Minutes+of+the+joint+Steering+Committee+meeting+for+the+MoreMilkiT+and+MilkIT+projects

As part of the project implementation strategy for the MoreMilkiT and MilkIT projects, there is provision of establishment of a Steering Committee made up of representatives of Local Government Authorities (LGAs) from the regions and the districts where the projects are being implemented.
 * 19 March 2014, Tanga, Tanzania **

The Terms of Reference (ToR) for the Steering Committee are:
 * Provide strategic leadership of the project
 * Provide linkages to project beneficiaries
 * Provide a mechanism for information sharing and engendering ownership by target communities
 * Perform other functions deemed relevant for successful implementation of the project

The first meeting was held in Tanga on 19 March 2014 in combination with the projects’ joint annual planning meeting. The Steering Committee meeting was co-chaired by the Regional Administrative Secretaries (RAS) from Tanga and Morogoro Regions. @In attendance:

Agenda of the SC meeting
The agenda was: The following major decisions were reached:
 * 1) Background information regarding the projects
 * 2) Review of the ToR for the Steering Committee
 * 3) Review of composition of the Steering Committee (SC)
 * 4) Any other Business
 * 1) The idea to have an SC has been welcomed by the members. It provides a mechanism for information sharing and interaction with relevant authorities at various levels, including the regional level.
 * 2) In order to increase participation of the technical officers in the districts who are involved assisting project members to implement activities of the projects at village level, it was __suggested__ and __agreed__ to invite them to participate in the steering committee meetings.
 * 3) <span style="font-family: 'Cambria','serif';">Also, it was __suggested__ and __agreed__ that the district livestock officers from the districts where the projects are being implemented should be involved during the annual review and planning process of the projects.
 * 4) <span style="font-family: 'Cambria','serif';">In order to strengthen the connection between project SC and advisory committee at the Dairy Development Forum (DDF), members of the government representing the Ministry of Livestock and Fisheries Development (MLFD) as well as the Ministry of Local Government and Regional Administration (TAMISEMI) involved in the Advisory Committee of the DDF, should be invited to the steering committee meetings as well to provide a policy link.
 * 5) <span style="font-family: 'Cambria','serif';">It has been __agreed__ that in the future the planning meeting should be held in advance of the Steering Committee meeting.

Action points

 * <span style="font-family: 'Cambria','serif';">To review the ToR for the Steering Committee to reflect the agreed changes.

Other Information provided
<span style="font-family: 'Cambria','serif';">The delegate from IFAD informed that they are in the process of developing a project proposal for dairy development together with Heifer International that will involve the EAC countries and Ethiopia, promoting the hub approach as a tool for dairy development in the region. <span style="font-family: 'Cambria','serif';">It was also highlighted that the lack of capacity in various dairy-related technologies at numerous levels, from the farmer via the processor to the research and academia, was a limiting factor for sustainability of dairy development in the country. <span style="font-family: 'Cambria','serif';">It was explained that the steering committee members’ expenses will be reimbursed in accordance with Tanzania government policies and in line with the donor guidelines.

<span style="font-family: 'Cambria','serif';">Recorded by: Prof. Lusato R. Kurwijila and Dr. Brigitte L. Maass <span style="font-family: 'Cambria','serif';">Tanga, 19 March 2014