Orora Wihaze Quarter 1 Performance Report, October 2020 – December 2020

The goal of the Activity is to sustainably increase the availability of, access to, and consumption of animal sourced foods (ASF) through the development of a profitable market. This goal will be achieved by implementing two objectives: (1) strengthen private sector led ASF value chains and (2) increase demand for ASF consumption for women and children through a market system development (MSD) approach. During the first quarter of Year 2, the Activity moved into a dynamic phase involving cycles of partner engagement, activity design, implementation, and monitoring. Key achievements and results during this quarter include the completion of the Consumption Study analysis and report, finalization of the Gender and Social Inclusion (GSI) Integration Strategy and staff training, monitoring, evaluation, and learning (MEL) training for MSD, and the roll out of the project's grants mechanism with the first award to pilot a small holder broiler outgrower model with a leading animal feeds company in Rwanda. The Activity launched activities under the Activity Design Document (ADD), "Empowering Women, Youth & Persons with Disabilities (PWDs) through ASF Based Inclusive Business Models (ABIBM)," with initial activities including identification and selection of existing community-based saving groups, cooperatives/associations of women, youth, and PWDs. The Activity also conducted the first project Quarterly Portfolio Review (QPR) for the previous quarter, which was an opportunity for the team to reflect on their achievements and lessons learnt and discuss strategic priorities for the next quarter. The Activity developed a pipeline of prioritized activities by engaging with market actors to co-create new business models that align with the Activity's goals and intervention strategies. As a result, three partnerships were developed and respective Activity Design Documents (ADDs) were submitted for USAID concurrence. These included an ADD on increasing access to inputs by micro-backyard poultry producers, an ADD titled "Promoting ASF consumption messages through existing community structures," and an ADD titled "Strengthening local extension and coordination capacities to improve and sustain extension and advisory services to small livestock producers." The Activity completed data analysis and a draft of the Consumption Study Report, and The Manoff Group led a presentation and discussion of the draft report to the Activity team in December 2020. A final report of the analysis is due to USAID by the end of January 2021. The Activity also completed data analysis and development of a Gender and Social Inclusion (GSI) Integration Strategy, which is due to USAID by the end of January 2021. Both the GSI Integration Strategy and the Consumption Study provided valid data and analysis to update the Market Systems and Behavior Change (Orora Wihaze) Strategy. The Activity completed the first rolling baseline for the first set of approved activities. The results from the baseline were used to update the remaining baseline indicators for both yield and sales of ASF, allowing the Activity to complete the Baseline Report for USAID approval by the end of Q1. The Activity developed and received USAID approval for the Year 1 annual performance report and updated the MEL Plan. The Activity trained 17 technical leads and field staff on Monitoring Results Management (MRM). The MRM training was intended to equip the project staff with necessary skills to design and implement a robust monitoring system that is adapted to the Market System Development approach. The Activity developed relevant templates and tools for ongoing partnership development. These templates and tools support the technical team during partnership selection and negotiation; improve transparency and accountability; and standardize the partnership development process, including data collection. The Activity developed and implemented an onboarding plan, including budgeting and contracting, for Urunana Development Communications (UDC), a subcontractor that will focus on radio programming to promote ASF consumption messages through existing community structures.