Aim of the visit: To carry out mid-term evaluation of the RIPAT SUA project, as a practical following theoretical teaching on project monitoring and evaluation. It was also a practical orientation of the students to RIPAT approach, which was already covered theoretically in class.
Activities: Direct observation of activities implemented by farmers at home and demonstration plots, focus group discussion, household survey and key informant interview. It provided an avenue for interations between students and farmers, village leaders, project officers and government extension officers.
Areas and project visited: Changarawe and Tangeni villages in Mvomero District and Kauzeni ward in Morogoro Municipal. The students visited RIPAT SUA project, which is jointly implemented by Sokoine University of Agriculture and RECODA (Research, Community and Organizational Development Associates), as one of the seven areas of collaboration stipulated in the SUA-RECODA MoU. The project is implemented in 7 villages in Mvomero District (Changarawe, Tangeni, Mnyanza, Kipera, Mlali, Mkuyuni and Peko misegese villages) and 5 wards in Morogoro Municipal (Magadu, Ruvuma, Luhungo, Mzinga and Kauzeni wards).
Participating degree programmes: Bachelor of Rural Development (165 students), BSc Range Management (33), BSc Family and Consumer Studies (39), BSc Agronomy (12), BSc Human Nutrition (91). Students were accompanied by course (RD 309) instructors (Dr. S.J. Kabote and Dr. E.T. Malisa), 6 other instructors, 1 CSSH website committee member and 3 project officers.
The students, who were organized in 12 groups, are now preparing mid-term evaluation reports. Well-founded recommendations, based on the evaluations, will be made available to farmers in the project area and project implementation team.
