"ReSAKSS: Informing CAADP Implementation", presentation by Babatunde Omilola at NEPAD, IFPRI, AGRA and World Bank Meeting to Align Efforts on Agricultural Policy and Knowledge Systems, Dakar, Senegal, January 6-7, 2009.

1. Regional Strategic Analysis and
Knowledge Support Systems (ReSAKSS):
Informing CAADP Implementation
Babatunde Omilola
Coordinator of ReSAKSS
International Food Policy Research Institute
NEPAD, IFPRI, AGRA, and World Bank Meeting on
Aligning Efforts on Agricultural Policy and Knowledge Systems
Dakar, Senegal
1/6/2009 January 6-7, 2009

2. OUTLINE OF PRESENTATION
Part 1
1. About ReSAKSS
- What is new/unique about ReSAKSS
2. Current Status of
Part 2
ReSAKSS
- Activities
- Outputs
- Future Expectations

3. Part 1
About ReSAKSS
- What is New / Unique -

4. About ReSAKSS ….
• Established as a direct response to the growing demand for credible information
and analysis during the design and implementation of agricultural-led
development strategies in Africa, especially in support of the Comprehensive
Africa Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP) agenda
• An Africa wide initiative that provides policy-relevant analysis, data, tools and
knowledge support for planning, review and policy dialogue for agricultural
growth and poverty reduction
– Hosted by CGIAR centers in collaboration with national, regional and international
partners
– 3 regionally focused programs – West, Southern and East & Central Africa
1) East and Central Africa (COMESA and ILRI)
2) West Africa (ECOWAS and IITA)
3) Southern Africa (SADC and IWMI)
4) Africa-wide Coordination: IFPRI
– Launched in September 2006
– Linked to RECs which chair Steering Committees
– Multi-donor funding (USAID, DFID and SIDA)
1/6/2009 – Page 4

5. Key Objectives of ReSAKSS
• To provide high quality and timely analysis, data and knowledge
during the planning and implementation of the CAADP and
other regional strategies
• To contribute to the progress, peer and mutual review of African
agriculture at national, regional and continent-wide level
• To encourage knowledge sharing and access among a network of
partners in Africa (development institutions, regional bodies,
researchers, practitioners, policy makers, farmer groups)
• To promote evidence and outcome based policy and decision
making for the agricultural sector in Africa

6. ReSAKSS Features and Principles
1. Common Agenda-Strategic analysis; knowledge management
systems, capacity strengthening, monitoring and evaluation
2. Fill knowledge gaps, promote dialogue, and facilitate the
benchmarking and review processes associated with African
agriculture agenda, thereby providing policy-makers with credible
evidence to base decisions
3. Inclusiveness, complementarities and synergies (Partnership and
alliances)
4. Policy efficiency, peer-review and accountability
1/6/2009 – Page 6

7. STRATEGIC ANALYSIS
• The strategic analysis component is organized
around CAADP pillars. They include:
– Economy wide analysis of the role of agriculture
and its linkage to macro-economy and non
agricultural sectors
– Investment priorities to support needed agricultural
growth, food security and poverty reduction in
Africa
– Spatial analysis for rural infrastructure and trade-
related capacities for market access
– Best practices and lessons learnt
1/6/2009 – Page 7

8. MONITORING AND EVALUATION
• MDG/CAADP Goals and Targets (6% agricultural
growth rate, 10% budget share to agriculture, etc)
• Review of agricultural performance and food
security
• Growth and poverty reduction options
• Agricultural growth and its subsector performance
• Pubic sector investment in agriculture and rural
development
• Regional agricultural trade and market
1/6/2009 – Page 8

9. KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT
• Developing ICT/website environment
• Publications (Issue Briefs , Trends Reports and Working Papers)
• Developing databases, regional trends reports and other
knowledge sharing platforms
• Harmonization of data measurement standards
• Measuring performance against goals/targets
• Input into policy dialogue of broad networks
1/6/2009 – Page 9

10. CAPACITY STRENGTHENING
• Collaborative activities with diverse partners
• Helping to guide the set up of country SAKSS in
many countries (e.g., Ghana, Nigeria,
Mozambique, Ethiopia, Uganda, Rwanda and
Malawi)
• Providing User friendly tools
• Technical and analytical support to CAADP
Roundtables
1/6/2009 – Page 10

11. Part 2
Current Status of
ReSAKSS
-Activities and Outputs -

12. Activities in Support of CAADP
Implementation
• Taking stock of ongoing agricultural development efforts in
specific African countries and identifying eventual gaps that need
to be filled to help increase growth and reduce poverty and
hunger;
• Specifying the strategic options and sources of poverty-reducing
growth to guide long-term development efforts in the agricultural
sector;
• Estimating long term funding needs to exploit the growth and
poverty reduction potential associated with the identified options
and sources of growth;
• Identifying review, dialogue, and knowledge mechanisms to
facilitate the transition towards evidence-based and outcome-
oriented strategy planning and implementation, thereby ensuring
better outcomes.
1/6/2009 – Page 12

13. CAADP Implementation Status by Country
based on ReSAKSS Analytical Support
1/6/2009 – Page 13

14. Progress of CAADP Implementation by Region and
Country based on ReSAKSS Analytical Support
September 2008 December 2008
COMESA Member States
Burundi Early Stage.
Comoros Stocktaking in progress.
D.R. Congo Focal point appointed.
Djibouti Stocktaking in progress.
Egypt Focal point appointed.
Eritrea Government buy-in.
Ethiopia Growth options in progress.
Kenya Stocktaking completed. Growth options completed.
Libya Government buy-in.
Madagascar Stocktaking in progress.
Malawi Growth options completed.
Mauritius Focal point appointed.
Rwanda CAADP compact signed.
Seychelles Stocktaking in progress.
Sudan Focal point appointed.
Swaziland Stocktaking in progress.
a
Uganda Preparing for Round Table.
Zambia Preparing for Round Table.
Zimbabwe Focal point appointed.
ECOWAS Member States
Benina Growth options in progress. Growth options completed.
a
Burkina Faso Growth options in progress. Growth options completed.
Cape Verde Focal point appointed.
Cote d’Ivoire Focal point appointed.
The Gambia Government buy-in.
a
Ghana Preparing for Round Table.
Guinea Focal point appointed.
Guinea Bissau Focal point appointed.
Liberia Government buy-in.
Mali Stocktaking in progress.
Nigera Growth options in progress. Growth options completed.
Nigeria Stocktaking in progress. Growth options in progress.
a
Senegal Growth options in progress. Growth options completed.
Sierra Leone Growth options in progress.
a
Togo Growth options in progress. Growth options completed.
SADC Member States
D.R. Congo Focal point appointed.
Madagascar Stocktaking in progress.
Malawi Preparing for Round Table.
Mauritius Focal point appointed.
Mozambique Focal point appointed.
Swaziland Stocktaking in progress.
Zambia Preparing for Round Table.
Zimbabwe Focal point appointed.
a. Expected to organize Round Table by March 2009.
1/6/2009 – Page 14

15. ReSAKSS Outputs (1)
• Four integrated websites for different African regions and Africa-
wide to access interactive tools and databases across ReSAKSS
nodes. Content includes available data at country and regional level
on indicators such as poverty, hunger, agricultural growth, and
agricultural spending
• The websites are integrated to allow quick and easy access to
current trends among key indicators, comparisons against
benchmarks, and assessment of future options.
• A redesign of the websites with mapping and visualization effects is
now underway with Mapping Worlds of Netherlands to improve the
landing page and overall usability. The ReSAKSS website is accessible
at http://www.resakss.org.
1/6/2009 – Page 15

16. Landing page
Flash graphics
Html content
Status as at 1 December 2008

17. Landing page
See values in line chart
Africa wide content
Far right column
General content
Right column
Content tagged to selected
area

18. Landing page
Adjust vertical sliders

19. Landing page
Adjust horizontal sliders

20. Landing page
Select regions

21. Regional page
Regional content

22. Regional page
Read map data

23. Country page
Country content
Externally created
charts

24. Country page
Select other countries

25. Country page
Activate second panel

26. Country page
Bar chart showing
multiple subjects

27. Country page
See different years

28. Country page
See other countries

29. Country page
Scroll subjects

30. Country page
Return to chart

31. Country page
Select another subject

32. Country page
Select another subject

33. Country page
Navigate html content

34. Country page
Navigate html content

35. Country page
Navigate html content

36. ReSAKSS Outputs (2)
• Common measures and indicators have been
developed and proposed to monitor agricultural
growth, food security and poverty reduction
(M&E Framework)
• Reports on current trends with overall
performance and welfare goals developed for
countries and regions
• Impact analysis undertaken– using case study
approach (e.g. for select countries and/or
programs)
•
1/6/2009 – Page 36

37. ReSAKSS Outputs (3)
• A series of high-quality and analytical working papers, issue briefs and trend
reports shared with policy-makers to provide credible evidence to base
policy decisions
• M&E document for CAADP and other regional initiatives implementation
prepared for progress review at country, peer review at regional, and mutual
review at continent wide level.
• Examples:
• “Monitoring Agricultural Sector Performance, Growth and Poverty in Africa.” ReSAKSS Annual Trends Report
2008.
• “Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) System for the Comprehensive African Agriculture Development
Programme (CAADP).” ReSAKSS Working Paper No. 6, 2008.
• “Accelerating Africa’s Food Production in Response to Rising Food Prices – Impacts and Requisite Actions.”
ReSAKSS Working Paper No. 3, 2008
• "Investing in African Agriculture to Halve Poverty by 2015." ReSAKSS Issue Brief No. 4, 2008.
• “Tracking Agricultural Spending for Agricultural Growth and Poverty Reduction in Africa.” ReSAKSS Issue Brief
No. 5, 2008.
1/6/2009 – Page 37

38. ReSAKSS Outputs (4)
• “Agricultural Growth and Investment Options for Poverty Reduction in Uganda.” ReSAKSS Working Paper No. 17,
2008.
• “Agricultural Growth and Investment Options for Poverty Reduction in Malawi.” ReSAKSS Working Paper No. 18,
2008.
• “Agricultural Growth and Poverty Reduction in Malawi: Past Performance and Recent Trends.” ReSAKSS Working
Paper No. 8, 2008.
• “Monitoring Trends in Public Expenditures in Agriculture: The Case of Malawi.” ReSAKSS Working Paper No. 9, 2008.
• “Promoting Fertilizer use in Africa: Current Issues and Empirical Evidence from Malawi, Zambia and Kenya.” ReSAKSS
Working Paper No. 13, 2008.
• “Agricultural Growth Options for Poverty Reduction in Mozambique.” ReSAKSS Working Paper No. 20, 2008.
• “Agriculture for Development in Ghana: New Opportunities and Challenges.” ReSAKSS Working Paper No. 16., 2008
• “Trends in Agricultural and Rural Development Indicators in Zambia.” ReSAKSS Working Paper No. 2, 2007
• “Growth and Poverty Reduction Impacts of Public Investments in Agriculture and Rural Areas: Assessment
Techniques, Tools and Guide for Practitioners.” ReSAKSS Working Paper No. 7, 2008.
1/6/2009 – Page 38

39. ReSAKSS Outputs (5)
• Technical support to the CAADP Roundtable process in many
countries. ReSAKSS has helped to draft and share terms of
reference for the process with all stakeholders.
• Development of a common communications strategy. The
strategy analyzes the current situation, identifies and researches
the audience, creates messages, selects appropriate vehicles to
deliver the messages, anticipate barriers to the successful
delivery of the message, and provides means of implementing
the strategy.
• Supporting establishment of country SAKSS nodes in countries
(advanced stages in Mozambique, Rwanda, Malawi, Uganda).
• SAKSS nodes are meant to provide data needs, facilitate policy
planning, review, and dialogue processes associated with
agriculture agenda at the national level.
1/6/2009 – Page 39

40. ReSAKSS Outputs (6)
• Successful establishment of a critical network of expert groups
(both individuals and institutions).
• Close links established with stakeholders at the country, regional
and Africa-wide level (AfDB, ECA, AU, NEPAD, RECs, several
research institutions and development partners)
• The network provides key inputs with respect to analysis, data
systems, and capacity strengthening in support of the CAADP
agenda and other regional strategies.
• It also leads to promotion of awareness among users of ReSAKSS
tools and added value for strengthening evidence-based dialogue
and strategic decision-making
1/6/2009 – Page 40

41. Future Expectations for the Remaining Period of
Current ReSAKSS Phase
• The expectations of ReSAKSS based on the changing context of the CAADP
process have set the tone for the priorities and goals of 2009.
• The main challenges that ReSAKSS faces in 2009 include the need for
greater involvement of ReSAKSS activities at the regional level; the
urgency for ReSAKSS to deliver timely and relevant products based on the
demands expressed by diverse clients; the clarification of the relationship
between research and knowledge management; and the influence on
agricultural policymaking in Africa.
• The mindset of ReSAKSS has now changed from process orientation to
output orientation. ReSAKSS consolidated workplan for 2009 aims to
reposition itself to better support Africa’s agricultural development
challenges, and to deepen its work in identified priority areas that
provide immediate value-addition and transparency in the support of
CAADP and other regional strategies.
1/6/2009 – Page 41