1. KEEPING UP WITH THE INNOVATION JOURNEY!
FACTS and FIGURES
PROCASUR AFRICA
1. 5 Thematic Areas:
• Rural Microfinance and information and
communication technologies
• Market Access and Value Chain Development
• Land, Water, Climate Change and Natural
Resources Management
• Gender Equality
• Rural Youth
2. 3 Components:
• Local Knowledge and Skills Management
• Capacity building and incentives for local
innovations
• Development and dissemination of innovations
3. 23 Learning Routes (LRs) implemented:
18 LRs completed within the East and Southern
Africa (ESA) region with the International Fund for
Agricultural Development (IFAD), and 5 additional
LRs with several partners and stakeholders in other
regions
4. 14 countries in the East and Southern Africa Region
and 3 Countries in West and Middle East and North
Africa region, ensuring South-South cooperation and
exchanges
In Africa, the PROCASUR Corporation works with partner
organizations to support their capacity to achieve results.
By constantly improving our understanding of rural
development challenges inAfrica, we are able to design and
deliver customized and efficient knowledge-management
tools and methodologies, connect local knowledge to global
knowledge markets, and provide the structured platforms
necessary to spread innovation and promote scaling up.
Since 2010, PROCASUR Africa has been working in the
ESA region in close collaboration with the International
Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) partners under
the framework of the RoutESA Programme.
PROCASUR in Africa is partnering and providing services
to over 30 partner organizations, clients and donors. Our
main partners include the International Fund for Agricultural
Development (IFAD), the Ford Foundation, the Food and
Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the
International Development Research Centre (IDRC), the
International Land Coalition (ILC), OXFAM Novib, CARE
International, ILEIA and Diversity & Development. In
addition, we cater to the knowledge needs and interests
of local and national governments, and to a wide sector
of NGOs and academic institutions such as: Paths To
Learning, ULA (Uganda Land Alliance), PROSPERER
(Programme of Support for Rural Microenterprise Poles
and Regional Economies (PROSPERER), PPPMER II
(Projet Pour la Promotion des Petites et Micro Entreprises
Rurales - Phase II), ACORD – Agent of Cooperation,
Research and Development, DUHAMIC-ADRI, Community
organization for Rural Enterprise Activity Management

2. (CREAM), Community Empowerment for rural Development
(CEFORD), Bukonzo Joint Cooperative Union, Support
Project for the Strategic Plan for the Transformation of
Agriculture (PAPSTA), Kirehe community-based Watershed
management Project (KWAMP), SPIU- Single Project
Implementation Units – Ministry of Trade and Industry –
Rwanda, CARE Denmark in conjunction with CARE Kenya's
Adaptation Learning Program for Africa – ALP, CGIAR
Research Program on Climate Change, Agriculture & Food
Security (CCAFS), KariaNet, ILEIA - Centre for learning on
sustainable agriculture, International Center for Agricultural
Research in the DryAreas (ICARDA), The World Initiative for
Sustainable Pastoralism (WISP), Resource Conflict Institute
– RECONCILE, IUCN- International Union for Conservation
of Nature, Fond Belge Pour la Sécurité Alimentaire.
• 57 cases studies on best practices and innovations
elaborated and used for LRs
• 872 local champions trained in knowledge building
and sharing
• 23 learning routes implemented in the ESA region,
among other regions
• 320 participants from 14 countries, (45% women, 46%
youth) implemented, promoting women’s participation
and gender equality with youth inclusion
• 240 Innovation Plans (IPs) designed and 29 IPs
funded
• 300,000 USD of direct co-financing given to rural
communities and organizations
The LRs promote innovative activities, technologies and
approaches that can be applied in rural poverty eradication.
The LRs enable lesson learning, advance knowledge
management with concrete results, allow the efficient
dissemination of information, and inspire the scaling-up
of the best, field-tested innovations in rural development
across regions.
• 75% of the LRs participants carried out dissemination
activities to their community based organizations
(CBOs) after their return, which indicates a high
level of knowledge transfer to members of these
organizations that did not participate in the LRs.
• 70% of the LRs participants developed IPs and
applied knowledge gained
• 75% of the LRs participants acknowledged that
changes had occurred in their organizations or
institutions as a result of the LRs (better definition
of objectives and strategies, improved internal
organizations, changes in the management of
services of their organizations, among others)
• 71% of the LRs participants stated that the outreach
of the innovations applied was up to 100 families while
7% stated an outreach of over 5,000 families
Lessons learned from PROCASUR Africa / The Learning
Routes Methodology
1. LRs added value to the ESA Portfolio. ROUTESA’s
approach and methodology have demonstrated its
comparative advantage and value added, e.g. Uganda,
where the participation in the Gender Action Learning
Systems LR was able to mobilize teams and members
towards the appropriation and scaling-up of the vision
approach, in Rwanda with the LRs on SACCOs. Also
the capitalization and sharing of the lessons learned
by IFAD supported project as in Kenya, Rwanda and
Uganda.As well as strengthen KM capacities in Rwanda
and Uganda.
• LRs create critical reflections beyond the visited
case studies. The participants’ evaluations
demonstrate that the learning exceeds the visited
case studies stimulating a critical reflection on
their own organization, territory and strategies and
therefore builds appropriate innovative solutions.
• Country level uptake. Uptake and mainstreaming
(scaling-up) of the LRs methodologies by IFAD
and other IFI supported projects (Country portfolio
Peru) were facilitated by targeted communication
combined with field exchanges to the areas
originating the methodologies.
2. South-South cooperation1
: Was demonstrated the
potential of SSC inter-regions such as the Scaling-Up
of the CLAR/Intekoy’Imihigo or the Sudan Kenya LRs,
as well as within the region, such as the SACCOs and
GALS between Rwanda and Uganda and the LR on
Inclusive Business Models.
1
Also see The learning routes as tools to scale up and disseminate innovations,
IDRC/IFAD/Procasur, 2012, http://asia.procasur.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/
Report.PROCASUR.PEIR_.pdf

3. List of Implemented Learning Routes:
Name of the Learning Route Country and dates Host Case Experiences
1. Gender and Microfinance Uganda
12th
– 20th
June 2011
1. FINCA Uganda
2. Bukonzo Joint Co-operative
3. Microfinance Services Ltd. – Uganda Women’s Effort to Save
Orphans (UWESO Uganda)
4. Iganga District Farmers Association- CARE Uganda
2. Strategic Rural Finance Policies Uganda
16th
- 23rd
September 2011
1. AMFIU (Association of Microfinance Institutions of Uganda)
2. IDFA (Iganga´s District Farmers Association)
3. Micro-Finance Support Centre (MSC)
4. Bukonzo Joint Cooperative Micro-Finance Limited, Kyarumba town,
Kasese District
3. Learning from Integrated
Watershed Management
Rwanda
24th
- 28th
September 2012
1. The Comité local de gestion et de supervision (CLGS) Rwanda
2. The Innovation Community Centers (ICC)
3. The Personnes Ressources and Relais villageois (PR/RV)
4. The IntekoY’imihigo
5. Pass on the Gift
6. Bocage
7. The System of Rice Intensification (SRI)
4. Boosting the contribution of value
chain development to gender
justice and pro-poor wealth
creation: The Gender Action
Learning System (GALS)
Rwanda
24th
September - 3rd
October
2012
1. CREAM and CEFORD in West Nile - Rwanda
2. Bukonzo Joint Cooperative in Kasese, Rwanda and Uganda
3. Agent of Cooperation, Research and Development - ACORD
Rwanda
4. Duhamic‐Adri in Muhanga Kamonyi Districts, Rwanda
5. Boosting the contribution of value
chain development to gender
justice and pro-poor wealth
creation: The Gender Action
Learning System (GALS)
Uganda
24th
September - 3rd
October
2012
1. ACORD – Agent of Cooperation, Research and Development -
Uganda
2. DUHAMIC-ADRI - Uganda
6. Making Rangelands Secure Kenya and Tanzania
6th
-19th
February 2012
1. Naibunga Conservancy, Laikipia Kenya
2. Resource AdvocayProgramme, Garba Tula Kenya
3. Olkiramatian Group Ranch, Kajiado Kenya
4. Ujaama Community Resource Team, Arusha Tanzania
7. In pursuit of ideas to develop
Savings and Credit Cooperatives
the case of Kenya
Kenya
4th
- 11th
March 2012
1. WakenyaPamojaKisii Kenya
2. Ndetika SACCO Kikuyu Kenya
3. Universal Traders Sacco Machakos Kenya
4. Maua Methodist SACCO Meru Kenya
8. In pursuit of ideas to develop
Savings and Credit Cooperatives,
the case of Kenya
Kenya
18th
- 25th
March 2012
1. Wakenya Pamoja Kisii Kenya
2. Ndetika SACCO Kikuyu Kenya
3. Universal Traders Sacco Machakos Kenya
4. Maua Methodist SACCO Meru Kenya
9. In pursuit of ideas to develop
Savings and Credit Cooperatives,
the case of Kenya - A learning
route for policy makers
Kenya
24th
- 26th
April 2012
1. STIMA SACCO, Nairobi Kenya
2. Cooperative College of Kenya
3. KUSCCO Kenya
4. Cooperative Alliance of Kenya
10. Making Rangelands Secure Kenya and Tanzania
14th
- 28th
September 2012
1. Naibunga Conservancy, Laikipia Kenya
2. Resource Advocay Programme, Garba Tula Kenya
3. Olkiramatian Group Ranch, Kajiado Kenya
4. Ujaama Community Resource Team, Arusha Tanzania
11. Securing Resource and Land
Rights through Inclusive Business
Models. The Case of Uganda
Uganda
19th
– 26th
August 2013
1. Vegetable Oil Development Programme –Phase II (VODP II)
2. Star Café Limited
3. KAWACOM
• Evidence based scaling-up. International breakthrough
of acceptance and scaling-up of the LRs methodology
at policy level was facilitated by Academia and aid
agencies through championing by a recognized
resource center (Brooking Institute, IDRC, IFPRI,
ILEIA;) at international fora.
3. Institutional context and position of the participants
determine uptake of innovations. The implementation
of innovative ideas is largely linked to the position held
and the capacity of the participants to mobilize alliances
and third party resources for the proposals.
• Entrepreneurs innovate more. Community based
organizations (farmers, crafters, women, indigenous
people, youth) and the private sector (MFIs and
rural businesses) fully implement a major number
of innovation plans compared to public institutions.
• Diversity of actors makes the difference. Indeed,
an outstanding added value of the successful
LRs is the gathering of practitioners from different
countries and organizations; different occupational
profiles (managers, technical staff, experts, rural
entrepreneurs and CBO leaders); and professionals
of various disciplines.
• Joint solutions in a conduciveenvironment motivate
learning. During the LRs there is the manifest
interest of each participant to share experiences
thus generating the dynamics of mutual support
motivated by the quest for joint solutions to
the publicly raised problems. The emotionally
conducive atmosphere created within the groups
is a motivational element for learning and at times
generates ties that transcend the LR and create
networks.

4. 12. Learning from Climate Change
Adaptation Innovative Experiences
of Communities and Government
Departments at the County Level
In ASALs. A Learning Route For
Policy Makers in Kenya
Kenya
2nd
- 7th
September 2013
1. The Special Climate Change Adaptation Fund and the Resource
Advocacy Programme (RAP) in Isiolo, Kenya
2. The Adaptation Learning Programme (ALP) in Garissa and Kenya
3. The Crop Integration & Diversification in Makueni County (Wote
District) implemented by the Climate Change, Agriculture and Food
Security (CCAFS) Kenya
13. Innovative Tools and Approaches
To Secure Women´s Land Rights
Rwanda and Burundi
3rd
-11th
February 2014
1. “Community Paralegal programme” and land rights initiatives
promoted by Rwanda Women Network (RWN), Rwanda
2. Transitional Programme of Post Conflict Reconstruction (PTRPC
PROJECT), Burundi
3. APDH –Association pour la paix et les droits de l’homme, Burundi
14. Gender and Rural Microfinance:
new approaches, services and
products for the empowerment
of economically active rural
communities by ensuring Gender
equality.
Uganda
16th
- 23rd
June 2014
1. Bukonzo Joint Cooperative Microfinance Limited
2. Iganga District Farmers Association (IDFA) VSLA
15. Natural Resources Management
and Climate Change Adaption
best practices. The experience in
Kenya.
Kenya
6th
-13th
of July 2014
1. The Mount Kenya East Pilot Project for Natural Resources
Management (MKEPP) and Upper Tana Natural Resources
Management Project (UTaNRMP)
2. The Cgiar Research Program on Climate Change & Food
Security(CCAFS), and Dryland Agriculture in Wote, Makueni
County
3. The Community of Balich and the Adaptation Learning Programme
(ALP), developed by CARE Kenya in the Garissa region
16. Innovative ideas and approaches
to integrate Rural Youth in
Agriculture. The progress in Kenya.
Kenya
11th
- 18th
August 2014
1. Junior Farm Field Schools, FAO
2. Strengthening Rural Youth Development through Enterprise,
TechnoServe
3. Mkulima Young, ICT and marketing
4. Kenya Youth-to-Youth Fund - Entrepreneurship development
17. Innovative tools and approaches to
enhance gender equality in value
chain development
Uganda
7th
– 14th
September 2014
1. Community Organization for Rural Enterprise Activity (CREAM)
2. Community Empowerment for Rural Development (CEFORD)
3. Bukonzo Joint Cooperative Microfinance Ltd
18. Innovative Livestock Marketing
from Northern to East Africa
Kenya
27 February 10 March 2012
1. Siana and Kilitome Market Access Committees (the MAC model)
Kenya
2. Keekonyokie Slaughterhouse: Linking local slaughterhouses to
terminal markets Kenya
3. Mpesa Kenya
4. Anolei Camel Milk Cooperative, Isiolo Kenya
5. Meru Goat Breeders Association Kenya
19. Farmers Organization Morocco
25th
February – 4th
March
2013
1. COPAG (CoóperativeAgricole)Taroudant, South western Morocco
2. ANCA (Association Nationale des Coóperatives d’Argane) Agadir,
South western Morocco
3. ANOC (Association Nationale Ovine et Caprine)Khenifra, Central
Morocco
20. Sustainable Water Management
in Egypt
Egypt
10th
to 17th
of March 2013
1. West Nubaria Rural Development Project (WNRDP - IFAD) and
ICARDA Benchmark research project, in New Lands of West Nuba-
ria, Egypt
2. East Delta Agricultural Services Project (EDASP - IFAD and WB)
and ICARDA Benchmark research project, in Marginal Lands of
Port Said, Egypt.
3. ICARDA Benchmark research project in Old Lands of Sharkia
21. Family Organizations supporting
family farming business
Morocco
20th
– 25th
of January 2014
1. COPAG (CoóperativeAgricole)Taroudant, South western Morocco
2. ANCA (Association Nationale des Coóperatives d’Argane) Agadir,
South western Morocco
22. Natural Resources Management
and Local Solutions to adapt to
Climate Change. An exchange
between Kenya and Sudan.
Kenya
13th
– 20th
of October 2014
1. The Mount Kenya East Pilot Project for Natural Resources Manage-
ment (MKEPP) and Upper Tana Natural Resources Management
Project (UTaNRMP)
2. The Cgiar Research Program on Climate Change & Food Security
(CCAFS), and Dryland Agriculture in Wote, Makueni County
3. The Community of Balich and the Adaptation Learning Programme
(ALP), developed by CARE Kenya in the Garissa region
23. Learning towards an enhanced
land Tenure Security and Natural
Resources Management amongst
policy implementers and resource
users in Sudan
Kenya and Tanzania
26th
of April to 3rd
of May
2015
1. Olkiramatian Group Ranch, Kajiado, Kenya
2. Ujaama Community Resource Team (UCRT) and Terrat Village,
Arusha Tanzania.
Valentina Sauve
Learning Route Coordination
Procasur Africa
vsauve@procasur.org
Viviana Sacco
Learning Route Coordination
Procasur Africa
vsacco@procasur.org
Vivienne Likhanga
Administration and Communications
Procasur Africa
vlikhanga@procasur.org