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MARKETS II Quarterly Progress Report

July – September, 2014

November 28, 2014

This document was prepared by Chemonics International Inc.

MAXIMIZING AGRICULTURAL REVENUE AND KEY ENTERPRISES IN TARGETED SITES (MARKETS) II

Quarterly Report 4th Quarter – July 1 to September 30, 2014

Submission Date: November 28, 2014

Contract Number: AID-620-C-12-00001 Activity Start Date and End Date: April 18, 2012 to April 16, 2017 COR: Alefia Merchant

Submitted by: Harvey Schartup, Chief of Party MARKETS II 23 Ona Crescent, off Lake Chad Crescent, Maitama, Abuja, Nigeria. Tel: +234 09 8707 444 [email protected]

3 MARKETS II JULY-SEPTEMBER 2014 QUARTERLY PROGRESS REPORT

Table of Contents Table of Contents ............................................................................................................................................ 3 List of Tables .................................................................................................................................................. 3 ACRONYMS .................................................................................................................................................. 5 1.PROGRAM OVERVIEW/SUMMARY ...................................................................................................... 7

1.1 Program Description/Introduction ........................................................................................................ 8 1.2 Summary of Results to Date ............................................................................................................... 10

2. ACTIVITY IMPLEMENTATION PROGRESS ..................................................................................... 14 2.1 Progress Narrative .............................................................................................................................. 14 2.2.1 Implementation Status ..................................................................................................................... 17 Program Area 1: Producers’ Capacity Development and Organizations Strengthened ............................ 18 Program Area 2: Access to Agricultural Inputs Increased........................................................................ 24 Program Area 3: Technology Generation and Deployment Expanded..................................................... 25 Program Area 4: Water and Soil Management Strengthened ................................................................... 26 Program Area 5: Access to Finance Increased ......................................................................................... 27 Program Area 6: Grants and Subcontracts Fund ...................................................................................... 28 Program Area 7: Program Modifier/Rapid Response Mechanism ......................................................... 29 2.2.2 Progress against Targets .................................................................................................................. 30 2.3 Implementation challenges ................................................................................................................. 55

3. INTEGRATION OF CROSSCUTTING ISSUES AND USAID FORWARD PRIORITIES ................ 56 3.1 Gender Equality and Female Empowerment ...................................................................................... 56 3.2 Sustainability Mechanisms ................................................................................................................. 57 3.3 Environmental Compliance ................................................................................................................ 59 3.4 Youth Development ............................................................................................................................ 60 3.5 Policy and Governance Support ......................................................................................................... 60 3.6 Local Capacity Development.............................................................................................................. 62 3.7 Public Private Partnership (PPP) and Global Development Alliance (GDA) Impacts ....................... 63 3.8 Conflict Mitigation ............................................................................................................................. 64 3.9 Science, Technology, and Innovation Impacts ................................................................................... 65

4. STAKEHOLDER PARTICIPATION AND INVOLVEMENT .............................................................. 65 5. MANAGEMENT AND ADMINISTRATIVE ISSUES .......................................................................... 67 6. LESSONS LEARNED ............................................................................................................................. 67 7. PLANNED ACTIVITIES FOR NEXT QUARTER INCLUDING UPCOMING EVENTS .................. 68 8. WHAT DOES USAID NOT KNOW THAT IT NEEDS TO .................................................................. 73 9. HOW IMPLEMENTING PARTNER HAS ADDRESSED A/COR COMMENTS FROM

THE LAST QUARTERLY OR SEMI-ANNUAL REPORT ................................................................. 74 ANNEX A: PROGRESS SUMMARY......................................................................................................... 75 ANNEX B: ENVIRONMENTAL MITIGATION AND MONITORING PLAN (EMMP) for

FY2014 Quarter 4 .................................................................................................................................... 90 ANNEX C: CORRESPONDANCE WITH USAID ON Q2 FY2014 QUARTERLY REPORT ............... 95 SUCCESS STORY: Maize Farming Transform Lives ................................. Error! Bookmark not defined. SUCCESS STORY: Imported Technology Gets Job Done .......................... Error! Bookmark not defined.

List of Tables Table 1: Summary of results to date (Standard indicators) ........................................................................... 10 Table 2: Gross margin actuals and targets for ($) ......................................................................................... 31 Table 3: Gross margin actuals and targets disaggregated by sex ($/ha) ....................................................... 33 Table 4: Productivity (yield) actuals and targets (ton/ha) ............................................................................. 33


Table 5: Productivity (yield) actuals disaggregated by sex………………………………………………..33 Table 6: Number of farmers applying improved technologies during the quarter………………………... 35 Table 7: Individuals benefitting from short-term agricultural sector productivity or food security training…………………………………………………………………………. 37 Table 8: Rural households benefitting from FTF assistance……………………………………………… 42 Table 9: Value of incremental sales for agricultural commodities in FY2014 season ($)………………... 44 Table 10: Vulnerable households benefitting from USG assistance……………………………………… 54


ACRONYMS ADP Agricultural Development Project AFEX Africa Exchange Holdings Limited AMP Aba Malting Plant APS Annual Program Statement ATA Agricultural Transformation Agenda BoA Bank of Agriculture BMO Business Membership Organizations BtM2 Bridge to MARKETS II CAFAN Catfish Farmers Association of Nigeria CARI Competitive African Rice Initiative CBNRMP Community Based Natural Resources Management Project CBO Community-based organizations COR Contracting Officer Representative CPP Crop Protection Products DDI Diamond Development Initiative DEC Development Exchange Centre DFID United Kingdom’s Department for International Development DQA Data Quality Assessment DPS Direct Paddy Seeder EA Extension Agents FCT Federal Capital Territory FEND Foundation for Environment and Development FIIRO Federal Institute of Industrial Research, Oshodi FMARD Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development FTF Feed the Future GAIN Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition GCL Grand Cereals Limited GES Growth Enhancement Support GMP Good Manufacturing Practices GSF Grants and Subcontract Fund GON Government of Nigeria HA Hectares HMA Honorable Minister of Agriculture IAR Institute for Agricultural Research IFAD United Nation’s International Fund for Agricultural Development IFDC International Fertilizer Development Centre IITA International Institute of Tropical Agriculture JICA Japan International LAPO Lift Above Poverty Organization LARDI LAPO Agricultural and Rural Development Initiative LGA Local government area LOP Life of project MADE Market Development for the Niger Delta Programme MARKETS Maximizing Agricultural Revenue and Key Enterprises in Targeted Sites MD Mission Director MEF Microenterprise Fundamentals MFB Microfinance Bank MNP Micronutrient Powders MSME Micro small and medium enterprises


MPC Multipurpose Cooperative MOU Memorandum of Understanding MT Metric Tons NAEC Nigerian Agricultural Enterprise Curriculum NANTS National Association of Nigerian Traders NCRI National Cereals Research Institute NDDC Niger Delta Development Commission NDDF Niger Delta Development Forum NEXTT Nigeria Expanded Trade and Transport NIOMR Nigerian Institute of Oceanography and Marine Research OCA Organizational Capacity Assessment PAC Paddy Aggregation Centers PEPFAR President’s Emergency Program for AIDS Relief PERSUAP Pesticide Evaluation Report and Safer Use Action Plan PIND Partnership Initiatives in the Niger Delta PMP Performance Monitoring Plan POP Package of Practices PPP Public Private Partnerships REMIF REMIF REMS Nigeria Limited RFP Request for Proposals RFQ Request for Quotation RUFIN Rural Finance Institution-Building Program SACE Strengthening Advocacy and Civic Engagement SSP Spray Service Providers TOR Terms of Reference ToT Training of Trainers TTC Technology Transfer Center UDP Urea Deep Placement USG Urea Super Granules USAID United States Agency for International Development WACOT West Africa Cotton Company


1. PROGRAM OVERVIEW/SUMMARY

Program Name:

Maximizing Agricultural Revenue and Key Enterprises in Targeted Sites (MARKETS) II

Activity Start Date And End Date:

April 18, 2012 to April 16, 2017

Name of Prime Implementing Partner:

Chemonics International Inc.

[Contract/Agreement] Number:

AID-620-C-12-00001

Name of Subcontractors/Subawardees: International Fertilizer Development Center, Winrock International, Making Cents International, Diamond Development Initiative, and Enclude

Major Counterpart Organizations

FMARD, IFAD, FADAMA, CARI, JAICA, PIND, state ADPs

Geographic Coverage (cities and or countries)

14 target states, FCT, and associated production zones

Reporting Period:

July to September 2014


1.1 Program Description/Introduction

The Maximizing Agricultural Revenue and Key Enterprises in Targeted Sites II (MARKETS II) is a five year agricultural project designed to support the U.S. government’s Feed the Future (FTF) initiative and the Government of Nigeria’s (GoN) Agricultural Transformation Agenda (ATA) that addresses critical issues hindering the agricultural sector and strengthens agricultural competitiveness and food security. The project remains committed to its market-led, demand-driven approach of “produce what you can sell,” not “sell what you can produce.” MARKETS II aims to improve the performance of Nigerian poor rural farmers, their incomes and nutrition through proven private sector demand-driven market interventions. This will be accomplished by extending the number of trained smallholder and small-scale beneficiaries, and helping them access better inputs, such as improved seeds and fertilizer, adequate finance, better water management methods, appropriate technology and extension services. MARKETS II works along the value chain through producer and processing associations, credit institutions and agribusinesses (suppliers, contractors, transporters and especially agro-processors) to identify and alleviate constraints to well-functioning markets. Productivity increases are not the outcome of direct subsidies but rather the result of adopting modern farming methods, connecting farmers and agro-producers to improved inputs and farm services, through privately and publicly provided extension services, investing in public infrastructure, and changes in agricultural policy. MARKETS II assures that only environmentally friendly and sustainable practices are implemented in all of its activities. The MARKETS II project focuses on the large population of smallholders, with between 1 to 5 hectares (ha) of land under cultivation, and small-scale agricultural support services along the targeted value chains. An estimated 80 to 90 percent of all agricultural plots are less than two hectares in size. Given that women may be between 60 to 80 percent of the workforce on such smallholdings, and are also a large percentage of micro and small-scale processors and traders (depending on crop and region), MARKETS II especially benefits women. MARKETS II works with local banks and other lenders, e.g. microfinance organizations and NGOs, to update their systems, staff, evaluation procedures, and collateral requirements to facilitate lending to smallholders; and with smallholders and micro and small-scale agro-enterprises to better prepare them to access credit and capital from various sources when needed. MARKETS II expands its impact and prospects for sustainability by supporting the GoN’s efforts to develop agricultural value chains, pursuing public-private partnerships (PPP) with the GoN and state governments and private sector stakeholders, developing beneficial sharing relationships with other donor and private sector projects, subcontracting with local service providers and having robust capacity building activities.

The project’s international and local subcontractors provide the following MARKETS II services: International Fertilizer Development Centre (IFDC) improves farmers’ access to quality agro-inputs and adoption of more beneficial farm practices designed to increase productivity and return nutrients to depleted soils. IFDC is also working in partnership with other state and federal governments to support the GoN on the national Growth Enhancement Support (GES) scheme. Making Cents International develops culturally-appropriate agricultural and small agribusiness training curricula to better reach semi-literate populations. Winrock International provides technical expertise for the development and rehabilitation of water and irrigation systems and promotes sustainable water and soil management. Enclude provides technical assistance to commercial banks to expand the existing range of agricultural financial products. They improve


bank lending, risk assessment, and loan recovery capacity to increase smallholders’ and agribusinesses’ access to suitable and timely credit at reasonable risk rates and profit margins for the banks. Diamond Development Initiative (DDI) worked as a local subcontractor on MARKETS and Bridge to MARKETS II (BtM2) projects, handling the out-grower schemes for white and yellow sorghum, rice and sesame value chains under project supervision. DDI is expanding its range of services as a local subcontractor on MARKETS II. Additional local subcontractors provide support to the expanded number of out-grower schemes. These local subcontractors receive capacity building training and assistance from MARKETS II to also increase their range of services and contracting ability.


1.2 Summary of Results to Date Table 1: Summary of results to date MARKETS II Indicator Baseline

Value FY 2012 Actual

FY 2013 Actual

Target FY 2014 FY 2014 Actual

Actual – FY2014Q4

Annual Performance Achieved (%)

LOP Target Actual (April 2012-FY2014 thru Q4)

LOP Performance Achieved (%)

FY2015 Target

Custom: Annual expenditures on purchase or upgrading of assets (US$) 277.0

420

346

GNDR (2): Proportion of female participants in USG-assisted programs designed to increase access to productive economic resources (assets, credit, income or employment)

0 0.346 0.379 0.500 0.66 0.48 132.26 0.50 0.55 110.69 0.6

GNDR (3): Proportion of females who report increased self-efficacy at the conclusion of USG supported training/programming

0

0.60

0.3

GNDR (4): Proportion of target population reporting increased agreement with the concept that males and females should have equal access to social, economic, and political opportunities

0

0.50

0.3

4.5(16): Gross margin per unit of land, kilogram, or animal of selected product (crops/animals selected vary by country)

Cassava 371 811

01

895

535

Cocoa 407

0 435 410.05 410.05 94.26 530 410 77.4 467

Fish (Aquaculture) 20,977.52 563,762 0 24,125 26,013.57 26,013.57 107.83 35,000 26,014 74.3 28,950

Maize 260 904 1,199 650 630.61 630.61 97.02 1,300 1,199 92.2 850

Rice - Irrigated 673

878 989 1,431.86 1,431.86 144.78 1610 1,432 88.9 1,450

Rice – Rain-fed 673 1,422 1,076 860 1,290.79 1,290.79 150.09 1,450 1,422 98.1 1,300

Soybean 253

375 406.92 406.92 108.51 430 407 94.6 410

Sorghum 178 338 401 275 382.01 382.01 138.91 420 401 95.5 400

Custom: Increase in productivity (yields) of value chain commodities (Ton/ha)

Cassava 11.18 23.28

0.002

23.54 23.28 98.9 15.50

Cocoa 0.40

0.44 0.58 0.58 131.82 0.70 0.58 82.9 0.63

Fish (Aquaculture) 10.45

11.04 17.91 17.91 162.23 22.50 17.91 79.6 18.00

1 Cassava planted during FY2013 cropping season will be harvested in October-November 2014 hence its results will be reported in FY2014 results. This due to the fact that cassava takes 16 month period from planting to harvesting 2 Cassava planted during FY2013 cropping season will be harvested in October-November 2014 hence its results will be reported in FY2014 results. This due to the fact that cassava takes 16 month period from planting to harvesting


MARKETS II Indicator Baseline Value

FY 2012 Actual

FY 2013 Actual


Actual – FY2014Q4




FY2015 Target

Maize 1.31 4.85 5.08 1.97 2.98 2.98 151.27 5.15 5.08 98.6 3.50

Rice – Rain-fed 2.58 4.78 4.00 3.23 5.32 5.32 164.71 5.60 5.32 95.0 5.40

Rice – Irrigated 2.58

4.00 3.90 6.42 6.42 164.62 6.7 6.42 110.7 6.50

Soybean 1.01

1.15 1.62 1.62 140.87 2.40 1.62 67.5 1.80

Sorghum 1.08 2.10 2.32 1.35 2.16 2.16 160.00 2.45 2.32 105.6 2.20

Sesame

0.66

Custom: Score, in percent, of combined key areas of organization capacity amongst USG direct and indirect local implementing partners

0.771

0.781 0

0.00 0.923

0.00 0.795

4.5.2 (5): Number of farmers and others who have applied improved technologies or management practices as a result of USG assistance

0 64,491 88,277 129,800 139,175 91,653 107.22 919,300 291,943 31.76 267,200

4.5.2 (7): Number of individuals who have received USG supported short-term agricultural sector productivity or food security training

0 64,819 97,589 131,850 132,451 87,423 100.46 889,160 294,859 33.16 261,200

4.5.2 (11): Number of food security private enterprises (for profit), producers organizations, water users associations, women's groups, trade and business associations, and community-based organizations (CBOs) receiving USG assistance

0 2,181 3,318 3,702 11,105 4,173 299.97 51,189 16,604 32.44 16,648

4.5.2 (27) Number of members of producer organizations and community based organizations receiving USG assistance

0 64,819 84,914 129,800 136,182 110,844 104.92 848,986 285,915 33.68 227,386

4.5.2 (42) Number of private enterprises, producers organizations, water users associations, women’s groups, trade and business associations and community-based organizations (CBOs) that applied new technologies or management practices as a result of USG assistance

0 2,181 3,318 3,702 11,105 4,173 299.97 51,189 16,604 32.44 16,648

Custom: Number of individuals who benefitted from USG assistance 0 395,396 2,767,186 2,200,000 2,358,335 1,087,737 107.204 12,000,000 5,520,917 46.01 2,800,000

Custom: Number of sites reporting proper waste disposal practices 0 0 0 40 43 37 107.5 185 43 23.24 50

Custom: Number of farmers trained on CPP safe use practices 0 0 1,623 15,000 16,224 57 108.16 222,680 17,847 8.01 87,280

Custom: Number of farmers applying CPP safe 0 0 0 7,500 11,744 57 156.59 167,640 11,744 7.01 65,460



FY 2012 Actual

FY 2013 Actual


Actual – FY2014Q4




FY2015 Target

use practices

4.5.2 (2): Number of hectares under improved technologies or management practices as a result of USG assistance

0 90,189 118,484 160,010 157,092 123,815 98.18 969,310 365,765 37.73 290,000

4.5.2 (13): Number of rural households benefiting directly from USG interventions 0 65,808 158,555 160,010 333,744 163,790 208.58 1,412,024 558,107 39.53 393,200

4.5.2 (39): Number of technologies or management practices in one of the following phases of development as a result of USG assistance

0 0 18 11 11 4 100.00 47 29 61.70 14

Custom: Number of farmers exposed to ICT technology (e- banking, FVP through cellulant, SMS technology, mobile banking)

0 0 304,108 20,000 0 0 0.00 300,000 304,108 101.37 0

4.5.2 (23): Value of incremental sales (collected at farm-level) attributed to FTF implementation 0 63,368,786 51,340,400 115,000,000 103,498,071 103,498,071 90.0 631,319,412 218,207,258 34.56 106,085,523

Custom: Value of incremental sales (processor and agro-input level) attributed to FTF implementation ($)

0 0 90,024,413 15,000,000 31,357,480 0 209.05 182,200,000 121,381,893 66.62 34,725,000

4.5.2 (29): Value of Agricultural and Rural Loans 0 4,745,495 14,335,875 15,000,000 99,025,570 6,422,871 660.17 156,500,000 118,106,940 75.47 55,000,000

4.5.2 (30): Number of MSMEs, including farmers, receiving USG assistance to access loans

0 30,268 49,072 50,000 149,036 31,240 298.07 520,000 228,376 43.92 175,000

4.5.2 (37): Number of MSMEs, including farmers, receiving business development services from USG assisted sources

0 64,819 158,555 160,000 281,700 119,161 176.06 1,412,024 505,074 35.77 393,200

4.5.2 (12): Number of public-private partnerships formed as a result of FTF assistance 0 14 69 48 44 21 91.67 232 127 54.74 50

4.5.2 (38): Value of new private sector investment in the agriculture sector or food chain leveraged by FTF implementation

0 2,466,773 4,693,679 5,750,000 5,539,545 8,950 96.34 25,250,000 12,699,997 50.30 6,670,000

Custom: Public funds leveraged for agriculture and rural development ($) 0 4,481,353 55,218,574 7,500,000 7,211,030 608,047 96.15 33,000,000 66,910,957 202.76 8,000,000

Custom: Number of beneficiaries under the Grants and Subcontracts Fund 0 5 36 37 40 8 108.11 159 81 50.94 37

Custom: Amount of funds disbursed ($) 0 245,574 930,443 2,400,000 1,691,685 667,660 70.49 10,000,000 2,867,702 28.68 2,000,000

4.5 (2): Number of jobs attributed to FTF implementation 0 0 373 380 1,333 44.79 350.79 7,970 1,706 21.41 3,000

Custom: Number of new jobs created in the value chain (includes jobs lasting less than 4

0 768 22,214 25,000 31,579 3,401 126.32 150,000 54,561 36.37 50,000



FY 2012 Actual

FY 2013 Actual


Actual – FY2014Q4




FY2015 Target

weeks)

4.5.2 (14): Number of vulnerable households benefiting directly from USG assistance 0 8,837 8,965 10,015 10,756 4,950 107.40 62,345 28,558 45.81 12,515

Custom: Level of household hunger in the hungry season (%) 44.4

40.0

42.5

FTF 3.1.9-1: Number of people trained in child health and nutrition through USG-supported programs (S)

0 8,000


2. ACTIVITY IMPLEMENTATION PROGRESS

2.1 Progress Narrative

Overall progress in FY2014 was good with results for most of the target indicators on track. In a few cases, the project will significantly overshoot its targets due to improved reporting and changes in strategy. The targets have been readjusted to take these factors into consideration. MARKETS II is handling increased security issues in targeted states; however, these have and may continue to cause disruptions in timing, activities, and farmer results.

In FY2014, MARKETS II activities resulted in the production of 456,630 metric tons (MT) of agricultural commodities valued at US $236,754,233 with project-assisted farmers achieving $103,498,071 in incremental sales over baseline sales values. Through linkages with off-takers, MARKETS II networked farmers sold $30,470,605 of their produce directly to partner processors with the remainder sold in local markets, to local traders and small-scale processors, or used in household consumption.

During the year, 333,744 households benefitted directly from MARKETS II activities with 10,756 of those households being vulnerable households. Through leveraging with the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development’s (FMARD) GES program, MARKETS II reached an additional 2,023,398 individuals indirectly. MARKETS II farmers receiving direct assistance significantly improved their gross margins, compared to baseline values, with female farmers reporting the largest changes, except in maize and aquaculture. Maize farmers registered the highest percentage increase at 142.7% over baseline ($630.92/ha vs. $260/ha baseline), sorghum producers reported 114.6% ($382.01/ha vs. $178/ha) and irrigated rice smallholders showed a gain of 112.75% ($1,431.86/ha against $673/ha). Rain-fed rice and soybean farmers had increased gross margins of 91.8% ($1,290.79/ha vs. $673/ha) and 61.0% ($406.92/ha vs. $253/ha), while fish farmers reported average increases of 24% ($26,013.57/ha vs. $20,978/ha). Though cocoa farmers recorded only a 0.8% increase in gross margins ($410.05/ha vs. $407/ha), the reported values were for the period prior to their certifications; the project expects significant increases in gross margins as a result of their accreditation. Women farmers recorded higher gross margins in sorghum (F= $415.34/ha, M= $353.82/ha), rain-fed rice (F=1405.70, M=$1,232.07/ha), maize (F=$645.63/ha, M=$623.35/ha) and cocoa (F=$466.28/ha, M=389.31/ha).

MARKETS II activities on farm productivity resulted in increased crop yields in all value chains with female farmers recording larger percentage yield increases (compared to baseline values) than their male counterparts in some commodities. Irrigated rice producers had the largest percentage increase over baseline values with 148.8% on average (6.42 tons/ha vs. 2.58 tons/ha), followed by maize farmers with 127.5% (2.98 tons/ha vs. 1.31 tons/ha), rain-fed rice growers at 106.2% (5.32 tons/ha vs. 2.58 tons/ha) and sorghum smallholders with a 100% increase in yields (2.16 tons/ha vs. 1.08). Fish farmers, soybean producers and cocoa growers reported yield increases over baseline values of 71% (17.91 tons/ha vs. 10.45 tons/ha), 60% (1.62 tons/ha vs. 1.01 tons/ha), and 45% (0.58 tons/ha vs. 0.40 tons/ha). Women farmers had higher yields in rain-fed rice (F=5.59 ton/ha, M=5.06 ton/ha) and sorghum (F=2.22 ton/ha, M=2.10 ton/ha).

During FY2014, 139,175 smallholders (farming 157,902 ha) and micro and small-scale processors applied improved technologies or management practices as a result of training and support from MARKETS II. Farmers benefitting from project activities are trained using the MARKETS II package of practices (PoP) which exposes farmers to an array of technologies. The farmers are encouraged to adopt these technologies to improve their farm and farming business productivity and management and their use of these technologies is closely monitored. Improved technologies consist of planting methods, including use of certified quality seed, nurseries and line planting, inoculants, multi-cropping in cocoa and cassava; pest


management including if, when and how to use pesticide versus non-pesticide (e.g. fish nets instead of spraying to prevent bird damage; timing of insect pollination and spraying); fertilizer application and, urea deep placement (UDP); mechanization and semi-mechanization in land cultivation and harvesting; multi-crop threshers; harvesting and post-harvest handling, including wooden mallets (cocoa); and soil and water related interventions, including drip irrigation, and crop rotation. In addition, MARKETS II tested 11 new technologies which are expected to be made available to the farming population before the end of the project: maize jab planter, cassava lifter, new rice varieties (2), new soybean varieties (4), direct paddy seeder (DPS), and briquetting urea for maize and sorghum.

Farmers and others in the value chain also benefit from MARKETS II Nigerian Agricultural Enterprise Curriculum (NAEC) and Microenterprise Fundamentals (MEF) training which focuses on the development of business management skills necessary for commercial farming and agriculture related businesses: planning, bookkeeping, financial management; simple market demand awareness, etc.

MARKETS II leveraged $5,539,545 of private sector investment and $7,211,030 of public funds while forging 44 public-private partnerships in FY2014. The project also assisted 149,036 micro small and medium enterprises (MSME), including farmers, to access loans valued at $45,719,647 principally from microfinance banks (MFB). Almost all the microfinance loan recipients were female and one-third of the female borrowers were under the age of 30. Also, one of the project’s partner rice processors successfully negotiated a working capital loan of $53,305,923 to purchase rice paddy from smallholder producers and run their operations.

MARKETS II takes active steps to minimize negative effects of its activities on the environment. In addition to training and support on crop rotation, incorporation of organic matter, appropriate fertilizer and pesticide use, water management for farmers and waste disposal for partner processors; the project is promoting and scaling up UDP technology for rice farmers which will allow them to apply less fertilizer with similar or improved yields compared to surface application. UDP technology also helps to reduce the amount of fertilizer run-off into surface water and greenhouse gas emissions. UDP tests on sorghum and maize are ongoing. During the year, 21,665 rice farmers benefitted directly from UPD trainings and follow-up advice; and MARKETS II support for the GoN’s GES program involved short-session training to rice farmers at input redemption sites. In FY2014, 130,276 farmers received the short-session training. This effort will be scaled up to over 300,000 farmers at the FY2015 dry season GES redemption sites.

MARKETS II is addressing significant issues that affect the project’s working environment. The unpredictable security situation in the northern and the middle belt states has made working there more difficult. MARKETS II’s security coordinator monitors the situation on a daily basis, and some activities are implemented with a lower profile, rescheduled, or modified. Agriculture in Nigeria is predominately rain-fed, so major deviations from the normal weather patterns, which are quite common in Nigeria’s climate, affect crop productivity. In response, MARKETS II has expanded its dry season irrigated activities. Following successful piloting of dry season rice production in northern states, MARKETS II increased dry season rice activities to 10,000 farmers in FY2014 with plans to grow to over 12,000 in the 2014-15 dry season and to support a pilot dry season maize production activity in Kaduna. One major impediment to improved smallholder productivity is the relative scarcity of quality seed and planting material. To address this issue, MARKETS II works with four reputable seed companies and select groups of the project’s farmers to produce quality seed for the market. The project intends to increase these numbers during FY2015.


Highlights of MARKETS II’s quarterly activities are listed below:

• The Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development approved a proposal by MARKETS II to include urea super granules (USG) in the FMARD’s GES for dry season rice in areas where irrigation is practiced and UDP technology demonstrated. The proposed pilot program will involve 300,000 rice farmers in Niger, Kebbi, Kano, Sokoto and Jigawa states. MARKETS II will collaborate with partner fertilizer companies and provide training in USG utilization, while FMARD will provide the subsidized urea briquettes as part of the farmer input package.

• The Deputy Chief of Mission (DCM) to Nigeria, Maria E. Brewer, and US Mission Director (MD) to Nigeria, Michael T. Harvey, led a team to MARKETS II’s project site in Wurno LGA in Sokoto state to witness in-season training. The training demonstrated various technologies being promoted by the project such as motorcycle mounted water pumping machines, UDP, DPS and threshing machines to the farmers, The training used project training manuals like MARKET II’s rice PoP and UDP fliers.

• Work planning sessions were organized in the three regions (north, south and middle-belt) and another was organized for a cross-cutting component of the project. The week long sessions included a stakeholders meeting attended by various representatives under the value chains and presentations on the planned activities in the coming year, 2014/2015. The final report will be presented to the mission by the end of October.

• After Ebola cases were recorded in Nigeria, the project sensitized farmers to the virus during all MARKETS II’s trainings. Farmers were taught about the symptoms of Ebola, how it spreads, and preventive measures. Farmers were also advised to seek health care services as soon as they suspected symptoms of the virus. Flyers were distributed to the farmers as a “take home guide” to spread the message to other people in their localities.

• Five of the first batch of MARKETS II grantees were presented with equipment geared towards mechanized production and processing. Equipment for the grantees included: tractor and implements for the Kiru Fadama Multipurpose Cooperative (MPC) in Kano state and the Anguwar Makama Danlawal MPC in Kaduna state for their sorghum value chain activities; five water pumps for the Marina MPC in Kaduna state and Tondi Gada Women MPC in Kebbi state for sorghum and rice value chains respectively; and a multi-crop thresher for the Anguwar Akawu MPC in Kaduna state. The last group, the Zamare Women Fadama Farmers’ Cooperative Association’s, will receive their power tiller and multi-crop thresher, for rice value chain activities in Kebbi state in December 2014.

• MARKETS II trained 20 rice seed out-growers for Mamora Seeds Ltd in Kwara state on the best practices for rice seed production and various technologies being promoted such as UDP, DPS and the seed cleaning box. The collaboration will ensure availability of seed in Kwara as the out-growers will be provided with certified seed by Mamora to produce quality seed and the firm will buy back the produce from them.

• Leveraging the income generating potential from insect pollination on a couple of MARKETS II’s targeted value chains, the project introduced a pilot bee keeping training for honey production and pollination services for cocoa and soybean farmers. The farmers will maximize crop production as well as generate a diversified income. Applying learning-by-doing methods, 195 cocoa and soybean farmers (including 66 women and 51 youth) put on appropriate bee-keeping gear and directly managed the bee hives using the correct tools and equipment for honey production, harvesting, and hygiene. The best performing trainees will be upgraded to service providers on pollination with additional trainings. These selected trainees will be providing pollination services to cocoa and soybean farmers in their communities and catchment areas.


• MARKETS II builds the capacity of farmers on pest management for cocoa, cassava, maize, sorghum and soybean, including new technologies such as chemical pest and disease control among small-scale cocoa farmers. To ensure project quality and effectiveness, the MARKETS II team accompanied the USAID Nigeria Mission team to Cross River state on August 13, 2014. The teams conducted a Data Quality Assessment (DQA) on Pesticide Evaluation Report and Safer Use Action Plan (PERSUAP) for cocoa farmers and youth spray service providers (SSPs). They met with 43 cocoa farmers who answered questions on safe use of pesticides, waste management, health and safety involved in spraying cocoa using recommended chemicals that are PERSUAP approved and are trained by the project.

• Benue and Niger Agricultural Development Project (ADP), Women in Agriculture Units, and MARKETS II trained 160 women, including 55 female youth, to make household asset decisions that positively affect their food security and nutritional status. Using integrated business skills and improved processing modules with basic nutritional concepts, participants were trained on the nutritional benefits of soybean, sorghum, and maize. These women learned to make many local dishes for home use and sale, including soy/sorghum blend pap, chinchin, moi-moi, tofu, liquid and powdered soy milk, soybean cake, soybean vegetable soup, “puff”, soybean scramble, swallow, cheese, and soybean breakfast cereals.

• The USAID MD, Michael Harvey, and MARKETS II Contracting Officer Representative (COR), Alefia Merchant, attended MARKETS II’s rice seed out-grower training in Ebonyi state. In this state, MARKETS II works with local seed companies, Strategic Seeds and REMIF REMS Nigeria Limited (REMIF), and a select group of the project’s experienced farmers to grow rice seed. The project handles the training and the supervision, while the seed company provides the inputs and market.

• To facilitate farmers’ access to finance, MARKETS II arranged negotiations and signing of a memorandum of understanding (MoU) between long-term project partner, Lift Above Poverty Organization (LAPO), a large national MFB, and two farmers’ groups in Delta state and three farmers’ groups in Edo state.

• During this quarter, MARKETS II received four soybean varieties (TGX-1904-6F, TGX-1835-10E, TGX-1987-62F and TGX-1951-3F) from the National Cereals Research Institute (NCRI) for testing with its farmers. Field trials will be carried out on the varieties in demonstration plots in the project’s soybean states. Feedback on the outcome of the trials will be provided to the research institute, seed producers and farmers, particularly on yields, planting times in targeted states and farmer’s acceptability.

• U.S. Ambassador to Nigeria, James F. Entwistle, visited UMZA Rice Mill, a long-term project partner, buying rice paddy from MARKETS II supported farmers in Kano state. During the visit, the UMZA Managing Director expressed gratitude for the support provided by the USAID MARKETS II project noting especially that rice received from project supported farmers is always high in quality and uniformity, as opposed to other sources that require considerable cleaning and sorting which results in higher milling and consumer costs.

• The project reached out to farmers across all value chains in targeted states before initiating trainings. Farmers were briefed on the objective, methodology and expected outcomes of the program. Farmers were also introduced to all project partners. Interested farmers were then enrolled in training.

2.2.1 Implementation Status

Under the FTF framework, MARKETS II’s objectives fall under six of the eight intermediate result areas: 1) Improved agricultural productivity; 2) Expanding markets and trade; 3) Increased private investment in agriculture and nutrition-related activities; 4) Increased agriculture value chain on and off-farm jobs; 5)


Increased resilience of vulnerable communities and households; and 6) Improved access to diverse and quality food. To achieve these FTF results, the USAID/Nigeria team set its development objectives of increasing smallholder income from agricultural development promoted through enhanced private sector participation and investment funds.

Below are the project’s FTF activities under key result areas:

Program Area 1: Producers’ Capacity Development and Organizations Strengthened

Aquaculture

MARKETS II provides technical assistance to aquaculture associations in Delta, Ondo, Oyo, Kwara and Cross River states, and limited follow-on support in Osun and Lagos. MARKETS II also extended aquaculture interventions to Rivers, Bayelsa, Jigawa, Sokoto, and Kano states, and plans to include Nasarawa state in collaboration with Olam. The project also facilitates the supply of raw materials for the development of locally produced fish feed by supporting the soybean and maize value chains in Kaduna, Benue, Oyo, and Niger states. During the year, MARKETS II expanded its aquaculture assistance to fish farmers in the USAID resilience states of Jigawa and Sokoto and to Kano state. During the year, tilapia culture was introduced to allow farmers to choose which fish to grow. The project also discussed options for less expensive substitutes for fishmeal from insect protein with stakeholders. An initial meeting, which included fishfeed makers, researchers and marketers, explored the use of insect protein as a substitute for fishmeal. Women fish marketers in Jigawa were trained on improved fish smoking practices.

MARKETS II carried out the following aquaculture activities this quarter:

• Trained two aquaculture specialists on aquaculture PoP to carry out Training of Trainers (ToT) training for lead farmers in Sokoto, Kano and Jigawa states.

• Commenced aquaculture activities with the training and management of fish farmers for increased productivity and income in Kano, Jigawa, Sokoto, Oyo, Ondo, Kwara and Niger states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT). The activities started with pre-season ToT for selected lead aquaculture farmers in targeted states. The training focused on dissemination of appropriate aquaculture production technology, planning of fish farming enterprises and other agribusiness opportunities along the aquaculture value chain towards improving the living standard of the fish farmers.

• Fish farmers in Bayelsa and Rivers states profited from a 3-day NAEC session on basic business concepts and marketing. The training was held for the Farmers’ Feed (Alaibiri) Cooperative Society in Bayelsa for 34 fish farmers (14 males, 16 females and 4 youths) and the Agricultural Entrepreneur Association of Nigeria in Rivers for 30 fish farmers (19 males, 9 females and 2 youths).

• In Cross River state, 20 aquaculture producers and five extension agents (EA) received training on group dynamics and leadership to improve services to group members.

Cassava

MARKETS II supports private and public sector partners and cassava farmers in the FCT, Oyo, and Ondo states. This year, MARKETS II tested a cassava-specific blend of fertilizer, NPKS, to use as substitute for the current blanket use of NPK. This was done in partnership with Notore fertilizers who supplied the blend now tested on six demo plots. A group of youth was trained on rapid stem multiplication which is aimed at


addressing the long-standing issue of scarcity of improved planting material, and will also provide a vocation for the youth. Female cassava processors in Kogi and Oyo also benefitted from good manufacturing practices (GMP), MEF and nutrition trainings. The project is also working with Partnership Initiatives in the Niger Delta (PIND) to expand cassava activities in Edo and Rivers states.

This quarter, MARKETS II:

• Conducted pre-season trainings for lead farmers in Oyo, Ondo and Edo states on best agronomic practices using the project’s PoP earlier developed for the commodity. The lead farmers subsequently stepped down the training to other enlisted farmers in the value chain.

• Held in-season trainings in Oyo, Ondo and Edo states and supervised step-down by the EAs and lead farmers.

• Organized training for 34 youths in Oyo state on cassava stem multiplication to increase the supply of improved cassava stem-cuttings to farmers. This effort will create jobs and generate income for the youths.

• Established demo plots in Oyo, Ondo and Edo states. These will be used to showcase MARKETS II’s best practices being promoted so that the technologies are made available to farmers for adoption.

• Conducted cassava brown field days in Oyo and Ondo states. Practical demonstrations of the harvest and post-harvest activities were carried out on demo plots for 199 lead farmers in the two states.

Cocoa

MARKETS II supports private and public sector partners and 24,000 cocoa farmers in Oyo, Ondo, and Cross River states. In the year under review, 2000 cocoa farmers trained by the project were certified by Yara (now Tulip) commodities, and another 500 were certified by Armajaro, resulting in the farmers meeting international cocoa production and handling standards and their cocoa will now attract premium prices. 140 youth were trained as SSPs to ensure proper chemical handling, application and disposal after use. While female cocoa farmers in Cross River state benefitted from MEF trainings, selected cocoa farmers in Ondo and Cross River states were trained in basic beekeeping for improved livelihood and nutrition. MARKETS II also continued discussions with the USAID Nigeria Expanded Trade and Transport (NEXTT) project on areas of possible collaboration in the cocoa value chains.

This quarter:

• MARKETS II conducted pre-season and in-season trainings for lead farmers in Oyo, Ondo and Cross River states. The lead farmers later stepped down the training to other farmers in their respective communities.

• The USAID team conducted DQA on PERSUAP in Cross River state to ensure compliance with PERSUAP on the use of agro-chemicals in the beneficiaries’ cocoa farms.

• MARKETS II organized a training on beekeeping for women and youth engaged in cocoa farming in Ondo and Cross River states. This training will increase yield and generate employment and income for women and youth in the two states.

Rice

MARKETS II supports private sector partners and farmers in the northern (Kano, Jigawa, Sokoto, and Kebbi) and middle belt (Benue, Cross River, Enugu, Niger, FCT, Kwara, Ebonyi, and Anambra) rice regions with wet and dry season rice productions. Rice activity was also expanded to Taraba state in 2014.


New rice variety samples were shared with millers who gave feedback after test-milling them. The millers’ choice, Faro 55 and 61, are now being tested on-field for productivity. The number of dry season farmers tripled just as the new seed company, Mamora, in Kwara and Strategic Seeds in Enugu, joined Techni Seeds and West Africa Cotton Company (WACOT) in having MARKETS II train their out-growers in improved seed production practices. The adoption of USG was scaled up while component technologies like the DPS and USG applicator were also demonstrated. Women rice processors in Ebonyi, Benue and Jiagwa benefitted from MEF, while processors in Benue and Ebonyi benefitted from GMP trainings, and the Nigerian government solicited for MARKETS II assistance in a study on paddy aggregation centers (PAC). The study was conducted by consultants and the report submitted to FMARD. During the year, approval was given to include USG in FMARD’s 2014-15 dry season GES program leading to an an increase in the number of briquetting machines, including locally fabricated ones. A female rice group, Tondi-Gada Women MPC, received a grant of 5 water pumps for their irrigated rice activity. Two MARKETS II lead farmers in Kebbi were engaged by the GES program to produce quality Faro 44 rice seeds for the program.

MARKETS II conducted the following activities this quarter:

• Conducted wet season pre-season trainings for rice farmers in Kano, Kebbi, Sokoto, Taraba, Ebonyi, Benue and Nasarawa states.

• Held in-season training in Kebbi, Kwara, Benue, Ebonyi, Enugu, Anambra, Nasarawa and Jigawa states where the best rice production techniques were demonstrated to farmers using the project demo plots and farmers’ managed demo plots. Farmers in attendance were informed about the Ebola virus including ways of contracting it, its symptoms, preventive measures, and were advised to go to a health facility in case symptoms of the virus developed.

• Delivered post-harvest ToT for dry season rice farmers in Sokoto, Kebbi, Jigawa, Kano and Niger states. During the training, a rice threshing machine was demonstrated to farmers as the equipment can thresh over 200 bags (of 75 kilograms) per day.

• Trained 116 rice out-growers for WACOT and Techi-Seed in Kano state. Trained farmers were provided with certified seeds by the two seed companies and trained by the project on the best seed production and management practices. The firms will buy back the resulting produced seed from the trained rice farmers.

• In collaboration with Mamora Seed, the project trained 20 lead farmers to be rice seed growers in Kwara state. The participants were also trained on UDP technology and on how to use DPS. Mamora provided seed to the out-growers and will buy back the produced seed, which is expected to be at least four MT/ha per farmer.

• Started preparations for the 2014-15 dry season rice activities. The dry season program has been expanded from 3,005 farmers in three states (Jigawa, Kebbi, and Kano) in 2013 to 10,000 farmers in five states (Kano, Kebbi, Jigawa, Sokoto, and Niger) in 2014, and preparations began to include 300,000 additional farmers in the UDP training at GES redemption sites in those states.

White Sorghum

The project provides technical assistance to private sector partner, Aba Malting Plant (AMP) in Abia state, by facilitating the production and supply of high quality, sorghum to the firm from 15,500 networked sorghum farmers in Kano and Kaduna states. In 2014, two sorghum groups, Kiru Fadama MPC and Anguwar Makama Danlawal MPC were presented with MF375 tractors and implements as grants. One of the grant beneficiaries, Kiru Fadama MPC, was engaged by AMP in the sorghum hybrid trials. The group


planted 5ha each of hybrids CSR-03 and 04. The sorghum value chain also got a boost in requests for partnership from Africa Exchange Holdings Limited (AFEX)—a result of the MARKETS II aggregation center study for the Ministry of Agriculture—to buy back sorghum from networked farmers. Women sorghum farmers in Kano and Kaduna benefitted from MEF and trainings on nutrition.


• Conducted green field days in 20 locations in Kaduna state for 1,938 farmers. • Held in-season trainings for 4,200 lead farmers in Kaduna state. Trained farmers will step down the

training to other networked farmers within their groups and communities. • Established UDP demo plots in Kaduna to test the use of USG in sorghum. The outcome of the

field test will determine if the project will recommend the use of USG to sorghum farmers.

Maize

The project is partnering with fish feed producers, Grand Cereals Limited (GCL), Durante Industries, Feed Tech, and Novum Limited on the maize value chain. The project provides technical assistance and support to farmers in Oyo and Kaduna states. The year saw an increase in buyback of maize from networked farmers by all the processing partners. GCL in particular has taken steps to secure warehouses close to areas of production for easy facilitation of buyback. During the year, the use of improved seeds increased, particularly the outstanding OPV, SAMMAZ-15. The firm promoting this variety, IAR Seeds, reported increased sales to MARKETS II–registered farmers. Similarly, a new seed company, Greenspore Seeds, also partnered with MARKETS II to train seed out-growers in improved seed production methods. In a bid to promote environmentally-friendly fertilizer use, MARKETS II is testing USG on maize. This would reduce emission of gases into the atmosphere, reduce the quantity of fertilizer used and increase efficiency in plant uptake and utilization.

MARKETS II conducted the following activities this quarter:

• Conducted pre-season ToT trainings in Kaduna and Oyo for lead farmers. The trained lead farmers were issued with “away” guides that they will use in step-down trainings for other networked farmers in their groups.

• Held in-season ToT training sessions for maize farmers in Kaduna and Oyo states. • Collaborated with Greenspore Seeds Limited on a seed out-grower program by training farmers on

the best seed production practices. According to the recent monitoring visit, the cultivated maize field is healthier compared to traditional methods of cultivation, and all recommended improved best practices were followed.

• Met with GCL and Kaduna ADP to discuss the acquisition of more storage facilities for GCL during this season’s buyback activity. The state government identified various facilities that the company could rent to hold the purchased maize.

• Established UDP technology trials for maize in Kano and Kaduna states to test the UDP efficiency and productivity enhancing capacity in maize. If it is successful based on the outcome of the field trials, it will be recommended to maize farmers.

• Began preparations for dry season maize activities in Kaduna. This will be the first time that the project is working on dry season maize.


Soybean

Soybean is a sub-value chain under aquaculture, targeted as a major raw material and source of essential protein in fish feed production. MARKETS II worked with 7,500 soybean farmers in 2013 in Kaduna, Benue, and Niger states and expanded its reach in 2014. Soybean also improved the amount of buyback by processors in 2014. In a bid to widen the varietal choice to farmers, four new varieties were collected from NCRI and are being tested on demonstration farms to determine their productivity before disseminating to farmers. There was also an increase in rhizobium inoculation of seeds. In the same vein, new partnerships were formed with inoculum producers and suppliers (N2Africa). Trainings on nutrition and improved processing practices were conducted for female soybean farmers in Benue, Niger and Kaduna. Beekeeping was also introduced to selected groups in the soy value chain for increased income and nutrition, and also preparatory to pollination services.


• Conducted pre-season trainings in Benue state. • Conducted in-season trainings for soybean farmers in Kaduna, Niger and Benue states, using

demonstration plots alongside farmer practiced plots to show the difference in vigor, canopy closure, spacing and benefits of using improved seed.

• Received four soybean varieties (TGX-1904-6F, TGX-1835-10E, TGX-1987-62F and TGX-1951-3F) from NCRI for testing with MARKETS II’s farmers. Field trials were carried out on the varieties in demonstration plots in the project’s soybean states. The feedback on outcomes of the trials will be provided to the research institute, seed producers and farmers particularly on yields, planting times in targeted states and farmers’ acceptability.

• To improve soybean buyback, a stakeholders meeting was held with De-Ideal Agro Allied Services Ltd, Niger State Agricultural Mechanization Development Authority (NAMDA), DDI, EAs and MARKETS II representatives. The dominant issue in the discussions was the buyback of soybean by De-Ideal Agro from networked farmers, and as a result, proper mobilization of farmers will be done, including informing them of how to package their produce for easier buyback.

PIND and Niger Delta

In the Niger Delta, cassava value chain work expanded into Edo state in partnerships with Lentus farms and Ideawor farms. The cassava team also visited Rivers state to explore opportunities for expanding cassava value chain work in the Delta. The aquaculture team visited Rivers and Bayelsa states to assess the needs and plan points of entry in the states. Surveys of fish markets in the Niger Delta were carried out with a vision of mapping out strategies to improve smoking and consequently improve fish shelf-life. The project advertised and interviewed candidates for a business finance and credit specialist position in the Niger Delta to increase access to financial advice for the targeted value chain groups. Microfinance institution, LAPO with headquarters in Edo state, provided MARKETS II NAEC training to potential borrowers. As a result of that training, LAPO has already disbursed N5.13 million in loans to small-holder farmers.

This quarter, MARKETS II conducted the following activities:

• Collaborated with PIND to establish demo ponds to train fish farmers on the best fish production practices. To upscale the practice, an inception workshop, which marked the official kick off of the demonstration pond scale up, took place in July 2014 at two locations (Asaba and Ughelli). The demo pond in Asaba was sited at a cluster of ponds named Camp 74 FFMCS and has 2 ponds with 20 farmers as direct beneficiaries. In Ughelli, the demo ponds were sited at Henry’s Farm Oviriogor


and Nomuja Farms, and have 4 ponds with 40 farmers as direct beneficiaries. The demo ponds were stocked in August 2014 with Clarias gariepinus juveniles.

• Facilitated a meeting with the representatives of Premier Feed Mills Limited, PIND and MARKETS II at MARKETS II’s Lagos office in August 2014 to encourage participation of more fish feed companies in the demo pond scale up. During the meeting, the objectives and benefits of participating in the demo pond trials were explained to the representatives of Premier Feeds and they promised to review the proposal and give feedback in the next quarter.

• Organized a forum with PIND for potential investors on the opportunities in the fish smoking business to reduce glut in fresh fish production, prolong shelf life of processed catfish and increase farmers’ income in the Niger Delta. The round table conference took place on July 8, 2014 at PIND EDC Warri. Participants at the conference included fish farmers, business professionals, hoteliers, restaurants owners, government officials and other interested investors. The objective of the workshop was to inform potential investors of business opportunities in packaged smoked catfish.

• Engaged the services of a consultant to carry out the survey of fish hatcheries in Ondo, Edo, Delta, Bayelsa, Rivers and Cross River states. The technical team of both MARKETS II and PIND met with the consultant and reviewed the work plan and survey tools. The field work has commenced and is expected to be finalized by the end of October 2014. A detailed report will be submitted in the next quarter.

• Conducted an end-user analysis of catfish in July 2013 with PIND. As a follow up on the study, PIND, with assistance from MARKETS II, organized a smoked catfish market survey in Delta, Bayelsa, Rivers, Anambra, Edo, Ogun and Lagos states in September 2014. The objective was to assess the size of the smoked catfish market and have a better understanding of the supply/demand relationship for smoked catfish in the Niger Delta. The survey was carried out in Mbiama and Swali markets in Bayelsa state, and major eateries and hotels across the selected states. Other stakeholders surveyed included the Nigerian Institute of Oceanography and Marine Research (NIOMR), Export Promotion Council in Benin, Edo state and Epe Market in Lagos state. The report will be ready in the next quarter.

• Organized a group dynamics and leadership skills training to build the capacity of farmer groups in the Niger Delta. Twenty leaders and selected members of the Catfish Farmers Association of Nigeria (CAFAN), Cross River state chapter and five EAs from the Cross River state ADP participated in the July training in Calabar. A representative from Vital and Multi Feed companies attended to observe the training and present their products to the farmers. The director of aquaculture from the Ministry of Agriculture and Natural Resources, Cross River state, was also in attendance.

• Held a series of discussions with LAPO regarding a pilot initiative to expand business enterprise training (using NAEC) and access to finance for farmers in specific agricultural value chains in the Niger Delta. These activities resulted in the signing of a MoU between LAPO and five associations in Delta and Edo states in July 2014. To expand this initiative MARKETS II provided a ToT to a core group of trainers from LAPO and also conducted NAEC training for selected members of the five associations. NAEC ToT was conducted for area managers, regional managers and agriculture specialists of LAPO MFBs and staff of Foundation for Environment and Development (FEND) Akure.

• Trained the first set of loan beneficiaries from the five associations that LAPO had signed MoUs with in Warri, Delta state in August 2014. A total of 25 participants (5 per association), 17 males and 8 females attended the training from aquaculture, cassava and tomato value chains,


• Held a pre-implementation meeting with partners and stakeholders under the cassava program in Ondo and Edo states, which detailed the objectives, methodology and approach of MARKETS II, as well as the roles of each of the partners and the need to work together as a team to ensure success. This was followed by mobilization, sensitization and registration of farmers for the out-growers schemes in the two states, then pre/in-season ToTs were held for lead farmers, who subsequently stepped down the training to other farmers in the scheme. Finally, the project established demonstration plots in the two states.

• MARKETS II attended the inaugural planning meeting for the 2014 Niger Delta Development Forum (NDDF) in September 2014. For the last two years, PIND Foundation has been leading and facilitating the organization of the NDDF which is an advocacy platform to network, dialogue and engage in public policy analysis, share data, information and findings of research as well as inform and influence policies, decisions and actions. The 2014 NDDF inaugural planning meeting was initiated to engage and involve existing and new partners to participate in discussions and planning leading up to the forum scheduled for November 25 & 26 in Calabar. The meeting reviewed the 2013 NDDF and planned for the 2014 forum. It was attended by representatives of USAID, PIND, Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), the United Kingdom’s Department for International Development (DFID), United Nation’s International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), MARKETS II and Market Development for the Niger Delta Programme (MADE).

Program Area 2: Access to Agricultural Inputs Increased

MARKETS II works with smallholder farmers, producer associations, financial institutions, private sector input suppliers, federal and state governments, and public and private sector extension services to improve smallholder access to inputs through private sector distribution networks.


• Trained 20 lead farmers to be rice out-growers in Kwara state in collaboration with Mamora Seed. The participants were also trained on UDP technology and on how to use DPS. Mamora provided seed to out-growers. The firm will buy back the produced seed, which is expected to be at least four MT/ha and each farmer is expected to cultivate 1 hectare.

• Trained 40 out-growers on UDP technology, among other best seed production techniques for quality seed production in Ebonyi state.

• Trained 62 EAs (26 men, 30 women and 6 youth) from Anambra, Ebonyi and Enugu states on UDP, USG, and seed sorting. The participants also benefitted from other rice production best practices such as transplanting and DPS technologies. The trained EAs will step down the training to rice farmers in the three states.

• Established eight maize and eight sorghum demonstration plots in Kano and Kaduna to determine the effectiveness of UDP on crops as UDP technology benefits dry season rice producers through more efficient input use, lower input cost and higher yields. Thus, MARKETS II is currently determining if similar benefits can be attained from UDP methods on other crops. If UDP demonstrations show the potential of significant benefits for the smallholder maize and sorghum producers, MARKETS II will promote the technology during the next seasons.

• Collaborated with N2Africa, an inoculant supplier to soybean farmers, to demonstrate the benefits and techniques of using inoculants. The project and N2Africa will co-share responsibilities including training, demo plots management and monitoring during the field trials and


demonstration. Several sites will be established in Benue and Niger with N2Africa providing the inoculants.

• Trained 116 rice out-growers for WACOT and Techi-Seed. Trained farmers will be provided with certified seeds by the two seed companies and trained by the project on the best seed production and management practices. WACOT and Techni-seed will provide guaranteed markets to seed multiplication farmers. This will ensure availability of good quality seed to farmers.

• Organized training for 34 youth in Oyo state on cassava stem multiplication as part of efforts to increase the supply of improved cassava stem-cuttings to farmers.

Program Area 3: Technology Generation and Deployment Expanded

MARKETS II supports the generation of locally produced technology or adaption of new technology to the local context. The project also focuses its efforts on the dissemination of proven technologies to smallholders and agribusinesses in support of increased and more efficient agriculture including improved varieties of target crops, promoting sustainable soil and water management practices, and better methods in post-harvest handling.

Activities conducted this quarter include:

• The use of USG in top-dressing of maize and sorghum, and cassava-specific fertilizer was tested on demo plots. New crop varieties in rice (Faro 55 and 61), soy (TGX-1904-6F, TGX-1835-10E, TGX-1987-62F and TGX-1951-3F) are also being tested. Hybrid sorghum varieties (CSR-03-H and 04 H) were tested on farmers’ fields. During the year there was also an increase in the adoption of SAMMAZ -15 open-pollinated maize variety by farmers. While USG is being tested on sorghum and maize, USG applicators were fabricated and would be used for demos in the dry season. In a bid to ensure availability of rhizobium inoculants, this year the project partnered with N2Africa to expand inoculated soy demos and availability of inoculants to farmers. The need for a cheaper source of fish protein necessitated an aquaculture stakeholders meeting to discuss the possibility of having insect protein as a substitute to fishmeal. Also in aquaculture, MARKETS II trained fish farmers in all-male tilapia culture to broaden the choice of fish to grow.

• The Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development approved a proposal by MARKETS II to include USG in FMARD’S GES scheme for dry season rice in areas where irrigation is practiced and UDP technology demonstrated. The proposed pilot program will involve 300,000 rice farmers in Niger, Kebbi, Kano, Sokoto and Jigawa states. MARKETS II will facilitate availability of USG, through partner fertilizer companies which are already increasing their number of briquetting machines, and provide training for its utilization.

• Facilitated step-down training on UDP technology and rice PoP for 9,000 registered rice farmers in Niger state and 90,000 registered rice farmers in Kano state during the 2014 wet season GES. Prior to the GES program, the project identified 60 EAs in each of the states and trained them on the UDP technology while the rice farmers were registered by FMARD.

• Trained 40 out-growers on UDP technology and best seed production techniques for quality seed production in Ebonyi state.

• Trained 62 EAs in Anambra, Ebonyi and Enugu on UDP technology. • Conducted a demonstration of the motorcycle mounted water pumps for dry season rice farmers in

Niger, Kebbi and Sokoto states. • Donation of 20 spray pumps and 50 nose masks by Jubaili Agro-Tech Limited to MARKETS II

trained SSPs who could not afford to purchase them. The private company has been training


farmers on the safe use of agro-chemicals across Nigeria while at the same time selling various agro-chemicals to them.

• Testing two granular fertilizer applicators imported by Jubaili Agro-Tech Limited this season. If the project confirms the benefits of this equipment, Jubaili will be given a chance to provide demonstrations to MARKETS II’s networked farmers.

• Demonstrated use of a threshing machine to rice farmers in various states under the rice value chain.

• Presentation of equipment for crop production and processing to five of the first batch of the MARKETS II grantees. Equipment for the five groups included: tractor and implements for the Kiru Fadama MPC in Kano state and the Anguwar Makama Danlawal MPC in Kaduna state, for their sorghum value chain activities; five water pumps for the Marina MPC in Kaduna State and Tondi Gada Women MPC in Kebbi state for sorghum and rice value chains respectively; and a multi-crop thresher for the Anguwar Akawu MPC in Kaduna State. The last group, the Zamare Women Fadama Farmers’ Cooperative Association’s, will receive their power tiller and multi-crop thresher, for rice value chain activities in Kebbi state, in December 2014.

• Established UDP technology demo plots using line transplanting in FCT alongside farmer managed plots to show the advantage of using the technologies being promoted by the project to farmers to encourage adoption.

• Signed an implementation agreement with Hanigha Nigeria Limited, Kaduna state (a local fabricator of agricultural equipment) to fabricate a briquetting machine. The company has accomplished great progress on the equipment and will be ready for testing in the next quarter.

Program Area 4: Water and Soil Management Strengthened

MARKETS II supports the development and dissemination of innovative and appropriate soil and water best practices and the adoption of stress-tolerant varieties at the farmer-level. MARKETS II also supports the use of small-scale irrigation systems.


• Emphasized best practices through soil conservation trainings. The PoP has a section of “knowing your soil”; site selection and explanations on best soil types for specific crops; management of crops in different topographies; types of land preparation including minimum or zero-tillage; management of poor-gradient soils with the use of terracing to prevent leaching; etc. Those sections were extensively used to ensure that farmers are aware of how to enhance soil conservation. Additionally, the project encouraged copious use of organic matter in all crops, and panicle harvesting in rice and soybean to leave plant residues to decompose and be ploughed back into the soil. Crop rotation, which was specifically encouraged, is another soil conservation practice to discourage degradation of soils. In long term crops, like cassava and cocoa, intercropping was encouraged so that the exposed part of the soil is covered and the farmer potentially earns more income.

• Recommended climate-friendly packages like USG to reduce emissions and pollution, and the “planting” of fertilizers. In partnership with Notore, the project is demonstrating cassava-specific fertilizers in cassava growing targeted states. The next crop–specific fertilizer to be tested is cocoa specific fertilizer and this will be carried out as soon as the fertilizer is available.


• Trained farmers on irrigation scheduling for the project’s irrigated crops, to check excess water application and to introduce the more affordable energy-saving motorcycle-driven irrigation pump. The adoption of these technologies will positively impact the environment.

Program Area 5: Access to Finance Increased

The access to finance unit focused intensively on a strategic financial inclusion drive to effectively network partner financial institutions and MARKETS II farmers in the period under review. The project created platforms where the financial institutions and farmers would meet and leverage business opportunities to enhance their productivity and profitability. Emphasis was made on the need to work with MFBs that are more disposed to lending than to those that are not. A stakeholders’ meeting between MARKETS II and the two key interested parties (famers and the MFB) was planned for the Northern, Western and Middle-belt regions. The stakeholders’ meeting, which was already held for LAPO and Development Exchange Centre (DEC) in Benin and Kano, provided farmers the opportunity to understand, from the bank’s perspective, key requirements for accessing credit. It also created an opportunity for these MFBs to better understand and appreciate the dynamic challenges being faced by farmers in accessing credit. A similar stakeholders’ meeting is being planned for FORTIS MFB in Abuja in the coming months. MARKETS II is also working with the Women Development MFB in Kano to assist women in agricultural production and micro processing access finance to support their activities.

Additionally, the unit intensified the assessments of farmers’ groups/cooperatives, particularly in rice and soybean, to determine their level of credit worthiness and have them recommended to partner financial intuitions for easier access to credit.

MARKETS II works on enhancing the capacities of commercial banks, microfinance institutions, and MFB to increase lending to the rural and agricultural sectors. MARKETS II creates linkages between networked farmers, and micro and small-scale value chain processors and financial institution partners for working capital and equipment credit. MARKETS II is also supporting LAPO MFB’s mobile money pilot.


• Conducted a credit needs assessment of networked fish farmers in Kwara, Oyo and Ondo states. The project followed up by facilitating a meeting with the executive members of CAFAN, Ondo and LAPO Agricultural and Rural Development Initiative (LARDI) management in Ondo state. The objective of the meeting was to speed up the process of assessing the creditworthiness of fish farmers in the association. The meeting identified the need for a loan repayment moratorium of at least four months for the beneficiaries. MARKETS II discussed this issue with the management of LARDI, who agreed to make the required revisions. LARDI and CAFAN will agree on a date for the completion of documentation and other procedures to kick-start the process.

• Monitored mobile money pilot activities with LAPO in Ikeja, Sango, Mile 12, Oshodi, Bariga and Egba. The centers are fully branded and functional with Pocket Monie (mobile money) activities going on as planned. In addition to the training of relevant staff of LAPO, f 97 users/clients across these branches were registered on mobile money/Pocket Monie platform, with 30 more waiting to be activated. Small business loan clients are also currently being registered on the Pocket Monie platform to familiarize themselves with the application, pending when loan activities will commence.

• Conducted credit needs assessment for farmer groups in Kwara state where f 25 farmer groups were assessed to enable them to access credit from financial institutions.


• Held discussions with Fortis MFB on the project’s Middle Belt collaboration (in particular Niger, Benue and FCT) which is developing similarly to the LAPO and DEC MFB partnerships.

• Organized a meeting with Leadway Assurance Plc to get an update on their agricultural insurance product development and possibility of networking farmers to them.

• Met with the management of Bank of Agriculture (BoA) in Kaduna on implementation agreement renewal and collaboration with the bank on access to credit for farmers, including youth and women groups.

• Facilitated a stakeholders meeting in Kano with farmers’ group leaders and the DEC MFB’s team to develop potential borrower-creditor relationships and responsibilities of the parties. DEC will conduct due diligence assessments of these farmers groups to select groups that may qualify for microfinance credit.

• Met with Chairman of Ebony Agro (large rice milling partner) to discuss challenges in accessing credit for Ebony Agro for paddy purchase. This challenge was further discussed with other MARKETS II financial partners and reference was given on behalf of the company.

• Advertised, shortlisted and interviewed candidates for the small business finance specialist position for the Niger Delta at the request of PIND. A candidate was selected and will be offered the job.

Program Area 6: Grants and Subcontracts Fund

The MARKETS II Grants and Subcontract Fund (GSF) supports innovative applications within the selected value chains that will enhance productivity, increase efficiency, and improve prospects for producers and agribusinesses, as well as the contracting of local service providers in our effort to develop mechanisms for sustainability.


• Facilitated the procurement of tractors, water pumps and multi-crop threshers for five (out of the six) groups approved for grants in the northern region. MARKETS II will facilitate procuring a power tiller and multi-crop thresher for the sixth group in December.

• Received and processed deliverables for the 31 ongoing subcontracts. Two subcontracts (Subk-053 and Subk-071) were terminated for convenience due to subcontractor questionable management and ethical issues. Three other subcontracts were modified: Subk-032 was modified to extend the period of performance to enable the cassava to reach full maturity before harvesting. A stop-work order was issued on Subk-066 because work cannot begin under the new cassava subcontract until the outcome of the last season’s overall performance is ascertained. Subk-049 was modified to reduce the number of targeted rice farmers in the FCT from 4,000 to 1,000.

• Under the project’s Annual Program Statement (APS) No. 3, International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) submitted a final revised budget on September 24, 2014. The budget is currently being reviewed by the grants accountant who is preparing a comprehensive budget narrative and negotiation memo to be sent to Chemonics home office for review and approval. It will subsequently be submitted to USAID/Nigeria for approval.

• Approved Request for Quotations (RFQ)-024 to RFQ-044 were issued for training events coordination for pre-season ToT, in-season training, and harvest/post-harvest training. The RFQ announcements were sent to 37 bidders on each occasion, and event managers selected for the various commodities and states.


Program Area 7: Program Modifier/Rapid Response Mechanism

Although no indicators are attached to this program area, MARKETS II will track and report all activities funded through this mechanism. For this quarter, there are no activities to be reported under this program area.


2.2.2 Progress against Targets

Below are the project’s FTF indicators and key results:

First Level Objective 1: Inclusive Agricultural Sector Growth

Custom: Annual expenditures on purchase or upgrading of assets3. FY2014 Target: 0. FY2014 Actual: 0

This Quarter’s Target: 0. This Quarter’s Actual: 0. This indicator has no target for this quarter or annual period. Information is collected during baseline, the mid-term in 2015 and end-term surveys. The indicator which is used as proxy for income is expected to measure the overall project objective of increased smallholder household income. The accumulation of wealth by a household over time is evidence that they have increased income and this can be measured through an increase in purchase or upgrade of productive assets.

GNDR (2): Proportion of female participants in USG-assisted programs designed to increase access to productive economic resources (assets, credit, income or employment): FY2014 Target: 0.5. FY2014 Actual: 0.66.

Baseline 2012 Results4

2013 Results

2014 Target

2014 Results

2015 Target

2016 Target

2017 Target5

LOP Target

CumulativeResults

0 35% 38% 50% 66% 50% 50% 50% 50% 55%

This indicator reports female participants benefiting from short-term agricultural productivity training, nutrition related trainings and credit related activities. Prior to FY2014, credit activities were not included in reporting this indicator.

During FY2014, MARKETS II reached 281,700 beneficiaries with these activities, of which 186,284 were women. The women contributed 66% of all those reached with these trainings against 50% targeted. To reach more women with agricultural interventions, the project reduced the land size requirement for women to less than 1 ha. MARKETS II also expanded its value chain activities with agricultural traders and micro-processors, and consequently significantly increased its involvement with large microfinance organizations (principally LAPO and DEC) that provide significant credit to women.

This Quarter’s Target: 0.50. This Quarter’s Actual: 0.48. The program changed its strategy to include women with less than 1 ha of land in the program to achieve the target of 50% women benefitting from MARKETS II activities, and to better focus on project interventions in other areas of the targeted value chains more inclusive to women including, micro and small-scale processing. This change was important because farm size has been a factor excluding many women from supported project interventions. During the quarter, MARKETS II trained and benefitted 57,630 women out of 119,161 farmers and MSMEs trained on business development.

3 This custom indicator is used as a proxy for household income 4 April 2012 – September 2012. 5 October 2016 – April 2017


GNDR (3): Proportion of females who report increased self-efficacy at the conclusion of USG supported training/programming: Mid-term Target: 0.3. FY2014 Actual: 0.

This Quarter’s Target: 0. This Quarter’s Actual: 0. This indicator had no target for this quarter or annual period. Information is collected during baseline, the mid-term in 2015 and end-term surveys. With a project target of empowering women, it is expected that after trainings and project support, female farmers, processors and others in the targeted value chain will be more self-confident in themselves and their abilities. An increase in self-efficacy will be used to show an improvement in self-confidence among women regarding their roles and responsibilities in the rural economy and society.

GNDR (4): Proportion of target population reporting increased agreement with the concept that males and females should have equal access to social, economic, and political opportunities: Mid-term Target: 0.3. FY2014 Actual: 0.

This Quarter’s Target: 0. This Quarter’s Actual: 0. This indicator had no target for this quarter or annual period. Information is collected during baseline, the mid-term in 2015 and end-term surveys. It is meant to show the impact of the program in building the capacity of its beneficiaries on gender equality. It will be used to evaluate whether male and female beneficiaries have more equal access to social, economic, and political opportunities after being trained and supported by MARKETS II.

Intermediate Result 1: Improved Agricultural Productivity

FTF 4.5-16: Gross margin per unit of land for selected commodities6

(in US Dollars)


2013 Results

2014 Target

2014 Results

2015 Target

2016 Target

2017 Target

LOP Target

Cumulative Results

Cassava 371 811 0 535 665 895 895 811 (91%) Cocoa 407 435 410 467 499 530 530 410 (77%)

Aquaculture 20,978 24,125 26,014 28,950 31,850 35,000 35,000 26,013 (74%)

Maize 260 904 1,199 650 631 850 1,250 1300 1,300 1,199 (92%) Rice (irrigated)

673 878 989 1,432 1,450 1,575 1,610 1,610 1,431 (89%)

Rice (rain-fed)

673 1,422 1,076 860 1,291 1,300 1,350 1,450 1,450 1422 (98%)

Soybean 253 375 407 410 420 430 430 406 (95%) Sorghum 178 338 401 275 382 400 410 420 420 401 (96%) Table 2: Gross margin actuals and targets for FY2014 ($) Value chain FY2014 Target ($) FY2014 Actual ($) Percentage of target achieved (%) Cassava 08 Cocoa 435 410 94.3 Aquaculture 24,125 26,013 107.8 Maize 650 630 97.0

6 There are no quarterly targets. 7 Results for FY2011 agricultural season (BtM2) 8 Since cassava takes 16 month period from planting to harvesting, cassava planted during FY2013 cropping season will be harvested in October-November 2014. Results will be reported in FY2015 results.


Rice (irrigated) 989 1,431 144.8 Rice (rain-fed) 860 1,290 150.1 Soybean 375 406 108.5 Sorghum 275 382 138.9

All gross margin results are above the baseline figures and close to their target values. There are several items to note regarding the gross margin indicator. (1) The USAID reporting period requirements do not match the project’s targeted value chain agricultural cycles. Current season agricultural harvests occur in late November through January, too late for the current fiscal year reporting. With the exception of irrigated rice, whose harvest occurs in mid-2014, figures in the FY2014 (October 1, 2013 – September 30, 2014) targets and results columns above are therefore those from the previous agricultural harvest (September through November 2013). Information from the current agricultural year will be available and reported in the January – March 2015 period. (2) The gross margin numbers are subject to fluctuations in the exchange rate since the targets are set in U.S. dollars and the actual results are in Naira which are then converted to dollars at the time data is available. (3) Gross margin results from the project’s networked farmers are influenced by several factors: (a) increases in yields as a result of increased adoption of project promoted improved farming practices, adoption of improved technologies e.g. recommended more efficient use of fertilizer, herbicides and crop protection products (CPP) and favorable weather patterns); (b) market prices for the produce as a result of improved product quality, project “honest broker” facilitation with processors, and increased demand (buyback), and also the supply of those commodities and the timing of sales; (c) reduction in post-harvest losses through use of improved harvesting and post-harvest technologies; and (e) reductions in production costs as a result of farmers adopting the recommended quantity and efficient use of available quality inputs; subsidized inputs provided by the GON through the GES; and the use of unpaid farmer association or family labor.

Table 3 shows that women had higher gross margin values for cocoa, maize, rice rain-fed and sorghum. The complete reasons for these differences are not clear.

Value chain Male Female Weighted average Cocoa 389.31 466.28 410.05 Aquaculture 27,873.37 20,896.61 26,013.57 Maize 623.35 645.63 630.61 Rice (irrigated) 1,575.21 1,232.93 1,431.86 Rice (rain-fed) 1,232.07 1,405.70 1,290.79 Soybean 419.19 372.17 406.92 Sorghum 353.82 415.34 382.01


CUSTOM: Increased productivity of commodities. FY2014 Target (ton/ha)

Table 3: Gross margin actuals and targets disaggregated by sex ($/ha)

Baseline 20129 Results

2013 Results

2014 Target

2014 Results

2015 Target

2016 Target

2017 Target

LOP Target

Cumulative Results

Cassava 11.18 23.28 0.00 15.50 21.84 23.54 23.54 23.28 (99%) Cocoa 0.40 0.44 0.58 0.63 0.65 0.70 0.70 0.58 (83%) Aquaculture 10.45 11.04 17.91 18.00 20.00 22.50 22.50 17.91 (80%) Maize 1.31 4.85 5.08 1.97 2.98 3.50 4.00 5.15 5.15 5.08 (99%) Rice (irrigated)

2.58 3.40 3.90 6.42 6.50 6.65 6.70 6.70 6.42 (96%)

Rice (rain-fed)

2.58 4.78 3.97 3.23 5.32 5.40 5.45 5.60 5.60 5.32 (95%)

Soybean 1.01 1.15 1.62 1.80 2.00 2.40 2.40 1.62 (68%) Sorghum 1.08 2.1 2.32 1.35 2.16 2.20 2.35 2.45 2.45 2.32 (95%)

Table 4: Productivity (yield) actuals and targets (ton/ha) Value chain FY2014 Target (ton/ha) FY2014 Actual (ton/ha) Percentage of target achieved (%) Cassava 010 Cocoa 0.44 0.58 131.8 Aquaculture 11.04 17.91 162.2 Maize 1.97 2.98 151.3 Rice (irrigated) 3.39 6.42 164.6 Rice (rain-fed) 3.23 5.32 164.7 Soybean 1.15 1.62 140.9 Sorghum 1.35 2.16 160.0

To measure change in productivity (yield/ha) for the program beneficiaries, MARKETS II conducts annual cost, yield and income surveys. All commodities recorded yields above the targets, and were significantly higher than the baseline values. Issues to take into account regarding the yield indicator results are similar to those presented for the gross margin indicator above.

Female farmers reported higher yields than their male counterparts in rain-fed rice and sorghum; and lower yields in the other value chains. Women were reported to have adopted more of the improved technologies for their higher yielding value chains than male farmers. These technologies included improved seed, optimal use of fertilizer, proper timing of fertilizer application, and improved post-harvest practices leading to reduced wastage of produce.

Table 5: Productivity (yield) actuals disaggregated by sex Value chain Male Female Weighted average Cocoa 0.59 0.57 0.58 Aquaculture 18.07 17.62 17.91 Maize 2.99 2.96 2.98 9 Results for FY2011 agricultural season (BtM2) 10 Since cassava requires a 16 month period from planting to harvesting, cassava planted during FY2013 cropping season will be harvested in October-November 2014. Results will be reported in FY2015 results.


Rice (irrigated) 7.03 5.57 6.42 Rice (rain-fed) 5.06 5.59 5.32 Soybean 1.65 1.59 1.62 Sorghum 2.10 2.22 2.16

Sub-Intermediate Result 1.1: Enhanced Human and Institutional Capacity Development for Increased Sustainable Agriculture Sector Productivity

Custom: Score, in percent, of combined key areas of organizational capacity amongst USG direct and indirect local implementing partners. FY2014 Target: 0.781 FY2014 Actual: 011

This Quarter’s Target: 0.7810. This Quarter’s Actual: 0. MARKETS II’s sustainability and expanded outreach strategy relies heavily on local contracted service providers and the project’s support in increasing their capacities. This indicator is an indication of the project’s capacity-building work and the resulting change in the local service provider’s capabilities and sustainability. It is measured annually. The data collection for this indicator was planned for this quarter but could not be completed in time, and will be reported in the next quarter.

FTF 4.5.2-5: Number of farmers and others who have applied new technologies or management practices as a result of USG assistance. FY2014 Target: 129,800 (M: 64,900, F: 64,900). FY2014 Actual: 139,175 (M: 88,497, F: 50,678).

Base line

2012 Results12

2013 Results

2014 Target

2014 Results

2015 Target

2016 Target

2017 Target13

LOP Target

Cumulative to date

Total 0 64,491 88,277 129,800 139,175 267,200 272,000 51,000 919,300 291,943 (32%)

Men 0 42,385 53,944 64,900 88,497 133,600 136,000 25,500 473,550 184,826 Women 0 22,106 34,333 64,900 50,678 133,600 136,000 25,500 445,750 107,117

(37%)

Farmers benefitting from MARKETS II activities are trained using the MARKETS II PoP which exposes an array of technologies to farmers. The farmers are encouraged, expected, and monitored in their use of these technologies to improve their farm and farming business productivity and management. Improved technologies include planting methods: use of certified quality seed, nurseries and line planting, inoculants, multi-cropping in cocoa and cassava; pest management including if, when and how to use pesticide versus non-pesticide (e.g. fish nets instead of spraying to prevent bird damage; timing of insect pollination and spraying); fertilizer application and UDP; mechanization and semi-mechanization in land cultivation and harvesting: multi-crop threshers, jab planter for maize, direct paddy seeder; harvesting and post-harvest handling: wooden mallet (cocoa); and soil and water related interventions: drip irrigation, crop rotation. 11 This assessment is carried out using OCAT methodology and is administered annually 12 April 2012 – September 2012. 13 October 2016 – April 2017

Baseline 2012 Results

2013 Results

2014 Target

2014 Results

2015 Target

2016 Target

2017 Target

LOP Target

Cumulative Results

0.771 0.781 0.795 0.852 0.923 0.923


Farmers and others in the value chain also benefit from MARKETS II NAEC and MEF training which focuses on the development of business management skills necessary for commercial farming and agriculture related businesses: planning, bookkeeping, financial management, market demand, etc.

The program reached 139,175 farmers and others in the targeted value chain (107% of target) during FY2014. The project is on-track to reach its life of project (LOP) estimates. Targets for 2015 and 2016 are significantly higher—when the project expects to capture data from its expanded cocoa and cassava in the Niger Delta region, irrigated rice activities in northern states, as well as from other targeted value chains. The lower 2017 targets are based on the April 2017 project end date, and corresponding project’s partially supported agricultural year.

Youth accounted for 34% of the total; while women (youth and older) reached 36% for the period. The percentage of women applying new technologies has hovered in the mid-30% range since the start of the project. MARKETS II has made efforts to increase the number of female ADP EAs and lead farmers, been more flexible in accepting smaller sized farms run by female farmers, and has expanded its nutrition and farming support and value chain activities to increase female economic involvement. In subsequent periods, the project will also report results from its microfinance bank partners on their NAEC training to borrowers and potential clients14—the majority of whom are females. The project expects these efforts to show an increase in the number of females and female youth for this indicator (see above Indicator GNDR (2): Proportion of female participants in USG-assisted programs designed to increase access to productive economic resources).

This Quarter’s Target: 80,800 (M: 40,400; F: 40,400). This Quarter’s Actual: 91,653 (M: 56,541; F: 35,112). 91,653 farmers working with the program applied improved seed, fertilizer, disease and pest management, and soil and water-related technologies, cultural practices especially plant population and spacing, aquaculture production technologies, homestead and nutrition techniques and micro and small-scale processing methodologies promoted by MARKETS II during the quarter. Women and youth represented 38% and 37% of the total respectively.

Table 6: Number of farmers applying improved technologies during the quarter Beneficiaries applying technology

Male Female Adult Youth Total

Maize beneficiaries 10,270 6,270 10,272 6,268 16,540

Rice beneficiaries 29,463 17,276 28,527 18,212 46,739

Sorghum beneficiaries 5,648 4,902 7,377 3,173 10,550

Soybean beneficiaries 9,924 5,653 9,553 6,024 15,577

Rice seed production and management practices 153 37 176 14

190

Dry Season UDP Green field day Training 971 531 1275 227

1,502

SSP training for cocoa youth farmers

57 0 18 39 57

14 This is not currently reported.


MEF Training 51 285 111 225 336

Nutrition Enhancement Training

4 4 7 1 8

Women & Youth Processing Training

0 154 102 52 154

Total 56,541 35,112 57,418 34,235 91,653

FTF 4.5.2-7: Number of individuals who have received USG supported short-term agricultural sector productivity or food security training disaggregated. FY2014 Target: 131,850 (M: 65,925, F: 65,925). FY2014 Actual: 132,451 (M: 91,669; F: 40,782).

Base line

2012 Results15

2013 Results

2014 Target

2014 Results

2015 Target

2016 Target

2017 Target16

LOP Target

Cumulative Results

Total 0 64819 97589 131,850 132,451 261,200 263,250 33,560 889160 294859 (33%)

Men 0 42385 60751 65,925 91,669 130,600 131,625 16,780 458480 194805 Women 0 22434 36838 65,925 40,782 130,600 131,625 16,780 430680 100054

During FY2014, 131,451 farmers received short-term agricultural productivity training during pre-season, in-season training (green field day), harvest and post-harvest, NAEC and group dynamics training sessions.

The project is on-track to reach its LOP estimates. The program has expanded its activities in cocoa and cassava in the Niger Delta region, in irrigated rice activities in northern states, as well as in its other targeted value chains. This will lead to an increased number of farmers receiving USG short term agricultural sector productivity or food security training. MARKETS II will provide more training to individuals in all aspects of farm productivity using the project’s PoP, and training to farmers and others in the value chain on business management skills.

Youth accounted for 34% of the total trained; while women (youth and older) reached 31% for the period17. The project did not achieve its target of 50% in part due to women’s limited access to sizeable farm land. To involve more women, MARKETS II lowered the minimum farm entry size for women to less than one hectare; and is working to increase the number of female lead farmers and female ADP EAs assigned to the project—this last point has been problematical given the limited number of female ADP EAs in general.

The program will also leverage on the GoN’s GES program by providing quick short-term training sessions to farmers redeeming subsidized inputs at GES centers. The project’s target for 2015 is over 300,000 farmers but since this leveraging depends upon the GoN’s timely funding of the GES program, over which the project has no control, forecasting is difficult, and the project will continue to only report the results qualitatively.

15 April 2012 – September 2012. 16 October 2016 – April 2017 17 Nutrition training not included but reported elsewhere.


This Quarter’s Target: 84,130 (M: 42,065; F: 42,065). This Quarter’s Actual: 87,423 (M: 60,851; F: 26,572). Table 5 below shows the disaggregated breakdown of training during the quarter. In this period, 87,423 farmers and EAs received short-term agricultural productivity training. 1,502 farmers were trained on UDP technology with 202 EAs trained on MARKETS II’s PoP. Of all those trained, 36.3% were women and 36.4% youth.

Table 7: Individuals benefitting from short-term agricultural sector productivity or food security training Type of training Male Female Adult Youth TOTAL

In-season TOT 5,027 3,170 6,007 2,190 8,197

Group Dynamics & Leadership Training 14 10 24 0 24

Training on Irrigation management practices and reporting

84 20 96 8 104

NAEC Training 26 19 41 4 45

Pre-season TOT 5,298 2,879 5,672 2,505 8,177

Rice seed production and management practices 153 37 176 14 190

Dry Season UDP Green field day Training 971 531 1,275 227 1,502

PoP Training for SPs and EAs 171 31 186 16 202

Step down training – Rice 30,843 9,423 20,784 19,482 40,266

Step down training – Aquaculture 494 256 700 50 750

Step down training – Cassava 2,633 1,327 2,899 1,061 3,960

Step down training – Maize 7,387 4,641 7,049 4,979 12,028

Step down training – Soybean 7,830 4,256 7,499 4,587 12,086

Total 60,851 26,572 52,335 35,088 87,423

FTF 4.5.2-11: Number of food security private enterprises (for-profit), producer organizations, water user associations, women's groups, trade and business associations, and community-based organizations (CBOs) receiving USG assistance. FY2014 Target: 3,702. FY2014 Actual: 11,105


2013 Results

2014 Target

2014 Results

2015 Target

2016 Target

2017 Target19

LOP Target

Cumulative Results

0 2181 3318 3710 11105 16648 16730 6609 51189 16604 (32%)

During FY2014, 11,105 associations benefitted from USG assistance, surpassing the project’s target by 200%. During the setting of the project’s initial indicator targets, the project only took account of farmer 18 April 2012 – September 2012. 19 October 2016 – April 2017


organizations, and female and young farmers working with the project directly in value chain production related activities. However, counting credit and financial management support activities is also valid for this indicator, and mistakenly it was not factored into establishing the targets.

This Quarter’s Target: 2,187. This Quarter Actual: 4,173.

Based on increased project activities with the microfinance sector and its value change clients, primarily women traders and micro and small-scale processors, the project obtained substantial results in northern Nigeria in financial management and accessibility to credit. For instance, the agricultural finance team is working with DEC to build the capacity of its borrowers and potential borrowers; and significant numbers of non-forecasted women traders, and micro-processors and their associations were assisted in securing microfinance loans through DEC. MARKETS II is working in a similar fashion with LAPO MFB in the southern part of Nigeria, and will be collaborating more closely with Fortis MFB in the middle belt region. This inclusion of non-forecasted microfinance clients greatly contributed to raising the results beyond the targeted numbers. The project adjusted its targets accordingly to take into account the project’s substantial involvement with the microfinance sector.

FTF 4.5.2-27: Number of members of producer organizations and community based organizations receiving USG assistance. FY2014 Target: 129,800 (M: 64,900, F: 64,900). FY2014 Actual to Date: 136,182 (M: 84,152; F: 52,030).

Baseline

2012 Results20

2013 Results

2014 Target

2014 Results

2015 Target

2016 Target

2017 Target21

LOP Target

Cumulative Results

Total 0 64819 84914 129800 136182 227386 259000 33500 848986 285915 (34%)

Male 42385 52222 64900 84152 116028 129500 16750 456978 178759 Female 22434 32692 64900 52030 111358 129500 16750 392008 107156

(37%)

In FY2014, 136,182 members of producer organizations and community based organizations benefitted from the program activities. Based on the annual target, the program achieved 104.9%. Members of farmer organizations and community based organizations are reached with short-term agricultural productivity training including pre-season training, in-season training, harvest and post-harvest training, NAEC training as well as nutrition related training.

This Quarter’s Target: 109,800 (M: 54,900; F: 54,900). This Quarter’s Actual: 110,844 (M: 68,565; F: 42,279).

FTF 4.5.2-42: Number of private enterprises, producer organizations, water user associations, women's groups, trade and business associations, and CBOs that applied new technologies or management practices as a result of USG assistance. FY2014 Target: 3,702. FY2014 Actual: 11,105.

Baseline

2012 Results22

2013 Results

2014 Target

2014 Results

2015 Target

2016 Target

2017 Target23

LOP Target

Cumulative Results

20 April 2012 – September 2012. 21 October 2016 – April 2017 22 April 2012 – September 2012. 23 October 2016 – April 2017


0 2181 3318 3710 11105 16648 16730 6609 51189 16604 (32%)

The program has expanded its activities in cocoa and cassava in the Niger Delta region, in irrigated rice activities in northern states, as well as in its other targeted value chains. New farmers networked into the project are expected to be members of producer organizations and this will lead to an increase in the number of producer organizations benefitting from this activity. These groups will benefit from the program through group dynamics training, good governance training, group management practices e.g. record keeping, financial literacy and management. The groups will be expected to utilize at least one of these management practices.

During FY2014, 11,105 associations benefitted from USG assistance surpassing the target by 200%. When the initial indicator targets were set, the project only took into account farmer organizations, and female and young farmers working with the project directly in value chain production related activities. However, counting credit and financial management support activities is also valid for this indicator, and it was mistakenly omitted when the targets were established.

Based on increased project activities with the microfinance sector and its value change clients, primarily women traders and micro and small-scale processors, the project obtained substantial results in northern Nigeria in financial management and accessibility to credit. For instance, the agricultural finance team is working with DEC, a large MFB, in building the capacity of its borrowers and potential borrowers; and significant numbers of non-forecasted women traders, and micro-processors and their associations were assisted in securing microfinance loans through DEC. MARKETS II is working in a similar fashion with LAPO MFB in the southern part of Nigeria, and will be collaborating more closely with Fortis MFB in the middle belt region. This inclusion of non-forecasted microfinance clients greatly contributed to raising the results beyond the targeted numbers. The project adjusted its targets accordingly to take into account the project’s substantial involvement with the microfinance sector.

This Quarter’s Target: 2,187. This Quarter Actual: 4,173. To improve management and governance of these organizations, MARKETS II trained 4,173 groups on group dynamics and leadership, governance, record keeping and other management practices. These organizations have started applying some management practices learnt from the trainings including proper record keeping, group financial management and group governance.

CUSTOM: Number of individuals who benefitted from FTF assistance. FY2014 Target: 2,200,000. FY2014 Actual: 2,358,335.

Base line

2012 Results24

2013 Results

2014 Target

2014 Results

2015 Target

2016 Target

2017 Target25

LOP Target

Cumulative Results

0 395,396 2,767,186 2,200,000 2,358,335 2,800,000 3,500,000 200,000 12,000,000 5,520,917 (46%)

MARKETS II reaches beneficiaries directly through trainings, nutrition related activities and credit. Indirect beneficiaries are reached through demonstration plots established in non-intervention areas, through

24 April 2012 – September 2012. 25 October 2016 – April 2017


leveraging on FMARD’s GES program by providing short-session trainings to those redeeming inputs, and as members of households of those benefitting directly from the project. In FY2014, 333,744 households benefitted directly from MARKETS II activities. In addition to direct beneficiaries, 2,023,398 rural Nigerians benefited indirectly from the project including 130,276 through the project’s GES short-session trainings.

This Quarter’s Target: 1,130,950. This Quarter’s Actual: 1,087,737. During the quarter, the program directly benefitted 163,790 households through agricultural training, credit and jobs created. 923,947 indirect beneficiaries were reached through demonstration plots established in non-intervention areas and as members of households of those benefitting directly from the project.

CUSTOM: Number of sites26 reporting proper waste disposal practices. FY2014 Target: 40. FY2014 Actual to Date: 43.


2013 Results

2014 Target

2014 Results

2015 Target

2016 Target

2017 Target28

LOP Target

Cumulative Results

0 0 0 40 43 50 55 0 185 43 (23%)

In FY2014, 43 processors, millers and agro-dealers were trained and reported having proper waste disposal practices. No waste disposal training was conducted in 2012 or 2013.

This Quarter’s Target: 33. This Quarter’s Actual: 37. MARKETS II trains its partner agro-dealers and processors on effluent disposal and safe use of chemicals. During this period, 37 were trained on safe use and proper waste disposal practices.

CUSTOM: Number of farmers trained on CPP safe use practices. FY2014 Target: 15,000 (M: 7,500, F: 7,500). FY2014 Actual: 16,224 (M: 12,994, F: 3,230).


2013 Results

2014 Target

2014 Results

2015 Target

2016 Target

2017 Target30

LOP Target

Cumulative Results

0 031 1623 15000 1622432 87280 103600 6800 222680 17847 (8%)

16,224 farmers were trained on CPP safe use practices during the year showing 108.16% of the target achieved. After the approval of the project’s PERSUAP, MARKETS II incorporated CPP trainings modules into its PoPs enable the farmers to better understand how to use the CPPs as a result the number of farmers trained on CPP safe use practices will increase significantly.

This Quarter’s Target: 100. This Quarter’s Actual: 57 (M: 57, F: 0). 57 youths were trained as service providers on cocoa spraying venture. This approach has been adopted by the project to train youths as SSPs to ensure use of recommended chemicals as per the approved PERSUAP, proper chemical handling, proper

26 This indicator tracks processors, millers and agro-dealers trained on proper waste disposal practices. It does not include farmer organizations and farmers trained on waste disposal practices. 27 April 2012 – September 2012. 28 October 2016 – April 2017 29 April 2012 – September 2012. 30 October 2016 – April 2017 31 Information not correctly captured in 2012 and 2013 32 Information not fully captured. This has now been corrected.


application and disposal of waste products, waste management, health and safety involved in spraying specific crops.

CUSTOM: Number of farmers applying CPP safe use practices. FY2014 Target: 7,500. FY2014 Actual: 11,744.


2013 Results

2014 Target

2014 Results

2015 Target

2016 Target

2017 Target34

LOP Target

Cumulative Results

0 035 0 7,500 11,74436

65,460 82,880 6,800 167,640 11,744 (7%)

During FY2014, 11,744 farmers applied CPP safe use practices in their value chains. The project over achieved the target by 56.6%. At the time of target setting, approval of its PERSUAP was still outstanding and trainings on CPP safe usage had not commenced. Target estimates were therefore based on the number of farmers trained prior to MARKETS II. Subsequent to the PERSUAP approval and the introduction of the MARKETS II training in pesticide handling, the project has witnessed substantial changes in the handling of pesticides by farmers. MARKETS II has also begun training youth and others as service pesticide sprayers. They are then expected to turn their training into a business and increase their income. The Performance Monitoring Plan (PMP) targets have been adjusted accordingly.

This Quarter’s Target: 60. This Quarter’s Actual: 57. During this quarter, MARKETS II began training youth and others as service pesticide sprayers. Those trained are then expected to turn their training into a business and increase their income. 57 youths sprayers benefitted from this training.

Sub-Intermediate Result 1.2: Enhanced Technology Development, Dissemination, Management and Innovation

FTF 4.5.2-2: Number of hectares under improved technologies or management practices as a result of USG assistance. FY2014 Target 160,010 Ha (M: 80,005Ha, F: 80,005 Ha). FY2014 Actual: 157,092 Ha (M: 103,920; F: 53,171).

Indicator Baseline

2012 Results37

2013 Results

2014 Target

2014 Results

2015 Target

2016 Target

2017 Target38

LOP Target

Cumulative Results

Total 0 90,189 116,484 160,010 157,092 290,000 300,000 20,000 969,310 365,765 (38%)

Men 0 60,037 75,310 80,005 103,921 145,000 150,000 10,000 498,555 239,267 Women 0 30,152 43,174 80,005 53,171 145,000 150,000 10,000 470,755 126,497

The program significantly expanded its activities in cocoa and cassava in the Niger Delta region, in irrigated rice activities in northern states, as well as in the project’s other targeted value chains. These will lead to increases in hectares cultivated by the project’s farmers. Farmers reached by the project are expected to apply improved technologies in their farms. For the year under review, 157,092 ha were under improved technologies or management practices, and this was 98.2% of the annual target. Improved technologies/management practices included seed, pest management, and soil related interventions. From 33 April 2012 – September 2012. 34 October 2016 – April 2017 35 Information not correctly captured in 2012 and 2013. 36 Information not fully captured. This has now been corrected. 37 April 2012 – September 2012. 38 October 2016 – April 2017


the income survey results, all farmers used at least one of the technologies or management practices when producing crops in program intervention areas.

This Quarter’s Target: 128,728 Ha (M: 64,364; F: 64,364). This Quarter’s Actual: 123,815 Ha (M: 81,811; F: 42,004). A total of 123,815 ha of land was utilized by farmers during the reporting period. Farmers applied improved technologies which included seed, pest management, and soil related interventions while cultivating irrigated rice. From the income survey results, all farmers used at least one of the soil-related technologies when producing crops in program intervention areas. All networked farmers used at least one improved technology or management practice as per the results of cost, yield and income survey undertaken annually.

FTF 4.5.2-13: Number of rural households benefitting directly from FtF interventions. FY2014 Target: 169,000. FY2014 Actual to Date: 335,744.


2013 Results

2014 Target

2014 Results

2015 Target

2016 Target

2017 Target40

LOP Target

Cumulative Results

0 65,808 158,555 169,000 333,744 393,200 459,000 84,000 1,412,024 558,107 (40%)

The program has expanded its activities in cocoa and cassava in the Niger Delta region as well as irrigated rice activities in northern states. In collaboration with microfinance institutions, the program will expand its loan portfolio to reach more women which will lead to more households benefitting from the program.

Results for FY2014 show that the project exceeded its target by 108.6% as 333,744 households were reached through value chain, nutrition related and credit activities. The following activities were ventured into after submission of FY2014 targets: (1) In collaboration with PIND, MARKETS II expanded its intervention in the Niger Delta region in particular in Cross River, Ondo and Delta states; (2) MARKETS II program expanded its dry season rice program in five states badly hit by flooding but with very strong opportunities to produce rice under irrigation—in response to seasonal flooding that leads to shortage of paddy across the country and as a step to assist the GON in bridging the supply gap in the rice sub-sector; (3) MARKETS II began a new and unforeseen partnership with OLAM to begin a rice out-grower program in Nasarawa state; (4) As explained in other sections, the agricultural finance unit successfully increased its involvement with large microfinance organizations reaching significant numbers of micro and small-scale processors and traders with credit. These activities increased the number of rural households in the cocoa, cassava, aquaculture, rice rain-fed and rice irrigated value chains than had been targeted, in particular the MSMEs benefitting from credit related activities. The targets have been revised upwards to reflect the increased activities.

This Quarter’s Target: 29,010. This Quarter’s Actual: 163,790. 130,230 rural households were reached through farmer networking along the value chain commodities (Table 8) while 1,684 households were reached through UDP-PoP activities. 579 benefitted from nutrition related trainings and 57 were trained as SSPs. MARKETS II support for microfinance credit accounted for the remainder 31,240 households.

Table 8: Rural households benefitting from FTF assistance

Male No Female No Male Female and Male TOTAL



Female

Networked farmers 22,611 4,730 102,899 130,230

UDP and PoP training 109 27 1548 1,684

Nutrition related trainings 25 176 378 579

SSP Training for Cocoa Youth Farmers

12 0 45

57

Credit 31,240 31,240

Total 22,757 4,933 136,110 163,790

FTF 4.5.2-39: Number of technologies or management practices in one of the following phases of development as a result of USG assistance. FY2014 Target: Phase two: under field testing (2), Phase three: made available for transfer (9). Actual to Date: Phase two: under field testing (4), Phase three: made available for transfer (7).


2013 Results

2014 Target

2014 Results

2015 Target

2016 Target

2017 Target42

LOP Target

Cumulative Results

0 18 11 11 11 14 10 0 47 29 (62%)

MARKETS II tested the following 11 new technologies in FY2014: maize jab planter, cassava lifter, two new rice varieties, four new soybean varieties, direct paddy seeder, and applying briquetted urea on maize and sorghum. The results will be evaluated to gauge their performance and farmer acceptance.

2017 targets are based on the April 2017 project end date, and the project’s partially supported agricultural year. The project is not expected to test or roll out new technologies during that partial period.

This Quarter’s Target: Phase two: under field testing (2), Phase three: made available for transfer (1). This Quarter’s Actual: Phase two: under field testing (4), Phase three: made available for transfer (0). To disseminate technologies MARKETS II first tests the innovations on its value chain demonstration plots. During this reporting period, the following four soybean varieties were under field testing (phase 2): TGX1904-6F, TGX1835-10E, TGX1987-62F and TGX1951-3F.

CUSTOM: Number of farmers exposed to ICT technology FY2014 Target: 0. FY2014 Actual: 0.


2013 Results

2014 Target

2014 Results

2015 Target

2016 Target

2017 Target44

LOP Target

Cumulative Results

0 0 304,108 0 0 0 0 0 300,000 304,108 (101%)

This custom indicator is related to the MARKETS II 2013 support for the GES program through the IFDC supply chain manager and the use of cell phones for redemption. Since the LOP target has already been



achieved, and MARKETS II no longer provides the direct financial support of the supply chain manager, the indicator is no longer relevant and will be dropped.

This Quarter’s Target: 0. This Quarter’s Actual: 0. This indicator had no target for this quarter.

Intermediate Result 2: Expanding Markets and Trade

FTF 4.5.2-23: Value of Incremental Sales (collected at farm-level) attributed to FTF implementation (US$ million). FY2014 Target: $115,000,000. FY2014 Actual: $103,498,071


2013 Results

2014 Target 2014 Results 2015 Target 2016 Target 2017 Target46

LOP Target Cumulative Results

Value of incremental sales ($)

63,368,786 51,340,400 115,000,000 103,498,071 106,085,523 138,078,920 172,554,969 631,319,412 218,207,258

Total Sales ($)

115,188,861 101,649,723 119,195,778 217,736,753 236,754,233 321,328,399 404,013,095 463,002,627 1,606,541,259 450,411,766

Total volume of sales (Metric tons)

245,310 178,667 280,001 266,000 456,630 782,910 1,088,444 1,267,582 3,621,637 915,298

Please note that the calculation method for determining incremental sales was recently changed. The project has also included total annual sales values and tonnage to show the big picture project impact on farmers and the rural economy.

To measure change in incremental sales MARKETS II undertakes an annual cost, yield and income survey. The results for FY2014 (FY2013 cropping season for all commodities except FY2014 irrigated rice) are reported in Table 9 below. Rice rain-fed recorded the highest value of incremental sales ($44.3 million), followed by aquaculture ($22.5 million), cocoa ($13.5 million) and maize ($9.6 million). Other incremental sales values were $5.7 million (rice irrigated), $4.03 million (soybean) and $3.9 million (sorghum).

Table 9: Value of incremental sales for agricultural commodities in FY2014 season ($) Value chains Target ($) Actual ($) Number of networked

farmers

Aquaculture 4,500,000 22,543,235 2,880

Cocoa 10,000,000 13,521,883 10,133

Maize 20,000,000 9,552,010 14,337

Rice – rain-fed 50,500,000 44,325,172 43,857

Rice - Irrigated 5,000,000 5,667,563 10,028

Soybean 10,000,000 4,033,663 8,791



Sorghum 15,000,000 3,854,545 15,565

Total 115,000,000 103,498,071 105,591

Total incremental sales from networked farmers were on target. There were overachieving and underachieving differences in the individual value changes. The project beneficiaries under cocoa, rice rain-fed, rice irrigated and aquaculture recorded incremental sales values from their commodities surpassing the targets. These increases beyond the projections are partly attributed to a fortunate concurrence of: (1) increases in yields as a result of increased adoption of project promoted improved farming practices, adoption of improved technologies, e.g. recommended more efficient use of fertilizer, herbicides and CPP, and favorable weather growing conditions; (2) reduction in post-harvest losses through use of improved harvesting and post-harvest technologies; and (3) better than expected market prices for the produce as a result of improved product quality, project “honest broker” facilitation with processors, and increased demand (buyback); as well as to the other factors mentioned in the gross margin indicator section above.

For example, cocoa farmers benefitted from increased yields as a result of efficient harvest methods in the peak and light harvesting periods; improved harvesting techniques through the use of wooden mallets and raised drying beds that resulted in lower post-harvest losses; and an improved quality of harvested beans which attracted better market prices. Also, through the project’s assisted cocoa certification processes, most of the certified farmers had their produce sold at premium prices.

In the example of aquaculture, in addition to improved production techniques fish farmers increasingly accepted selling fish on a more efficient feed-conversion lower weight schedule twice per year which resulted in increased volumes and values of sales. Locally produced fish also benefited from an increased import tariff on imported fish which translated into higher local fish prices.

Project beneficiaries under soybean, sorghum and maize recorded lower incremental sales values lower than projections.

Soybean: Sales targets in the soybean value chain were based on assumptions that producers would sell most of their produce to processors partnering with the project at an improved price. With the application of MARKETS II recommended technologies, these farmers had good yield increases as shown in the custom yield indicator. However, increasingly rural households recognized the nutritive value of eating soybeans on their own and in combination with other staple foods (the HES unit, among others, is promoting home consumption of soybeans), and more of the harvested soybean crop was kept for family and local consumption than forecast.

Sorghum: Based on prior relationships and arrangements, MARKETS II set targets anticipating that the project’s principle sorghum off-taker processor would buy the targeted volume at competitive prices plus a small premium. Unfortunately, the off-taker was not able to honor their verbal commitment and farmers sold their produce in the local market—at good, but lower than projected prices.

Maize: MARKETS II projections for maize were based on the yields and harvest-sale percentages from its experienced Kaduna maize farmers. The project used these same values to estimate results from incorporating newly networked maize smallholders in Oyo state who would be selling to the project’s local fish feed partner in the state. This was an incorrect assumption. The Oyo producers were not experienced in commercial maize production and were slow adapters of project promoted improved production methods. The yields were lower than expected and a large percentage of the crop was kept for home consumption.


These factors resulted in a lower than targeted indicator result. The project is reviewing the cost-effectiveness and opportunity costs of its maize value chain efforts in Oyo.

CUSTOM: Value of incremental sales (processor and agro-input level) attributed to FTF implementation ($). FY2014 Target: $15,000,000. FY2014 Actual: $31,357,480.

Base line

2012 Results47

2013 Results

2014 Target

2014 Results

2015 Target

2016 Target

2017 Target48

LOP Target

Cumulative Results

0 90,024,41349 15,000,000 31,357,480 34,725,000 41,000,000 1,250,000 182,200,000 121,381,893

MARKETS II activities and relationships facilitate a market for its value chain commodities through sales to off-takers and other buyers, as well as a market for agro-input dealer sales to networked farmers. This indicator reports annual increases (or decreases) in their sales values using the prior year as a baseline. During FY2014, networked off-taker processors and agro-input dealers had estimated incremental sales of over $31 million above the prior year’s results, more than double the projected amount. This difference was due to only projecting sales by agro-dealers to the project’s farmers during the PMP target setting. However, this only presents part of the picture since MARKETS II activities and relationships also facilitate a supply chain which translates into networked off-taker sales. During this reporting period, MARKETS II off-takers, participating in buyback activities facilitated by the project, had significant sales volumes which were not included in the targets. The projections have been revised to take the off-takers into account.

This Quarter’s Target: $0 and Actual: $0. This indicator had no target for this quarter. The results are collected from the processors working with the project who report their increase in sales as a result of buyback. These results are reported in Q2 of every fiscal year.

Sub-Intermediate Result 2.4: Improved Access to Business Development and Sound and Affordable Financial and Risk Management Services

FTF 4.5.2-29: Value of agricultural and rural loans ($). FY2014 Target: $15,000,000. FY2014 Actual: $99,025,570 (M: $14,409,651, F: $30,822,824, Unspecified: $53,793,095).

Base line

2012 Results50

2013 Results

2014 Target

2014 Results

2015 Target

2016 Target

2017 Target51

LOP Target Cumulative Results

0 4,745,495 14,335,875 15,000,000 99,025,570 55,000,000 60,000,000 15,000,000 153,500,000 1,181,006,940 (75.5%)

In FY2014 the value of agricultural and rural loans was significantly higher than the target. Over the last year, MARKETS II revamped its strategy on how to incorporate larger numbers of women and youth and consequently increased project promotion and support to farming support services and micro and small-scale processors; and accordingly increased the project’s involvement with large microfinance organizations (principally LAPO and DEC) that potentially could provide them with credit. This was during a fortunate

47 April 2012 – September 2012. 48 October 2016 – April 2017 49 2013 results include value of agro-dealer GES inputs since MARKETS II contributed to funding the GES supply chain manager (IFDC) in that year. GES inputs are not included in subsequent years. 50 April 2012 – September 2012. 51 October 2016 – April 2017


period when the Central Bank of Nigeria had changed its policy to influence more agricultural related lending by microfinance institutions and commercial banks. The volume and value of micro-financed credit provided, the short-term period of the loans, and the large numbers of repeat loans, provided the project with results beyond what was originally forecast. The out-year targets have been revised upwards to take these factors into account.

In addition, one of the project’s partner processors received a large working capital loan ($53.3 million) from a MARKETS II partner commercial bank to purchase paddy for its new milling plant in preparation for commencing its milling activities. The processor was still test-running the new milling plant and the working capital loan was not anticipated for the period. In setting the new out-year targets, an increase in number of supported MSMEs and their recurring loans will be factored in, while the hard-to-forecast one-off loan acquisitions by large processors will be written up in the narrative as a success, but will not be added to the values in the indicator table.

Dropping: The project will now only target and report loans given by partner microfinance institutions working closely with the project in order to be more certain of the projections. This year, the project reported high loan values that were issued by large commercial banks leading to targets that were significantly exceeded. These commercial bank loans, directed to the project’s partner off-taker processors, are small in number but high in value and do significantly skew the results. Given the length of time required to successfully acquire these large bank loans and their size, it is difficult for MARKETS II to project commercial bank loans. The project will, however, qualitatively report on commercial bank loans when they occur.

This Quarter’s Target: $4,250,000. This Quarter’s Actual: $6,422,871 (M: 128,457, F: 6,294,414). A total of $6,422,871 was disbursed as new and renewed microfinance loans to MSMEs and farmers this quarter. Over 98% of the loan values were borrowed by women.

FTF 4.5.2-30: Number of MSMEs, including farmers, receiving USG assistance to access loans. FY2014 Target: 50,000 (M: 500, F: 49,500). FY2014 Actual: 149,036 (M: 3,902, F: 145,134).

Baseline

2012 Results52

2013 Results

2014 Target

2014 Results

2015 Target

2016 Target

2017 Target53

LOP Target

Cumulative Results

Total MSMEs 0 30268 49072 50000 149036 175000 200000 50000 520000 228376 (%) Female owners of MSMEs

0 30150 48505 45000 145134 165000 188000 46000 484500 223789

Results for this indicator show that 149,036 MSMEs received new and repeat loans during FY2014 with 97% being female owned MSMEs. The reason for the significant increase over the targeted amount is the same as for FTF 4.5.2-29: Value of agricultural and rural loans above—revamping the approach to incorporate a larger number of rural women and youth, expansion of the project’s farming support activities, and increased focus on rural credit opportunities in the microfinance sector. The volume and value of micro-financed credit provided, the short-term period of the loans, and the large number of repeat loans, provided the project with results beyond what was originally forecasted. In collaboration with microfinance institutions, the program will expand its loan portfolio to reach more farmers, women traders, and micro and small-scale processors. Farmers and traders will be trained on business development services, financial literacy and management to qualify for loans from microfinance institutions. With the 52 April 2012 – September 2012. 53 October 2016 – April 2017


increase in the number of farmers trained and women traders reached with credit, this will result in more MSMEs receiving loans. 2017 targets are based on the April 2017 project end date, and accordingly the project’s partially supported agricultural year. The out-year targets have been revised upwards to take these factors into account. The project expects the percentages of female to male beneficiaries to remain similarly skewed.

This Quarter’s Target: 7,500 (M: 500; F: 7,000). This Quarter’s Actual: 31,240 (M: 625, F: 30,615). Due to increased engagement and training between the MARKETS II credit team, micro finance organizations, and commercial banks; project training and credit facilitation with potential borrowers; and more of a national focus on agriculture, there was a significant jump in lending to rural households beyond the targeted level. In collaboration with LAPO and DEC, MARKETS II has been reaching MSMEs and farmers with loan products in the rural areas.

FTF 4.5.2-37: Number of MSMEs receiving business development services54 from USG assisted sources. FY2014 Target: 160,000 (M: 80,000. F: 80,000). FY2014 Actual: 281,700 (M: 95,416, F: 186,284).


2013 Results

2014 Target

2014 Results

2015 Target

2016 Target

2017 Target56

LOP Target

Cumulative Results

0 64,819 158,555 160,000 281,700 393,200 459,000 84,000 1,412,024 505,074 (36%)

This indicator reports farmers and MSMEs receiving business development services, including support for accessing credit and loans. All farmers benefiting from short-term agricultural productivity trainings also benefit from business development services training. Further, before MSMEs receive agricultural loans from financial institutions, they have to undergo mandatory training on business development services. For FY2014, 281,700 MSMEs received business development services, a 76.1% achievement above target. With increased numbers of farmers reached and trained as discussed under Indicator 4.5.2 (13) above, the project succeeded in training more farmers on business development services than had been targeted in the project’s last PMP. This achievement, together with an increased number of MSMEs (Indicator 4.5.2-30), reached by the agricultural finance unit, resulted in the project surpassing its target significantly. The project has revised its out-year targets to factor this increase in loan recipients as well as farmers benefiting from these services.

This Quarter’s Target: 35,000 (M: 7,500, F: 27,500). This Quarter’s Actual: 119,161 (M: 65,131, F: 57,630). The MARKETS II program changed strategies to include women with less than 1 ha of land in the program as the size of farm has been excluding many women from supported project intervention; and to focus more closely on project interventions in other areas of targeted value chains more inclusive to women, including micro and small-scale processing. These changes, especially through credit from women focused microfinance organizations, have successfully brought in increasing numbers of female beneficiaries. The target for this indicator, as well as other related indicators, will be adjusted to reflect the strategy changes. During the period under review, program through farmer trainings reached 87,921 farmers with business development services and the remaining 31,240 benefitting directly from credit related trainings.

54 Includes support for accessing credit. 55 April 2012 – September 2012. 56 October 2016 – April 2017


Intermediate Result 3: Increased Investments in Agriculture and Nutrition-Related Activities

FTF 4.5.2-12: Number of public-private partnerships formed as a result of FTF assistance. FY2014 Target: 48. FY2014 Actual to Date: 38


2013 Results

2014 Target

2014 Results

2015 Target

2016 Target

2017 Target58

LOP Target

Cumulative Results

0 14 61 48 44 50 52 17 232 127 (55%)

To improve prospects for sustainability of the program, MARKETS II forms collaborative partnerships with private and public sector stakeholders. In the fiscal year, 38 public-private partnerships were formed against a target of 48 (91.6%). Due to bureaucratic delays, some of the negotiated PPPs were not signed within the FY2014 but were in the following quarter.

This Quarter’s Target: 28. This Quarter’s Actual: 21. A total of 21 PPPs were signed, including 20 PPPs for agricultural production, and one PPP for credit related activities. The implementation agreements with IAR are not included in the below list:

• Union Bank of Nigeria (credit related) • Quarra Rice Limited and Kwara state small scale rice processors and KWADP (rice) • Multi-trex Integrated Food Plc and OYSADEP (cocoa) • HULE & Sons Nigeria Limited & Benue State Agricultural Development Programme (Soybean) • Azemor Agribiz Ltd (aquaculture) • Idaewor Farms Limited, Edo State Agric Devt. Program (EADP) and Edo State co-operative

farmers agency limited (Cassava) • Lentus Foods and Agro Limited Edo State Agricultural Development Program (EADP) and Edo

State co-operative farmers agency limited (cassava) • Multi-trex Integrated Food Plc and ODSADEP (cocoa) • MIKAP Nigeria Limited &Cross River State Agricultural Development Programme (rice) • MIKAP Nigeria Limited &Benue State Agricultural Development Programme (rice) • Ondo State Agricultural Development Program & Association of Fish Farmers and Aquaculturists

of Nigeria, (aquaculture) • Oyo State Agricultural Development Program & Catfish Farmers Association of Nigeria

(aquaculture) • Kwara State Agricultural Development Program (KWADP) & Association of Fish Farmers and

Aquaculturists of Nigeria (aquaculture). • Cross River State Agricultural Development Programme (CRSADP) & Catfish Farmers

Association of Nigeria (aquaculture) • Niger State Agricultural Mechanization Development Authority (NAMDA) & De-Ideal Agro

Allied Services Limited (soybean)



• Niger State Agricultural Mechanization Development Authority (NAMDA) & Quarra Rice Limited (rice)

• Niger State Agricultural Mechanization Development Authority (NAMDA) & ONYX Rice Company (rice)

• Ebonyi State Agricultural Development Programme (EBADEP), Ebony Agro Industries Nigeria Limited & Rice Mill Owners Industrial Association (rice)

• Enugu State Agricultural Development Programme (ENADEP) & Tara Agro Industries Nigeria Limited (rice)

• Anambra State Agricultural Development Programme (ASADEP), Tara Agro Industries Nigeria Limited & Omor Rice Millers Association (rice)

• Yaba Rural Cooperative Foundation and FCT ADP (rice)

FTF 4.5.2-38: Value of new private sector investment in the agriculture sector or food chain leveraged by FTF implementation (US$). FY2014 Target: $5,750,000. FY2014 Actual to Date: $5,539,545


2013 Results

2014 Target

2014 Results

2015 Target

2016 Target

2017 Target60

LOP Target

Cumulative Results

0 2,466,773 4,693,679 5,750,000 5,539,545 6,670,000 8,330,000 0 25,250,000

12,699,997 (50%)

Large and small private sector stakeholders invested $5.5 million in the targeted value chains during FY2014, including investments in urea briquetting machines, motor-cycle powered irrigation pumps, and expansion of processor plants to absorb more produce from farmers.

This Quarter’s Target: $9,750.This Quarter’s Actual: $8,950. MIKAP Nigeria Ltd invested $2,570 in the purchase of a rice polisher screen and blower fan. In Kebbi and Kano states, small farmers purchased four threshers valued at $6,380 to aid in the harvesting of rice and sorghum.

Sub-Intermediate Results 3.1: Increased Public Sector Investment

CUSTOM: Public funds leveraged for agriculture and rural development ($). FY2014 Target: $7,500,000. FY2014 Actual: $7,211,030


2013 Results

2014 Target

2014 Results

2015 Target

2016 Target

2017 Target62

LOP Target

Cumulative Results

0 2466773 4693679 7500000 7211030 8000000 8500000 0 33000000 66910957 (203%)

MARKETS II counts on strong involvement from its private and public sectors to enable the project to assist its targeted beneficiaries. The Nigerian government supports MARKETS II through provision of extension services through its ADP system and provides subsidized fertilizer and seed through its GES



program which benefits MARKETS II beneficiaries. During FY2014, more than $7.2 million was invested by the Nigerian government (at the federal and state levels) in support.

This Quarter’s Target: $600,000. This Quarter’s Actual: $608,047. The government of Nigeria, through the state governments’ Agricultural Development Programs, has been supporting the project by deploying its ADP staff to partner in training MARKETS II farmers. Through this engagement, the government spent $608,047 to remunerate the EAs handling this activity.

Custom: Number of Beneficiaries under the Grants and Subcontracts Fund. FY2014 Target: 37. FY2014 Actual: 40.


2013 Results

2014 Target

2014 Results

2015 Target

2016 Target

2017 Target64

LOP Target

Cumulative Results

0 5 36 37 40 37 40 5 159 81 (51%)

As part of its sustainability strategy MARKETS II contracts local service providers to assist in delivering its extension services to farmers. In the FY2014 period 40 private sector service provider firms and farmer organizations benefitted from the MARKETS II grants and subcontracts fund against the target of 37 (108.1%). The program approved its first in-kind grants, aimed at expanding agricultural production, to 6 farmer organizations.

This Quarter’s Target: 4. This Quarter’s Actual: 8. As an indicator of capacity development and sustainability, MARKETS II developed this custom indicator showing the number of local service providers and grantee organizations receiving contracts and capacity building support. The program contracted eight service provider organizations to assist in the implementation of the program activities. These include:

• Pounded Yam and Company Limited • Trinity Petfina Ventures Enterprises • Joe Bett Nigeria Enterprises • Jerriff Nigeria Limited • F'S and KAY Multi-services • Tricxy Nigeria Enterprises • Terres Shalon Nigeria Limited • The Ark-Shore Konsult

Custom: Amount of grants and subcontract funds awarded in ($). FY2014 Target: $ 2,400,000. FY2014 Actual: $1,691,685.

Baseline

2012 Results65

2013 Results

2014 Target

2014 Results

2015 Target

2016 Target

2017 Target66

LOP Target

Cumulative Results

0 245,574 930,443 2,400,000 1,691,685 2,000,000 3,500,000 1,632,298 10,000,000 2,867,702 (27%)



This indicator demonstrates the value of payments to local subcontractors and grantees, and relates to the project’s indicator showing the number of subcontractors and grantees. In FY2014, $1.7 million was disbursed (70.5% of the target) local subcontractors and grantees. The subcontracts portion is on-track but the number of grantees and corresponding grant levels have not been reached. The primary focus of grants has been on smallholder farm groups who can serve as association models for other smallholders and who could provide services to their members and others in the farming community; and the grant review, due diligence, and approval process has taken longer than anticipated due to the large number of small grant proposals, the literacy levels of the potential grantees, due diligence requirements, and the limited number of grant staff who also handle local subcontracts. Though grants have been awarded, their disbursements were not made in the reporting period due to equipment supplier delays.

This Quarter’s Target: $950,000. This Quarter’s Actual: $667,660. MARKETS II utilized $667,660 for payment of service providers for value chain activities.

Intermediate Result 4: Increased Employment Opportunities in Project-level, targeted Value Chains

FTF 4.5-2: Number of jobs (FTE) attributed to FtF implementation. FY2014 Target: 380 (M: 360, F: 20). FY2014 Actual: 1,333 (M: 1,306, F: 27)

Base line

2012 Results67

2013 Results

2014 Target

2014 Results

2015 Target

2016 Target

2017 Target68

LOP Target

Cumulative Results

Total 0 0 373 380 1,333 3,000 4,000 50 7,970 1,706 (30%) Men 0 0 335 360 1,306 2,800 3,800 40 7,270 1,641 Women 0 0 38 20 27 200 200 10 700 65 (4%)

This category represents jobs lasting more than one month which are then converted to full-time annual equivalents. For example, a job lasting two months converts to 1/6 of a full-time annual job. After thorough scrutiny of the project’s data collection system for jobs created over the past years, it was realized that there were limitations as to how data was being generated, which jobs qualified to be tracked and the quality of data collected. Service providers relied on ADP EAs to track this information accurately but the agents lacked satisfactory data collection skills. MARKETS II therefore devised a methodology, employed this year and in future years, that emphasizes enhanced capacity building for the EAs and service providers on more thorough ways of collecting data at the farm level as well as along the value chain. Proper identification of jobs, the verification process and reporting all jobs along the value chain will result in a higher and more accurate number of FTF jobs reported in the future.

FY2014 results were significantly larger than the year’s targets. Improved survey taking, including asking questions in several ways, and careful guidance and supervision of the project’s subcontractors and ADP, EAs uncovered more countable FTF jobs in the cocoa and cassava value chains, long-cycle producing crops, than originally were thought to have existed on individual farms; and the estimates were substantially exceeded. New targets have been set in accordance with this improved level of information and insight.

Though the overall employment target was greatly exceeded, the numbers of new female jobs remained low. For cocoa and cassava, being long-term cycle crops, farmers in some regions prefer employing people



to live on the farm to do daily farming tasks throughout the year—harvesting (major and minor harvests), pruning, weeding, cultivation of other food and revenue earning crops accompanying the cocoa and cassava, as well as providing security by living on the farm. Most farmers hiring laborers for longer periods prefer men as they are able to stay in the farms without their families, and security and other labor intensive jobs are only done by men. Further, cocoa farmers prefer male laborers in their farms due to the belief that the chemicals in CPP products used in cocoa to spray against insects/pesticides have hormonal effects when used by women.

This Quarter’s Target: 50. This Quarter’s Actual: 44.79 (M: 40.62, F: 4.17). 44.79 full-time annual equivalent (FTE) jobs were created during this reporting period in Niger, Kebbi and Cross River states in the rice (Niger and Kebbi states) and cocoa (Cross River, Oyo and Ondo states) value chains.

CUSTOM: Number of new jobs created in the value chain (includes jobs lasting less than 4 weeks). FY2014 Target: 25,000 (M: 15,000, F: 10,000). FY2014 Actual to date: 31,538 (M: 21,908, F: 9,630)

Base line

2012 Results69

2013 Results

2014 Target

2014 Results

2015 Target

2016 Target

2017 Target70

LOP Cumulative Results

Total 0 768 22,214 25,000 31,579 50,000 65,000 5,000 150,000 54,561 (36%)

Men 0 575 14,571 18,400 21,937 35,000 40,000 2,500 95,000 37,083 Women 0 193 7,643 6,600 9,642 15,000 25,000 2,500 55,000 17,478

(20%)

Since MARKETS II primarily focuses on smallholder farms and the majority of employed farm labor at this level is seasonal, lasting only a few days at a time, indicator FTF 4.5-2: Number of jobs (FTE) attributed to FtF implementation above undervalues paid employment, and in particular female paid employment (20% of total employed in the custom indicator compared to 4% in the FTE indicator). This custom indicator more accurately represents the rural labor situation, capturing jobs lasting less than four weeks.

Through improved tracking of jobs and survey taking by the project’s service providers, it was realized that there were more jobs than had been targeted. This will be factored into the next PMP.

This Quarter’s Target: 390 (M: 300, F: 90). This Quarter’s Actual: 3,360 (M: 2,596, F: 764). During this reporting period, 3,360 new jobs were created. About 77% (2,596) of those who benefitted from these jobs were males compared to 23% (764) females.

Intermediate Result 5: Increased Resilience of Vulnerable Communities and Households

FTF 4.5.2-14: Number of vulnerable households benefiting directly from USG assistance. FY2014 Target: 10,015. FY2014 Actual to Date: 10,756.


2013 Results

2014 Target

2014 Results

2015 Target

2016 Target

2017 Target72

LOP Target

Cumulative Results

0 8,837 8,965 10,015 10,756 12,515 14,015 10,000 62,345 28,558 (46%)



In pre-MARKETS II years, this indicator was pegged to the prior project’s PEPFAR related activities. With MARKETS II not being part of the PEPFAR program, MARKETS II activities with vulnerable groups are wholly within the agricultural sector and though the majority of targeted MARKETS II farmers could be considered vulnerable (earning less than US$1 -$1.25 per capita per day) the definition has been narrowed to vulnerable households with the following characteristics: (i) farmers working with the project in the USAID designated resiliency states of Sokoto and Jigawa; (ii) physically challenged persons working with the program; and (iii) female headed households benefiting from the program. During FY2014, 10,756 households defined as vulnerable were assisted.

There are increasing numbers of internally displaced people moving from the violence in the north-eastern states to MARKETS II targeted states, for example Taraba. Upon approval of the USAID Mission, MARKETS II will provide training in NAEC, MEF, and other suitable courses to this newly vulnerable population. Annual targets will then be revised accordingly.

This Quarter’s Target: 6,000. This Quarter’s Actual: 4,950. During the period under review, 4,950 vulnerable households were reached, as indicated in Table 10, through rice production in Sokoto and Jigawa, MEF, NAEC and micro-small scale processor related activities.

Table 10: Vulnerable households benefitting from USG assistance

Male no Female

Female no Male Male and Female

TOTAL

NAEC Training 14 14 53 81

MEF Training 9 138 189 336

Women & Youth Processing 0 23 131 154

Networked farmers 0 4,379 0 4,379

Total 23 4,554 373 4,950

Custom: Level of household hunger in the hungry season (%)73. FY2014 Target: 0. FY2014 Actual: 0

This Quarter’s Target: 0. This Quarter’s Actual: 0. This indicator is collected during 2015 baseline, mid-term and end-term surveys and has no target for this quarter. The indicator is expected to measure the level of household hunger (food insufficiency) in the hungry season. The interpretation of this indicator is that less hunger demonstrates that households have enough income to purchase food if needed. In relation to MARKETS II, food insufficiency is defined as the inability of farmers to provide enough food to their household members to be able to eat the required number of meals in a day, and to also consume food that qualifies as normal food to them.

Intermediate Result 6: Improved access to diverse and quality food. Through the MARKETS II HES unit, male and female farmers (through POPs) were trained on ways to utilize their produce without compromising nutritional elements during post-harvest activities. Expanded NAEC training of micro-small scale processors is also being carried out to improve the nutritional value of

73 This custom indicator is used as a proxy for household income


food at the household level and to highlight opportunities in the production and sale of nutritional products. The project will include the nutrition related FTF indicator in the next quarterly report.

2.3 Implementation challenges

• Increased security issues in the MARKETS II targeted states has and may continue to cause disruptions in project timing and activities. MARKETS II security staff maintain contacts with security services to keep abreast of potential and unfolding situations and advise accordingly. Regional MARKETS II staff also keep in-touch with their local situation.

• Following cases of Ebola in Nigeria, MARKETS II staff were restricted from traveling to Lagos and Rivers state, and staff based in Lagos were advised to remain in the southern region, which affected project activities. This restriction was lifted as soon as Nigeria was declared Ebola-free.


3. INTEGRATION OF CROSSCUTTING ISSUES AND USAID FORWARD PRIORITIES

3.1 Gender Equality and Female Empowerment

There has been increased involvement of women in MARKETS II value chain activities during the year. Training raised gender awareness among staff and services providers, and the number of ADP state female EAs working with the project’s networked farmers increased. MARKETS II deepened collaboration with the Gender and Youth Departments of the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and the Women in Agriculture units of ADPs. Implementation agreements were signed with Institute of Agricultural Research (IAR) Zaria and the Federal Institute for Industrial Research Oshodi to determine areas of collaboration for design and implementation of improved processing and nutrition activities for women in MARKETS II value chains. A rapid needs assessment of women small-scale processors was carried out in Benue, Kano, Kaduna and Niger states. The results of these assessments were used to define support for women and youth who are not involved in agricultural production but are actively involved in other sectors of the targeted value chains. In addition, assessments and GMP training were carried out for women cassava micro-processors in FCT, Kogi and Oyo states. MARKETS II also implemented a new activity focusing on pollination services for cocoa and soybean producers to help farmers increase yields, by engaging BARGONG farms to train female and youth soybean and cocoa farmers in beekeeping. This activity will build the capacity of those trained beekeeper farmers to produce quality honey for sale, home use and to provide crop pollination services. The following activities were carried out during this quarter:

• The Benue and Niger ADP Women in Agriculture Units and MARKETS II trained 160 women, including 55 female youth, to make household asset decisions that positively affect their food security and nutritional status. Using integrated business skills and improved processing modules with basic nutritional concepts, participants were trained on the nutritional benefits of soybean, sorghum, and maize. These women learned to make many local dishes for home use and sale, such as soy/sorghum blend pap, chinchin, moi-moi, tofu, liquid and powdered soy milk, soybean cake, soybean vegetable soup, “puff puff”, soybean scramble, swallow, cheese, and soybean breakfast cereals.

• Nutrition is not solely the domain of women. In many rural areas of the country, men determine how household income is spent and what crops are grown. In making money and farming decisions, they need to know how to adequately care for and feed their families. MARKETS II saw an opportunity to provide orientation and training on proper nutrition to its male and female farmers and began to incorporate a nutrition module in its PoP training in all of the targeted value chains.

• 500 women micro-processors in rice, soybean, cassava and sorghum were trained on MEF and nutrition in Niger, Kaduna, Benue, Kogi, Kano, Jigawa, Oyo, Ondo, Ebonyi and Cross River states. This was to build the capacities of the farmers in micro-enterprise activities they can engage in to increase their income and improve nutrition in the states.

• 300 women cocoa farmers were trained on beekeeping and honey production skills to enhance crop yield for increased sources of income and food for the household in Benue, Niger, Kaduna, Cross River and Ondo states.

• MARKETS II is discussing collaboration with the Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN), including integration of its MEF curriculum in GAIN’s nutrition programs. The project also attended a


home fortification and nutrition scale up stakeholders workshop organized by GAIN and Benue State Government.

• In collaboration with Making Cents International, the project organized a nutrition enhancement workshop to improve the current nutrition module. Those in attendance included, MEF/nutrition consultants, MARKETS II staff, GAIN and FMARD (gender and women unit).

3.2 Sustainability Mechanisms

To ensure sustainability of the project, MARKETS II strengthens the capacity of its stakeholders and partners at multiple levels – the farmer and farmer groups, small processors and input suppliers, and public and private sector institutions involved in agricultural services delivery (ADPs, extension officers, service providers etc.)—with the ultimate aim of long-term delivery of greater value to the small farmer and processor. To see further details on the project’s sustainability strategy please see 2.2.2 and Appendix C.

This quarter’s sustainability activities included:

For Service Providers (local subcontractors)

• The first phase of the organizational capacity assessment (OCA) of MARKETS II existing subcontractors commenced in September. The assessment for National Association of Nigerian Traders (NANTS), Pricewell, Conservation Alliance and DEVASS Agro was completed and the reports are being finalized. The second phase of the assessment involving ABC, REMIF, DDI, Egalf and SG 2000 will be done in November. This will inform the project on the strong and weak points, and determine targeted trainings to enhance their operations.

• Trained three service providers, DDI, NANTS and DEVASS, on DQA to improve the quality of data collected and interpretation.

• In addition to critiquing the service providers’ deliverables in written memos and in face to face sessions with staff, including assistance with their beginning of season work plan and providing suggestions for improvements, MARKETS II conducted periodic formal performance evaluations of each subcontractor, measuring how well the subcontractor implemented key aspects of the subcontract, quality and standards of technical assistance and deliverables, and provided performance feedback. These performance evaluations ensure that only reliable service providers continue to be invited to participate in the competitive bidding process for subcontracts. They also provide an objective and informed basis for scoring service providers’ performance track records during proposal reviews by the technical team. In addition to ad hoc feedback, the subcontractor evaluations from monitoring and supervisory visits are designed to help maintain transparency and quality assurance, and the general commitment of service providers to their assigned roles.

For Public Extension Agents Due to their involvement in the technical training of lead farmers and farmer groups using the project’s PoPs, EAs actively participated in development and periodic revision of the PoPs for all commodities under MARKETS II. The EAs also receive instruction on new training delivery, using the PoPs, approaches for field level support to farmers, and receive training in monitoring and evaluation data collection.

• EAs participated in group dynamics and leadership training that was held for farmer groups in Cross River state. The training will improve their ability to provide support to producer groups and associations.


• Trained 104 EAs from dry season rice states, Kebbi, Kano, Jigawa, Sokoto and Niger, on data collection. The training will ensure correct data is collected to avoid inaccurate reporting on the project, which is also applicable for other agricultural extension surveys they may undertake.

• Trained 62 EAs in Anambra, Ebonyi and Enugu on UDP technology. The trained EAs will implement the technology in other areas, including MARKETS II non-intervention areas.

• NANTS, one of the MARKETS II service providers, organized a workshop on the state of agricultural extension in Nigeria, and requested the project to give a presentation on, “The Extension Officer and Agricultural Extension in Nigeria: Problems, Potentials and Way Forward”. The paper brought out the basic roles of an extension officer, possible challenges they might encounter while performing their duties, and opportunities to contribute to better agricultural knowledge dissemination.

• To deepen the project’s capacity building investment, MARKETS II, working with stakeholders, continued to develop a curriculum for the training of ‘coaches’ and adding follow-on coaching components to the project’s existing workshop-based training activities. This is intended to expand the use of EAs and community facilitators, including selected lead farmers, in providing post-training support to networked farmers, and producer and processor groups. The goal is to encourage and build the capacity of EAs and partners to see extension support to farmers and groups as a continuing activity that goes beyond one-off training events. Coaching will increase the overall yield of PoP, group dynamics and other project trainings provided by MARKETS II. This approach will be piloted in the next dry season and tested with a select group of EAs who have demonstrated good facilitation skills in the use of the existing MARKETS II training materials. They will be supported in providing guided on-going, post-training support to their respective farmer groups.

For Farmers and Micro-Small-Scale Processors

MARKETS II training and capacity building for farmers aims to develop a long-term business perspective which includes planning and focusing beyond the one period crop cycle, an appreciation of commercial partnerships, small farm commercial management and record keeping, demand and supply considerations, and payment for services that increase benefits.

• During this quarter, 500 women micro-processors in rice, soybean, cassava and sorghum were trained on MEF and nutrition in Niger, Kaduna, Benue, Kogi, Kano, Jigawa, Oyo, Ondo, Ebonyi and Cross River states. This will build the capacities of the farmers in micro-enterprise activities they can engage in to increase their income and improve nutrition in the states.

• To expand access to finance and support association development, a stakeholder’s forum to facilitate linkage between BoA and various partner associations in the region was organized in conjunction with PIND. The forum was an opportunity for the bank management to understand agricultural activities in the Niger Delta to supporting the farmers. Nine associations indicated interest in exploring opportunities with BoA and were provided appropriate advice on how to proceed.

• After presenting two tractors to MARKETS II grantees, Kiru FADAMA II Farmers’ Association in Kano and Anguwar Makama Danlawal Farmers’ Association in Kaduna, a follow-up visit was made by MARKETS II technical and operations team to discuss basic guidelines for the grant operation and also to ensure that the groups’ capacity to manage the grant is enhanced.

• MARKETS II and LAPO are piloting an initiative to expand business enterprise training (using NAEC) and access to finance for farmers in specific agricultural value chains in the Niger Delta. This resulted in the signing of a MoU between LAPO and five associations in Delta and Edo states


in July 2014. MARKETS II expanded on this initiative by conducting a ToT course on NAEC to 19 participants, a core group of LAPO staff/trainers. LAPO will subsequently embed the NAEC training as part of its pre-loan disbursement training to beneficiaries and offer the same to prospective agricultural loan beneficiaries.

• A group dynamics and leadership skills training, aimed at strengthening group leadership, effectiveness and cohesion, was organized for aquaculture farmer groups and associations in Cross River state to strengthen capacity of producer groups. Extension officers who work directly with MARKETS II groups also participated.

• Trained 116 rice out-growers for WACOT and Techi-Seed in Kano and 20 out-growers for Mamora Seed in Kwara state. Trained farmers will be provided with certified seeds by the three seed companies and trained by the project on the best seed production and management practices. The produce will be sold to seed companies to ensure they have seed that they can sell to farmers.

• The MoU signed between the project and IFAD/Community Based Natural Resources Management Project for the Niger Delta (CBNRMP-ND) provides training for approximately 1000 small business entrepreneurs using the NAEC developed by USAID MARKETS II. MARKETS II will provide technical support and capacity building to CBNRMP to deliver the training to their beneficiaries across their nine project states (some of which are not MARKETS II projects states). In late September, MARKETS II supported IFAD CBNRMP to conduct NAEC training for a first set of 300 entrepreneurs in Rivers, Bayelsa, Delta, Edo, Ondo, Abia, Imo, Cross River, and Akwa Ibom states.

3.3 Environmental Compliance

MARKETS II takes active steps to minimize negative effects of its activities on the environment. In addition to training and support on crop rotation, incorporation of organic matter, appropriate fertilizer and pesticide use, water management for farmers and waste disposal for partner processors, the project is promoting and up-scaling UDP technology for rice farmers, which will allow them to apply less fertilizer with similar or improved yields compared to surface application. UDP technology also assists in reducing the amount of fertilizer run-off into surface water and greenhouse gas emissions. UDP tests on sorghum and maize are ongoing. During the year, 21,665 rice farmers benefitted directly from UPD trainings and follow-ups. In FY2014, 130,276 farmers received short-session training at input redemption sites from MARKETS II to support the GON GES. This effort will be scaled up to over 300,000 farmers at the FY2015 dry season GES redemption sites. Further information on the UDP activities are found in the quarterly report’s technology section.

The following activities took place this quarter:

• Jubaili Agro-Tech Limited donated 20 spray pumps and 50 nose masks to MARKETS II trained SSPs who could not afford to purchase the pumps. The private company has been training farmers on the safe use of agro-chemicals across Nigeria while at the same time selling various agro-chemicals to them.

• In collaboration with Harvest Field Limited and Amajaro Limited, MARKETS II trained 140 youths in Oyo, Ondo and Cross River states in proper and safe pesticide application and disposal, recommended chemicals, and the use of protective equipment as incorrect pesticide use is a danger to farmers, their families and the general public. The trainees will augment their incomes by selling spraying services to cocoa farmers in the area.

• The MARKETS II team accompanied the USAID Nigeria Mission team to Cross River state on August 13, 2014 to ensure project quality and effectiveness. The team conducted a DQA on


PERSUAP for cocoa farmers and youth SSPs. The team met with 43 cocoa farmers who answered questions on safe use of pesticides, waste management, and health and safety involved in spraying cocoa using chemicals based on training from the project.

Please see Annex B for EMMP table, Quarter 4 activities by activity area, especially Program Area 4: Water and Soil Management Strengthened.

3.4 Youth Development

MARKETS II employed different strategies (including youth in its gender activities) to strengthen youth programming, participation, and partnership by directly engaging youth and integrating them in all value chains of the project. During FY2014, the MARKETS II youth strategy was reviewed and revised for relevance. An implementation agreement was signed with Kano Fisheries Institute to train youth graduates from the institute using the NAEC for fish farmers. In Niger, Kaduna, and Kano states, female youth (microprocessors and agro input suppliers) were particularly targeted for training on MEF and improved processing. Discussions were held with BoA and the DEC to develop a plan to support youth farmers and agro-processors with credit and loans to improve their businesses.

Under youth development, the following activities took place:

• A total of 100 youth cocoa farmers in Oyo and Ondo states were trained on MEF to build the capacities of youth to consider other micro-enterprise activities, increase their income and improve nutrition in the states.

• As part of efforts to increase the supply of improved cassava stem-cuttings to farmers, MARKETS II organized training for 34 youths in Oyo state on cassava stem multiplication, which will also create jobs and generate income for the youths.

• MARKETS II organized training on beekeeping and pollination services for youths engaged in cocoa farming in Ondo and Cross River states to increase yield and generate employment and income for youth in those states.

• 106 youth soybean and cocoa farmers were trained on bee keeping for honey production skills to enhance crop yield for a viable enterprise as sources of income and food for the household.

• A total of 75 youth micro-processors in rice, soybean, cassava and sorghum were trained on MEF and nutrition in Niger, Kaduna, Benue, Kogi, Kano, Jigawa, Oyo, Ondo, Ebonyi and Cross River state in September.

• In collaboration with Harvest Field Limited and Amajaro Limited, MARKETS II trained 140 youths in Oyo, Ondo and Cross River states in proper and safe pesticide application and disposal, recommended chemicals, and the use of protective equipment as incorrect pesticide use is a danger to farmers, their families and the general public. The trainees will augment their incomes by selling spraying services to cocoa farmers in the area.

3.5 Policy and Governance Support

In the past year, MARKETS II continued to reach out to various external publics that have a stake in the respective value chains in its mandate. The partnership with the GON has been strengthened. In the first quarter of 2013/2014, the Minister of Agriculture requested MARKETS II to develop a plan for the proposed paddy aggregation center to facilitate the accessibility of rice processors to paddy, this was undertaken by a team of MARKETS II consultants, and the report was accepted. A meeting between the


minister and the governor of Central Bank of Nigeria on this was attended by MARKETS II. During the last quarter, MARKETS II was invited to participate at a policy meeting on rice with the minister, and presented a proposal on the inclusion of the yield-enhancing USG into the GES input package which has been approved by the minister. MARKETS II commenced discussion with IFAD/GON Rural Financing project on capacity building with farmers to enable them to better access credit as well as Fadama III business training using MARKETS II developed NAEC. To ensure collaboration among other development partners working on rice in Niger state, MARKETS II is anchoring a coalition of such partners in the hopes that the model can be replicated in other states. MARKETS II was also invited to share implementation experiences at the following workshops: NEPAD Rice forum; Assessment of Extension Delivery in Nigeria by NANTS; Action Aid Review of Agricultural Transformation Agenda; Federal Government Gender Mainstreaming.

• MARKETS II staff attend the weekly FMARD meeting, which discusses the GES program and related national agricultural issues, and advises accordingly.

• MARKETS II, at the request of the Honorable Minister of Agriculture (HMA) worked with AfricaRice to craft a Terms of Reference for the Rice Council patterned after the Sugar Council. The overall goal of the Council is to diligently pursue and achieve self-sufficiency in rice production, processing and marketing, including export promotion of Nigerian rice. Its major objective is to close the production, quality and milling gaps as well as develop an export market for locally produced rice. The assignment has been completed and forwarded to the HMA’s Special Technical Assistant.

• For the last two years, PIND Foundation has been leading and facilitating the organization of the NDDF which is an advocacy platform to network, dialogue and engage in public policy analysis, share data, information and findings of research as well as inform and influence policies, decisions and actions. With an invitation from PIND, MARKETS II attended the inaugural planning meeting for the 2014 NDDF at Abuja in September 2014. The 2014 NDDF inaugural planning meeting was initiated to engage and involve existing and new partners to participate in discussions and planning leading up to the forum scheduled for November 25 & 26 in Calabar. The meeting which was attended by representatives of USAID, PIND, NDDC, DFID, IFAD, MARKETS II and MADE reviewed the 2013 NDDF and planned for the 2014 forum.

• The FMARD, in collaboration with the Food and Agriculture Organization, brought together key stakeholders for a nutrition mainstreaming workshop. The GON, USAID MARKETS II, International Food Policy Research Institute, UNICEF, Save the Children and other NGOs, and the private sector discussed issues such as high malnutrition levels in Nigeria, lack of current data, lack of coordinated efforts between ministries, departments and government agencies at the national, state and local levels, and short-term project efforts to address malnutrition. Major recommendations included formulation of a national policy on nutrition, advocacy for a nutrition budget and appropriation of funds, mainstreaming of nutrition in agricultural value chains, capacity building of extension staff, increased awareness on diet diversity, and formation of inter-agency structures at the national, state and local government levels to implement nutrition related activities. At the request of the HMA, MARKETS II participated in a meeting with the HMA, FMARD staff and the Central Bank Governor, to discuss the bank’s support in the agricultural value chains. One of the key areas discussed was the PAC program prepared by MARKETS II. The Minister presented the report to the Central Bank Governor who promised support to operationalize it. The meeting concluded with the ministry ensuring that a mechanism would be put in place to enable establishment of the PACs. The Governor also agreed to work with FMARD to support rice out-growers’ programs. It was also agreed that foreign exchange will only be made available for the


importation of paddy or processed rice if there is sufficient evidence (from the PAC data systems and other sources) and a certificate from the FMARD that such processor has purchased local paddy.

• Project staff attended an informal coalition meeting along with IFAD, Competitive African Rice Initiative (CARI) and Japan International (JICA) in Niger state to coordinate rice field activities. In a prior meeting, each partner presented a matrix of their rice activities. Main areas of overlap identified were capacity building, demonstration of technologies, and operational location, while gaps included information sharing, rural infrastructures, and grades and standards. A follow-up meeting was recommended to review partners’ training materials to ensure correct modules are passed on to farmers as well as to harmonize demonstration plots to ensure that best agronomic practices are demonstrated and recommended.

3.6 Local Capacity Development MARKETS II’s aim is to raise the overall level of capacity and resources for producer organizations and associations, grantees and local service providers. The focus of activities during the year was strengthening the organizational capacity of small producer and processor associations as well as enhancing their ability to broker stronger relationships with buyers, provide services to their members, and improve their ability to access loans. The project also provided significant in-service training for EAs and the ADPs to better support the needs of producer organizations and associations. Also, local technical service providers, who remain a pivot of MARKETS II implementation strategy, received support for capacity development through training and workshops, structured OCAs, advisory services on content development, improved training materials and delivery techniques. MARKET II’s goal with local service providers is to go beyond training and provide mentorship to help them enhance their services. This is in-line with the project’s exit strategy of leaving behind a more robust, commercially-oriented service provider’s market that can service needs within the agricultural sector.

• To expand access to finance and support association development, a stakeholder’s forum to facilitate linkages between BoA and various partner associations in the region was organized in conjunction with PIND. The forum was an opportunity for the bank management to understand agricultural activities in the Niger Delta to support the farmers. Nine associations indicated interest in exploring opportunities with BoA and were provided appropriate advice on how to proceed.

• After presentation of two tractors to MARKETS II grantees, Kiru FADAMA II Farmers’ Association in Kano and Anguwar Makama Danlawal Farmers’ Association in Kaduna, a follow-up visit was made by MARKETS II technical and operations teams to discuss basic guidelines for the grant operation and also to ensure that the groups’ capacity to manage the grant is enhanced.

• MARKETS II and LAPO are piloting an initiative to expand business enterprise training (using NAEC) and access to finance for farmers in specific agricultural value chains in the Niger Delta. This resulted in the signing of a MoU between LAPO and five associations in Delta and Edo states in July 2014. Taking this initiative forward, MARKETS II conducted a ToT course on NAEC for 19 participants, a core group of LAPO staff/trainers. LAPO will subsequently embed the NAEC training as part of its pre-loan disbursement training to beneficiaries and offer the same to prospective agricultural loan beneficiaries. While this training was primarily for LAPO, PIND suggested inclusion of a participant who represented FEND, an NGO based in Ondo state.

• The NAEC training was conducted for cassava, tomato farmer/processing groups from Edo state and aquaculture farmers from Delta state. Twenty-five (17 male and 8 female) participants from


five groups proposed as loan beneficiaries under the partnership with LAPO MFB attended. Participants were taken through the training modules of farm business cycle, business planning, purchasing decision, calculating costs and benefits, basics of cash flow, savings and credits, value chain and market analysis and group membership. Participants were taken through practical sessions using the workbook and each group made presentations and shared learning with other group members.

• As part of MARKETS II activities to strengthen capacity of producer groups, a group dynamics and leadership skills training was organized for aquaculture farmer groups and associations in Cross River state. The training was aimed at strengthening group leadership, effectiveness and cohesion. EAs who work directly with MARKETS II groups also participated.

• The first phase of the OCA of MARKETS II existing subcontractors commenced in September. The assessment for NANTS, Pricewell, Conservation Alliance and DEVASS Agro was completed and the reports are being finalized. The second phase of the assessment involving ABC, REMIF, DDI, Egalf and SG 2000 will be done in November.

• The MoU signed between the project and IFADCBNRMP-ND provided training for approximately 1000 small business entrepreneurs using the NAEC developed by USAID MARKETS II. MARKETS II will provide technical support and capacity building to CBNRMP to deliver the training to their beneficiaries across their nine project states (some of which are not MARKETS II projects states). MARKETS II supported IFAD CBNRMP to conduct NAEC training for a first set of 300 entrepreneurs in the Niger Delta. The training was held concurrently in Rivers, Bayelsa, Delta, Edo, Ondo, Abia, Imo, Cross River, and Akwa Ibom states. This is a good step towards expanding the use of the NAEC through institutional collaborations. It is also a good learning experience as the project explores a similar relationship with FADAMA III.

3.7 Public Private Partnership (PPP) and Global Development Alliance (GDA) Impacts

The MARKETS II sustainability strategy involves the development and nurturing of PPPs in the targeted value chains as well as PPPs being an integral element of the project’s agricultural seasonal assistance.

Activities during the last quarter included:

• Renewed implementation agreements with MARKETS II’s partners and respective state governments under various value chains, including nine implementation agreements for rice, two for soybean, two for cocoa, four for aquaculture, two for cassava and one with Union Bank under finance and credit.

• At the request of the HMA, MARKETS II participated in a meeting with the HMA, FMARD staff and the Central Bank Governor, to discuss bank support in the agricultural value chains. One of the key areas discussed was the public-private PAC program prepared by MARKETS II. The Minister presented the report to the Central Bank Governor who promised support to operationalize it. The meeting concluded with the ministry ensuring that a mechanism would be put in place to enable establishment of the PACs, which would be attractive to the private sector. The Governor also agreed to work with FMARD to support private sector rice out-growers’ programs. It was also agreed that foreign exchange will only be made available for the importation of paddy or processed rice if there is sufficient evidence (from the PAC data systems and other sources) and a certificate from the FMARD that private sector millers have purchased local paddy rice.


• The project is reviving its partnership with the Rural Finance Institution-Building Program (RUFIN), which started during BtM2. RUFIN is an IFAD/GON-funded program in 12 Nigerian states to strengthen private microfinance institutions and establish linkages with commercial financial banks and institutions. The goal is to develop a sustainable rural financial system that will provide credit to rural farmers and their families. The project will share an updated implementation agreement with RUFIN by the end of October 2014.

• Discussion continued with World Bank-GoN FADAMA III project on renewed collaboration, in particular to expand both project impacts by training FADAMA III facilitators in the MARKETS II NAEC curriculum and then have FADAMA III step-down the training to their farmers. The issue of cost-sharing is currently being negotiated.

• In addition to the continuing MARKETS II activities under the project’s relationships with state governments and Chevron-PIND, Olam, Nigerian Breweries, and dozens of other major private sector partners mentioned elsewhere in this document, MARKETS II had initial discussions with potential partners (for example, Syngenta, the Tony Emeleu Foundation, and Dangote) on collaboration in the targeted value chains.

3.8 Conflict Mitigation

Though MARKETS II is not directly involved in conflict mitigation, certain activities do play an indirect role in alleviating conflict situations and circumstances.

• A meeting was held with USAID, PIND and Nigeria Strengthening Advocacy and Civic Engagement (SACE) Project in August 2014 to discuss the approach/strategy of collaboration on Business Membership Organizations (BMOs) in the Niger Delta by MARKETS II and SACE projects (both projects are funded by USAID and implemented by Chemonics International), and PIND. The meeting resulted in SACE agreeing to write a concept paper on how the two projects can work together with the two identified BMOs based on each project’s area of competence. This will then be shared with MARKETS II, PIND and USAID for necessary reviews.

• For the last two years, PIND Foundation has been leading and facilitating the organization of the NDDF which is an advocacy platform to network, dialogue and engage in public policy analysis, share data, information and findings of research as well as inform and influence policies, decisions and actions. With an invitation from PIND, MARKETS II attended the inaugural planning meeting for the 2014 NDDF at Abuja in September 2014. The 2014 NDDF inaugural planning meeting was initiated to engage and involve existing and new partners to participate in discussions and planning leading up to the forum scheduled for November 25 and 26 in Calabar. The meeting which was attended by representatives of USAID, PIND, NDDC, DFID, IFAD, MARKETS II and MADE reviewed the 2013 NDDF and planned for the 2014 forum.

• The MoU signed between the project and IFAD/CBNRMP-ND provided training for approximately 1000 small business entrepreneurs using the NAEC developed by USAID MARKETS II. MARKETS II will provide technical support and capacity building to CBNRMP to deliver the training to their beneficiaries across their nine project states (some of which are not MARKETS II projects states). MARKETS II supported IFAD CBNRMP to conduct NAEC training for a first set of 300 entrepreneurs in the Niger Delta. The training was held concurrently in Rivers, Bayelsa, Delta, Edo, Ondo, Abia, Imo, Cross River, and Akwa Ibom states. This is a good step towards expanding the use of the NAEC through institutional collaborations. It is also a good learning experience as the project explores a similar relationship with FADAMA III.


3.9 Science, Technology, and Innovation Impacts

Please see above above Program Area 3: Technology Generation and Deployment Expanded.

4. STAKEHOLDER PARTICIPATION AND INVOLVEMENT

Active engagement with value chain stakeholders is an important component of the project’s agricultural cycle and longer term sustainability strategies. Understanding their requirements, listening to their perspectives, and soliciting their buy-ins are critical to project success.

• Organized meetings with stakeholders (representatives from farmer groups, off-takers, service providers, the state government, and public extension service) in the targeted value chains and in MARKETS II’s selected states are part of the project’s standard operating procedures to review the ongoing seasonal activities, discuss any critical issues, and plan for end of season activities. During the quarter, stakeholder meetings were held in Lagos for the cassava, cocoa and aquaculture value chains, in Oyo for cocoa and cassava value chains, in Cross River for cocoa and rice value chains, in Abuja for rice and cassava value chains, in Niger for soybean value chain, in Benue for rice and soybean value chains and in Kano for rice, soy, sorghum maize and aquaculture value chains.

• The Federal Ministry of Health and Benue state government organized a one-day workshop to discuss scaling up home fortification with micronutrient powders (MNPs) in collaboration with GAIN and UNICEF. The workshop focused on the strategic importance of home fortification with MNP and its potential to contribute significantly to the improvement of children’s nutritional status in Nigeria, scaling up MNP interventions, discussing a framework for the development of a national program for home fortification, and mobilizing support for nutrition interventions, especially in children aged 6-29 months and women of reproductive age. Results from the Benue state pilot project were presented. MARKETS II suggested integrating nutrition with the MEF curriculum including basic nutrition concepts, hygiene and sanitation. MARKETS II women and youth value chain micro-processor groups can benefit from MNP home fortification once collaboration is agreed on.

• To avoid duplication and inefficient use of resources, MARKETS II has taken the lead in fostering collaboration among the major development actors in the Niger State value chain. Project staff attended an informal coalition meeting along with IFAD, CARI and JICA in Niger state to coordinate rice field activities. In a prior meeting, each partner presented a matrix of their rice activities. Main areas of overlap identified were capacity building, demonstration of technologies, and operational location, while gaps included information sharing, rural infrastructures, and grades and standards. A follow up meeting was recommended to review partners’ training materials to ensure correct modules are passed on to farmers as well as to harmonize demonstration plots to ensure that best agronomic practices are demonstrated and recommended.

• As part of the project’s collaboration with development projects and its continuing relationship with private sector partners, MARKETS II brought together the Catholic Relief Services-SMILE (Sustainable Mechanisms for Improving Livelihoods and Household Empowerment) project and GCL. GCL buys soybeans from MARKETS II farmers to produce fish feed. In the past, GCL worked with previous MARKETS projects to produce a highly nutritious low-cost soy-based meal, Grand Vita, which was provided to malnourished children in the President’s Emergency Program for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) orphan and vulnerable children program. MARKETS projects then assisted GCL to carry out a market assessment for the product which resulted in the improved flavors and different varieties (vanilla and strawberry) currently available for the average consumer.


GCL would like to expand its sales and SMILES indicated its interest in these types of products; a meeting was held in the MARKETS II office in early July. More discussions will be done between SMILE and GCL to conclude on the quantity and packaging of the meal for the beneficiaries.

• To ensure a common understanding of the objectives of program activities, the role of each partner towards the successful implementation of the activities, and to assist in the development of the MARKETS II 2014-2015 work plan, the three MARKETS II regional offices organized pre-implementation meetings for all partners and stakeholders for each of the commodities. At each location, the MARKETS II team gave a detailed explanation of the objectives, methodology and approach of the project, as well as the roles of each of the partners and the need to work together as a team to ensure success. This was followed by a break out session according to commodities where each value chain advisor highlighted the activities for the season and all issues concerning implementation addressed. In attendance were ADP staff, representatives of the end-buyers for the various commodities, staff of service providers, representatives of agro-inputs companies, research institutes and other stakeholders.

• Upon the request of USAID NEXTT project, a meeting was held with Eduardo Tugendhat, Chairman and CEO of CARANA CORPORATION, and Mr. Remi Osijo of RBS Consulting Limited (their local partner on the NEXTT project) at Akure. MARKETS II activities in cocoa were shared with them, while they also informed MARKETS II of their mission to scope and prepare grounds for the proposed involvement in cocoa by the NEXTT project. They are interested in working with large- scale cocoa farmers or organizations that can aggregate many small holder farms together in collaboration with end-buyers, and have held talks with major end-buyers to gauge their buy-ins. When the plan becomes operational, they will reach out to MARKETS II for any such large-scale farmers in the project’s database. The constraints involved in having such large-scale farmers were explained to them, as most of the cocoa farmers in Nigeria are small-holders and there is limited availability of new land for cocoa cultivation, but they seemed convinced on their proposed approach. MARKETS II will maintain contact with the NEXTT cocoa activity and continue to provide support and suggestions where and when appropriate.

• A meeting was held with USAID, PIND and SACE Project in August 2014 to discuss the approach/strategy of collaboration on BMOs in the Niger Delta by MARKETS II and SACE projects and PIND. The meeting resulted in SACE agreeing to write a concept paper on how the two projects can work together with the two identified BMOs based on each project’s area of competence. This will then be shared with MARKETS II, PIND and USAID for necessary reviews.

• To strengthen the partnership between MARKETS II and the IFAD-FGN-NDDC funded CBNRMP-ND, MARKETS II collaborated with the project and FADAMA III to organize entrepreneurship trainings for 300 participants in the nine states of the Niger Delta, using the NAEC developed by MARKETS II.

• Between September 22 and 26, the IFAD country office organized an orientation program for their state staff for the implementation of the Value Chain Development Program which has just commenced in Benue, Niger, Ogun, Anambra, Taraba and Ebonyi states. The project, which focuses on cassava and rice, is similar to the MARKETS II program. MARKETS II made a presentation on “MARKETS II Implementation Experiences” to enable the new staff of the project to learn best practices. The presentation included value added along the rice and cassava value chains as well as challenges and opportunities. Another presentation was made by the business development support department on ‘Working with Private Sector Service Providers: MARKETS II Experience”.


• MARKETS II was invited to and participated in “Rice Sector Development Hub Stakeholders” meeting organized by AfricaRice and NCRI. The two organizations are collaborating to create two rice hubs for massive production and processing of rice in Kano and Benue/Nasarawa states. They invited stakeholders who work in the rice value chain in those states to explore opportunities for collaboration, particularly to upscale available technologies for massive production of rice. The leaders of the teams are expected to communicate with the respective institutions indicated in the action plans, including MARKETS II, to share their proposed activities.

5. MANAGEMENT AND ADMINISTRATIVE ISSUES

MARKETS II made changes to improve its administrative and communications units and field activities.

• In May, the project did not renew the contracts of four support staff, two of whom were from the Finance and Accounting (F&A) team, one from subcontracts and grants, and one from logistics. While this slowed the project’s accounting functions, other F&A team members stepped up and took on additional responsibilities and the project has covered all of its obligations. MARKETS II hired replacement staff during this past quarter.

• The expatriate Financial Manager/Director of Operations resigned. A home office Project Management Unit Associate temporarily assumed the position, and a permanent replacement took over at the end of the quarter.

• Two value chain advisors for the north and middle belt regional offices were hired, and a small business finance specialist was recruited for the Niger Delta Wari office.

• The project’s technical writer resigned. A replacement was hired as Communications Manager and the new Financial Manager/Director of Operations was given communications responsibilities.

• The project continued to assess the security situation in its targeted states, potential effects on project activities, and made adjustments to field activities.

6. LESSONS LEARNED

• Work Planning: the development of the project’s 2014-2015 work plan was more effective and efficient this time. The project had incorporated a midpoint review based on its value chains in March 2014, and replaced the project-wide technical meetings and large stakeholder meetings with regional technical meetings initiated by a meeting with the regional stakeholders. MARKETS II will use this method to prepare for the 2015-2016 work plan.

• Internal Training: MARKETS II’s ability to directly and indirectly impact its target beneficiaries, during the life of the project and afterwards, depends greatly on the capabilities of its staff. Though the project hires strong professionals and provides guidance and oversight to new staff, there is a need to periodically give refresher training and orientation to ensure that all staff are working as effectively as possible. The project is profiting from the completion of the 2014-2015 work plan to organize a review of the new work plan and discuss areas of strength and areas needing improvement.

• Local subcontracting: MARKETS II’s competitive local subcontracting process takes considerable time and effort from the administrative and technical staffs. This will further increase with the larger number of local subcontracts to be issued for the 2014-2015 project year. In mid-2014 the project modified and standardized its Terms of Reference (TOR) and Request for Proposals (RFP) templates to make them easier and quicker to develop. It is now necessary to insert new information


in only a few areas (number of beneficiaries, LGAs, etc.), and the project was able to complete the TOR shortly after completing the 2014-2015 work plan.

7. PLANNED ACTIVITIES FOR NEXT QUARTER INCLUDING UPCOMING EVENTS

Program Area 1: Producers’ Capacity Development and Organizations Strengthened

Aquaculture

• In-season training for aquaculture lead farmers in Kano, Jigawa and Sokoto states • Organize in-season wet field days for aquaculture farmers in Oyo, Ondo and Kwara states

Cassava

• Conduct post-harvest training • Train cassava farmers on stem multiplication techniques • Monitor buyback of roots by partners • Organize in-season green field days for cassava farmers in Oyo and Ondo states

Cocoa

• Training of youth on crop protection products (CPP) and spraying services for cocoa farmers in MARKETS II states

• Organize harvest/post-harvest ToTs for cocoa lead farmers in Oyo, Ondo and Cross River states, and monitor the step-down training to other farmers under the scheme

• Track buyback of beans by processors • Train beekeepers on pollination services on cocoa

Rice

• Conduct GMP training for processors in the North • Organize rice in-season and post-harvest trainings for lead farmers in Taraba, Kano, Jigawa Kwara,

Anambra, Enugu, Ebonyi, Cross River, Nasarawa and Kwara states • Train farmers in Jigawa and Kebbi states on group dynamics and leadership skills • Update and verify MARKETS II networked farmers’ records in Kano, Kebbi, Niger, Jigawa and

Sokoto states and prepare them for 2014/2015 dry season GES • Step-down training and supervision on the UDP/rice PoP for targeted rice farmers across Kano,

Kebbi, Niger, Jigawa and Sokoto states at the input redemption center during the 2014/2015 dry season GES

• Identify rice Technology Transfer Centers (TTCs) and networking of new rice farmers in Niger and Kano states for the 2014/2015 dry season farming

• Conduct trainings during dry season GES • Monitor buyback by rice mills

White Sorghum

• Conduct post-harvest ToT in Kano and Kaduna states • Monitor buyback of grains by partners • Introduce new partner, AFEX holdings to farmers • Harvest and determine yield for hybrid sorghums CSR-03 H and 04H • Assess the performance of USG on sorghum

Maize


• Post-harvest training for farmers in Kaduna and Oyo states • Organize brown field days for maize farmers in Oyo state • Start dry season maize activity in Kano and Kaduna • Monitor buyback of grains by processors • Assess the performance of USG on maize

Soybean

• Conduct post-harvest ToT in Kaduna, Benue and Niger states • Train beekeepers in pollination services on soybean • Track buyback by processors • Assess the performance of new soybean varieties (TGX-1904-6F,TGX-1835-10E, TGX-1987-62F

and TGX-1951-3F)

Business Development Services and Capacity Building

• Conduct group dynamics and leadership training for various groups in Kebbi, Jigawa, Kwara, Enugu, Ebonyi and Anambra

• ToTs on NAEC for agro dealers • Pilot of MARKETS II EAs advancement (coaching) program • Conclude second phase of OCA of service providers • Commence implementation of targeted capacity building for selected association

PIND and Niger Delta

• In collaboration with PIND, continue with the supervision of the scale up of demo pond trials in Delta state, including the holding of NAEC training for the fish farmers

• Conclude technical assessment of hatchery houses in the Niger Delta for infrastructure upgrading • Organize in-season green field days for cassava farmers under the out-growers schemes in Ondo

and Edo states • Facilitate access of cassava farmers to the necessary agro-inputs • Collaborate with the agricultural finance unit to facilitate access to loans for fish farmers/market

actors in the aquaculture value chain, and cassava farmers • Participate in the planning and organizing of the 2014 NDDF to be held in Calabar

Program Area 2: Access to Agricultural Inputs Increased

• GES stakeholders meeting on the inclusion of USG into the dry season GES • Facilitation of input supplies to MARKETS II farmers in project areas of intervention • Continue training of identified rice farmers on UDP and PoP in Niger and Kano states during the

wet season GES • Monitoring of farmers’ UDP adoption in MARKETS II states • Demonstrate the new rice varieties performance among rice farmers to increase seed choices • Identify local fabricators of USG briquetting machines

Program Area 3: Technology Generation and Deployment Expanded

• Meet with input suppliers (Notore Chemical Industries, Kaffo Mines and Inter Product Industries) to discuss supply of USG to rice farmers

• Facilitation of farmers input demand aggregation especially USG


• Identify rice TTCs and networking of new rice farmers in Niger and Kano states for the 2014/2015 dry season farming

• Step-down training and supervision on the UDP/rice PoP for targeted rice farmers across Kano, Kebbi, Niger, Jigawa and Sokoto states at the input redemption center during the 2014/2015 dry season GES

Program Area 4: Water and Soil Management Strengthened

• Continue to emphasize best practices in soil conservation using its PoP, especially the section on “knowing your soil”; site selection and explanations on best soil types for specific crops; management of crops in different topographies; types of land preparation including minimum or zero-tillage; management of poor-gradient soils with the use of terracing to prevent leaching, etc.

• Encourage use of organic matter in all crops, and panicle harvesting in rice and soybean to leave plant residues to decompose and be ploughed back into the soil

• Recommend crop rotation to farmers in long term crops, like cassava and cocoa, to discourage degradation of soils. Intercropping will be encouraged so that the exposed part of the soil is covered and the farmer potentially earns more income.

• Recommend climate-friendly packages like USG to reduce emissions and pollution, and the “planting” of fertilizers for the same. Cocoa-specific fertilizer will be recommended, once it is available, as was done with cassava.

• Train farmers on irrigation scheduling to check excess water application and continue demonstrating the motorcycle-driven irrigation pump, an energy-saving device. The adoption of these technologies will positively impact the environment.

• Use drip irrigation demonstrations in resilient states to benefit more groups

Program Area 5: Access to Finance Increased

• Continue facilitation of access to finance for farmers • Follow-up on the outcome of the assessment of fish farmers in Oyo and Kwara states with

management of these associations and LARDI • Collect quarterly performance data from LAPO MFB, DEC, Women Development MFB and other

financial institution partners for input into the quarterly report • Conduct credit needs assessment for newly networked and prospective loan beneficiaries across the

commodities in all regions in order to give recommendations to the project’s financial institution partners for consideration

• Follow-up on mobile money activities with LAPO and eTranzact • Engage the successful candidate to fill the position of small business finance specialist in the Niger

Delta and give an orientation • Follow-up with BoA on the renewal of the implementation agreement, access to credit for farmers

and other MARKETS II partners. Also keep tabs on the development of the bank as it relates to the planned partial privatization.

• Facilitate a stakeholders meeting in the north similar to the one conducted in the Niger Delta with LAPO. This is between DEC and rice farmers in the north to establish business relationship for DEC to make loan accessible to the farmers after their assessment.

• Organize NAEC training for DEC staff and the selected farmer group leaders in the north in preparation to the take up of the planned collaboration


• Organize training for LAPO/LARDI staff on product development, loan application, processing and disbursement and follow up. Also on risk management as it affects agricultural lending

• Follow-up with DEC and ensure that due diligence of farmers groups and development of MoUs to establish relationships between the groups and DEC

• Conduct assessment of women processors who will be linked to Women Development MFB for access to credit

• Follow-up and finalize MoUs with 37 MFBs established by Kano state government to select which of the banks are in locations where MARKETS II networked farmers are located

• Develop and finalize MoU with IFAD-RUFIN stipulating partnership responsibilities between the two projects

• Participate in Sterling Bank’s due diligence visit to the Labana rice mill, as a part of their process in granting Labana a working capital loan

• Meet with all commercial bank partners for linkage on access to credit for farmer groups and or processors. Similarly, meet with Novus Agro Management on how to move forward with sharing market price information with the networked farmers.

Program Area 6: Grants and Subcontracts Fund

• Procure and deliver the remaining grant equipment (power tiller/reaper and multi-crop thresher) for Zamare Women Fadama Farmers’ Cooperative Association

• Continue to review concept papers received in response to APS Nos. 2 and 3, to ascertain those eligible for technical review

• Finalize IITA budget and possibly execute the grant agreement upon receiving USAID/Nigeria approval

• Continue to share the grants concept paper templates for APS No. 3 to interested processors, local fabricators and agriculture related companies/institutions

• Release APS No. 4 for the south-west region • Complete negotiations and fully execute the remaining RFQs • Release call for expressions of interest to potential subcontractors before the new 2014/2015

cropping season begins • Review and release RFPs for the new 2014/2015 cropping season • Receive approvals/comments from M&E and technical team on outstanding deliverables, and

process approved deliverables for payment • Notify subcontractors of their payment status and request for their receipts • Follow-up with accounts on status of approved invoices, collect withholding tax credit notes and

forward same to the subcontractors • Regularly update GSF trackers and database, and download/save all GSF related

emails/correspondences/documents • Finalize negotiation and hire a new GSF Officer for the unit

Cross-Cutting Issues

Gender Equality and Female Empowerment

• Conduct MEF and nutrition training of women micro-processors of rice in Benue and Ebonyi states • Conduct MEF training for Federal Institute of Industrial Research (FIIRO) trained women fish

processors in Lagos as part of the implementation agreement with FIIRO


• Conduct homestead farming and nutrition training for women in Kebbi and Jigawa states • Conduct MEF and nutrition training for women cassava processors in Kogi and FCT • Train women on beekeeping for pollination services in Kaduna, Benue, Cross River, Niger and

Ondo states • Organize ToTs workshop on nutrition enhancement for EAs and MEF consultants

Sustainability Mechanisms

• Conduct group dynamics and leadership training for various groups in Kebbi, Jigawa, Kwara, Enugu, Ebonyi and Anambra, to ensure that they are strong enough to handle their activities without the project’s help after exiting

• Conduct ToTs on NAEC for agro dealers • Pilot MARKETS II EA advancement (coaching) program which will enable EAs to master the

project’s programs to continue with the trainings after the project exits • Conclude second phase of OCA of service providers • Commence implementation of targeted capacity building for selected association to strengthen them • Continue training women and youth groups on MEF and nutrition in various states

Environmental Compliance

• Train farmers on handling of agro-chemicals in various states • Train youths on CPP and spraying services to cocoa farmers in MARKETS II states

Youth Development

• Train youth on beekeeping for pollination services in Kaduna, Benue, Cross River, Niger and Ondo states

• Conduct MEF and nutrition training for youth cassava processors in Kogi and FCT • MEF training for youth contract sprayers in Niger state • Train Kano youth fish farmers using NAEC curriculum

Policy and Governance Support

• Continue to drive discussions with IFAD, CARI and other partners on collaboration in the field, stretching to other states

• Undertake collaborations with FADAMA III • Attend weekly GES meetings • Attend ATA meetings and undertake joint field visit with ATA as need arises • Follow-up with FMARD on developments of PACs

Local Capacity Development

• Conduct OCA for selected service providers • Initiate targeted capacity building for selected association • Conduct ToTs on NAEC for agro dealers • Pilot of MARKETS II EAs advancement (coaching) program

Public Private Partnership (PPP) and Global Development Alliance (GDA) Impacts

• Work with communications manager on the half-yearly brochure • Continue to hold state/commodity stakeholder meetings


• Discuss, amend/develop and sign implementation agreements with existing and new partners for 2014-2015 activities, as necessary

• Follow-up with FMARD on UDP technology take-off • Continue state-commodity stakeholder meetings

8. WHAT DOES USAID NOT KNOW THAT IT NEEDS TO There are significant leveraging opportunities the project has taken on, with development partners and through MARKETS II own activities, to increase the project’s and partner’s impacts in the rural sector. For example:

• MARKETS II NAEC training packages have been tested and modified over the life of the MARKETS projects. NAEC is well respected and judged effective by beneficiaries and development agencies and projects. MARKETS II has entered into agreements with the World Bank’s FADAMA III project, the Kano Technical Fisheries Institute, IFAD’s CBNRMP, Rural Finance Institution Building Programme, and LAPO MFB to provide training to their staff, incorporate NAEC within their training curriculum, and to include their beneficiaries in MARKETS II NAEC training on a cost-shared basis.

• With hundreds of thousands of queuing smallholder farmers, GoN’s GES program’s redemption centers are proving to be a useful platform to present quick but essential orientation and training. The coming dry season GES redemption exercise will be MARKETS II’s third, and largest, quick training activity. The project, working through its trained state EDPs, will provide valuable information to farmers on how best to use their redeemed rice paddy production inputs. The project will also take advantage of the large numbers of waiting dry season farmers to provide demonstrations of the cost efficient motorcycle powered irrigation pump.

• MARKETS II looks at gender and youth issues to determine areas within the targeted value chains that might be more favorable to women and youth. Using this wide lens allows the project to promote value chain opportunities in farm service related and rural economic activities. For example, pesticide spraying contractors; land and nursery preparation, UDP “planting”, and irrigation micro-businesses; pollination services (and honey production); small-scale motorized threshing; and micro-finance of micro and small-scale processing (with the possibility of service urea briquetting) and trading; and micro-enterprises based on nutritious home-grown products.

• With the view that nutrition and food security are gender neutral, and that men have significant influence on household money decisions, MARKETS II added a nutrition module to its value chain PoP curriculums. In addition to agricultural production methods, the thousands of networked male and female farmers now receive orientation and training on how to improve family nutrition, complementary foods, and the role of proper nutrition in good health.

The bureaucracy of the GoN and the coming elections may impact negatively on the timing of the dry season GES. Though all approvals have been given, funds have not been released yet. This makes planning difficult and may delay start dates. MARKETS II continues to meet with FMARD urging rapid completion of the funding process. Local subcontractors are an essential ingredient in the project’s short and long-term assistance strategies, and integrity and trust are crucial. Those engaged through the project’s competitive RFP progress undergo, prior to contract, initial vetting, and are then monitored and supervised throughout


the contract period of usually one agricultural season. The vetting of one of the project’s local subcontractors (Farming World) did not uncover any significant issues, however during the year the project uncovered non-ethical practices and terminated their contracts early. MARKETS II was able to continue project support to the affected farmer groups. MARKETS II is cognizant of its limited resources and reviews opportunities and project activities versus actual and potential results. Accordingly, the project has been appraising its activities in rice, cassava, and aquaculture in the FCT and maize in Oyo to decide if its resources could be better employed elsewhere in the project’s mix of states and value chains. FCT was initially selected as a target “state” based on its proximity to Abuja and relative ease to visit, and not because of any outstanding agricultural qualifications. Maize production support in Oyo was based on proximity to a major fish feed partner, Durante, however the potential for good maize production there is significantly less than in the project’s northern areas.

9. HOW IMPLEMENTING PARTNER HAS ADDRESSED A/COR COMMENTS FROM THE LAST QUARTERLY OR SEMI-ANNUAL REPORT

COR questions raised on the Quarter 2 and 3 reports were addressed together. Please see Appendix C (Response of September 24, 2014 “MARKETS II Response to Quarterly Report Questions” for more details). COR comments included:

• Questions on project sustainability—a comprehensive summary of the MARKETS II approach and

activities to address sustainability was provided. • There was also a request to include important custom indicators in the first table in the quarterly

reports as well as LOP performance—custom indicators and LOP performance are included in the current report, and will continue to be included in future reports.

• The deviation narratives for the project’s significant overshooting of indicator targets was not adequate—MARKETS II provided improved deviation narratives for quarters 2 and 3. Much improved deviation narratives were provided for this quarter 4 report. MARKETS II also reviewed several of its indicator targets based on project experience, and better survey taking and reporting from the project’s subcontractors.

• Questions were raised on what activities MARKETS II is undertaking in Program Area 4: Water and Soil Management Strengthened since its description was too brief—a summary was provided of project activities, and fuller explanations provided in this quarterly report. Fuller descriptions will continue to be included in future reports.

• A section on “What does USAID not know that it needs to” has been included in the current report asrequested.


ANNEX A: PROGRESS SUMMARY Achieved progress versus planned for the period disaggregated by gender, geographic area and other relevant factors (use table below). Table 1(a): PMP Indicator progress - USAID Standard Indicators and Project Custom Indicators

Indicator / Disaggregation Baseline Value

FY2012 FY2013 FY 2014 FY 2014 FY 2014 LOP

FY2015 Target FF2012

Actual FY2013 Actual

FY 2014 Target

FY 2014 Actual

Target FY2014Q4

Actual – FY2014Q4

Annual Performance

Achieved (%)

LOP Target Actual (April 2012-FY2014)

LOP Performance

Achieved (%)

First Level Objective 1: Inclusive Agricultural Sector Growth

Custom: Annual expenditures on purchase or upgrading of assets (US$) 277.0 420 346

Gendered Household Type 277.0 420

Adult Female no Adult Male (FNM) 155.2 Adult Male no Adult Female (MNF) 85.8 Male and Female Adults (M&F) 310.9 Child No Adults (CNA)

GNDR (2): Proportion of female participants in USG-assisted programs designed to increase access to productive economic resources (assets, credit, income or employment)

0 0.346 0.379 0.500 0.66 0.79 0.48 132.26 0.50 0.55 110.69 0.60

Numerator: the number of females from program participants 0 22,434 36,742 64,900 186,284 27,500 57,630 444,580 245,460

Denominator: the total number of male and female participants in the programs 0 64,819 96,985 129,800 281,700 35,000 119,161 889,160 443,504

GNDR (3): Proportion of females who report increased self-efficacy at the conclusion of USG supported training/programming

0 0.60 0.00 0.00 0.30

Numerator: the number of women whose scores have improved over time 0 138 0

Denominator: the total number of women who participated in the relevant training/programming.

0 230 0

GNDR (4): Proportion of target population reporting increased agreement with the concept that males and females should have equal access to social, economic, and political opportunities

0 0.50 0.000 0.000 0.30

Numerator: the number of persons in the target group whose scores on the equal opportunity survey have increased over time

0 245 0

Denominator: the total number of persons who participated in the relevant training/programming

0 490 0

Intermediate Result 1: Improved Agricultural productivity

4.5(16): Gross margin per unit of land, kilogram, or animal of selected product (crops/animals selected vary by country)

Cassava 371 811 0 0.00 0 0 0 0.00 895 0.00 0.00 535

Male 450



FY2012 FY2013 FY 2014 FY 2014 FY 2014 LOP



FY 2014 Target

FY 2014 Actual

Target FY2014Q4

Actual – FY2014Q4

Annual Performance

Achieved (%)


LOP Performance

Achieved (%)

Female 217

Hectares planted 2,666 1,752 Male 2,082 1,354 Female 584 398

Total Production (MT) 29,758 42,546 Male 23,046 33,119 Female 6,711 9,427

Value of Sales (USD) 1,260,095 2,745,918 Male 769,196 2,161,123 Female 490,899 584,795

Quantity of Sales (MT) 9,860 38,513 Male 6,019 29,807 Female 3,841 8,706

Purchased input costs (USD) 270,185 1,612,052 Male 218,775 1,251,479 Female 51,410 360,573

Cocoa 407 0 435 410.05 410.05 94.3 530 410 77.36 467

Male 422 389.31 389.31

Female 250 466.28 466.28

Hectares planted 699 29,438 29,438 Male 661 21,449 21,449 Female 38 7,989 7,989

Total Production (MT) 279 17,117 17,117 Male 266 12,547 12,547 Female 13 4,570 4,570

Value of Sales (USD) 386,897 34,802,308 34,802,308 Male 371,025 25,377,135 25,377,135 Female 15,872 9,425,174 9,425,174

Quantity of Sales (MT) 202 16,714 16,714 Male 194 12,308 12,308 Female 8 4,407 4,407

Purchased input costs (USD) 102,541 23,570,161 23,570,161 Male 100,767 17,521,371 17,521,371 Female 1,774 6,048,791 6,048,791

Fish (Aquaculture) 20,977.52 563,762 0 24,125 26,013.57 26,013.57 107.8 35,000 26,014 74.32 28,950

Male 22,261.38 27,873.37 27,873.37

Female 19,905.61 20,896.61 20,896.61



FY2012 FY2013 FY 2014 FY 2014 FY 2014 LOP



FY 2014 Target

FY 2014 Actual

Target FY2014Q4

Actual – FY2014Q4

Annual Performance

Achieved (%)


LOP Performance

Achieved (%)

Hectares utilized 54 766 766 Male 26 562 562 Female 28 203 203


Value of Sales (USD) 1,173,423 34,971,169 34,971,169 Male 591,176 26,675,440 26,675,440 Female 582,248 8,295,728 8,295,728


Purchased input costs (USD) 32,247 15,863,765 15,863,765 Male 10,804 11,662,798.93 11,662,798.93 Female 21,443 4,200,965.96 4,200,965.96

Maize 260 904 1,199 650 630.61 630.61 97.0 1,300 1,199 92.23 850

Male 280 623.35 623.35

Female 213 645.63 645.63

Hectares planted 4,160 6,587 15,065 21,151 21,151 Male 3,050 5,159 11,413 14,262 14,262 Female 1,110 1,428 3,652 6,890 6,890

Total Production (MT) 4,981 31,936 76,212 63,036 63,036 Male 3,700 25,000 57,293 42,642 42,642 Female 1,280 6,936 18,919 20,394 20,394

Value of Sales (USD) 1,444,920 9,324,076 26,540,311 9,441,786 9,441,786 Male 1,050,877 7,255,897 19,951,791 6,581,555 6,581,555 Female 394,042 2,068,179 6,588,520 2,860,232 2,860,232

Quantity of Sales (MT) 4,111 28,881 67,945 27,467 27,467 Male 2,990 22,500 51,231 19,146 19,146 Female 1,121 6,381 16,713 8,321 8,321

Purchased input costs (USD) 365,052 4,353,229 8,477,358 8,330,373 8,330,373 Male 287,985 3,456,588 5,536,937 5,768,291 5,768,291 Female 77,067 896,641 2,940,420 2,562,082 2,562,082

Rice - Irrigated 673 878 989 1,432 1,431.86 144.8 1610 1431.86 88.94 1450

Male 674 1,575 1,575.21

Female 695 1,233 1,232.93

Hectares planted 932 2,946 5,264 5,264



FY2012 FY2013 FY 2014 FY 2014 FY 2014 LOP



FY 2014 Target

FY 2014 Actual

Target FY2014Q4

Actual – FY2014Q4

Annual Performance

Achieved (%)


LOP Performance

Achieved (%)

Male 719 1,266 3,057 3,057 Female 213 1,680 2,207 2,207

Total Production (MT) 2,403 10,022 33,778 33,778 Male 1,876 5,373 21,486 21,486 Female 528 4,649 12,292 12,292

Value of Sales (USD) 794,360 4,225,717 14,108,814 14,108,814 Male 617,428 1,872,206 9,078,866 9,078,866 Female 176,932 2,353,510 5,029,947 5,029,947

Quantity of Sales (MT) 2,220 7,577 32,519 32,519 Male 1,725 4,062 20,842 20,842 Female 494 3,515 11,677 11,677

Purchased input costs (USD) 166,839 1,988,647 7,117,121 7,117,121 Male 139,155 721,982 4,543,331 4,543,330.87 Female 27,684 1,266,665 2,573,790 2,573,789.66

Rice – Rain-fed 673 1,422 1,076 860 1,290.79 1,290.79 150.1 1,450 1,422 98.07 1,300

Male 674 1,460.86 1,268.36 1,232.07 1,232.07

Female 695 1,232.03 1,033.01 1,405.70 1,405.70

Hectares planted 932 17,299 40,555 66,570 66,570 Male 719 14,235 27,669 44,002 44,002 Female 213 3,064 12,886 22,568 22,568

Total Production (MT) 2,403 82,765 161,173 348,803 348,803 Male 1,876 68,091 111,657 222,651 222,651 Female 528 14,674 49,516 126,153 126,153

Value of Sales (USD) 794,360 34,745,360 64,218,487 117,034,685 117,034,685 Male 617,428 29,524,828 44,696,685 74,502,006 74,502,006 Female 176,932 5,220,533 19,521,802 42,532,679 42,532,679

Quantity of Sales (MT) 2,220 75,703 150,047 299,045 299,045 Male 1,725 62,643 104,659 191,849 191,849 Female 494 13,060 45,388 107,196 107,196

Purchased input costs (USD) 166,839 13,387,404 20,576,216 50,580,754 50,580,754 Male 139,155 11,296,672 12,590,478 32,249,824 32,249,824 Female 27,684 2,090,733 7,985,738 18,330,930 18,330,930

Sesame 1,195 423

Hectares planted 4,399 8,915 Male 3,461 6,157 Female 938 2,758

Total Production (MT) 5,949 5,911



FY2012 FY2013 FY 2014 FY 2014 FY 2014 LOP



FY 2014 Target

FY 2014 Actual

Target FY2014Q4

Actual – FY2014Q4

Annual Performance

Achieved (%)


LOP Performance

Achieved (%)

Male 4,637 4,064 Female 1,312 1,848

Value of Sales (USD) 6,276,910 5,982,773 Male 4,904,391 4,120,744 Female 1,372,519 1,862,029

Quantity of Sales (MT) 5,805 5,862 Male 4,545 4,034 Female 1,260 1,828

Purchased input costs (USD) 1,176,887 2,211,512 Male 924,889 1,543,672 Female 251,998 667,840

Soybean 253 375 406.92 406.92 108.5 430 407 94.63 410

Male 288 419.19 419.19

Female 161 372.17 372.17

Hectares planted 774 9,424 9,424 Male 585 6,964 6,964 Female 189 2,460 2,460


Value of Sales (USD) 259,491 7,187,968 7,187,968 Male 200,687 5,356,619 5,356,619 Female 58,804 1,831,349 1,831,349


Purchased input costs (USD) 63,825 3,700,786 3,700,786 Male 47,554 2,695,716 2,695,716 Female 16,270 1,005,070 1,005,070

Sorghum 178 338 401 275 382.01 382.01 138.9 420 401 95.48 400

Male 195 353.82 353.82

Female 143 415.34 415.34

Hectares planted 2,399 10,452 25,093 16,309 16,309 Male 1,787 9,061 16,182 8,837 8,837 Female 613 1,391 8,911 7,472 7,472

Total Production (MT) 2,602 21,960 58,312 35,146 35,146 Male 2,002 19,230 38,352 18,558 18,558



FY2012 FY2013 FY 2014 FY 2014 FY 2014 LOP



FY 2014 Target

FY 2014 Actual

Target FY2014Q4

Actual – FY2014Q4

Annual Performance

Achieved (%)


LOP Performance

Achieved (%)

Female 600 2,730 19,960 16,588 16,588 Value of Sales (USD) 626,620 7,389,434 18,877,165 11,607,706 11,607,706

Male 491,642 6,432,715 12,449,177 6,129,174 6,129,174 Female 134,978 956,719 6,427,988 5,478,532 5,478,532

Quantity of Sales (MT) 1,961 21,860 48,521 31,631 31,631 Male 1,539 18,932 32,224 16,702 16,702 Female 422 2,928 16,297 14,929 14,929

Purchased input costs (USD) 198,802 3,894,562 8,803,998 6,667,372 6,667,372 Male 160,793 3,448,664 6,136,711 3,683,442 3,683,442 Female 38,010 445,898 2,667,288 2,983,930 2,983,930

Custom: Increase in productivity (yields) of value chain commodities (Ton/ha)

Cassava 11.18 0.00 23.54 15.50

Male 11.07 Female 11.50

Cocoa 0.40 0.44 0.58 0.58 131.82 0.70 0.58 82.86 0.63

Male 0.40 0.59 0.59 Female 0.34 0.57 0.57

Fish (Aquaculture) 10.45 11.04 17.91 17.91 162.23 22.50 17.91 79.60 18.00

Male 9.63 18.07 18.07 Female 11.60 17.62 17.62

Maize 1.31 5.08 1.97 2.98 2.98 151.27 5.15 5.08 98.64 3.50

Male 1.36 2.99 2.99 Female 1.15 2.96 2.96

Rice – Rain-fed 2.58 4.00 3.23 5.32 5.32 164.71 5.60 5.32 95.00 5.40

Male 2.61 5.06 5.06 Female 2.48 5.59 5.59

Rice - Irrigated 2.58 4.00 3.90 6.42 6.42 164.62 6.70 6.42 95.82 6.50

Male 2.61 7.03 7.03 Female 2.48 5.57 5.57

Soybean 1.01 1.15 1.62 1.62 140.87 2.40 1.62 67.50 1.80

Male 1.08 1.65 1.65 Female 0.84 1.59 1.59

Sorghum 1.08 2.32 1.35 2.16 2.16 160.00 2.45 2.32 94.69 2.20

Male 1.12 2.10 2.10 Female 0.98 2.22 2.22

Sesame 0.66

Male



FY2012 FY2013 FY 2014 FY 2014 FY 2014 LOP



FY 2014 Target

FY 2014 Actual

Target FY2014Q4

Actual – FY2014Q4

Annual Performance

Achieved (%)


LOP Performance

Achieved (%)

Female Sub-Intermediate Result 1.1: Enhanced Human and Institutional Capacity Development for Increased Sustainable Agriculture Sector Productivity

Custom: Score, in percent, of combined key areas of organization capacity amongst USG direct and indirect local implementing partners

0.771 0.781 0 0.00 0.923 0.00 1

Numerator: the total number of points scored 543 550 650 0 550 Denominator: the total number of points

possible 704 704 704 0 704 4.5.2(5): Number of farmers and others who have applied improved technologies or management practices as a result of USG assistance

0 64,491 88,277 129,800 139,175 80,800 91,653 107.22 919,300 291,943 31.76 267,200

Technology type 0 88,277 129,800 139,175 80,800 91,653 0 919,300 291,943

Crop genetics 0 97,350 74,342 65,116 526,875 74,342

Cultural practices 97,350 98,492 87,070 517,125 98,492

Aquaculture management 2,996 2,880 2,880 30,684 2,880

Pest management 0 103,840 91,288 79,782 615,920 91,288

Disease management 0 103,840 88,556 79,782 615,920 88,556

Soil-related 0 116,820 100,497 89,411 632,250 100,497

Irrigation 0 5,000 10,022 0 98,550 10,022

Water management 2,996 2,880 2,880 30,684 2,880

Marketing and distribution 51,920 35,310 35,310 256,200 35,310

Post-harvest handling and storage 51,920 47,239 47,239 256,200 47,239

Value added processing 0 500 498 498 28,000 498

Type of individual 0 64,491 88,277 129,800 139,175 80,800 91,653 0 919,300 291,943

Producers 0 64,491 88,277 129,800 138,620 80,800 91,098 879,800 291,388

Micro-processors 498 498 24,000 498

Rural entrepreneurs 57 57 15,500 57

Traders 0 0 0 0

Duration 0 64,491 88,277 129,800 139,175 80,800 91,653 919,300 291,943

New 0 64,491 32,372 60,300 90,735 14,300 46,218 388,800 187,598 Continuing 55,905 69,500 48,440 66,500 45,435 530,500 104,345

Sex 0 64,491 88,277 129,800 139,175 80,800 91,653 919,300 291,943

Male 0 42,385 53,944 64,900 88,497 40,400 56,541 473,550 184,826 Female 0 22,106 34,333 64,900 50,678 40,400 35,112 445,750 107,117

Age 64,491 88,277 129,800 139,175 80,800 91,653 919,300 291,943

Youth 20,566 34,899 38,940 47,600 24,240 34,235 275,790 103,065 Adult 43,925 53,378 90,860 91,575 56,560 57,418 643,510 188,878



FY2012 FY2013 FY 2014 FY 2014 FY 2014 LOP



FY 2014 Target

FY 2014 Actual

Target FY2014Q4

Actual – FY2014Q4

Annual Performance

Achieved (%)


LOP Performance

Achieved (%)

4.5.2(7): Number of individuals who have received USG supported short-term agricultural sector productivity or food security training

0 64,819 97,589 131,850 132,451 84,130 87,423 100.46 889,160 294,859 33.16 261,200

Type of individual 0 64,819 97,589 131,850 132,451 84,130 87,423 889,160 294,859

Producers 0 64,819 96,188 129,800 130,894 83,900 87,093 879,800 291,901 People in government 443 1,000 926 100 271 4,520 1,369 People in private sector firms 711 800 573 0 46 3,320 1,284 People in civil society 247 250 58 130 13 1,520 305

Sex 0 64,819 97,589 131,850 132,451 84,130 87,423 889,160 294,859

Male 0 42,385 60,751 65,925 91,669 42,065 60,851 458,480 194,805 Female 0 22,434 36,838 65,925 40,782 42,065 26,572 430,680 100,054

Age 64,819 97,589 131,850 132,451 84,130 87,423 889,160 294,859

Youth 20,612 39,195 39,555 50,087 25,039 35,088 266,748 109,894 Adult 44,207 58,394 92,295 82,364 59,091 52,335 622,412 184,965

4.5.2(11): Number of food security private enterprises (for profit), producers organizations, water users associations, women's groups, trade and business associations, and community-based organizations (CBOs) receiving USG assistance

0 2,181 3,318 3,702 11,105 2,817 4,173 299.97 51,189 16,604 32.44 16,648

Type of organization 0 2,181 3,318 3,702 11,105 2,817 4,173 51,189 16,604

Private enterprises (for profit) 49 52 0 52 215 49 Producers organizations 0 2,181 3,269 3,600 4,903 2,765 4,173 32,187 10,353 Water users associations 0 0 0 Women's groups 0 0 0 Trade and business associations 50 6,202 0 18,787 6,202 Community-based organizations (CBOs) 0 0 Disaggregates Not Available 0 0

New/Continuing 0 2,181 3,318 3,702 11,105 2,817 4,173 51,189 16,604

New 0 2,181 2,487 831 9,213 155 2,490 12,061 13,881 Continuing 831 2,871 1,892 2,662 1,683 39,128 2,723

4.5.2(27) Number of members of producer organizations and community based organizations receiving USG assistance

0 64,819 84,914 129,800 136,182 109,800 110,844 104.92 848,986 285,915 33.68 227,386


Producer organization 0 64,819 84,914 129,800 135,262 109,800 110,844 848,986 284,995 Non-producer-organization CBO 920 0 0 920

Sex 64,819 84,914 129,800 136,182 109,800 110,844 848,986 285,915

Male 42,385 52,222 64,900 84,152 54,900 68,565 456,978 178,759



FY2012 FY2013 FY 2014 FY 2014 FY 2014 LOP



FY 2014 Target

FY 2014 Actual

Target FY2014Q4

Actual – FY2014Q4

Annual Performance

Achieved (%)


LOP Performance

Achieved (%)

Female 22,434 32,692 64,900 52,030 54,900 42,279 392,008 107,156 Age 0 64,819 84,914 129,800 136,182 109,800 110,844 848,986 285,915

Youth 19,446 33,054 38,940 44,269 32,940 37,636 253,718 96,769 Adult 45,373 51,860 90,860 91,913 76,860 73,208 595,268 189,146

4.5.2 (42) Number of private enterprises, producers organizations, water users associations, women’s groups, trade and business associations and community-based organizations (CBOs) that applied new technologies or management practices as a result of USG assistance

0 2,181 3,318 3,702 11,105 2,817 4,173 299.97 51,089 16,604 32.50 16,648

New/Continuing 0 2,181 3,318 3,702 11,105 2,817 4,173 51,189 16,604

New 0 2,181 2,487 831 9,213 237 2,490 12,061 13,881 Continuing 831 2,871 1,892 2,580 1,683 39,128 2,723


Private enterprises (for profit) 49 52 0 52 215 49 Producers organizations 0 2,181 3,269 3,600 4,903 2,765 4,173 32,187 10,353 Water users associations 0 0 0 0 Women's groups 0 0 0 0 Trade and business associations 50 6,202 0 18,787 6,202 Community-based organizations (CBOs) 0 0 0

Custom: Number of individuals who benefitted from USG assistance 0 395,396 2,767,186 2,200,000 2,358,335 1,130,950 1,087,737 107.20 12,000,000 5,520,917 46.01 2800000

Custom: Number of sites reporting proper waste disposal practices 0 0 0 40 43 33 37 107.50 160 43.00 26.88 50

Custom: Number of farmers trained on CPP safe use practices 0 0 1,623 15,000 16,224 100 57 108.16 222,680 17,847 8.01 87,280

Sex 0 1,623 15,000 16,224 100 57 222,680 17,847

Male 0 1,080 9,000 12,994 50 57 111,340 14,074 Female 0 543 6,000 3,230 50 0 111,340 3,773

Age 0 1,623 15,000 16,224 100 57 222,680 17,847

Youth 0 320 4,500 5,557 70 39 66,804 5,877 Adult 0 1,303 10,500 10,667 30 18 155,876 11,970

Custom: Number of farmers applying CPP safe use practices 0 0 0 7,500 11,744 60 57 156.59 167,640 11,744 7.01 65,460

Sex 0 0 0 7,500 11,744 60 57 167,640 11,744

Male 0 0 3,750 9,835 30 57 83,820 9,835 Female 0 0 3,750 1,909 30 0 83,820 1,909

Age 0 0 0 7,500 11,744 60 57 167,640 11,744

Youth 0 0 3,750 3,626 40 39 52,792 3,626 Adult 0 0 3,750 8,118 20 18 114,848 8,118



FY2012 FY2013 FY 2014 FY 2014 FY 2014 LOP



FY 2014 Target

FY 2014 Actual

Target FY2014Q4

Actual – FY2014Q4

Annual Performance

Achieved (%)


LOP Performance

Achieved (%)

Sub-Intermediate Result 1.2: Enhanced Technology Development, Dissemination, Management and Innovation

4.5.2(2): Number of hectares under improved technologies or management practices as a result of USG assistance

0 90,189 118,484 160,010 157,092 128,728 123,815 98.18 969,310 365,765 37.73 290,000

Technology type 0 90,189 118,484 160,010 157,092 128,728 123,815 969,310 365,765

Crop genetics 0 90,189 118,484 160,010 115,460 130,828 88,061 868,810 324,133 Other (Cultural practices) 0 160,010 114,208 114,208 629,500 114,208 Pest management 0 99,843 120,008 141,771 90,826 110,808 758,408 241,615 Disease management 0 0 120,008 123,114 109,726 110,808 758,408 123,114 Soil-related 0 94,133 128,008 139,927 98,826 108,295 803,868 234,060 Irrigation 0 3,582 10,282 13,638 0 0 97,250 17,220 Total w/one or more improved technology 0 90,189 118,484 160,010 157,092 128,728 123,815 969,310 365,765

New/Continuing 0 90,189 118,484 160,010 157,092 128,728 123,815 969,310 365,765

New 0 90,189 41,719 41,526 82,895 13,826 53,200 311,316 214,803 Continuing 76,765 118,484 74,197 114,902 70,615 657,994 150,962

Sex 0 90,189 118,484 160,010 157,092 128,728 123,815 969,310 365,765

Male 0 60,037 75,310 80,005 103,920 64,364 81,811 498,555 239,267 Female 0 30,152 43,174 80,005 53,171 64,364 42,004 470,755 126,497

Age 0 90,189 118,484 160,010 157,092 128,728 123,815 969,310 365,765

Youth 0 27,057 48,396 48,003 57,830 38,618 48,892 290,793 133,282 Adult 0 63,132 70,088 112,007 99,262 90,110 74,923 678,517 232,483

4.5.2(13): Number of rural households benefiting directly from USG interventions 0 65,808 158,555 160,010 333,744 29,010 163,790 208.58 1,412,024 558,107 39.53 393,200

New/Continuing 0 65,808 158,555 160,010 333,744 29,010 163,790 1,412,024 558,107

New 0 65,808 158,555 150,010 271,537 19,010 104,588 537,228 495,900 Continuing 0 10,000 62,207 10,000 59,202 874,796 62,207

Gendered Household Type 0 65,808 158,555 160,010 333,744 29,010 163,790 1,412,024 558,107

Adult Female No Adult Male (FNM) 3,135 8,965 7,264 4,933 19,364 Adult Male No Adult Female (MNF) 35,904 19,733 29,883 22,757 85,520 Male and Female Adults (M&F) 26,646 129,824 296,591 136,100 453,061 Child No Adults (CNA) 123 33 6 162 Disaggregates Not Available 160,010 0 29,010 1,412,024 0

4.5.2(39): Number of technologies or management practices in one of the following phases of development as a result of USG assistance

0 18 11 11 3 4 100.00 47 29 61.70 14

Phase of development 0 18 11 11 3 4 47 29

Phase 1: Under research 0 0 0 Phase 2: Under field testing 0 9 2 4 2 4 16 13 Phase 3: Made available for transfer 0 9 9 7 1 31 16



FY2012 FY2013 FY 2014 FY 2014 FY 2014 LOP



FY 2014 Target

FY 2014 Actual

Target FY2014Q4

Actual – FY2014Q4

Annual Performance

Achieved (%)


LOP Performance

Achieved (%)

Custom: Number of farmers exposed to ICT technology (e- banking, FVP through cellulant, SMS technology, mobile banking)

0 0 304,108 20,000 0 0 0 0.00 300,000 304,108 101.37 0

Sex 0 0 304,108 20,000 0 300,000 304,108

Male 0 182,466 10,000 0 0 150,000 182,466 Female 0 121,642 10,000 0 0 150,000 121,642

Age 0 0 304,108 20,000 0 0 0 300,000 304,108

Youth 0 91,232 6,000 0 0 90,000 91,232 Adult 0 212,876 14,000 0 0 210,000 212,876 Intermediate Result 2: Expanding Markets and Trade

4.5.2(23): Value of incremental sales (collected at farm-level) attributed to FTF implementation 63,368,786 51,340,400 115,000,000 103,498,071 103,498,071 90.00 631,319,412 218,207,258 34.56 106,085,523

Total Baseline sales 115,188,861 38,280,937 67,855,378 101,921,274 101,921,274 101,921,274 975,221,847 208,057,588 Total Reporting year sales 101,649,723 119,195,778 217,736,753 236,754,233 236,754,233 1,606,541,259 450,411,766 Total Volume of sales (MT) 245,310 178,667 280,001 266,000 456,630 456,630 3,621,637 915,298 Number of direct beneficiaries 95,378 34,543 67,824 106,751 105,645 105,591 714,350 208,012 Aquaculture 33,245,217 0 4,500,000 22,543,235 22,543,235 500.96 78,371,884 55,287,882

Baseline sales 12,928,504 7,922,808 12,928,504 12,928,504 12,928,504 132,409,285 20,851,312 Reporting year sales 41,168,025 0 17,428,504 34,971,169 34,971,169 210,781,169 76,139,194 Volume of sales (MT) 5,267 10,905 8,000 13,432 13,432 45,857 24,337 Number of direct beneficiaries 2,996 1,836 2,996 2,880 2,880 30,684 4,716

Cassava 91,432 0 0 0 35,052,956 91,432

Baseline sales 9,970,250 2,654,486 0 0 53,620,620 2,654,486 Reporting year sales 2,745,918 0 0 0 88,673,577 2,745,918 Volume of sales (MT) 79,762 38,513 0 0 698,062 38,513 Number of direct beneficiaries 5,634 1,500 0 0 30,300 1,500

Cocoa 0 0 10,000,000 13,521,883 13,521,883 135.22 37,185,931 13,521,883

Baseline sales 21,280,425 0 21,280,425 21,280,425 21,280,425 184,810,980 21,280,425 Reporting year sales 0 31,280,425 34,802,308 34,802,308 221,996,911 34,802,308 Volume of sales (MT) 11,350 18,000 16,714 16,714 88,567 16,714 Number of direct beneficiaries 10,133 10,000 10,133 10,133 89,000 10,133

Maize 6,712,103 20,885,911 20,000,000 9,552,010 9,552,010 47.76 101,572,729 38,985,197

Baseline sales 5,654,400 2,611,973 5,654,400 5,654,400 5,654,400 5,654,400 46,936,117 13,920,773 Reporting year sales 9,324,076 26,540,311 25,654,400 17,041,583 17,041,583 148,508,846 52,905,970 Volume of sales (MT) 14,880 25,881 67,945 70,000 54,965 54,965 471,116 148,791 Number of direct beneficiaries 10,824 5,000 10,824 14,000 14,337 14,337 93,024 30,161

Rice –rain-fed 15,928,456 14,546,833 50,500,000 44,325,172 44,325,172 87.77 174,568,410 97,838,320

Baseline sales 49,671,654 18,816,904 49,671,654 49,671,654 49,671,654 49,671,654 414,339,946 118,160,212



FY2012 FY2013 FY 2014 FY 2014 FY 2014 LOP



FY 2014 Target

FY 2014 Actual

Target FY2014Q4

Actual – FY2014Q4

Annual Performance

Achieved (%)


LOP Performance

Achieved (%)

Reporting year sales 34,745,360 64,218,487 100,171,654 117,034,685 117,034,685 588,908,356 215,998,532 Volume of sales (MT) 96,336 75,703 150,047 85,000 299,045 299,045 1,383,997 524,795 Number of direct beneficiaries 29,961 11,350 29,961 45,735 43,857 43,857 265,696 85,168

Rice – Irrigated 0 1,709,752 5,000,000 5,667,563 5,667,563 113.35 62,275,514 13,302,601

Baseline sales 2,515,965 0 2,515,965 2,515,965 2,515,965 2,515,965 40,611,275 5,031,930 Reporting year sales 4,225,717 7,515,965 14,108,814 14,108,814 102,886,789 18,334,531 Volume of sales (MT) 6,941 7,577 35,000 26,152 26,152 580,297 33,729 Number of direct beneficiaries 3,005 3,005 10,000 10,082 10,028 58,505 13,087

Soybean 0 0 10,000,000 4,033,663 4,033,663 40.34 31,952,603 4,033,663

Baseline sales 3,154,305 0 0 3,154,305 3,154,305 3,154,305 23,247,704 3,154,305 Reporting year sales 0 13,154,305 7,187,968 7,187,968 55,200,307 7,187,968 Volume of sales (MT) 9,623 14,691 14,691 170,986 14,691 Number of direct beneficiaries 8,791 8,500 8,791 8,791 64,500 8,791

Sorghum 2,730,417 11,406,792 15,815,479 3,854,545 3,854,545 24.37 45,739,385 19,028,893

Baseline sales 6,716,021 4,659,017 6,716,021 6,716,021 6,716,021 6,716,021 40,964,984 18,091,059 Reporting year sales 7,389,434 18,122,813 22,531,500 11,607,706 11,607,706 86,704,369 37,119,953 Volume of sales (MT) 17,614 21,860 48,521 50,000 31,631 31,631 182,753 102,012 Number of direct beneficiaries 15,120 10,489 15,120 15,520 15,565 15,565 82,640 41,174

Sesame 4,661,163 2,791,113 7,452,276

Baseline sales 3,297,338 1,615,747 3,297,338 4,913,085 Reporting year sales 6,276,910 6,088,451 12,365,361 Volume of sales (MT) 3,537 5,805 5,911 11,716 Number of direct beneficiaries 8,914 4,368 8,914 13,282

Custom: Value of incremental sales (processor and agro-input level) attributed to FTF implementation ($)

0 90,024,413 15,000,000 31,357,480 0 0 209.05 182,200,000 121,381,893 66.62 34,725,000

Processor/Small-scale processor level 0 0 5,000,000 30,470,605 0 0 66,750,000 30,470,605

Baseline sales 0 0 0 0 0

Reporting year sales 0 5000000 30,470,605 0 30,470,605

Volume of sales (MT) 0 62,242 0 62,242

Agro-input level 0 0 90,024,413 10,000,000 886,875 0 0 115,450,000 90,911,288

Baseline sales 41,876,611 0 0 0 41,876,611

Reporting year sales 131,901,024 10000000 886,875 0 132,787,899

Volume of sales (MT) 153 0

Sub-Intermediate Result 2.4: Improved Access to Business Development and Sound and Affordable Financial and Risk Management Services

4.5.2(29): Value of Agricultural and Rural Loans 0 4,745,495 14,335,875 15,000,000 99,025,570 4,250,000 6,422,871 660.17 156,500,000 118,106,940 75.47 55,000,000

Type of loan recipient 0 4,745,495 14,335,875 15,000,000 99,025,570 4,250,000 6,422,871 156,500,000 118,106,940



FY2012 FY2013 FY 2014 FY 2014 FY 2014 LOP



FY 2014 Target

FY 2014 Actual

Target FY2014Q4

Actual – FY2014Q4

Annual Performance

Achieved (%)


LOP Performance

Achieved (%)

Producers 4,745,495 14,335,875 10,000,000 3,008,308 4,250,000 152,000,000 22,089,678 Local traders/assemblers 5,000,000 42,711,339 0 6,422,871 0 42,711,339 Wholesalers/processors 0 53,305,923 0 4,500,000 53,305,923 Others 0 0 0

Sex of recipient 0 4,745,495 14,335,875 15,000,000 99,025,570 4,250,000 6,422,871 156,500,000 118,106,940

Male 39,288 3,547,106 3,000,000 14,409,651 250,000 128,457 20,100,000 17,996,044 Female 4,706,207 10,788,770 12,000,000 30,822,824 4,000,000 6,294,414 136,400,000 46,317,801 Joint 0 0 N/A 0 53,793,095 53,793,095

4.5.2(30): Number of MSMEs, including farmers, receiving USG assistance to access loans 0 30,268 49,072 50,000 149,036 7,500 31,240 298.07 520,000 228,376 43.92 175,000

Size 0 30,268 49,072 50,000 149,036 7,500 31,240 520,000 228,376

Micro 0 30,268 49,072 50,000 149,036 7,500 31,240 520,000 228,376 Small 0 0 0 0 Medium 0 0

Sex of owner/producer 0 30,268 49,072 50,000 149,036 7,500 31,240 520,000 228,376

Male 0 118 567 7,500 3,902 500 625 35,500 4,587 Female 0 30,150 48,505 42,500 145,134 7,000 30,615 484,500 223,789 Joint 0 0 N/A 0 0

Age 0 30,268 49,072 50,000 149,036 17,500 31,240 520,000 228,376

Youth 9,080 15,453 15,000 52,769 1,500 10,934 156,000 77,302 Adult 21,188 33,619 35,000 96,267 16,000 20,306 364,000 151,074

4.5.2(37): Number of MSMEs, including farmers, receiving business development services from USG assisted sources

0 64,819 158,555 160,000 281,700 35,000 119,161 176.06 1,412,024 505,074 35.77 393,200

Size 0 64,819 158,555 160,000 281,700 35,000 119,161 1,412,024 505,074

Micro 0 64,819 158,555 160,000 281,700 35,000 119,161 1,412,024 505,074 Small 0 0 Medium 0 0

MSME Type 0 64,819 158,555 160,000 281,700 35,000 119,161 1,412,024 505,074

Agricultural producer 0 64,819 158,555 160,000 132,369 35,000 87,423 814,700 355,743 Input supplier 0 0 0 Trader 148,833 0 31,240 597,324 148,833 Output processor 498 498 498 Non-agriculture 0 0

Sex of owner/producer 0 64,819 158,555 160,000 281,700 35,000 119,161 1,412,024 505,074

Male 42,385 55,980 70,000 95,416 7,500 61,531 706,012 193,781



FY2012 FY2013 FY 2014 FY 2014 FY 2014 LOP



FY 2014 Target

FY 2014 Actual

Target FY2014Q4

Actual – FY2014Q4

Annual Performance

Achieved (%)


LOP Performance

Achieved (%)

Female 22,434 102,575 90,000 186,284 27,500 57,630 706,012 311,293 Joint 0 0

Age 0 64,819 158,555 160,000 281,700 35,000 119,161 1,412,024 505,074

Youth 19,446 57,945 48,000 101,325 10,500 46,300 423,607 178,716 Adult 45,373 100,610 112,000 180,375 24,500 72,861 988,417 326,358 Intermediate Result 3: Increased Investments in Agriculture and Nutrition-Related Activities

4.5.2(12): Number of public-private partnerships formed as a result of FTF assistance 0 14 69 48 44 28 21 91.67 232 127 54.74 50

Agricultural production 0 14 61 40 33 28 20 180 108 Agricultural post-harvest transformation 0 0 0 0 Nutrition 0 0 0 0 Multi-focus 0 0 0 0 Other (Financial) 0 0 8 8 11 0 1 52 19

4.5.2(38): Value of new private sector investment in the agriculture sector or food chain leveraged by FTF implementation

0 2,466,773 4,693,679 5,750,000 5,539,545 9,750 8,950 96.34 25,250,000 12,699,997 50.30 6,670,000

Sub-Intermediate Results 3.1: Increased Public Sector Investment

Custom: Public funds leveraged for agriculture and rural development ($) 0 4,481,353 55,218,574 7,500,000 7,211,030 600,000 608,047 96.15 33,000,000 66,910,957 202.76 8,000,000

Custom: Number of beneficiaries under the Grants and Subcontracts Fund 0 5 36 37 40 4 8 108.11 159 81 50.94 37

Custom: Amount of funds disbursed ($) 0 245,574 930,443 2,400,000 1,691,685 950,000 667,660 70.49 10,000,000 2,867,702 28.68 2,000,000

Intermediate Result 4: Increased Employment Opportunities in Project-level, targeted Value Chains

4.5(2): Number of jobs attributed to FTF implementation 0 0 373 380 1,333 50 44.79 350.79 7,970 1,706 21.41 30,000

Location 0 0 373 380 1,333 50 44.79 7,970 1,706

Urban 0 0 17 40 1 0 1.35 30 18 Rural 0 0 356 340 1,332 50 43.44 7,940 1,688

New/Continuing 0 373 380 1,333 50 44.79 7,970 1,706

New 0 0 373 380 1,333 50 44.79 7,970 1,706 Continuing 0 0 0 0 0

Sex of job-holder 0 373 380 1,333 50 44.79 7,970 1,706

Male 0 0 335 360 1,306 50 40.62 7,270 1,641 Female 0 0 38 20 27 0 4.17 700 65

Custom: Number of new jobs created in the value chain (includes jobs lasting less than 4 weeks)

0 768 22,214 25,000 31,579 390 3,401 126.32 150,000 54,561 36.37 50,000

Location 0 768 22,214 25,000 31,579 390 3,401 150,000 54,561

Urban 0 0 3,306 100 173 0 74 3,479 Rural 0 768 18,908 24,900 31,406 390 3,327 150,000 51,082



FY2012 FY2013 FY 2014 FY 2014 FY 2014 LOP



FY 2014 Target

FY 2014 Actual

Target FY2014Q4

Actual – FY2014Q4

Annual Performance

Achieved (%)


LOP Performance

Achieved (%)

New/Continuing 0 768 22,214 25,000 31,579 390 3,401 150,000 54,561

New 0 768 22,214 25,000 31,579 390 3,401 150,000 54,561 Continuing 0 0 0 0 0 0

Sex of job-holder 0 768 22,214 25,000 31,579 390 3,401 150,000 54,561

Male 0 575 14,571 18,400 21,937 300 2,625 95,000 37,083 Female 0 193 7,643 6,600 9,642 90 776 55,000 17,478

Intermediate Result 5: Increased Resilience of Vulnerable Communities and Households

4.5.2(14): Number of vulnerable households benefiting directly from USG assistance 0 8,837 8,965 10,015 10,756 6,000 4,950 107.40 62,345 28,558 45.81 12,515

New/Continuing 0 8,837 8,965 10,015 10,756 6,000 4,950 62,345 28,558

New 0 8,837 8,965 2,050 8,172 350 3,367 19,050 25,974 Continuing 0 7,965 2,584 5,650 1,583 43,295 2,584 Disaggregates Not Available 0 0

Gendered Household Type 0 8,837 8,965 10,015 10,756 6,000 4,950 62,345 28,558

Adult Female No Adult Male (FNM) 4,081 3,777 5,443 4,554 0 13,301 Adult Male No Adult Female (MNF) 0 696 461 23 0 1,157 Male and Female Adults (M&F) 4,735 4,404 4,852 373 0 13,991 Child No Adults (CNA) 21 88 0 0 109 Disaggregates Not Available 10,015 0 6,000 62,345 0

Custom: Level of household hunger in the hungry season (%) 44.4 40.0 43

Sex 44.4 40.0

Male 42.9 Female 48.5

Intermediate Result 6: Improved access to diverse and quality food.

FTF 3.1.9-1: Number of people trained in child health and nutrition through USG-supported programs (S)

0 0 0 0 0 0 0.00 8,000

Sex 0 0 0 0 0 0

Male 0 0 0 0 0 Female 0 0 0 0 0 0

Age 0 0 0 0 0 0

Youth 0 0 0 0 0 0 Adult 0 0 0 0

October 2014


ANNEX B: ENVIRONMENTAL MITIGATION AND MONITORING PLAN (EMMP) for FY2014 Quarter 4 Activity Title: Nigeria MARKETS II

Implementing Partner: Chemonics International

Activities in the SO 12 IEE that received a “Categorical Exclusion” are not included in the EMMP as they have no physical intervention or no direct effect on the environment. These activities include technical assistance, training and education, analyses, studies, workshops, institutional strengthening, communications, and information exchange activities.

Activity Mitigation Measure(s)

Monitoring Indictor(s) Monitoring and Reporting

Frequency Person(s)

Responsible Remarks

MARKETS II activities and interventions to assist partners with improved milling and processing technologies for selected commodities

Precautions are taken to prevent environmental damage through effluent disposal by conducting trainings and information dissemination on proper disposal of solid and liquid waste

Field activity reporting to assure best practices are followed and to permit adaptation of the program as needed.

Monitoring will be on a continuous basis and observations will be included in all trip reports submitted by MARKETS II staff. It will be reported on a quarterly basis to USAID COR

Regional office managers and value chain advisors

Continuous enlightenment on best production practices, while preparations are made for need assessment for rice millers in the North. As a result of this sensitization, LABANA rice mill is currently installing a 500,000 liter effluent treatment plant on its premises. This will make the mill reuse water several times and the discharged effluent will be used in irrigating its nearby 19ha seed farm.

MARKETS II activities and interventions that lead to the dissemination of improved crop and aquaculture technologies

Existing Nigerian laws, regulations and policies are ascertained and followed, and adequate field testing is conducted prior to dissemination. Precautions are taken to prevent dissemination of stress, disease or insect resistant varieties outside designated areas. Agricultural technologies for planting are not damaging to the environment and do not lead to soil erosion

Field activity reporting to assure that good practices are followed and to permit adaptation of the program as needed.


Agriculture production specialist and regional office managers for field monitoring..

Trainings on aqua cultural best practices were conducted in Kano, Jigawa, Sokoto, Kwara, Oyo and Ondo states.

New varieties of soybean, rice and sorghum are currently under field testing, while a granulated fertilizer applicator that would ensure efficient and fast deployment of fertilizer has been bought and will be tested next quarter.




Frequency Person(s)

Responsible Remarks

and/or degradation

MARKETS II activities and interventions with farmers and other partners to increase crop production

Monitor the impact of activities on land use to ensure that expansion of crop area does not lead to land degradation, destruction of forest or other adverse effects.

Field activity oversight to ensure that best practices are followed and to permit adaptation of the program as needed.


Regional office managers

In-season trainings were conducted on all commodities to further strengthen farmers’ capacity in improved crop production practices. Demo plots were used showing improved practices side by side with existing farmer practices. These served as practical learning platforms for all networked and non-networked farmers.

MARKETS II activities that include recommendations on the use of CPP

All recommendations on the use of crop protection chemicals shall be in compliance with the MARKETS II PERSUAP. The MARKETS II PERSUAP will be made available to all partners and service providers and where necessary training will be provided.

Subcontract budgets and work plans, and all training materials for dissemination, will be screened for PERSUAP compliance. Field days and pre-season training where recommendations on the use of CPPs will be given to farmers will be monitored for PERSUAP compliance.

Monitoring will be on a continuous basis and observations (including the names of the CCPs recommended) will be included in all trip reports submitted by MARKETS II staff. It will be reported on a quarterly basis to USAID COR

Regional office managers and agriculture production specialist.

Training on safe and proper use of agrochemicals continued in the cocoa value chain in Ondo and Oyo. Trainees were mostly youth who are expected to provide spray service to other farmers.

Safe use of agro-chemicals training also continued during in-season trainings with reiteration on PERSUAP-approved chemicals: use, handling and disposal.




Frequency Person(s)

Responsible Remarks

MARKETS II technical assistance and training in fertilizer management.

Shall be conducted in accordance with best practices including those employed by established partners.

MARKETS II will discourage overuse of fertilizers, encourage the use of composting as appropriate, and will emphasize the health hazards of unsafe use. Only fertilizers that are approved by the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Water Resources will be introduced and utilized.

Subcontract budgets and work plans, and all training materials for dissemination, will be screened for content on best practices.

Monitoring will be on a continuous basis and observations will be included in all trip reports submitted by MARKETS II staff. It will be reported on a quarterly basis to USAID COR.

Fertilizers specialists and agriculture production specialist.

The demo plots of maize and sorghum applied with USG are doing well. The results, if confirmed at harvest, will offer a more efficient use of fertilizer and less quantity per hectare.

Demo plots were established to try cassava-specific fertilizers.

The use of USG and deep placement in rice was emphasized and demonstrated at all in-season trainings.

MARKETS II Grants and Subcontracts Facility awards.

Grants and subcontracts awarded under the GSF mechanism will be screened against MARKETS II EMMP.

USAID/Africa Bureau’s Environmental Guidelines for Small Scale Activities in Africa (www.encapafrica.org/EGSSA/Agriculture.pdf) will be consulted for a detailed treatment of specific mitigation measures based on the activity.

Reports on grants and subcontract activities and on findings and mitigation requirements based on environmental screening process. Completion of an environmental screening form will be obligatory before grants or subcontracts are awarded.

Periodic reports submitted quarterly to USAID COR

GFS manager assisted by agriculture production specialist or other relevant MARKETS II staff.

Engagement continued with groups that got grants. Two others received watering pumps and multi-crop threshers. They will also get their training on environmental safety which will be reported next quarter.

http://www.encapafrica.org/EGSSA/Agriculture.pdf

http://www.encapafrica.org/EGSSA/Agriculture.pdf




Frequency Person(s)

Responsible Remarks

MARKETS II promotion of pro-poor water management technologies such as drip irrigation and treadle pumps that can be locally produced

USAID/Africa Bureau’s Environmental Guidelines for Small Scale Activities in Africa (www.encapafrica.org/EGSSA/mse_sectorbriefings.pdf) will be consulted for a detailed treatment of specific mitigation measures for hazardous and non-hazardous waste produced in the production process.



GSF manager assisted by irrigation specialist

New drip kits were ordered in preparation for the upcoming dry season to teach groups in resilient states simple drip technologies.

A needs assessment visit was undertaken to determine the groups that would be engaged in the drip irrigation technology next dry season.

MARKETS II will provide business development support to input and post-harvest businesses linked to irrigation and also identify and partner with existing and new processing, storage and transport businesses, including for refrigeration.

Based on USAID guidelines for food processing (www.encapafrica.org/EGSSAA/foodprocessing.pdf) with particular reference to solid and liquid waste disposal.



Grants and subcontracts manager assisted by irrigation specialist or other assigned MARKETS II staff

Grantees that got irrigation pumps are being prepared for training before the dry season; to be reported on next quarter.

MARKETS II support for introduction of irrigation and pump technology

Based on USAID guidelines for irrigation (www.encapafrica.org/EGSSSAA/agriculture.pdf) training will include “irrigation best practices”.

Under USAID Reg. 216,

irrigation, no matter

what the scale, is

considered to fall within

Environmental assessments will be conducted for each activity which will be reported to USAID as they are prepared.

Monitoring will be on a continuous basis and observations on the application of “irrigation best

GSF manager assisted by the irrigation specialist

Irrigation specialist and other assigned

The use of energy-efficient motorcycle-mounted irrigation pump was demonstrated at Lugu and other dry season rice areas of Sokoto state.

http://www.encapafrica.org/EGSSA/mse_sectorbriefings.pdf



http://www.encapafrica.org/EGSSAA/foodprocessing.pdf



http://www.encapafrica.org/EGSSSAA/agriculture.pdf

http://www.encapafrica.org/EGSSSAA/agriculture.pdf




Frequency Person(s)

Responsible Remarks

the “class of actions

normally having a

significant effect on the

environment”, (216.2[d])

And therefore requires a formal environmental assessment which the MARKETS II project will undertake.

Field level monitoring will be conducted by the irrigation specialist.

practices” will be included in all trip reports submitted by MARKETS II staff. It will be reported on a quarterly basis to USAID COR.

MARKETS II staff for field-level monitoring and reporting.


ANNEX C: CORRESPONDANCE WITH USAID ON Q2 FY2014 QUARTERLY REPORT Hi, Sorry for the delay in sending my comments on the Quarterly Report. I will try to be more timely in the future. First, thank you for the great job you guys are doing! The report provides a great overview of activities and progress. Just a couple of things: 1) Can you explain to me how MARKETS II works with service providers? Since MARKETS II contracts with them, how are we ensuring sustainability? What is the likelihood that the farmer groups will pay for extension services? MARKETS II Response: You raised interesting and very relevant questions; and we want to take this opportunity to briefly highlight the depth and breathe of the MARKETS II (MII) sustainability effort on the ground level, along with our response on your service provider question. Regarding the question of sustainability in general, there is recognition by MARKETS II of the real need to strengthen capacity of its stakeholders and partners at multiple levels – the farmer and farmer groups, small processors and input suppliers, and public and private sector institutions involved in agricultural services delivery (ADPs, extension officers, service providers etc.)—with the ultimate aim of long-term delivery of greater value to the small farmer and processor. While our strategy recognizes the need for local private sector institutions to build capacity, experience and track record in providing technical support services in the agricultural sector on an ongoing basis, the partnership and involvement of the ADPs (the enduring government institution and system for extension services delivery) is important in sustaining and expanding the overall gains of the project. MII engages sub-contractors through a competitive RFP proposal process to carry out field level interventions with farmers, identified groups and associations. Their work is defined by an agreed scope of work developed by MII after wide consultations with partners including end buyers (processors). The activities of the service providers are supervised by relevant MII technical staff to ensure that the PoP and technologies promoted by MII are appropriately deployed; and that farmers and partners, including processors, get the required results and benefits. With an eye on sustainability and extended impact, the service providers’ technical teams are required to work with the ADPs in the assisted states. The ADPs provide the Extension Officers who then work with the service providers as additional active ‘hands’ in the field with farmers. The ADPs and EAs are a critical element of our project implementation and capacity building. Smallholder farmers are not the only potential buyers of the service providers’ services. Though the current reality is that most smallholder producers are not yet willing or in a position to pay the cost of extension services, public or private, and the extension services itself is in dire need of capacitation to enable it to deliver services in an effective manner; our expectation is that subcontractors will continue to offer similar services beyond MII. Some of the subcontractors already provide these services to clients in addition to MII, and we are making efforts to engender more by creating the right linkages with other donor projects and value chain stakeholder off-takers. For instance, IFAD requested recommendations on which of our subcontractors that could support their projects; and guidance on how MII is managing our subcontractor systems. On the private sector side, all of our stakeholder off-takers are very much aware of the role that the local service provider plays in our technical efforts. The service providers are present and contribute in our off-taker planning, review, technical, and buy-back meetings. We foresee that a


significant number of our value chain off-taker partners will engage the service providers to continue some or all of their extension activities. In the coming 2014/15 project period we will create a forum to forge closer ties between service providers and potential users of their services, including large processors. In summary, we have developed a comprehensive packet of training and assistance that supports sustainability at various levels. This is shown below: For Service Providers Getting to subcontracts workshops. MARKETS II works with local implementing partners with the requisite capacity to deliver services as specified in periodically advertised Requests for Proposals (RFPs). Project service providers are selected through a rigorous competitive process. To improve the quality of proposals received and to increase the number of service providers, MARKETS II organizes one day ‘Getting to Subcontracts’ workshops at the beginning of the RFP process. The workshop is an opportunity for the MARKETS II team to explain the project, the requirements potential service providers have to meet in responding to MII RFPs, and to answer questions. Approximately 40 firms attended the last workshop. Annual roundtable with service providers. To improve the effectiveness of the MARKETS II program implementation, after selection and contracting of the new season subcontractors, a one day mixed roundtable is held, at the beginning of the new season, to review the ongoing program implementation, share experiences and lessons learnt, and to conduct a formal orientation for subcontractors for the coming year. The service providers are expected to hold similar orientation programs with their implementation teams at the field level. Organizational capacity assessments and institutional development for local service providers. An important MII component is our capacity assessment and institutional development of service providers to more effectively support Nigerian agricultural sector growth. The MII program improves the ability of our service providers to i) provide direct technical assistance and training to Nigerian agricultural value chain actors and ii) contract with donors and other organizations and businesses supporting the sector. We use a guided process of organizational self-evaluation involving participatory assessment and evidence based scoring along seven capacity domains. The result is a plan to systematically address identified gaps. The process is repeated periodically to gauge progress. In 2013 MARKETS II conducted OCAs for its initial five local subcontractors and reviewed the individual reports with the specific subcontractor. We then organized a series of workshops and trainings with the subcontractors to address specific gaps. Ten service providers are scheduled to go through the process this year, and similar exercises will be carried out annually. Capacity building and training for MII subcontractors. In line with our exit strategy of leaving behind a more robust commercially oriented service providers market that can service needs within the agricultural sector a two day training capacity building workshop, facilitated by select members of MARKETS II technical team, is annually organized for management and technical staff of our service providers. The training is aimed at improving the internal management and administrative systems of the subcontractors to meet both MARKETS II and USAID requirements.


Periodic performance evaluation of MII sub-contractors. In addition to critiquing and approving the service providers’ deliverables—including their beginning of season assistance work plan—and providing suggestions for improvements, MARKETS II conducts periodic formal performance evaluations of each subcontractor, measuring how well the subcontractor has implemented key aspects of the contract, quality and standards of technical assistance and deliverables, and to provide performance feedback. It ensures that only service providers, who have performed creditably, continue to be invited to participate in the competitive bidding process for subcontracts. The evaluation provides an objective and informed basis for scoring service providers’ performance track records during proposal reviews by the technical team. These activities plus our ad hoc feedback to subcontractors from monitoring and supervisory visits is designed to help, not only in terms of transparency or quality assurance, but also the general commitment of service providers to their assigned roles. Our one-on-one sessions and joint roundtables with service providers are good forums for providing this feedback. The roundtables also allow for experience sharing and learning between service providers. Increasing the pool of service providers and professionals with organizational capacity assessment and development skills particularly in the Niger Delta. A key aspect of the collaboration with PIND is to develop a pool of local experts capable of offering capacity assessment and development services to farmer groups, civil society organizations, including BMO and community based producer associations; and as a means we provide training in the use of OCA tools. An initial thirteen consultants/service providers were trained, and each bore the basic cost of participation; an attestation of their commitment. The training covered basic concepts of Organizational Development (OD) and the OD Cycle, various OCA tools and how they can be adapted. A field practicum enabled participants to apply the assessment tools by conducting actual capacity assessments for selected groups and associations in Delta State. Some trainees from this program are now providing support for small farmer associations and civil society organizations. An advanced training program for the service providers and professionals is planned with PIND with more OD professionals enlisted. For Public Extension Agents Given the understanding that ADPs play a central role in the system and are still the more widely available agricultural support service, considerable focus, effort, and resources has been put into empowering the ADPs and their staff through immersion in MARKETS activities and trainings to make them better able to support the needs of farmers, and producer organizations they work with. Training and capacity building for ADPs and EAs. Because the EAs are heavily involved in the technical training of lead farmers and farmer groups using our POPs, EAs actively participate in developing and in the periodic revision of the PoPs for all commodities under MARKETS II. The EAs also receive instruction on new training delivery, using the POPs, approaches for field level support to farmers, and receive training in monitoring and evaluation data collection. Group dynamics and leadership training for EAs. Extension agents are trained on delivery of the MARKETS II Group Dynamics and Leadership Course to improve their ability to use the curriculum to provide support to producer groups and associations. Our training has often involved other ADP staff supporting farmers not directly involved in the MARKETS II project implementation.


Training of coaches to support ongoing capacity strengthening of small producer and processor groups. To deepen our capacity building investment, MARKETS II, working with stakeholders, recently developed a curriculum for the training of ‘coaches’ and adding follow-on coaching components to the project’s existing workshop-based training activities. This is intended to expand the use of EAs and community facilitators, including selected lead farmers, in providing post-training support to networked farmers, and producer and processor groups. The idea is to encourage and build capacity of EAs and partners to see extension support to farmers and groups as a continuing activity that goes beyond one-off training events. Coaching will increase the overall yield of POP, group dynamics and other project trainings provided by MARKETS II. This approach will be piloted in the next dry season and tested with a select group of EAs who have shown good facilitation skills in the use of the existing MARKETS II training materials. They will be supported to provide guided follow-on (post training) support to their respective farmer groups. For Farmers MARKETS II training and capacity building for farmers aims to develop a long-term business perspective which includes planning and focusing beyond the one period crop cycle, an appreciation of commercial partnerships, small farm commercial management and record keeping, demand and supply considerations, and paying for services that increase benefits. Targeted capacity building for farmer associations. In addition to the technical assistance in production, post-harvest handling and marketing, MARKETS II provides targeted capacity building support to selected groups and grantees (20 groups or associations per cluster of states) through contracted business development service providers. Peer learning among groups is promoted. By strengthening the internal capacity of associations to effectively serve member’s needs—including business linkages, networking, negotiation skills to broker stronger relationships with buyers, providing services to members and securing access to financial services—we identify and build up groups and associations to serve as models for other groups and associations. For example, the Kiru Fadama Association in Kano State is being modeled along this line. Training in group management and business. The project’s NAEC, Group Dynamics and Leadership Training and MEF courses are the anchor of business and organizational management training for farmer groups. The training packages where appropriate have been revised, new curriculum adapted or developed (e.g. adaptation of NAEC for the aquaculture value chain) and delivery approaches made more participatory.

• Nigerian Agricultural Enterprise Curriculum. The curriculum was developed to spread the message that agriculture can be profitable if farm and processing operations are approached from a business perspective. Two basic curricula exist; the first focuses on farmers, and the second targets processors and input providers. A third curriculum, which is a modification of NAEC for aquaculture, has been developed and is being implemented extensively in the Niger Delta in collaboration with PIND, as well as in Kano in collaboration with the Kano State government’ Fisheries Training Institute.


To promote the sustainable and expanded use of the NAEC training other initiatives are being undertaken jointly with FADAMA III and IFAD CBNRMP. MARKETS II is also supporting two large local MFBs (LAPO and DEC) to provide this training as internalized embedded services to complement their loan products in the southern and northern states where they operate. MARKETS II will explore a similar relationship with Fortis MFB in the middle states. • Group Dynamics and Leadership Training. As part MARKETS II activities to strengthen group leadership, effectiveness and cohesion of small producer and

processor groups, several trainings using our Group Dynamics and Leadership Skills course are organized for farmer groups and micro and small-scale processors throughout the year. • Microenterprise Fundamentals. MEF is a simulation and hands-on integrated approach to income generation, household nutrition and homestead farming. The goal of this curriculum is for emerging and existing entrepreneurs to strengthen their business skills so that they can run profitable businesses, increase their household income, and help make their communities strong. The curriculum offers an innovative way to introduce value chain participants, with limited literacy skills, to a variety of business skills, cultivate enterprise management mindsets, and develop the ability to balance finances across business and personal expenses. It underlines the challenges of home-based family agro-businesses and the importance of income allocation, basic planning, record keeping, savings and managing risk. The curriculum also incorporates household nutrition and best practices in maternal and child nutrition, and links them through homestead farming. Through this activity vulnerable population participants are empowered to make better business decisions, and lead healthier and more productive lives. For Other Supporting Services NAEC for agro dealers. Under the original MARKETS project, a version of the NAEC training for input dealers was developed. However with the significant changes that have taken place over the last few years in the agricultural sector generally and in the agro dealers’ business segment in particular, there was a need to review the curriculum. A workshop for this purpose was held in April 2014 with agro input dealers, NAEC trainers, ADP Extension Officers, and MARKETS II technical staff as participants. A revised curriculum was developed and a ToT scheduled. Agro dealers will be actively involved in the delivery of this training to their clients and fellow agro dealers. Refresher workshop for Master Trainers. To make our core group of short-term consultant trainers more versatile by enhancing their ability to train across the different MII training platforms—NAEC, Group Dynamics and Leadership, MEF, and the POP—a periodic short training refresher is held for selected MARKETS II Master Trainers. Designed to further strengthen the facilitation skills of the participants and expose them to new training materials and training methodologies developed under Markets II, the expectation is that this core group would be able to train other trainers with or without the presence of the project. A unique aspect of this capacity building initiative is the inclusion of extension officers identified as potential Master Trainers.


2) The summary table (Table 1) at the beginning of the report is a very helpful snapshot. It would also be helpful to add a Life of Project update, for ease it can be included as a LOP performance achieved as a %. Also, please add a couple of the most important custom indicators to include in that table (particularly the three indicators under Objective one, page 20 of the report). MARKETS II Response: The suggestions will be included in the next quarterly report. Please see attached summary table as an example. Your comments are welcome. 3) This is an issue that is a holdover from the last quarterly report. We need deviation narratives on why we are either overachieving or underachieving against the results. Right now the narratives do not explain that and are just very general. For example, there were deviations on the gender disaggregated results for FTF 4.5.2-11 and 4.5.2-7. These narratives will have to be developed for the FTF MS and the annual performance reporting in October/November so it is important to track the deviation throughout the year to understand what is happening. MARKETS II Response: Please review the below deviation narratives, based on your main comments from our previous quarterly report, and let us know if the explanations are satisfactory. Most of the MARKETS II indicators that exceeded targets relate to or were affected by our finance and credit activity results, as well as our expansion of dry season rice farming and Niger Delta cocoa interventions. Originally we focused on the commercial banking sector and set targets accordingly. Subsequently, we expanded our activities with microfinance organizations and their clients, primarily micro and small-scale women traders and processors but did not increase our performance monitoring plan (PMP) targets correspondingly. The increased focus on the microfinance sector yielded higher than expected results for loan, financial management training, and private enterprise related indicators (indicators 4.5.2.11; 4.5.2.42; 4.5.2.27; 4.5.2.37; 4.5.2.30; 4.5.2.29; and 4.5.2.13). Increased project involvement in the rice and cocoa sectors also influenced results in all of the above listed indicators, except for indicators 4.5.2.29 and 4.5.2.30 regarding loans. When we established our PMP indicators, we had not expected to be involved in dry season rice production, nor as heavily involved in Niger Delta activities showing the larger employment figures. Our forecasted indicator results were therefore underestimated. We expect that these larger impacts will continue and we are increasing our targets.

• 4.5.2.11: Number of food security private enterprises (for profit), producers organizations, water users associations, women's groups, trade and business associations, and community-based organizations (CBOs) receiving USG assistance, and 4.5.2.42: Number of private enterprises, producers organizations, water users associations, women’s groups, trade and business associations and community-based organizations (CBOs) that applied new technologies or management practices as a result of USG assistance. During the setting of our initial indicator targets, we only took account of farmer organizations and female and young farmers working with the project directly in value chain related activities. However, counting credit and financial management support activities is also


valid for these indicators and mistakenly we did not factor this in establishing our targets. Based on increased project activities with the microfinance sector and its value change clients—primarily women traders and micro and small-scale processors—on financial management and accessibility to credit we obtained substantial results in northern Nigeria. For instance, during the last quarter our agricultural finance team worked with DEC in building the capacity of its borrowers and potential borrowers. Through MARKETS II initiative of promoting cross guarantees within the groups as collateral, and governance and management, more women traders and their associations were assisted in collaboration with DEC. This in turn gave significantly more women access to loans through DEC and contributed to raising our results beyond the targeted numbers. The second contributing factor was the increased numbers from expansion of dry season rice cocoa farmer organizations.

• 4.5.2.27: Number of members of producer organizations and community based organizations receiving USG assistance and 4.5.2.13: Number of rural households benefiting directly from USG interventions. This indicator is directly related to the above two indicators and shows the number of members in those counted organizations. Our rationale for significantly surpassing the indicator targets for the enterprises and organizations above holds for this indicator—which counts the organizations’ members—as well.

• 4.5.2-37: Number of MSMEs, including farmers, receiving business development services from USG assisted sources, 4.5.2-30: Number of MSMEs, including farmers, receiving USG assistance to access loans, and 4.5.2-29: Value of Agricultural and Rural Loans. Please see our above response to indicators 4.5.2.11; 4.5.2.42; 4.5.2.27; and 4.5.2.13.

• 4.5.2: Number of jobs attributed to FTF implementation. Improved survey taking—including asking questions several ways—and MII guidance to our subcontractors and ADP EAs uncovered more countable FTF jobs in our cocoa and cassava, long producing cycle crops, than originally thought existed on the farm, and with our increased numbers of cocoa and cassava producers targeted we substantially exceeded our estimates. New targets are being set in accordance with this better level of information and insight.

• Custom Indicator: Value of incremental sales from processors and agro-input dealers. This custom indicator was developed to capture the project’s impact on value chain stakeholders other than smallholder farmers and micro and small-scale processors. This was the first time that MARKETS II was capturing this data, and we underestimated our potential impact when setting the indicator target. We are adjusting the target based on our initial results.

4) In Program Area 4, I am concerned about the lack of reporting and the lack of planned activities under soil management. I was told that we were doing some sensitization on climate smart practices for soil fertility management and to prevent soil erosion. Please explain and let us know where we stand on this issue. MARKETS II Response: Thank you for the question. In all our trainings, best practices in soil conservation are emphasized. The POP has a section of “knowing your soil”; site selection and explanations on best soil types for specific crops; management of crops in different topographies; types of land preparation including minimum or zero-tillage; management of poor-gradient soils with the use of terracing to prevent leaching; etc. Additionally, we encourage copious use of organic


matter in all crops, and panicle harvesting in rice and soybean to leave plant residues to decompose and be ploughed back into the soil. Crop rotation, which we specifically encourage, is another soil conservation practice to discourage degradation of soils. In long term crops, like cassava and cocoa, we encourage intercropping so that the exposed part of the soil is covered and the farmer potentially earns more income. We also recommend climate-friendly packages like the USG to reduce emissions and pollution, and the “planting” of fertilizers for the same purpose. The push towards crop-specific fertilizers got a boost this year—in partnership with Notore, MARKETS II is demonstrating cassava-specific fertilizers in cassava growing areas. We will do the same once a cocoa specific fertilizer is available. On our irrigated crops, we teach irrigation scheduling to check excess water application and have introduced an energy-saving device, the motorcycle-driven irrigation pump. The adoption of these technologies will impact positively on the environment. 5) On Page 41, there is a section called "8. WHAT DOES USAID NOT KNOW THAT IT NEEDS TO," it was blank. But I think this is a very useful section and would like to know if there is anything that we should know that we don't. MARKETS II Response: Thank you for the clarification during our recent call. We understand better what should be in this section and will include such items in our next quarterly report; one of which will be on the sharing of information and training on the value chain approach with other donor organizations and projects. 6) Also, below that is. HOW IMPLEMENTING PARTNER HAS ADDRESSED A/COR COMMENTS FROM THE LAST QUARTERLY OR SEMI-ANNUAL REPORT. The main comment I had on the last report was not addressed, so I would appreciate it if this section was filled out on the next report. MARKETS II Response: We took the liberty of copying below your main comments from the last quarterly report. We apologize for the oversight of not responding in the current quarterly report. Please refer to our response to question 3 to see if your comments are adequately addressed. “Good morning, First thanks for the last two quarterly reports, I apologize for my lateness with giving feedback on the information in the reports! Overall, I think the reports are a very good summary of the good work that MARKETS II is doing. The success stories contained in the last two reports are good and are demonstrating the kind of impact MARKETS has to improve livelihoods, the story about the rice farmer, Fatima Ndagi, we particularly good because it gave more context for rice farming in general. The two stories about accessing loans were also good because of the focus on the impact that access to credit has.


I do want to highlight a re-occurring issue that is of concern. The targets that are set for a number of indicators are being overachieved by very, very large margins. This kind of variance means that the targets are being set too low. If this was just a one off anomaly then it would be fine, but there are many indicators with variance of over 100% (remember 10% is actually the targeted margin) and the associated explanation does not clearly explain why we wouldn't have known and thus set the target higher. The indicators that are of particular concern are (for the other ones with more than 10% variance from the target, I thought the explanation of the yearly target was okay): 4.5-2 4.5.2.-11 4.5.2-27 Custom: Value of incremental sales (processor and agro-input level) 4.5.2-42 4.5.2-37 We can discuss this in person if you like. This isn't an urgent issue, but it something we should try to address by the next PMP. And of course, you will need to be prepared for serious questions on variance by 10% when we submit the PPR and FTFMS in October. The explanations in the quarterly report are largely inadequate to explain the reasons.” 7) I am requesting Nduka to provide some comments on the EMMP. He is on vacation now, but should have something to you in next few weeks (inclusive of our PERSUAP monitoring trip as well.).

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