Minutes of the 1St Programme Management Meeting

Minutes of the 1st Programme Management Meeting

Date: 27th July, 2016

Venue: Meeting hall, Office of Progamme Managment (OPM), Wengkhar

Present: Mr. Tashi Wangdi, Programme Director

Mr. Karma Tenzin, Monitoring and Evaluation Officer (M&EO)

Mr. Kinley Tenzin, Accounts Officer

Mr. Norbu, Component Manager (Livestock)

Mr. Ugyen Wangdi, Component Manager (Agriculture)

Mr. Sangay Choeda, Component Manager (Value chain and marketing)

Mr. Sangay Choda, Programme Support Officer (PSO)

Ms. Choki Wangmo, Adm. Assistant

Ms. Karma Wangmo, Gender & Knowledge Management Officer (GKMO)

The first programme management meeting was held on 27th July 2016 at the OPM meeting hall in Wengkhar. The purpose of the meeting was to discuss and prepare for effective programme management and implementation. This minutes highlights the key points discussed and agreements reached during the meeting.

Update by M&EO

By way of information to the Programme Director, the M&E officer updated on some of the activities carried out by the OPM staff. These included extension of 14 numbers of sockets, installation of photocopying machine, participation in CARLEP baseline survey in Lhuentse and Mongar Dzongkhags, meeting with Dr. Subedi, the national consultant for the survey, to discuss about the baseline indicators and installation of wire mesh along the corridor to keep dogs out.

Functions/mandates of OPM

Noting that most of the staffs are new to the programme management, the PD reminded them about the overall function or mandate of the OPM which is to ensure successful implementation of programme. He reminded them that the success of the programme will be determined by the following factors:

· Proper planning and budgeting

· Proper coordination and communication between OPM and the programme implementers

· Timely release of fund

· Timely monitoring and evaluation

· Proper documentation and reporting

Other key functions of the OPM include: coordination and preparation of AWPB, compilation of Annual Progress Report, monitoring of programme activities in the field, conduct of National Programme Steering Committee (NPSC) and Regional Programme Implementation Committee (RPIC) meetings, gender mainstreaming and knowledge management.

Review of Terms of References (ToR)

In order to ensure that everyone knows their given tasks, the meeting reviewed the ToR of every staff in great detail and made necessary changes wherever required and based on consensus (see Annex I for revised ToRs). In general the revisions were minor except for the following:

· The responsibility to look after gender, which was initially kept with M&E and Gender officer (Mr. Karma Tenzin) was transferred to Ms. Karma Wangmo, the Assistant Gender and KM officer. This was felt necessary noting the workload of M&E officer and the appropriateness of job if taken up by female staff. Therefore as agreed and decided in the meeting, Ms. Karma Wangmo has been charged with full responsibility for gender and knowledge management aspects of the programme. But she will be supported by M&E officer and other Component Managers as both gender and KM are cross cutting issues. Accordingly, there has been change in the designations: 1) Mr. Karma Tenzin from M&E and Gender officer to M&E officer and 2) Ms. Karma Wangmo from Assistant Gender, KM and M&E officer to Gender and KM officer. However, this change will not affect their official designations which will remain as it is in the appointment orders.

· Mr. Sangay Choda, Programme Support Officer has been given added responsibility to look after ICT related tasks of the programme, especially managing CARLEP Webpage and other databases or information management system.

· Mr. Sangay Choeda, Component Manager for Value Chain and Marketing has been charged with the added responsibility to liaise with RAMCO. This is in addition to FCBL (his parent organization) and other key implementing agencies – RDC, RLDC, Dzongkhags and Gewogs.

· There is need to seek clarification from the PPD, MoAF regarding the linkage between OPM AWPB/reporting and the PlaMS.

(Action: PD and above officials)

AWPB (2016-17)

Recognizing the mismatch between proposed and approved budgets for all the agencies especially OPM and RLDC, the meeting directed the component managers and the accounts officer to revisit the approved budget and find out the differences. The meeting also discussed the need to prepare proper justifications to be submitted to the MoF for supplementary budget. In addition, the meeting also noted the comments provided by IFAD on AWPB 2016-17 which is to defer implementation of major activities until the value chain and business plan is in place. The component managers were also asked to contact DAOs and DLOs and get list of selected gewogs, villages and groups where they are going to focus their planned interventions including irrigation schemes, particularly in the first year. (Action: Component Managers and PD)

Progress Reporting and other M&E formats

In order to maintain uniformity and consistency in reporting and compilation, the meeting discussed and agreed on the use of draft Annual Progress Reporting format with minor revisions wherever necessary. The format will be presented to the Dzongkhags and other implementing agencies for their comments and consensus. Besides, based on need, the component managers and M&E officer were asked to develop their own simple formats to be used during field monitoring and reporting. (Action: M&E officer and Component Managers)

Calendar of key Activities

The meeting discussed and prepared a calendar of key activities for CARLEP which the OPM has to abide and comply with throughout the programme period (see Annex II). (Action: OPM staff)

Guidelines for Production Support Fund (PSF) and Social Inclusion Fund (SIF)

Noting the importance of PSF and SIF for value chain or commercialization and targeting respectively, the meeting discussed and decided that the draft guidelines for the above two funds will be revisited and finalized in a separate meeting with the key implementing partners (RDC, RLDC, RAMCO and FCBL). (Action: PD to coordinate meeting)

Things to do:

The meeting discussed on the lists of activities that needs to be initiated on the immediately. These include:

· Introductory visit to Dzongkhags (Need to prepare presentation – overview of CARLEP, Progress Reporting Format, Financial Management, implementation approach)

· Web designing and hosting (need to prepare ToR for web designer to be hired from the market)

· Supplementary fund request (need to prepare fund gap and justifications)

· Completion of MAGIP PCR (need to compile APR and other data or information)

· Preparation of materials and the identification and selection of villages for Permaculture and Climate Smart Agriculture (to discuss with RDC)

· Identification and selection of irrigation schemes to be constructed or renovated in the first year of CARLEP (To ask Dzongkhags to submit the list)

· Prepare for 1st NPSC (awaiting new Secretary to be appointed for MoAF)

· Preparation of gender mainstreaming and KM strategies (Karma Wangmo to coordinate in consultation with Ms. Tashi Yangzom)

· Preparation for upcoming IFAD mission (15 Oct – 02 Nov 2016)

Next meeting

The meeting decided that the OPM will meet twice a month (15th and the last day of the month). The points for discussion must be circulated at least three days prior to the actual meeting. The next meeting will be on 15th of August 2016. (Action: All the staff with coordination by PSO)

Conclusion

In conclusion, PD thanked all the staff for their contribution in the meeting and urged everyone to extend their full cooperation and support to make the programme a great success. He shared his desire and wishes to make CARLEP one of the best programmes in the country and in the region in terms of effective management and implementation. So cooperation and support is critical both from the OPM staff and from key implementing partners.

Annex I: Revised ToR

TERMS OF REFERENCE FOR THE PROGRAMME DIRECTOR

The Programme Director (PD) will coordinate Programme management and ensure that implementation be realized according to the conditions of the Financial Agreement and based on the Programme Appraisal Report for CARLEP. The PD will oversee the establishment of efficient administrative, financial and technical management procedures to serve National, Regional, Dzongkhag and Gewog implementation needs. The PD will also ensure the M&E requirements are developed and implemented in a timely fashion.

In particular, the PD shall be responsible to:

· Make sure the business of the programme is conducted in an efficient manner through:

a. Supervision and monitoring of programme implementation;

b. Provision of guidance and capacity building for OPM staff;

c. Installation and maintenance of appropriate systems and procedures (M&E, administrative, financial, operations and others); and

d. Installation of check and balance and control mechanism for OPM operations;

· Develop close working relationship with all programme participants and stakeholders to ensure integration of program interventions congruent with program goals, purpose and objectives. The responsibility involves sensitization of program entities, keeping open lines of communication, initiating quick response mechanism and effective control system.

· Maintain close liaison with the Programme Steering Committee (PSC) to facilitate the resolution of programme issues and with the IFAD Focal Officers at the MoAF for proper coordination and facilitation at the national level.

· Ensure timely preparation of Statement of Expenditures (SOEs) and withdrawal applications (WAs) to ensure sufficient resources for program operations; this includes maintaining close liaison with the DPA, IFAD and MoAF’s PPD &AFD.

· Facilitate and support the conduct of missions, reviews, meetings and other program activities in ways that foster a joint learning process that identifies how the Programme could be improved further to achieve impact.

· Facilitate the conduct of annual audits and respond to audit queries in a timely manner.

· Ensure timely preparation of the AWPB by seeking inputs from all the stakeholders and present to approval bodies in a timely manner for review and approval.

· Ensure the prompt submission of AWPBs, procurement plans and progress reports.

· Ensure compliance with the provisions of the Loan Financing Agreement.

· Ensure that IFAD supervision missions are facilitated and provided with logistic support.

· Others as the PSC and RPIC may require.

TERMS OF REFERENCE FOR MONITORING & EVALUATION OFFICER (M&EO)

The M&E and Gender Officer shall report directly to the PD and shall be responsible for guiding, development and operation of the M&E, Gender and Knowledge Management of the program.

Specifically, the M&E and Gender Officer is expected to:

· Set up the PME system and ensure it is implemented effectively by the key stakeholders

· Coordinate the programme planning, such as consolidation of the AWPB, conducting, preparation and submission of programme reports (such as Annual Progress Report, RIMS and AOS) and conduct of surveys (such as baseline, AOS (post MTR) and end-line surveys) and programme completion report (PCR).

· Input all the key indicators (outputs, outcomes and impacts) of CARLEP to be captured in the PLaMS of RGoB (check with PPD, MoAF)

· Ensure timely updating of the programme logframe.

· Responsible for timely data collection and entry, data analysis and report writing. Recommend measures to enhance program performance based on the analysis of reports.

· Closely coordinate with CMs for timely generation and collection of programme data/results for which a system will be established.

· Coordinate all IFAD related compliance reporting and implementation of support/supervision mission, MTR, annual reviews and completion review.

· Act as counterpart to Technical Assistance (TAs) on PME.

· Assist PD in the preparation and conduct of Programme Steering Committee (PSC) and Regional Programme Implementation Committee (RPIC) meetings.

· Undertake regular visits to the field to support implementation of M&E and to identify where adaptations might be needed.

· Integrate gender indicators into the M&E system and in the AOS surveys to ensure collection of gender segregated data on programme activities and outputs.

· Create and maintain knowledge repositories to store and organize articles, reports and other resources related to the programme.

· Assist Assistant G KMO in developing and maintaining a knowledge database on gender and gender issues, impacts and strategies on respective sectors serviced by the programme, and raise awareness amongst staff.

· Capture and disseminate lessons learned, successful case studies and good practices on a regular basis by adopting various knowledge sharing methods and tools

· Design and facilitate cross-Programme learning and best practice transfer within and outside programme through workshop/meeting, documentation and sharing of lessons learned, media trip and learning routes.

· Guide and support Assistant GKMO in preparation of Gender Mainstreaming strategy and the KM strategy (including action plans) for the programme.

· Help Assistant GKMO in analysing gender disaggregated data and contribute to reporting on gender and KM in the annual progress report and RIMS.

TERMS OFREFERENCE FOR ASSISTANT GENDER AND KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT OFFICER (GKMO)

The Assistant Gender and Knowledge Management officer (GKMO) shall report directly to Programme Director and work closely with M&EO and CMs in the development and implementation of Knowledge Management and Gender activities of the programme.

Specifically, the Assistant GKMO will perform the following tasks:

· Initiate and lead the coordination for preparation and implementation of the Gender Mainstreaming strategy and the KM strategy (including action plans) for the programme.

· Conduct gender sensitization/gender capacity building trainings/workshops in the programme areas at least once every financial year;

· Analyse gender disaggregated data and contribute to reporting on gender and KM in the annual progress report and RIMS.

· Develop and maintain a knowledge database on gender and gender issues, impacts and strategies on respective sectors serviced by the programme, and raise awareness among staffs.

· Create and maintain knowledge repositories to store and organize articles, reports and other resources related to the programme. (HOW?)

· Advise, initiate, support and advocate gender mainstreaming efforts in the programme interventions

· Undertake special studies/assessments on gender related themes to the programme.

· Take lead in developing and disseminating quality knowledge products depending on the target audience and information needs. The knowledge products could be in the forms of publications, documented case stories, photo documentation, videos, charts, manuals, etc…

· Coordinate with all the component managers and implementing units regarding Gender and Knowledge Management requirements and on documentation, preparation/consolidation of learning and preparation/dissemination of communication/learning materials.

· Capture and disseminate lessons learned, successful case studies and good practices on a regular basis by adopting various knowledge sharing methods and tools.

· Design and facilitate cross-Programme learning and best practice transfer within and outside programme through workshop/meeting, documentation and sharing of lessons learned, media trip and learning routes.