U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) and The American Council on Education (ACE) office of Higher Education for Development (HED) Michigan State University and University of Malawi Partnership “Agro-ecosystems Services: Linking Science to Action in Malawi and the Region (AgESS)” April 5, 2011 – May 30, 2014 FINAL ASSOCIATE AWARD REPORT August 2014 USAID/Malawi Associate Award Cooperative Agreement # AEG-A-00-05-00007-00 Associate Cooperative Agreement # 674-A-00-11-00030-00 Higher Education for Development was established in 1992 by the six major U.S. higher education associations to engage the higher education community in global development. — American Council on Education (ACE) | American Association of Community Colleges (AACC) | American Association of State Colleges and Universities (AASCU) | Association of American Universities (AAU) | National Association of Independent Colleges and Universities (NAICU) | Association of Public and Land-Grant Universities (APLU) PARTNERSHIP INFORMATION Lead Partner Institutions: Michigan State University; University of Malawi-Chancellor College; Lilongwe University of Agriculture and Natural Resources (LUANAR) Secondary Partner Institutions: The Lincoln University Region, Country: Malawi Performance Period: April 5, 2011 – May 30, 2014 Funding Level: Associate Award: $1,385,806 and Subaward: $1,140,000 Proposed Cost Share: $322,204 Table of Contents 1. Executive Summary .................................................................................................. 5 2. Partnership Overview ............................................................................................... 6 3. Partnership Results and Performance ....................................................................... 9 3.1 Achievements and Implementation Progress ............................................................. 9 Objective 1: Increased human capacity in AgESS-related fields at Chancellor College and LUANAR ............................................................................................................. 9 Objective 2: Improved institutional capacity for development and delivery of AgESS programs at Chancellor College and LUANAR ....................................................... 11 Objective 3: Enhanced capacity in AgESS-related topics to obtain and manage outside research funding ................................................................................... ….15 Objective 4: Strengthened college ability to engage with external stakeholders and provide outreach services to AgESS-related government, business, and non- governmental organizations and natural resource exension training colleges..... 17 Objective 5: Strenthened institutional environment for women faculty, administrators, and students………………………………………………………………………………22 3.2 Challenges ........................................................................................................ .……..23 3.3 Lessons Learned ............................................................................................. …………25 4. Sustainability ...................................................................................................... …26 5. Success Stories .................................................................................................... …27 6. Appendices ......................................................................................................... …29 Appendix A: Michigan State University-Chancellor College-LUANAR Final Report.…..…29 Appendix B: Success Stories ……………………………………………………………………………………....41 Appendix C: Descriptions & Syllabi of AgESS-related modules and courses .................. 44 Appendix D: Joint Research Proposals Awarded …………………………………………………..……78 Appendix E: Seed Grant Reports ……..………………………………………………………………………. 81 Appendix F: Report of the Final Stakeholder Workshop for the Agro-Ecosystems Project: Observations and Recommendations ………………………………………………………………………186 Appendix G: A Study of Work Climate of Women Faculty at the Lilongwe University of Agriculture and Natural Resources ………………………………………………………………….………192 Appendix H: HED Process Evaluation Executive Summary .………………………………………243 List of Acronyms ACE American Council on Education AgESS Agro-EcoSystems Services APLU Association of Public and Land-grant Universities ASWA Agriculture Sector Wide Approach FY Fiscal Year GOM Government of Malawi HED Higher Education for Development HICD USAID’s Human and Institutional Capacity Development ICRISAT International Crop Research Institute for Semi-Arid Tropics INVC Integrating Nutrition in Value Chains JOCA Japan Overseas Cooperative Association M&E Monitoring and Evaluation MGDS Malawi Growth & Development Strategy MOAFS Ministry of Agriculture & Food Security MSU Michigan State University NGO Non-Governmental Organization LU Lincoln University LUANAR Lilongwe University of Agriculture and Natural Resources PAR Participatory Action Research PEER Partnerships for Enhanced Engagement in Research PES Payment for Ecosystems PRIME Partnership Results and Information Management Engine PhD Doctorate Degree TANUVAS Tamil Nadu Veterinary and Animal Sciences University UNIMA University of Malawi USAID United States Agency for International Development USAID/AFR United States Agency for International Development/Africa Bureau USG United States Government 1. Executive Summary This report is for the Associate Award Agreement #674-A-00-11-00030-00 between USAID/Malawi and the American Council on Education, Office of Higher Education for Development (ACE/HED), for a three- year award of $1,385,000 effective April 5, 2011. The award was extended twice, first at no cost from April 4, 2013 to September 30, 2013, and second at cost through May 30, 2014 and increasing the total award amount by $285,000 to $1,385,000. The partnership between Michigan State University (MSU), and University of Malawi (UNIMA) entitled, “Agro-Ecosystems Services (AgESS): Linking Science to Action in Malawi and the Region,” sought to enhance human and institutional capacities within the area of AgESS—the benefits that ecosystems provide to people and environment. The partnership was established to strengthen Lilongwe University of Agriculture and Natural Resources (LUANAR) and Chancellor College/UNIMA in the area of AgESS, enabling these institutions to enhance faculty development and respond to research, curricula, and outreach needs identified by government, the colleges, private sector, and non-governmental organizations (NGOs). The partnership strove to address issues related to sustainable land and water management and forestry management; soil fertility and conservation agriculture; agricultural and natural resource governance and policy dialogue; management of the agro-ecosystems dimensions of climate change; and enhanced agricultural research capacities. The partnership was built on a long-standing relationship between MSU and UNIMA that extends back twenty-five years. This historical foundation contributed to the success of the partnership in terms of understanding the Malawian context and navigating implementation challenges. The four partner institutions, Michigan State University (MSU), Chancellor College/University of Malawi (UNIMA), Bunda College/LUANAR, and Lincoln University (LU), contributed different levels of expertise and experience to address the development strategies articulated by the Malawi Growth and Development Strategy (MGDS), Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security (MOAFS), and USAID/Malawi’s Feed the Future Strategy. Over the three years of implementation, the partnership directly benefitted 722 individuals through the following key accomplishments: Through the design and delivery of three agro-ecosystem services (AgESS) short courses, partners were able to train faculty members, students, and external stakeholders in areas of AgESS by expanding their knowledge and exposing participants to new strategies and resources, making the universities better equipped to address development challenges through improved research, teaching, and outreach. Practical, hands-on technical short courses in grant writing, financial management, and fundraising courses improved the skills of members of LUANAR and Chancellor College faculty and staff. Faculty members and staff are now aware of new ideas and strategies for creating linkages with external stakeholders and are also better equipped to manage external grant funding. Internship programs designed to give students practical experience in their respective fields have allowed students to develop hands-on skills that will help them gain employment and address Malawi’s development challenges. The mentoring program created by the partnership provided support to faculty on ways to address students’ needs, and helped students communicate their challenges in more productive ways with faculty. A women’s scholarship program for third- and fourth-year female students in AgESS fields was created to assist disadvantaged women with academic funding. Fifteen of the scholarship recipients have already graduated. Based on a study conducted by partners on the conditions for women at Malawian partner universities, partners have contributed to changes in university policies that relate to advising and addressing female students’ needs. The study helped to better understand why the gender gap in promotion and retention exists at each university and to strategize ways to assist women overcome their challenges and seize opportunities. The semester-long courses