The R4A work packages

The R4A project started in 2015 and will be delivered in June 2019. The activities of the R4A partners are divided over five work packages.

WP1: Project management

This work package deals with the overall management of the R4A project, including monitoring of the (financial) progress, organization of meetings and reporting. This work package is lead by the general R4A project manager prof. Sue Walker from ARC.

WP2: User engagement

The objective of this work package is to: engage small scale farmers in the design and implementation of the R4A services; develop training modules and provide training to extension officers. This work package is lead by Obed Phahlane from ARC.

WP3: Service provision

In this work package all relevant weather and agri from SAW, eLEAF and ARC are connected to the R4A platform. Furthermore R4A applications for farmers, added value providers and weather services are implemented. This work package is subdivided into three focus groups:

• Models and data, focusing on preparing and connecting data to the R4A platform, lead by Joel Botai from SAWS
• Platform development, focusing on delivering the R4A platform where data can be connected, accessed, viewed and analysed. This focus group is lead by Rianne Giesen from HydroLogic Research.
• Mobile app development, focusing on developing the AgriCloud smartphone app and USSD service for small-scale farmers, lead by Fiona van der Burgt from Weather Impact.

WP4: Monitoring and evaluation

The aim of this work package is to monitor and evaluate the outputs, outcomes and impacts of the Rain for Africa project. The outcome impact controller associated with this task is Nico Kroese from SAWS.

WP5: Business development

This work package is aimed at the promotion of the R4A services and the establishment of a sustainable business modelto ensure the sustainable delivery of R4A services after the project. This work package is lead by Cynthia Motsi from ARC and Michelle Hartslief from SAWS.