ZRBF Monitoring Visit Report

1. Visit Details

Key Participants from UNDP/ ZRBF Team: Verity Nyagah & Rufael Fassil ZRBF PMU, MAMID, Grantees & local MAMID HQ: Alfios Mayoyo stakeholders (including ECRAS Consortia: Management team name and position): DFID: Management team

Name of consortia and ECRAS Consortium. province; Mwenezi and District. Location visited (districts)

Dates Feb 20th and end 23rd Feb, 2017

Mission Objectives a) To monitor progress made by the grantees over the last quarter

b) To provide technical backstopping where necessary

2. Agenda

The following activities were completed as part of the monitoring visit:

DFID and UNDP Visit Itinerary for Mwenezi and Visit Time Venue Activity Brief Who Distanc description of e site 20-02-17 Travel from Harare to DFID; UNDP 300km 1000-1330 1500-1600 Masvingo Courtesy Call Courtesy call at UNDP ,CARE PA’s office to the PA’s Masvingo PA’s office office 21-02-17 Travel from Masvingo Office to - DFID, UNDP 150km 0700-0900 Mwenezi (150km Tar with 12 km of dust road ,CARE from the main road to Neshuro)

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0900-1100 Mwenezi Meet the -Outline of project DFID, UNDP district Mwenezi objectives and ,CARE, ICRISAT, Council- District outcomes. Stakeholders(D Board room stakeholder -Summary of the A, Agritex, LPD, s district and ECRAS Vet, RDC, achievements and Sidella Pvt Ltd) coordination of activities under ECRAS by Agritex and other government departments. -Meeting with Sidella official (Private company contracting farmers in sesame production) 1030-1100 30km Travel from the Neshuro to Ward 5 Demo plot (Mrs Chipo Marumbwa, Makotore Village homestead) 30km gravel 1100-1210 Mrs. Chipo Meet the Promotion of DFID, UNDP Marumbwa Model resilient crops ,CARE, ICRISAT, Homestead househol (drought tolerant, Stakeholders(D d and short season and A, Agritex, LPD, other high yielding), Vet, RDC, follow-on Fodder production, Sidella Pvt Ltd) farmers Diversified crop production, cash Tour of cropping and the fields nutritious crops production for household income and food security and resilience building. There will be interaction with model household farmer and follow-on

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farmers who learn from the demo plot. There is also an improved goat shelter which the project is promoting to improve goats productivity 1210-1230 Travelling from Makotore Village to Ward 4 DFID, UNDP 20km Chimbudzi ward/Business Centre ,CARE, ICRISAT, Stakeholders 1230-1400 Chimbudzi Meet Discuss with DFID, UNDP ward/Busine VS&L members of the ,CARE, ICRISAT, ss Centre groups following VS&L Stakeholders(D groups Bedzanhamo, A, Agritex, LPD, Vimbai, Budiriro, Vet, RDC, Chidamoyo, Sidella Pvt Ltd) Mumvurindewembw a, Dzirandeyedhongi. They were formed/revived in November 2016 and started contributions and lending in December 2016. VS&L share their investment plans. 1400- Travelling from Chimbudzi to Neshuro DFID, UNDP 40km 1440 ,CARE, ICRISAT, Stakeholders Mwenezi Debriefing Feedback from DFID, UNDP RDC Board meeting the field visit ,CARE, ICRISAT, room Stakeholders(D A, Agritex, LPD, Vet, RDC, Sidella Pvt (Ltd) 1500-1700 DFID, UNDP Travel from Neshuro to Chiredzi Triangle Hotel ,CARE, ICRISAT, 150km Stakeholders

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22-02-17 Plan Offices Meeting with -Summary of the DFID, UNDP, Chiredzi stakeholders district and PLAN, CARE, 0830-0930 Board room ECRAS ICRISAT, achievements Stakeholders(D and A, Agritex, LPD, coordination of Vet, RDC, Met activities under Bank; Shamu ECRAS by Hatcheries (Pvt Agritex and Ltd) other government departments. -Meeting with Met Bank and Shamu hatcheries (Private company contracting farmers in indigenous chicken production) 0930-1030 Travelling from Plan offices Chiredzi to ward 3, 60km Khumbulani Mvalume Demo plot 1030-1130 Meet the Promotion of DFID, UNDP, Model resilient crops PLAN, CARE, household (drought ICRISAT, (Khumbulani tolerant, short Stakeholders(D Mvalume) season and high A, Agritex, LPD, and other yielding), Fodder Vet, RDC follow-on production, farmers Diversified crop production, cash Tour of the cropping and fields nutritious crops production for household income and food security and

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resilience building. There will be interaction with model household farmer and follow-on farmers who learn from the demo plot. 1130-1040 Travelling from Khumbulani plot to Nyahanga 3km Primary school 1140- Nyahanga Witness DFID, UNDP 1340 Primary training on Discuss with ,CARE, ICRISAT, school Indigenous registered PLAN, chicken indigenous Stakeholders(D commercial chicken A, Agritex, LPD, production producers. Vet, RDC, Met Discuss with the Bank; Shamu trainers of the Hatcheries (Pvt indigenous Ltd) chicken producers. 1340-1440 Travelling from Nyahanga to Chiredzi Plan 57km Offices 1440- Debriefing Feedback from DFID, UNDP 15300 meeting the field visit ,CARE, PLAN, ICRISAT, Stakeholders(D A, Agritex, LPD, Vet, RDC, Met Bank; Shamu Hatcheries (Pvt Ltd) 1530-1630 Bilateral Bilateral DFID, UNDP discussions discussion with ,CARE, ICRISAT, the donor PLAN, 23-02-17 Travelling back to Harare DFID, UNDP 450km 0900-1500 ,CARE

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3. Key activity triggers and project Progress against agreed Milestones

Establishment of working group

Establishment of a working group in each district, which includes the DA, RDC and all relevant line ministries, chaired by Agritex. The body manages the project at district level and Agritex is responsible for reporting on the ZRBF project to the DDC. Other development partners such as CARE and Plan are part of the group. Community Adaptation Action Planning (CAAP) 4847 (2417 in Mwenezi and 2430 in Chiredzi) individuals participated in CAAP processes for the 29 ECRAS wards. 29 plans and consolidated district plans were produced. Disaster Risk Management (DRM) DRM training of trainers workshop conducted and attended by 49 (30 for Mwenezi and 19 for Chiredzi) participants Participatory Scenario Planning (PSP) Engaged Meteorological Services Department 73 (34 in Mwenezi and 39 in Chiredzi) people were trained. Indigenous/local and scientific knowledge fused together and normal, above normal and below normal rainfall scenario plans were produced. Advisories developed and disseminated mainly through AGRITEX. Village Savings and Lending (VS&L) 2 ToT workshops conducted targeting 51 (34 in Chiredzi and 16 in Mwenezi) AGRITEX extension, MWAGCD, Min of Youth and farmers. 64 VS&L groups formed to date Accomplishments Climate smart agriculture 2 trainings conducted. One in each district 101 (41 in Mwenezi and 60 in Chiredzi district) public extension staff trained in climate smart agriculture 778 (312 in Mwenezi and 466 in Chiredzi) model farmers trained in setting up of farm scale demonstration plots

Gender integration 2 trainings conducted. One in each district A total of 92 (48 in Mwenezi and 44) in Chiredzi received training in gender integration The gender integration approach was used during the VS&L sensitisation this has seen men participating in VS&Ls Holistic Land and Livestock Management (HLLM) 2 ToT conducted. One in each district 81 (44 in Chiredzi and 37 in Mwenezi) extension staff from MAMID, CARE, PLAN and ICRISAT attended Training of Trainers (TOT) workshop on HLLM Plans for cascading training put in place

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4. Monitoring Checklist I Items A I C Comment Monitoring Data Record keeping All is in place Quality of Work Progress Good progress with promising results Quality of Reporting ▪ Availability Good ▪ timeliness Reports were submitted on time ▪ completeness The report was complete ▪ Inconsistence/ variations Debriefing sessions were held during field visits Technical guidance and in field discussions to provide technical given guidance

(A = Adequate; I = Inadequate; IC =Inadequate Critical/Not Available) 5. Field Mission General Observations

The Consortium has managed to build strong relationship with key project stakeholders and local authorities across the two districts visited Mwenezi and Chiredzi. Generally major activities are on track with some encouraging results so far. For instant in the agronomy-seed multiplication farmers got meaningful yields. This has also been facilitated by good rains recorded in the last season. The high yield incentive has boosted farmers’ interests in the newly introduced Sesame crop and raises prospects for more adoption and increased cropping area for next season. In addition, some delays were because of commitments by beneficiaries in field activities, hence the end of agriculture season (field activities) paves way for speeding up the remaining construction works. This is also an activity that is under ECRAS project components however implemented in a different approach from WFP model. WFP Productive Assets Creation Model provide either food or cash to people in return for their labour while they are working on the assets while the ZRBF model does not. Layering of activities and different projects components that is having a clear visible linkages and integration of the different project components and complementarity of activities is not very visible on the ground.

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6. Field Mission Specific Issues & Actions

Issue identified Actions to be taken

Some traditional and convectional There is need for ECRAS management to push a little bit on implementation approaches with limited their implementers to be innovative in implementing results activities for instance invest a bit in making sure beneficiaries understand the resilience concept rather than just pushing for delivery and impacting technical skills alone. Push for change of mind set among project beneficiaries

Slow implementation of market development ECRAS team needs to speed up the market engagement works so that they have enough time to ensure engagement with the private sector.

Planning for next season agronomy activities ECRAS team needs to reflect on this year experiences and and market linkages start preparing and strategizing for the next season activities. There has been a lot of interest and opportunities generated by this year newly introduced Sesame crop that needs to be considered and managed in terms of what the project can do and cannot in the coming season so that the project does not dampen the spirit of beneficiaries by not fulfilling some of the expectations.

Good stakeholder relations and ensuring Considering the existing good relations with stakeholders understanding of the resilience agenda. there is great opportunities for ECRAS to invest in ensuring that stakeholders fully understand and put in action resilience thinking in their work.

5.Recommendations from Previous visit

6.Follow up Actions

• ECRAS team needs to speed up the market engagement activities by end of next quarter • There is need for ECRAS management to push a little bit on their implementers to be innovative in implementing activities as an ongoing activity. • ECRAS to invest in ensuring that stakeholders fully understand and put in action resilience thinking in their work.

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7.Next Visit

The details of the next monitoring visit are:

• Follow up on implementation of recommendations from this (Quarter 2) visit • Assess progress and quality of implementation of third quarter activities

To be completed by Rufael Fassil-ZRBF Senior Monitoring and Evaluation Specialist

Location UNDP Block 7 Arundel Office park Harare

Dates 27 Feb 2017

Next mission Objectives • To monitor progress made by the grantees over the last quarter • To provide technical backstopping where necessary • Follow up on last visit recommendations implementation

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