Meeting+16

Agenda
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 * 1) Review ** action point tracker ** from last meeting
 * 2) Follow up from 'One NBDC / one research approach' discussions (Randall)
 * 3) Science meeting progress (Wolde)
 * 4) Inputs into next week's ILRI APM
 * 5) Possible inputs into IFAD share fair
 * 6) **Round of short updates** **for comms and coordination**(at every team meeting there will be this short round of updates on STEP: stories, travel, events, publications) and a round of what's up on the NBDC website and wiki.
 * Events and travel plans?
 * Publications?
 * Other stories?
 * **Wiki:**
 * **Please update the key contacts list!**
 * Meeting minutes from last team meeting


 * AOB?


 * Next team meeting: ** Thursday 13 June 2013 ** . **(Ewen away)

**Check the list of action points and find them in red in the minutes below.**

Minutes
**Attending**: Alemseged, Mengist, Belay, Katherine, Randall, Beth, Kate, Alan, Ewen + Doug, Eva and Josie via Skype.

Reviewing action point tracker
=== **Follow up from //One NBDC// / One approach to research in NBDC + follow up science meeting July 2013** ===
 * NBDC folks have sent in templates for their contributions, except for An Notenbaert (5 templates pending), one from Zelalem, and one from Katherine. We have 9 additional contributions that were not previously on the Framework- I still need to update the Framework accordingly. All in all, I think this effort has been really successful at harvesting the bits of science everyone has been working on.
 * I have collected 27 templates, with 7 still outstanding. There was some discussion a month or so ago about coming up with a way to link these templates to the Framework, or some sort of software to do that off of the wiki (?). What is the current thinking on this? What is the best way for NBDC team members to access this information and do some synthesis on their own? Ewen- any thoughts?? ACTION: Ewen to get back to everyone on this.
 * We have fallen behind the tentative schedule we set a few weeks ago to do some synthesis based on these templates, request some additional abstracts for the science conference, and then do some strategizing on how to take the science forward. Alan has been away, and Simon has been either tied up or travelling as well. The synthesis is the critical part right now.

__Comments__: No abstract coming from any senior scientist and none looking at integration. 8 abstracts received. Deadline is 15 May. Most coming from students and from Berhanu. 6 abstracts expected from Teklu's students. In total expecting 8-9 abstracts from students. Ayele and Bedassa (livestock students) might be interested. Mengistu could submit sthg about the Fogera work + 5 ?? to discuss with Katherine. ACTION: Mengistu to discuss with Katherine about possible production of abstracts for science meeting.

Beth is working on some of these abstracts but won't be around during the science meeting. Discussed this with Josie, Eva, Zelalem and Aklilu to discuss 3 abstracts that would be interlinked on the baseline research exercise (on planning/implementation processes), power representation in IPs and third about tools/methods we have been using. These would be interlinked abstracts and could be used to link with other work in other components.

The One NBDC templates could also be used to prompt abstracts for next week. ACTION: Doug to prompt other abstracts based on templates from Randall. ACTION: Randall to put them on the wiki + send an email to One NBDC group. Doug is also considering one on integrated R4D.

Tilahun keen to come to the meeting and we could find a role for him e.g. to do synthesis work based on the body of abstracts. Although this synthesis work would have to consider the combination of abstracts. The discussions at the science workshop could also inform further work. During the Science meeting, we could ask people like Tilahun to synthesise the work around that specific abstract. We haven't thought enough about the future and this would be a good way to focus on this and to consider implications for One NBDC. We can discuss the synthesis of these abstracts after the submission of these abstracts and prior to the Science meeting.

The Science meeting was a reaction to the messages that Doug & others have prepared focusing on process but not so much on technical aspects. It was meant as a forum for these more technical contributions. It was also partly a reaction to interactive workshops and the fact that they want more traditional meetings to harvest information. The synthesis was not originally in the picture.

At the end of each abstract session we could also have a short synthesis session to possibly commission synthesis work. We're hoping to get 15-20 abstracts. 20' for each session. To review the abstracts, Simon, Alan, Katherine, Wolde etc. to review them. If we get similar abstracts from the students we might want to be selective and to develop posters. One of the abstracts was on the Awash valley.

ACTION: Simon organise a process to connect the 'One NBDC meeting' and the Science meeting.

**Inputs into ILRI's APM next week**


 * Inputs NBDC into APM:
 * What (max 5) publications? From rhetoric to reality?
 * Latest briefs.
 * Rhetoric into reality (to print out).
 * PV 1 video
 * Digital stories (Zerihun to check)
 * (f we get to it) 1 poster on methods about power and representation?
 * Apollo has a video about the first Wat-A-Game workshop + interviews
 * What happening?
 * Someone speaking?
 * Presenting the lessons learned from the IH process?
 * What questions do we have to bring forward? 3-5 things that you’d like to highlight from your project and that the rest of ILRI staff should know about. This will be useful for whoever is manning the stand at a given time to advocate for all projects, not just the one they’re involved in. A flyer or some simple info sheet about each project would really help in this sense too!
 * Use key messages - reactions to the messages?
 * 15' to introduce the framework (5 slides + print the framework out).
 * What posters or videos to feature?
 * Kindu’s UNEP/Wollo ones?
 * Who can help man the stand? At what time?
 * Tuesday 2.30pm-5pm
 * Alan
 * Ewen
 * Zelalem
 * Gerba
 * Perhaps an overview of all issues and how this connects with other stands/projects/side sessions (e.g. AR, PV etc.)

Possible inputs into IFAD Water Share Fair
Possible inputs into IFAD share fair.

We can organise a stand. Simon can be briefed. Nicole Lefore will be around. ACTION: Katherine to contact Nicole and Simon about this based on information sent by Ewen.

Background info from Ewen about this: // Just talked to Tonya Schuetz about possible participation of NBDC in the IFAD water Share Fair (21 May). A good opportunity to see how our research approach / outputs / outcomes are received by development actors such as IFAD. // // Options: //
 * // Holding a NBDC stand with publications (building upon the ILRI APM). //
 * // Having a short facilit-gated session about any theme/approach that matters to us. //
 * // Possibly inviting an external expert or participant (an IP participant would also be an option) to participate in the IFAD annual meeting and share fair. //
 * // More information about this coming up soon but as is... Anyone interested in any of this? //
 * // Who can help with this? //
 * // About what? //
 * // Invite an external participant? //
 * // Other idea is just to bring publications – can someone help man the stand? //

Round of updates
All 3 IPs conducted a review of what worked or not. We asked them to formulate action plans for coming years. We organised a capacity building workshop and had (technical) sub-groups who came to Addis. They were trained on IP facilitation, PAR etc. to improve pilot interventions. They look at specific research questions in relation to resource management issues. They are on the way towards implementation and we're using innovation fund for that. They have to be ready this month as they'll be planting early June (on the same sites but expanding on other areas). Last year seeds couldn't be bought. All of this is being documented and turned into digital stories. All of it will be put into the wiki, by ourselves and IP members themselves (from NGOs). We have excellent relations with the national research institutes. Beth developed a template used during the capacity building workshop. Some of the questions will be used for research around pilot sites. Q: Can they assess their livelihoods? A: We are working on this with them. They also had a SLATE training (pending in Jeldu, done in Diga and Fogera). This will be linked with Wat-A-Game. Beth has to draw a timeline for how this all fits in. We have these sub groups in IPs. Beth to develop a concept note to bring all of this together and connect with WLE, Humidtropics, Africa RISING. There's possibly funding left from ODI to work on some of this. Second wat-a-game workshop in Fogera. Beth approached last week by Emily Schmidt (IFPRI). Workshop at Hilton tomorrow. Beth presenting Wat-a-game and IPs, Simon presenting NBDC, Berhanu presenting modeling work with Emily. There's room for that. They approached us for this. Beth presenting sthg at the AIS workshop. Next month, PhD student from UK on agent-based modeling coming to do a workshop on higher level decision makers to present a model about farmer decision-making on NRM and to see. A seminar could take place around this.
 * Beth**:
 * Stories (about that, about learning event) whenever possible
 * Events / travel: Nairobi 25-31 May.
 * Publication: Josie and Beth working on publication about power dynamics (due end of May).


 * Kees**:
 * Steering Committee meeting (maybe Belay or Simon can shortly say how the meeting went); was successful; TOR revised; reflection on last National Platform meeting and key messages NBDC, outline regional workshop Bahir Dar, and plans concerning continuation of platform (independent from SLM, but feeling and linking into it)
 * Basin story; if Doug joins, maybe he can give a quick update (otherwise Ewen, even though he only seen the e-mail exchanges); review document and interviews have started Doug plans to have draft by 25 May to be shared with extended core team for feedback; draft report and feedback can serve as input for Lima peer assist
 * Follow up on regional workshop: Belay, maybe can you say something about plan (no change since SC meeting).

Basin leaders meeting (peer assist) in Lima in early June (rep'g NBDC there) to draw together on various basins, looking at institutional history (3-8 June). July 15-16, CPWF have a session at the FARA African Science Week around IPs. Alan rep'g NBDC with different people from all other African basins.
 * Alan**:

**Kathy**: Finishing up a paper in collaboration between Beth, Emily and myself. 2 interns from Emory coming over to roll out Wat-a-game but probably not in the end though they should be involved in NBDC to go to the field. It could be related to a simplified version of the process.

Steering committee meeting last month. Good discussions on various including on sustainability and ownership after NBDC. Belay shared early findings from consultations and got feedback. Mixed messages: some support merging with existing coordination mechanism around Red-FS technical committee, others want the platform out of that line but linked with SLM technical committee. We have decided to organise another meeting in June.
 * Belay**:

Regional Bahir Dar meeting: we decided to organise on 23-24 July this regional NBDC meeting with the steering committee. They want to see a draft program shared with regional partners. We have to agree on thematic areas etc. ACTION: Belay and Kees to draft program and formally communicate with regional partners (ARARI, Amhara BoA etc.). 60 participants expected from the 3 regions (BG, Amhara, Oromia + reps from Tigray). They started to assign focal persons to organise this. What remains is the program, thematic areas, who should be there etc.

Mostly work on institutional history. On track.
 * Doug**:

Finalising report on political ecology of NRM and it will be ready in the coming 2 days. This includes power relations, knowledge etc. and relationships + decisions. ACTION: Ewen and Josie to come back to Mengist.
 * Mengistu**:

A bit disengaged from modeling but submitted abstract for special issue on social science and hydrology. Looking at combination of hydrology, economy etc. Looking here at alternative performance indicators for water productivity. It doesn't work well. Different indicator and let's see if the journal takes it. Nice fast-tracked process. The idea would be to bring it in the integrated modeling. Travelling to Nairobi for IWMI techies' meeting + looking at water productivity at various scales (11-14 June).
 * Randall**:

Beth covered what ODI will do. Working on journal article on power dynamics in IPs + working on equity over the next few months. ODI working on finalising / turning political economy report into working paper (by Aklilu). This could be part of a series with rhetoric & realities etc. + paper on tools used in platforms. Eva and Nat Mason are working on EAU4Food. Thinking about writing a comparative piece about platforms in both projects : what worked where. Put in an abstract for AIS workshop comparing RiPPLE, EAU4Food and NBDC. Possibly developing an article on that basis. Working with Beth on a group of abstracts for the science workshop - wondering who from ODI should attend and if there's anything else going on during that time. That's the next travel plan next to Nairobi writeshop.
 * Josie**:


 * Next team meeting: ** Thursday 20 June 2013 ** . Thematic conversation: ** Perhaps working on an exercise about local IPs and how long this will be going forward or not. How to deal with this. ACTION: Beth and team to prepare a short paragraph about this and 2-3 lead questions.