reflection2_nile5

=Nile 5 notes= =NBDC Stakeholder Forum= =5–7 October 2011=

Notes on N5 project highlights group meeting: Notes of the other groups could be obtained from the slides?

Chaired: Tilahun Amede

Minutes: Aberra Adie

What participants did: Define Action Points; determine time line for reporting back the preparation on action points, planning for the South Africa Forum, Key insights of the partners

N5 Action Points: 1. Research Questions for IP research: Develop research questions and research agenda including the multiple stakeholder platform and which project leads the IP research (N5 to develop its own research agenda and coordinate that of other projects) Possible agenda for RQs suggested: Barriers affecting interactions, historical perspectives of tech adoption, analysis of resilience (socioeconomic and other factors affecting resilience) across all projects and sites Possible inputs for RQs: baseline data, historical information from the national, regional and local offices Strategy to develop RQs: Form a small group of actors/projects. Actors like EEA (Ethiopian Economic Association) could play a useful role here, hire a student? Who leads the activity: Kees Swaans Time line to report back the developments: October 17 morning (Kees to call on a small group meeting)

2. Clarity on key messages of communication: Internal communication is done effectively. However evidence based communication is important including the processes and progress updates. High level communication is done to a wider context including government high officials through big fora like workshops, IP meetings. But follow up of changes as a result of the communication (what happens when people go back from the workshops and meetings?) needs to be followed up and documented. Peter to design a strategy and communicate

3. Inclusiveness of other projects in N5 in networking and analysis: This is happening but what lacks is the consolidation part. Including all NBDC projects in the national IP might create domination of the research over other disciplines. Suggested to organize different forum for NBDC as necessary (reflection meetings, ad hoc meetings, etc) Kees volunteered to take care of this. The next national IP meeting will be around mid December

4. Reduce N5 milestones to a less number: The current number of milestones is high and need to be reduced by merging related topics and by breaking the milestones in to time schedules. Tilahun to make modifications and report to the group by October 15

5. N5 Most Significant Change stories: The five stories developed in during the previous session were reduced to three as requested by the organizers. The three MSC stories are: (1) The emergence of more integrated agenda (land, livestock, in to water) in the process of working with a variety of stakeholders and disciplines. Related to domain 2, Tilahun to prepare the stories and report by October 15. (2) Amplified momentum for change in terms of implementing the different agenda. Related to domain 1, Kees and Tilahun to prepare the stories and report as above. (3) Communication facilitated cross learning within and went beyond NBDC. Related to domain 2, Peter to prepare the stories and report as above (4) ILRI-IWMI border narrowed (optional) Related to domain1, Don to prepare the stories and report as above

6. Preparations for the SA Forum: Tilahun together with staff from West Africa prepared the program by collecting agenda from other basins and dividing in to the different categories. Remaining works: (1) Organizing panel hard talk sessions – 2 candidates for the hard talk are Allain Vidal and __. Peter to lead the hard - talk session (2) Prepare posters (one could be on national IP). Kees to handle this (3) Finalize list of N5 participants for the forum. Tilahun to finalize and communicate

Insights of partners about the overall process of the workshop:

Dr Yitbarek (Wollo University): Good lessons for joint project development. There is a new project to start in 2 weeks time and obtained good knowledge and experience from the workshop to help the process of the new project in the university. Want to be part of the NBDC communication net work.

Samuel Desale (Arba Minch University): Very useful experience for project development, management, communications, partner identification, etc. Will share this to the other university community members

Mulat Teka (Tana Beles Integrated Water Resources Development Program): Communication is key to development. Learned a lot of new ideas from the workshop

Last words from Don Peden: Concern about limitations of communication beyond the Blue Nile basin. Communication should go beyond the Blue NBDC – concern of politics? Tilahun: Just building initial base currently. Already in contact with NBI and capitalize on it. ETV also asked Tilahun similar question and there might be a need to address this issue to the national IP and beyond

Appex1. List of participants of the N5 project highlights meeting

1. Samuel Desale – Arba Minch Unversity 2. Mare Addis – Wollo University 3. Mohammed Seid – Wollo University 4. Yitbarek W. Hawariat- Wollo University 5. Mulat Teka – TBIWRDP B1 component 6. Tilahun Amede – ILRI-IWMI 7. Kindie Getnet – IWMI 8. Kees Swaans – ILRI 9. Don Peden – ILRI 10. Peter Ballantyne – ILRI 11. Aberra Adie – ILRI-IWMI 12. Mulugeta H.Michael – ILRI-IWMI