Melanesia Farmer First Network Project Start up Workshop

Wewak, Papua New Guinea

27-29th November, 2007

Facilitated by:

Supported by:

Melanesia Farmer First Network Wewak 2007 Project Start up Workshop

Participants:
Name 1. Inia Barry (Network Coordinator, MFFN) 2. Aryamitra Maheshkar (VSO volunteer HELP Resources) 3. Marilyn Peri (Coordinator, CBHC Tari) 4. Rose Klali (Coordinator, CBHC Western Highlands) 5. Anastacia Mekea (Women and Youth Coordinator, Osi Tanata) 6. Evah Kuamin (HELP Resources) 7. Pitakia Tikai (Searem Project Manager, KGA) 8. Pedros Lifo (Bishop) (Program Coordinator Ambunti, HELP Resources) 9. Chris Maingu (Director, HELP Resources) 10. Tony Jansen (Network Support Team, TerraCircle) 11. Godfrey A Kapoi (Community Mobilisation Coordinator) 12. Jill Bosro (Program Manager, Ambunti, HELP Resources Address MFFN. C/- KGA PO Box 742, Honiara, Solomon Islands HELP Resources, PO Box 1071 Wewak, SHP, PNG PO Box 35, Tari, SHP, PNG PO box 456, Mt Hagen, WH, PNG PO box 814, Buka, ARB, PNG PO Box 1071 Wewak, ESP, PNG PO Box 742 Honiara, Solomon Islands Ambunti Centre PO Box 738 Wewak, ESP, PNG PO Box 1071 Wewak, ESP, PNG 34 Paterson Lane, Byron Bay, NSW, 2481 Australia Help Resources PO Box 1075 Wewak, ESP, PNG Po Box 1071 Wewak, ESP, PNG Email / Phone / skype (677) 39138 (677) 30840 iniab@kastomgaden.org skype: iniabw arya_137@yahoo.com Ph: 675 5408055 / M: 6958771 Marilyn_peri07@yahoo.com waraijoseph@yahoo.com.au M: 72231166 Ph: 675 2799908 M: 675 687 6009 Email: c/- Ben, Osi Tanata Ph: (675)8561615 Fax: (675) 856 1453
M:6947017

loloh.kuamin@gmail.com Ph: (677) 39551 M: (677) 78643 Skype: pitakia Ph: (675) 8585126 Fax: (675) 8585124 c/- jillbosro@daltron.com.pg cmaingu@hotmail.com Ph: (61) 2 8003 5479 tonyj@kastomgaden.org Skype: tonywokabout Or: tonyandcynthiabyronbay (675) 856 1615

Ph: (675) 8585126 Fax: (675) 8585124 jillbosro@daltron.com.pg skype: merisepik

FSA, Vanuatu, was unable to send a representative due to other commitments.

Melanesia Farmer First Network Wewak 2007 Project Start up Workshop

Contents
Participants:................................................................................................................................................................................................2 Contents......................................................................................................................................................................................................3 Day 1 ...........................................................................................................................................................................................................5 Introduction .................................................................................................................................................................................................5 Presentation of Project Overview .............................................................................................................................................................5 Project Overview ..................................................................................................................................................................................5 A few of the achievements of the last project:...................................................................................................................................5 The main difficulties .............................................................................................................................................................................5 Why have a network ? .........................................................................................................................................................................6 Scaling up what is the approach of the network............................................................................................................................6 Project structure 3 main parts ..........................................................................................................................................................6 2. External Network..............................................................................................................................................................................6 3. Network management .....................................................................................................................................................................6 Sustainability.........................................................................................................................................................................................7 Group discussion on network project.......................................................................................................................................................7 Expectations for the week .........................................................................................................................................................................7 Need to discuss / plan this week ........................................................................................................................................................7 Need more information ........................................................................................................................................................................8 Concerns (these were interpreted as general concerns in the context of the partners work) ......................................................8 Anything else ........................................................................................................................................................................................8 Partner Program Presentations ................................................................................................................................................................8 HELP RESOURCES..................................................................................................................................................................................9 Help Resources Organisational Structure .........................................................................................................................................9 CBHC ........................................................................................................................................................................................................10 Holistic Health involves:.....................................................................................................................................................................10 CBHC Tari sustainable agriculture (MFFN and now Oxfam NZ) ..............................................................................................10 HIV programs......................................................................................................................................................................................10 Water and Sanitation ......................................................................................................................................................................10 Sustainability ...................................................................................................................................................................................10 Structure of CBHC .............................................................................................................................................................................11 Issues ..................................................................................................................................................................................................11 Osi Tanata lukautim ples (in Kieta language)......................................................................................................................................11 Osi Tanata Program...........................................................................................................................................................................11 New programs ....................................................................................................................................................................................11 Special Program .................................................................................................................................................................................11 Women and youth (Anastasias responsibility) ............................................................................................................................11 Other Bougainville network partners ................................................................................................................................................11 Kastom Gaden Association.....................................................................................................................................................................12 The program of KGA..........................................................................................................................................................................12 New KGA organisational Structure...................................................................................................................................................13 CONSTRAINTS:.................................................................................................................................................................................13 Discussion...........................................................................................................................................................................................14 FSA Plans for MFFN supported program: ......................................................................................................................................14 Linkages and exchanges.........................................................................................................................................................................14 Evening of Day One: Discussion about Genetically Modified Organisms.........................................................................................15 PID presentation and discussion ............................................................................................................................................................15 Steps in PID ........................................................................................................................................................................................15 Group discussion................................................................................................................................................................................16 Discussion:..........................................................................................................................................................................................16 Inia presented a slide show about PROLINNOVA:.........................................................................................................................16 Sample from PROLINNOVA brochure:............................................................................................................................................16 Decisions by partners on the application of PID in their local programs. .....................................................................................17 Partner program planning workshops ....................................................................................................................................................17 Dates: ..................................................................................................................................................................................................17 Policy working group................................................................................................................................................................................18 Priority policies: ........................................................................................................................................................................................18 Discussion:..........................................................................................................................................................................................18 Guidelines.................................................................................................................................................................................................18 MFFN program ...................................................................................................................................................................................18 Monitoring ...........................................................................................................................................................................................19 Notes to discussion on guidelines: ...................................................................................................................................................19 ADVOCACY AIMS (2006).......................................................................................................................................................................19 Goal: ....................................................................................................................................................................................................19

Melanesia Farmer First Network Wewak 2007 Project Start up Workshop

Most Significant Change (MSC) monitoring tool ...................................................................................................................................20 Steps to MSC......................................................................................................................................................................................20 Stories from participants....................................................................................................................................................................20 Yagolo story on seed saving and nutrition.......................................................................................................................................20 Subsistence farmers to commercial farming ...................................................................................................................................20 Farmer who went to Vanuatu ............................................................................................................................................................21 Selection of story................................................................................................................................................................................21 Evening program:.....................................................................................................................................................................................21 Communication Strategy .........................................................................................................................................................................22 Current main communication strategies within organisations........................................................................................................22 Scoring totals in order from most used form of communication to least used: ............................................................................23 Timeline Exercise with group: Dec 2007-Dec 2008: ..........................................................................................................................23 Other matters............................................................................................................................................................................................23 Annual training course.............................................................................................................................................................................23 Reports......................................................................................................................................................................................................23 Representation at meetings ....................................................................................................................................................................24 Gender follow up on gender workshop in Honiara .............................................................................................................................24 Partner start up dates for Restart after Christmas:...............................................................................................................................24 Evaluation .................................................................................................................................................................................................26 The Most Significant Change Approach: Summary of the Steps Used by Dart et al ........................................................................29 The Most Significant Change Approach (according to Dart et al ) ................................................................................................29

Melanesia Farmer First Network Wewak 2007 Project Start up Workshop

Day 1 Introduction
The purpose of the three day workshop was to bring the partners together for planning at the start up of the new MFFN 2007-2010 project funded by Oxfam Australia and APHEDA. This project is the second phase of funding for the MFFN network which began in 2003. The workshop had 12 participants representing 4 of the 5 current MFFN network partner NGOs. Facilitation was done by Tony Jansen (TerraCircle) and Inia Barry (MFFN Coordinator). The workshop was followed by a one day field trip to HELP Resources project site in Ambunti in the central part of the Sepik river region. The aim of the workshop was: ! To introduce and plan the implementation of the new 3 year Oxfam Australia funded MFFN project ! Share experiences on: Participatory Innovation Development approach; partner planning workshops already completed, and overall current partner programs and status. ! Learn about the program of Help Resources and how MFFN partners can link and work with HELP Resources. Each year there will be one annual review and planning workshop involving all of the partners.

Presentation of Project Overview

Tony gave a slide show of the main components of the new project:
Project O ver vie w

Funded by Oxfam Australian and APHEDA

A few of the achi eve ments of the last proje ct:

Exchanges partners have learned from each other Small grants - gap filling and strategic activities supported MFFN is well respected network in Pacific region Advanced participatory approaches and sustainable agriculture in region putting farmer first. Overcame some communication problems - more to be done Established a viable network (social capital and formal structures are in place) Internal barriers to change within partner organizations / varying capacity Need for clearer policies and strategy for influencing role in region Dependence at times on NC and network management not so active in implementation of the network as a whole Irregular communication and reporting, perhaps overly flexible at times

The main difficulties

New Networ k Proje ct Purpose and components:

To provide more effective farmer centred SA services in rural areas of Melanesia to improve food security and livelihoods through NGOs gaining increased support, knowledge and connections between NGOs themselves, and other stakeholders. Component 1:

Melanesia Farmer First Network Wewak 2007 Project Start up Workshop

Enhance the sharing of knowledge and experiences in SA between partners and through local sharing networks Component 2: Increase the linkages of partners to external resources, organizations (GO and NGO) and information in order to improve their SA programs and their influencing capability as a regional group networking to address wider issues Component 3: Engage in advocacy and influencing in the region and beyond on SA and farmer centred approaches to SA in Melanesia by taking partners experiences and issues to a wider audience Component 4: Effective network and project management
Why have a networ k ?

Exciting and successful new approaches (technical, process and organisational) that MFFN partners are at the forefront of Need to influence government, donors, regional and national organisations to have a wider impact and scaling up of local success Partners can support, assist and inspire each other Provide a voice for rural farmers in Melanesia and some representation of their needs at different levels Up to two new members may join each year (i.e. 7-9 members by the end of the project) Developing local networks led by each partner in their local area of influence Documentation at partner and network level and the sharing of this documentation Advocacy Internal network External network Network management Local networking through joint field activities Documentation Staff / lead farmer ToT Improved communication and ICT Exchanges between partners and local networks Partnership agreements: $A11,445 per year per partner (A$34k over 3 years) Annual ToT type training course for all partners Share experiences of partners more widely (website, conferences, documentation, papers, meetings and advocacy) Identify & direct resources from external network to partners and to grass roots level in general Key external network actors include: SPC, national departments of agriculture, FAO, PROLINNOVA, Seed Savers network, other donors, and many more Full time Network Coordinator (NC) Housed under KGA in Solomon Islands Network management / board

Scaling up what is the approach of the networ k.

Project stru cture 3 main parts

1. Partner programs (internal n etwor k)

2. Ext ernal Netwo rk

3. Networ k management

Melanesia Farmer First Network Wewak 2007 Project Start up Workshop

Network Support Team from TerraCircle (mentoring and backstopping NC, assist with animation of external and internal network, information system). M&E systems for each partner and network as a whole Annual review and planning workshop Strengthening partners own programs and capacity / advocate increased support to NGOs from govt. and donors Diversify support base of network More effective use of resources Decentralized activities and approaches (eg email) as fall back if no major network funds in future

Sustainability

Group discussion on network project

! Policies are needed for the network eg on genetic modified food and others. The network (with a common voice of members) is a good opportunity to push important issues on regional level. Need to be clear about what are the areas for influencing priorities of the network. Opportunity to link more with Oxfam eg on coffee advocacy or fair trade or mining advocacy. New mine planned in border area of ESP and Enga province will have an impact on ESP communities in Sepik. HELP Resources is looking at these issues as part of its disaster preparedness program with Oxfam. Both Bougainville and Southern Highlands are provinces where mining issues have or are impacting communities where the partners are working. Are there strategies or guidelines for the networks engagement of government for example should it be on local (provincial level) or at national level? Need to clarify. Is there a strategy or guidelines from MFFN for funding of activities? Discussion about wether this is needed or not. Felt it might be a danger if too prescriptive but guidelines might be useful. The new project has more of a structure for partner funding than in the previous phase which was explained. What is meant by scaling up? Discussion about different means to achieve wider replication of success. For example the spread of soil improving methods/technologies. The Network aims to not only support and share experiences between the partners but also to spread successful approaches to others and new areas beyond where the partners are currently operating.

! !

! !

Expectations for the week

Four blank charts were put onto the wall. The group was broken into 3 groups of 3 people each to discuss ideas and write their points on cards for each of the following three headings:
Need to discuss / plan this we ek

! ! ! ! ! ! !

Strategies and outcomes from previous workshops Gender and human rights Linkages with government agencies should be dealing with them as well in our network at local and network level Management needs to make some decision and clearer guidelines on roles of NC and what should be referred to management How to do documentation of IK how to acknowledge the farmer in terms of IPR when MFFN shares farmers knowledge. MOU on housing MFFN in KGA New MFFN partner (HELP resources)

Melanesia Farmer First Network Wewak 2007 Project Start up Workshop

! ! ! ! ! !

Policies for MFFN Linkage between MFFN partners Exchange program between partners Current relationship between partners Strengths and weakness of MFFN MFFN budget in detail.

Need more information

! ! ! ! ! ! ! !

Policies at government level. MFFN role is at regional level need to define MFFN role in advocacy. Partners role on their own how to influence policies with government for sustainable approaches Does not mean that MFFN has to do this could be just linking up with relevant organization and disseminate their information. Budget and partners network should there be a general guideline on small grant. Partners network how can we strengthen network. Budgetary headings within the grants have they been determined? Climate change (for evening information sharing) Marketing (for evening information sharing) HIV AIDS (for evening information sharing) GMO (for evening information sharing) Budget (small grant partners and network)

Concern s (these wer e interpret ed as general conce rns in the context of the partner s wor k)

! Land issues ! Population ! Appropriate flow of funds and resources ! Transparency ! Ownership by the local people of programs ! Crop genetic erosion ! Pest and disease In addition there were two concerns about MFFN: ! Sustainability of MFFN program at end of Oxfam funding ! Monitoring and evaluation of MFFN the limited amount of information collected and evidence of impact. Challenges of monitoring a network.
Anything else

Awareness and advocacy

Some changes were made to the workshop program to accommodate the issues raised.

Partner Program Presentations

Each partner was asked to give a 15 minute presentation on their current organisational program. This was followed by 15 minutes of discussion. The aim was to share programs and give other partners information to help them to identify potential areas where they can share experiences.

Melanesia Farmer First Network Wewak 2007 Project Start up Workshop

HELP RESOURCES
Chris Maingu presented the Help Resources program. Some of the diagrams he presented are included below.

Help Resources Organisational Structur e

EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Information Services Administration

DISTRICT COORDINATOR DISTRICT Maprik COORDINATOR Ambunti DISTRICT PROGRAM MANAGER EXTERNAL RELATIONS MANAGER COORDINATOR Angoram CLEANER DRIVER

FINANCE MANAGER

FINANCIAL ASSISTANT

OPEN LEARNING ASSISTANT

TRAINING TEAM LEADER

LIBRARIAN

TELECENTRE MANAGER

MEDIA & ADVOCACY COORDINATOR RADIO TEAM

GRAPHIC DESIGNER

GENDER & HUMAN RIGHTS COORDINATO GENDER & R HUMAN RIGHTS TRAINING TEAM

SEXUAL HEALTH COORDINATO SEXUAL R HEALTH TRAINING TEAM

CITIZENS EDUCATION & COMMUNITY MOBILIZATION CE & CM TRAINING TEAM

SUSTAINABLE LIVELIHOODS

LIBRARY TEAM

TELECENTRE TEAM

COMMUNITY ART ASSISTANT

LIVELIHOODS TRAINING TEAM

The agriculture and food security work and the MFFN activities will come under the livelihoods program. ! A detailed presentation on the HELP Resources Men and Boys Behaviour change program was made one evening. ! IN additiona all participants were given a tour of the HELP Resources centre and office in Wewak and visited one project field site at Ambunti and a nearby vocational centre and a guesthouse along the river. ! Tobias Niruwia is the HELP food security Coordinator. ! HELP has a good connection with NARI already. Would plan to invite DAL to come to the workshop as well.

Melanesia Farmer First Network Wewak 2007 Project Start up Workshop

CBHC
Marilyn Peri presented on the CBHC program. CBHC has two main programs one is the core health program currently funded by NZAID and the other is the agriculture focussed Community Health and Agriculture Support Program (CHASP) program funded initially by MFFN as a pilot and now by Oxfam NZ.
Holistic H ealth invol ves:

! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! !

Train community health volunteers and community health committees. Village birth attendants Training of trainers Community entry and mobilisation (community centre)- in Hagen these have radios, communication equipment to talk with the office link to cooperatives coffee and marketing Community banking service and savings Micro finance Womens skills cooking and sewing

CBHC Western Highlands has recently signed an MOU with Fresh Produce Development Agency.(FPDA also based in western highlands) (this came about as a result of Rolan Gunn from CBHC attending an MFFN meeting in Honiara see the story in Most Significant Change section) Community policing and community carpentry have been part of the program but are not very active at the moment. Although she reports that there has not been any tribal war involvement in communities that are part of CBHC Tari which is a significant achievement and reflects the level of change in those communities.
CBHC Tari sustainable agriculture (MFFN and now Ox fam NZ)

! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! !

CHASP livestock (rabbit, chicken and fish) Linkage with national fisheries for machine to make fish feed. Entrepreneurial support supply materials, teach how to produce, help to look for markets, provide supplies and training to local farmers in that community Support farm at koli seed saving. Piggery very good for income generation HIV & AIDS (PJV partnership) PLWHVA (People living with HIV AIDS) Awareness in schools, womens group, Provincial Aids Council linkage Want to support 50 per year - currently working with 13

HIV programs

Water and Sanitation

Partnership with EU and Oxfam assisting 5 communities with water projects.

Sustainability

CBHC currently works in Tari, Wewak and Hagen only. But have plans to expand to more places in the country. There are concerns over their capacity to do this. Want to look at fair trade coffee have asked Oxfam to help. Have made four exports of non fair trade coffee to date from Tari. A buyer in Mt Hagen is the exporter. It has resulted in a big increase in income to the growers and also part of the income goes into a savings scheme run by CBHC which is helping households to put the money to wiser use. How to maintain quality control with a cooperative in each community. Do training on quality control for coffee. Each community has their own export licence. Much of the coffee is sold to Coffee Pacifica in Goroka there is a factory.

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Structure of C BHC

NHM Board (Nazarene Health Ministry Board) Director (Primary Health Care) District coordinator (Tari, Sepik, WHP)
Issue s

! ! !

NZAID is currently reviewing the project. They are insisting CBHC has to have clearer exit plans for period beyond funding. ITC and communication still problem want to get email and lap top working. Have to go to PJV right now to get email. Help with Koli support farm want to certify trainers to go and teach in other communities.

Osi Tanata lukautim ples (in Kieta language)

Osi Tanata was representing the Bougainville local network but Anastacia chose to present on her organization alone as she is not familiar with PEDC.
Osi Tanata Program

! ! ! ! ! ! !

Small scale business sewing and cooking for women Report writing ToT Roles and responsibility for organizations and various skills for CBOs. Disaster Management Preparedness. OTIBS for unfortunate youths eg school drop outs Goroka Water For Survival program Osi Tanata is coordinating a program of water supply in Bougainville for this organization. (same program/organisation as with CBHC - Oxfam NZ project with EU). Working with copra mill cooperative society trying to register with IPA. is a womens cooperative

New programs

Special Program

Women and youth (Anastasias responsibility)

UNICEF identified drug and alcohol abuse as issue. They are planning on doing a proposal on awareness on these issues.
Other Bougainville net work partner s

Inia gave a brief presentation on the plans of PEDC and their local partners following his visit earlier this year. ! ! ! ! ! MFFN support will go to the partners to develop their ability for skills transfer in agriculture. PEDC has very good technologies and information but want to engage those specialised people through the network partners. PEDC staff will travel with Osi Tanata to conduct training (and perhaps to do some assessment of what are the priorities in those areas). Bougainville Food Security Network plans to hold a second meeting and make plans on how the program will work in February 2008. Getting information from partner has been a problem Osi Tanata might be in a good position to support PEDC and facilitate reporting. Need is for a formal agreement on how this work.

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For more information refer to Inias report on his 2007 visit to Bougainville a summary of which will be posted on the MFFN website.

Kastom Gaden Association

Pita Tikae made a presentation on KGA.
The program of KGA

KGA currently is involved in 13 main projects. These are: 1. Searem Niu Plant long Gaden a project that is diversifying staple food crops (Sweet potato, cassava, African yam) through introduction of new varieties and sharing and awareness raising on conserving existing varieties. Funded by AusAID 2. Sustainable Livelihoods for Isolated Rural Areas working with 3 remote regions to diversifying food crops and introduce new means of earning income based on food processing and value adding. The project is also conducting in depth food security assessments and developing stakeholder networks for advocacy to improve services in each of the project areas. Funded by AusAID 3. Feeding Village Poultry is a project that is working with department of agriculture, a college and farmer schools to research the right type of rations to feed local breeds of chickens. The rations are based on locally available or easy to grow ingredients and the aim is to develop recommendations to improve small scale poultry raising at the village level. The project involves technical research, farmer field trials and networks. The project is funded by ACIAR 4. Young Farmers Apprentice is a project that is supporting young people to have practical agriculture skills training attachments with Kastom Gaden and the network of farmer schools. The skills are in organic farming, improved local poultry, agro forestry, and others. The project is funded by EU Micro Projects. 5. Young Farmer Program is a project funded by Oxfam Australia that is providing in village training programs and support networks for young people to establish farming livelihoods working with their families. The project works in 2 provinces with local CBOs, resource people and youths. The project ran for 3 years and is about to be completed but a new project is being discussed with Oxfam. 6. Integrated Plant Protection for Solomon Islands. KGA Is one of a number of NGO partners in this project led by the department of agriculture working with SPC and TerraCircle. The project is working on solutions and capacity building for a number of major pest and disease problems on staple food crops and important cash crops. KGA is conducting farmer trials on taro disease management, farmer field schools on organic farming and has assisted with local language leaflets on disease management for yams, taro and water melon. Funded by ACIAR.

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7. 8.

9.

10.

11.

12. 13.

AVRDC is about to start work with a network of groups including KGA on a project to strengthen the supply of seeds for vegetable marketing to improve livelihoods. KGAs PMN seed network will be strengthened in this project. Funded by ACIAR. CIP is working with a range of stakeholders to conduct research into the removal of virus from sweet potato with expected increases in yields. This project is strongly linked to the Searem project and provides technical capacity building. Funded by ACIAR. Farmer Fresh is the marketing arm of KGA. Farmer fresh serves about 30 customers in Honiara with a mixed basket of fresh organic produce sourced from PMN/KGA member farmers. The project aims to become a self sustaining business. Farmer Fresh is currently supported by ICCO. Planting Material Network is a national farmers network funded by farmers own membership fees. The network produces and shares open pollinated locally adapted vegetable seed more than 100 varieties. The network also forms the membership base for all of KGA projects. Tsunami agriculture rehabilitation KGA is conducting some relief work in Tsunami effected communities in Western and Choiseul Provinces. The projects involve supply of planting materials, home gardening skills training for displaced communities and bulking and reintroduction of pigs and chicken breeding stock lost in the disaster. The components are funded by World Vision and from a donation by Lonely Planet through the Rain Forest Information Centre. MFFN funded by Oxfam Australia and APHEDA. Taking the first steps is an institutional strengthening project that is working with the staff and partners of KGA to facilitate a new organisational structure to respond to the growth of the organization and the increasing demand for its services. The project is supported by TerraCircle and funded by Community Sector Program of AusAID.

New KGA organisational Stru cture

CONSTRA INTS:

! ! !

Geographic location of provinces Lack of funds to support on going programs Transport, communication too expensive

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! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! !

Lack of funds to support on going programs Transport and communication too expensive Capacity too stretch. Presented change in structure. Youth rural and urban New structure presented and discussed What about community contribution What about farmers paying something for services? HELP would like food security officer to go to KGA and learn about bulking, village chickens project etc. Very good program to be promoting the local varieties of food.

Discus sion

FSA
Plans for MFFN supported program:

! ! ! ! ! ! !

Want to move planting materials (root crops and spices, wild yams) to six Rural Training Centres (RTCs). RTCs then bulking up the planting materials for local distribution. Original source of materials is FSA farmers in Efate. Documentation: more on spices. Extension process for spice farmers will be the focus. Contact person for FSA will be Peter Kaoh. Peter is to produce budget and is currently working on a three year plan. Peter was still to finalise RTC involvement and role in the program at an FSA meeting. Charles from FSA was reluctant to have another meeting with other stakeholders as suggested by MFFN. He prefers to just get on with practical work and build the partnership through joint field work rather than meetings. Cathy from VDRTC has been communicating with Peter.

For more information refer to the Network Coordinators report on his recent visit to Vanuatu and discussions with FSA and other stakeholders.

Linkages and exchanges

A brainstorm using a linkages matrix was done with the group to discuss ideas for possible sharing of knowledge and experience between the partners based on the presentations:
Partner KGA KGA Osi Tanata Coffee, quality control and management / co-ops CBHC FSA HELP Men and boys behaviour change, DTP, library operations Men and boys behaviour change Media, DTP, ICT, Internet; Men and boys behaviour change

Osi Tanata CBHC

Poultry feed making Food processing Innovative business studies program

FSA HELP

Attachments; local poultry; bulking of root crops

Learn about livelihood projects

Spice value adding.

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Actual exchanges will need to be integrated into local partner programs with a demonstration of how the exchanges will be followed up with some resources to put the lessons learned into action in that partners area.

Evening of Day One: Discussion about Genetically Modified Organisms.

Actions: ! MFFN to share information for partners to use in awareness raising and better information for partners and communities ! MFFN to take an advocacy position as being opposed to introduction of GMOs into Melanesia due to uncertainty over risks to environmental and human health and possible threat to future markets if Melanesia retains a GMO free status. (A policy position will need to be drafted)

Day 2
PID presentation and discussion
Inia gave a presentation on the Participatory Innovation Development (PID) model based on the PROLINNOVA training he attended on behalf of MFFN in Uganda and on the training he conducted with PROLINNOVAs Will Critchley in Solomon Islands in 2006. Some key points from the presentation: ! PID is a process where farmers work with extension workers and researchers to develop appropriate ways and means of livelihood experimentation. ! Innovator = someone who develops or tries new ideas without having been requested by an outsider to do so. New is something that was started in the innovators lifetime and not inherited from parents. ! Local innovation refers to a process by which people in a given social group develop new better ways of doing things using their own resources and their own initiatives without pressure or direct support from formal research services. ! Farmer innovation: may be technical or social innovation. May be by an individual or a group. To be useful must pass the TEES test Technically, Economically, Environmentally and Socially valid. ! Tradition, local innovation and technological leaps are three steps in technology development. Can have an improved tradition, a technological leap leads to a new practice, then innovation can lead to improved practice. ! Challenges around innovation is their evidence?; how to integrate researcher into the process; farmers dont always want to share their innovations (are we sharing or stealing); gender and age how to involve more youth and women. How to ensure the program is cost effective how to scale up, how to institutionalise. ! Innovation case studies in order to understand innovations we need to have good data and documentation. ! Innovations can have negative environmental impacts can be small scale or large innovations. ! There is a process if farmers do not want to share their intellectual property. ! This is an approach that is empowering to farmers to become leaders of certain technologies they are working on. ! Creativity, recycling of local resources, are typical steps in farmer innovation.
Steps in PID

1. Identify innovations (role of facilitator)

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2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10.

Verification, selection and recruitment Characterisation and analysis (facilitator and farmer) Form clusters of farmer innovators M&E set up and joint experimentation (involve technical people and researchers with farmer innovators (FI)) FI-FI network visits Study tours New ideas tested Farmers visit FIs FIs as trainers

Group discussion

Points to discuss: ! Can we adopt a PID approach in MFFN? ! Could we document innovations through MFFN? Inia then presented a comparison of Participatory Technology Development methodologies and Participatory Innovation Development methodology.
Discus sion:

! ! ! ! ! ! !

Some questions about the innovations case studies presented which generated a lot of interest and showed the potential for changing view points by showing how farmers innovate themselves and how their innovation can be supported through partnerships. Comparison of PTD and PID PID works more on the creative side and starts from the positive rather than starting from the problems PID does not need to follow any criteria in selecting technology Existing traditional technologies do not qualify for PID needs to be a modified or adapted technology. The group agreed that MFFN could try to document innovations through network TJ suggested this could be a good starting point and focus for partner programs although this is not required and is simply one option for the local partner programs. KGA is already doing some documentation have started with documenting some innovations gave example of Lionel Maelius use of Bixa as a decoy or trap plant to prevent damage of beans by a riptortus insects. Common elements of PROLINNOVA country programs: ! Inventories and database of local innovations, innovators and supporting organizations ! Setting up sub national / national multi stakeholder platforms for sharing and learning ! Building capacity and documenting local innovation and facilitating a PID process ! Farmer extensionists scientist planning and implementation of PID ! PM&E of joint activities, outcomes and impacts. For purpose of mutual learning

Inia present ed a slide show about PROLINN OVA:

Sample from PROL INNOV A brochu re:

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More information is available at the website: http://www.prolinnova.net

Decision s by partners on the application of PID in thei r l ocal programs.

CBHC could do a training in Tari with this approach (PID). CBHC clan recorders are currently doing a small arms survey and trauma cases. - Local stakeholders women groups, could invite NARI, ACIAR PNGfish farm training project and others. February could be a good time. Hagen CBHC could also be involved. - Oxfam is going to extend CHASP program in Western Highlands Joseph is writing the proposal. Osi Tanata could identify local farmers first. Come early to Bougainville. Could look at documenting PEDC innovations. Aim to hold meeting at PEDC with local stakeholders. Osi Tanata can take lead role to organise a meeting of Bougainville Food security Network. KGA: already started something a committee to identify local innovations. Teacher from KG6, DSAP, KGA, Claudine. Task is to come back with an innovation each only 3 have been documented. PROLINNOVA wants 12 innovations to be sent to them. HELP: PID seems like a good concept. Believe there are innovations there. It is a good time to start next year. Could try using this method. Have been delivering information to the rural areas but need to have means and ways of people working for themselves. Good starting point would be training. February March would be time.

Need to set dates and timeline (see timeline attached and partner workshops below).

Partner program planning workshops

Dates:

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! ! ! !

Bougainville: week of 3rd 9th Feb. 2008 Wewak: 10-16th Feb 2008 (workshop will be in Ambunti) Tari: 17-23rd Feb. 2008 KGA late Feb/early March 2008

Policy working group Priority policies:

A small working group came up with the following priority policies. The whole group then nominated organizations to draft the policies and suggest a time frame.
Priority 1 2 Policy Gender Vision for Sustainable Living (ie what does success of MFFN partners look like at household and community level) Rural Infrastructure (including roads, transport, energy, communication services as enabling rural agriculture improvement) Sustainable Agriculture (organic farming, position on GMO etc) Trade issues related to and impacting on agriculture Capacity Building Movement of planting materials between countries (complying with quarantine requirements) HIV (to be adapted from existing materials) Population growth & migration & youth.(Advocacy issue.) Who to draft HELP (All partners to discuss at partner planning meetings) Study HELP to come up with a concept on how to KGA TerraCircle and NC ? not yet assigned NC HELP ? not yet assigned To be done by Feb End of Feb summarise together Feb

3 4 5 5 Not scor ed Not scor ed

Discus sion:

March April ? to be determined Jan March

! !

Some of these relate more to advocacy. Population issues some debate on wether or not it is relevant. After discussion felt it would be good to have a dialogue between the partners on this issue and see if they can come up with a advocacy position. Also emphasise who should be target groups for programs eg youths. HELP presented the Men and Boys behaviour change program to the partners which generated a lot of interest and all the partners present would like to look at options to introduce similar programs in their areas.

Guidelines
A small working group came up with the following priority guidelines. The group then suggested the actual writing of guidelines be delegated to the NC with support from TerraCircle where required.
MFFN program

1. Guideline for engagement of government how and who to do what responsibility in network at different levels of government

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2. Member organisations to have independent work plan for their MFFN supported activities 3. Annual meetings (review and planning) and mid term meetings (MFFN Management) 4. Partner proposal submission, financial (formats etc.) 5. Participation of the local group owners/communities/local partners in the planning of partner programs. 6. Budget allocation for partner programs: Management / admin costs, sustainable activities, logistics, transparency, participatory. 7. Job Description - Network Coordinator (to be prepared by TerraCircle) 8. Role and responsibilities of Management and partners 9. Role and responsibilities of implementing the network plans / communicate circulars and implement accordingly.
Monitoring

1. 2. 3. 4. ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! !

Review: mid term (local partners only) and annual (all partners) Reports (financial and narrative) quarterly reports to NC in the Oxfam format Need based activities (sharing ideas) Conflict resolution guideline to be drafted by HELP Resources Budget allocation for each partner. Impact monitoring would also be there. Report periods: - 3 monthly reporting ? quarterly to begin with Should management approve small project plans ? felt that this should not be necessary more the issue of guidelines for MFFN funds. Should have clear M&E agreements in place. Need guidelines on management representatives in general try to maintain the same person. If the rep cannot come then they need to appoint someone who is in a position to commit the partner. Organisations should appoint someone to be the contact point for communication with the network. Focal point. TJ to draft project approval guidelines. Job description for NC TJ to draft and then circulate. Need to have participation and ownership of people in development of project.

Notes to discussion on guidelin es:

ADVOCACY AIMS (2006)

The MFFN Advocacy Goals adopted in Tari (2005) during the advocacy training conducted by Oxfam Australia for MFFN and updated in the MFFN Arawa Workshop in 2006, were presented on a chart. Participants were asked to make comments on small yellow papers.
Goal:

To have a voice, be recognized and engage at national, regional and international levels of decision making in order to have the issues of rural communities in agriculture livelihoods recognized and appropriate services supported 1. 2. 3. NGOs are involved in decision making by government concerning international treaties that effect rural communities (e.g. WTO, CBD, ITPGRFA, Cartagena Protocol) and on the issues of biosafety, PGRFA, and organic farming. Donors and regional organizations recognize the issues and needs of rural farmers and have funding and other support (e.g. training and capacity building) mechanisms suitable to local NGOs working on rural livelihoods, To strengthen partners capacity to develop, implement and manage MFFN advocacy plan and individual partner advocacy priorities.

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Most Significant Change (MSC) monitoring tool

Partner were asked the previous day to prepare stories of Most significant change either at the community or organisational level as a result of MFFN since the beginning of 2006 to the present. In practice only 3 stories were presented and one of these was older than the time period suggested. None the less the MSC was done as an exercise to refresh partners use of this M&E tool. The method was introduced by Oxfam to their partners through a series of training workshop over recent years. Some additional information from the developer of MSC Jessica Dart is included in attachment 3. The MFFN has introduced Most Significant Change method in a workshop in Tari in 2005. Stories were also presented at the 2006 Arawa workshop. The method was again presented to some of the new participants and partners.
Steps to MSC

The typical steps for MSC are: ! Selection of domains for collection of stories ! Collection (written or spoken) of stories in the field over an agreed period of time ! Record stories on a standard form ! Present stories for selection of stories different types of people can be bought together to select stories and give their reasons giving different view points from each ! Selected stories can be used as part of reports along with the reasons for their selection. ! The steps continue with regular collection, and selection of stories.
Stories from participants Yagolo story on seed saving and nutrition

Community health volunteer Yagolo from Wiayabia community gave medicine to a sick child. But it did not improve. He had some rabbits at his home. Later we found the child was malnourished and that was why it was crying all the time. CBHC/CHASP introduced seed saving and the importance of Soya bean and peanut for nutrition. But his soil was poor. So he used rabbit manure to grow Soya bean. He could buy peanuts in the market. The child changed over a few months to being very healthy. He became a living testimony to the program. The father used to say that is a CBHC child from Soya beans and peanuts improving the health of his child. He is now a leading seed saver and sharing seeds with the other farmers. Story from Marilyn Peri, CBHC Tari
Subsistence farmers to commer cial farming

After one of our staff members (Rolan Gunn) went to visit Kastom Gaden in Solomons and came back excited with so many ideas on what to do. Wagi valley in Western highlands is known as land of unexpected. It has two mountains on either side and the wagi river in the middle separating the two districts. The land is very fertile. Subsistence farmers gardening is the basis for survival. They have enough to eat but still lacking basic services. The surplus food is there but they could not get enough income. They just grow to eat. Gardening was the main activities so we negotiate with FPDA. Provided a trainer to train CBHC volunteer farmers to grow commercial products for sale. CBHC communities and FPDA signed an MOU. FPDA provide vegetable markets at mines and supermarkets. They have a container in Hagen. The communities contact FPDA to let them know what they have to sell. It has been going on since Rolan attended the workshop. Now CBHC does not need to be the link but now they linked directly to FPDA. When the money comes at the end of the week it goes into their own individual savings accounts as part of the community banking. FPDA writes a cheque each week with a breakdown for each farmer according to what they supplied. The community then puts this into each families account. They are managing money well they

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just take out what they need for seeds or labour and leave the rest in the account. In 2007 I visited the community and there was a plot of land on the hillside that used to be covered in coffee trees. All the coffee had been removed but I saw a very big area of cabbage. There were nice lines across the slope. It was a huge area. The farmer said he just got one packet of seed from Rolan and they earned 500kina. It really impressed them they bought more seed and medicine to plant more. He planted 1600 cabbage in his nursery. He said that he used to be a driver (PMV) he used to get 50 or 100kina day. But he never had enough money the car consumed a lot of money. I left my car and started gardening. Usually can sell one cabbage for 3kina. He had another big nursery ready to plant. He took the coffee out because he feels cabbage is better. His wife did not want him to take the cabbage out. But he took them out slowly coffee only comes in season. Story by Rose Klali, CBHC Western Highlands.
Farmer who went to Vanuatu

Frank Lave went on an MFFN exchange to Vanuatu. He saw the use of spices and gliricida to improve soil fertility. Frank was very interested in this technology. When he got back he went into this method because he became convinced that this could improve his soil at home. He established a plot of gliricidia. He set up strips of gliricidia and between grow beds of vegetables. He prunes the gliricidia as mulch onto the beds of vegetables. This is very rich fertiliser and the trees provide nitrogen in the soil. Without using fertiliser he grows a lot of cabbage for Gizo market. Good thing about this is that the experience is being shared with many others through Franks farmer school. Some of the other farmers are now starting to use glircidia as well and they can grow now without using fertiliser. Is significant because it shows a method growing without the use of fertiliser. Story from Inia Barry and Pita Tikae, Kastom Gaden
Selection of story

The story chosen by the group after two rounds of voting was the subsistence farmer to commercial farmer. The reasons given were: ! The story is inspiring that people were able to make the change to a serious level of more commercial production, changing their lives. ! The story shows an exit strategy for the NGO in that they facilitated contact and anew source of information, training and a market, but were then able to move on and leave the farmers dealing directly with the buyer and with their own skills. ! the community who took on the new growing were able to save their money in a community banking scheme and reinvest to keep their farming business going. ! Concerns about the story included the uncertainty about wether the farmer was using agro chemicals and the risks this might have on health and environment and dependance of the farmer. ! Also it was unclear if the farmer was putting too much effort into one cash crop at the expense of other household activities and self reliance.

Evening program:
Presentation on Men and Boys Behaviour Change program of HELP Resources developed with Family Planning Australia. 1. Understand men / masculinity 2. Men as fathers 3. Men as partners 4. Family planning 5. Drugs and alcohol 6. Mens health and sexuality 7. HIV & AIDS 8. STIs

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9. Working with Young Men The partners were impressed with the program and most would like to explore if there is way HELP resources can assist them to introduce similar programs in their organizations/communities

Day 3
Tony presented a summary of the decisions made in the first two days for discussion and confirmation.

Communication Strategy
The plan put forward in the project proposal of a TOR for developing a communication strategy was discussed. It was felt it should include the following: ! Look at the current and potential methods of communication of the partners ! See the potential of each partner and how to build on their strengths ! Content and information sharing how it is and could be done ! Identify different types of communication that contribute to a strong network (eg between management, between different levels of organization, between outside actors etc) ! Assist partners with communication work ! Develop communication tools to improve the flow of information ! Share the current communication strategies of each partner It was decided to do the last point during this workshop and Evah from HELP facilitated a discussion on communication.
Current main communication st rategies w ithin organisations Partner Comm strategies Effective / not effective HELP Resources Radio (5) Very effective esp to rural areas Telephone (3) Limited many areas no phone including Ambunit Very effective biggest strength for communication is in here Training (ToT) (5) Good in urban but in many rural areas people do not read and write. Unless it is put in local language or tok pisin DTP (4) Good for partners and donors communication is our only option for communication with donors only visit once in a while. Email (internet) (5) Regular meetings of all staff every fortnight. This help program coordinators because they have to hand in a weekly report to External Liason Officer. She then compiles Meetings (4) into quarterly report. KGA Email (internet) (5) Very effective within office and partners and for file sharing Just starting to use it SMS (1) Expensive Telephones (3) Dont have person to do it in org resigned Newsletters (3) Very good because reaches all areas HF Radio (5) Useful for few limited partners Skype (3) Monthly and weekly Meetings (4) Trainings (5) CBHC Email (internet) (3) Cannot check email every day every few days HF radio (3) Meetings (5) Telephones /(2) mobile (5) Osi Tanata Trainings (5) Meetings (3) Emails (internet)(1) Radio (5) Mobiles (5) Unreliable Digicell in Hagen but not in Tari Very effective can make personal contact with community depends on request Only a few staff have access to email New office does not have radio but used to be very effective Very effective. Can be a good way to get messages through

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Fax (5) Scoring totals in order from mo st used form of communi cation to least used:

Meetings (16) Training (15) Email (15) Mobile (13) HF radio (12) Telephone (10)

Newsletter and DTP (7) Radio (4) Fax (4) Skype (3) SMS (1)

Each partner was asked to nominate their network contact person or network liason officer for the new project:
Partner HELP Resources KGA CBHC Osi Tanata FSA Contact person Evah Kuamin (ERM) M:6947017 Pita Tikai M: 78643 Marilyn Peri M: 6958771 Anastasia M: 6876009 1 Peter Kaoh Most reliable means of communication Email Meetings Email Meetings Email Mobile Fax Mobile Email How Often Daily Fortnightly Daily Weekly Monthly PJV, weekly Koli Daily Fortnightly Weekly Contact Frequency MFFN Fortnightly Weekly Fortnightly Fortnightly Fortnightly

See participant list for more contact details.

Timeline Exercise with group: Dec 2007-Dec 2008:

A timeline was developed for the first year of the project with the group. The timeline is attached in annex 1.

Other matters
General discussion on need for network to move beyond only being a support system for partners to having an impact in the region as a network itself this is what really adds value and justifies the existence of the network otherwise it could be seen as only being a grant program for the partners.

Annual training course

Each year the network will hold one ToT course for all the partners as a group. After some discussion, the annual training course is suggested to be held in Vanuatu in July 2008. NC will confirm if this is acceptable with FSA. NC to circulate a brief description about the proposed topic (marketing and market chains) and ask partners to put forward any ideas for other training topics or their comments on this topic. A decision can then be made by email and resource people found for the training ideally from within the partners but recognising that this may not be possible.

Reports
! Partners agreed to use the same format as the network will report to Oxfam with (to be sent out by NC).

Peter did not attend the workshop so an assumption was made here.
23

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! !

! ly report to management to be provided by the NC format to be developed by TerraCircle and NC based on the Network information system. All reports can be summarised on the MFFN website.

Representation at meetings
Procedure is needed on attendance at regional meetings where possible should send relevant people from partner organization. NC should check with management and seek approval before attending regional meetings in order to prioritise the relevance and also assess who is appropriate to attend.

Gender follow up on gender workshop in Honiara

! Partner workshops in February and March 2008 are to build on outcomes from Honiara Gender workshop. At a minium the gender analysis tools introduced in the Honiara workshop should be used to assess any gender implications of partner programs. The use of tools will be one indicator to assess the success of partner planning workshops. NC to follow up with what Oxfam expectations are as follow up to Honiara workshop. Partner M&E reporting will be expected to be with gender disaggregated information.

Partner start up dates for Restart after Christmas:

HELP: 2nd Monday Jan KGA: 14th Dec Jan 14th OSI TANATA; 3rd week CBHC: 2nd week January FSA not known.

The workshop closed at midday on Thursday 29/11/07 and was followed by a management meeting with one representative from each partner. On Friday the participants had a field visit to Ambunti to see the work of HELP resources and their CBO partners in one area of the Sepik river.

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ANNEX 1

Timetable Year one (Dec 07 Dec 08)

Partner Bougainville HELP CBHC KGA FSA Partner program reporting
NC Send discussio n for ToT topic marketing and market chains

Dec-07

Jan-08

Feb-08

Mar-08
PPW Report PPW Report PPW Report PPW M&E visit

Apr-08

May-08

Jun-08

Jul-08

Aug-08

Sep-08

Oct-08

Nov-08

Dec-08

INTERNAL NETWORK
planning planning M&E visit PPW PPW PPW planning M&E visit M&E visit M&E visit PPW Report M&E visit M&E visit M&E visit 1/4ly report to NC 1/4ly report to NC 1/4ly report to NC Annual report on Partner program M&E visit M&E visit

Joint activities NETWORK MANAGEMENT Reporting by NC to partners and Oxfam

TC and NC develop network M&E system 1/4ly report to managem ent Planning for partner workshop invite stakehold ers regional

NC finalize topic and resource people

Send out info for nominatio n of partic.

Confirma tion of participan ts/venue

Participa nt preparatio n

2008 ToT Van.

Worksho p follow up

Detailed info sent out and nominatio ns for meeting

Annual review meeting Tari - 1st week

Review meeting report

TC and NC develop network M&E system Constit ution sent to all partner s

Network M&E operating

1/4ly report to managem ent Draft proced ures sent to Manag ement

6 monthly Report to Oxfam

1/4ly report to managem ent Send out info to potenti al new memb ers Invite regional partners to annual review Capacity building and populatio n policy input?

1/4ly report to managem ent

Annual report to Oxfam

NC

Sign KGA / MFFN MOU NC to submit indicative plan to APHEDA

New website operating

Innovatio ns document ation on website

EXTERNAL NETWORK Regional partners

On going advocacy program Gender and Human rights & Rural infrastruct ure draft Finalise joint activities with SPC PROLINN OVA MEETIN G Invite regional partners to ToT

Policies

Movemen t of planting materials policy draft

Vision for Sustainab le living & SA draft

Trade issues & HIV policy draft

Adoption of network policies

PPW = partner planning workshop M&E = periodic visit by NC and/or management member and/or TerraCircle Network Support Team member to the partners

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ANNEX 2
Evaluation
The evaluation was done through rapid one on one interviews with each of the workshop participants.
What were three things that were most useful to you about the workshop? Useful to get the partners together and talk Presentation on PID is very useful and can learn and adapt from Management meeting has to happen Evening presentations Any suggestions to improve in the future? Well done in an informal atmosphere. Looked at some innovative things farmers are doing would be good to look at innovations in terms of what partners are doing (process, activities, approaches) Pity FSA was not here. No suggestions very satisfied. Any other comments Could be more preparation for evening sessions.

Chris

Aryamitra

Partners knowledge has been upgraded Nicely facilitated as per the need eg wanted to discuss on GMO It was participatory Formation of MFFN is impressive. Good to have network to represent the organizations in terms of advocacy. Good to know each others organizations and activities and sharing experiences. Learned from each other for example about GMO. The visit to Ambunti showed how people concerned about their people can do something to help them. Good to see skilful people taking their skills back to the village. I am clear what MFFN is now. I have some ideas about how to be more innovative and want to come up with ideas to strengthen MFFN.

No additional comments

Rose

Each year we should come up with what we have done. Its not so good that each time new people come people who are clear with the network have to really implement something and come back and report back about what they have achieved. Its no good to attend a workshop and not do anything. Maybe we should look beyond instead of reporting on what has been done. Need to look at what is the future plans, what are they learning.

Anastacia

Privilege to know the different organizations how they operate, their programs. Getting to know participants. How MFFN works I attended earlier Arawa workshop but I did not really understand how the network works. Now I understand it is focussed on agriculture, local knowledge, how to build up the local knowledge. Found it very interesting. Trying to build up what is already in the local place and build it up. GMO had heard about it but did not pay attention. Now realise that local people do not realise what is inside

Should be a prior notification with more time. (notice was only short and not given any chance to prepare). Should have more time structure in discussions. Sometimes the discussion leads to participants minds drifting a bit. Should be more limited in time for group work so that do not lose focus.

We need to come up with new ideas and innovations in our organizations not just keep doing the same thing. Learn from what we have done and improve. Our group was very flexible and open to each other. We should focus more on the timetable to make sure that we cover what we need to cover in each session. We were very relaxed about the time. Make each session time bound. Happy to be here. I learned more from each organization, especially Kastom Gaden, operates. They have their own resources and doing something with those resources eg making their own poultry feed and planting materials. In our place people are

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imported foods. Realise we need to be more aware of what we are eating I want to share this with my family. Poverty of information in this area.

often not looking after their planting materials. Impressed that this is working. I think especially helping the mothers would ba e good program for Osi Tanata have a lot of new ideas to suggest for my organization. All the food and logistics is good. Plan to share information with KGA about the network and how it will work with KGA. Want to discuss who would be appointed to be the ongoing MFFN network liaison person.

Pita

Understanding of each organization and what they are doing. Have only really now understood what MFFN is doing and who are the partners and what they are doing. Made some good recommendations for NC to work on the program. Highlight was visit to Sepik and to see community based training and how people at the community are struggling to improve their lives by setting up vocational training centres. Wonder if KGA can learn from the communication centre approach that is being used by HELP Resources. Good to work with small group and make decisions and discuss and share with each other. One advantage of not having too many people more involvement and interaction between people. To know about the other partners and what they are doing. We have a network and bring some new things into our program Very interested in Men and Behaviour change. We are helping a lot of ordinary people but need to find out help to involve youths more and this could help. GMO very interesting and learning more about organic farming. Currently partners being encouraged to liase with CBOs and be involved using a wider kind of approach than just the partners is very good. Innovation approach - very important thing that I have learned. Way that new things can be implemented can be done in each community Partnership program and working together is very important working out the new project together is very good. Very good ideas have been raised during the meeting things we dont know here we can utilise the other partners to work together. First time to come but found it very interesting and very challenging workshop. Looking at different concepts

There should be some kind of information provided prior to the workshop so that I can prepare for the workshop and be aware of what will be discussed and what are the expectations that will be discussed. Some of it was new so it was difficult to contribute while I was just finding out what this work is about.

Marilyn

Opportunities for the network to improve to help to look for markets and liase with other funders and donors to see what they can do for us. Especially the need is for marketing opportunities would be good to learn more about marketing and organic marketing in particular.

No additional comments

Bishop

Use of technology - need to have better communication between the partners. Want to be able to communicate with partners directly and keep track of things so we know what we are doing. Some of the programs we have to share together so they can be applied at the local level by all partners.

No additional comments

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Evah Jill

and areas to apply in the partner organizations. I plan to apply these ideas in Abunti by looking for local innovations and seeing how I can encourage the adoption and sharing of new ideas. Talked with Pita about local knowledge of pesticides and how the farmers can come up with their own solutions want to learn more from KGA on this. Did not do evaluation Did not do evaluation

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ANNEX 3
The Most Significant Change Approach: Summary of the Steps Used by Dart et al
The Most Signifi cant Change Approach (a ccording to Da rt et al )

Purposes:

1. Collect data about the impact of the project as a whole 2. Promote organisational learning within the project team
Why Familiarity Decision making/planning How Short summary to illuminate what the approach is, its purposes and its potential benefits and challenges. Read Dart et al Trial process i.e. agree to bring stories to next LC or have time for writing at the beginning and then go through a selection process. Modified Delphi technique (Brainstorm on post its, clump in categories, prioritise in L. C., circulate across all LC participants for collective prioritising) or Domains provide categories which can be easily used in a secondary analysis. Distil from first round of stories Margot, Robyn, Judy, Rosie, Chris, others ????

STEPS (What) 1. Overview of process/ Taste test

2. Participants establish four (?) domains of change (domains=loose categories of change used to distinguish different types of stories)

Promote ownership of evaluation in terms of addressing felt needs Domains help to distinguish different types of stories so useful to ensure coverage of multi-faceted nature of change

3. Establishing a reference group? (reps from each project region + Project manager)

To capture learning To encourage adaptation to local conditions To coordinate process To identify significant changes within each domain To document significant changes at the school and project levels

4. Collecting stories

Written on proformas (in or out of Learning Circles) Verbally (recorded and transcribed) Nominate particular domain of change that story addresses Can be first hand or second hand By Learning Circle participants and/or

5. Reviewing stories and selecting most significant

To make explicit what individuals and the wider group value as significant change

by others Each LC reviews own stories and selects one for each domain represented. The four selected from each LC

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To broaden understandings of what is seen as significant change in each school, Learning Circle and/or the project as a whole. To provide a source of evaluation information to stakeholders.

(ie 12 in all) could then be used for a further round of review by each Learning Circle. Selection process: each story read out and name recorded on whiteboard under particular domain. All stories in one domain considered together. A facilitated discussion is followed by voting. Each person has one vote for each domain + has to state reasons for selection. Discussion used to achieve consensus if possible. Discussions recorded on tape or by a note-taker. Each LC documents which stories they selected and what criteria were used and attaches to the story (to be shared with others) Booklet of stories selected over the year + comments + info about the process distributed to project stakeholders Stories collected, transcribed and entered onto a database. Analysis of stories en masse via coding and categorising

6. Sharing stories with a wider audience 7. Secondary analysis of the stories en masse

To deepen organisational learning about the changes engendered by the project To identify main themes, difference among stories etc To theorise about change For further publication via articles, conference papers

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