Output 1: Capacities of ASARECA and partner organizations strengthened

Activities related to this output are intended to strengthen the needed institutional capacities of regional and sub-regional agricultural research organisations to enhance their support to the countries, and to address previous under achievements in AR4D and emerging cross-border challenges.

a) Strengthen the internal capacities of ASARECA and its regional and country-level partners.

The specific activities focus on strengthening technical and organisational capacities of ASARECA in coordination, resource mobilisation, fiduciary processes, MEL and other internal protocols.

ASARECA targets the following four sub-activities:

Undertake capacity gap assessment within the Secretariat and among selected institutions by specifically:

(i) Participating in co-development and adaption of Capacity Assessment Tools with other organizations in line with TAP CDAIS;

(ii) Undertaking institutional capacity gap analysis to identify requisite competencies needed for the successful implementation of the project; and

(iii) Consolidating sub-Regional Synthesis Report highlighting capacity needs of ASARECA and its Member States, and sharing with this report with FARA and AFAAS.

ii. Establishing a staff development program, including mentorship/exchange programs within the region and with international partners.

(i) Establishing a staff capacity compliance and capacity development Plan for ASARECA;

(ii) Developing and implement a tool for staff appraisal that identifies potential human resource metrics for reporting ASARECA’s human resource performance to deliver the Program;

(iii) Undertaking benchmarking exercise with identified peer institution;

(iv) Implementing an Annual Staff Development and Training Programme;

(v) Partner with institutions, especially European institutions with relevant expertise to support the mentorship/coaching programmes for identified personnel.

iii. Recruiting and maintaining staff based on the identified capacity gaps.

(i) Undertaking recruitment and selection of staff necessary to implement the project;

(ii) Developing Guidelines/tools for strengthening staff working environment;

(iii) Carrying out staff performance, and rewards and welfare management.

iv. Upgrading operational systems, especially Financial, KM, Procurement and MEL systems.

(i) Strengthening ASARECA’s operation and logistical assets management;

(ii) Procurement and management of essential assets for strengthening ICT, Knowledge Management, Procurement and M&E Systems.

ASARECA will:

i. Support at least six (6) countries to develop and implement capacity development plans matched to demand;

ii. Prepare countries to translate and use the CDAIS Common Framework in collaboration with GFAR; and

iii. Support and advise countries and RECs on mainstreaming climate-relevant sciences and innovations in National Agriculture investment plans (NAIPs) and regional agriculture investment plans (RAIPs).

b) Develop an implementation framework to strengthen partnerships and collective actions of the organizations and their engagements at the national, RECs, AU and EU levels to promote climate-relevant science, technology and innovation.

ASARECA will

i. Support the capacity of NAIS in harnessing collaborative efforts for climate-relevant, inclusive transformation of agricultural, food and innovation system with funds managed by the recipient organization; and

ii. Enhance collaborative capacity for scaling out climate-relevant technologies & innovation as well as the development of climate-relevant agripreneurship capacities, mainly among youth, women & other vulnerable groups to reduce unemployment and regional and intercontinental migration.

iii. Convene sub-regional workshop to provide practical guidance on the use of tools and systems.

iv. Review ASARECA regional implementation framework to strengthen collaborative capacities of selected institutions in Eastern and Central Africa (ECA) sub-region and to establish effective engagement approaches with national, Regional Economic Communities (RECs) and the African Union Commission (AUC); and

v. Participate in the co-development of a continental implementation framework and customize to ASARECA sub-regional level.

c) Strengthen the enabling environment for effective implementation of the Program.

Under this component, ASARECA undertakes the following activities:

i. Develop and activate instruments and processes of engagement with authorizing institutions, namely RECs and AUC in applying the partnership capacities developed through the above activities:

(i) Implement the already signed MoUs with RECs as their technical arm, as well as with AUC-DREA for the ECA sub-region;

(ii) Update instruments of engagement with RECs to track the Malabo Targets/Indicators and the Agenda 2063; and

(iii) Participate in annual AUC/AUDA technical sessions for sharing progress in ECA sub-region.

ii. Undertake high-level policy dialogue and multi-level meetings with the authorizing institutions and relevant stakeholders.

(i) Facilitate the members of the High Level Advisory Panel (HLAP) to hold discussions with Patron Ministers on emerging policy issues in the sub-region; and

(ii) Participate in the High Level Policy Dialogue (HLPD) meetings within the RECs, AUC, etc.

iii. Develop an accountability framework for the program and provide input to regional accountability frameworks in order to integrate with them.

(i) Participate in sub-regional mutual accountability processes as well as in quarterly virtual peer review meetings with FARA, AFAAS and other SROs;

(ii) Provide practical guidance on the use of tools and systems by working together with the East African Community Secretariat in implementation of Mutual Accountability Framework to aid in their bi-annual Joint Sector Reviews; and

(iii) Coordinate implementation, monitoring, verification, and reporting on achievement.