IFAD’s work on Scaling Up Micro Irrigation Systems (SCAMPIS) attracted a full house during the first day of Stockholm World Water Week (26 August 2012). In a session entitled “Micro-Irrigation for Food Security: The Untold Stories of Forgotten Stakeholders”,
participants listened to fascinating stories from Guatemala, Madagascar
and India where 30 000 people have been moved out of poverty through
the SCAMPIS project. The project has shown the benefits of combining
investment in Agriculture Water Management with innovation involving the
private sector.
The session generated thoughtful and useful comments from the participants. Some of the emerging issues and questions include:
Return on investment in Micro Irrigation Systems;
The need for scaling up Micro Irrigation Systems to consider the
depletion of blue water (water in rivers, dams, streams and other
reservoirs) which is used by irrigation;
Need to look at self adoption by people outside the projects who
learn by observing and implementing the technology in their own
contexts;
Men should also work in the field rather than leaving the bulk of the work to women and children;
It is important to explore and expand markets for crops because this determines investment. Scaling up depends on market demand;
While micro credit should be considered, it is not suitable for the
majority of smallholders due to high interest rates, among other factors
such as expectation for obtaining subsidies;
While most technologies tend to exclude the poorest of the poor,
Micro Irrigation Systems are suitable for these vulnerable groups; and,
it is also important to explore alternative energy systems for pumping
water.
The main conclusion was that the main focus is not to scale up
technology but to reduce poverty and improve the lives of rural poor
people.
It is a simulation of real life experiences, tuff negotiations and incredible problems (always, constantly happending during a project-programme development) can or cannot be solved thanks to the effort of brave and smart coordinators and policy makers.
What is the objective of the game is to develop strategies for scaling up micro-irrigation systems (MIS) in a time-span of 6 years.....or obstacle and slow down the dissemination of MIS!
Who will win?
The game will let you discuss, argue, negotiate and finally find solutions and more than something else will let you have fun, learning!!!!!
(The game has been ideated by Cecilia Ruberto, more info: ceciliaruberto@gmail.com)
Implemented for the SCAMPIS Project (micro-irrigation and natural fertilization for vulnerable small-holders), to improve the M&E strategy and the International Learning/Sharing Platform (Learning Path). Involved organizations: IFAD (Water and Infrastructure desk) Guatemala: Funcafé; India: IDEI, OTELP, IFAD ICO)
Started in: Guatemala - Oriental Region (April 2012) India - Orissa Region (May 2012)
The Scampis MSC steps are
1 - Stories Collection by young reporters A small group of young reportes (trained by Scampis staff, age between 12 - 16) interview farmers of their own community. Modaily interviewr, video recording and photos makers.
2 - Field level analysis The project local staff analyse the videos collected on the field and discuss about i)Most Significant Change perceived by the interviewed ii) Most Significant Difficoulties iii) Innovations and Hidden aspects of the project. Among the almost 30 videos 10 are selected to continue the analysis process.
3 - National Level analysis Project supervisor and National staff analyse the videos (same criteria mentioned above) and select 6 videos.
4 - International Level analysis The partner counties and IFAD will do the analysis on the 6 videos selected
5 - Linking MSC to M&E data collection The qualitative and quantitative information will be linked together in order to provide a overall comprhensive understanding of the project, the achievements and the strategies implemented. This will provide a useful tool for the future to design and implement effective strategies for scaling up micro-irrigation. The variation from the ufficial MSC process
The Scampis MSC has been introduced during the last stage of the project due to a concrete need to improve the understanding of the project, numbers and data collected were not enough to understand the real changes and their dimensions. Due to this late start the stories collection has not been a continuous and incremental process (as it should be in order to capture the real change - daily change and challenges). The strong interest in the implementing organization in developing and practicing the method to discover/understand the project brought to the formulation of the Scampis MSC. In this strategy the collection of the stories is limited in the time and the analysis of the stories is extremely articulated and developed in order to be sure to internalize the knowledge and transform it in learning (learning for change). The cross countries analysis is a fundamental step for the process. The analysis developed at each stage is a way to let the staff recognize the impact of their activities and understand how to improve them.
The Scampis MSC strategy (India, MSC training, May 2012)
Explain
what the Most Significant Change (MSC) technique and practice
MSC with participants
Identification
and planning of the MSC strategy for SCAMPIS project
Results of the training
i.The MSC has been
presented and discussed in plenary. The participants understood the main
differences between quantitative monitoring and qualitative monitoring. They
also identified the differences between simple stories collection and MSC
stories collection. The
importance of not influencing the interviewed and create the good environment
for letting him/her tell the own story has been captured through exercises.
ii.The participants
practices exercise for the stories collection and analysis
iii.The participant
develop their own MSC strategy to apply in the fields in following 2 weeks
Participants
The workshop hosted 26 participants (see
participants list annex) with roles and responsibilities coming from different
organizations.
The participants are all in the position to be the
implementers and designer of the Most Significant Change for SCAMPIS India.
Methodology
Introduction of MSC. Why we use this tool, to
achieve which results: learning and improve our work improve our activities
planning. To learn and use the knowledge for a more effective activities. Also
to know the hidden stories that are behind the use of MIS technologies, the
secret interlinks with the real stories, with the context, families and
villages relations, constraints faced in the process.
A great effort has been put on 3 points
-Create the friendly environment
conditions that enable to get the story of life
-Analysis
process: the purpose of the analysis process
-Practice the technique
understanding which are the critical points in implementing it
The participants divided per group following the
different district in which they work identified the strategy to implement MSC.
The participant decided t
Finally each participant received her/his
participation certificate diploma.
The participants identified the following strategy
to develop the MSC stories collection:
-Organize
village meeting and explain what MSC is about and identify farmers interested
in sharing their story and kids interested in collecting the stories.
-In
a second moment (after few days) train the kids of the village in collecting
the story, method of interview, use of flipcam and photograph machine.
-In
the same day of the training go to the farmers of their own village to collect
the stories/interviews.
Training Participants
Evaluation
The methodology has been overall considered useful
and not complex to develop. Generally MSC has been identified as an appropriate
tool not only to show the change at the field level, but also to reflect on the
strategy adopted by the same staff. The work with group of kids has not
identified as a barrier, on the contrary has been consider a good way to
reflect the “real story of the farmers” and don’t influence it.
The staff will have the challenge to develop good
training technique for the kids and to do so the collaboration between SCAMPIS,
OTELP and NGO will be extremely useful (different skills and competencies).
“Previously we didn’t evaluate properly our work as
we didn’t know how to do it. A proper evaluation will improve our plan and
work”
“I hope I can use MSC for different projects. I will
teach others to use this technique. I believe that this technique is good also
to evaluate our own life”
“MSC allow people to say what they want to say”
“I feel that now I learn how to collect information
and how to evaluate them”
“Previously I was thinking that that was and
ordinary agricultural training, but then she discovered that was about a
technique to collect stories for learning. OTELP always had difficulties in
collecting stories, now we know that is not difficult. We do a lot of work but
we are not able to show how our work bring the change. This tool will help us
in improve our planning and knowledge”
“Until now I was used to do surveys, surveys are
difficult. With the MSC we have a big responsibilities, thanks to MSC farmers
will be able to express their own story to their village and friends. They will
be happy.”
“I think we should share the videos with the same
villages and communities where it has been recorded, this will encourage other
farmers”
“The farmers not always think in terms of “change”
the MSC will let them think in terms of change, they will explain the
differences with the past”
Focus on measurement (output and outcome
data; simple and composite indicators)
Focus on real life experience
Integrate data information to the
stories: each data will have its related quality example for each country
that will provide not only the context but the linkages with the other
indicators. Reading the Scampis M&E will be a “virtual” tour between
people of the 3 countries.
Not only project beneficiaries will be
monitored/evaluated, but as well the partner performance and strategy. Will
be captured the various different effect of the project involvement, there
will not be any ranking of importance, only a categorization per topics.
Thanks to the consolidated multi-sectorial information the analysis will be
an important tool for strategies and organization improvement and renovation.
(at every level: - beneficiaries; field staff; local staff; national
organization; partners organization and international level).
Closed questions
Open question
Deductive
Inductive
Static
Dynamic
Objectivity is the driver of the
analysis.
Subjectivity is the driver of the
analysis.
Central tendencies (even if
participatory)
Decentralized tendencies: unexpected
results
•About ‘proving’
Looking of confirmation/not confirmation
of pre-established indicators.
•About learning
Looking for unexpected effects, try to
understand than what caused
Needed to see if the strategy implement
is efficient or not.
Needed for improving and innovate strategies
at various levels
Possible to see possible outcomes, but
not impacts
Help us to pre-view possible impacts of
the project
From 3 to 7 October, The SCAMPIS project organized in
Madagascar an international exchange visit part of a learning programme
called "Scampis Learning Path".
Participants from Guatemala, India
and Madagascar, had the opportunity to exchange their knowledge and
experiences about integrated and sustainable strategies for
micro-irrigation systems (ISS-MIS). The exchange included field
visits, exchanges/discussions with local stakeholders about the adoption
and promotion of micro-irrigation. Health, nutrition and use of natural
pesticides and fertilizers, as well as scaling up and M&E will be
the main topics for discussions and daily practice. The SCAMPIS"Learning Path" has been a place for: - Building new relationships and
cooperation between different actors and countries - Sharing innovations and
challenges encountered during implementation - And finally, improving the
efficiency and effectiveness of the project through the exchange of best
practices
Leitmotiv: SHARING FOR INNOVATION !!
The
videos below have been recoded during the Learnign Path Workshop, and
edited by the journalist/cameraman Mr. Francois Totoson.(Please, note that the videos will be subtitled in english
soon!)
The
South-South learning exchange “SCAMPIS Learning Path” took place in
Madagascar from 3rd to 7th October 2011 between 3 continents: Asia
(India), Latin America (Guatemala) and Africa (Madagascar). The main
goal was sharing and learning from each country’s knowledge and
experiences to find out integrated and sustainable strategies for
scaling-up the micro-irrigation systems. Knowledge sharing and learning
was held mainly in the field with farmers. Each country should end up
with innovations (to be taken home) and suggestions from their
experiences (to be shared) with highly participative and proactive
approaches.
Challenges and achievements
Learning: The learning process was fully
achieved for all participants. Each one went back home with at least 2
innovations or proposals to be tested in his/her country. Six topics
have been discussed during the field visits: technology adoption,
nutrition, natural fertilization and pesticide, promotional activities,
access to rural finance, value chain (from manufacturing to the end
user).
Sharing: A very high level of
participation was reached as well as socialization of all participants.
Sharing among the group was successful during formal or informal visits.
The actors such as farmers, dealers or manufacturers we visited were
able to interact with the LP group to ask questions or suggestions from
the 3 countries.
Networking: The LP participants as well as
local and national stakeholders expressed their willingness to continue
learning and sharing from each other. Anyhow the most effective tools
and ways still need to be defined.
Lessons
learned from the countries Each country took lessons and
brought back home many innovations that came out from exchanges, field
visits and discussions. The main ones were:
- Use of recycled materials for
manufacturing water pumps (experience from Madagascar)
- Use of audio, video, media as part
of scaling-up strategies
- Nutrition/cooking lessons as an
integrated approach toward the MIS (experience from Guatemala)
- Use of public places such as schools
and hospitals as demonstration sites as per promotional strategy
(experience from Guatemala)
- Promotion of adaptable kits
according to needs and demands of farmers (size and accessories)
(suggestion from India)
3rd October
2011
Activities
1) Participants presentations
and identifications of the objectives of the LP workshop
2) Agenda of the workshop and
methodology for learning
From the LP Diary “First day of LP is
quite exciting, eye opened for me (and hopefully for all) on the
‘SCAMPIS world” Debasis (India)
4th October
2011
Activities (field visits)
1) Itaosy: exchange with dealer,
technical promoter and farmers : theater performances and presentation
of India on 2)Promotions Strategies implemented by IDEI for Scampis
project
2)Visita at Gasc’art studio in
Bevalala – pump manufactur
4)Visit at the « La Ferme d’Ivato :
farmers association with bio-production using MIS
From the LP Diary « A pesar del
cansancio y el cambio de hora, conoces a tantas personces involocrudas
en el desarollo y la alimentacion de las personas es satisfactorio.
Tenemos idiomas y costumbres diferentes peso estamos hoa endo lo mismo »
Rolando (Guatemala)
2) Imeritsiatosika (Field
Visit): progressive dealer who implements micro-rural finance
3) Centre Tsinjoaina (Field
Visit): meeting with a small association of women who use rotative fund
for improve livelihood condition (health, food security, agriculture
with micro-irrigation, etc); presentation on the role of the Self Help
Groups in India and interactions with OTELP programme
4) Ambohijafy field visit and
meeting with, dealer and farmer, presentation on technologies adaptation
and strategy of the dealer; presentation of the Guatemalean strategies
in the schools: advantages and difficulties in promoting the
technologies in the school and implementing school gardens
5) Patrakala & Innovagri
presentations « Production and empowerment strategy of the production
and distribution chain » - MICRO-IRRIGATION KIT MANUFACTURERS
From the LP Diary “Today the field
visit with the local NGOs and other stakeholders was more interacting on
the Scampis programme. We came to know their role in the Scampis
programme Madagascar” NCP (India)
6th October
2011
Activities
1) Practical exercise:
production of MIS kits with Patrakala and Innovagri
2) Village de la Joie (Field
Visit)Introduction of the village ;
3) Exchange and practice on
nutrition, Guatemala facilitation : preparation of carrot dessert and
carrots and organge juice
4) Exchange and practice on
natural fertilization : Guatemala facilitation (vermi-compost) and
Director of Protection des Végétaux Madagascar (natural pesticide)
From the LP diary « C’est une journée
où on a eu le plus d’échanges sur la valorisation des produits issus du
SMI (proposition de recettes) avec Guatemala, et les engrais liquides
ainsi que les luttes bio contre les maladies et insectes », Christin
(Madagascar)
7th October
2011
Activities
Final workshop open to the public :
1) Focuses on SCAMPIS India,
Guatemala and Madagascar : presentations on « innovations I will
suggest, difficulties perceived by the communities and suggestions »
2) Role of communication (audio,
viedeo and other media)
3) « I.S. » strategies for
scaling-up Micro-irrigation Systems ? - Integrated and Sustainable
strategies for scaling-up MIS
4) Lunch discussion on the best
tools to use to continua the interactions
Final
evaluation and discussion
From the LP diary « En la discusiòn de
hoy espero poder haber algunos aportes para mejoros la ejcucion del
proyecto SCAMPIS, el cual esta llevando muchas benuficios a personas
pobres en los 3 Paises y no olvidar que el riego es un medio y no un fin
» Rolando (Guatemala)
