Feed the Future Monitoring System, Performance Narrative ...

FEED THE FUTUREKNOWLEDGE, DATA, LEARNING,

AND TRAINING ACTIVITY

FEED THE FUTURE MONITORING SYSTEM PERFORMANCE NARRATIVE INDICATOR REPORT

Fiscal Year 2020 (October 2019 - September 2020)

FEED THE FUTURE KNOWLEDGE, DATA, LEARNING,

AND TRAINING (KDLT) ACTIVITY

FEED THE FUTURE MONITORING SYSTEM PERFORMANCE NARRATIVE INDICATOR REPORT

OCTOBER 2020

This publication was produced for review by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID). It was prepared by the Feed the Future Knowledge, Data, Learning, and Training (KDLT) Contract Number GS00F439GA, implemented by Bixal Solutions, Inc. The opinions expressed herein are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of USAID.

Table of Contents

TABLE OF CONTENTS Table of Contents i Project Summary 1 Fiscal Year 2020 Performance 1 Successes 3 Challenges 4 Lessons Learned 4 Description of Expected Activities 5 Annex 1. KDLT Results Framework and Indicators 1

Feed the Future: Knowledge, Data, Learning, and Training (KDLT) | FTFMS Performance Narrative

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PROJECT SUMMARY Recognizing the value of a learning culture, the USAID Bureau for Resilience and Food Security (RFS) intends to increase its capacity for knowledge-sharing and learning through the Feed the Future Knowledge, Data, Learning and Training (KDLT) activity. KDLT serves as RFS’s leading mechanism for capturing, analyzing, sharing, and adapting good practices around agriculture-led economic growth, nutrition, and resilience to ensure that Feed the Future’s technical leadership and project implementation continue successfully. Through a suite of ongoing support services, KDLT continues to cultivate RFS’s and Feed the Future’s capacity in the core areas of knowledge management, data management and analysis, organizational learning, and training. KDLT support services have expanded to include work with the Bureau for Humanitarian Assistance (BHA) and newly established centers and office within RFS including Center for Nutrition, Center for Resilience and the Office of Policy, Analysis and Engagment. KDLT works to ensure that Feed the Future and other buy-ins are well-equipped to learn from successes and challenges, and to adaptively manage programs and activities using a range of products, platforms, tools and approaches. This includes websites, webinars, in-person learning events, trainings, knowledge products, guidance materials, data analysis and visualization, advisory services and peer-assists. Based in Washington D.C. at the National Press Building, KDLT provides RFS, including its various offices and teams, Feed the Future Missions, interagency partners, and implementing partners with concrete support and tools to capture, share, and access knowledge that helps improve the effectiveness of Feed the Future programs leading to improved nutrition, strengthened resilience and reduced poverty in Feed the Future target countries.

FISCAL YEAR 2020 PERFORMANCE KDLT has improved and sustained capacity for RFS to implement knowledge-sharing events by reaching a wider multi-stakeholder community as well as USAID staff. During this fiscal year, KDLT held a total of 21 learning and knowledge exchange events, including 17 Agrilinks webinars and four RFS trainings. Agrilinks webinars covered topics ranging from inclusion in agriculture, global seed systems, management of Fall armyworm and the impacts of COVID-19. KDLT received record high registration and attendance rate this period with a total of 13,687 people registered to attend an Agrilinks webinar out of which 35 percent (4,812) attended an event. Global attendance of webinars was also considerably high compared to previous years with participation from African and Asian countries on the rise.

KDLT also delivered its second USAID Policy to Advance Food Security Course in partnership with RFS in Bangkok, Thailand in December 2019. A total of 17 participants attended with 14 of attendees coming from various Missions. This course fostered exchange amongst USAID participants (and Missions) and established deeper understanding of the power of policy to achieve Feed the Future objectives and support countries toward self-reliance. In addition to the policy course, KDLT organized and facilitated two Session Design Workshops for RFS staff in anticipation of the State of RFS Conference, which was indefinitely postponed in February 2020 due to the emergence of COVID-19.

KDLT provided expanded capacity for data analysis and data visualization to support learning and adaptative management of Feed the Future. This fiscal year, KDLT supported a high number of requests for developing and conducting online surveys. KDLT received a total of 52 survey requests that targeted various stakeholders including RFS, BHA, implementing partners and Missions. KDLT completed and disseminated 46 out of the 52 requests. These surveys ranged from informing the culture of evidence use in RFS to gathering feedback in understanding gaps in horticulture research for future investment.


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KDLT has also supported six data analysis requests with a major component of work focused on supporting RFS’s Research Community of Practice with its Research Rack Up tool, a complementary data collection tool to the Feed the Future Monitoring System. The Research Rack Up provides detailed information to the Feed the Future Indicator, EG.3.2-7 on the number of technologies, practices, and approaches under various phases of research, development, and uptake. As the current tool administrator, KDLT supported data analysis to help inform RFS’s Research team and Feed the Future Innovations Labs on the performance of Feed the Future-funded research mechanisms. KDLT also supported data analysis to inform the status of research innovations in the R&D pipeline. The data analysis from this body of work will also inform the refresh of the Global Food Security Research Strategy.

KDLT developed various data visualization products including a KDLT Indicator Dashboard using Tableau to track indicator progress. Additional data visualization products using Google Dashboards for two of the activity’s web platforms, Agrilinks and ResilienceLinks, inform evidence-based decision making on web performance.

KDLT made important gains in terms of maintenance and improvements of Agrilinks and ResilienceLinks, the activity’s two web platforms. During this fiscal year, KDLT successfully migrated the Agrilinks website from a Drupal 7 platform to Drupal 8, creating an improved experience for site users. The migration improved security, 508 accessibility, user journeys and governance. In addition to the improvements made to the Agrilinks website, in March 2020, KDLT successfully transferred its second web platform, ResilienceLinks, from the USAID LEARN mechanism. KDLT finalized critical alignment meetings with both Agrilinks and ResilienceLinks clients to understand the direction of the sites and set priorities.

The Agrilinks website continues to see high growth in pageviews. It has seen record high pageviews this year with an average of 51,572 hits per month with September 2020 having the highest pageviews since the start of KDLT and the past five years at 81,437. Agrilinks continues to host theme months, featuring key topics related to food security, resilience, and nutrition. KDLT organized a cohesive theme month tracking toolkit that has enabled USAID staff to organize and curate richer theme month content. The toolkit enables USAID staff to better promote their content and understand metrics from their theme month.

The Agrilinks newsletter has seen a rise in membership with a total of 22,312 members at the end of the fiscal year. KDLT has also worked closely with USAID to implement a strategy for COVID-19 crop data and a COVID-19 Learning Hub.

KDLT supported increased awareness and utilization of evidence and lessons learned from Feed the Future and other USAID stakeholders for broader procurement, programming and decision making. During this fiscal year, KDLT provided embedded internal advisory services to RFS with ongoing tailored design and implementation of activities to support client objectives. As part of these services, KDLT staff worked with RFS to develop a shared sense of vision, provide direction for work planning, and build foundations on which to work.

KDLT co-created more than 35 knowledge management products and tools in partnership with Feed the Future partners, including BHA, Missions and implementing partners. These co-creations are part of KDLT’s work to strengthen partnerships with the Feed the Future community and its stakeholders. Additionally, KDLT developed ten communication and dissemination plans to support RFS’s efforts to ensure that lessons learned and evidence are shared with the broader Feed the Future community. These


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communication plans range from a COVID Resource Hub on Agrilinks to a communications tip sheet for facilitating effective online meetings.

KDLT also had buy-in from BHA covering a significant set of work, including production of a compilation of narrative summaries of implementation research (ongoing) and communication and dissemination support.

KDLT provided organizational development support to RFS in several areas related to supporting an improved culture of collaboration, knowledge-sharing and learning amongst USAID staff in particular. KDLT organized and facilitated a total of 39 organizational development sessions to support RFS and BHA. A total of 926 participants attended these sessions. These sessions covered DiSC Assessment Retreats for all of RFS, including each Center and Office, as well as two all-staff, Bureau-wide retreats. The retreats provided RFS with both significant insights for working together in the future, but also a tool that can be continually utilized in the future.

Other organizational development support included four brown bags on the Facilitation of Effective Meetings with an emphasis on using G-Suite tools that are widely available to BHA staff. KDLT also provided support to Missions through a week long online TDY to explore Impact Evaluations with Nigeria. This support included four 4-hour sessions and one 2-hour session. The TDY was co-designed with KDLT and USAID staff and included innovative use of G-Suite tools during planning discussions.

KDLT recognizes the importance of intentionally creating time to reflect on implemented activities and capture lessons learned by holding pause and reflect sessions such as After Action Reviews (AAR). Pause and reflect sessions allow KDLT to adapt and apply changes to future activities to ensure effective outcomes. During this fiscal year, KDLT held a total of 15 AARs with 47 percent (7) held jointly with USAID.

SUCCESSES KDLT made major progress towards achieving the activity’s objectives. A significant effort during the first year for KDLT has been the migration and upgrade of the Agrilinks website from a D7 platform to D8. The migration was a critical step for KDLT to ensure a stable and secure platform and provide initial improvements to user experience including accessibility and security. KDLT was also able to successfully takeover a second web platform, ResilienceLlinks.

KDLT continues to emphasize the importance of learning and adapting by implementing various techniques including monthly internal learning sessions called Knowledge Is Central to KDLT Success (KICKS). KICKS sessions are created to share knowledge among colleagues. KDLT continues to ensure that AARs and other forms of feedback loops (key informant interviews, informal debriefs, technical/reflections meetings) are intentionally put in place to integrate learning and adapting throughout all activities.

As data is an integral part of decision making, KDLT has taken steps to ensure that data is readily accessible and decisions are evidence-based. KDLT successfully launched several data visualization dashboards this year including the KDLT indicator data using Tableau as well as two dashboards for Agrilinks and ResilienceLinks using Google Dashboards. These dashboards


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efficiently translate trends and patterns that allow team members to identify successes and challenges and adapt accordingly.

Capacity building is another major component of KDLT’s objectives. This fiscal year KDLT was able to successfully deliver a week-long Policy to Advance Food Security and Inclusive Agricultural Growth course in partnership with RFS. The course took place from December 9-13, 2019, in Bangkok, Thailand. KDLT continues to receive and support a high number of requests for organizational development facilitations.

CHALLENGES The Coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak, which was declared a global pandemic by the World Health Organization (WHO) in March 2020, has led to unprecedented times—including transitioning all work into a remote setting. This pandemic propelled KDLT into developing creative solutions for implementing activities and ensuring continuous engagement with RFS and the Feed the Future community.

During this challenging time, all forms of facilitation (including organizational development sessions) have shifted to virtual facilitation, using online platforms such as Adobe Connect and Google Meet. This will be a time of learning and adapting, as KDLT moves toward a new mode of facilitation. KDLT acknowledges that some time will be necessary to learn and understand the technical options that are accessible to RFS.

This pandemic has also resulted in the delay and shifting of various planned activities. The anticipated SoRFS conference, which was scheduled for June 8-10, 2020 in Bangkok, Thailand, has been put on hold, due to the outbreak. This change has had a significant impact on the direction and priorities for KDLT and has also translated in revising and planning resource work-streams that were brought on to support the conference, to create value to RFS.

In addition, the third iteration of the Policy to Advance Food Security and Inclusive Agricultural Growth course scheduled to be held in Washington, DC, March 16-20, 2020, was also put on hold. Due to the global uncertainty that the pandemic has caused, any plans for new or rescheduled events have had a wide impact across all programming initiatives.

LESSONS LEARNED KDLT continues to provide necessary support services to RFS and has seen a much higher demand for support under the pandemic. As KDLT and USAID have transitioned to a virtual way of conducting business, KDLT has put in various measures to ensure a smooth transition. These measures range from creating a tip sheet on virtual meetings and guidelines on how to navigate Adobe Connect to providing technical support for RFS-facilitated meetings and retreats. All facilitations and webinars are accompanied with multiple technical tests and preparatory dry-runs before the event to address any challenges that might arise.

To ensure comprehensive messaging in terms of the pandemic, the communications team, in coordination with USAID, has adopted a review process for all COVID-19 related items. Through this process, the team clears blog content through a team of USAID employees, which ensures and maintains a consistent and appropriate messaging process.


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DESCRIPTION OF EXPECTED ACTIVITIES KDLT will continue to conduct Agrilinks webinars, working with the newly established and evolving RFS and the Feed the Future community to share relevant knowledge to the food security, resilience, and nutrition community. The team will continue to work and scope with USAID on other strategic training and capacity-strengthening activities and is looking forward to assuming ownership of a CLA training, designed by LEARN, and then providing this training with and for RFS.

The completed migration of Agrilinks to the D8 platform will open up expanded ways to engage with the Agrilinks community. This updated platform will position the site for continued improvement and enhanced ways to share and engage users on its high-quality content. KDLT will continue to work with RFS to refine the strategic direction for the site, build out theme months, produce bimonthly newsletters, and leverage social media to promote topics and content most relevant to the learning priorities of RFS and Feed the Future. KDLT is also looking forward to ensuring the same quality of work and commitment toward the newly acquired ResilienceLinks.

KDLT will continue to support activities on several fronts to enhance RFS’s capacity for and quality of knowledge-sharing, data management and analysis, organizational learning, and training in support of adaptive management of Feed the Future programming. KDLT intends to work across RFS with a number of emerging priorities, including with teams focused on policy, agriculture-led economic growth, inclusion and youth, resilience, nutrition and food safety—as well as the program office.

As RFS staff settle into their new structure, KDLT will continue to provide facilitation and organizational development support to the Bureau. KDLT was a key partner in supporting RFS during its transition and will continue to support RFS with the accompanying processes, systems, and structures needed to ensure that they are positioned to deliver on their expanded technical mandate, as well as their country-focused model(s).


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ANNEX 1. KDLT RESULTS FRAMEWORK AND INDICATORS KDLT core areas of focus include knowledge management, data management and analysis, organizational learning, and training. In supporting the expansion of RFS and Feed the Future’s capacity in these areas, KDLT works towards achieving five key results:

KDLT Key Result Areas

Result 1: Improved and sustained capacity for USAID/RFS to implement knowledge sharing events and create effective knowledge products

Result 2: Expanded capacity for on-demand, accurate data analysis and visualization to support learning and adaptive management of Feed the Future

Result 3: Maintenance, growth, and improvement in USAID web platforms and databases

Result 4: Increased awareness and utilization of new evidence and lessons learned from Feed the Future programming and other development activities by USAID staff and Feed the Future Missions to influence procurement and decision making

Result 5: An improved culture of collaboration, knowledge sharing, learning, and adapting among USAID staff, Feed the Future Missions, and Feed the Future implementing partners

Figure 1. KDLT Results Framework

This objective is further reflected in KDLT’s results framework (Figure 1) which is a visual representation of the activity’s approach for implementing activities. Under the results framework, activities under Results 1, 2, and 3 will generate evidence and knowledge through various platforms, including learning events, data analysis, and content creation. Synthesizing and transforming the information, knowledge, and evidence accumulated under the three result areas, KDLT will create strategies and inform decision making for better Feed the Future programming under Result 4. To achieve Result 5 KDLT will use the synthesized knowledge as well as key processes, systems and structures to develop a strategy to advance an improved organizational culture of collaboration, knowledge sharing, learning, and adapting with RFS and its stakeholders.

KDLT does not report on any official FTFMS key indicators. It has established 31 custom indicators distributed amongst the five results to monitor and track the progress of activities. These indicators were created through a facilitative process with KDLT leadership, overall team members and experts from the participating organization of KDLT. KDLT will conduct annual reviews of the MEL Plan including indicators to ensure selected indicators are still relevant and appropriate. Below is a summary of the types of indicators established under each result.

KDLT Result 1: Enhanced Capacity for Knowledge Sharing Result 1 has established seven indicators related to learning events that are carried out by KDLT including webinars, seminars and trainings. Indicators track outputs from these activities including the number of


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events and participants as well Kirkpatrick metrics that measure reaction of participants to the events. KDLT has also created indicators under this result to measure RFS’s ability to improve and sustain their capacity to implement knowledge sharing events.

KDLT Result 2: Expanded Capacity for Data Analysis & Visualization The four Indicators under this result are focused on evaluation and data analysis either conducted internally by KDLT or by external sources. Indicators under Result 2 will track the demand for both qualitative and quantitative data analysis by RFS or Feed the Future stakeholders. KDLT will also track the data visualization, mapping, and synthesis products developed that reflect key findings, conclusions, and lessons learned for RFS and Feed the Future stakeholders’ consumption.

KDLT Result 3: Growth of Digital Platforms to Support Learning Networks Eleven indicators have been established under Result 3. These metrics will better provide insights on the performance of the Agrilinks website and inform how users are interacting with the site to identify gaps that need to be addressed. The data from these indicators inform decision making and planning in terms of content delivery and best methods of information dissemination.

KDLT Result 4: Increased Awareness & Utilization of Evidence The five indicators under Result 4 will allow KDLT to ensure progress towards increasing the awareness and utilization of evidence. Under this result KDLT will be developing tools and methods to capture and share knowledge. Indicators will track the tools developed from this effort as well as their effectiveness and utility by RFS and its stakeholders. In addition to knowledge sharing tools, indicators under this result measure partnerships created with RFS and its stakeholders.

KDLT Result 5: Improved Culture of Collaboration, Knowledge Sharing, Learning & Adapting Four indicators have been identified under Result 5 which focus on achieving the objective of an improved culture of collaboration, knowledge sharing, learning and adapting. As this objective focuses on behavioral change which occurs over a longer period of time, KDLT is taking a different approach to measuring progress. While there are indicators that track the number of organizational development sessions and number of participants under this result, the main focus will be implementing Complexity-Aware methodologies that will measure impact as KDLT progresses in its activity implementation. To start this process, KDLT has established an initial set of key questions for measuring impact of interventions.

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