Leland Initiative

WARDA

Institut de Savanes

ORSTOM-RIO, Bouaké

AfricaLink/WARDA Regional Networking for USAID Partners

The AfricaLink/WARDA liaison in Bouaké is M. Alassane Diallo. M. Diallo has extensive particular knowledge of the telecommunications infrastructural situation of nearly all the agricultural research institutions in West and Central Africa, has visited many of the institutions personally during his nearly decade-long tenure at WARDA, and is regularly involved in the exchange of information with his counterparts in the institutions.

After several preliminary meetings with WARDA staff, a strategy session was held with Peter Matlon, Robin Lemp, and Alassane Diallo. Discussion centered largely around the issue of targeting institutions versus network members

Dr. Matlon expressed concern that placing an electronic mail terminal on the desk of a particular scientist would create political problems within that scientist's institution, and would not be an efficient allocation of resources. As WARDA has itself proved over the past few years, a single electronic mail terminal can serve a large number of scientists if properly placed in a communications center for the institution.

The AfricaLink Advisor noted that a centrally managed electronic mail terminal represents a significant organizational challenge -- assuring that messages to and from particular individuals are properly routed within the organization, that messages on diskette are properly uploaded and downloaded, etc. While many organizations are up to this challenge, e.g. WARDA itself, not all will be. There should be flexibility in approach, focusing on results. The key result is networks of scientists communicating important information more effectively -- more frequently and at a lower unit cost -- with electronic mail. This may be achieved by working through institutional directors. If the result is not achieved, then a secondary strategy can be invoked with direct assistance provided to individual scientists.

Dr. Matlon suggested that conditions be defined for AfricaLink assistance, so that directors of research institutions will understand the results required. These conditions will specify the required minimal access to institutional electronic mail systems for individual scientists. These conditions will be drafted by M. Diallo.

Dr. Matlon asked that a timetable be prepared for implementation of the AfricaLink/WARDA activity. M. Diallo and the AfricaLink Advisor have prepared such a timetable, and it is as follows:

Implementation Timetable

by 18 October

• Send followup letter to all heads of agricultural research institutions in WARDA member countries, with copies to network coordinators, network members, and heads of research substations.

October/November

• Draft grant conditions for agricultural institutions
• Circulate draft to AfricaLink/WARDA oversight committee

30 November

• Deadline to receive responses from heads of agricultural research institutions

1 to 15 December

• Analysis of responses from heads of agricultural research institutions
• Synthesis report and recommendations circulated by email to oversight committee

15 January

• Comments from oversight committee received
• Meeting in Bouaké with available members of oversight committee

16 January

• Begin disbursement of funds
• Begin analysis to solve special problem cases (e.g. Rokupr)

Discussion then turned to the matter of membership in an oversight committee for the AfricaLink/WARDA activity. WARDA staff feel it is important to gain insights from partner organizations to assure the widest possible consensus of opinion on where best to allocate the $300,000 available for the activity. It was decided to request input from the following organizations:

    IITA

    ICRISAT

    CORAF

    REDSO

As to the programmatic targets of assistance under the AfricaLink/WARDA initiative, Dr. Matlon suggested there would be no problem limiting scope to agricultural research institutions. The AfricaLink Advisor observed that the funding was indeed intended for that sector.

Specific efforts to improve information management using electronic networks will be targeted toward the following:

    CORAF Networks

    West and Central Africa Maize Collaborative Network

    WARDA Rice Task Forces

    Inland Valley Consortium

    Human Health Project

Staff of USAID/REDSO/WCA suggested that additional USAID-funded networks be included. The AfricaLink Advisor explained that these would likely be covered under the institutional approach taken by WARDA, and that USAID could use its participation on the WARDA oversight committee to assure that its important networks received due consideration under the AfricaLink/WARDA initiative.

Leland Initiative Assessment Team

A team from the Leland Initiative met with the AfricaLink Advisor. Notes were shared on strategies for implementation of connectivity with present and potential USAID partners. Differences in strategies were noted. Further discussions with REDSO staff centered around the integral relationship between AfricaLink and the Leland Initiative.

The following statement was drafted and proposed for insertion into the report of the Leland Assessment team for presentation to REDSO/WCA:

• AfricaLink is a specific implementation of the Leland Initiative's Strategic Objective 3. AfricaLink is managed by PSGE in the Africa Bureau, and targets the agricultural, environmental, and natural resource management sectors.

• Under Leland's SO3, which focuses on the end-users of the Internet, activities are generally managed in partnership with those USAID missions, offices and partners that are most familiar with the individual end users for whom Internet access is to be facilitated. AfricaLink is an example of such a partnership under the Leland Initiative.

• USAID missions, offices, and partners, such as PSGE in the case of AfricaLink, identify networks of people to be connected electronically, and are the principal organizers of the resources to make those connections happen. The Leland Initiative provides technical assistance and coordinates SO3 activities with broader interventions at the national policy and infrastructure levels.

• The tasks of the Leland Initiative SO3 Assessment Teams are to identify areas where specific technical assistance can be fruitful, and to assist in the identification of appropriate information technology interventions for existing or new programs, projects and activities. Specifically with respect to AfricaLink, the Team has explored areas where the Leland Initiative's activities at national levels in West and Central Africa can best be coordinated with AfricaLink in order to enhance PSGE's investment in the connectivity of USAID partners and customers. Further discussions have centered around ways the AfricaLink experience might be applied productively to other sectors, such as democracy and governance, or health.