JOINT PLANNING CELL –
HORN OF AFRICA 
SYNTHESIS REPORT
REGIONAL MEETING ON RESILIENCE
Month June 2-4, 2015
This publication was produced by the Feed the Future: Building Capacity for African Agricultural 
Transformation Project (Africa Lead II) for the United States Agency for International Development
JOINT PLANNING CELL –
HORN OF AFRICA
SYNTHESIS REPORT
REGIONAL MEETING ON RESILIENCE
Program Title: Feed the Future: Building Capacity for African Agricultural 
Transformation (Africa Lead II)
Sponsoring USAID Office: USAID Bureau of Food Security 
Award Number: AID-OAA-A-13-00085
Awardee: DAI
Author: Africa Lead II Team
The authors’ views expressed in this publication do not necessarily reflect the views of the United 
States Agency for International Development or the United States Government.
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CONTENTS
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS…………………………………………………………………………...2
CONTENTS ………………………………………………………………………………………..…3
ABBREVIATIONS ..................................................................................................................4
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ……………………………………………………………………………5
REGULAR REPORT - INTRODUCTION………………………………………………………….5
SESSIONS WITH PARTNERS …………………………………………………………………….9
CONCLUSION ………………………………………………………………………………...……11
KENYA MISSION ……………………………………………………..……...……………........…12
ETHIOPIA MISSION………………………………………………………………………………..13
UGANDA MISSION ………………………………………………………………………….….…14
SOMALIA MISSION ……………….………………………………………………………………15
ANNEX A PICTURE OF DAY 2 & 3 WITH PARTNERS……………………………...……...16
ANNEX B LIST OF PRESENTIONS…………………………………………………………….17
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ABBREVIATIONS
IGAD Intergovernmental Authority on Development
IDDRSI IGAD Drought Disaster Resilience and Sustainability Initiative
AKLDP Agriculture Knowledge Learning Documentation Policy
RLP Resilience Learning Project
CAADP Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Program
PMP Performance Management Plan
PCCSR Peace Centre for Climate and Social Resilience
PPP Public Private Partnership
WEAI Women’s Empowerment In Agriculture Index
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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The Joint Planning Cell is the US government response to the 2010 drought in the Horn of 
Africa that tipped millions of people into serious crisis with more than 13 million people requiring 
food assistance. In 2011, USAID's theory of change, as a response to repeated crisis in dry 
lands, stated that "by reducing risk, building resilience and expanding economic opportunities, 
we can strengthen social stability and economic growth in targeted dry land areas in the Horn of 
Africa”.
The regional meeting had participants drawn from both the USAID as well as partners 
implementing resilience programs in the Horn of Africa. The objectives of the meeting were as 
follows:
Day One 
Objectives
1. Increased understanding of how USAID members of the JPC contribute to the overall 
vision of increasing social stability and economic growth in the dry lands in the Horn of 
Africa.
2. Increased understanding of what it means to be a member of the JPC.
3. Stocktaking and tracking using the M&E protocol across missions.
Outputs
1. Final inputs to JPC mid-term review.
2. Finalized Terms of Reference for JPC which can be forwarded to JPC Chair and then 
shared with the Mission Directors of Uganda, Kenya, Ethiopia & Somalia for 
endorsement and action.
3. Finalize monitoring protocol for the region which includes: clear zones of influence for all 
four countries, mechanisms including data to be collected and timeline for submission of 
the data.
JPC Mid-term Review and Validation of the JPC TOR
Introduction: 
In his introductory remarks, Chip Bury, the JPC Regional Resilience Coordinator, outlined three 
key issues to be discussed:
1. Reconsider what it means to be regional; what is the value-add?
2. Start talking about results and not just process - what are the results? Our M&E must 
agree - what story are we telling?
3. Strengthen the communities of practice from across the region.
The outcome of the above discussions would feed into reporting frameworks within USAID, 
clarify zones of influence for resilience and the M&E indicators. In addition, he hoped that the 
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meeting would agree on the timelines for gauging success and telling the resilience story in a 
very compelling manner as well as leveraging future funding beyond FTF that has been 
supportive. Further to this meeting, there is a possibility of convening a larger meeting in 
October, and USAID need to have some thoughts around issues to be discussed and 
addressed during this meeting. 
Output 1: Final Input into the JPC Mid-term Review
The Joint Planning Cell was initiated as a pilot coordination mechanism for building resilience in 
the Horn of Africa. The review examines achievements mid-point of their first 5 year project 
cycle and provides key recommendations on how to refine and improve the structure and 
function of the JPC. 
Key areas examined 
1. The performance and results of the JPC mechanism and its implementing partners. 
2. The structure and linkages of the JPC.
3. The impact of the JPC to date.
4. JPC and gender issues. 
The main conclusions from the review were:
1. Effective use of learning to design JPC projects and programs. 
2. Significant influencing key development partners, IGAD and its member states (IDDRSI, 
CPPs).
3. Good innovation through layering, sequencing and integration of humanitarian and 
development actions.
4. Good incorporation of fundamental building blocks of resilience, education, nutrition and 
conflict resolution, with efforts to increase production, create new livelihoods, strengthen 
existing livestock based livelihoods and promote economic growth. 
Most recommendations by the Tufts University team, under the leadership of Tim Leyland, were 
adopted - these include but are not limited to:
1. Engage a consultant or consultants immediately to work with partners in time for the 
2014 Annual report due by September 2015 and a clear TOR be moderated from the 
Mid-term review report to include:
a. Working with AOR/COR to review the PMPs and work with implementing 
partners in Kenya/Regional and Ethiopia. Focus on building on resilience 
indicators outlined on Page 7 of the report. Ethiopia Mission to share Indicators 
currently being used for Adaptive Capacities of Households and communities.
b. Add collaboration indicators that measure level of layering that were left out.
c. Determine appropriate methods of compilation and build on the GIS being used 
in Kenya and which is working well.
d. Examine policy and legal issues and how they influence resilience capacities and 
facilitate operations of programs.
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e. Scope, methodology, contacts and management of execution be shared with the 
consultant(s).
2. The JPC Chairman be rotated every 3 years to allow for stability and impact and not 
annually.
3. The value addition of regional dimensions of JPC to be clarified.
4. The SAHEL has a clear structure and the HoA structure needs one that recognizes 
contributions of other stakeholders in resilience. 
5. Support from Washington is re-energized and its space be clarified in the JPC structure.
6. Climate change and nutrition experts are included around the table. 
Output 2: Finalized Terms of Reference for the JPC 
Chip Bury presented the Draft TOR for the JPC that articulated the purpose, mandate, 
membership, leadership, and the structure of the JPC-HoA. 
Conclusions and follow up matters.
1. JPCs at mission level must identify representatives from technical officers contributing 
to resilience programming (eg OFDA, Food for Peace, Economic Growth, Democracy 
and Governance, Health, Natural Resource Management, Program Office, etc).
2. JPCs at mission level identify a Resilience Advisor to spearhead mission-wide resilience 
efforts and consolidate across the mission.
3. JPCs to be headed by either Mission Directors or Deputy Mission Directors and 
supported by Resilience Advisors.
Agreed: 
1. The HoA TOR and structure be agreed and acted upon and the term Resilience Adviser 
vs. Resilience Coordinator is clarified so that terminologies are consistent with already 
used titles within missions. The suggestions as to where the JPC Coordinator should sit 
and the reporting mechanisms were discussed and any further refining can be done after 
consultations with different mission directors and FTF teams. The resilience related 
responsibilities should appear in annual evaluation protocols for them to be measured 
and tracked adequately. 
2. New staff be hired especially in Ethiopia and Mission Directors be given leeway to 
determine other office holders as needed. 
3. The new entrants Uganda and Somalia Missions would engage with the JPC 
mechanism at different points, and bearing in mind the more difficult and unique 
dynamics and circumstances under which Somalia is operating under. 
Output 3: Finalized Monitoring Protocol for the Region
Andre Mershon presented the top-line indicators which were discussed by the team.
Agreed: 
1. Top line (FTF) indicators cannot be changed and should remain and include:
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a. No. of people in need of humanitarian assistance.
b. Prevalence and depth of poverty.
i. Percentage of people living on less than $1.25/day reduced
ii. Mean distance below poverty line of $1.25/day reduced
c. Prevalence of moderate to severe hunger reduced.
d. Global Acute Malnutrition.
i. Prevalence of wasting among children under 5 years of age 
ii. Prevalence of stunting among children under 5 years of age
e. Additional 5 intermediate outcomes agreed on in 2014
i. The volume and value of increased livestock sales in US$ and metric 
tons attributed to project work
ii. Livelihood independence from climate risk to be calculated using a 
resilience/livelihoods module in PBSs
iii. Dietary diversity of children, women and households as determined by 
PBSs
iv. The number of children obtaining exclusive breastfeeding as determined 
by PBSs
v. The percent of households using an improved drinking water as 
determined by PBSs
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SESSIONS WITH PARTNERS
Objectives
1) Increased understanding of how USAID implementing partners contribute to the 
resilience agenda and identifying specific areas of collaboration to promote cross-border 
programming and cross-partner learning.
2) Promoting cross border programming and learning among USAID resilience partners.
3) Stocktaking of each partner's contribution to the PMP and sharing experiences on 
collection of data.
Outputs
1) Input into the JPC mid-term review.
2) Identification of exchange visits.
3) Identification of collaboration to regional programs.
4) Finalize monitoring protocol for the region which includes: data to be collected and 
timeline for submission of the data.
Output 1: Input into the JPC Mid-term Review
Issues needing clarification: 
a) Why WEAI, though looking like a good tool, is not being applied by partners.
b) The concept of resilience and our understanding of modalities of modeling resilience to 
shocks and levels of monitoring and measurement.
c) Alignment of JPC to other regional/continental frameworks such as CAADP, stakeholder 
(Government/CSO/PPP) participation; common ‘must have’ indicators. 
d) Sustainability mechanisms into the JPC and programmes.
e) Challenge of harmonized regional data availability, accurate theory of change, level of 
attribution and lack of M&E targets and indicators for the mid-term.
Output 2: Identification of Exchange visits
(See Individual Mission Presentations below) 
Output 3: Identification of Collaboration to Regional Programs
The institutions that presented their work included PREPARED, AU-IBAR, PEACE III and IGAD
(See Individual Missions Presentations below)
Output 4: Finalized Monitoring Protocol for the Region. 
(This includes: data to be collected and timeline for submission)
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USAID TOP-LINE INDICATORS WELL-BEING OUTCOME INDICATORS
Politically 
Expedient 
Measure 
Humanitarian 
assistance needs
Normalized by severity of drought (NDVI)
In Controlling for population growth 
In part, a function of ‘methods’ of HA 
determination 
Robust 
Outcome 
Measures
Depth of Poverty (DoP) Contextual complement to poverty prevalence 
Moderate to severe
hunger (HHS)
FTF ‘economic resilience’ measures 
Global acute 
malnutrition (GAM) 
Contextual complement to stunting 
These topline measures are contextual complements in that they provide highly relevant 
measures for the people/places being targeted (those subject to recurrent crisis).
 USAID believes these top-line indicators are good proxies for measuring progress in 
resilience.
 Top-line indicators measured through FTF population Based Surveys (PBS0).
 Midterm data being collected already, should be ready in Kenya (June) and Ethiopia 
(Sept) - no action for partners.
Note: IFPRI is collecting data -to follow on whether partners should continue collecting.
Intermediate Outcome indicators:
 As we wait for longer-term impact and collecting data from population based surveys 
(PBS), we can be telling a richer story about resilience using output indicators.
 Output indicators have been identified by JPC.
 Targets need to be agreed. 
The challenge is that these standard output indicators don’t capture collaboration and layering 
and the team, in collaboration with the consultant(s) should think through the kind of 
“collaboration” indicators that should be used to show layering (eg leveraged funding -
Government, private sector, etc.); Stronger voice of community and number of interventions 
for a certain geographic region). 
Participants desire to see output indicators move beyond just the numbers and start 
interrogating effects of interventions since many of the indicators sound more like process 
indicators as opposed to the changes that accrue. The continuing challenge is how to actually 
measure resilience and not overly rely on the FTF indicators and without fear of ensuring these 
indicators are flexible and dynamic and can change with emerging and often dynamic 
circumstances in program and policy frameworks. Tangible change in cross-border transactions, 
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response time and losses averted could be strong points for indicating resilience among 
communities and countries within the present and emerging clusters in the region.
It was highlighted that the Technical Consortia are already working on the same issues and 
checking the level of sensitivity of indicators and could be a good source of information 
exchange and support for the consultants. There is also a team that is conducting a social 
capital assessment and the results and indications that are emerging may feed into the greater 
goal of measuring if and how these interventions really matter, going beyond just listing of the 
indicators.
Going forward:
1. RLP has been tasked to lead effort to streamline monitoring and capture results.
2. RLP consultant(s) to work with each partner through USAID AOR/CORs over the coming 
3 months to review PMP and identify key indicators already being collected.
3. Collect indicators and synthesize them into a coherent picture of what we are achieving 
in resilience to complement our top-line indicators.
4. Feed into FY15 reporting.
CONCLUSION: 
The meeting was attended by a total of 53 participants, USAID mission (19), partners (30) with 
the support of 4 people from Africa Lead with a gender diversity of 34 male and19 female.
 
1. The objectives of both the Internal USAID meeting and the meeting with partners were 
largely met and a clear road map for future engagement developed and agreed. 
2. The team noted the value add of Regional JPC as, and not limited to, cross pollination 
and learning.
3. JPC meetings are to be convened every 6 months, and take note of IGAD/JPC timings. 
More analyses on what the issues are and papers will be circulated earlier and the 
meeting is to have more focus on impact and more in-depth information about 
attendance and time for more in-depth networking. The meetings are to be more 
thematic.
4. The October learning event was agreed to in principle and the actual date is to be 
communicated.
5. An email address platform for development of communities of practice should be 
developed.
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FURTHER LESSONS/ACTIONS FOR FOLLOW-UP
ITEM RESPONSIBLE TIMELINES
1 Layering learning event (Devolution 
and Kenyan context)
Kenya
Invite HoA JPC
October 2015
2 Cross Border Exchange visits -
Borana/ Marsabit
IGAD + Technical 
leads
August 2015?
3 Learning more on Conflict and Peace 
building 
John
USAID,EGC
Jan 2016? Launch in 
August?
4 M&E - Resilience Measurement
5 Learning to be done by 
RLP/AKLDP/Others to inform learning 
Mohammed￾Ethiopia + Donors+ 
Partners
KENYA/REGION MISSION
1. How are these new programs contributing to JPC?
a) Cross-border lessons
b) Cementing regional relationships
c) Focusing on conflict mitigation 
d) Strengthened - best practices on animal health and livestock value chain
e) Challenge: connecting programmes and identifying linkages- there is a scope to 
strengthen climate change adaptation and deeper analysis within geographic 
zones - using Geo info tools
f) How to collaborate: Inter-governmental link and influence and framework for 
measuring resilience
2. How they are strengthening the M&E? 
a) Different approaches
b) Data validation
c) Learning 
d) Contextual analysis strengthened 
e) Geo-mapping - strengthens M&E and migration patterns
f) Provide technical themes - NRM, livestock, climate change, conflict
3. What steps are being taken to operationalize?
a) Borrow and utilize existing systems of data;
b) Focus on 4/6 high level indicators
c) Local level partnership meetings - invite to attend either national/county as 
appropriate
d) Logistical support for new programs
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4. How can other missions draw on from these mechanisms?
a) Identify respective national government units and inform on existing work eg 
disease control
b) Introduce regional mandate at PREG 
c) Share contacts of policy hub (AU-IBAR) country level partners can work with
d) Use WEAI tool for training and adapting
e) Simulate disaster/shock and gauge our response - figure out Authorities, processes, 
actors required
f) Provide understanding /orientation on what is on the ground
g) Learning from community of practice such as livestock sector, sector collaboration 
and thematic learning along key themes periodically; communications
5. Propose exchange visits and collaboration with regional programs
a) Exchange visit for livestock traders from Kenya to Ethiopia (planning in progress
 and lessons learnt will be captured
b) Regional organizations to work with local organizations for livestock and health
 through regional and bilateral program collaborations
c) Vulnerability index use
d) Explore communication pathways
e) Conservancy model 
f) Livestock movement (explore and understand market uptake and related analysis 
ETHIOPIA MISSION
1. How are these new programs contributing to JPC?
a) Peace III, SIPED II, CEWARN and PREPARED contribute to institutional 
strengthening for peace, early warning and climate change adaptation
b) RLP/AKLDP contribute to learning within JPC
c) ENGINE+ program contributes to improved health and nutrition
d) POTENTIAL contributes to increased economic opportunities within communities in 
areas covered by JPC
e) CBDRR/PCCSR will contribute to institutional strengthening for DRR and peace 
building
2. How they are strengthening the M&E? 
All programs have incorporated knowledge management (KM) and interlink with the KM 
programs AKLDP/RLP etc.
 Concerns about harmonization of indicators and aggregation of results
 Conflict resilience not clearly outlined; most focus is on resilience to droughts
 Issues around attribution and measurement of actual impact (short term, others, 
multiple influencing factors)
We believe that RLP should take lead in harmonization of learning and measurement 
discussions. Build on some of the activities that are ongoing? 
eg. WEAI Lessons/Training + Panel Data Surveys - PRIME Ethiopia 
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3. What steps are being taken to operationalize?
 Happening 
a) Actual start-ups – recruitments etc.
b) Active engagement and interactions with mandated institutions e.g. AU, Line 
ministries, IGAD
 Consider doing
a) Joint Planning?/Sharing?/Context sensitive conversations to apply learning and 
good practices
b) We would love to see overlaying of Climate Change, Food Security and Conflict 
data mapped out together to assist in vulnerability conversations and drive 
choice of interventions
4. How can other missions draw on from these mechanisms?
a) SIPED II + PEACE Joint Learning
b) PRIME – WEAI + Panel Surveys
c) GIS mapping and layering of spatial data for others from Kenya
5. Propose exchange visits and collaboration with regional programs
a) PEACE to visit Ethiopia to engage with PCCSR and other resilience actors -
planned.
b) A meeting in Moyale or on ether sides of the border 
c) Start with Borana/Marsabit by convening a meeting in Moyale (K or E). 
d) Led by FAO, RLP, AKLDP 
e) Include GoE/GoK, other donors present; NGOs etc 
f) Ethiopia to urgently embrace GIS Tools to support conversations on layering and 
integration and assess resilience outcomes/challenges from co-relating spatial 
data
UGANDA MISSION
JPC is being initiated at an opportune time when the donor group meeting has just been 
held - great time to plug in and understand what everyone else is doing.
1. How are these new programs contributing to JPC?
 All programs are new and understanding the JPC expectations is useful 
2. How they are strengthening the M&E? 
 Other programs such as PEACE III are already on the ground and questions for 
other regional programs such as AU-IBAR will be brought to bear
2. What steps are being taken to operationalize?
 Specific tools such as layering and use of GIS tools from Kenya will provide great 
learning platforms
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SOMALIA MISSION
1. How are these new programs contributing to JPC?
 Data on multi-donor initiatives are available and can be brought to bear and 3 
programs have been initiated/launched in Central and Southern part of Somalia.
2. How they are strengthening the M&E? 
 The available data can be utilized to monitor progress on projects.
3. Propose exchange visits and collaboration with regional programs
 Exchange visits currently limited due to security concerns in Somalia.
Facilitation for partners from Somalia.
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ANNEX A: 
DAY 2 & 3 PARTICIPANTS PHOTO
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ANNEX B: 
LIST OF PRESENTATIONS
1. JPC Mid-term Review interim findings by Tim Leyland, Tufts University.
2. HoA JPC TOR Presentation by Chip Bury, JPC Regional Resilience Coordinator
3. PMP/M&E Framework by Andre Mershon
4. PEACE III Evaluation & Learning Component by Rob Grossman, Principal, IBTCI and 
Team Leader PEACE III E&L
5. Somalia Mission Report- by Anne Shaw
6. Uganda Mission Report by Andre Mershon
7. Regional Climate Change (PREPARED/FEWSNET) by Scott McCormick and Gideon 
Galu
8. Regional Livestock Value Chains (AU-IBAR) by Prof. James Wabacha and Susan 
Mugwe
9. Conflict Mitigation (PEACE III) by Sarah Gibbons and Richard Barno
10. CEWARN by Richard Barno
11. IDRSSI by Dr. Ayah Mahamoud and Anthony Awira