Management of Fall Armyworm in Maize for Smallholder Farmers in the Democratic Republic of the Congo: Quarter 2 Report

The project is implemented by Land O'Lakes Venture37, in partnership with the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) and other local organizations. The project's second quarterly report covers the period from January 1 to March 31, 2020. During this period, Venture37 focused on project startup activities, including registration, meetings with USAID DRC, and the signature of a subaward agreement with IITA. The subaward agreement was signed, and IITA was involved in the preparatory phase, including onboarding key personnel, meetings with partners, and desk reviews, as well as the development of protocols. The project also made progress in the pursuit of human resources and operational tasks, including the preparation of field work for the baseline and the start-up of the maize value chain analysis. The baseline study is a critical component of the project, as it will provide a comprehensive understanding of the current situation regarding FAW infestation in maize crops in the DRC. The project's implementation was affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, which emerged as a serious concern in the DRC towards the end of the quarter. In response, the project implemented measures to mitigate the impact of the pandemic on project implementation. The project's revised Year 1 Work Plan outlines the key activities to be implemented during the first year of the project. These activities include the pursuit of administrative, legal, and financial activities, as well as the implementation of project components, including Component 1, which focuses on the management of FAW in maize for smallholder farmers. The project's implementation is also guided by a Monitoring, Evaluation, Research, and Learning (MERL) plan, which outlines the key indicators and metrics to be used to monitor and evaluate the project's progress. The MERL plan is an essential component of the project, as it ensures that the project is accountable for its results and that the project's impact is maximized. The project's implementation is also supported by a range of partners, including the National Institute for Research and Agronomic Studies (INERA), the Ministry of Agriculture (MINAGRI), and the Service National des Semences (SENAF). These partners play a critical role in the project's implementation, as they provide technical expertise and resources to support the project's activities. Overall, the project's second quarterly report highlights the progress made in the pursuit of project startup activities, including registration, meetings with USAID DRC, and the signature of a subaward agreement with IITA. The report also highlights the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic and the measures implemented to mitigate its impact on project implementation. The project's implementation is guided by a revised Year 1 Work Plan, which outlines the key activities to be implemented during the first year of the project. The project's implementation is also supported by a range of partners, including INERA, MINAGRI, and SENAFA. These partners play a critical role in the project's implementation, as they provide technical expertise and resources to support the project's activities. The project's implementation is also supported by a range of technical activities, including the preparation of field work for the baseline and the start-up of the maize value chain analysis. The baseline study is a critical component of the project, as it will provide a comprehensive understanding of the current situation regarding FAW infestation in maize crops in the DRC. The project's implementation is also guided by a range of protocols and agreements, including the subaward agreement with IITA and the protocol for the maize value chain analysis. These protocols and agreements are essential components of the project, as they ensure that the project is implemented in accordance with the agreed-upon terms and conditions. The project's implementation is also supported by a range of protocols and agreements, including the subaward agreement with IITA and the protocol for the maize value chain analysis