Minutes from the 2ndProgramme Management Meeting
Date: 12th September, 2015
Venue: Conference room, OPM
Participants:
- Mr. Tashi Wangdi (PD)
- Mr. Karma Tenzin (M&EO)
- Mr. Ugyen Wangdi (CM, Ag)
- Mr. Norbu (CM, Livestock)
- Mr. Sangay Choeda (CM, CV& Marketing)
- Mr. Sangay Choda (PSO)
- Ms. Karma Wangmo (GKMO)
- Ms. Choki Wangmo (Adm, Assit)
As agreed in the last internal OPM meet, the second internal OPM meet was to be scheduled on either 15th or 30th of August. However, due to some unavoidable cross-cutting issues, it could happen only on 12th September, 2016. The meet was bounded but not limited to the Agenda given in Annex 1.
Following are the points discussed at the decisions reached:
- Review of the MoM of the 1st Internal OPM meet
1.1Linkage of the AWPB in PALMs:
-OPM exactly don’t have the provision to incorporate the physical activities of AWPB and the Progress report in PALMS except the relevant decisions and discussion from the Project Steering Committee meet that are pertaining to the policy matters.
1.2Stipend forCAHWs
-Stipend for CAHW, SIF, PSF and other unapproved budget arestill in the process of requisition with the effort of CARLEP AO.
CAHW stipend is seen unrealistic and unsustainable by MoF, especially after the end of project phase. So, to avail fund, there has to have a convincing write-up, reflecting the guidelines for this fund provision, sustainabilityissues and other aspects. The stipend however will not be liable as a monthly salary. It will be provided only as an when they does the work.
(Action: CM, Livestock in collaboration with RLDC to come up with the write-up to availthe CAHWs stipend)
1.3Calendar of key activities
-All OPM staffs to revisit the calendar activities that was developed during the 1st OPM meet and re-check whether the timeframe is realistic and whether all the key activities to be performed are included. The final copy will be then printed out.
1.4Responsibility for the Minutes of Meeting
-In the ToR, PSO has the functions to keep the MoM. But MoM is a part of Knowledge Management. So, GKMO will take the lead in keeping MoM. But the action has to come up from all the staffs to avoid one-person’s view and also to avoid the left out of missing information and messages.
- Revisit of Dzongkhag Consultation meeting
2.1Narrowing down of geog selection into Chiwog
-As outlined in the CARLEP working document, CARLEP intervention will be done in the selected geogs. However, this was raised as a sort of an ambiguous approach during the Dzongkhag Consultation meeting. Moreover, this approach was predicted to welcome some unnecessary issues from the geogs that are been left out with no intervention. Therefore, to avoid the misunderstandings and also to meet the two pronged approaches of CARLEP, all the geogs are selected either under oneof these two: Commercial Intervention and the Targeted Intervention.
However, within one geog, there would be some Chiwogs which are more potential for the intervention. Thus, to have a concrete output and also to avoid the thinly spread out of the resources, geog selection was agreed to be narrowed down to the Chiwogs,inclusive of the number of Households (HHs).
(Action: CM of AG and livestock to collect the targeted Chowigs with the number of HHs)
- Revision on the Implementation Guidelines
3.1Implementation guidelines for Agriculture and Livestock Component
-The guidelines for both Agriculture and livestock can incorporate some of the technology options or at least reflect the references for more detail. For the land development part, there has to have the clear understanding or the guidelines developed regarding the CMU machines. There is a need to find out what intervention is required from the project (CARLEP) to have a clear roles and responsibilities to be taken during the land development.
Although, some Dzongkhags have already identified the supports required from the Project especially for the clearing the cost incurred in the machineries and the labor charge. But these support requirement has to be uniform throughout the Programme Dzongkhags.
For farmer-to-farmer training, there has to have a clear spell out on the roles of lead farmers and the honorarium or in appropriate the service charge/fees. It has to be made clear on whether this service charge will be equivalent to the national labor fees for the skilled labor.
And even for the training actions, it is important to have a holistic training manual; integrated of the cost and other training mandates. As far as possible, the trainings has to be effective and output oriented.
(Action, CM, Ag and Livestock to revisit the guidelines and do the recommended changes)
3.2 Implementation guidelines for Group and Marketing
-There is a need to make a clear stand on whether there has to have a separate guidelines for the Group and Marketing or either one guideline will be enough to cater these two.
This guideline has to have the clear understanding mentioned on what is meant by group upgradation, how the groups will be strengthened, how the marketing channels improved, how the progress will be measured and other aspects inclusive of the baseline and the benchmark.
(Action: CM of VC and Marketing to sit with RAMCO and FCBL)
3.4 Concerns in Cattle outsourcing
-Cost wise, cattle out-sourcing is expensive in respect for the requirement to have the cost borne for the animal transportation, cost of entire quarantine and also the animal insurance for one year. The cost sharing is that the individual wishing to have the out-sourced will have to bear the 30% of the total cost incurred. However, the concern is whether the individual will be able to agree or whether they will be able to produce on that 30%.
(Action: CM of livestock to work out in the cost incurred for the outsourcing of one animal, before deciding on the cost sharing.
PD to discuss on this issue with the Department of Livestock)
Note: Away from just the project’s point of view, OPM have to look at the national policies and also from the benefiters’ point of view so that we be equipped with the policies during the implementation.
3.5 Dairy and silo pits and the maintenance of the wears and tears of the machineries
-To assess the effectiveness of the dairy and the silo pits, CM of livestock can also take up a separate assessment from the case at samdrupjongkhar, before promoting to other places.
The livestock Implementation guidelines also have to have the clear guidelines and mandates for the responsibility of maintain and repairing in the case of wears and tears of the machineries.
4.Online google sheets
-With a soul objective to maintain uniformity in the Annual Progress Report (APR) format, M&E cell have developed online APR format using Google Sheet. Either sheets or range in the APR google sheet file shall be protected, and access permission shall be granted only to specific concern official/s from implementing agencies of the particular sheet. The concern official can entry information in their respective sheetonly. The consolidated data will be automatically updated. The OPM () is the owner with full access right to M&EO.
The other advantage of using online APR is that it can be updated offline. For that, a user must install google drive app and google browser in the PC.
Before this system is circulated to the stakeholders, a demo with some Dzongkhags can be done for the familiarization purpose. All in all, the system (google sheets) will have to be user friendly.
(Action: M&EO and PSO can also explore on linking up the RIMS with this online sheet.)
4.1 CARLEP website
-CARLEP website is expecting to get it done by the end of October or by the early November.
5. Contact book
-CARLEP Directory is re-designed in the Publisher document. The finalization can be done with the addition of the landlines and cross-checking the information entered. We can then print several copies for the OPM use.
(Action: GKMO)
6. Preparation for the up-coming mission
-The upcoming mission visit is from October 15 till 2nd November. The mission is of two teams; Project Completion Review Mission and CARLEP Supervision Mission. For the Project Completion Review Mission, the stakeholders meeting will be arranged in Wengkhar, conference hall. And for CARLEP Supervision Mission, there is a weeklong filed visit. The main aim/objective of the field visit is to show the mission on the existing situation and status of the targeted areas. And also to have their feedbacks and comments.
Following are the sites identified for the field visit:
- One of the Climate smart village identified by ARDC
- One irrigation channel
- Onesuccessful dairy group either at T/gang or S/Jongkhar (visit Kalapang Dairy if time permits)
- Cold storage at Samdrup Jongkhar (CM of VC & Marketing to confirm and have them be prepared)
- Lhawang Commercial farm at Khalangjee and Jangdung
- Agriculture Rehabilitation Programme at Phuntshothang
- National Integrated Livestock farm at Samrang (CM of Livestock to take the necessary actions)
-One of the different approach from MAGIP in CARLEP would be that of prior OPM visit to the selected site and collect the background information, before the mission. So, OPM will provide the background information and the mission can do on other findings. This is because it is often seen that a lot of time is been wasted just to get the background information during the actual mission visit.
The wrap-up meeting of the mission will be done at Thimphu. Along with this wrap-up meeting, CARLEP steering Committee meeting will also be planned.
Note:In order to keep close update of the missions and to avoid giving wrong impressions, OPM will have to keep a proper tag of the places visit, groups met and other relevant records.
7. Production and Marketing Mapping
-This production and Marketing Mapping need to be taken as an urgent matter. Away from just the plain physical map, there is a need to incorporate the background information, production status and other relevant information in order add value on the map.
The checklist on what information to be collected can be developed jointly by OPM and RAMCO. And also, theCM of VC and Marketing to discuss about the need of OPM to engage in the data collection. This map is targeted to be completed or at least have the rough skeleton before the up-coming mission.
(Action: OPM in clubbed with RAMCO and Dzongkhag Heads)
8. SIF & PSF
-OPM to revisit these two guidelines and do any other necessary changes and improvements. For the finalization, there need to have the common agreement, consensus among the stakeholders
(Action: OPM and the stakeholders)
9. KM and Gender Mainstreaming strategy
-The KM and gender mainstreaming strategies would be able to develop only after the mission visit, tentatively by the second week of November.
10.Youth dialogue
-Youth dialogue will be from 28th of Sepetember. Honorable Lyonpo will chair the meet. OPM has to decide the appropriate venue. By 15th of this month, the participants list will have to be ready and accordingly, will have to plan the follow up activities.
This dialogue is not only for the fresh youths but also the youths who are already an entrepreneur, to call them have experiences and the lessons shared.
(Action: OPM to be prepared and develop the agenda)
11. Document Index and the write-shop output
-GKMO has to find out how the document Index is maintained in ARDC and re-design the present format for the document index.
In CARLEP, the especial attention has to be given on documentation. Doing case study is one. GKMO along with all other staffs has to as many documentation as possible but within the project intend.
(Action: GKMO)
12. Documents base
-In the OPM level, there has to have a proper repository for the documents. Therefore, all the soft-copies of the documents will be recorded and maintained jointly by PSO and GKMO.
(Action: PSO to take the lead)
Annex 1:
Draft Agenda for 2nd Programme Management Meeting
Venue: OPM Meeting Hall
Time: 9:30 AM
●Review of last Minutes of Meeting (MoM)
●Revisit the Dzongkhag consultation meeting`s finding / follow up action points
●Finalization of Guidelines (Agriculture, Livestock, Marketing and Group strengthening/upgradation)
●Review and demo on Online Annual Progress Reporting using Google Sheet.
●Review on redesigned copy of CARLEP’s contact booklet.
●Preparation for IFAD mission (15 Oct – 02 Nov 2016)
●Planning and way forward for production mapping in collaboration with RAMCO
●Further discussion on SIF & PSF
●Date confirmation for the development of Gender and Knowledge Management Strategy and Youth Seminar
●Reflect on writeshop output:
✓A case of Kerong’s Rubia
✓Agro-tourism at Merak and Sakten
Refreshment Interval
10:30am - Tea Break
12:30pm - Lunch Break
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