NEWSLETTER

Capacity
Capacity Building
Building and
and Change
Change Management
Management
Program
Program for
for the
the Ministry
Ministry of
of Agriculture,
Agriculture,
Irrigation
Irrigation and
and Livestock
Livestock (CBCMP)
(CBCMP)
NE WSLET TER
November 2013
Issue No.5
Kabul International AgFair 2013 - Showing Afghanistan’s thriving agricultural production, revitalizing
domestic and regional market linkages and bringing MAIL closer to the farmers and herders

MAIL Inventory Database

Celebrating the success of our
civil servants colleagues

MAIL Knowledge Bank

Performance Measurement

Kabul International AgFair 2013

USDA Visit to Kabul and
Nangarhar DAIL
USDA visit to the Kabul DAIL
Introductory Word
Dear Readers,
We are pleased to present to you the autumn edition of the CBCMP Newsletter. After two years of
effective leadership and management of the program, our Chief of Party Brian Rudert (CoP) departed the
project in mid-August. Subsequent to his departure Dr. Herschel Weeks joined CBCMP as the Chief of
Party. We thank Mr. Rudert for his visionary leadership as CoP of CBCMP. He played a major role in
ensuring that CBCMP supported MAIL exactly where it was required. He was also key in strengthening
the CBCMP team and engendering a team approach. He will be missed.
We welcome Dr. Weeks as CoP for CBCMP. He comes to us with years of experience in Agriculture and
Institutional reform projects all around the world.
Brian Rudert and CBCMP Managers with Minister Rahimi;
Welcoming Dr. Herschel Weeks
In this quarter, the main achievement for CBCMP and MAIL was the successful organization of the
Agriculture Fair. Also CBCMP has mobilized expanded teams for deployment to Jawzjan, Helmand,
Khost and Takhar to try and develop DAIL capacities in these important provinces. These DAILs will also
get the injection of CBCMP organizational development tools similar to what was done at the current
focus DAILs- Kandahar, Kabul, Mazar, Nangarhar, Herat, Kundoz and Paktiya.
Congratulations to MAIL and specifically the Private Sector Directorate on organizing an event which
showcased Afghan Agriculture to the world!
CBCMP is scheduled to end all project activities by April 30, 2014. During this last phase the focus is
going to be i) on the DAILs; ii) on ensuring sustainability of the work done by CBCMP; and iii) final push
to get US Government funds on budget at MAIL. In view of this revised focus at the DAILs we retrenched
22 Change Management Specialists (CMSs). We would like to thank them for their service to MAIL and
Afghan farmers and wish them the best of luck.
This is an exciting time in Afghanistan with donors committing more funds to ensure that 2014-2024 is
truly a “transformational decade.” Our CMSs are a pool of talented, experienced and trained cadre that
will be talent pool for all these new programs. MAIL and the donors recognize the excellent work done by
CMSs and want to retain as many as possible for further work at MAIL. Many of our CMSs have already
moved to these new programs at MAIL. We are also encouraging CMSs to apply for the Capacity
Building for Results (CBR) program through which skilled staff are being hired for civil service
positions.
CBCMP Management
2
CBCMP Success Story
AUTOMATED INVENTORY AND ASSET MANAGEMENT
SYSTEM INTRODUCED
MAIL had been using a manual inventory system for decades. This manual system made it challenging to
keep updated records. Also the accuracy of the records was questionable. Generating inventory reports
would take weeks for the Inventory Department. In order to address this issue CBCMP, in consultation with
the MAIL Administration Directorate, decided to introduce an automated Inventory and Asset Management
System. The first step was purchasing the hardware and software. CBCMP Change Management Specialists
led by Abdul Ehsan Mohmand ensured the successful roll out of this system at MAIL. This roll out included
installation of software, training of civil servants in the new system and recording of all assets in the system
using the bar code machine.
A powerful, fourth generation browser-based software runs the database with the following features: Asset
Records, Employee Records, Inventory Records, Work Orders, Basic Inventory Management, Basic
Reporting, and Preventive Maintenance Scheduling.
Example of the Asset Record user interface. The system operates in English as well as Dari. This is particularly important
for the civil servants in provinces who do not speak English.
The assets are tagged with a unique bar code assigned to it for identification. The bar codes for the assets are
printed with the Zebra bar code printing machine. A unique number is generated by the software for each
asset on sticky paper which is pasted on the asset during the inventory process. All bar codes are noted on a
data collection form for entry into the database.
The training is going on for the civil servants. They have been trained on how to operate the bar code printing
machine and use the inventory database. CBCMP CMSs provided relevant civil servant with training
manuals, standard operating procedures, and power point presentations in local languages.
3
CBCMP Success Story
Civil servants are now familiar with the physical interface of the database, all the specifications, fields and
records, entry of the data, navigation, searching for records, and saving and retrieving the data. The second
and final round of trainings will include the following topics: customizing fields, generating reports, back up,
sharing and establishing users. This will enable civil servants to operate the database independently and to
take full ownership of the system.
Bar code printer
Registering MAIL assets into the new Database
It is important to mention that the system operates in English and Dari, thus enabling all civil servants,
including those in provinces who do not speak English to use it. The CBCMP Change Management
Specialists also developed procedures to perform random audit/checks on a monthly basis to make sure that
assets are accounted for.
CMS Abdul Ehsan Mohmand (standing) training civil servants
colleagues
4
The MAIL Inventory Department is
enabled now to account for every single
asset, providing accurate and timely
reports. MAIL inventory officer Ghulam
Sakhi says: “I was asked by my Manager to
prepare a report on how many heaters does
MAIL have? Where are they located? To
whom they are assigned and how many is
required for the winter season this year? It
was a very difficult job to perform since I
had to go through each and every record, it
took me three to four weeks to complete the
report, but thanks to this new technology I
did the same thing now within 30 minutes
and printed a report that my Manager really
appreciated.”
CBCMP Success Story
Mr. Mohammad Daoud Azizi, Director of Administration Directorate thanked CBCMP for introduction of
the Inventory and Asset management system. “As you know, before MAIL inventory system was manual and
very difficult to operate. Now we can check the system, we can see and track all the assets we have here in the
Headquarters and in provinces. We can easily check now where is an asset located and to whom it is
assigned. It is much easier to prepare reports. Both Administration and Procurement Directorates will
benefit a lot from the System” said Director Azizi.
Director Azizi (on the right) checking the equipment
Preparation of the bar-coding machine
This Inventory and Asset Management Systemhas been installed at MAIL Headquarters, Kabul and
Nangarhar DAILs. Installation is ongoing in Kunduz and Balkh DAILs. By April 2013 the System will be
installed in Herat, Kandahar, Paktya, Helmand, Khost, Jawzjan and Takhar DAILs.
TWO MOTIVES OF THE SAME VISIT TO NANGARHAR AT THE END OF AUGUST
5
CBCMP Celebrates the Success of the MAIL Civil Servants
22 CIVIL SERVANTS WHO ATTENDED CBCMP ENGLISH CLASSES
SUCCESSFULLY APPLIED FOR SCHOLARSHIPS ABROAD
In three years of its implementation CBCMP provided MAIL civil servants with thousands of hours of
trainings in different areas. English classes of different levels, from elementary to advanced, were provided
for 160 civil servants. This year we saw the impact of those trainings. Civil Servants who had been unable to
go for professional development courses abroad as they did not speak English were now able to apply for and
go for further education and professional development.. In this academic cycle 22 civil servants who attended
CBCMP English classes successfully applied for scholarships abroad.
All of them signed an agreement with MAIL to come back and serve at the Ministry for a certain number of
years. For this edition of the Newsletter we interviewed 5 of them.
Shahidullah Safi
A civil servant in the Research Directorate of MAIL. Mr.
Safi is also a member of the Scientific Academy of
Afghanistan and has 10 years of experience in Agriculture.
He was selected for a Phd program in Agronomy through the
AAIP - Afghanistan Agricultural Input Project. This project
is supported by the World Bank and is aimed at maintaining
food security in the country. All costs in India for Mr. Safi
will be fully covered by AAIP. Mr. Safi attended the CBCMP
Advanced level English classes.
“It was very useful for me, my English language improved a
lot. I also highly appreciate the CBCMP help in other areas
such as trainings in horticulture and proposal writing. I am
planning to come back with new knowledge and ability to use new technologies" said Mr. Safi.
Mohammad Mohsin Bahram
A civil servant in Human Resources Directorate, Capacity
Building Department has been working in MAIL for five
years. He was selected for a Masters Degree program in
Japan.
Mr. Bahram said: “My Bachelor Degree is in Agriculture,
from Balkh University. I applied for scholarship through the
Project for Promotion and Enhancement of the Afghan
Capacity for Effective Development (PEACE), administered
by the JICA (Japan International Cooperation Agency). One
of the key application requirements was English language. I
attended the CBCMP classes, Intermediate level, what was
very helpful. When I come back I would like to engage
more with the Agriculture Faculty in Kabul and I see myself working in the Research Directorate on
improving value of our agricultural products.”
6
CBCMP Celebrates the Success of the MAIL Civil Servants
Shahnawaz Rohani
A civil servant in the Research Directorate of MAIL. Mr.
Rohani who has been working at MAIL for five years was
selected for a Masters program in Agronomy in India. He
also applied through the AAIP - Afghanistan Agricultural
Input Project.
Speaking about the scholarship Mr. Rohani said: “My
bachelor degree is also in Agronomy, so I am very happy to
get this opportunity to upgrade my knowledge. I attended the
Intermediate level English Classes what helped me a lot in
application process. I am supposed to enroll the University
in India in August 2014. My colleague Safi and me are now
attending a preparatory training program and we will
continue learning English too in order to prepare ourselves as better as better as possible.”
Rahmat Gul
A civil servant in the Recruitment Unit of the Human
Resources Directorate. Mr. Gul has been working at MAIL
for the past two years. He was awarded with a two year
scholarship from the Indian Government for a Masters
course in Agronomy. Mr. Gul attended the Intermediate level
English classes organized through the CBCMP.
“English class was very helpful for me as well as the other
classmates who applied for programs abroad. Hope all of us
who got scholarships will help to change the old system with
the modern farming when we come back. Irrigation is of my
particular interest and I will focus my attention to that area"
said Gul.
Zahidullah Abdulrahimzai
A civil servant in the ICT Directorate. Mr. Abdulrahimzai
was selected for a Bachelors Degree in India.
Abdulrahimzai said: “The Scholarship is fully covered by
the Indian Government and I will study Horticulture. I
applied because it is an internationally recognized diploma
and I will get a good education. I still have to improve my
English language. Through the CBCMP I attended the
Elementary level course and it was very helpful in the
application process. Now I have to study even more intensely
to make myself ready to follow lectures at the University in
2014, so hope CBCMP will continue with the classes.”
7
Support to the Other Complementary Projects
ESTABLISHING THE MAIL AGRICULTURE KNOWLEDGE BANK
The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) is
funding the e-Afghan Ag project implemented by
University of California at Davis (UC Davis) aimed
at establishing an online Agriculture Knowledge
Bank owned and maintained by the Ministry of
Agriculture, Irrigation and Livestock (MAIL).
CBCMP supports the Project by facilitating
communication with the Ministry and organization
of the trainings.
at [email protected] and offline browsing on a
mobile device with the remote solution application.
Over 50 institutions (government, university and
non-government organizations) collaborated in
creation of this Knowledge Bank, providing the
content materials (documents, fact sheets and
videos) and sharing the knowledge gained/gathered
through the implementation of the various
agricultural projects in Afghanistan. This year in
September UC Davis started a series of trainings
and workshops with MAIL employees in order to
transfer the updating and maintenance of
Agriculture Knowledge Bank to MAIL.
Opening the first training at MAIL: (from left to right)
Noor Seddiq, CBCMP DCoP, Curran Hughes form UC
DAVIS and Deputy Minister Haidari
The website www.eafghanag.ucdavis.edu has been
developed and is being maintained by UC Davis.
The website provides credible, relevant information
to those helping farmers in Afghanistan offering:
Technical information (fruits, nuts and vegetables;
grain and other field crops; livestock; forestry and
watershed management; irrigation; markets, etc.)
and Provincial Overview Info Sheets (priority
needs and opportunities). It also provides the
possibility to ask questions from the field via email
Dylan Keith (on the right) discussing the website
structure with the MAIL ICT officers
8
Lina Muhamady, an associate from the Kabul
Agriculture Faculty presenting her group work
Two students from the Agriculture Faculty at Kabul
University, Lina Muhamady and Belal Ahmad are
also involved in the process. Knowledge Bank will
be updated and maintained by relevant MAIL
employees and hosted on the MAIL official website
www.mail.gov.af. Ministry's ownership is a key to a
successful transition.
UC Davis team participated in this year's AgFair
promoting the Project and educating hundreds of young
visitors on the MAIL Knowledge Bank
Support to the Other Complementary Projects
We invite all our Change Management Specialists
and their civil servants colleagues to visit
www.eafghanag.ucdavis.edu which is a great
source of knowledge and information.
In the future contents will also be adjusted to the
needs of local users through translation of the
selected documents in the local languages.
MAIL PERFORMANCE MONITORING DASHBOARD (PMD)
CBCMP has worked with MAIL to develop Balanced Scorecards for key MAIL Directorates and DAILs.
This effort was in part made possible by CBCMPs installation of time keeping and attendance; inventory
and asset management; and finance systems. The data generated by these systems are also part of the
PMD. All the Directorate and DAIL scorecards need to feed into a MAIL wide scorecard to enable
evidence based decision making by senior management. Thus, CBCMP has initiated, with the relevant
Directorates at MAIL, development and collection of MAIL wide indicators which will be structured and
presented as a Performance Monitoring Dashboard (PMD).
Presentation on the PMD to the USDA held on September 18, 2013
CMSs assisted MAIL monitoring and evaluation officers to develop a Harmonized Master Set of SMART
(specific, measurable, attainable, relevant and time-bound) results indicators common to all Directorates
and DAILs. The identified set of Common Indicators, allows for a comparison across units of the
organization. Additionally, in order to be
even more relevant to the Ministry's
Executive Management, a special
Minister's Dashboard was created which
contains a Key Performance Indicators
(KPIs) for MAIL as a whole. MAIL PMD
is meant to be part of a larger M&E
System. After the first testing procedure
CMSs are continuing working with their
MAIL colleagues on its further
development. Once the system becomes
fully operational it will enable MAIL
Management to effectively track the
progress against the goals and to make
evidence based decisions.
9
Kabul International AgFair 2013
STRENGTHENING THE MARKET LINKAGES
FOR AFGHANISTAN'S AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTS
The Kabul International AgFair 2013 was held at Badam Bagh Fairground from October 30 to November 1.
It was the fourth AgFair organized solely by the Ministry of Agriculture, Irrigation and Livestock and
supported by the USDA funded CBCMP which provided support to MAIL for communication activities,
international marketing and organization of the AgFair. Two international consultants helped build MAILs
capacity for International Marketing and Communications.
The AgFair was a great opportunity to directly present products to consumers, the large variety of exhibited products
prompted numerous visitors to shop
The AgFair team’s activities at the provincial level, supported by an intense communication campaign,
mobilized a large number of cooperatives and business associations resulting in the highest ever number of
exhibitors and visitors. All 180 booths within the fairground circle were sold out two weeks prior to the Fair.
Twenty additional booths were installed to accommodate all interested businesses. According to the AgFair
management team, around 70,000 thousand people visited this year's AgFair. The motto of the AgFair was
"Connecting Products and Markets".
Minister Rahimi speaking at the opening ceremony
Fruitful Business to Business meetings
Representatives of renowned companies from India and Pakistan, including two multinational corporations
such as Mahindra&Mahindra and Jain Irrigation, came to explore the business potential of Afghanistan's
agriculture sector. The large variety of exhibited products prompted numerous visitors to shop at record
levels as compared to past AgFairs. Sector based Business to Business meetings attracted more than 120
businesses. Also the relevance of this year's AgFair Knowledge Center topics motivated a large number of
younger businessmen to attend the 12 technical presentations and 7 round table discussions.
10
Kabul International AgFair 2013
Booth exhibitors expressed their satisfaction because of the multiple benefits they earned by participating.
Ms. Kamila Sidiqi, CEO of the Kaweyan Group of Companies said: “It is the second AgFair I am
participating. I see a lots of improvements
comparing to the last year. Interaction between the
exhibitors and visitors is much better, and generally
there are more visitors. It is good that representatives
of some trading companies from India came, I
already had some good meetings. I regularly attend
the huge fairs in India and Emirates, I wish to see one
day Kabul AgFair as big as those international fairs
in Mumbai or Dubai.”
Kamila Sidiqi, CEO of the Kaweyan Group of Companies
Mr. Abhay Barhate, a representative of the Jain
Irrigation company from India recognized the great
business linkage potential of the AgFair. “This is the
first time we came to the AgFair. We found it an
excellent opportunity to survey the Afghan market's
needs. For example, our solar water pumps can
reach depths of 50 meters, here we are requested to
provide the pumps that can reach 100 meters. Also,
the example of solar cells, temperature in India
almost never goes below -5 Celsius Degrees, here it
sometimes reaches -15 Celsius. We have a team of 50
engineers, I will immediately communicate the
market requests and they will develop the products
suitable for this market. We communicated with lots
of farmers and businesses, Afghanistan's market
certainly has huge business potential and it was a
good decision to come to this Fair” said Mr. Barhate.
Mr. Hewad Ahmadzai, an employee of the CARD-F Abhay Barhate (on the right) talking to a businessman
Program praised this year's improvements in the from Kandahar
AgFair organization saying: “It is not only that there are more visitors and more exhibitors. We found the
AgFair team much more responsive and flexible
towards our needs. For example, we asked them to
remove some parts of booth's partitions in order to
merge four of our booths and they responded very
well. Whatever we needed they reacted promptly and
adequately and I am using this opportunity to thank
the entire team working with us here on the ground.”
Hewad Ahmadzai, representative of the CARD-F Program
This year the official AgFair web site
www.agfair.gov.af was established. It is aimed at
further improving the Ministry's communication
with the agribusinesses. Kabul International AgFair
is the largest trade fair in Afghanistan whose business
potential is steadily growing.
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CBCMP Featured Story
USDA VISITS TO KABUL, NANGARHAR AND BALKH DAILs
A USDA Delegation visited three DAILs this September: Kabul on September 18, Nangarhar on
September 21 and Balkh on September 23-24. The delegation included Ms. Robin Tilsworth and Mr.
Peter Benson from USDA Kabul and Ms. Katie Woody and Mr. Jonathan Gressel from USDA
Washington.
USDA Representatives with the KABUL DAIL officials, CBCMP CMSs and the CBCMP Management
They met with DAIL officials, civil
servants and the CBCMP Change
Management Teams embedded in the
DAILs. They discussed the current
developments and achievements, as
well as the upcoming activities. The
USDA Delegation also met CBCMP
management to get an update on
progress, to talk about remaining
activities and to talk about the
sustainability of CBCMP initiatives.
CBCMP presented the proposed
Performance Monitoring Dashboard
(PMD) for MAIL concept to the USDA Salih Baktash, CBCMP Team leader presenting on the CBCMP
Delegation.
activities and assistance to the Kabul DAIL
This publication was made possible through support provided by the USDA Foreign Agricultural
Service, Office of Country and Regional Affairs, under the terms of Cooperative Agreement No. 583148-1-042. The opinions expressed in this publication are those of authors and do not necessarily
reflect the views of the USDA Foreign Agricultural Service.
VEGA is an equal opportunity provider.
For additional information about CBCMP please contact us at: [email protected]