Lessons Leant from RAILS
Implementation
Update from RAILS
in Tanzania
Presented to a Workshop on the RAILS Lessons Learning
14-15 August 2013, Mombasa-KENYA
Janet Kaaya, Division of Research & Development, Ministry of Agriculture Food Security & Cooperatives, B.O. Box 2066,
Dar es Salaam, TANZANIA
Update from RAILS Platform in Tanzania
Introduction
Focal Point
 Division of Research & Development (DRD),
Ministry of Agriculture Food Security &
Cooperatives (MAFC)
 Implemented by the Information &
Documentation Unit of DRD with close
collaboration with DONATA Focal Point (SARI)
 On behalf of the Tanzanian NARS (incl. DRDMAFC, DRTE-MLDF, Universities [SUA, UDSMIRA, UDOM], TAFORI, TAFIRI, TPRI, private
research institutes, NGOs, IARAs, etc.)
RAILS Experiences in Tanzania
Introduction
Objectives
TZ-RAILS shares the overall objectives of other RAILS
platforms in Africa:
 To undertake advocacy to encourage increased investment in
agricultural information systems by the Government of Tanzania and
its institutions.
 To improving access to information and the ability of stakeholders in
the country to contribute to global agricultural knowledge.
 To facilitate synergies by linking stakeholders in Africa information
conduits to global providers of agricultural information.
 To develop and maintain a platform for agricultural information and
learning systems.
RAILS Experiences in Tanzania
RAILS Actors in Tanzania
• Founding RAILS team members constitute 36
participants of the Tanzania Agricultural
Information Stakeholder Workshop of 21-22
February 2011 and their institutions.
• The Workshop was jointly organized by
ASARECA/FARA and DRD and was held in
Morogoro-Tanzania.
• Participants represented key agricultural
sector ministries (MAFC and MLFD) and their
research institutes, agricultural related R&D
institutions, community-based organizations,
farmer representatives, the private sector
and the regional and international
agricultural research institutions.
RAILS Experiences in Tanzania
RAILS Actors in Tanzania
From the objectives of the RAILS-TZ founding
Workshop, the participants came up with the following
outcomes:
 Awareness created among stakeholders on RAILS as well
as its Africa-wide agricultural information system.
 The national RAILS Team was established along with the
development of the national AIS gateway, eRAILS,
http://www.erails.net/TZ
 The roles, terms of reference and expected outputs of the
TZ-RAILS were agreed upon.
 Eight members of the core national RAILS team were
selected and their responsibilities agreed upon: These
represented research (Ms.Rose Ubwe), extension services (Mr. Jamhuri Amin), education
and universities (Dr. Afred Sife), NGOs/CBOs (Mr. Senzia Donald), the private sector (Jackie
Laisser), farmer organizations (Mr. Susuma Susuma), agricultural sector lead ministries (Dr.
Hubert Lyimo) and ICTspecialists (Mr. Festo Renatus).
RAILS Experiences in Tanzania
RAILS Actors in Tanzania
From the objectives of the RAILS-TZ founding
Workshop, the participants came up with the
following outcomes:
 Awareness created among stakeholders on RAILS
as well as its Africa-wide agricultural information
system.
 The national RAILS Team was established along
with the development of the national AIS gateway,
eRAILS, http://www.erails.net/TZ
 The roles, terms of reference and expected
outputs of the TZ-RAILS were agreed upon.
 Eight members of the core national RAILS team
were selected and their responsibilities agreed
upon
RAILS Experiences in Tanzania
RAILS National Core Team Members
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Researchers - Ms.Rose Ubwe [SARI]
Extension – Mr. Jamhuri Amin [FEU]
Education and Universities- Dr. Sife [SUA]
NGOs/CBOs- Mr. Senzia Donald [PELUM-TZ]
Private sector - Ms.Jackie Laisser [HODECT]
Farmer organizations – Mr. Susuma Susuma
[MVIWATA]
7. Agricultural Sector Lead Ministries – Dr. Hubert
Lyimo [MLFD]
8. ICT/M specialists – Mr. Festo Renatus [ARIUyole]
RAILS Experiences in Tanzania
ICT Equipment
Procurement of ICT Equipment through the PSTADA Project
• 4 desk top Computers – delivered and distributed to
DONATA & RAILS Focal points
• 2 Printers– delivered [RAILS & DONATA]
• 4UPS for Computers & 2 for servers – delivered [RAILS &
DONATA)
• 2 servers – delivered [RAILS & DONATA)
• 10 notebook computers delivered and distributed to
institutions based on FARA criteria (plus website
assement; one withheld)
• 2 digital cameras delivered and distributed [RAILS &
DONATA]
Supply of Internet connectivity for RAILS/DONATA focal points
• In process
RAILS Experiences in Tanzania
ICT Equipment: Distribution
• DONATA
and RAILS
Focal
Points
– 4 PCs, 3
netbooks
& 2 digital
cameras
RAILS Experiences in Tanzania
ICT Equipment: Distribution
One netbook each to
the following
institutions:
- Tanzania Fisheries
Research Institute
- Tanzania Livestock
Research Institute
- Agric Research
Institutes (ARI) Uyole,
ARI-Tumbi,
- MVIWATA
(farmer organization),
- Sokoine University
of Agric
- [One netbook computer
earmarked for extension services has
not been collected
]
RAILS Experiences in Tanzania
ICT Equipment: Distribution
RAILS Experiences in Tanzania
People and Institutional Engagement
The portal, with its 30 websites
has the potential of providing
access to agricultural information
to some 7,974 extension workers
based at ward/village levels
throughout Tanzania with a trigger
effect on about 5m farm families
in the country.
RAILS Experiences in Tanzania
People and Institutional Engagement
 National stakeholder workshop (21-22 February
2011):
• TZ-RAILS and its eRAILS portal established
• 36 participants:
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
Research (National) – 20M-4F
Research (IARCs) – 1M-0F
Extension – 1M-1F
NGOs – 1M-0F
Private sector – 0M-1F
Farmer organizations – 1M-0F
Govt bureaucrats – 2M-0F
Universities and S&Ts – 3M-1F
RAILS Experiences in Tanzania
People and Institutional Engagement
 Follow-up:
DRD/ASARECA
Training
workshop on
eRAILSTanzania: 27-28
May 2012
– Total 23: [female
6, male 17]
RAILS Experiences in Tanzania
People and Institutional Engagement
DRD/ASARECA
Training workshop
on eRAILS:
 More capacity in
managing info on
eRAILS
 More websites
created
 More awareness
 More support
(research
managers invited
as participants
RAILS Experiences in Tanzania
People and Institutional Engagement
•
•
Ministry of Agriculture Food Security and Cooperatives and its institutions
Division of Research & Development (DRD), MAFC
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
ARI-Selian, Arusha
ARI-Naliendele, Mtwara
ARI-Tumbi, Tabora
ARI-Selian, Arusha
ARI-Makutopora, Dodoma
ARI-Uyole, Mbeya
ARI-Uyole, Mbeya
Farmers’ Education Unit, MAFC
Ministry of Livestock and Fisheries Development
Tanzania Fisheries Research Institute, DSM
Tanzania Livestock Research Institute
Horticultural Development Council of Tanzania
MVIWATA (Farmer umbrella organization)
PELUM-Tanzania, Morogoro
Sokoine National Agricultural Library (SNAL), Sokoine University of
Agriculture (SUA), Morogoro
RAILS Experiences in Tanzania
List of Best Websites
• RRCoE-EAAPP http://www.erails.net/TZ/rrcoeeaapp/
• ARI-Uyole http://www.erails.net/TZ/ari-uyle/
• MVIWATA: The Defender of the Farmer is the
Farmer http://www.erails.net/TZ/mviwata/
• ARI-Tumbi http://www.erails.net/TZ/ari-tumbi/
• PELUM Tanzania: Promotion of Sustainable
Agric. http://www.erails.net/TZ/pelum-tanzania/
• Sokoine University of Agriculture, SUA
http://www.erails.net/TZ/sua/sua-/
RAILS Experiences in Tanzania
DONATA-RAILS Links
• Sharing platforms: participation
• DONATA presence on the portal (2
websites)
• Core RAILS team member: DONATA
Focal person
• Training workshops: DONATA focal
person involved
• PSTAD Equipment: Equa sharing
RAILS Experiences in Tanzania
Challenges of RAILS
• Late comer [with implications]
• Low human resources capacity [to support
the focal point and to manage the websites]
• Long & cumbersome procurement
procedures (both at national level & FARA).
• Poor Internet connectivity and erratic power
supply
– Affects not only the management of the national
eRAILS portal
– Affects regular access to institutional e-mail
account by the RAILS Focal Person which greatly
compromises communication with partners
[sometimes the focal person misses important notices from FARA regarding
project reporting].
RAILS Experiences in Tanzania
Achievements of RAILS
• Significant expansion of the national eRAILS portal:
– from 6 websites in December 2011 (year of RAILS-Tz
formation) to 48 websites in July 2013
– from 7 downloadable materials in December 2011 to 40 in
July 2013.
– from 36 RAILS members in December 2011 to 55 members
in June 2013.
• Organized training workshop for RAILS members
and research managers on managing information on
eRAILS:
– This training contributed to the expansion of the portal in
terms of the number of websites and information content
including downloadable materials.
– More awareness and support
• Increased awareness on the existence/importance of
the portal:
– scientists and extension officers requesting uploading of
their outputs onto the portal
RAILS Experiences in Tanzania
Achievements of RAILS
• Institution
– More outreach to partner institutions and
stakeholders
– PSTAD equipment
– More capacity in managing knowledge
– More institutionalization of RAILS and
DONATA
• Individual
– More skills: Training workshops including ToT
– More networking with partners
– Access to PSTAD equipment
RAILS Experiences in Tanzania
Improving Knowledge Sharing and
Management
• Lessons learnt that should be encouraged
– Great support from host and participating institutions
– PSTAD equipment very useful but not all participating
institutions have access to the equipment
– eRAILS: Great opportunity for disseminating/sharing
knowledge – encouraging NARS to participate
– Encourage institutionalization of RAILS and DONATA
– Encourage more websites
– Support from ASARECA & FARA
– Capacity development