Assessments

As a key part of its mandate to provide training and capacity building assistance for improved outcomes in the agriculture sector in Africa, Africa Lead will conduct capacity assessments of the CAADP NAIP development and implementation process.  This will entail understanding the roles and responsibilities of the institutions, task forces and working groups that have been set up to drive the process and achieve the input (at least 10% budget to agriculture, strong and systematic stakeholder input) and output (sustained annual increase in agriculture production of 6%, attainment of MDG targets) goals of CAADP and will involve

As part of the post-compact CAADP process, participating countries agree to prepare a National Agricultural Investment Plan (NAIP).  The NAIP is a document that defines core investment programs and objectives, aligns the programs and objectives to national programs and budgets, identifies the role of stakeholders in program implementation, and begins to define financing needs and priorities.  AFRICA LEAD supports NAIP implementation by conducting targeted assessments of institutional needs and CAADP Country Teams (CCTs).  Assessments focus both on the management of the CAADP country process and on the capacity of institutions to implement the CAADP process and adhere to CAADP principles. Africa Lead conducts two types of assessments: (1) institution-level assessments of the capacity needs of a small number of institutions key to the CAADP process, and (2) country-level assessments which involve CAADP Country Teams/Task Forces and institutional mappings of organizations involved in the CAADP process.

Expected Results of Assessments

The goal of these assessments is four-fold:

• Identify the institutions that will play a critical role in the implementation of the CAADP NAIP and map their roles and responsibilities;
• Analyze their capacity strengths and gaps in relation to their proposed implementation roles;
• Identify system-level improvements, technical assistance, and training to enable the institutions to perform their roles effectively; and
• Analyze and propose approaches to improve CAADP Country Team management and leadership of the NAIP implementation process.

Outputs of these assessments will include increased clarity regarding institutional roles in the CAADP process, a list of priority training and technical assistance needs to strengthen  CAADP implementation requirements (an institutional improvement plan), and recommendations for processes and tools that the CAADP Country Team can use to improve oversight and management of the CAADP implementation process.

Assessment of Key Institutions within their CAADP Implementation Role

After identifying key institutions that are involved in the implementation of the CAADP NAIP, as per the objectives and programs outlined in the NAIP, assessment teams of Africa Lead experts will conduct capacity analyses of each selected institution. These will determine the ability of key institutions to successfully implement their proposed roles by comparing existing staffing, skills and management systems with what is considered necessary for successful implementation.  Institutional capacity gaps will be identified and used as a basis for developing NAIP institutional improvement plans.  These plans will identify and prioritize the training and technical assistance required for institutions to effectively fulfill their implementation roles. Required technical skills will be identified based on a review of an institution’s implementation role as defined in the NAIP, the organization’s focus and mandate, and the requirements of individual program designs. In addition to reviewing technical program capacity requirements, institutional managing-for-development-results capabilities and functions will also be examined.

CAADP Country Team Analysis

In addition, review and analysis of the skills and management system used by CAADP country teams will also be analyzed. This level of assessment will focus on the work and abilities of the country team, and/or the agricultural sector working group (depending on their roles in supporting the CAADP country development process) to manage the CAADP process.  This will include a review of the management systems, coordination and support provided by the country team.  This review will result in the formulation of recommendations as to what skills and processes need to be developed and emphasized to increase the effective country-level management of the CAADP process.