Technical Assistance to the GCCA Climate Support Facilityunder the 10th EDF Intra-ACP Financial Framework

Work Order 42

Knowledge transfer and Organisational Capacity Building for Community Forests Pemba (CFP), Tanzania

Mission Report for ACP Secretariat and European Commission

Field Mission from July 1st 2014 to Dec 31st, 2015 Craig NORRIS

Quality control : Manuel Harchies

Consortium SAFEGE-Prospect-ADETEF-Eco – Gulledelle 92, 1200 Brussels, BELGIUM

Climate Support Facility – WO42 – Mission Report

Mission dataCountry Tanzania

Period June 2014 – January 2016

Local coordinator Mbarouk Mussa Omar, Executive Director, Community Forests Pemba

Acronyms

ObjectivesAs specified in the ToR:

- General objective:

To support and deliver on national climate change priorities as outlined by the Zanzibar Climate Change Strategy. These priorities include helping to build capacity and knowledge, raising awareness, and promoting climate aware and sustainable livelihood practices for all of society, with a particular focus on local communities; and encouraging the transfer, adoption and diffusion of technologies for increasing resilience and promoting low carbon sustainable development.

- Specific objective:

To increase capacity and outreach by sharing the results of the GCCA-funded Resilient Livelihoods for Resilient Communities project through the production of multimedia tools, including […] training videos and a feature documentary that will facilitate both local and international educational opportunities that promote CFP’s climate change adaptation activities

ActivitiesAs specified in the ToR:

1. Task 1 : Prepare a mission plan in consultation with the National Coordinator and discuss and agree on the needs and requirements for the […] videos and documentary as described in Tasks 3 - 4 below

Complete. The biggest obstacle was finalizing a departure date. I was originally supposed to leave for Pemba in July of 2014, but I did not receive approval from CFI and CFP to leave for Pemba until December, 3rd, 2014. This five-month delay was outside of my control and did result in the deliverables being finalized later than originally planned.

2. Task 2 : Webplatform

Under the responsibility of the other expert

3. Task 3 : Create instructional videos to share piloted adaptation technologies (described below):o Under the guidance and in close collaboration with the National Coordinator and

consultation with relevant stakeholders as identified by the National coordinator, agree on the form, structure and content of the instructional videos, the people to

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Climate Support Facility – WO42 – Mission Report

interview and feature on the videos, including the narrator. Conduct the relevant interviews and research for the videos

Complete. The biggest obstacle was securing a translator. Although all aspects of translation were supposed to be handled by CFI and CFP, it was clear to me upon arrival that CFP did not have this capacity within their organization. To solve the problem, I interviewed 10 candidates and hired one. In the end I paid over $5,400 USD for field translation and post transcription/translation services and this expense was not reimbursed. I do not regret this decision because completing the deliverables would have been impossible without the assistance of a full time translator.

o Create 5 step-by-step instructional videos as agreed above, narrated in Swahili with English subtitles, in consultation with the National coordinator and relevant CFP staff and stakeholders

Complete, in fact we captured far more content than originally planned and in total I produced 24 instructional videos for a total of 130 minutes of content, which I believe is more than 4 times our original goal. I was compensated for 13 of the 19 additional shorts via a contract amendment, but I was not compensated in any way for 6 of the 24 instructional videos.

The biggest obstacle was completing the Swahili transcripts, the written translations and subtitling all of the shorts.

- Completing Swahili Transcripts & Written Translations: This took much longer than anticipated. My translator was supposed to have everything transcribed and supply written translations before my departure from Pemba on February 3rd, but in the end I did not receive the final file until June 3rdst, 2015, exactly four months later than planned. This four-month delay was outside of my control and although I was able to complete some work while I waited for the translations, it did delay the process significantly and was another reason deliverables were finalized later than planned.

- Completing All Subtitling: This was supposed to be completed by CFP and CFI, but was once again beyond their organizational capacity. To solve this problem, I designed a subtitling system and placed all of the subtitles myself. I was compensated via a contract amendment for the time it took to devise the subtitling system, but I was not compensated for the time it took to subtitle the videos.

o Instructional videos will share information regarding fuel briquette production/fuel efficient cook stove production; compressed earth-block production; solar energy production/solar microgrid development; integrated farming techniques; rain water harvesting and storage

Complete. The fuel briquette, cook stove, and earth block videos were completed as planned. Integrated farming techniques i.e., Agroforestry and Kitchen Gardening were deemed too complicated for a single video so with the approval of CFP and CFI I produced a series of 5 instructional agroforestry videos and 7 kitchen gardening videos. Planting trees is also very important to CFP, plus they are working diligently to spread the practice of bee keeping, so to support those efforts I also produced a 4 part tree nursery series as well as a 5 part beekeeping series.

After consulting with CFI and CFP instructional videos for solar micro grids and rain water harvesting were not completed and the rational for that decision is outlined in the outputs portion of this document.

o Pre-screen the videos with the National coordinator, CFP team and stakeholders, as advised by the coordinator. Gather any comments and edit the videos as appropriate before producing final versions to be signed-off by the National coordinator

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Climate Support Facility – WO42 – Mission Report

Screenings Complete. Feedback received from CFI and CFP and incorporated into all instructional videos. Both organizations were very happy with all of the shorts. Feedback has also been received and incorporated from Manuel Harchies for most of the videos.

There were no obstacles during the feedback process – Stakeholders were generally very happy with the films and only requested very minor revisions that were easy to accommodate.

o Share the videos online through the CFP online platform for adaptation (Task 2), Youtube, Vimeo and capacity4dev.eu

This will be completed by the beneficiary, final 1080p web formatted files for all of the instructional videos have been supplied to both CFI and CFP. The CFI versions feature the CFI logo at the beginning and end of each video and the CFP version feature the CFP logo. CFI understands the uploading procedures and will guide CFP through the uploading and embedding processes.

I also provided CFP with a smart phone versions and broadcast versions of every instructional video.

- Smart Phone Version: These are low res versions of the videos that can be bumped from one smart phone to another using BlueTooth. CFP intends to use these videos as a leave behind at the end of their community workshops.

- Broadcast Version: This version will allow CFP to air all of the videos on community access television.

4. Task 4 : Create a documentary to share the results of CFP’s GCCA funded initiative:o Under the guidance and in close collaboration with the National Coordinator and

consultation with relevant stakeholders as identified by the coordinator, agree on the form, structure, information to use for the documentary, the people to interview and feature on the documentary

Complete. I created an outline for the film in Pemba and circulated it to all stakeholders. It was unanimously approved with no major revisions requested.

o Create a 30-minute documentary, narrated in Swahili with English subtitles, which will explore climate change adaptation within participating communities, documenting the opportunities and challenges associated with some of CFP’s initiatives, showing the human dimension of climate change adaptation in the region as well as the local and international partnerships involved. This should be done in close consultation with the National coordinator

Complete. Beyond the translation and subtitling issues described in a previous section there were no other significant obstacles. Once I received the translations I completed a “paper edit” and circulated it to all stakeholders. The paper edit was very much in line with the outline and was approved with only a few minor requests, which were easy to accommodate. Since that time the film has been edited together and circulated for feedback.

o Pre-screen the documentary with the National coordinator, CFP team and stakeholders, as advised by the coordinator. Gather any comments and edit the videos as appropriate before producing final versions to be signed-off by the National coordinator

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Climate Support Facility – WO42 – Mission Report

Screenings Complete. Detailed feedback received from CFI and they are very impressed with the film and only submitted a handful of comments that will be easy to accommodate. CFP has responded and said they are also very happy with the documentary. They have committed to sending more detailed feedback by Friday, January 15th.

So far there has not been any major obstacles during the feedback process – Stakeholders are generally very happy with the documentary and so far have only requested very minor revisions that will be easy to accommodate.

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Climate Support Facility – WO42 – Mission Report

WorkplanMonth Year

Date Man-days

Description

Preparation Phase (10 Working days home-based)

Sep

tem

ber 2

014

2 1

Preparation Phase

3 14 15 18 19 110 111 112 115 1

Travel to the field (1 Working days)02/12/2014 1 International TravelField Phase (40 Working days in Tanzania)

Dec

embe

r 201

4

3 1

Logistic Preparation.Script Revision

Translator HiringPhoto Shoot.

Briefings and Meetings with CFP.

Instructional Videos shooting

4 15 18 110 111 112 115 116 117 118 119 122 123 124 129 130 131 1

Janu

ary

2015

2 1 Documentary video shooting5 16 17 18 19 113 114 115 116 119 120 121 122 123 126 127 128 129 130 1

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Climate Support Facility – WO42 – Mission Report

02/02/2015 103/02/2015 1Travel from the field (1 Working days)04/02/2015 1 International TravelReporting phase (51 Working days : 28 initially + 10 subtitles + 13 additional videos after amendment)

Mar

ch 2

015

2 1

Video Editing.Subtitling System Design.

Reporting

3 14 15 16 19 110 111 112 113 116 117 1

Apr

il 20

15

2 19 110 113 114 1

May

201

5

1 14 15 16 17 18 111 112 113 114 115 119 120 121 122 125 126 127 128 1

Dec

embe

r 201

5

1 12 13 14 17 18 19 110 111 114 115 116 117 118 121 1

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Climate Support Facility – WO42 – Mission Report

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Outputs As specified in the ToR:

- Output 1 : Under the responsibility of the other expert

- Output 2 : Minimum 18 (5 initially + 13 after amendment) step-by-step instructional videos will be created to share the adaptation technologies piloted through CFP’s GCCA funded initiative. Instructional videos will be narrated in Swahili with English subtitles. Once completed these videos will be shared online through the online platform for adaptation, Youtube, Vimeo and capacity4dev.eu. Instructional videos will share information regarding fuel briquette production/fuel efficient cook stove production; compressed earth-block production; solar energy production/solar microgrid development; integrated farming techniques; rain water harvesting and storage.

In total 24 videos were produced, three solo, or standalone videos and four instructional video series. Solo, or standalone instructional videos include:

- How to Make Energy Efficient Clay Cook Stoves- How to Make Earth Blocks- How to Make Fuel Briquettes

The following instructional video series were also produced:

- How to Start an Agroforest (Integrated Farming) (A 5 Part Instructional Video Series)- How to Start a Kitchen Garden (Integrated Farming) (A 7 Part Instructional Video Series)- How to Start a Tree Nursery (BONUS) (A 4 Part Instructional Video Series)- How to Start an Apiary (BONUS) (A 5 Part Instructional Video Series)

After consulting with CFP and CFI we decided not to produce instructional videos for rain water harvesting and solar power projects – The rational for these decisions follows.

- The topics for the videos made were driven by priorities determined by CFP after meeting with them face to face once I got to Pemba. They wanted videos they could leave behind in communities so communities could get started on their own. Since communities can start kitchen gardens, agroforests, tree nursery's, etc on their own, those topics were given top priority. Since communities cannot tackle water tanks and solar panels on their own these two fell to the bottom of their priority list.  

- There wasn't any water tank or solar power construction projects going on when I was on Pemba, which made it impossible to get the necessary construction footage.

- It was the dry season so getting shots of rain flowing into a tank wasn't possible.

- Rain water harvesting and solar power get a lot of attention, likely more than originally anticipated, in the documentary, so these topics are already well covered by the overarching project.

 - The only rain water and solar power systems we were able to film were in Kokota, so if we did

produce separate shorts there would have been a lot of overlap between the doc and the shorts.       

- Output 3 : a 30-minute participatory documentary will be produced in order to share the results of CFP’s GCCA funded initiative. This professionally produced video will explore climate change adaptation within participating communities, documenting the opportunities and challenges associated with the organization’s initiatives and will show the human

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Climate Support Facility – WO42 – Mission Report

dimension of climate change adaptation in the region as well as the local and international partnerships involved. This film will function as a communication tool, helping to document and disseminate CFP’s story, and the applicable lessons for other stakeholders. It will be submitted to television networks, film festivals, climate change conferences, and will be broadcast quality for both television and internet audiences internationally.

Complete. In my estimation the documentary does exactly what it was intended to do. It is currently 7 minutes longer than planned, but I plan to shorten it to 35 minutes once I incorporate all stakeholder feedback.

Problems encountered

Looking back the biggest issues by far, all related to translation and subtitling and have been described in previous sections. I overcame these problems by paying a translator out of my own pocket (not ideal) and generating and placing all of the subtitles myself (also not ideal). On future missions I would recommend that the project include a budget for a field translator, a transcriber and a professional post translator. I would also recommend that that extra days be added to the contract to allow the filmmaker to generate and place subtitles as he or she is editing (I really can’t imagine how anyone could do this for the filmmaker).

The delays associated with the translation and subtitling, combined with the huge delay in our departure date significantly delayed the delivery of the instructional videos and the documentary.

I do not have any suggestions for Manuel Harchies. He responded to my messages promptly and was generally very understanding and helpful.

Follow-up required

Possible Mission Impacts and Outcomes

I think this project could have a massive impact on the island of Pemba and the islets that surround it, in fact I think the videos have the potential to change island culture and accelerate Pemba’s shift towards large scale sustainable farming, reforestation and will just generally make climate change adaptation part of their everyday vocabulary. I think this is especially true because the island has a very well established broadcast system and almost no local video content.

The majority of Pembans have access community access television, and there’s essentially no local content. This means that all of the instructional videos, as well as the documentary, could be played at a very high frequency and reach a huge percentage of the population in a very short amount of time.

I think the instructional videos are the perfect one two punch.

- The instructional videos give people very specific information and in some cases, like for the clay stove video, or the kitchen garden videos, the viewer can get started immediately without even contacting CFP. In situations where equipment is required the viewer knows exactly who to call for more information - I really believe the videos could astronomically lift awareness of, and demand for, things like earth blocks, pod presses, apiaries and tree nurseries.

- I think the documentary addresses a different problem: an inferiority complex. Broadly speaking and in my personal opinion, I think Pembans suffer from low self-esteem, especially with regards to how they see themselves in the global picture. Sadly I think a lot of Pembans feel inferior to Westerners, which is of course both ridiculous and terrible, but nevertheless

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Climate Support Facility – WO42 – Mission Report

true, at least in my estimation. I think this documentary has the potential to give them a confidence boost. I think the documentary is in many ways a celebration of their recent accomplishments and I think it has the potential to make them feel proud of themselves and could motivate them to do even more. In fact I’m willing to bet that for many Pembans watching this documentary will be the first time they see themselves as innovative world leaders – That’s will be empowering.

Next Steps

I do worry that this opportunity will slip between our fingers. I think Mbarouk really needs a lot of help to work out all of the technical details with the local broadcaster. Mbarouk does not have any ability to spot or trouble shoot technical issues with the local technicians. Honestly I would prefer to travel back to Pemba myself to coordinate this process and quality check everything – There are so many small things that could go wrong that would be easy for me to fix in person, but tedious and slow to address electronically from another continent.

I also know there is a small fee for airing content on community access television and I know Mbarouk likes to put every penny he can into projects on the ground, so I fear he may not allocate a large enough broadcast budget to ensure the videos air in high frequency over a long enough period.

I also would like to work with his team to strategize which content will be released and when. In my experience my clients always have a very difficult time managing the distribution of their videos and typically need a lot of help to do it properly.

Finally, Mbarouk and his team are planning to distribute the instructional videos via smart phones utilizing BlueTooth technology. I think this could be a bit more complicated than they think and I would like to be there to help them trouble shoot any issues they may encounter.

Further Assistance

From my perspective, as a communications expert, I think CFP would benefit greatly from multimedia training. Mbarouk and his team were very interested in photography and video, their aptitude was excellent and honestly I was very impressed at how much they picked up by simply watching me work. There is no question that this project sparked their interest in telling their story using multimedia, but unfortunately I did not have enough time to teach them everything they needed to know. I would welcome any opportunity to return to Pemba to complete a workshop about producing and distributing their own digital content. With just a few weeks of training I think this mission could also leave a legacy of locals producing their own professional quality multimedia.

List of people consulted

Name Institution Email Tel.

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