Minutes_8thMay

**2nd Skype call meeting – 08 May 2014 11:00-12:00 EAT **
 * MoreMilkIT Skype Call Meetings on Piloting of Interventions **

Participants: Amos Omore, Silvia Silvestri, Edgar Twine, James Rao, Isabelle Baltenweck (rapporteur)

Agenda: 1) Review of site-specific plan validation exercise and issues arising 2) Timetable for plans in the remaining villages and coordination (Heifer, FM, TDB, SUA/ILRI, CIAT) 3) Ensuring synergy with what has been done/ongoing in MilkIT villages 4) Looking forward after site-specific planning (implications for partners initial plans, budget consolidation/reallocation etc) 5) Upcoming visit by Irish Aid to our field sites in Lushoto 6) AOB


 * 1) Site specific plans
 * 2) We could also start assessing the extent to which the B2B linkages have formed, to know how many hubs have been ‘formed’. **Action**: Field team to consider initiating the linkages during site-specific planning visits
 * 3) Edgar explains the training process. People were first trained on the template then visited 4 villages. This gave them a good understanding of the needs and the time it will take. We will need to do quality control regularly. More time will need to be allocated to this exercise.
 * 4) We have 2 teams:
 * 5) Emmanuel will work with Amina (extension officer in Mvowero) throughout the exercise and Fred on some hubs
 * 6) FaidaMali will work with Salim. Salim will also check the progress of the other team.
 * 7) <span style="font-family: 'Cambria','serif';">Each day, the teams will send the template to Salim and Edgar. It will take 3 weeks.
 * 8) <span style="font-family: 'Cambria','serif';">Emmanuel will contact the farmers groups every month so that we’re aware of changes like leadership changes major changes
 * 9) <span style="font-family: 'Cambria','serif';">Some of us think that this is too much work for 1 person. We advise Salim take care of half the villages. Edgar will do quality control and develop a simple template.
 * 10) <span style="font-family: 'Cambria','serif';">We can also introduce the monitoring of output templates, to be translated in Kiswahili in the near future. **Action:** James will send the template to Salim
 * 11) <span style="font-family: 'Cambria','serif';">The village plans will therefore lead to the partners’ workplans. Everyone needs to understand that!
 * 12) <span style="font-family: 'Cambria','serif';">Field staff met as field team to improve communication amongst ourselves and with the farmers. There’ll be a monthly meeting amongst themselves.


 * 1) <span style="font-family: 'Cambria','serif';">Timing for the remaining villages: we will need approximately 3 weeks. So expect the on-going exercise to be over by end of May 2013


 * 1) <span style="font-family: 'Cambria','serif';">Ensuring synergies with MlkIT villages: Mr Bwana has done a village plan for the IPs in the MilkIt villages. These plans are a good starting point to derive the site specific plans. Fred is expected to take the opportunity of doing the site specific planning to do the follow up on these plans (on the feed side but perhaps other identified areas as well).


 * 1) <span style="font-family: 'Cambria','serif';">Looking forward after the village specific plans
 * 2) <span style="font-family: 'Cambria','serif';">We need to convene to derive detailed partners plans, based on the village plans, which will need to be consolidated to see opportunities for efficiency in implementing the plans. This will also inform re-budgeting by each partner where need be
 * 3) <span style="font-family: 'Cambria','serif';">SFFF- testing of interventions is to be done this coming year. In Tz, most of the work is to be done at farm level. Interventions would include framers’ training; working with TDB. Amos will send Silvia the TDB workplan (done) and she will assess how they can integrate in this worplan. Even though we need to wait for the village level plans to be finalized to be able to plan in details, Silvia can start discussing with TDB.


 * 1) <span style="font-family: 'Cambria','serif';">Irish Aid: instead of organizing a separate field trip, we would invite them to attend one of the village specific plan.


 * 1) <span style="font-family: 'Cambria','serif';">AOB: we need to synchronize better with the field team, maybe having the call early morning or late afternoon if need be. **Action**: Salim to please advise.


 * <span style="font-family: 'Cambria','serif';">Next meeting **<span style="font-family: 'Cambria','serif';">: 1st Thursday of month**: 5th June 2014**