Project design and management contributions to improve IITA’s Research for Development program
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The document outlines the qualifications and project management contributions of Braima James for the Deputy Director position at iita, emphasizing his 26 years of post-PhD experience and success in managing multiple research projects. It discusses the importance of strategic project planning, development, and partnerships to enhance iita's research-for-development (r4d) outcomes. Additionally, it provides insights into the methodologies for problem specification, objective setting, and resource allocation to effectively address agricultural development challenges in sub-Saharan Africa.
Project design and management contributions to improve IITA’s Research for Development program
- 1. Project design and management contributions to improve IITA’s Research for Development program Braima James Candidate Deputy Director Project development and management IITA International Institute of Tropical Agriculture – Institut international d’agriculture tropicale – www.iita.org
- 2. Outline The job R4D environment Project planning - Overview - Specify problem Planning aims to coordinate decisions - Agreeing objectives in an attempt to influence, direct and - Analyze options control the future in order to achieve - Plan of operations certain predetermined objectives If IITA were a donor… - Bank of CNs - Control management - MIS Conclusions International Institute of Tropical Agriculture – Institut international d’agriculture tropicale – www.iita.org
- 3. 1. The job 7 key responsibility areas 26yrs post-PhD experience Lead responses to funding opportunities Managed 10 projects of US9m, 38% of which I led in proposal development Facilitate project proposals development 25 projects: 11 successful, 9 pending, 6 unfunded or refused Strengthen use of appropriate design for UNDP-ESCaPP; IFAD/CGM; CG-NGOIPM; SDC proposal development cowpea & vegs; FAO cassava & Striga; ADA vegs; NRC vegs; BI-WAFRINET; SPIPM Develop/conduct training programs to Project planning/management, UK; IPM tools, strengthen project management at IITA Australia; Corporate governance, FARA Facilitate development of strategic IITA-Benin; HVP; PRSP-SL; initiatives with initiatives/internal proposals CFC, UEMOA, UNIDO;3 partnership wshps pa; Facilitate partnerships for smooth Inclusive partnerships through projects implementation of projects development and coordination Collaborate with CGO & DDG-RS: recruit MoU with host-countries, CIRAD, NRC-Norway staff; establish sites; monitor progress International Institute of Tropical Agriculture – Institut international d’agriculture tropicale – www.iita.org
- 4. 2. R4D environment: MTP projects MTP legacies on SC priorities CLS HVP AH RTS BPS AB OT Gene conservation & use Increased knowledge/tech Improved/stabilized profitability High food & nutritional quality Efficient labour-use Self reliant NARS/capacity dev Markets/informed enterprises Policy advice/ext environment Suggestion - Consider placing some the 3 thematic projects within commodity MTP projects International Institute of Tropical Agriculture – Institut international d’agriculture tropicale – www.iita.org
- 5. R4D environment: many special projects, one mission Suggestions - Coordinate results generation into common impact to achieve IITA mission International Institute of Tropical Agriculture – Institut international d’agriculture tropicale – www.iita.org
- 6. 3. Project planning: Overview SPECIFY Formulate strategy PROBLEM Implement strategy - Leadership - Long-term - Decision-making - Anticipate changes - Communications - Proactive/ideas/vision MONITOR ANALYSE PROGRESS PLANNING CYCLE OPTIONS - Work culture Short-term - Resources - Reactive/tactical - Authority levels - Reverse losses CONTROL Strategy: STANDARDS Implementation: Establish key targets in Forecast & correct changes social, political, in target environment and technology & economic justify ones position and environment & show proposals to deliver the means to fulfil them desired change International Institute of Tropical Agriculture – Institut international d’agriculture tropicale – www.iita.org
- 7. Specify problem/a good problem statement Situation - What situation needs change? Allocate $ to BC or experiential learning or both? - Who/what/region is affected? - Magnitude of the problem? Causes (not symptoms) - Why does problem exists? - Single or multiple causes? Functional Leaf loss in S. macrocarpon: group Mite population density per leaf - Are causes interdependent? On-station On-farm Consequences 8.6 5.5 159.8 52.9 - Population size affected? Pest mite Predators 8.3 1.5 1.6 0.6 - Political, cultural, economic? Suggestions - Intensive problem analyses is pivotal to resource mobilization/allocation - Learn PSW tools: Surveys; historical profiles; consultations, pinboarding International Institute of Tropical Agriculture – Institut international d’agriculture tropicale – www.iita.org
- 8. Agreeing objectives/the desired future SMART Objectives - State what will/should happen DD-Projects: Authority environment - Specify project expectations - Clarify how to influence future Negotiated Agree, not set, objectives - More motivated implementers Existing - Maximise chances of achievement - Inputs of diverse expertise - Realistic plans/complement capacity Imposed - Confident decision-making: managers Suggestions - Invest in professionally facilitated project planning workshops - Greater involvement of potential partners in a timely manner International Institute of Tropical Agriculture – Institut international d’agriculture tropicale – www.iita.org
- 9. Agreeing objectives: MTP project strategy Diverse expertise: IITA, AVRDC, ARC, ICIPE, NARS Benin, Ghana, Nigeria, Togo Suggestion - Harmonize strategic planning approaches across MTP projects - Specify research/thrusts (= central pillars/strategic objectives. HVP now has 4 research thrusts: a) Productivity growth; b) Market efficiency & enterprise; c) Nutritional quality & product diversity; d) Policies & institutional arrangements - Position component projects within strategic objectives per MTP projects International Institute of Tropical Agriculture – Institut international d’agriculture tropicale – www.iita.org
- 10. Agreeing objectives: Template to position projects Equivalent objectives to propose Hierarchy of Description Strategic plan Component projects expectations Goal - Greater why Mission Problem statement in - Summarise rationale executive summary Purpose - Change/impact needed Vision/research thrusts Basis of goal statement - Motivation for outputs Output - Specific deliverables Strategic objective/RT Basis of purpose - ToR for projects Activities - How/action Responses/RT Basis of outputs Output - What? Qty/quality N/A Output targets target - Location, time Activities - How/action N/A Activities & resources Suggestions - Hands on training/common understanding of hierarchy of objectives - Incorporate AU projected 6% annual productivity gain into planning process International Institute of Tropical Agriculture – Institut international d’agriculture tropicale – www.iita.org
- 11. Analyse options: Feasibility of tasks Decision Tree Analysis - Conceptual map of potential decisions/outcomes on activities to produce OTs Start task: step 1 Step 1 succeeds Step 2 succeeds Continue Step 1 fails Step 2 fails 1 = Decide = Continue or exit/hand over = Abandon task Suggestions - Test consequences of tasks prior to implementation - Review/merge or develop alternative tasks based on possible consequences - Visualize contingences, exit/handover of tasks (link to stakeholder analysis) International Institute of Tropical Agriculture – Institut international d’agriculture tropicale – www.iita.org
- 12. Analyse options: Relative feasibility of output targets Force Field Analysis, e.g. IITA biopesticides 10 Learning Specificity Durability Demand Average 5 Production Expertise +ve forces 0 -ve forces Application -5 Average 2nd/other Toxicology -10 pests Markets Registration Recruitment Suggestions - Assess/compare practicality of solutions (fertilisers, GMOs, biopesticides etc) - Identify clear action points/inventory driving & restraining factors on OTs - Minimize risks, amend/improve chances of success International Institute of Tropical Agriculture – Institut international d’agriculture tropicale – www.iita.org
- 13. Analyse options: Skills profiling Confident HR decision making - Identify skills required to deliver OT - Analyse internal skills/within the group - Negotiate synergies/linkages & cross functions - Inventory of external skills - Identify potential consultancy areas Suggestions - Stakeholder analysis helps place objectives within IITA control - MTP projects may require pillar champions/coordinators International Institute of Tropical Agriculture – Institut international d’agriculture tropicale – www.iita.org
- 14. Plan of operations/writing By this stage information is available to prepare a winning project proposal - A strategy framework approved by RDC - CNs approved by RDC to operationize the strategy - Proposal writing includes PoP to indicate time, staff & $ resource allocation Output 1: Collective action on MTP projects documented and lessons shared Output target Activity 2007 timeframe Performance Responsible $ indicator J F M A M J J A S O N D MTP action Identify & prioritize RDC report DD-R & 000 initiatives emerging new themes on decisions Coordinator published on web Organize internal M&E/CCER DDG-R & 000 review report Coordinator Facilitate strategic MTP strategy Consultant & 000 planning workshop document DD-R, DD-Proj Recruit project Strategy DDG-R, CGO, 000 leadership operational HR Convene symposium. 15 papers DD-R; 000 Coordinator International Institute of Tropical Agriculture – Institut international d’agriculture tropicale – www.iita.org
- 15. 4. If IITA were a donor: Bank of CNs By end year 1 Benefits Problem specification Coalition of interests in CNs - Criteria to prioritize problem areas - Transparent decision making on CNs - Justify technical, social, economic & - Ensure objectives are under IITA environmental viability of CNs control Which projects? Advocacy on donor policies - SWOT CNs for robustness - Proactive donor intelligence - Intranet-publicize database of CNs - Info support for investment - Specify CNs which IITA would invest - Timely response to funding calls in if it were a donor agency - Basis of R4D $ mobilization/allocation International Institute of Tropical Agriculture – Institut international d’agriculture tropicale – www.iita.org
- 16. Control management: a control system A good plan is achieved only if it is subjected to good system of control - Output targets = control standards - Monitor progress towards standards - Compare results with standards - Adjust objectives/flexibility Suggestions - Agree financial resource management tools with CGO, CFO and DD-R International Institute of Tropical Agriculture – Institut international d’agriculture tropicale – www.iita.org
- 17. Design a management information systems Category Type of info required Source of the info Use of the info Deliverables - What has been done? - Activity records - Plan future/year’s work - Not done but planned? - Supervision reports - Identify successes - Problems encountered? - Periodic reports - Identify strengths - How problems solved? - Staff reviews - Identify weaknesses - Change in ext situation? - Clients - Plan to overcome them - How staff work as team? - Surveys - Review and evaluation Suggestions - Agree on categories of info and other MIS elements - Agree on type of MIS required: formal, informal, extensive or limited - Keep MIS simple, efficient and useful (advisory; not a spy in the cab!) - Train/supervise project team in use of MIS International Institute of Tropical Agriculture – Institut international d’agriculture tropicale – www.iita.org
- 18. 5. Conclusion: I am suitable IITA research results are the only tools we have to impact on national (e.g., PRSP), regional (e.g. with SROs) and continental (e.g. CAADP) agricultural development plans I have summarized project planning & management tools & processes as I know and apply in my work, and suggest each of us IRS learns such tools for planning to improve effectiveness and usefulness of our research results I have also suggested action areas to guide R4D decisions on projects & increase IRS understanding & collective ownership of those decisions I have drawn on 26yrs post-PhD experiences in education, partnership building, project development, implementation/management & informal discussions with colleagues to arrive at the summary I have provided I believe I have clearly demonstrated that I am suitable for the advertised position of DD-Project planning and management at IITA International Institute of Tropical Agriculture – Institut international d’agriculture tropicale – www.iita.org
- 19. Thank you I look forward to working with you, various authority levels, SROs/NARS so that together we help improve IITA’s R4D impact in the fight against declining livelihoods in SSA International Institute of Tropical Agriculture – Institut international d’agriculture tropicale – www.iita.org