Quarterly Report Quarter 4 – 07/01/2018 to 09/30/2018

Submission Date: 30 October 2018

Agreement Number: AID-625-A-17-00001 Activity Start Date and End Date: 12/23/2016 to 01/22/2021 AOR Name: Jennifer Karsner

Submitted by: Alissa Karg Girard, Chief of Party Lutheran World Relief YN 7, Boulevard Mali Béro, Niamey, Niger Tel: +227.96.26.73.26 Email: [email protected]

The content of this report is the responsibility of Lutheran World Relief and does not necessarily reflect the views of USAID or the United States Government.

LIST OF ACRONYMS

AOR Agreement Officer Representative AE Auxiliaires de l’Elevage CBO Community-Based Organization CEB Contribution à l’Education de Base COP Chief of Party DMEL Design, Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning EMMP Environmental Monitoring and Mitigation Plan F&A Finance and Administration FINAGRI Foire sur le Financement de l’Agriculture FTF Feed the Future FMNR Farmer-Managed Natural Regeneration FY Fiscal Year GCC Global Climate Change GDA Global Development Alliance HH Household HR Human Resources ICT Information and Communications Technologies IR Intermediate Result LWR Lutheran World Relief MACF Margaret A. Cargill Foundation MCC Millennium Challenge Corporation MEL Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning (Plan) MOU Memorandum of Understanding PEA Producer Enterprise Agent PIRS Project Indicator Reference Sheet RISE Resilience in the Sahel Enhanced, supported by USAID SAREL Sahel Resilience Learning Project, supported by USAID SMS Short Message Service SVPP Service Vétérinaire Privé de Proximité TOT Training of Trainers USAID United States Agency for International Development USG United States Government

1. PROGRAM OVERVIEW/SUMMARY

Program Name: 12/12: An Alliance for Year-Round Resilience in Tahoua and Maradi, Niger Activity Start Date And End Date: 12/23/2016 to 01/22/2021 Name of Prime Implementing Partner: Lutheran World Relief (LWR) Agreement Number: AID-625-A-17-00001 Name of Subawardees: Union Adaltchi, Union Amintchi, Union Nazari, Contribution à l’Education de Base (CEB) Major Counterpart Baharti Airtel Ltd, Ecobank, SH Biaugeaud, Margaret A. Cargill Organizations/Alliance Partners: Foundation (MACF) and others Geographic Coverage Ajékoria, Birnin Lallé, Korahane Communes (Maradi Region) (Communes and Regions) Konni, Bazaga, Tsernaoua, Dogueraoua, Illéla, Badaguichiri, Malbaza Communes (Tahoua Region) of Niger Reporting Period: July 1-September 30, 2018

1.1 Program Description/Introduction

The 12/12 Alliance seeks to leverage new private-sector expertise and innovative solutions to improve the resilience of 12,760 households over all 12 months of the year in 10 communes and 115 villages located in agro-pastoral and marginal agriculture livelihood zones of Iléla, Konni and Malbaza departments (Tahoua region) and Dakoro (Maradi region)--and simultaneously help the 12/12 Alliance’s private sector partners expand their market share, mitigate operating risks and secure more reliable supply chains. Specifically, the 12/12 Alliance aims to: • Leverage private sector investment and innovations to increase and sustain household incomes, assets and adaptive capacity, and • Strengthen the organizational capacity of farmer associations to sustain member services, manage risks and leverage business opportunities.

Over the quarter, LWR performed system maintenance and upgrades on the project’s Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) Hub, trained and accompanied Producer Enterprise Agents (PEAs), developed personalized access to the Hub for Alliance members via a “community” and coordinated with Airtel on mobile money accounts, new videos on mobile money use, SIM cards and configuration of an SMPP server to configure access to send/receive SMS. LWR and partners concluded a mini-survey on onion production and margins and an internal M&E systems review. LWR monitored progress in the seven pilot functional literacy centers and conducted an assessment of integration of the project’s PEAs in the private sector animal health network. LWR hosted animal market stakeholder days in advance of the Tabaski holiday, including stakeholder analysis, networking sessions between value chain actors and action planning and helped connect Unions to new partners and services. In addition, LWR continued monitoring the project’s EMMP and gender monitoring plans.

LWR continued technical support on crop and animal production, access to financial services, organizational capacity and marketing strategies and scaled-up technical support to three new Unions in Dakoro (Union Bounkassa of Korahane, Union Guidawnia of Adjekoria and Union Guidawnia of Birnin Lalle). Project activities and progress monitoring and accompaniment with LWR’s four implementing partners—Union Adaltchi, Union Amintchi, Union Nazari and Contribution à l’Education de Base (CEB)—continued over the quarter. These activities are described in the sections that follow.

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1.2 Summary of Results to Date

Annual On Baseline Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Performance Standard Indicators Annual Target 2018 Target FY 2017 FY18 FY18 FY18 FY18 Achieved to the End of Period (%) Y/N Proportion of households resilient to a shock experienced 0 30% 47.92% 0 0 0 159.7% Y the previous year (Resilience in the Sahel Enhanced/RISE) Number of rural/vulnerable households benefitting directly 1,439 9,570 0 0 780 new 956 new 3,175 (33.2%)1 N2 from USG interventions (Feed The Future/FTF) Number of people using climate information or implementing risk-reducing actions to improve resilience 500 women; 2,000 1,425 women, 352 1,777 of 2,500 people 0 0 0 0 N to climate change as supported by USG assistance (Global men men (1,777 people) (71.1%) Climate Change/GCC) Gross margins per hectare (for cowpeas, wheat and onion) $110 USD onions 161.8% cowpeas $178 USD cowpeas and animal (sheep) of selected product (FTF) (men and women); (men), 123.3% (men); $148 USD 0 $120 USD cowpeas 0 0 0 cowpeas (women), Y3 cowpeas (women); (men and women), $11 181.8% sheep $20 sheep (women) USD sheep (women) (women) Number of individuals who have received USG-supported 391 women, 339 5 6 7 short-term agricultural sector productivity or food security 0 500 women, 600 men 4 961 525 -553 933 of 1,100 (84.8%) N training (FTF) men (for 2017) Number of hectares under improved management 3,038 ha under 1 or 3,038 of 1625 ha technologies or practices as a result of USG assistance 0 1625 ha 0 0 0 Y (FTF) more technologies (187.0%) Number of farmers who have applied new management 0 500 women, 2,000 1,700 women, 739 2,439 of 2,500 technologies or management practices as a result of USG 0 0 0 Y men men (97.6%) assistance (FTF)

1 Direct beneficiaries of training, literacy, animal fattening and other activities; however, registration with a unique identifier (and grouping by head-of-household) must be completed to determine if some beneficiaries belong to the same household. LWR is estimating this indicator in order not to overstate the total number of beneficiary households. 2 SIM card distribution/mobile money account creation initially planned this quarter is rescheduled to the coming quarter. 3 There was no irrigated wheat production and no support to the onion value chain in FY18; the target has been adjusted in the updated FY18 MEL Plan. 4 In accordance with the PIRS, trainees are counted once per calendar year, even if they participate in multiple sessions; therefore this value is from 2017. 5 728 women and 233 men trained in warehouse management or organizational capacity development for producer organizations; some in more than one session. 6 196 women and 329 men producers trained on improved agricultural production (by partners CEB, Amintchi, Adaltchi and Nazari); some in more than one session. 7 In accordance with the PIRS, trainees are counted once per year, even if they participate in multiple sessions; 514 women and 39 men (553 people in total) participated in more than one session in 2018 and so were removed from the total in Quarter 4.

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Number of micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs), including farmers, receiving agricultural-related 0 3 0 0 0 0 0% N8 credit as a result of USG assistance (FTF)

Value of agricultural and rural loans as a result of USG 9 assistance (FTF) 0 $200,000 USD 0 0 0 0 0% N Number of for-profit private enterprises, producers organizations, water users associations, women's groups, trade and business associations, and community-based 0 4 4 3 0 0 175% (7 of 4) Y organizations (CBOs) receiving USG food security-related organizational development assistance (FTF) Number of private enterprises, producer organizations, water user associations, trade and business associations, and community-based organizations (CBOs) that applied 0 4 4 0 0 0 100% Y new technologies or management practices with USG assistance (FTF) Note: The summary results table reflects the annual MEL update submitted in August 2017 and subsequent inclusion of additional standard FTF indicators in March 2018. Additional details are reported in Annexe A. For some indicators, data is not collected on a quarterly basis, but rather an annual basis through a survey; a“0” is recorded for quarters in which no new data is collected.

8 No loans were issued this quarter and warehouse credit will not again be needed until late 2018. 9 No loans were issued this quarter and warehouse credit will not again be needed until late 2018.

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2. ACTIVITY IMPLEMENTATION PROGRESS 2.1 Progress Narrative

Key project activities with target farmers, households and stakeholders over FY18Q4 are as follows:

Objective/Intermediate Result (IR) 1: Leverage private sector investment and innovations to increase and sustain household incomes, assets and adaptive capacity

IR 1.1: Diversified economic opportunities: The 12 market gardens supported by Union Nazari and CEB are managed by women’s groups; each group received a start-up kit of moringa oleifera seed and basic tools (wheelbarrows, watering cans, hoes, rakes, basins and/or other needs) and formal training on planting, care and pruning in 2017. The groups continue to manage this income-generating activity with no additional inputs apart from the ongoing technical support provided by LWR and its partners. Beneficiary groups harvested moringa this quarter, distributing some to members and selling the surplus to local restaurants and individuals; this quarter, the different groups in Union Nazari’s zone reported sales between 4.500-92.000 FCFA (approximately $8-167 US). Some moringa trees were attacked by caterpillars, but the groups applied neem-based treatments and pruned branches to protect them. LWR’s Agriculture/NRM Officer refined and provided training materials on moringa production for the groups. CEB also helped 75 women restart household-level plots of moringa from saved seed; other household- level plots produced 179 tias (measuring bowls) of moringa leaves for household use or sale.

Functional literacy for farming as a business: LWR’s functional literacy pilot activity is strategically aligned with Niger’s national functional literacy standards and curriculum, which include: a pre-test for placement; norms for timing and hours of instruction (requiring 5 days a week of instruction over 12 months); standard lists of materials required to operate literacy centers; required minimum qualifications and pay rates for literacy instructors; norms for supervision by the government and the number and nature of functional literacy training modules. Consultants from the National Institute on Non-formal Education helped LWR develop the project’s thirteen functional literacy manuals (covering reading, math and social life education in Hausa focused on entrepreneurism/farming as a business for beginning learners and the same subjects plus oral French for intermediate learners), including sessions on how to use a mobile phone and a calculator. The Government of Niger’s Division of Literacy and Non-Formal Education reviewed and validated these modules during a 3-day workshop in early 2018.

Each community provided space/built a classroom and chose the timing and organization of their functional literacy sessions, including separate sessions for women and men, based on each community’s preference. Partners printed the approved manuals and procured and distributed other supplies for the sessions. LWR’s functional literacy consultants, in coordination with trainers from the Division of Literacy and Non-Formal Education, trained locally-identified instructors and their alternates over 12 days on facilitation techniques for adult learners, introduction to the manuals and technical curriculum, classroom management, record-keeping and lesson planning. LWR also helped the partners draft the contracts for trained literacy instructors and MOUs with the Government of Niger’s Division of Literacy and Non-Formal Education to provide oversight and technical supervision. Functional literacy sessions began in May 2018 in the seven pilot villages with 351 enrolled learners (174 female and 177 male).

LWR completed a formal review and assessment of the functional literacy pilot in July 2018 after finding a number of young learners during monitoring trips to the pilot sessions over the first month of sessions. The assessment included a review of the operations of each functional literacy center in compliance with the national strategy; the review found that all 7 centers has signed contracts with instructors, had distributed the government-approved manuals to learners, had the forms required to document attendance

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and other required statistics and had conducted placement tests at the start of sessions. However, while approximately 65% of the enrolled learners were members of a cooperative and 14% in cooperative leadership positions, approximately 22% of the learners were 17 or younger (with most between the ages of 15-17). LWR learned that the parents of these youth belong to one of the local cooperatives supported by the project. LWR and partners decided that—given how high youth attendance was and how motivated and committed the youth seemed during their lessons—to continue their training through the current 6- month functional literacy cycle. LWR has drafted more comprehensive, formal guidance on functional literacy instruction and monitoring based on these and other lessons from the first phase of the pilot and will work with partners to finalize the strategy early next quarter.

The Division of Literacy and Non-Formal Education began monitoring in June 2018, making multiple visits to the centers to monitor functional literacy instructors’ performance and the learners’ progress. Specific findings from these visits for each partner this quarter are as follows: • CEB (two pilot sites in Maradi region): Both centers seem to be functioning normally, with normal progression in the lessons, but attendance dropped to 51% for both men and women during the rainy season (hangars were destroyed by heavy rains and sessions had to be relocated to an empty classroom, which might have also contributed to the lower attendance). • Union Adaltchi (one pilot site in Tahoua region): The instructor’s performance has improved over time, as he has consistently implemented the recommendations from each monitoring visit, but attendance dropped significantly since the start of the production season (to 40% of female and 56% of male learners); however, those remaining seem to be making satisfactory progress. • Union Nazari (two pilot sites in Tahoua region): The attendance rates remain high in both centers, likely because the groups decided to adjust their hours during the rainy season and took concrete steps to encourage men to participate when their attendance started to lag. Of the 110 learners, 108 participated in the mid-term performance review: 47 passed the test for reading and writing and 39 passed the test in math. • Union Amintchi (two pilot sites in Tahoua region): The attendance rates have remained around 80% among women and men and the lessons and guidance for the instructor are being followed as planned; the mid-term performance reviews have not yet been completed.

LWR shared the project’s 13 government-approved functional literacy manuals with other RISE partners and stakeholders via the SAREL website in September 2018.

IR1.2: Intensified production and marketing for livestock and high-potential crops Improved crop productivity10: With new rain gauge purchases from the Department of Meteorology in early 2018 by Union Nazari, Union Amintchi and Union Adaltchi, 46 villages across the project zone now have rain gauges read by each village’s PEA; over the quarter, data was collected, compiled using the Department of Meteorology’s forms and used to help the government with production projections and shared with community members by the PEAs and via community radio. Despite a late start in some communities and several dry spells, the rains were generally heavier and longer than those of 2017 across the project zone.

The project is helping Union members transport materials and apply soil and water conservation techniques on their own fields through community-managed animal carts and tool banks (pick-axes, shovels pry bars and other tools needed for soil and water conservation on degraded soils that few households own). Union Nazari’s target villages all have tool banks for use by Union members--non- members are able to use the tools for a small maintenance/rental fee of 50-100 FCFA per use. This

10 Improved techniques/technologies promoted by the project include improved seed, growing cereals and cowpeas in association, crop rotation, use of compost, manure and crop residues and FMNR and/or other soil and water conservation techniques.

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quarter, Union Nazari purchased 12 cattle carts to help their members transport supplies and materials; the carts are managed by the same committees that manage the Union’s tool banks. Union Nazari’s tools were primarily used in compost production this quarter. Five of Union Amintchi’s cooperatives received tool kits and donkey carts to help members transport materials and apply soil and water conservation techniques on their own fields with local committees put in place to collect use fees and monitor their use; similar kits provided last year in other villages were also used for transporting goods and materials this quarter and the committees put in place last year continue to manage their use. CEB also provided 30 cattle carts, one in each project village, to cooperatives (members of one of 3 Unions CEB is supporting) in their zones.

LWR worked with partners to update the strategy for demonstration plots (including additional guidance on producer and site selection and how to set up the demonstration and control plots) and the facilitation strategy for guided visits to the demonstration plots based on some of the lessons from the first year. Implementing partners set up demonstration plots on the model farmers’ fields, including procuring certified seed varieties adapted to each zone, sourcing compost from local private suppliers, applying FMNR techniques and selecting, staking and preparing the 85 (12 with Union Adaltchi, 23 with Union Nazari, 20 with CEB and 30 with Union Amintchi) demonstration plots (covering approximately 5.75 hectares) with scarification and application of compost. 27.9T of compost (82.3% of the total volume needed) was purchased by the partners from local suppliers for use in their demonstration plots, rather than buying from a supplier in Niamey. Compost suppliers have also been added to the ICT Hub’s supplier registry to help others access compost and offer a new income stream for compost producers. There was a late start to the rainy season in Dakoro (CEB’s zone in Maradi) and some irregularity in rains in Ilela (Union Nazari’s zone in Tahoua), which affected some of the demonstration plots.

Over the quarter, LWR’s four partners organized a series of one-day facilitated visits to the demonstration plots for 3,014 participants (including 181 women and 200 men of Union Amintchi, 228 women and 387 men of Union Adaltchi, 478 women and 97 men of Union Nazari and 537 women and 490 men in CEB’s zone) to showcase improved techniques to other farmer association members at different points of the production cycle; each farmer participated in one or several visits. During each visit, the project team, village leaders and the model farmers explained the various techniques and inputs used on the demonstration and control portions of each plot and farmer participants were invited to compare crop growth in the two sections and ask questions about how the techniques were applied and what the expected yields would be.

According to the partners’ reports from these facilitated visits, farmers were most interested in the use of compost and improved seed varieties and noted that many of the techniques are not costly, nor very time- consuming, and so there is broad interest from other farmers to apply the same practices. The natural pest management techniques promoted by the project (use of neem and/or pepper-based treatments and mechanical pest controls) also proved effective in stopping crop damage from insects on the demonstration sites. Follow-up demonstration visits are planned on several of the sites to see the differences in terms of yields and volumes of crop residues in October, although some of the sites planted early have already been harvested. Despite the fact that some of the model farmers applied some of the techniques incorrectly (improper spacing/thinning) in Union Adaltchi’s zone, yields of millet on the demonstration plots were 27.5 bottes (a bundle of millet that yields approximately 13-15kg of grain) versus 12.3 bottes on the control plots and 40kg of cowpeas on the demonstration plots versus 20kg on the control plots, helping to clearly demonstrate the impact of using compost and quality seed.

Next year, members of Union Amintchi will be trained on improved violet de Galmi onion production to meet Alliance partner SH Biaugeaud’s specifications, which include a quality varietal, use of non- chemical production processes, limited irrigation prior to harvest and a different way of cutting onion stems as required for longer-shelf life and SH Biaugeaud’s target market. However, in order to improve

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access to seed needed to produce high-quality violet de Galmi onions next year, LWR and Union Amintchi began preparing for irrigated onion seed multiplication to begin in November/December 2018. The Union (with technical support from LWR) developed criteria to select seed multipliers, began reviewing the selected producers’ plots for compliance with requirements for small-scale irrigation under the EMMP and worked to draft the terms of reference for training on seed multiplication and the tendering processes and documents to procure foundation seed, pumps and watering cans. USAID approved LWR’s request to procure this seed in September 2018.

Improved animal productivity: Women participating in the partners’ revolving animal fattening operations were selected within existing village groups that are members or affiliates of Union Amintchi, Union Nazari, Union Adaltchi or CEB. Villages were targeted based on the following criteria: year-round access to water, fodder, feed and other inputs, relatively easy access to markets, social cohesion and the groups’ good standing within a Union (where applicable). Each woman pays 20% of the estimated cost of two sheep and a start-up kit (for wheat bran, salt licks and tags) up-front to her local group. These funds are used as insurance should members decide to make a payout in the case of a sick, injured or lost sheep. Participants select their own sheep or have their leader select the sheep on their behalf. Following negotiation of the price, the management committee and veterinary agent validate the choice and the partner purchases the sheep and kit. Following fattening and sale of the animals, the beneficiary reimburses the cost of the animals and start-up kit to her management committee for a new cycle of animal fattening. The group’s management fees are deducted, but should no payout from the insurance be made, these funds are also returned to the participants.

There are multiple cycles of animal fattening operations underway: revolving operations piloted in April 2017 with 420 women (100 women members of Union Nazari, 100 women members of Union Amintchi, 70 women affiliated with Union Adaltchi and 150 women in CEB’s zone) in order to learn from the model; a subsequent rotation with 390 women (100 women members of Union Nazari, 100 women members of Union Amintchi, 70 women affiliated with Union Adaltchi and 120 women in CEB’s target villages) and new revolving operations with 460 women (170 women members of Union Nazari, 100 women members of Union Amintchi, 90 women affiliated with Union Adaltchi and 100 women in CEB’s zone) that began in April 2018 and continued this quarter after adjusting the strategy based on lessons learned from the pilot.

The agreements signed with veterinary service providers (either the Ministry of Agriculture’s department of Animal Husbandry and/or the Service Vétérinaire Privé de Proximité/SVPP) continued to assist the management committees with selection, vaccination/initial treatment and technical support and supervision over these two cycles. Following several losses from pasteurellosis and anthrax last quarter, all sheep were vaccinated against these diseases and there were no deaths or losses of sheep reported this quarter by Union Adaltchi, Union Nazari or Union Amintchi; there were however 10 losses in CEB’s zone, but these were from diarrhea/intoxication, broken bones or other causes. All the sheep were replaced or partially replaced with support from each groups’ local insurance fund.

As of September 30, 2018, all of Union Amintchi’s members’ sheep over all cycles were sold and all but 2 sheep of Union Adaltchi’s members were sold, the majority around the time of the Tabaski holiday in August 2018; recovery of the groups’ fattening capital is underway with reimbursement of 98.5% by Union Amintchi’s members and 83.4% by Union Adaltchi’s members. However, since the 2018 cereal harvest is expected to be good, there is sufficient available fodder to supplement animal feed and while sheep prices dropped following the holiday they came back fairly quickly--so some women in Union Nazari and CEB’s zones have preferred to sell only one of the two sheep, using the income earned from one sheep to reimburse the other, or are waiting to sell the animals at a later time. Union Nazari’s members have sold 44.6% of their sheep and women in CEB’s zones 55.5% of their sheep over all cycles.

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Strengthen access to animal health care: The 12/12 Alliance has helped expand and strengthen the SVPP network through the project’s PEAs and veterinary auxiliaries (AE). Trained PEAs/AEs have been provided the start-up kits recommended by the SVPPs and are working to provide basic veterinary services in their communities. This quarter, the PEAs/AEs in Union Nazari’s zone treated 585 animals, those in Union Adaltchi’s zone treated 106 animals, those in Union Amintchi’s zone treated 677 animals and those in CEB’s zone treated 1,495 animals (including sheep, goats and cattle); the most frequent treatments were deworming, anti-diarrheal treatments and administering vitamins. Eight PEAs/AEs in CEB’s zone received additional training, along with other AEs in the SVPP network, through funding from another project (PASEL-7) and treated 155 chickens/fowl as a result. LWR made a request to USAID to purchase additional pharmaceutical supplies to replenish the most-depleted stocks last quarter; this request was approved in July 2018. PEAs provide basic animal health services using the same fee schedule as other AEs and will procure new veterinary supplies through the SVPP network.

In August 2018, LWR’s Capacity Development Advisor conducted an internal review of how well the PEAs’ integration into the SVPP network was going, including how well the PEAs/AEs seemed known in their communities, which types of animals were treated, which medicines and supplies were used most frequently, which PEAs had the most clients and, generally, which PEAs seemed to be best integrated in the network by seeking advice from network members, replenishing veterinary supply stocks as needed and meeting local demand for animal health services.

Overall, the integration seems to be working as anticipated, but there are some differences and details worth noting: a.) community members seemed to know about the work of PEAs/AEs, but in some locations, community members didn’t seem willing to pay a higher price for their services (instead buying drugs from unlicensed sellers); b.) a wide range of small and large animals (primarily cattle, donkeys, sheep, goats and poultry, but a few camels and horses) were treated by PEAs/AEs, with the most frequent treatments including de-worming, vitamins and anti-diarrheal medicines as well as injury care; however, many more animals were treated in Union Amintchi’s and Union Adaltchi’s zones than in Union Nazari’s or CEB’s zone; c.) some PEAs may be located too close to other animal health agents, but this has not seemed to negatively affect the PEAs’ performance, even if it makes follow-up by the SVPP more difficult (especially the case in Konni, where the SVPP has relatively fewer resources); d.) the veterinarians in charge of the SVPP network interviewed said they expect all PEAs in Union Adaltchi, Union Amintchi and Union Nazari’s zones can be successful auxiliaries in the network, but only around 50% of those in Dakoro; hurdles seem to be seasonal herd migration (which might require PEAs to be more mobile to provide care), a lack personal initiative and better marketing of their services. The SVPP veterinarians also suggested that PEAs acquire Level 2 skills—vaccinations, poultry care, feed supplements, herd management and marketing and communications.

Improved storage and marketing capacity: Union Nazari is preparing for the construction of their warehouse and office space in Illela (Tahoua region). This quarter, the architectural firm hired by the Union completed the detailed design, detailed bill of quantities and technical design specifications for the construction bid; the plan is for a simple design on a single foundation with shared walls and roof for the building that includes a warehouse with a wide ramp, a meeting room, two offices and external toilets. The architectural firm’s plan required several re-designs in coordination with the Union’s leadership to help make the space as secure, accessible and easy to maintain as possible for the budget. Out of twelve local contractors invited to tender, four submitted their technical and financial bids. The Government of Niger’s Department of Rural Engineering, a notary and a representative of the Mayor’s office provided technical support to the Union’s procurement committee in selecting the construction firm. The winning firm’s bid was slightly over the initial budget, but the Union was able to negotiate the cost to meet their budget. LWR has supported the Union in planning and preparing the contract for work to begin in October 2018, once the rainy season ends. The architectural firm and Department of Rural Engineering will provide independent quality control and oversight of the chosen construction firm’s work.

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In July 2018, LWR’s Marketing Officer provided refresher training for leaders of Union Guidawnia of Birnin Lalle and Union Guidawnia Adjekoria (both unions of cereal banks) on warehouse and warrantage credit lines. LWR is helping the two Unions plan for and submit applications for these credit lines following the upcoming harvest and continues to help the groups conduct outreach with financial institutions on available credit lines to find a credit product that best meets their needs. This quarter, LWR helped facilitate a discussion between the two Unions and the Karhi credit union in Kornaka, with BAGRI and with Taanadi SA. LWR also facilitated a similar discussion on agricultural credit lines between members of Union Amintchi and the Banque Atlantique.

LWR facilitated two animal market stakeholder days in early August 2018 with 42 people in Badaguishiri (Tahoua region) and 40 people in Adjekoria (Maradi region). The stakeholder days brought diverse market actors (vendors, buyers, processors, input suppliers, transporters, local authorities and service providers) together to increase commercial opportunities for the Tabaski animal market and foster a consultative forum to address potential concerns for value chain actors in these specific markets.

During each stakeholder day, LWR helped the market actors identify the roles of different value chain actors and their respective interests, what opportunities, challenges these actors face and what concrete actions could help improve efficiencies and reduce costs for market transactions. LWR also facilitated speed networking sessions between actors, particularly financial institutions, bulk animal buyers and Union members, to promote interest in Tabaski sales and explore possible future business opportunities. One of the interesting, yet unplanned, discussions in both stakeholder days were on the various taxes and levies imposed on animal market stakeholders around these two markets—and local authorities were able to explain why there are different rates imposed in certain localities, what the rates should be and why tax collection is important. Each animal market stakeholder discussion culminated in a list of action steps for the actors in the meeting based on the participants’ recommendations; LWR plans to follow-up on these action items in coming quarters.

For example, in Badaguichiri, MFIs were invited to consider supporting animal processors and a kilchi (dried meat) producer’s union with credit and negotiate credit lines at more favorable interest rates with Unions of animal producers; local authorities were asked to audit/oversee animal feed banks and vendors and better regulate intermediaries; the Union of transporters was asked to sensitize their members on compliance with national regulations, including required tolls and levies; and Unions of animal producers to organize animal fairs with local authorities and bulk buyers and explore collaboration with upstream animal value chain actors. In Adjekoria, however, many of the recommendations were rather for the government’s animal health services—including creating a forum for exchange between animal feed suppliers, transporters and bulk buyers and linking them to MFIs as well as improving coverage of animal health services—but included some of the other recommendations for the government about regulating the role of intermediaries, taxes and for Unions of animal producers to organize animal fairs.

LWR also continued to engage with private sector actors who had participated in last quarter’s FINAGRI.

IR 1.3: Increased access to financial services Union Adaltchi trained 90 women leaders from 22 existing savings and credit groups, along with 21 PEAs, on savings and credit management over multiple 2-day sessions in July 2018. The training sessions each focused on fund mobilization, basics of loans and interest, reimbursement management, recording simple financial transactions (for the groups’ literate Secretaries and/or Treasurers). At the end of the training session, each group received a small kit of supplies (registers, calculators, rulers, pens, etc) for their groups. Union Amintchi provided training on savings and credit management to 90 women leaders over 3 days, focusing on commercial credit (different types of financial institutions and their lending requirements, interest rates, credit repayment and management) and a review of savings and credit basics.

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Union Nazari’s technical team conducted follow-up visits to the savings and credit groups trained and supported in previous quarters and other savings groups in the project zone; several groups have opened accounts with a local credit union, Yarda, and mobilized contributions (ranging between 10.000-341.000 FCFA (approximately $8-$620) as of September 30, 2018) to apply for loans. Some savings and credit groups in CEB’s zone have opted to suspend or reduce their contributions during the lean season before the next cereal harvest.

Airtel has now trained all current PEAs, project staff, partner leadership and members of the partners’ technical teams on Airtel Money (M’Koudi) mobile financial services and how to use them. All of LWR’s partners signed agreements with Airtel to open M’Koudi accounts for the organizations’ financial transactions; the training on using M’Koudi for their transactions is planned in the coming quarter. The video-clips on using mobile telephones and Airtel mobile money products were completed over the quarter; the draft videos were tested with LWR, Airtel and local partners in Konni to review and provide recommendations for changes to the final versions.

Objective/IR 2: Strengthen the organizational capacity of farmer associations to sustain member services, manage risks and leverage business opportunities

IR 2.1: Strengthened organizational, technical and management capacity Organizational capacity development: LWR’s organizational capacity development strategy for the project includes participatory processes and various tools to assess, analyze, plan, monitor and evaluate changes in organizational capacity among producer organizations—and how to integrate finding from other external assessments (like needs assessments and the gender and value chain analysis) in the process. The key phases in the strategy are the: a.) initial diagnostic assessment, b.) detailed analysis of organizational issues and their root causes, c.) facilitated review of the findings with group leaders and members to adjust and validate the findings, d.) participatory organizational action planning and e.) periodic monitoring, evaluation and adapting of each group’s action plan.

This quarter, LWR supported six Unions (implementing partners Union Amintchi, Union Adaltchi and Union Nazari, Union Guidawnia in Birnin Lalle, Union Guidawnia in Adjekoria and Union Bounkassa in Korahane) in a participatory review of each organization’s progress against their organizational action plan; review sessions were held with between 7-15 members of each Union’s Board. The action plans list the action steps and explains how they will be accomplished, who is designated to lead each activity and deadlines for achievement—so the facilitated review helped the Unions discuss progress, what challenges they faced/solutions they reached and reviewed and updated roles and deadlines as needed. Several Unions drew up large posters with the plans so that members, even those who didn’t attend the meetings, could easily see the plans and the Union’s progress.

Each of the Unions made considerable progress on the organizational capacity actions steps they had planned for the quarter, as follows: • Union Amintchi (Tahoua region): Union Amintchi was able to implement parking fees for the trucks using its onion sorting complex (raising income for the Union to help cover maintenance) and began visiting banks about agricultural credit lines. The Union also revised its cooperative statutes in accordance with OHADA regulations; key changes are a six-member Board with specialized sub-committees and different term limits than the Union’s previous statutes. • Union Adaltchi (Tahoua region): Eight of the 12 sections of the Union’s operations manual have been developed, two warehouses repaired from the Union’s budget and the Union is planning to build a meeting room and conduct training for its member cooperatives on cooperative operations and management prior to the Union’s next general assembly meeting scheduled for October 2018. All stocks of seed stored from previous years (corn, millet, sorghum and cowpeas) were sold.

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• Union Nazari (Tahoua region): The Union designed a logo for their future marketing efforts, visited two financial institutions to explore credit lines and sensitized savings and credit groups to open bank accounts to secure funds (49 groups opened accounts with local credit unions). The Union also sold 3 tons of millet and sensitized group members (and 270 husbands of group members) about animal fattening sales at the local level; this is one of the Union’s gender equity strategies. • Union Guidawnia of Birnin Lalle (Maradi region): Sixteen member cooperatives sensitized their members about cereal warehousing and plan to continue with the 10 other cooperatives; the Union has met with several financial institutions in preparing for warrantage. The Union has space donated by the Mayor’s office and purchased a computer from their budget to help the Union’s Secretary manage operations. The Union already started preparing materials to build their own office. The Union revised their statutes to expand membership to 23 new women’s cooperatives and 4 new cereal banks. The Union organized a general assembly meeting in September 2018 and presented their annual financial statement, budget and plan. • Union Guidawnia of Adjekoria (Maradi region): Fifteen member cooperatives sensitized their members about cereal warehousing and plan to continue the process with 25 others; the Union has already met with several financial institutions to prepare for warrantage. The Union rented office space and purchased a computer from their budget to help the Union’s Secretary manage operations and the Union revised their statutes to expand membership to 33 new women’s cooperatives. • Union Bounkassa (Maradi region): Union Bounkassa now has organizational statutes and registration, has mobilized contributions to build a shelter to host meetings and membership has now grown from 12 to 19 cooperatives and from 459 to 688 members (666 women and 22 men).

ICT-enabled extension: PEAs are providing technical information to farmers via the ICT Hub; there were 214 hits to the ICT Hub’s market price data and 49 hits to vendor information (for seed and compost suppliers) this quarter. See “3.9 Science and Technology and Innovation Impacts” for details.

IR2.2: Strengthened disaster risk management capacity: Implementing partners have identified local contacts for potential alerts; these contacts will be entered into the ICT Hub to receive reports of individual alerts and trends in a given zone, but the process for doing so via the ICT Hub must be re- designed since the SMPP server hasn’t been able to support SMS messaging.

Other activities: LWR project staff participated in a number of other visits, meetings and reporting over the quarter. LWR’s IT team from Baltimore came in July 2018 to troubleshoot IT issues in the project office in Konni and LWR’s new office in Niamey; all staff participated in IT/data security training. In August 2018, a team of LWR staff from Kenya came to Konni to learn about the project’s approaches to private sector engagement and entrepreneurism. In September 2018, the Konni project office hosted a communications team from LWR headquarters to document project approaches and the Niamey office hosted a Finance monitoring trip in preparation for the annual institutional audit. 12/12 Alliance’s COP attended USAID’s partners’ roundtables, an event at RECA on animal value chains, as well as a meeting on LWR’s new organizational strategy for Agriculture in July 2018. LWR’s project F&A staff participated in various off-site training activities on security, USAID cooperative agreement management and new LWR HR, procurement and operations policies in July, August and September 2018. LWR’s Agriculture/NRM Officer participated in training on climate-smart agriculture in September 2018.

LWR also met/spoke with representatives from DAI, World Vision, USADF, MCC and REGIS-AG over the quarter to discuss coordination and collaboration. LWR helped support several Union partners develop proposals for USADF in early 2018; USADF plans to award a two-year grant of approximately $50,000 US as of October 1, 2018 to Union Amintchi to support complementary marketing initiatives.

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2.2 Implementation challenges

Several challenges affected implementation over the quarter, including operational issues and programmatic ones.

Operations: • LWR’s M&E Manager resigned and left the organization in August 2018; his replacement was recruited and the candidate expected to join LWR on October 15, 2018. • Intermittent internet and network connectivity and service interruptions in Airtel coverage for LWR and implementing partners affected coordination and communication, especially during migration of technical content, analysis using Salesforce and execution of several of the PEAs’ planned tasks. LWR continues to communicate with Airtel on issues with service coverage via their business support unit that troubleshoots and works to resolve this issues. • Airtel was ultimately unable to provide SIM cards to be used as part of the unique identifier for each person and the first step for farmers to access Airtel’s products and services. Given the urgent project need and Airtel’s inability to provide them due to budget/management constraints, LWR purchased the cards (at a subsidized rate) and plans to distribute them next quarter. • After nearly a year working to configure the ICT Hub’s text messaging with Airtel’s server—despite days of troubleshooting with Airtel teams in Niamey and India that finally resulted in receipt of outbound SMS from the ICT Hub, inbound SMS still cannot be received. Since the integration seems technically impossible within Airtel’s current configuration, LWR had no choice but to suspend the SMPP contract with Airtel this quarter and is now working to eliminate bulk SMS components of tasks in the ICT Hub—like alerts for identified hazards, reminders and surveys for members, etc. (The ICT Hub is fully built, though, and integration could move forward at any time if Airtel’s IT staff are able to solve the technical issue.) This means, then, that LWR needs to develop a different system for managing stakeholder feedback mechanism that don’t involve SMS. Hits to the project content library are not currently being recorded in Salesforce, but the ICT Hub Administrator is working with an external service provider to resolve the issue. • Two PEAs’ smartphones were stolen, but both were recovered on local markets following a police report and alerting other local authorities. One PEA in Union Adaltchi’s zone resigned after joining the National Guard; the search for a replacement is underway. Programming: • The start of the 2018 rainy season was late in partner Union Nazari’s and CEB’s zone and once it started, rains were very heavy, destroying literacy centers (the classes had to be temporarily relocated to a school building) and causing flooding that damaged market garden and demonstration plots. Overall, the rains were heavier, longer and more regular than those of the 2017 season and the cereal harvest projected to be average or above-average in most of the project zone. • CEB is continuing to work with local authorities to recover animal fattening committees funds’ in Mallamaoua, Farin Baki and Garin Dirkou never deposited at the bank by CEB’s former supervisor. The former supervisor/his family started to reimburse these funds last quarter and continued to do so this quarter; less than 400.000 FCFA (out of the initial 775.000 FCFA) remains to be recovered for the committees. Although no project funds were affected, CEB’s Coordinator and leadership team is increasing monitoring trips to all project villages and LWR has also increased monitoring and has reduced transfers to CEB to cover only specific line-item expenditures over a one-month period.

2.3 MEL Plan Update

After a discussion with the AOR and USAID’s regional M&E team, LWR submitted recommended changes to three indicators and adjusted annual targets upward in an MEL plan update (Update #1 to the FY18 MEL Plan) in May 2018. The quarter, LWR followed up on USAID’s June 29, 2018 monitoring

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visit/data quality analysis (DQA), extracting the first annual survey questionnaire, TOR and raw survey data from the ICT Hub and forwarding various reports and verification documents to USAID/Senegal for review and feedback. LWR also began reporting an estimate for the number of beneficiary households while waiting to assign a unique identifier/phone number to each farmer registered in the ICT Hub based on a recommendation from that visit. Table 1.2: Summary Results to Date and Annex A: Progress Summary reflects these updated FY18 indicators, targets and recommendations.

LWR began a mini-survey on onion production and margins with a sample of onion producers in Union Amintchi and Union Adaltchi’s zone last quarter that continued through the current quarter; the survey was planned to provide baseline data and test the survey approach prior to the start of project activities targeting improved onion marketing. The survey was conducted by PEAs in 34 onion-producing villages with the support of their Supervisors. The mini-survey sampled 435 producers (189 women and 246 men)11 at random from among the 3,892 onion producers registered in the ICT Hub; LWR’s ICT and M&E teams trained the PEAs in conducting the survey and supervised their progress in the field.

However, the team faced multiple challenges conducting the survey: some producers hadn’t grown onions in the last production cycle, rain limited access to some fields, some sites couldn’t capture GPS coordinates needed to determine plot sizes, the GPS coordinates were only accurate within a certain range (which meant some small plots couldn’t be recorded or plot sizes were seriously underestimated) and many PEAs struggled to understand and correctly record the units of production. As a result, LWR had to also eliminate a number of survey records that showed yields far beyond reasonable production norms and so was left with only 41 useable records for the analysis.12 The gross margins for onions in this small sample were 141,272 FCFA (approximately $257 US) for women and 275,982 FCFA (approximately $502) for men. Nevertheless, these challenges have helped LWR improve the ICT Hub overall—as a result, LWR’s team updated post-planting surveys to allow skip logic in determining plot sizes (recording GPS coordinates only if within close range and allowing comparisons with an estimate).

LWR hosted a reflection, planning and training workshop with implementing partners from July 24-27, 2018 in Konni. The workshop included a detailed review of project animal fattening, savings and credit, functional literacy, crop production and organizational capacity development activities through presentation of promising practices by each partner and group discussions on challenges and lessons learned; review and development of the FY19 work plan; an update to the project’s indicator matrix for the three new indicators (determining what is collected, by whom and when) and work on reporting by reviewing partners’ quarterly narrative reports against activity tracking tables and supporting documentation on beneficiaries. Key takeaways and next steps from this reflection workshop are discussed further under “6. Lessons Learned.”

As follow-up to this meeting, LWR’s M&E team supported partners in archiving routine project data and reports in preparation for the project M&E systems review (a component of LWR’s DMEL strategy similar to a DQA). The team also continued the review of beneficiary lists in the ICT Hub against supporting documentation like physical distribution records or training attendance lists in order to correct spelling or other data entry errors and adding registration details for new beneficiaries as needed.

The project’s M&E systems review was conducted from September 5-14, 2018 by LWR’s Regional Technical Advisor for M&E and included a review of documentation and interviews with staff and stakeholders in LWR’s offices and partner offices. The process included a review the flow of data among field, national and HQ operations; a review of supporting documents and document retention practices; a review of communications and sharing of data; and a review of project reflection, adapting and learning

11 A planned confidence interval of 95% and margin of error 5%. 12 A confidence interval of 95% and margin of error 15.23%

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practices. Following the review, recommendations for improvements in the project’s M&E processes and approaches were provided and an action plan developed.

3. INTEGRATION OF CROSSCUTTING ISSUES AND USAID FORWARD PRIORITIES 3.1 Gender Equality and Female Empowerment

LWR’s 2017 gender assessment and planning consultancy identified a number of gender constraints in the project’s target value chains: more limited access to land by women; fewer opportunities to generate income and less ability to make decisions on use of that income by women; women are discouraged from doing certain agricultural tasks (and as a result, pay men to do so); women are discouraged from interacting with male buyers or input suppliers and some value chain actors don’t consider women as “real” producers. The consultant recommended that LWR encourage women to become TOTs and PEAs, promote use of mobile financial services (including training women on phone use), promote access to credit for women and help the Unions develop inclusive organizational policies and strategies for collection points for bulking operations, input provision and extension services that are more adapted to the specific needs of women members.

Many of these recommendations are already part of LWR’s overall strategy for the 12/12 Alliance, but LWR finalized the project’s detailed gender action and monitoring plan in June 2018 to identify the key actions, who is responsible for implementation and technical support and the implementation timeline. LWR’s Capacity Development Advisor began monitoring progress on the action plan this quarter.

LWR also followed-up on one of the early recommendations from the gender action plan—to share the results of the gender analysis more widely and train the Union’s Board members and staff on basic gender principles—by developing training modules and training 55 men and 37 women over six one-day sessions (one per Union) over the quarter. The review also helped each Union reflect more deeply on access to and control over resources and decision-making within each organization and helped the group again review the organizational capacity action plans to ensure gender was sufficiently taken into account in each Union’s plans. Animal market stakeholder days in August 2018 in Badaguishiri and Adjekoria also considered the specific, differential concerns of women and men merchants in two local markets.

3.2 Sustainability Mechanisms

LWR’s strategy of working with local farmer associations as implementing partners under the project is helping lay the groundwork for sustainability. The project is supporting each partner’s tailored organizational capacity development plan focused on member services (organizational governance, financial management, business planning and communication) and market integration (collecting and bulking, marketing and negotiation and market information exchange). LWR also continues to support the groups’ management and operations through training, technical support and accompaniment—helping Union leaders transparently procure goods and services, recruit and manage their employees, develop policies and procedures to assist operations and connect with new potential partners and collaborators.

Developing the capacities of PEAs through training in using Airtel Money products, for which they will earn commissions from sales, offer new income streams for entrepreneurial PEAs to help boost sustainability. PEAs have integrated the SVPP network and provide paid animal health services; PEAs who produce compost for sale have been added to the project’s input supplier registry. PEAs are already

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earning income from animal health services and compost sales. Union Amintchi is piloting sale of seed from a private seed company whereby the Union receives a 10% commission on any sales; the project continues to explore collaboration with other private sector input and service suppliers to explore similar win-win relationships that will result in additional income for the PEAs.

3.3 Environmental Compliance

LWR’s EMMP for the 12/12 Alliance project was approved by USAID in November 2017. After developing tools for EMMP monitoring and concluding the training for Alliance partners on the EMMP in March 2018, LWR began monitoring the EMMP. The monitoring tool, administered by the project’s Agriculture/NRM Officer, includes a checklist for documenting each partners’ progress on implementing planned environmental mitigation measures and includes recommendations and a timeline for the partner to address any identified gaps. For example, the monitoring verifies if the partners’ signed agreements and training modules contain the provisions required by the EMMP; each monitoring report documents which specific agreements or modules are reviewed during the visit, summarizes the content of the agreement or module with regards to the EMMP, documents if the partner is compliant, and provides a recommendation and a timeline to correct any potential issue of non-compliance.

As of September 30, 2018, some of the recommendations of the EMMP have already been fully implemented (for example, Ecobank’s loan policies are in compliance with Equator environmental principles and the EMMP is an appendix to all implementing partner agreements and the partners’ MOUs with the SVPP), so no further monitoring is needed unless the policy or agreement changes. Union Amintchi began work on small-scale irrigation site selection in compliance with the EMMP this quarter. All partners conducted sensitization on environmental protection over the quarter, especially during the facilitated visits to demonstration plots that included discussions on compost and alternatives to chemical pest control. The only issues identified during the EMMP monitoring trips this quarter were that the training modules on crop production for Union Nazari, Union Adaltchi and CEB discussed using micro- doses of chemical fertilizers; even if the training sessions focused on potential risks and how to use alternative methods to promote soil fertility.

3.4 Youth Development

With the project’s focus on the use of ICTs and mobile technologies, many PEAs—as well as project staff, survey enumerators, literacy instructors and other service providers—are young farmers and professionals. Among the current PEAs, 47 of 113 (41.6%) are 35 or under. As mentioned, a number of youth are also participating in functional literacy activities.

3.5 Policy and Governance Support

N/A

3.6 Local Capacity Development

LWR continues to work with each sub-grantee to implement policies and procedures as needed to assure compliance with the requirements of their award agreement. This quarter, LWR continued work on a F&A operations policy manual for the three Unions without comprehensive policies and procedures (the procurement and petty cash management manuals each partner already has in place as of 2017 will therefore become chapters/sections of the manual which can be updated over time as needed). Drafting these manuals is a long-term and iterative project activity.

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LWR F&A staff and partners spent one day during the July 2018 reflection meeting reviewing challenges faced by implementing partner F&A staff and joint analysis and decision-making. Key action items from the F&A-specific workshop during the July 2018 reflection meeting included: steps to reconcile liability and advance accounts; running quarterly trial balance and balance sheets for review and performing bank reconciliations in QuickBooks as part of each monthly close; value-added tax reporting and a review of progress on the organizations’ various operations policy manuals.

LWR also conducted programmatic and financial monitoring visits to four implementing partners over the quarter, including multiple visits to several partners. Formal financial monitoring for CEB was conducted on August 1-3, 2018, for Union Adaltchi from September 19-20, 2018 and for Union Nazari from September 12-13, 2018. A corrective action plan was developed during each financial monitoring trip to provide clear, actionable recommendations for improvements in the partners’ financial and administrative management. Although there were no significant issues discovered during the review of any partner’s project financial expenditures, given partner CEB’s recent turnover and concerns with a former staff member’s misuse of animal fattening committees’ funds, LWR’s risk rating for this partnership has increased significantly and LWR is conducting more frequent monitoring and has reduced transfers to the partner to cover only specific line-item expenditures over a one-month period. LWR’s regional Finance team also conducted visits to Union Adaltchi and Union Amintchi on August 9-10, 2018 to sample transactions and review withholding calculations; the team provided a quick on-site debrief.

3.7 Public Private Partnership (PPP) and Global Development Alliance (GDA) Impacts

Over the quarter, LWR met or communicated with all 12/12 Alliance partners (Airtel, Ecobank, SH Biaugeaud and MACF) to discuss coordination on key activities and investments. Investments under the MOU for the GDA total over $8 million US dollars in funds leveraged from the private sector in cash or in-kind. The MOU for the Alliance was signed electronically and shared with all partners in July 2017. LWR reached out to USAID Senegal and SH Biagueaud to potentially meet in Dakar, given SH Biaugeaud’s investments in the onion value chain there and their timing in relation to plans in Niger, but no firm date has been set. MACF support to the project will conclude in FY19.

3.8 Conflict Mitigation

N/A

3.9 Science, Technology, and Innovation Impacts

The project’s ICT Hub is designed to help: a.) PEAs promote quality local extension services, provide access to information on potential input suppliers and market outlets, b.) Unions better plan for bulk acquisitions, sales and communications with their members and c.) LWR compile and analyze project performance and management data. The technical library, accessible for PEAs and the project team in a mobile application called “Search,” will be eventually converted to a Google Play application for even wider dissemination; videos on production techniques, entrepreneurism and mobile phone and mobile money use are being added to the TaroWorks application. The technical library now includes over 40 short video clips--with video, graphics and narration in Hausa--on sheep fattening, millet production, cowpea production, onion production, wheat production, and entrepreneurism/farming as a business, using mobile phones and Airtel mobile money and short technical summaries and drawings on key extension topics.

Each quarter, new sessions for the PEAs are planned to refresh training, troubleshoot potential problems

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and train on new technical skills and tasks. The PEA refresher sessions this quarter were held in July and September 2018 and focused on the specific task of the post-planting survey (this data can be used by the Unions determine production projections to look for potential buyers/credit lines and save time for the annual survey) along with reminders on recording attendance and participation in project activities. LWR’s ICT team conducted field supervision of the task to troubleshoot and provide additional technical assistance. LWR’s ICT team also performed smartphone maintenance, repairs, upgrades and migration of technical content.

LWR’s ICT team developed a read-only portal (“community”) for USAID to access the ICT Hub directly and also performed upgrades to the TaroWorks application this quarter. The ICT team provided a one-day training for project and partner staff on accessing and reviewing read-only data in Salesforce in the ICT Hub on July 27, 2018; this included how to access Salesforce, how to view dashboards, lists and standard reports and how to make new custom reports/queries. LWR has already shared the link and password to the portal with USAID and hopes to review and finalize content of the community in the coming quarter.

4. STAKEHOLDER PARTICIPATION AND INVOLVEMENT

LWR and project implementing partners regularly conduct community-level meetings, participatory review of reports and progress notes by Board members and site visits. For example, Union Adaltchi organized a meeting with Board members to review the quarterly report and held a meeting with members of the Board who had not attended the reflection meeting in July 2018 to share results and findings from that meeting. Union Nazari also shared the quarterly report and hosted community meeting in target villages to remind community members of the complaint mechanisms (although no complaints were lodged this quarter). Having the PEAs now deployed in all project villages and equipping them with a closed user group for unlimited mobile communications between all members of the project team is also helping improve timely reporting of potential issues or concerns.

5. MANAGEMENT AND ADMINISTRATIVE ISSUES

LWR’s requests for incremental funding, prior approval for veterinary pharmaceuticals and onion seed were all approved by USAID this quarter; there are no pending management or administrative issues, with the exception of final approval of the FY19 annual work plan and AMELP update and any findings and/or recommendations from USAID/Senegal on the recent DQA.

6. LESSONS LEARNED

Some of the lessons from this quarter of project implementation include: • Close coordination with the government continues to assist project outcomes. For example, this quarter, LWR shared the organizational assessment noting low levels of literacy among members of the Boards of Union Guidawnia of Adjekoria and Union Guidawnia of Birnin Lalle with the government’s Division of Literacy and Non-Formal Education in Dakoro; these will help advocate for the Unions’ inclusion in a new functional literacy initiative planned there.

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• Functional literacy attendance declined with the start of the rainy season, but centers that worked to adjust their schedules around learners’ field work were most successful in maintaining attendance. Other lessons related to mobilizing learners, improving placement and multi-level instruction, improving instructors’ knowledge of entrepreneurism and strengthening the capacity of local committees to support the centers’ operations and supervision will be incorporated into the project’s updated functional literacy strategy. • The PEAs’ sustainable integration in the SVPP network seems very promising, with most PEAs regularly seeking advice from colleagues and providing services to a range of small and large animals (which suggests they are not considered “project” auxiliaries only treating sheep, but rather as true community animal health workers). The other key factors of this success seem to be community demand/previously unmet need for animal health services and the quality of the services PEAs are providing, and the PEAs’ motivation and outreach and marketing skills—since the PEAs were first identified in their communities for their entrepreneurism before integrating the SVPP network, this may have also contributed to their success as veterinary auxiliaries. • The project’s iterative training strategy for PEAs and staff on ICT also seems to be successful in improving knowledge and skills for individuals with limited exposure to ICT. While all PEAs were initially trained on farming as a business, their roles and responsibilities and how to use smartphones and the ICT Hub, LWR leads sessions with the PEAs on a quarterly basis to refresh training, troubleshoot technical problems and provide “right-time” training on new skills and tasks (like training on a new task such as sharing data on input suppliers before the production season starts or training on the post-planting survey at the beginning of the rainy season), followed up by supervision in the field, so that the new skills may be applied immediately and any challenges or issues with the tasks corrected in a timely manner.

A number of key lessons and recommendations from partners were also identified from the promising practices identified during the July 2018 reflection meeting, such as: • Animal fattening operations: Partners should update the agreement each beneficiary signs when receiving her sheep to require reimbursement to her group within 48 hours of sale, expand the promising strategy to sell animals at the village level for baptisms and other events, test a local animal fair or other bulk sales and be sure to select each beneficiary and the next beneficiary in the rotation at the same time to enhance community oversight. Some women are not reinvesting their net income from animal fattening in income-generating activities, so partners need to strengthen community sensitization efforts in farming as a business. • Savings and credit: Partners should promote use of a portion of the collected funds for the group’s operations (replacement materials, fees for the Secretary/Treasurer for bank visits, etc), remind groups to secure their funds in a financial institution or through mobile money and provide technical support to the groups in opening their accounts and promote a uniform strategy and tools for greater transparency in the groups’ operations. One Union has worked with credit unions to assist with supervision of groups using their own resources (it helps strengthen the groups’ capacity and serves as a new potential client base for the financial institution). • Crop production: Compost has shown to be very effective in improving soil fertility on demonstration plots and on members’ fields (widespread in all partners’ zone except for among members of Union Adaltchi, so the Union will scale-up sensitization on compost production). Individual entrepreneurs and groups of entrepreneurs are earning income from compost sales, so the project should continue to support and strengthen these initiatives. CEB has also reached out to other development actors in Dakoro to help identify new potential market outlets for compost.

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7. PLANNED ACTIVITIES FOR NEXT QUARTER INCLUDING UPCOMING EVENTS

Key activities planned for the coming quarter include steps to: • Continue technical support and monitoring of project activities with local partners (animal fattening operations, veterinary service provision, savings and credit operations, functional literacy, market gardens and training on marketing and organizational capacity), including financial monitoring. • Continue technical support to Unions’ operations manuals, tailored organizational capacity plans and value chain actor outreach (including follow-up on the recommendations from the animal market stakeholder days held in August 2018); monitor progress against the project’s gender action plan and EMMP. • Hold a reflection meeting and technical sessions on organizational development for Unions with partners and community stakeholders in Konni on October 29-November 1, 2018. • Continue the registration of farmers and upload of additional beneficiary data in the ICT Hub, review and clean beneficiary lists, correcting or deactivating incorrect names. • Migrate new technical content to the ICT Hub and continue maintenance and upgrades, including processes redesigned without SMS. Conclude configuration of the ICT Hub “community” with Alliance partners. • Continue quarterly refresher training sessions with PEAs; conduct refresher training with LWR staff and Technical Coordinators on the ICT Hub. • Roll-out the formal strategy for functional literacy based on lessons learned from the pilot. Conduct additional training and technical support on entrepreneurism and business skills for literacy instructors. • Orient LWR’s new project M&E Manager; finalize the FY19 work plan and develop the FY19 AMELP, FTFMS report and implement recommendations from LWR’s M&E systems review. • Review/update the terms of reference, survey questionnaires, training for enumerators and sampling methods in preparation for the 2018 annual survey; implement the annual survey with data collection and analysis via smartphones and the ICT Hub. • Host LWR visitors from the US to see project activities and discuss results and lessons learned in October and November 2018. LWR F&A staff will participate in the training with USAID partners in October 2018.

8. WHAT DOES USAID NOT KNOW THAT IT NEEDS TO?

The Millennium Challenge Corporation/MCA issued a solicitation in 2017 to provide technical support services to farmers using the irrigated perimeter slated for repair in Konni, including functional literacy, demonstration plots, access to inputs and markets and cooperative development (including formally separating the roles and functions of water user associations with those of cooperatives). LWR’s 12/12 Alliance partner, Union Adaltchi, whose membership is constituted from users of the irrigated perimeter in Konni and supports both its members’ use of water resources and cooperative services was slated for restructuring under this strategy. LWR, USAID and MCC met to discuss these plans and the proposed timeline in June 2018 to consider how to coordinate project activities with those of the selected contractor, but MCC/MCA ultimately cancelled this technical services solicitation in July 2018.

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9. HOW IMPLEMENTING PARTNER HAS ADDRESSED A/COR COMMENTS FROM THE LAST QUARTERLY OR SEMI-ANNUAL REPORT

Key technical feedback from the previous quarter includes a request to: 1.) report on the animal market stakeholder days in August 2018, 2.) share the project’s functional literacy modules with other RISE partners via SAREL, 3.) report on lessons from the partner reflection meeting in July 2018, 4.) report on outreach with SH Biaugeaud and 5.) begin to document the project’s lessons from programming with youth. This quarterly report includes details on the animal market stakeholder days and reflection meetings held this quarter and an update on recent discussions with SH Biaugeaud. The project’s functional literacy for entrepreneurship manuals were shared on the SAREL website in September 2018.

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ANNEX A: PROGRESS SUMMARY Table 1(a): PMP Indicator progress - USAID Standard/FTF Indicators and Project Custom Indicators* Goal: Increased ability of households in Niger’s agro-pastoral and marginal agriculture livelihood zones to adapt to climate shocks and stresses all 12 months of each year

Baseline data FY 2018 Quarterly Status – FY 2018 Annual Data Annual Performance Indicator Annual Comment(s) Source Cumulative Achieved to Year Value Cumulative Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Planned Date (in %) Actual target Proportion of households resilient to a shock experienced the previous year Survey 2017 0 30% 47.92% 47.92% 0 0 0 159.7% Survey data (RISE)* 69.88% Proportion of individuals reporting 69.88% men; 41.6% men; 50% men; 40% men; 139.8% men; current household resilience capacity Survey 2017 59.83% 0 0 0 Survey data 22.6% women women 59.83% 149.6% women (Custom) women women

Number of rural/vulnerable households 0 at baseline; 780 956 Project benefitting directly from USG 2017 1,439 new in 9,570 3,175 0 0 new new 3,175 (33.2%) Project records Records interventions (FTF) FY17 13 14

Intermediate Result (IR): Leverage private-sector investment and innovations to increase and sustain household incomes, assets and adaptive capacity

314,712 272,442 CFA 314,712 CFA CFA men; 280,000 CFA men; 225,961 men; 204,564 204,564 112.4% men, men; 240,000 CFA women; CFA women; CFA 85.2% women, Average value of assets (Custom) Survey 2017 CFA women; 0 0 0 Survey data 384,159 CFA households women; 99.9% 520,000 CFA households 519,276 519,276 households households (HH) CFA15 CFA HH

13 Direct beneficiaries of training, animal fattening and other activities; however, registration with a unique identifier (and grouping by head-of-household) must be completed to determine if some beneficiaries belong to the same household. LWR is estimating this indicator in order not to overstate the total number of beneficiary households. 14 Direct beneficiaries of training, literacy, animal fattening and other activities; however, registration with a unique identifier (and grouping by head-of-household) must be completed to determine if some beneficiaries belong to the same household. LWR is estimating this indicator in order not to overstate the total number of beneficiary households. 15 The baseline survey estimated land prices at 1,000,000 CFA/ha, which overestimated total asset values in certain project zones (and resulted in reporting of total assets valued at 4,247,612 CFA for men and 2,190,556 for women) during the survey; survey data was therefore adjusted to remove land values from the calculation. As per the PIRS for this indicator, the estimated household value is the aggregate of these values.

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Baseline data FY 2018 Quarterly Status – FY 2018 Annual Data Performance Indicator Annual Annual Comment(s) Source Year Value Cumulative Cumulative Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Achieved to target Actual Date (in %) Number of people using climate 0 at baseline; 1,425 women, information or implementing risk- 617 women, 500 women, 352 men 1,777 1,777 of 2,500 reducing actions to improve resilience Survey 2017 0 0 0 Survey data 338 men in 2,000 men (1,777 people people (71.1%) to climate change as supported by FY17 people) USG assistance (GCC)* Men Men Men 45,240 Average value of individual savings Men 45,240 167.6% Men, 25,440 CFA 46,000 CFA CFA; accumulated by project beneficiaries Survey 2017 CFA; Women 0 0 0 191.2% Survey data Women Women Women (Custom) 22,943 CFA Women 10,790 CFA 23,000 CFA 22,943 CFA Sub-IR: Diversified economic opportunities % of households reporting at least one new income source due to project Survey 2017 0 50% 92.56% 92.56% 0 0 0 185.1% Survey data interventions (Custom)

Sub-IR: Intensified production and marketing for livestock and high-potential crops $110 USD 97,835 CFA $178 USD 161.8% onions (men ($178 USD) cowpeas cowpeas No reported and women); cowpeas men, men, $148 men, 123.3% production or Gross margins per hectare (for cowpeas, $120 USD 81,370 CFA USD cowpeas sale of onions or wheat and onion) and animal (sheep) of Survey 2017 0 cowpeas (men ($148 USD) 0 0 0 cowpeas women, wheat by survey selected product (FTF)* and women), cowpeas women; $20 181.8% respondents; $11 USD women; 11,246 sheep sheep 550 CFA=$1 sheep CFA ($20) women women (women)16 sheep women Men: Men: Men: Men: Men: Millet: 333.2 Millet: 360 Millet: 431 Millet: 431 Millet: Kg/ha Kg/ha Kg/ha Kg/ha 119.2% Cowpeas: Cowpeas: 180 Cowpeas: 145 Cowpeas: Cowpeas: Yields of targeted crops reported by 168.3 Kg/ha Kg/ha Kg/ha 145 Kg/ha 80.6% Survey 2017 0 0 0 Survey data project participants (Custom) Women: Women: Women: Women: Women: Millet: 259.92 Millet: 280 Millet: 293 Millet: 293 Millet: Kg/ha Kg/ha Kg/ha Kg/ha 104.6% Cowpeas: Cowpeas: 130 Cowpeas: 104 Cowpeas: Cowpeas: 119.9 Kg/ha Kg/ha Kg/ha 104 Kg/ha 80%

16 Due to limited rainfall and recharge of the dam in Konni, there was no irrigated wheat production in 2018. The FY18 target has been adjusted in the project’s MEL Plan.

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Baseline data FY 2018 Quarterly Status – FY 2018 Annual Data Performance Indicator Annual Annual Comment(s) Source Year Value Cumulative Cumulative Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Achieved to target Actual Date (in %) Number of individuals who have received 728 196 (514) 410 women, 391 W, USG-supported short-term agricultural Project 500 women, W, W, W, 933 of 1,100 All type 2017 0 at baseline 523 men (933 339 M sector productivity or food security Records 600 men 233 329 (39) (84.8%) Producers producers)17 (2017) training (FTF)* M M M18 3,038 ha Number of hectares under improved Project 3,038 ha under under 1 or management technologies or practices as 0 at baseline, 3,038 of 1625 Records; 2017 1625 ha 1 or more more 0 0 0 Survey data a result of USG assistance (FTF 2.6 ha in FY17 ha (187.0%) Survey technologies19 technolog Indicator) ies Number of farmers who have applied new 0 at baseline; 1,700 women, Project 1,700 management technologies or management 617 women, 500 women, 739 men 2,439 of 2,500 Records; 2017 women, 0 0 0 Survey data practices as a result of USG assistance 338 men in 2,000 men (2,439 (97.6%) Survey 739 men (FTF Indicator) FY17 farmers)20 0 at baseline; 22,000 MT Volume per value chain marketed Project 54 MT wheat onion; 200 3 MT collectively by smallholder farmer 2017 3 MT millet 0 0 0 0% Project records Records and 60 MT MT millet associations (Custom) millet in FY17 cowpeas21

17 Including 713 women and 208 men producers trained in organizational capacity development (CEB), 15 women and 25 men trained in warehouse management (CEB and Amintchi) and 196 women and 329 men producers trained on improved agricultural production (by partners CEB, Amintchi, Adaltchi and Nazari). 18 In accordance with the PIRS, trainees are counted once per year, even if they participate in multiple sessions; 514 women and 39 men (553 people in total) participated in more than one session in 2018 and so were removed from the total following the analysis in Quarter 4. 19 Disaggregation by technology type: 2988 ha cultural practices, 1677 ha crop genetics and 3011 ha soil fertility and conservation (7,676 ha in total). By gendered decision- making on hectares where one or more technologies was applied: 1463 ha male, 1022 ha female and 553 ha joint. Values are extrapolated from survey data as per the PIRS. 20 Includes application of at least one of four Technology Types: Crop Genetics (by 1,146 women and men), Cultural Practices (by 2,171 women and men), Soil Fertility and Conservation (by 1,146 women and men) and Improved Livestock Practices (by 2,439 women and men) or 6,902 people in total growing millet, sorghum and/or cowpeas and raising sheep or other livestock. For disaggregation by Value Chain type, all men and women are Producers. Values are extrapolated from survey data as per the PIRS. 21 Targets for collective marketing of onions may not be met due to the delay in support to onion production and marketing operations by SH Biaugeaud and for wheat given that, due to the limited recharge of the dam in Konni, there was no irrigated wheat production in 2018. The FY 18 MEL Plan has been adjusted accordingly.

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Baseline data FY 2018 Quarterly Status – FY 2018 Annual Data Performance Indicator Annual Annual Comment(s) Source Year Value Cumulative Cumulative Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Achieved to target Actual Date (in %) Sub-IR: Increased access to financial services Men Proportion of project participants who Men 25%; Men 6.2%; Men 25.3%; 25.3%; Men 101.2% used financial services in the past 12 Survey 2017 Women 0 0 0 Survey data Women 14.5% Women 72.0% Women Women 96% months (Custom) 75%22 72.0% Number of micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs), including farmers, Project 2017 0 3 0 0 0 0 0 0% receiving agricultural-related credit as a Records result of USG assistance (FTF)* Value of agricultural and rural loans by Project $200,000 2017 0 0 0 0 0 0 0% farmer associations (FTF)* Records USD Intermediate Result (IR): Strengthen the organizational capacity of farmer associations to sustain member services, manage risks and leverage business opportunities 552,767 CFA Profitability of farmer associations Project 3,000,000 (Amintchi); 2017 2,655,000 CFA 0 0 * 0 60.8% 1,822,767 CFA* (Custom) Records CFA 1,270,000 CFA (Nazari) Cash from MACF and Frehner/Murray Value of new investments leveraged Project 0 at baseline; 2017 $3.5m USD $2.6m $0 $0 $0 $0 86.7% family; in-kind (Custom) Records $2.6m in FY17 from Airtel for human capital development

22 The target was exceeded in 2017 as per the annual performance survey, so the target for FY18/Year 2 has been adjusted accordingly in the MEL Plan.

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Sub-IR: Strengthened organizational, technical and management capacity

Baseline data FY 2018 Quarterly Status – FY 2018 Annual Data Performance Indicator Annual Annual Comment(s) Source Year Value Cumulative Cumulative Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Achieved to Date (in %) target Actual Proportion of members of farmer Men Men 70%; Men 137.7%; associations who say they have Men 2.7%; Men 96.4%; 96.4%; Survey 2017 Women 0 0 0 Women Survey data confidence in their association's Women 22% Women 97.4% Women 80%23 121.8% management/leadership 97.4% Number of for-profit private enterprises, 3 producer producers organizations, water users 0 at baseline; 4 organizations, 1 associations, women's groups, trade and (3 Producer Project CBO (all business associations, and community- 2017 Organizations 4 7 4 3 0 0 175% Records continuing); 3 based organizations (CBOs) receiving and 1 CBO) in new producer USG food security-related organizational FY17 organizations development assistance (FTF)* Number of private enterprises, producer organizations, water user associations, 0 at baseline; 4 3 Producer trade and business associations, and (3 Producer organizations, 1 Project community-based organizations (CBOs) 2017 Organizations 4 4 4 0 0 0 100% CBO adopted Records that applied new technologies or and 1 CBO) in new financial management practices with USG FY17 practice(s) assistance (FTF)* Proportion of individuals using ICT- 7.2% men; 25% men; 7.2% men; 28.8% men; assisted extension in decision-making Survey 2017 0 19.4% 0 0 0 Survey data 25% women 19.4% women 77.6% women (Custom) women Number of hits to ICT extension support Project 2017 0 11,960 600 0 0 337 263 5.0% ICT Hub platform (Custom) Records

23 The target was exceeded in 2017 as per the annual performance survey, so the target for FY18/Year 2 has been adjusted accordingly in the MEL Plan.

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Sub-IR: Strengthened disaster risk management capacity Baseline data FY 2018 Quarterly Status – FY 2018 Annual Data Performance Indicator Annual Annual Comment(s) Source Year Value Cumulative Cumulative Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Achieved to target Actual Date (in %) Men Proportion of members who feel their Men 70%; Men 27.4% ; Men 68.7%; 68.7%; Men 98.1%; farmer association can help them in the Survey 2017 Women 0 0 0 Survey data Women 38.0% Women 84.9% Women Women 99.9% event of a shock or a stress (Custom) 85%24 84.9% Number of alerts referred to designated Project individuals by the early warning system 2017 0 10 0 0 0 0 0 0% Records (Custom)* * New or revised indicator as per revised, submitted MEL plan, FY18 MEL update submitted in August 2017 and subsequent inclusion of additional standard FTF indicators and adjustments to targets in March 2018. For some indicators, data is not collected on a quarterly basis, but rather an annual basis through a survey; a“0” is recorded for quarters in which no new data is collected.

24 The target was exceeded in 2017 as per the annual performance survey, so the target for FY18/Year 2 was increased in the MEL Plan.

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ANNEX B: SUCCESS STORIES

“Fruitful Discussions” for Badaguishiri’s Animal Market

On August 8, 2018, Lutheran World Relief (LWR) and 12/12 Alliance partners convened a “Livestock Market Stakeholder Day” at the Badaguichiri Town Hall in Niger’s Tahoua region.

The objectives of the one-day workshop were to: forge linkages between value chain actors in the live animal sector to improve market opportunities and foster communication and dialogue among key stakeholders to resolve potential bottlenecks in the live animal sector in and around Badaguishiri. Forty people participated, including of administrative authorities from Illéla and Badaguichiri, the representative of the Chief of Canton of Illela, governmental technical service providers, financial institutions and upstream and downstream value chain actors (animal input and health suppliers, live animal vendors, animal processors, bulk buyers and transporters).

Mr. Abdoulkarim Mahamane, Mayor of the commune of Badaguichiri, gave us his impressions on this workshop in which he personally took part: "This workshop was a true opportunity for us. It brought together diverse actors from the animal sector, which was difficult for us to do on our own given our commune’s limited resources. This workshop allowed us to have fruitful discussions on the roles and responsibilities of everyone (the Mayor’s office and animal market actors). We also took advantage of this opportunity to make stakeholders understand the importance of market taxes. The discussions were respectful, which created a bond of trust, and which was needed for us to move forward together for the good of the commune.”

Each animal market stakeholder discussion culminated in a list of action steps for the actors; LWR plans to follow-up with the actors to learn about progress on these action items in coming quarters.

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