FINAL PERFORMANCE EVALUATION of the LIVESTOCK for GROWTH (L4G) ACTIVITY in MALI May 15, 2020
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FINAL PERFORMANCE EVALUATION OF THE LIVESTOCK FOR GROWTH (L4G) ACTIVITY IN MALI May 15, 2020 Prepared for the United States Agency for International Development under USAID Contract Number: AID-OAA-TO-16-00008 Submitted to: USAID/Mali Ousmane Samake [email protected] and USAID/Bureau for Food Security Lesley Perlman [email protected] Submitted by: Philip Boyle, Team Leader Embry Howell, Senior Evaluation Specialist Almouzar Maiga, Livestock Specialist Aliou Badara Samake, Evaluation Specialist Jessica Payton, Research Assistant Contractor: Program Evaluation for Effectiveness and Learning (PEEL) ME&A 1020 19th Street NW, Suite 875 Washington, DC 20036 Tel: 240-762-6296 Cover Photo: Agricultural Specialist, Dr. Almouzar Mohaly Maïga, with his arm around the village chief of Tété, Andè Poudiougou by Aliou Maïga. DISCLAIMER 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. ABSTRACT The Livestock for Growth (L4G) activity aimed to promote inclusive competitive economic growth of the livestock value chain in Mali, defined as small ruminants and cattle, by strengthening support services and improving access to information and technology. The L4G performance evaluation sought to assess activity progress and to inform the design of future activities under the Global Food Security Strategy country plan. L4G successfully installed the Private Proximity Veterinary Service (SVPP) program in Koro and Bankass circles of Mopti region but was unable to install it in other circles of Mopti. The network of SVPP veterinarians and veterinarian auxiliaries (VAs) offered an accessible, rapid, and affordable range of veterinary services, including vaccination, deworming, and disease treatment. High attrition rates, low VA capacity, and the failure to involve local stakeholders, however, hindered the SVPP’s operations. Fattening techniques taught in farmer field schools (FFSs) effectively increased farmers’ knowledge and practice in fattening techniques and in increasing their productivity, sales, and income from animal raising. The cascade training model used for the FFSs, however, did not achieve the outreach envisioned and was hampered by the lack of financial resources and local participation. While beneficiaries could cite theoretical and practical benefits of co-locating the SVPP and FFSs, none could identify actual examples in practice. L4G water point interventions improved water access and decreased wait times and transaction costs for residents in villages served by these water points. Overall, water point governance works well, and water point committees continue to function in their designated roles. TABLE OF CONTENTS EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ................................................................................................................................................... i Evaluation Purpose .............................................................................................................................................. i Activity Background ............................................................................................................................................ i Evaluation Methods ............................................................................................................................................. i Key Findings, Conclusions, and Recommendations ..................................................................................... i 1.0 EVALUATION PURPOSE AND QUESTIONS ........................................................................................... 1 1.1 Evaluation Purpose and Audience .......................................................................................................... 1 1.2 Evaluation Questions ................................................................................................................................. 1 2.0 ACTIVITY BACKGROUND ........................................................................................................................... 1 2.1 Activity Description ................................................................................................................................... 1 2.2 Approach and Implementation ................................................................................................................ 2 3.0 EVALUATION METHODS AND LIMITATIONS ...................................................................................... 3 3.1 Evaluation Methods .................................................................................................................................... 3 3.2 Methodological Limitations ...................................................................................................................... 6 4.0 FINDINGS, CONCLUSIONS, AND RECOMMENDATIONS ............................................................... 6 4.1 Evaluation Question 1 ............................................................................................................................... 6 4.2 Evaluation Question 2 ............................................................................................................................. 19 4.3 Evaluation Questions 3 and 4 ................................................................................................................ 28 ANNEXES ......................................................................................................................................................................... 34 Annex 1: Expression of Interest .................................................................................................................... 35 Annex 2: Fieldwork Schedule of Focus Group Discussions and Key Informant Interviews........... 52 Annex 3: Focus Group Discussion and Key Informant Interview Guides .......................................... 53 Annex 4: List of Documents Reviewed ....................................................................................................... 59 Annex 5: Disclosure of Conflicts of Interest ............................................................................................. 60 LIST OF FIGURES AND TABLES Figure 1: Map of Mali Showing L4G Intervention Locations.................................................................................... 2 Table 1: Farmer FGD Participants by Gender, Co-Location, Region, and District ........................................... 4 Table 2: List of Interviewees for L4G Evaluation ....................................................................................................... 5 Table 3: Number of Vaccinated Animals Under L4G, 2015-2017 ......................................................................... 7 Table 4: Positive Impressions of SVPP and VA Services Mentioned by FGD Participants ............................. 11 Table 5: Challenges to Full Vaccination Mentioned by FGD Participants .......................................................... 12 Table 6: Presence of Veterinary Auxiliaries in Bankass and Koro Circles under L4G ................................... 15 Table 8: Prices for Cattle and Sheep Entering and Leaving Fattening Cycles (2019) ...................................... 24 Table 9: Reports from FGDs with 11 POs Concerning Increased Prices for Sales of Fattened Animals After L4G FFS Training .................................................................................................................................. 24 Table 10: Percent of Livestock Holders Making More From Sales After L4G ................................................. 24 Table 11: Did L4G Make a Difference in the Hunger Period? .............................................................................. 25 Table 12: L4G Baseline and Annual Indicator Values .............................................................................................. 25 Table 13: Most Severe Livelihood Shocks for Livestock Owners in the L4G Implementation Area (2014 and 2017) .......................................................................................................................................................... 29 Table 14: Characteristics of Water Points and Water Point Committees ....................................................... 30 LIST OF PHOTOS Photo 1: Focus group with a women’s producer organization in Koro. .............................................................. 3 Photo 2: A typical water point in Mali. ....................................................................................................................... 28 ACRONYMS Acronym Description AEG Agriculture and Economic Growth Office (USAID/Mali) APIFIMA Association of Professionals in Financial Intermediation of Mali CFAF Confédération Financière Africaine Francs DRPIA Regional Directorate for Animal Production and Industries EQ Evaluation Question FFS Farmer Field School FGD Focus Group Discussion FTF Feed the Future FY Fiscal Year GFSS Global Food Security Strategy GOM Government of Mali IFP Institute for Professional Training ILRI International Livestock Research Institute IP Implementing Partner IR Intermediate Result KII Key Informant Interview L4G Livestock for Growth LCV Laboratoire Central Vétérinaire LSMS Living Standards Measurements Study MLNB Multi-Nutritional Licking Blocks NAIP National Agricultural Investment Plan NGO Non-Governmental Organization PEEL Program Evaluation for Effectiveness