional briefing with NEPAD in Addis Ababa on Rural Futures. In September, there was a follow-up Brussels Briefing on Rural Transformation and Rural Employment in Africa. See: http://brusselsbriefings. net/past-briefings

A NEW LEAsE OF LIFE FOR AGRICULTURAL EXTENsION ?

tension services. This is not just a matter of increasing financial support. It is also about reforming the way they work, and making sure that the reforms that are underway are cost-effective and sustainable, says CTA director Michael Hailu.

illions of small-scale farmers are being poorly served by extension and advisory services. This was the subject of the International Conference on Innovations in Extension and Advisory Services, Linking Knowledge to Policy and Action for Food and Livelihoods, held in Nairobi, Kenya, in November 2011. Co-organised by CTA and seventeen national and international partners, the conference attracted over 450 delegates, including farmers, extension professionals, scientists and policymakers from 85 countries. After decades of under-investment, governments and the development community now recognise the importance of revitalising ex CIMMYT

00cento - Fotolia.com

Farmers learn about drought-tolerant maize at a field day in Tanzania.

#1 AGRICulTuRAl pOlICIES

The findings of the conference were enshrined in the Nairobi Declaration. This calls on governments to develop clear policies for extension in consultation with farmers, to increase funding, and to introduce mechanisms that ensure the coordination, sustainability and efficient provision of high-quality services. This can be seen as a rallying call for policymakers, says CTA senior programme coordinator Judith Francis. Efficient, demand-driven extension services are the key

to improving the productivity and incomes of the worlds smallholder farmers. The Nairobi conference is already influencing the activities of many participants. I have begun to introduce some of the recommendations from the conference in my ministry says Zane Sharon Peters, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Agriculture, Antigua and Barbuda. n
Conference website: http://extensionconference2011.cta.int

Efficient, demand-driven extension services are the key to improving the productivity and incomes of the worlds smallholder farmers.

Participatory approaches are effective for sharing knowledge and joint learning.

over 450 people attended the Nairobi extension conference from 85 countries.

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All rights reserved

Caezer Ng

eNCoURAGING CReATIvITy ThRoUGh FIlM

GeTTING The MoST oUT oF FReNCh-SPeAKING UNIveRSITIeS

CoNNeCTING ACP PRoFeSSIoNAlS wITh TheIR PeeRS

Trygve Bolstad/Lineair/Still Pictures

Ron Giling/Lineair/Still Pictures

The finals of the Caribbean Science and Agriculture Film and Video Competition were held in Trinidad in August 2011. Twenty-two teams of young professionals competed for the top places. The judges were very impressed by the imaginative way in which they dealt with the complex science and technology issues, says CTAs Judith Francis. The winning entry, Bee Wise by Vincent Lewis, was a compelling docudrama about using scientific evidence to influence national policy on agro-biodiversity. The films can be viewed on http://knowledge.cta.int.

The Comprehensive African Agricultural Development Programme (CAADP) seeks to eliminate hunger by stimulating agricultural production. So far, French-speaking centres of higher education have contributed little to this process. To remedy this situation, CTA and its partners convened a meeting in Burkina Faso in November 2011 which was attended by university rectors and other education leaders from across Francophone Africa. Higher education institutes have a key role to play in providing human resources and intellectual capital to bring about an agricultural transformation, explains CTAs Judith Ann Francis.

J. Schytte/Still Pictures

In 2011, CTA enabled scientists from ACP countries to attend 24 international conferences. We gave priority to requests that had close links to our new priorities, says CTA senior programme coordinator Andr Vugayabagado. To give just one example, support was provided for 10 scientists to attend the Global Science Conference on Climate-Smart Agriculture in Wageningen. Upon its conclusion, CTA hosted a one-day meeting at its headquarters so that visiting scientists could present their research and learn from each others experiences.

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CHAPTER 2 MARkETS AnD VAluE CHAInS

In 2011, CTA continued to support work on market information systems and Geographical Indications, focusing in particular on the benefits they can bring to small-scale farmers in ACP countries. Other initiatives included a workshop on harmonising trade regulations in West Africa and the re-launch of the Agritrade website.

T
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mAKING ThE mOsT OF mARKETs

workshop held in Bamako, Mali, in November 2011. Some 70 participants reflected on the findings of a two-year research project on African market information systems conducted by le Centre de recherche agronomique pour le dveloppement (CIRAD) and Michigan State University, in collaboration with CTA and the Agence Franaise de Dveloppement. The workshop highlighted a number of issues facing African MIS organisations. Many lack the skills needed to provide high-quality information to farmers and few are financially self-sufficient. Most rely on public funds, and would cease to function without them, says Vincent Fautrel, CTA programme coordinator. Thats why we invited Reuters Market Light of India to share their experiences at the workshop. Established in 2007, Reuters Market Light (RML) provides a text-based information service to 400,000 subscribing farmers in 13 Indian states. The service sends farmers frequent text messages covering everything from crops to market prices and weather forecasts. Although not fully financially sus-

he first generation of market information systems (MIS), most of which were set up by public bodies, provided policymakers and farmers with information primarily about crop prices. The second generation, which dates back some 10 years and involves both the private and public sectors, provides users with information not just about market prices, but a range of other topics, such as good agricultural practices and information on crops. How, therefore, have these systems fared in Africa? This question was the focus of a

2011 HigHligHts

high quality often means higher prices. 6000 smallholder coffee growers on Mount elgon, Kenya, are members of Gumutindo, which means excellent quality in the local language. The cooperative produces high-quality coffee which it sells to the British Fairtrade company, Cafedirect.

DISMANTlING TRADe BARRIeRS IN weST AFRICA

In West Africa, non-tariff barriers frequently prevent farmers and traders from getting their produce to market as swiftly as they would like a serious matter when it comes to trading fresh fruit, vegetables and livestock. CTA has funded a variety of initiatives which have encouraged West African countries and regional trade organisations to review their laws, and reduce regulations and taxes which restrict trade. In April 2011, a workshop in Burkina Faso focused on harmonising the texts regulating agricultural trade. Jointly hosted with the Conference of West and Central African Ministers of Agriculture, it attracted policymakers, traders, farmers organisations and journalists. The latter have already played a key role in alerting politicians and the public to iniquitous laws and practices hampering efficient trade. Progress has been made on reducing trade barriers, but much remains to be done, says Jos Fonseca of CTA.

K. Robinson/Panos/Hollandse Hoogte

the number of checkpoints between Bamako and Dakar declined from

50 in 2008 to 12 in 2011

Donors come and go, and the knowledge disappears with them.

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#2 MARkETS AnD VAluE CHAInS

Using his mobile phone, Kenyan farmer John wahngombe is able to check daily crop prices in Nairobi prior to doing business with local traders.

lINKING FARMeRS To MARKeTS IN The CARIBBeAN

In 2011, CTA, the Caribbean Community Secretariat and the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) sponsored a regional workshop in Guyana. It attracted 65 participants from a broad range of organisations, including farmers groups, agricultural ministries and international donors. The main output was a regional production planning guide for the Caribbean Farmers Network (CaFan). The guide will provide its members with advice and support on crop production. The conference also gave food buyers the opportunity to discuss the challenges facing the export market.

S. Torfinn/Panos/Hollandse Hoogte

tainable in 2011, this public-private partnership has led to a significant increase in farmers incomes. While interesting privatepublic sector initiatives are developing, nothing like RML exists in Africa, says Fautrel. The two-year research project presented in Bamako estimated that the African MIS organisations which were studied had helped farmers increase their incomes by an average of 10%. However, the project highlighted the methodological difficulties associated with detailed quantitative research on the project impact, and the failure of most organisations to monitor and evaluate their activities. There is also a serious lack of institutional memory about market information systems in Africa, says Andrew Shepherd,

Senior Technical Advisor for Market-Led Development. Donors come and go, and the knowledge disappears with them. The Bamako workshop recognised the critical importance of MIS in both increasing regional trade and in responding to price volatility. In this context, the public and private sectors need to continue investing in MIS, especially in terms of skills and capacity strengthening. Participants discussed the possibility of establishing a pan-African MIS network, a concept first explored at an experts meeting in Ethiopia, attended by Fautrel. Given our new strategy, CTA support on MIS will be more and more at the regional level, he says. We are keen to assist with the set-up of a pan-African MIS network. n

FIRST PoRT oF CAll

For an in-depth analysis of ACP agricultural, fisheries and trade issues, log on to http://agritrade.cta.int, a website supported by CTA and managed by a team which includes four correspondents based in ACP countries. The website provides essential reading for policymakers, trade experts and all those interested in ACP food production and safety. In 2011, the website was re-launched with a new interactive facility called My Agritrade. Members can now create their own profiles, tailor information to meet their needs, and invite others with similar interests to join discussion groups.

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sTANDING OUT FROm ThE CROWD

he international agricultural market has become increasingly competitive, compelling farmers to find new ways of differentiating their products. This has led to an increase in interest in Geographical Indications (GIs), which link the quality, uniqueness and reputation of particular products to a specific location. Think, for example, of Champagne, Darjeeling tea or Parmigiano Reggiano cheese. Their GI status guarantees their authenticity and adds value for producers. The vast majority of GI products have already been registered in the EU, but GIs could also help farmers in ACP countries to differentiate their produce, and add value. In 2009, CTA co-organised an ACP-EU expert meeting with AFD and CIRAD in Montpellier which explored the possibilities of establishing GIs in ACP countries. This was followed by a lengthy series of e-discussions, including training modules for CTAs partners.

This exercise provided the raw material for The Practical Manual on Geographical Indications for ACP Countries, which was launched at a side event in Geneva in December 2011 during the 8th WTO Ministerial Conference. The manual, jointly published by CTA and the Organization for an International Geographical Indications Network (oriGIn), provides policymakers, farmers groups and others with a guide to GIs and the legal and administrative issues involved in obtaining GI status. Shortly before its launch, Vincent Fautrel represented CTA at a workshop on GIs in Kampala, Uganda, organised by the African Union, the EU and the ACP-EU Trade.Com Facility. Among the participants were African farmers organisations, African ministries and representatives of GIs for Pruneau dAgen, Riz de Camargue and Gruyre de Comt French plums, rice and unpasteurized cheese respectively. The discussions focused on

the preconditions for setting up GIs and the challenges facing producers. Theres no doubt about the potential benefits of registering products as GIs, especially for small-scale farmers, but it can be a lengthy and costly process, says Fautrel. Farmers should look at this option on a case-by-case basis. GIs are not the magic bullet, but they can in certain circumstances provide significant benefits to farmers. The Practical Manual will help producer groups to negotiate their way through the procedures involved. n
K. Robinson/Panos/Hollandse Hoogte

oliva Kishero, treasurer of the Gumutindo cooperative in Kenya, picks coffee on her farm.

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CHAPTER 3 knOWlEDGE MAnAGEMEnT

CTAs strategic plan places a strong emphasis on disseminating information electronically and encouraging open access to scientific information. Effective knowledge management also requires good monitoring and evaluation. CTA workshops and manuals are helping to shape the way its partners manage their information and communication strategies.

T
1

OpENING ThE ARChIVEs

to full-text articles from over 200 scientific journals. Thanks to CTA support, 138 universities and research organisations in ACP countries had received the TEEAL database by the end of 2011. TEEAL comes on an external hard drive and can be accessed off-line at up to ten work stations on a local area network, thus eliminating the need for Internet access. In many developing countries, scientists can only read the abstracts of journals online, and then only if they have access to the Internet, and most institutions

his is to thank you very sincerely for what I would call the most precious Gift that this university has ever received, wrote Owen Baya, senior registrar at Pwani University College, Kenya. I want to assure you that this set will go a long way to make Pwani University a great academic institution. The registrar was referring to The Essential Electronic Agricultural Library (TEEAL). Published by Cornell Universitys Mann Library, TEEAL provides scientists and students in the developing world with access

TEEALs objective is to enhance the quality and effectiveness of agricultural research and teaching by improving students and researchers access to relevant literature.

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Thanks to support from CTA, 138 universities and research organisations in ACP countries had received the essential electronic Agricultural library (TeeAl) by the end of 2011.

of Cornell Universitys hard drive subscribers received CtA funding.

50

C. Super RF/Alamy

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#3 knOWlEDGE MAnAGEMEnT

simply cant afford the full subscriptions, says Thierry Doudet, head of CTAs Knowledge Management and Communication Programme. In the past, CTA used to deliver databases free of charge. However, when it asked re-

In addition to enabling users to improve their research abilities, TEEAL is providing significant access to scientific papers published in ACP countries. Of the 18 most commonly accessed journals, three focus on African agricultural research issues. n
IntE

Special iSSue - AUGUST 2010

cipients to fill out a questionnaire to renew their subscriptions, less than 10% responded. We couldnt justify the expense if organisations couldnt be bothered to reply, says Thierry Doudet. This lack of response thus influenced CTAs approach to providing databases. As a bulk buyer, CTA pays Cornell a reduced price for the database. The database is then provided free of charge to successful applicants in ACP countries. In exchange, recipients must pay an annual fee of US$525 to get their database updated each year. Many are now doing so.

MoRe ABoUT Spore

CTA continued to explore new ways of promoting its Spore Magazine. In Cameroon, the number of subscribers receiving Spore rose from 3,000 to over 7,000, thanks to an innovative partnership with the monthly newspaper La Voix du Paysan / The Farmers Voice. Readers responses to a survey about Spore were very enthusiastic.
The magazine for agricultural and rural development in ACP countries

http://spore.cta.int

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sharing knowledge, improving rural livelihoods

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lAUNChING The FReNCh veRSIoN oF The SmarT ToolkiT

KNOWLEDGE mATTERs

I
In February 2011, the French version of CTAs influential Smart Toolkit, a guide on how to monitor and evaluate information projects, was launched at a workshop in Dakar, Senegal. This was attended by 20 information specialists from Francophone Africa. We encouraged them to come with their own projects, so they could learn how the Toolkit could improve the management of their information services, says Rodger Obubo, CTAs Training Programmes Coordinator. A Mauritanian participant was so impressed that he subsequently asked for permission to translate portions into Arabic for use in his own country.

brahim Khadar describes Information and Knowledge for Development or InK4DEV as a movement rather than a project. Its all about getting organisations to acknowledge the role which information plays in development, says the manager of CTAs Learning, Monitoring and Evaluation Unit. All too often, organisations involved in development evaluate the big projects, but ignore the importance of their information and communication activities. The first two InK4DEV Weeks, held in Namibia in 2009 and Ghana the following year, involved training and sensitisation for information managers and practitioners on how to use CTAs Smart Toolkit for Evaluating Information Projects, Products and Services; a seminar on knowledge management; and a regional workshop on how to develop an information and communication management strategy for agriculture and rural development organisations.

In 2011, we took a rather different approach, recalls CTA Senior Programme Coordinator Christine Webster. We invited organisations to attend the InK4DEV Week in Kampala, rather than individuals, because we were keen to get managers involved, as well as practitioners, to promote organisational buy-in for planning, monitoring and evaluation practices. Some 60 representatives of 15 development-oriented organisations in Eastern and Southern Africa attended InK4DEV Week.

Olivier Le Moal - Fotolia.com

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#3 knOWlEDGE MAnAGEMEnT

Managers and directors were targetted for the two-day session, which focused on using embedding planning, monitoring and evaluation activities in the organisational culture. The Smart Toolkit was used as the starting point. A five-day intensive workshop to validate CTAs Information and Communication Management (ICM) Strategy Development Facilitators Guide took place concurrently and was aimed at senior information specialists and trainers.This Guide had been developed in direct response to needs assessment studies conducted in 60 ACP

countries. These studies revealed that many of CTAs partners recognised that they lacked the skills required to make optimal use of their information and communication resources. A post-workshop electronic survey revealed that over 95% of participants were satisfied with their week in Uganda. The vast majority had acquired new skills and knowledge and begun to put them into practice in their organisations. CTA will provide further mentoring, support and small grants to help these organisations develop their planning, monitoring and evaluation activities. n

All too often, organisations involved in development evaluate the big projects, but ignore the importance of their information and communication activities.

Planning, evaluation and monitoring are essential parts of all ICM projects.

A brainstorming session is always a good starting point in a strategy elaboration process.

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Shuter and Shooter / Africa Media Online

Ivelin Radkov/Alamy

ChANNelING INFoRMATIoN ThRoUGh The ReD CRoSS

qUeSTIoNS ABoUT qUeSTIoNAND-ANSweR SeRvICeS

FIlMING A BeTTeR FUTURe

All Rights Reserved

Gates Foundation

In October 2011, CTA shipped some 75,000 copies of its Practical Guides and Agrodok series to the Red Cross in Switzerland. This initiative was taken in order to increase the outreach of CTA publications among vulnerable populations. The beauty of working with the Red Cross is that it has branches in nearly every African country, says Murielle Vandreck, who manages CTAs Publications Distribution Service. The Red Cross has sent the publications to three regional branch offices, 37 national societies and 185 national branches in Africa.

CTA has supported question-and-answer (QAS) services for farmers in many African countries. But have they been successful? An evaluation commissioned by CTA and carried out by Creative Interaction provides some answers. It seems that QAS services operate as islands in the agricultural information environment. The consultants recommend that QAS managers integrate various proactive approaches, including newsletters, mobile phones and e-tools, strengthen the role of rural advisers and broaden their collaborative activities with rural radios to increase the impact of their services.

CTA

Two films commissioned by CTA explore the way in which participatory 3D modelling (P3DM) has been used by traditional communities. In The Voice of the Ogiek, this hitherto little-known group describes the benefits. Formerly treated as secondclass citizens, the Kenyan government now includes the Ogiek input in dialogues over the future of the Mau Forest. Another film, Mapping for Change, shows how 3-D mapping helped farmers in rural Oromiya, Ethiopia realise that they themselves were responsible for depletion of the woodlands. They are now at the heart of a rehabilitation programme.

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CHAPTER 4 ICTs FOR DEV

The ICTs for Rural Development Programme aims to increase the ability of those serving rural communities to gather, process and share information and knowledge. This involves a whole host of activities, from helping young people to hone their Web 2.0 skills to training government officials on how to work with farmers to help produce the best extension materials.

A CALL FOR ACTION

C
G. Peters

Using a smart phone to map community resources.

TAs Agriculture, Rural Development and Youth in the Information Society (ARDYIS) project was launched in 2010. It seeks to raise awareness among young people about the many ways in which information and communication technologies (ICTs) can be used to tackle rural unemployment and boost farm productivity. The first major activity was an essay writing contest. The best entrants were then invited to attend a workshop in Ghana in March 2011, organised by CTA and Ghanas Institute of Scientific and Technological Information.

The first four days focused on the use of advanced Web 2.0 tools the various web applications that encourage user participation and the joint production and sharing of information. We introduced the trainees to advanced uses of Facebook, the management of institutional Facebook page, how to use Dropbox to share information, how to set up and write blogs, and other Web 2.0 applications, says Ken Lohento, leader of the ARDYIS project. The final days discussions led to the adoption of A call for stronger support for

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one of the participants in the ARDyIS essay writing contest.

youth are members of the ARDYis network

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500

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#4 ICTs FOR DEV

youth involvement in agriculture and ICTs, endorsed by the 24 young participants and a number of partner institutions. We strongly believe that our ingenious nature, enthusiasm and demonstrable successes must be substantially matched by equally thoughtful, dynamic, multilevel and relevant agricultural policies across the ACP group of countries, says the communiqu. Among other things, the communiqu calls upon ACP governments and institutions to revise their curricula in order to encourage agri-

cultural students to make greater use of ICTs. It also calls for an increase in the allocation of funds specifically designed to help young farmers and ICT software developers, and for the establishment of regional ICT incubators. After the workshop, those involved in writing the communiqu returned to their countries and pursued their call for action. It has now been referenced on hundreds of websites, and I believe it is proof that it is considered highly relevant by many different organisations, says Lohento. n

The training sessions have not only changed their working behaviour, but their whole lives.

weB 2.0 leARNING oPPoRTUNITIeS

In 2011, CTA and its partners provided 5-day learning opportunities on Web 2.0 applications and social media to over 550 people in 10 ACP countries. Almost a third of the beneficiaries were women, and 59% were between the age of 18 and 35. The majority attended learning opportunities in Cameroon, Ethiopia, Fiji, Gambia, Rwanda, Tanzania, Trinidad and Tobago, and Uganda. The feedback has been very gratifying, says CTAs Giacomo Rambaldi. Many people have told us that the training sessions have not only changed their working behaviour, but their whole lives.

CTA

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Participants at a training session on web 2.0 applications organised in partnership with CARDI and the UNeClAC.

JeFFRey TowN FARMeRS ASSoCIATIoN hoNoUReD

Fundacin Taigey

One of the highlights of a Caribbean telecentre workshop held in the Dominican Republic in April 2011 was the awarding of prizes in a competition organised by CTA and the Taiguey Foundation. One of the winners was Jamaicas Jeffrey Town Farmers Association, which manages a telecentre frequently used by farmers and the local community. Patrick Prendergast of the Caribbean Institute of Media and Education told a local newspaper that the award would bring pride and joy for work that is making a difference to the lives of rural farmers.

LIsTENING TO FARmERs
All too often, government departments produce booklets and other material with irrelevant messages in inappropriate formats, simply because they havent bothered to ask farmers about their technical information needs. Instead of reading the booklets and gaining new knowledge and skills, says Obubo, farmers often use them as wrapping paper. During the training course, 21 agricultural

n January 2011, CTA, the Institute for Research, Extension and Training in Agriculture (IRETA) and Papua New Guineas Department of Agriculture and Livestock organised a training course on the production of agricultural extension materials. The aim was to showcase an approach which encourages extension officers to work closely with farming communities, says CTAs Rodger Obubo.

CTA

A training session in producing extension material for farmers in Papua New Guinea.

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#4 ICTs FOR DEV

extension workers and researchers from PNG, Vanuatu and the Solomon Islands learnt how to use a farmer-participatory approach to producing extension materials, an approach which had been successfully tried and tested at similar CTA-organised courses in Fiji, Ghana, Guinea, Sierra Leone and Zambia. First, the trainees invited a selected group of farmers in Kamba, Madang Province to catalogue their agricultural activities and describe the challenges they faced. The farmers discussed what sort of information would be most helpful, and identified their

priorities. They were keen to have written material about the control of the taro beetle, a common pest, how to identify and control taro leaf blight, and techniques for pruning cocoa. The next step involved the writing and design of booklets, posters and folders. The aim was to provide simple messages in English and pidgin with plentiful use of drawings and photographs for those who have difficulty reading. The drafts were scrutinised by the farmers, whose comments were taken into account in the final versions. The aim must always be to produce material

that the farmers really feel part of, and will be proud to use, says Obubo. A post-workshop survey revealed high levels of satisfaction. During the weeks which followed, course participants listed a range of activities they had undertaken, or were about to undertake, using the knowledge they had gained. These included revising existing extension materials, publishing new brochures about root crops, cocoa and coconut, producing radio programmes, and training colleagues in the farmerbased approach to producing extension materials. n

S. Torfinn/Panos/Hollandse Hoogte

Farmers examine a reference chart of plant diseases at a Plant health Clinic in a village near Machakos, Kenya.

Training session in the production of extension materials.

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CTA

The yoUNG AGRICUlTURAl BloGGeRS

ASSeSSING The IMPACT oF ICTs

AFRICAN RADIo BRoADCASTeRS eMPoweReD By The weB 2.0

J. Schytte/Still Pictures

In 2011, CTAs ARDYIS project and its partners launched the Youth in Agriculture Blog Competition (YoBloCo), designed to stimulate blogs which highlight the challenges facing young people in agriculture and to encourage the use of ICTs by young farmers. Members of the public were invited to vote for the best individual entries and provide comments on those from institutions. About 3,000 comments and votes were received. In December, the 15 individuals who gained the most votes were announced, along with the best institutional blogs. An expert panel will decide on the eventual winners in 2012.

Since the 2005 World Summit on the Information Society, the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) has been responsible for promoting e-agriculture. The latest forum to reflect upon e-agriculture and the use of ICTs was held in Switzerland in May 2011. CTA participated in the forum highlighting the importance of making sure women and young people benefit from the use of ICTs in rural areas.

Gates Foundation

I. Esipisu/IPS

In 2011, CTA and Farm Radio International launched a radio broadcasters community space (www.barzaradio.com), a Web 2.0-based platform which links community broadcasters from many African countries. This enables radio stations and individuals interested in the role radio can play in development to share information, network, engage in debates, download scripts and sharpen their skills.

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RESOuRCES

sTRUCTURED FOR sUCCEss

A
s part of the implementation of the new strategic plan 20112015, human resources underwent significant changes in the course of 2011. The objectives of the reorganisation plan and the fit analysis were to determine which positions no longer fitted in the new strategy and which staff members could no longer be aligned with the new direction of the organisation. The result was a new organisational structure, with the termination of twelve contracts with Centre staff and the creation of nine new positions for which the Centre began a large-scale recruitment process as of mid-2011. In order to extend the Centres activities in value chains one of the main new priorities of its programmes in September 2011, the Centre recruited an experienced expert in this area on a short-term contract, pending the completion of the recruitment campaign and the induction process of new staff members. In line with the revised text of Decision No 5/2006 of the ACP-EU Committee of Ambassadors of 27 September 2006 concerning the Staff Regulations of CTA, the Centre introduced a new category of support staff to fill posts that are not included in budgetary positions for short-term contracts of up to two years. Executive board In accordance with the statutes of the Executive Board and the three-month extension of its ACP members until the end of February 2011, the ACP Committee of Ambassadors designated the ACP regions that should provide the new ACP members of the Board, with a mandate of two-and-a-half years. The regions were Central Africa, Southern Africa and the Pacific. These regions voted for their representative, and the elected members were Dr Bichara from Chad for Central Africa; Mr Kahuure of Namibia for Southern Africa (unchanged from the previous Board); and Dr Suavi from Samoa for the Pacific. Their mandates expire in 2013, at the same time as the three European members. The Board clearly played a key role during this period of reorganisation and ensured careful monitoring of the Centres activities. During 2011, the Board approved important items and documents, such as the Directors proposals for terminating contracts and recruiting nine new members of staff, as well as the programme project and budget for 2012, formulated on the basis of the new strategic plan.

Members of the Executive board: Dr Daoussa Bichara Cherif (Chad) M. Kahijoro Kahuure (Namibia) Dr Faletoi Suavi Tuilaepa (Samoa) M. Raul Bruno De Sousa (Portugal) M. Eric Tollens (Belgium) M. Edwin Anthony Vos (The Netherlands)

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INTERNAL ORGANIsATION & pERsONNEL

Directors office
Michael Hailu, Director Deborah Kleinbussink, Exec. Assistant/Board Secretary

Brussels Office

Isolina Boto, Head of Brussels Office

financial Control

Sunita Millon, Financial Controller

Sr Prog Coord/ARD Policy (vacant) Sr Programme Coord/ Value Chains (vacant) Vincent Fautrel, Programme Coord/ Value Chains Ken Lohento, Programme Coord/ ICT Programme Coord/ICT (Vacant) Armelle Degrave, Programme Assistant Hildreth John-Charles, Project Assistant Angeles Salvador, Project Assistant Ellen Mulder, Project Assistant Marloes Pals, Project Assistant

learning, Monitoring and Evaluation (lME) unit

Ibrahim Khadar, Manager Christine Webster, Sr Prog Coord Tarikua Getachew, Jr Prog Coord Raya Dekkers, Admin. Assistant

Junior staff Members

Corporate services

Jean-Claude Burguet, Manager HR Officer (vacant) Juma Lumumba, IT Officer Lan Lee, Accountant Julia Nijhof, Sr Admin. Assistant Gerdien van Binsbergen, Admin. Assistant Louis Kolkman, IT Technician Temporary staff member, Assistant Accountant Adrianus Biemans, Caretaker Thomas Mendo-Essiane, Messenger/Driver Manuela van Betuw, Receptionist

knowledge Management & Communication (kMC) Programme

Policies, Markets & iCT (PMi) Programme

Lamon Rutten, Programme Manager Jos Filipe Fonseca, Sr Programme Coord/ ARD Policy Judith Francis, Sr Programme Coord/ S&T Policy Giacomo Rambaldi, Sr Prog Coord/ ICT Andrew Shepherd, Sr Technical Advisor Marketled Development

Thierry Doudet, Programme Manager Stphane Gambier, Sr Programme Coord/ Communications Chris Addison, Sr Programme Coord/ KM Krishan Bheenick, Sr Programme Coord/ KM Thrse Burke, Programme Coord/ Marketing Samuel Mikenga, Programme Coord/ Media Murielle Vandreck, Programme Coord/ Publications Thierry Lewyllie, Programme Coord/ Web Anne Legroscollard, Programme Assistant Jenessi Matturi, Programme Assistant Mirjam Bos, Admin. Assistant Merche Rodriguez, Project Assistant Evelyne Kort-Nerincx, Admin. Assistant Gabriela Gonalves Bahre, Data Assistant Husna Yagoub, Data Assistant Temporary staff member, Data Assistant

Young Professional Officers: Louis Hinzen, Alejandra Morales. interns: Giorgio Bellinzas, Ronalee Biasca, Fidlia Bohissou, Hawa Kebe, Antonella Piccolella, Atenchong Talleh Nkobou. student placements: Marie Pierre Godeau and Neha Mehra (Universit Libre de Bruxelles).

staff members and Junior staff members who left CTA as of 1st of March 2012
Aboubacar Koda-Traor (deceased), Oumy Ndiaye, Jean-Franois Picard, Kevin Painting, Dr Ibrahim Tiemogo, Andr Vugayabagabo, Karen Hackshaw, Rodger Obubo, Vivienne Oguya, Dr John Woodend, Monika Pecak, Rafael Taguas Sanchez, Alice Bender, Bandjoura Samoura, Antoine Bilot, Miriam Bulo Sengi, Thilda Chevouline, Andrea De Gioia, Andr Feldhof, Ana Fonseca, Isaura Lopes Ramos, Aretha Mutumwinka.

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RESOuRCES

BUDGET & FINANCEs

CTA is funded by the European Development Fund (EDF), to which all EU member states contribute. For the 2011 financial year, CTAs supervisory authorities allocated it a budget of 16 million euros.
The tables show a breakdown of CTAs budget for 2011 as follows : The overall CTA budget for 2011 (Table 1) The overview budget for 2011 showing commitment, expenditure and carry forward amounts by operational programme (Table 2).

TAblE 1: CTA budgET foR 2011 (in e THousAnd)

Income EDF contribution Other income Total Budget allocation Title I Staff costs Title II Running costs Title III Operational programme costs Total Amount 16 000 200 16 200 Amount 6 656 1 380 8 164 16 200 Percentage 98,8 1,2 100,0 Percentage 41,1 8,5 50,4 100,0

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TAblE 2: oVERViEW budgET 2011 CoMMiTMEnT, EXPEndiTuRE And CARRY foRWARd AMounTs
ProgrAmmes Budget approved @ 01/01/11 (1) revised budget @ 31/12/11 (2) Actual commitment @ 31/12/11 (3) Actual expenditure @ 31/12/11 (4) Balance carried forward to 2012 (5) = (3) - (4)

1. INFormATIoN ProDUCTs & DIssemINATIoN DePArTmeNT (IPDD) Article 311: Publishing service Article 312: Marketing service Article 313: Distribution of publications in print format Article 314: Strengthening ACP information services TOTAL IPDD 2. CommUNICATIoN serVICes DePArTmeNT (CsD) Article 321: Regional information platforms Article 322: ICT4D services Article 323: Experience sharing & training Article 324: Media services TOTAL CSD 1 035 000,00 723 000,00 1 370 000,00 290 000,00 3 418 000,00 805 347,53 787 361,94 1 204 287,00 275 347,27 3 072 343,74 805 347,53 787 361,94 1 204 287,00 275 347,27 3 072 343,74 406 799,55 278 832,65 605 937,97 224 314,78 1 515 884,95 398 547,98 507 769,93 595 809,72 37 297,00 1 539 424,63 1 400 000,00 140 000,00 1 236 000,00 1 050 000,00 3 826 000,00 1 169 195,30 136 162,29 1 297 233,09 477 485,52 3 080 076,20 1 169 195,30 136 162,29 1 297 233,09 477 485,52 3 080 076,20 419 342,23 77 383,96 846 510,42 347 513,90 1 690 750,51 749 853,06 58 652,60 450 572,64 129 971,61 1 389 049,91

3. PLANNINg AND sTrATegIC serVICes DePArTmeNT (PssD) Article 331: Needs assessment, priority-setting & evaluation Article 332: Agricultural trade Article 333: Science, technology & innovation strategies Article 334: ICM & KM strategies Article 340: Non-EDF funding (funds received for ACP regional briefings) TOTAL PSSD oVerALL ToTAL 256 000,00 530 000,00 764 000,00 370 000,00 99 413,04 2 019 413,04 9 263 413,04 627 948,32 432 693,07 601 688,59 349 250,00 29 113,58 2 040 693,56 8 193 113,50 627 948,32 432 693,07 601 688,59 349 250,00 29 113,58 2 040 693,56 8 193 113,50 374 017,44 109 131,75 316 914,42 115 663,27 21 514,80 937 241,68 4 143 877,14 253 905,67 323 416,51 282 275,60 233 126,86 7 598,78 1 100 323,42 4 028 797,96

Notes: (1) These are unaudited figures and are subject to year-end accounting and audit adjustments. (2) Expenditure in 2011 on amounts carried forward from 2010 are not included; advance payments are included. (3) Not all unspent commitments are automatically carried forward to the following year. (4) The figures have been adjusted for transfers to Title II as follows: Art. 311 - 100,000; Art 314 - 350,000; Art 321 - 280,000; Art. 323 - 100,000; Art. 333 - 150,000; Art 334 - 20,000

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ImpACT sTORIEs
The University () remains immensely grateful to CTA for this opportunity to improve the reach of both the students and staff to research materials through the access to various journals available through TEEAL.
Prof. A.o. Adeola, Joseph Ayo babalola university, nigeria

At the seminar in Brussels, I was overwhelmed by the amount of knowledge and exposure that I received right from the presentations that were made, to the information material in form of publications that were offered freely to all participants.
Maureen Agena, uganda

The Agritrade website is one of my favorite sources for sugar policy news and related developments, and I enjoy the editorial comment which accompanies the reporting.
wolfe braude, south Africa

I have found the CTA Brussels newsletter to be of extreme value addition and contains up to-date information and briefings, which cannot be sourced or accessed elsewhere in other news bulletins.
HE Roy Mickey Joy, Ambassador to the European union and the kingdom of belgium, vanuatu

(Thanks to your Web 2.0 training), communication among farmers has improved tremendously; they have been assisted to solve problems through cooperation and group cohesion.
Richard oyeyinka, nigeria

The Mau Forest mapping experience was a major turning point in the life of IPACC. () Exposure and partnering with CTA has transformed the work, practice and knowledge of Africas only regional indigenous peoples network, it has touched the lives of people in more than a dozen countries (directly), it has created new career and advocacy opportunities for indigenous leaders, and it has opened new horizons for me professionally.
dr. nigel Crawhall, south Africa

I have found CTA information products very resourceful materials for teaching and research at our University, benefitting both faculty and students. Spore in particular allows readers to share agricultural development best practices across ACP Countries (...) and now, the Agritrade Compendium 2011 will enrich the available resources for trade policy analysis.
Prof. willis oluoch-kosura, university of nairobi, kenya

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The Technical Centre for Agricultural and Rural Cooperation (CTA) is a joint international institution of the African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) Group of States and the European Union (EU). Its mission is to advance food and nutritional security, increase prosperity and encourage sound natural resource management in ACP countries. It provides access to information and knowledge, facilitates policy dialogue and strengthens the capacity of agricultural and rural development institutions and communities. CTA operates under the framework of the Cotonou Agreement and is funded by the EU.

> For more information on CTA visit www.cta.int

CTA 2012 2011 HigHligHts 

 W. Hutchinson / Alamy

Technical Centre for Agricultural and Rural Cooperation ACP-EU (CTA) P.O. Box 380 - 6700 AJ Wageningen, The Netherlands - www.cta.int