TAAT Program Steering Committee leads path to further progress
The Technologies for African Agricultural Transformation (TAAT) program has made further progress in the development of its Enabler Compacts, with the Program Steering Committee’s (PSC) decisions, based on which Enabler Compacts are well geared to receive funding and immediately start up their operations.
Head of the TAAT Clearinghouse, Dr Mpoko Bokanga
Aiming for progress, Dr Mpoko Bokanga, the head of the TAAT Clearinghouse based in the IITA station in Cotonou, Bénin, has developed a document for the TAAT Program Steering Committee’s use in considering and making decisions based on the recommendations over the 15 recently reviewed TAAT Compact Proposals. The document contained the recommendations on the restructuring of the TAAT Program delivery architecture to enhance focus on the objectives and targets of TAAT and facilitate follow-up of activities and monitoring of progress towards goals.
In April 2018, the second TAAT PSC meeting was held. An email was then sent on 20 April by Bokanga, with general feedback on the second meeting of the TAAT PSC. The email briefly stated the decisions made by the PSC, while waiting for the Clearinghouse to send the PSC’s final decisions to the Executing Agency for implementation.
From the nine Value Chain Compacts, eight were cleared for funding and immediate implementation. With very minor modifications that could be handled during implementation, the Clearinghouse was asked to ensure that the recommended modifications are implemented as well as to keep the PSC updated throughout the implementation. The work plan of the Livestock Compact is still being revised for assessment and presentation at the next PSC meeting.
Secondly, among the Enabler Compacts, only the Youth Compact was cleared for funding and implementation. The other Enabler Compacts were recommended for review and resubmission to the Clearinghouse for assessment. The Clearinghouse is working closely with the compact leaders and their partners to fine-tune their workplans and organize their compact launch events.
Bokanga said that “the TAAT PMU should expedite the signing of agreements between IITA and the other implementing agencies (AATF, CIAT, ICARDA, ICRISAT, and WorldFish) so that they can receive funds from the TAAT grant.” AfricaRice has already signed and IITA leads the Cassava and ENABLE-TAAT Compacts.
