SACRED strategic plan 2009-2014

NEW STRATEGIC INTERVENTION FRAMEWORK Strategic Priority One: Strategic Capacity Development

Strategic Objective

To strengthen managerial, administrative and staff capacities and effectiveness for enhanced efficiency.

Strategy

Uplands Rain-fed rice growing at the SACRED Africa Research Center, Siritanyi, Bungoma Kenya. the rice has the potential of improving local food security and incomes for small scale farmers.

Strengthen systems that enhance management and staff capacity to ensure effectiveness and efficiency.

Core Activities

• Create awareness amongst the management and staff on the importance of capacity building through training and exposure
• Review and update the staff operational manual
• Disseminate the updated manual to all staff members
• Conduct phased staff training in line with the updated operational manual
• Train management staff on NGO management and organizational development
• Conduct on the job and medium-term training interventions for the staff
• Role modeling by the staff
• Undertake participatory on-farm research for various projects
• Hold on-farm demonstrations and trials with the farmer groups
• Conduct publicity campaigns using the local media and through public barazas
• Conduct periodic reviews of the training interventions
• Carry out participatory performance appraisals for all management teams and all other categories of staff on annual basis

Strategic Priority Two: Strengthening Program Sustainability

Strategic Objective

To develop policies and practices for enhancing the stability and sustainability of our operations.

Strategy

Formulate and utilize practices that enhance the stability and sustainability of our operations.

The SACRED Africa Director (2nd left) and local leaders participate in the freedom

from hunger walk. The walk raises awareness about the need for improved food secuirty in the area.

Core Activities

• Formulate an inclusive policy, procedures and practices on the sustainability of SACRED Africa operations
• Conduct a viability study on marketing and programming components of the organization
• Establish value-adding and on-farm processing of agricultural produce
• Initiate a seed company with a strong input of the participating farmers’ groups
• Initiate a self-sustaining Diploma in Community Development course for school leavers
• Make an assessment of the range of equipment that can be rented for community use and publicize accordingly
• Undertake selective equipment and facility rentals at reasonable and affordable market rates
• Establish a consultancy extension wing for experienced management and staff resource persons
• Publicize the consultancy through revised brochures and other appropriate means
• Invest in the endowment funds

Strategic Priority Three: Creating a Dependable Funding Base

Strategic Objective

To broaden and diversify the funding base.

Strategy

Strengthen, diversify and sustain linkages with development partners geared towards effective fundraising.

Core Activities

• Train the management and staff on fundraising and resource mobilization
• Prepare an inventory of current and potential donor partners
• Prepare concept papers and funding proposals
• Review and improve existing marketing and publicity strategies
• Organize and conduct a donor symposium
• Submit concept papers and proposals
• Send representatives and contact or liaison persons to relevant conferences and meetings in order to best practices that have been realized by Sacred Africa

Strategic Priority Four: Creation of Sustained Awareness on Appropriate Agricultural Practices

Strategic Objective

Dr Paul Woomer (in Glaasses), the SACRED Africa Research Director Explains improved soil fertility management techologies to farmers and school children who visit the center to learn new ways of farming.To facilitate mechanisms that promote favourable perceptions and attitudes towards appropriate and sustainable agricultural practices.

Strategy

Facilitate mechanisms that promote favourable perceptions of, and attitudes to appropriate and sustainable agricultural practices.

Core Activities

• Sensitize farmers groups and communities through field days, meetings and on-farm demonstrations as well as trials
• Develop curricula and guidelines for training farmers’ and communities on sound agricultural policies and practices as well as lobbying & advocacy
• Prepare information, education and communication materials targeting potential trainee farmers and communities
• Train the farmers’ groups and the communities on appropriate agricultural policies and practices
• Train the farmers’ groups and the communities on lobbying and advocacy
• Hold forums for farmers and other stakeholders to decide on affirmative action and develop action plans
• Hold review and re-planning meetings on affirmative action
• Prepare progress and monitoring reports
• Evaluate and report on the interventions

Strategic Priority Five: Ensuring Effective and Efficient Resource Management and Utilization

Strategic Objective

To promote effective and efficient management and utilization of available resources.

Strategy

Promote mechanisms for effective and efficient resource management and utilization. MBILI: Managing Beneficial interactions for Maize-legume intercrops; one of the technologies developed by SACRED Africa to improve soil fertility and farm productivity.

Core Activities

• Review existing resource management mechanisms to determine any gaps
• Strengthen the resource management mechanisms including improved procurement as well as tendering procedures
• Keep and update the inventories of all available resources
• Develop and utilize specific instruments and procedures of utilizing resources
• Set timely management targets to ensure compliance and performance
• Induct all management and staff teams in the revamped resource management and utilization mechanisms
• Conduct regularized feedback meetings between the staff and management
• Institute appropriate audits and fiscal discipline amongst all stakeholders
• Review and/or amend agreements with the farmer groups and institute accountability measures
• Implement the mechanisms across the board
• Monitor the performance and report accordingly
• Evaluate the implementation and report

Strategic Priority Six: Creation of Enabling Agricultural Policies

Strategic Objective

To lobby and advocate for favourable and stakeholder-friendly policies that enhance agricultural productivity.

Strategy

Empower rural communities to lobby and advocate for favourable agricultural policies

Core Activities

• Sponsor leaders’ forums
• Conduct sensitization meetings for community members
• Hold training workshops for small-scale farmers and community members
• Conduct on-farm research, field demonstrations and trials
• Undertake exchange visits and tours
• Facilitate farmer-to-farmer extension
• Hold community drama events and role-plays
• Conduct follow-ups
• Monitor and prepare progress reports
• Evaluate the progress and changes

Strategic Priority Seven: Building Effective and Mutually Rewarding Networks

Strategic Objective

To strengthen mechanisms and broaden the scope of networking and collaboration among relevant stakeholders.

Strategy

Broaden and strengthen the scope and mechanisms of networking and collaboration among stakeholders.

Core Activities

• Development of policies and guidelines on networking and collaboration
• Preparation of an inventory of the present and potential networking partners and collaborators
• Dissemination of the policies and guidelines amongst the management and staff teams
• Undertaking publicity and awareness creation amongst partners and stakeholders on the operations and core activities of SACRED Africa
• Formulation of comprehensive memoranda of understanding with the stakeholders
• Preparation of joint proposals with some selected collaborators
• Incorporating some stakeholder organizations in project implementation
• Organizing of joint field days and farmer-to-farmer extension initiatives
• Review and updates to the organization’s website
• Undertake participatory impact monitoring and reporting with the collaborators
• Determine best practices, document, share and disseminate accordingly.

For more details contact the Director, SACRED Africa at sacred@africaonline.co.ke (c) 2009 SACRED Africa