Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations Supporting Food Security, Nutrition and Livelihoods in Sub-Saharan Africa - GCP /RAF/454/GER to the evaluation report March 2014 Final
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Management Response to the Evaluation of GCP/RAF/454/GER Supporting Food Security, Nutrition and Livelihoods in sub-saharan Africa Overall response: RAF and ESN, the two lead entities responsible for the implementation of this project, wish to express their appreciation for the high quality of the evaluation process and report. The evaluation process was carried out in a very rigorous way. The report is very comprehensive, provides an insightful overview of the project achievements and limitations, and the proposed recommendations are deemed very relevant. The annexes are very useful resources for capitalizing the work achieved during the project implementation. RAF and ESN accept all the report recommendations. The proposed actions to be taken are described below. 1: To FAO on project monitoring/reporting Revise the project Logical Framework for the next phase to ensure a proper The project team functioning as management and appreciates the guidance monitoring tool (indicators should be revised to be SMART and proper Means of Verifications should be included to ensure proper reporting on the indicators) provided by the evaluation team leader to improve the logical framework for the new German-funded project on mainstreaming Develop and implement postworkshop/training questionnaires which also focus on new knowledge/ skills obtained as result of the workshop Ensure that communication activities are properly reported; new indicators such as visits on website could also be included nutrition in CAADP. Output indicators of Logframe of new project to be revised Post-training questionnaires on skills and knowledge to be used in trainings carried out by the ESN/RAF nutrition programme team Improved indicators will be used in the new phase of the project and other related communication activities ESN and RAF Senior Nutrition Officer ESN RAF nutrition team RAF 5 th March 2014 No During project implementation in close collaboration with GCP/RAF/476/GE R During project implementation Ensure that a system for reporting on Accepted Operational modalities for RAF management, By June 2014 This will depend on No No
country requests is established 2: To FAO on capacity development/sensitization Promote two types of capacity development, targeting different groups: 1) FAO nutrition officers and focal points; 2) FAO-Representatives, Assistant FAO-Representatives and Head of programmes. The latter type of capacity development/sensitization should aim at ensuring the support to nutrition-sensitive agriculture, in particular in countries with no nutrition focal points in place Arrange a second workshop for FAO nutrition focal points in continuation of the workshop in Accra February 2012 Ensure that all FAO focal points are familiar with all information/advocacy materials, etc. produced (e.g. the Key s) This is part of FAO s nutrition strategy implementation plan monitoring and reporting country requests to be explored. For FAO nutrition officers, see below. For FAO Representatives, Assistant FAO-Rs and heads of programmes, liaise with OSD to integrate nutrition module in FAO-R training programmes, and FAO-R Academia A workshop is part of RAF 2014 workplan. 3: To FAO on coordination/collaboration at corporate level Establish a mechanism for ensuring collaboration and sharing of activities/results within ESN (including also groups not involved in technical backstopping of the project); e.g. a RAF and ESN to prepare communication pack on nutrition for dissemination to nutrition focal points. Work on ESN brochure underway. Progress on project implementation can be reported during ESN management meetings and Divisional seminars. Seminars can be organized with in collaboration with ESN RAF Management in collaboration with ESN RAF with ESN support RAF Senior Nutrition Officer in collaboration with ESN ESN Management and RAF Senior Nutrition Officer (TBC) Identify concrete options for training by June 2014. Implement training activities over 2014-2015 biennium. The FAO-R Academia is one the option for FAO-R By September 2014 By July 2014 Continuing 2014-2015 the options identified and chosen Additional funds may be. To be discussed with OSD and OCP. Limited funded needed if this is incorporated in an existing programme. Yes, but included in RAF annual budget plan. Contribution of ESN and FAO Country offices is. No. No.
Steering Committee with participation of group leaders. The project will be located at RAF in next phase, but the linking with ESN is still crucial ESN should ensure the update of the ESN web-site; the web-site should moreover include link to the web-site of the project as well as a space for intra-division communication (invisible for external persons) RAF (e.g. every 6-9 months) with video conference. Restructuring of ESN website is underway, under supervision of ESN Director. The recommendation on an internal space will be taken into consideration during this process. ESN management with support of communication officer and OCP. August 2014 Regular programme funds allocated for this in 2014. 4: To FAO on coordination/collaboration with external partners Promote collaboration between REACH/SUN and a broader segment of FAO (currently the collaboration is mainly between REACH facilitators and FAO nutrition focal points) in order to promote the participation of the Ministry of Agriculture in the work of mainstreaming nutrition To support the implementation of SO1 and related regional initiatives, several thematic and inter-divisional delivery teams have been established to support FAO collaboration with SUN/REACH at global, regional and country levels. This will help ensure a greater engagement of FAO as an institution. At country level, greater corporate engagement will better sensitization of FAO-Rs and strengthening of capacities of nutrition officers to collaborate with other FAO staff. These will be addressed in the training activities described under recommendation 2. ESN Management in collaboration with RAF. SUN/REACH delivery manager and team. RAF Senior Nutrition Officer Continuous activity as part of FAO regular programme implementation. Regional Initiatives (RI) Delivery team implemented as part of regular programme mainly the RI related to new partnership to end hunger. Training activities (c.f. recommendation 2) may require additional funds.
5: To FAO on replication of the project design/institutional set-up Ensure that the most effective elements of the project design are replicated in other Trust Fund projects and in the Regular Programme in coherence with the FAO operational work planning 2014-2015, e.g. 1) Combining work on the ground with targeting high-level politicians (combining technical and political work); 2) Adding value through supporting on-going policy and programming processes; 3) Working through existing coordination mechanisms; 4) Targeting the country level through regional organizations; and 5) Seeking synergies with other FAO projects Based on the experiences of the current project, test different institutional setups as part of the decentralization process in order to enhance the delivery mode of corporate results Accepted partially accepted This is part of the design of the upcoming German-funded project on Mainstreaming Nutrition in CAADP, the EU/FAO programme on Improved Global Governance for Hunger Reduction, as well as other potential follow-up projects that are being discussed with other donors. This approach is also very much in the spirit of FAO s new Strategic Framework and will thus be useful for implementation of regular programme activities This recommendation is beyond the responsibility of ESN and RAF as several departments are concerned as well. Share experience of this project implementation modality with the SO teams and OSD. ESN technical officers at HQ and decentralized levels. (in RAF but also other regions) ESN ESN, FAO regional officers, SO1 Delivery teams. Continuing June 2014 Continuing This approach can be used for the use of existing funds and additional funds should come particularly from regular programmes and RI (e.g. mainstreaming social protection in CAADP). Can be done with new projects in pipeline (GCP/RAF/476/GER GCP/RAF/483/BAR and the phase two of GCP/RAF/454/GER) Opportunities for testing various modalities can be taken as new projects are being designed. These will be in support of the Strategic Framework Delivery Mechanisms