As the ACAI project shifts focus from research-related activities to dissemination activities, it becomes imperative that different results and targets are achieved, and how these results and targets will be monitored and be known to all stakeholders. The presentation on ME&L highlighted the results to be achieved, targets to be met and methodologies to monitor number of farmers reached with the DSTs, farmers changing practices through use of the DSTs, and farmers benefiting from use of the DSTs. Farmers reached will be monitored by aggregation of number of farmers who are aware and gain knowledge of ACAI DST per use case, per DST format and per partner dissemination approach. Farmers changing practices through use of the DSTs will be monitored through panel surveys, which will be done on annually starting in 2019. Farmers benefiting from use of the DSTs will be monitored by impact survey, which will be conducted at the end of the project.

1. Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning:
Monitoring uptake of recommendations for impact
www.iita.org | www.cgiar.org | www.acai-project.org
Theresa Ampadu-Boakye and Saburi Adekunbi

3. The African Cassava Agronomy Initiative
Project outcomes
www.iita.org | www.cgiar.org | www.acai-project.org
Target:
+2,500 tonnes
new cassava
fertilizer blends
+8 t/ha
additional cassava
root yield
+2 t/ha
additional cassava
root yield, and
+500 kg/ha
additional intercrop
yield
+4 t/ha
additional cassava
root yield (or
equivalent cost
saving)
+10 tonnes
additional supply
of cassava roots to
the processing
industry
+5 tonnes
additional supply
of cassava starch
to the processing
industry
Number of Extension Agents involved:
NA 445 124 496 150 44
Number of households reached:
NA 94,000 46,800 104,200 18,750 15,400
Number of households impacted:
NA 28,200 35,100 42,900 6,563 7,700

4. Primary Outcome 1:
By 2020, at least 120,000 cassava
farmers are benefiting from a total
value created of at least 28 M USD
through higher cassava yields,
higher yields of crops associated
with cassava, higher starch content
of cassava roots, a more
continuous supply of roots, and/or
the use of appropriate cassava
fertilizer, within the target areas of
the primary partners in Nigeria and
Tanzania.
Primary Outcome 2: By 2020, at
least 10 partners/initiatives besides
the primary partners are using tools
within the context of their specific
dissemination strategies, with a
potential of doubling above impact
targets.
Primary Outcome 3: By 2020,
national system scientists of the 4
target countries are integrating
innovative agronomy approaches in
NARS-led initiatives
Intermediate Outcome 1.3: By
2018, cassava agronomy
decision support tools are used
by primary partners with target
smallholder farmers
Intermediate Outcome 2.1: By
2019, new partners/initiatives
are actively working with the
project to adapt the decision
support tools to their own needs
Intermediate Outcome 3.1: By
2019, at least 5 scientists per
national system have been
leading the implementation of
activities within the context of
this initiative
• Output 1.3.2 – 1.3.7: DSTs developed
and validated
• Output 1.3.9: Grassroots events
organized around the DSTs
• Output 1.3.10: Farmer-friendly training
videos developed and tested
• Output 1.3.11: Capacity of extension
agents and last-mile delivery partners
developed to use the DSTs and convey
relevant information to farmers
Output 2.1.1: Awareness of
ACAI DSTs created and
applications implemented in the
target countries beyond the
primary partners and their
target areas.
Output 2.1.2: Cassava clusters
established with engagement of
all major stakeholders
operating within cassava value
chains
Output 3.1.1 – 3.1.5:
Capacity of research
institutions enhanced:
• to conduct effective
cassava agronomy
research enhanced
• to conduct database
management
• in geospatial data analysis
skills
• in project management
• to conduct standardized
soil and plant analysis
ACAI Selected Results

5. Expected Impacts - Benefits
Indicator Partner Use case Impacts
Number of cassava farmers benefiting from a
total value created by the project through
higher cassava yields
SG2000 FR 3750
Notore FR 9450
MEDA FR 15000
OYSCGA BPP 7500
CAVA II NG BPP 21600
Number of cassava farmers benefiting from a
total value created by the project through
higher cassava or intercrop yields
2Scale IC 12600
SG2000 IC
FCI IC 22500

6. Expected Impacts - Benefits
Indicator Partner Use case Impacts
Number of cassava farmers
benefiting from a total value
created by the project through
higher starch content of cassava
roots
Psaltry/2Sca
le
HS 4200
CAVA II NG
HS
CAVA II TZ
HS
FJS HS 3500
Number of cassava farmers
benefiting from a total value
created by the project through
higher cassava yields or higher
revenue through scheduled
planting
Psaltry SP
CAVA II NG SP
CAVA II TZ SP 6563

7. ACAI MEL approach to monitoring
Results-based M&E systems:
•Designed to provide feedback on the actual outcomes and goals of project
actions. It also addresses the following “so what” questions
– So what about the fact that outputs have been generated?
– So what that activities have taken place?
– So what that the outputs from these activities have been counted?
Highlights different levels of generating feedback for the project
stakeholders to make informed decision based on the project results to be
achieved

8. Farmers level results to be monitored
Cassava farmers working with ACAI development
partners’ that are changing practices and
benefitting through the use of ACAI DSTs
Cassava farmers working with ACAI
development partners’ in selected areas
Cassava farmers working with ACAI
development partners’ that will be aware and
gain knowledge about the ACAI DSTs
(through direct participation in partner
dissemination activities)
IADOPTION
AND
IMPACT
TARGET
FARMERS
FARMERS
REACHED

9. Monitoring Farmers Reached
• Reach is one component of
monitoring progress towards
goals and does not imply any
lasting or significant change
• By reaching more people we are
in a better position to impact
more
ADOPTION
AND IMPACT
FARMERS
REACHED
Cassava farmers who are aware and gain
knowledge about ACAI DSTs:
• To be monitored/recorded using various
tools
• Per dissemination approach used by
partners
• Demos; field days, video;
• Per DST formats- smartphone app, IVR,
table, maps, USSD,
• Total farmers reached will be aggregation
from all sources

10. Aggregating results: targets and feedback
Development partners (with support from ACAI) integrate DSTs
into their dissemination activities
The server hosting IVR, USSD, and
smartphone app formats will be
used to monitor farmers reached
through them
ACAI will develop tools to capture
farmers reached from paper
formats + additional tools to
capture other details
Through Development Partners

11. Infrastructural setup
www.iita.org | www.cgiar.org | www.acai-project.org
IVR
Cassava growers
Extension agents
Calculate
recommendations
Log requests
DST
1
2
3
3
3
4
Feedback at 4 levels…

12. Feedback mechanisms
www.iita.org | www.cgiar.org | www.acai-project.org
Request logs: who requested what information where and when?
Evaluate reach (nr of farmers), quality of the input, regional differences,…
1
2
3
4
Feedback at 4 levels…
Integrated feedback within digital tools: are these recommendations useful?
Evaluate usefulness, negative aspects, time to obtain advice, net promoter score
Feedback from Extension Agents: Is the DST user-friendly?
Evaluate EA’s preferences and capabilities to work with the DSTs
Feedback from farmers: were the recommendations applied / current practices adapted?
Evaluate changes in behaviour, early signs of adoption, relationships with farmer typology
Evaluation of the DSTs will be carried out on quarterly basis to establish feedback for stakeholders

13. Integrating Formats into Existing dissemination Approaches
Key Questions
How do we achieve our farmers target with site specific
recommendations?

14. ME&L feedback
generated
Generate
recommendation
on lead farmers’
field or
cooperative
group field using
DST formats
Use recommendation to
establish demonstration
field for learning
Farmers learn from demo
through awareness creations
Farmers are given table
and map formats to
generate individual
recommendations
Integrating Formats into Existing dissemination Approaches
Using Demonstration to reach farmers

15. Integrating Formats into Existing dissemination Approaches
Approach
Method of data
collection
Preferred DST formats
Demonstration plot
Manually (use of
questionnaire) and
template to populate
farmers reached from
demonstration
Smartphone app and paper-
based tools
Field day
Smartphone app and table
format
Forging Partnership
Relevant format will be used
when Partnership has been
initiated.
SG2000
The ACAI MEL system will complement with SG2000 systems

16. Integrating Formats into Existing dissemination Approaches
Approach
Method of data
collection
Preferred DST formats
Demonstration plot
Update from Village
promoters via calls/text
messages and Visits +
database of
demonstration farmers
Smartphone app, paper-based
Map
Field day
Video Viewing session
Radio
Cluster meeting
Notore
The ACAI MEL system will complement with Notore systems

17. Integrating Formats into Existing dissemination Approaches
CAVA II
Approach Method of data collection Preferred DST formats
Demonstration plot
Mobile data collection and
paper questionnaire +
database of demonstration
farmers
IVR and paper-based map
Field day
Training
Platform creation
The ACAI MEL system will complement with CAVA II systems

18. Integrating Formats into Existing dissemination Approaches
Psaltry
Approach Method of data collection Preferred DST formats
Demonstration plot
Electronically (Farmforce)
and Manually + database of
farmers reached through
demonstration
Smartphone app and paper-
based formats
Pre-season sensitization
Video session
Radio
Review and Capitalization
The ACAI MEL system will complement with Psaltry systems

19. Integrating Formats into Existing dissemination Approaches
OYSCGA
Approach
Method of data
collection
Preferred DST formats
Farmers farm visit
Table format for farmers and
USSD & Smartphone app for
EAs
Pre-season
sensitization
Table
OYSCGA will use ACAI MEL system for data collection

20. Monitoring changes in farmer practices and benefits
•This will involve the households that
participated in the baseline and those
that did not participate (ratio 70:30) in
the treated villages.
•It will be conducted on yearly basis
starting from 2019
•It focusses on the changes in practices
and knowledge of farmers and farmers
willingness
ADOPTION AND
IMPACT
Cassava farmers that are changing practices and
benefitting through the use of ACAI DSTs:
• To be monitored through panel surveys
• “Reached farmers” sampled per
• partner dissemination approach
• Per use case
• Per DST formats- smartphone app, IVR, table,
maps, USSD,

21. ACAI ME&L Tools to capture results
Information Type Source Tool
Data/Information on the use of DSTs on
yearly basis
Extension Agents Extension
Agents panel
survey tool
Information on (management practices,
knowledge on DSTs, yield, etc) from farmers
on yearly basis
Households (HH) HH panel survey
tool
Information on dissemination approach,
cassava processing/starch content,
engagement with EAs, farmers reached etc.
on yearly basis.
Development
Partners (DVPs)
Development
Partners tool

22. Monitoring impact of the project
Impact Survey
• This will be conducted at the end of the project to determine:
• whether there have been any changes (gross effect),
• if the changes can be attributed to ACAI and how much of these
changes are actually due to ACAI interventions (net effect).
• Total number of farmers benefiting from a total value created by the
project across use cases
• Total cumulated value generated by the project across use cases
• It will focus on households in the treated and control villages in the operation
areas of ACAI development partners.

23. Thank you !
Merci !!
Asante !!!
E seun !!!!