M-BoSs+project+review+and+planning+workshop+June+29-30,+2017


 * M-BoSs project review and planning workshop on ‘out scaling of community-based breeding programs: attractive and innovative approach to improving the lives of smallholder producers in low input systems**
 * 29-30 June 2017**
 * Addis Ababa**

=**Background**=

=
M-BoSs builds on the Successes of the Africa-Brazil Agricultural Innovation Marketplace. M-BoSs is a platform designed to strengthen and deepen the collaboration in Agricultural Research for Development among African and Brazilian partners, initially with Embrapa. M-BoSs aims to build on the successes of competitive calls for proposals carried out by the Africa-Brazil Agricultural Innovation Marketplace ([|www.mktplace.org]). M-BoSs identify and scale up (expand and disseminate) promising results obtained out of the projects supported by MKTPlace. In Africa, M-BOSS will focus on the development of more productive and nutritious versions of key agricultural products. Presently, M-BoSs is a joint effort of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, the United Kingdom Department of International Development, the Forum for Agriculture Research in Africa (FARA), the Arthur Bernardes Foundation (Funarbe) and the Brazilian Corporation for Agricultural Research (Embrapa).======

=**Products**=

[|Blog post]

[|Photos]

=**Objective**=
 * Review of achievement of CBBP in target areas in Ethiopia – Abergelle and Konso
 * Detailed work planning of the project in Ethiopia and Tanzania

=Agenda=

//**Day 1 - June 29, 2017**//


 * 8.30 || Registration || Martha ||
 * 9.00 || Welcome remarks

Objectives, agenda, and introduction || Barbara Rischkowsky Maria Mashingo, Permanent secretary at the ministry of agriculture, Tanzania

Aynalem and Tsehay || Clarification Q&A || Aynalem || Clarification Q&A || Hyera || Dereje || and clarification Q&A || Tsehay and table hosts || //What is needed for upscaling: Which sites, the process involved, what resources and which partners?// || Group discussion and reporting || Clarification Q&A || Murad || Clarification Q&A || Aynalem || Q&A || Lobo ||
 * 9.20 || Presentation: Introduction to community-based breeding program and M-BoSs project.
 * 9:40 || Presentations: status report from Tanzania
 * **10:10 - 10:30** || **Coffee Break** ||  ||
 * 10:30 || Presentation: CBBP in Abergelle and Konso || Bekahegn, Hailai
 * 11:10 || Reporting back from CBBP group discussion
 * 11:40 || Essentials for out scaling of CBBP
 * **12:30 - 01:30** || **Lunch** ||  ||
 * 01:30 || Energizer || Tsehay ||
 * 1:40 || Presentation: Reproductive technologies in CBBP
 * 2:00 || Group discussion on reproductive technologies || Tsehay ||
 * 2:30 || Presentation: Introduction to the work plan template
 * 2:35 || Group formation and brainstorming for work planning || Country teams ||
 * 2:40 || Presentation/ discussion: DREMS and mobile recording
 * **3.00 - 3.20** || **Coffee Break** ||  ||
 * 3.20 || Work plan for the first year || Country teams ||
 * 4.45 || Temperature checking on work planning || Tsehay ||
 * //5.00// || Wrap-up of day 1 and close || Tsehay ||

//**Day 2 - June 30, 2017**//


 * 8.30 || Recap of day 1. || Tsehay ||
 * 8.45 || Work plan for the first year continues || Group work ||
 * 10:00 || Work plan reporting back || Group reps and Tsehay ||
 * **10.30 - 11.00** || **Coffee Break** ||  ||
 * 11:00 || Need for capacity development || Group discussion ||
 * 11:30 || Finance/ reporting || Nebeyat/ Tariku ||
 * 11:50 || Final wrap-up and next steps || Aynalem ||
 * 12:00 || Close || Barbra ||
 * **12:00 – 1:00** || **Lunch** ||  ||

Presentations
[|Reproductive options for a more efficient system delivery of improved genetics from the communities to the communities] [|The status and characteristics of two populations of small East African goats of Tanzania] [|Out scaling of community-based breeding programs]




 * Welcoming remarks**

She stated that she would like to see how it is applicable in another country and another culture (Tanzania). Our successful CBBP was also applied in another country such as Malawi but by other projects, not us. Community-Based Breeding Program (CBBP) for goats and sheep is successful in Ethiopia and we are trying to adapt it to other countries outside of Ethiopia. Namibia, Botswana, and Tanzania are the countries in our mind to adopt / out scale this CBBP.
 * Barbara R.-** welcomes participants. She further noted that this is the first time combining two countries (Ethiopia and Tanzania). She said that she expects it to be interesting and there will be an exchange of experience among the two countries.


 * Maria Mashingo** (Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Livestock and Fisheries Tanzania) - also welcomes participants and expressed her happiness to be here today. She said that we came four of us from Tanzania, and we are now cooperating in different areas including LMP for Tanzania. Tanzania is focusing on small ruminants as a source of protein as our population is reaching 50 million. Small ruminants can play an important role in economic development in Tanzania as well.


 * Introduction of Agenda - By Aynalem Haile**


 * Introduction to community-based breeding program and M-BoSS project - By Aynalem**


 * Clarification Q&A**


 * Question:** Data management is a critical issue in the livestock sector. How are you going to manage your data while scaling out? How do u capture data? (Maria)
 * Answer:** In each cooperative with CBBP, we have enumerators supported by the project and later on will be employed by the government. The enumerators collect baseline data, and we ear tag the goats/sheep. Afterward, the data is collected on the sheet by researchers. They go to the field and look into the data and transfer it to Excel sheets. Or put it on dreams which are a software which is prepared for this purpose. We are thinking also developing a system like having a tablet and when getting connection they can send it to the DREAM. (Aynalem).

The major problem that we have in data management is internet connectivity and this has discouraged our researchers to use DREAM, and now we are planning to get another offline system or a mobile recording system. Data recording is basic for CBBP. No data no CBBP. The data is very much needed to selecting the animals. (Barbara) In this project, we are planning to develop a mobile recording system and which is compatible with DREAMS (Aynalem). National animal tracking and identification system should be in place to help all the activities and we have to see what is happening at the national level. Not sure if it is applied in Tanzania. If so, we can see how we can harmonize implementing this tracking and … system in Tanzania as well. (Barbara R)


 * status report from Tanzania By Hayra**


 * Clarification Q & A**


 * Question:** You have mentioned a number of policies and initiatives, which policy is Tanzanian modernization policy? Does that really influence your work as a researcher? Or which policy really influence your work? (Barbara R)
 * Answer:** Policy of xx and seeds 2006 policy is the major policy that is shaping our activities. The livestock initiative is to take care of emerging issues since the adoption of the policy in 2006. We will also be reviewing the policy since it has almost been 10 years now. Asides the policy, we also have initiatives such as the livestock initiative which is taking care of new emerging issues in the livestock sector. Now we are also working on the Livestock Master Plan (LMP). We are done with the LMP and now at the final version and will be available

We have trained farmer groups on selection; the aim is to encourage inbreeding and we believed that these groups are a very good entry point for this project to start the CBBP.
 * Question:** you have shown lots of policies and in Africa application is an issue. What kind of experience does u have in applications? What is the purpose of small farmer groups that u have mentioned?
 * Answer:** the policies such as the policy on conversation and sustainable utilization, for example, we at the research center we have the mandate to conserve certain livestock species this shows that we are implementing the policies. Modernizing and conserving are handled at the same time.


 * Question:** Are we targeting two different populations?
 * Answer:** We are selecting the Para balls and the gosi districts. The two districts are semi and high in Tanzania, we have indigenous goats named after the place found. And they might have the same characters despite the names.

**BREAK**
 * Status Report on CBBP in Abergelle and Konso**


 * Reporting back from CBBP group discussion and clarification Q&A **


 * Konso – Goat breeding improvement program**


 * //Status//** – started in 2013 within 2 potential PAs with higher folk size
 * At the first phase, morphometric and genetic characterization was carried out in project integration of ILRI
 * villages selected and enumerators trained to collect basic data from selected does which were tagged for breeding
 * Coops were established to facilitate further selection, marketing, and possession (owning)
 * Testing sites were built by the regional government for evaluating the performance of breeding bucks
 * Now we do have 5 PAs with CBBP program. For all these vaccines, acaricides and deworming boluses supplied.
 * On Average 200 members per cooperative
 * there is a need strong integration with partners
 * good management at the research station
 * We have 200 members within each cooperation and 6 PAs
 * lack of facilities and biotechnologies for breeding is a challenge
 * lack of feed and water


 * Challenges:**
 * lack of biotechnical facilities
 * ELINO contribution to lack of feed and water
 * High demand of breeding bucks from the regional government


 * Q And A**
 * Question:** issue of market linkage how do u deal with it?


 * Answer:** we are providing the breeding bucks and there are by-laws for the members on how they market their products. They keep 50% of the breeds and market the rest. Goats are sold like a seed and the price is different in the market unlike the ones for consumption, therefore, the farmers make profit


 * Question:** how do u use the testing stations?


 * Answer:** we evaluate the breeding bucks at the station and also other activities are carried out with the communities. It is particularly used to test the breeds and after they came to our site they are tested for how they react for the reproductive mating purpose. Their physiological nature is tested before we take them to the farmers. The station is only for much-selected bugs. We are not taking all the bugs but rather the animals to be sold to other areas. They stay 3 – 6 months at the station. Every year we take up to 40 bugs depending on the season


 * Abergelle Goats –**


 * //Status -//**
 * farmers are selected based on their interest and are trained on all aspects of livestock husbandry
 * animals are selected based on the measurements we have and also by the farmers \
 * land scarcity and farmers lack of interest in keeping non-selected animals are the measure challenges
 * involving a large number of farmers is seen as a solution to address some of the major problems
 * Integrated forage development strategy and using closure areas for forage development are also suggested as solutions
 * Challenges:**
 * Lack of land to keep and fatten non-selected bucks
 * Intermixing of animals while grazing and watering
 * Solution:**
 * Involving large number of farmers
 * Integrated forage development (short duration forage)


 * Q And A**

In ICARDA we are working on which breed should be distributed into which area it goes. The report will be available by the end of the month. Horro, begait and washara and menz are some of the breeds that are great (Aynalem) The issue of importing an animal from one country to another country is good but we still need to work harder on the breeds that we have already at hand as well.
 * Question:** if we would like to buy an animal what will be the premium price? How do u do a phenotype in Ethiopia? Conservation issues?
 * Answer:** price is determined by the market and varies based on the season. In Ethiopia, the responsibility for breed conservation is for biodiversity institute. But also keeping them or availing them in the market will help the breed conservation. We should make them marketable. The best phenotype selection – is based on the semen availability and various characteristics


 * Essentials for out scaling of CBBP – Group work - three groups established**

//What is needed for upscaling: Which sites, the process involved, what resources and which partners?//


 * Group 1:**


 * Which sites:**
 * Large goat flock and accessible
 * The new site has to be adjacent to the current participating village
 * Try to reach all farmers in the already participating village


 * The process involves**
 * Awareness creation of partners
 * Establishment of new cooperatives
 * Use of reproductive technologies
 * Reinforcement of reproductive activities (forage, health, and process)
 * Steps: identify the sites and train the farmers and higher enumerators and collect data on regular follow-ups and data analyzed. Based on the data analyzed do the selection and marketing
 * Fund –** for human resource and Special equipment (such as data loggers)
 * Partners -** Farmers, researchers, BOA (regional development initiatives), religious institutes
 * Comment -** it is important to put in mind market and stating the breeding objectives


 * Group 2:**


 * What is needed?**
 * Target community and breeding flocks
 * Awarding the community about the project
 * Available technology
 * Data handling

Questions were not raised by participants
 * Which sites?**
 * Strengthening the program in all existing sites at konso and looking for jarso as well
 * Improving the grazing and browsing areas


 * Group 3:**


 * What is needed?**
 * Technology and tools for new practices
 * Data recording mechanisms
 * Training and awareness creation
 * Financial support and establishing good partnerships
 * Which Sites?**
 * Sites with good animal resource base and accessible
 * Less mobility of animals and farmers
 * Process / Steps**
 * Site selection and training/awareness creation
 * Baseline survey - breeding objectives
 * Designing breeding structure; cooperatives establishment and hiring data collectors and providing training
 * Data collection and regular follow-ups; data analysis
 * Selection based on data
 * Marketing the animals


 * What Resources?**
 * Human resources/community
 * Potential animals; feed and water
 * Breeding technologies/facilities (PD testing tools, synchronization, AI, data collection tools etc)
 * Financial resources
 * Partners**
 * Local community
 * Local govt – extension service providers and cooperatives
 * ICARDA / EMBRAPA
 * Research institutes
 * Religious organizations

**LUNCH BREAK**
 * Question:** WhyFREG why not cooperatives?
 * Answer:** FREGs are small groups and are HH bases and they deal with but the whole issue comes to the cooperatives. FREGs are more conserved with vaccines, feeds….
 * Presentation: Reproductive technologies in CBBP – By Murad**


 * Three questions from Murad - Groups (Abergelle, konso and Tanzania )**
 * 1) 1. Suitable reproductive modules for your site (yellow card)
 * 2) 2. Knowledge capitulation in goats reproduction (Green)
 * 3) 3. Availability data on reproduction performances and rhythms of the target breeds (orange)
 * Tanzania Group:**
 * 1) 1. Available data on station performance, kidding rate, fertility, litter size, litter weight. Rhythms – Non-seasonal breeders, targeting feed calendar, 3 kidding in 2 years
 * 2) 2. Knowledge (technical staff, community AI and laboratory, needs assessment)
 * 3) 3. Modules – prostaglandin synchronization


 * Konso Group:**

Q1 Suitable reproductive modules of your site Q2. Knowledge capacitation Q3 availability of data on reproduction performances on targeted sites
 * Breeding structure; Sex ratio; Kidding interval; Reproductive diseases; Birth type (single, twin)
 * 5 Years’ experience on goat CBBP
 * Package published in Goat Production
 * MSC in Goat Breeding
 * Feed formulation and forage production; Health management; Portable ultrasound; AI; Synchronization
 * Abergelle Group:**
 * Abergelle Group:**

Q 1.Suitable reproductive modules of your site Q.2. Knowledge support Q3. Availability of data on reproduction performances on targeted sites
 * Reproductive performance (kidding, litter size)
 * The data from the CBBP is limited (AI, breeding, and soundness)
 * From literature all reproductive data is available
 * No information at tanqua abergelle
 * PMSG is found to be better at wag abergelle
 * Synchronization n AI
 * Synchronization + natural mating using selected bucks

Questions have not been raised
 * Presentation/ discussion: DREAMS and mobile recording by lobo**
 * The software is important to organize store and analyze the data collected in good time and quality
 * SGR is the new way for flock management system. The system has two parts:
 * Somebody will go with the tablet with no need for connection and later on, they will migrate the info.
 * There needs to be a complete compatibility between the mobile application and DREAMS
 * Introduction to Work plan for the first year by Aynalem -** explained what the participants need to fill into the template


 * DAY 2**


 * Work plan reporting back**
 * Konso G**
 * Presented schedule of activities and deliverables for the year 1
 * Our plan is based on the proposal by ICARDA
 * We are planning to incorporate new sites and reproductive system


 * Question:** Your first two points must exist in your CBBPs as the CBBPs are established previously in konso. Why do u breed to have this protocol again?
 * Answer:** it is done only at the community level but the pastoral areas are not covered in konso. There for to cover new pastoral areas we need to include these protocols. I don’t need to think it is needed to do the assessment again deploy as it is also done by PHD students (Aynalem)


 * Abergelle Tanqua G**
 * Presented schedule of activities and deliverables for the year 1


 * Question:** we have Tigray and Amhara in Abergele. If u would like to establish laboratories in one please can u collaborate to be more resource efficient? (Barbara R.)
 * Answer:** Good to have two different centers since they are located in different regions and under a different administration. I suggest we establish mini labs with fewer resources.
 * Question:** Do u have AI specialists that can be trained or can you share specialists? (Barbara)
 * Answer**: if possible we want to train as more people as we can as an AI specialist. At least three or four at the research center
 * Question:** how come we do not see the expansion sites in the plan as you have mentioned you are adding more sites U need to be clear how we link the stations in supporting CBBP at the community level?


 * Abergelle Wag**
 * Presented schedule of activities and deliverables for the year 1


 * Comment**: Animal health management is not incorporated in the Mboss project proposal, so it should be funded from another source – such as smart Ethiopia project. Therefore, it does not need to be in this plan. There might be some budget for some forage seeds and buys some medicine but as a complementary for other projects. For e.g. since the site in Konso is not covered by smart we can use the budget from Mboss (Barbara R.)


 * Comment:** I have not seen involving female bucks and even if it is not the culture of selecting and marketing females, it is good to encourage them. (Mourad)


 * Tanzania Group**


 * Presented schedule of activities and deliverables for the year 1

When selecting enumerators it will be good to have criteria such as their acceptance by the community and also able to utilize technologies such as mobile phones. (Barbara) What and who and when do need the training needs.
 * Question:** Is there any other possibilities to get some support in the implementation of the project? Can we use the research systems that are already in place? If so, we can provide materials that are not available in the centers (Barbara R.)
 * Answer:** The ministry is positive but still the financial year for Tanzania is closed and we can consider it in our plan for the next planning year which is 2019. (Maria)
 * Comment:** If the condition really requires getting more funds for like to purchase animals we might need to think of revolving funds from other sources.
 * Need for Capacity Development**


 * //Abergelle Tanqua//**
 * 1) Reproductive technology training on Estrous Synchronization, Semen Evaluation, PD and AI.
 * 2) DREAMS Training – Four research staffs from each site (July to August 2017)
 * 3) Training on software-based data management, analysis, and reporting – for 8 research staffs from each site in September 2017


 * //Konso//**
 * 1) DREAMS training for data collectors and researchers in August 2017
 * 2) Training on the importance and application of CBBP for coop leaders and extension experts
 * 3) Breeding value estimation software for researchers in September 2017
 * 4) Training on Reproductive biotechnologies for researchers and TAs in October 2017
 * 5) Training on data management tools for researchers in November 2017.


 * //Tanzania//**
 * Short-term training on**
 * 1) DREMs and Mobile technologies applications
 * 2) Breeding sounding examination
 * 3) Pregnancy diagnosis – ultrasound
 * 4) Oestrus synchronization
 * 5) Semen collection and examination
 * 6) AI in small ruminants
 * 7) Farmers training management practices
 * 8) Enumerators training
 * 9) Breeding value estimation


 * Long-Term Training on**

2. Farmers training on management practices
 * 1) MSc Molecular characterization


 * Final wrap-up and next steps – Aynalem**
 * Work plans will be revisited based on the comments and submitted by Monday (ET) and Wednesday (Tanzania)
 * We will work on the budget estimates and compile the work plan by Friday
 * MoU will be planned for Tanzania for review
 * Scoping visit will be done in Nov 2017 and we will meet communities and do selections and workshop and training and discussion on the plan. We try to use the days well
 * With eth partners, we had MoU with Livestock and Fish and now finance will not give finance as the CRP ended in 2016 and replaced with CRP livestock so we need to sign a new MoU
 * One MoU is signed we can buy the equipment via ICARDA instead of sending money to the research systems
 * Taxes in Tanzania might be an issue while getting the technologies and they should be under subjects for not taxation


 * Closing – Barbara**
 * We will be clarifying more points as we go on. If any doubts and questions please let us discuss and address the issues
 * We should make our financial reports as transparent and as clear as possible to our donors and centers
 * We need the principle of transparency in all of the things we are engaged with
 * We are here to help poor farmers
 * We have achieved our objectives
 * We will think of additional opportunities for exchanging experiences
 * Since this our first collaboration and hope that we will have more collaborations in the future