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FEAST training workshop for master trainers on the Feed Assessment Tool (FEAST) in Rwanda Dairy Development Project (RDDP) areas of intervention                 Kigali, Rwanda 21–25 January 2019        ©2019 International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI)  ILRI thanks all donors and organizations which globally support its work through their contributions to the CGIAR Trust Fund This workshop was sponsored by MINAGRI SPIU/IFAD-funded projects, through the Rwanda Diary Development Project (RDDP).  This publication is copyrighted by the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI). It is licensed for use under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International Licence. To view this licence, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0. Unless otherwise noted, you are free to share (copy and redistribute the material in any medium or format), adapt (remix, transform, and build upon the material) for any purpose, even commercially, under the following conditions:   ATTRIBUTION. The work must be attributed, but not in any way that suggests endorsement by ILRI or the author(s).  NOTICE: For any reuse or distribution, the licence terms of this work must be made clear to others. Any of the above conditions can be waived if permission is obtained from the copyright holder. Nothing in this licence impairs or restricts the author’s moral rights. Fair dealing and other rights are in no way affected by the above. The parts used must not misrepresent the meaning of the publication. ILRI would appreciate being sent a copy of any materials in which text, photos etc. have been used.    Facilitated by Ben Lukuyu and Alan Duncan from the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI).  Cover photo: ILRI/Alan Duncan    Citation: ILRI (International Livestock Research Institute). 2019. FEAST training workshop for master trainers on the Feed Assessment Tool (FEAST) in Rwanda Dairy Development Project (RDDP) areas of intervention. Nairobi, Kenya: ILRI.       Introduction  Livestock production is a significant component in the livelihoods of small-scale farmers who practice mixed crop-livestock production in Rwanda. Animal feed is a critical component of the livestock sector. Rwanda has over the years faced a significant challenge in producing sufficient animal feed to support the development of its livestock sector. The bulk of rural livestock farmers utilize grasses along with maize and legume residues in feeding their animals. The feed is of low nutritive value, which affects livestock productivity. The increasing awareness of the challenge in feed availability has led to numerous efforts by the livestock research and the development community to invest in livestock feed interventions. The approach has had limitations however as the interventions tend to be proposed by scientists and the solutions are not always compatible with the local context. Important constraints such as availability of labour, credit and inputs along with access to markets have often been overlooked in development of the interventions which further impedes the success and sustainability of their implementation. ILRI scientists are introducing the Feed Assessment Tool (FEAST) to provide research and development practitioners in Rwanda with a more systematic means of developing and assessing livestock feeding strategies. To support adoption of the FEAST approach and to enable a wider number of practitioners to use it, a FEAST training for master trainers was conducted in Rwanda. The purpose of this training was to introduce participants to the Feed Assessment Tool (FEAST) which is a participatory method to facilitate development of livestock feed interventions. Participants learned about the various components of FEAST including the Focus Group Discussion Guide, the Individual Farmer Interview, the Data App, the Reporting Format and how to move from FEAST to successful livestock feed interventions.  FEAST is a systematic approach to understanding the overall feeding system and thinking with farmers and local stakeholders about possible interventions. FEAST consists of two parts: (1) a rapid, participatory assessment using focus groups (Figure 1a), and (2) individual farmer interviews (Figure 1b). For the focus groups, the feed assessment is conducted with a group of farmers and other stakeholders and follows a set of guide questions. It identifies problems and opportunities within a given farming system and identifies potential interventions. A subset of farmers is then interviewed individually to generate quantitative information that is entered into a specialized computer application (the FEAST data app) – Figure 1c. The data app generates charts and tables that, along with the qualitative information from the focus groups, reveal the overall feed availability, quality and utilization. The solutions coming out of FEAST exercises are demand-driven and provide practical solutions that farmers can easily take up to deal with pressing feed issues         Figure 1: FEAST tools    a. Focus group discussion tool b. Individual farmer interview c. FEAST application  A FEAST training was held in Kigali, Rwanda 21 - 25 January 2019 to train master trainers on the Farmer Centered Diagnosis (FCD) using the FEAST tool.  A total of 19 master trainers participated in the training (Annex 1). The participants were drawn from Rwanda Agricultural board (RAB), University of Rwanda (UR), and from the Single Project Implementation Unit (SPIU) of the IFAD/ Rwanda Diary Development Project (RDDP) a project financed through an agreement signed between the Government of Rwanda and IFAD. They included mainly government officers with livestock knowledge who will facilitate the implementation of FEAST and subsequent feed interventions in selected RDDP project areas In Rwanda. The course followed a classroom instruction format with a field exercise. The course includes 12 lessons, 5-interactive scenarios related to key skills and over 200 review and assessment questions. The training followed a typical 5-day classroom format (Annex 2). However, participants were exposed to an E-learning course: http://learning.ilri.org/ and also the FEAST website: https://www.ilri.org/feast to familiarize themselves with the FEAST tool methodology in advance. The first day of the course introduces the participants to the first 3 lessons namely: The FEAST Concept, preparing for a Farmer-Centered Diagnosis and Focus Group Discussions. The second day focuses on collecting data from Focus Groups, Individual Farmer Interviews, making follow-up visits and summarizing data. The third day is entirely taken up by the field exercise where participants conduct a focus group and one-on-one interviews with local farmers near the training site. The fourth day gets participants started with the FEAST Data Application and entering data into the FEAST Data Application, sharing data with the FEAST Data Application and viewing outputs in the FEAST Data Application. Th fifth and final day is committed to training on preparing the FCD Report and implementing livestock feed interventions. The field testing of the FEAST tools was conducted at Eastland’s Hotel in Kayonza district on 23 January 2019. The organizers brought together two groups of farmers. One group of 12 farmers from Kayonza district in a more intensive crop livestock system and another one also of 12 farmers from Rwamagana district in a semi extensive agro-pastoral system. A total of twenty-four farmers were involved in testing of the FEAST tools with trainers. The participants conducted two separate FGDs with groups from each of the selected areas (Photo 1 and 2) and thereafter each participant had a chance to conduct an individual interview with a farmer (Photo 3 and Photo 4).   Photo 1: Focus group discussion A Photo 2: Focus group discussion B    Photo 3: Sindayigaya Abdoul Madjid, Head of Farmer Field Schools program in Rwanda takes a farmer through the individual questionnaire  Photo 4: Mukasafari Marie Anne from University of Rwanda conducts an individual interview   Next steps for implementing FEAST in Rwanda  One of the objectives of ILRI’s technical support to Rwanda was to explore mechanisms for rolling out the Feed Assessment Tool (FEAST) in RDDP interventions areas to provide information that can be used to design intervention strategies. As a result, in close collaboration with local scientists and livestock experts at SPIU/RDDP, we selected target sites for FEAST implementation, prepared an activity workplan to enable participants to collect data using the FEAST components - individual farmer questionnaire and FEAST focus group discussion guide; and technical FEAST teams of 3- master trainers (MTs) that will comprise a facilitator, note taker and time keeper. This allowed formation of 5 groups (2 groups will comprise 3 MTs while 3 groups will comprise 4 MTS). Each group will be allocated to conduct one FEAST per site and one group will conduct one FEAST each in 2 sites (Table 1). The teams will jointly undertake analyses of the collected data on local feed resource availability and use and produce a FEAST report as well a data set in Excel and Zlib. formats.   Table 1: Sites for Implementation of FEAST, 11-15 February 2019 Groups of MTs District Sector  Cell  1 Nyagatare Rwimiyaga Gacundezi  2 Gicumbi Rutare  Gatwaro 3 Musanze  Kinigi Nyonirima   4 Rubavu  Mudende  Kanyundo 5 Nyanza  Kibirizi Rwotso 6 Rutsiro Boneza Remera  The sites were selected depending on a combination of the following characteristics: 1. Farming systems (choosing extensive crop-livestock systems, semi intensive mixed farming/agro pastoral systems and extensive systems – grazing systems) 2. Land availability (small, medium, large) 3. Milk production zones (high and low milk producing zones)  4. Cattle population densities 5. Availability of feed resources (abundance to extreme scarcity)  Table 2: Composition FEAST implementing teams Group # Group members District to be covered 1. 1. Nyiransengimana Eugenie 2. Mukasafari Marie Anne 3. Niyireba Remy Titien 4. Dusingize Christine Rutsiro 2. 1. Niyiragira Vincent 2. Kagwa Evalde 3. Manishimwe Albert   Nyagatare 3 1. Uwimana Gaspard 2. Mukakalisa Christine 3. Murera Aimable 4. Karege Callixte Nyanza 4 1. Hitimana Pierre Celestin   2. Gasana Joseph 3. Bampiriye Evelyne Musanze 1 1. Nyiransengimana Eugenie 2. Mukasafari Marie Anne 3. Niyireba Remy Titien 4. Dusingize Christine Rubavu 5 1. Mupenzi Mutimura 2. Ndayambaje Nathan 3. Semahoro Fabrice 4. Sindayigaya Abdoul Madjid Gicumbi   Table 3: Activity workplan developed with participants and RDDP project Type of Activity Jan 2019 February 2019 March 2019 WK3 WK4 WK1 WK2 WK3 WK4 WK1 WK2 WK3 WK4 Initial meeting to make workplan and logistics for FEAST           Obtain approvals, facilitation and communication           Implement FEAST in all sites           Data entry and report writing           Submit FEAST zlib. And Excel files to ILRI for verification*           Submit FEAST reports to ILRI for review*           ILRI return reviewed reports to teams           Teams finalize reports            Teams submit finalized reports to ILRI for final checks*           Final edits of FEAST reports and submission to RDDP           * Submission of FEAST reports, FEAST zlib. and Excel files to ILRI will be coordinated by Joseph Nshokeyinka of RDDP The following are the general agreements made about the implementation of FEAST  1. Dr MUPENZI Mutimura (RAB) will take the overall technical supervision of FEAST exercise in all sites while Joseph Nshokeyinka will take charge of logistics and other administration matters. 2. ILRI needs to submit outputs for this activity by 31st March 2019. 3. Submission of FEAST reports, FEAST zlib. and Excel files to ILRI will be coordinated by Joseph Nshokeyinka of RDDP. Time to Graduate! All the participants were awarded with a certificate of participation by Mr. Alexis Ndagijimana Acting SPIU Coordinator of IFAD Funded Projects under Rwanda Agriculture and Animal Resources Development Board who also closed the workshop officially (Photos 5 and 6).   Photo 5: Mupenzi Mutimura receives a certificate of participation at the end of the training workshop Photo 6: Nyiransengimana Eugenie receives a certificate of participation at the end of the training workshop    Annex 1: Team composition during the training on Feed Assessment Tool (FEAST) under the RDDP  No Names  Institution   1 Mupenzi Mutimura  RAB  2 Ndayambaje Nathan  RAB  3 Semahoro Fabrice  RAB 4 Murera Aimable  RAB 5 Sindayigaya Abdoul Madjid  SPIU IFAD/RDDP  6 Bampiriye Evelyne  RAB  7 Nshokeyinka Joseph  SPIU IFAD/RDDP 8 Manishimwe Albert   RAB 9 Uwimana Gaspard RAB 10 Niyiragira Vincent  SPIU IFAD/RDDP  11 Niyireba Remy Titien RAB  12 Gasana Joseph RAB  13 Nyiransengimana Eugenie  RAB  14 Hitimana Pierre Celestin   RAB 15 Kagwa Evalde  RAB 16 Mukakalisa Christine  RAB 17 Dusingize Christine  University of Rwanda (UR) 18 Mukasafari Marie Anne UR 19 Karege Callixte  UR      Annex 2: The five-day FEAST training program Day 1 – Introducing FEAST and thinking about focus groups Welcome and introducing the FEAST concept 8:30 Arrival/registration of participants 9:00 Welcome  Introductions  Pre-assessment  The FEAST concept   11:00 Coffee break   Farmer-centred diagnosis and focus groups 11:30 Preparing for a farmer-centered diagnosis  Mock activity:  selection farmers for focus group discussions   13:00 Lunch break   14:00 Preparing for a farmer-centered diagnosis  Focus group discussions  Mock focus group discussions   15:45 Coffee break   16:00 Focus group discussions 16:15 Day 1 Wrap up/Preparation for day 2 Day 2 agenda: More on focus groups and introducing farmer interviews Farmer-centred diagnosis and focus groups (continued) 8:30 Arrival/registration of participants 9:00 Overview  Collecting data from focus groups   10:45 Coffee break   11:15 Collecting data from focus groups   Individual farmer interviews 11:45 Individual farmer interviews  Farmer interview role-play   13:00 Lunch break   14:00 Individual farmer interviews  Follow up visits  Summarizing data 16:45 Day 1 Wrap up/preparation for day 2 Day 3 – Practicing FEAST in the field Day 3 will be entirely taken up by the field exercise where participants conduct a focus group and one-on-one interviews with local farmers near the training site. Field exercise to practice FEAST data collection 7:30 Meet at classroom site, travel to field exercise site 8:30 Review of Day 1/overview of field exercise 9:00 Overview 9:30 Breakout Groups: FEAST focus group discussion exercise 12:30 Selection of farmers for individual interviews  13:00 Serve refreshments to farmers  13:30 Individual farmer interviews  14:30 Serve lunch to individual interview respondents  15:30 Return to classroom site  Debrief participants on field exercise  Peer review exercise 17:45 Wrap up day 3 and close    Day 4 – Entering FEAST data Entering FEAST data 8:15 Arrival 9:00 Overview  FEAST data application and entering data  10:45 Coffee break  11:00 Entering data into the FEAST data application  13:00 Lunch Break  14:00 Entering data into the FEAST data application  15:30 Coffee break  15:45 Data handling with the FEAST data application  Interpreting graphs 17:00 Day 4 Wrap up  Day 5 – Reporting and implementation Reporting 8:00 Arrival/registration of participants 8:15 Overview 8:30 Reporting   10:00 Coffee break  10:30 Reporting   13:00 Lunch  Implementing livestock feed interventions 14:00 Implementing livestock feed interventions  15:00 Coffee break  15:15 Implementing livestock feed interventions 16:15 Wrap up 16:20 Post assessment 16:50 Working coffee break 17:30 Participant survey 17:45 Final Q&A 18:00 Close   

FEAST training workshop for master trainers on the Feed Assessment Tool (FEAST) in Rwanda Dairy Development Project (RDDP) areas of intervention, Kigali, Rwanda, 21–25 January 2019

https://cgspace.cgiar.org/bitstream/10568/107185/3/FEAST_RDDP_Rwanda_report.pdf

FEAST training workshop for master trainers on the Feed Assessment Tool (FEAST) in Rwanda Dairy Development Project (RDDP) areas of intervention, Kigali, Rwanda, 21–25 January 2019

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