Presented by Regis Chikowo (MSU) at the Africa RISING ESA Review and Planning Meeting, Arusha, Tanzania, 9-11 September 2014

1. AAggrroo--eeccoollooggiiccaall IInntteennssiiffiiccaattiioonn tthhrroouugghh aaccttiioonn
rreesseeaarrcchh wwiitthh ssmmaallllhhoollddeerr ffaarrmmeerrss iinn MMaallaawwii:: RR44DD
PPllaattffoorrmmss ((RR44DD iinn IIPPss))
Regis Chikowo (MSU)
Africa RISING ESA Review and Planning Meeting
Arusha, Tanzania, 9-11 September 2014

2. Primary aims
 To do things differently/innovatively in the intervention
districts through fostering mutual focus without
creating new innssttiittuuttiioonnaall llaayyeerrss ooff bbuurreeaauuccrraaccyy
 Transform rreesseeaarrcchheerrss ttoo lleeaarrnneerrss//ffaacciilliittaattoorrss rather
than remain as ‘eexxppeerrttss’
 Use limited resources (from Africa RISING, from
government, from NGOs) mmoorree eeffffeeccttiivveellyy
 Accelerate collective behavioral cchhaannggee
 Accelerate project impact realization aatt ssccaallee

3. Two operational levels
District level (Level 1)
Grassroots level (Level 2)

4. Dedza ‘R4D platform’ stakeholders

5. Ntcheu ‘R4D platform’
stakeholders

6. Platform composition
1. District Agriculture Extension Office as R4D
platform convener/chairperson
2. NGOs (World Vision, Concern Universal,
CADECOM)
3. District Commissioner/Office
4. Extension from Intervention sites
5. Farmer/group chairs

7. Farmer centered platforms (Level
2)
1. Farmers organizing themselves in learning units
with internal coordination around a ‘mother trial’
 More effective (co)learning
 Lead farmers take a true leading role
 Researchers/extension come as facilitators

9. What platforms have achieved..
 Have produced a multiplier effect to Africa RISING
efforts
oAfrica RISING transforming into core business at
district level
oMembers/farmers articulate science/agroecology
in amazing ways
oCoordination of learning events (field days,
nutrition workshops) excellent

10. R4D platforms
engineered field days

11. Nutrition outcomes prioritized

12. Year 4 (2014-15) and beyond…
1. Research in R4D platforms to take a leading
component
2. Nutrition outcomes to be highlighted
3. Reaching to ‘thousands’ of farmers with
‘silver bullet’ technologies

13. Africa Research in Sustainable Intensification for the Next Generation
africa-rising.net