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Adocument of the International Fund for Agricultural Development Lao A Document of the International Fund for Agricultural Development Lao People’s Democratic Republic Bokeo Food Security Project Interim Evaluation Report December 2001 Report No. 1225-LA Rev.1 Photograph on cover page: Two farmers grow garlic. One project activity is to encourage crop substitution to opium cultivation. [IFAD photo by Jim Holmes] ii Lao People’s Democratic Republic Bokeo Food Security Project (351-LA) Interim Evaluation Evaluation Report Table of Contents Abbreviations and Acronyms vii Maps xi Agreement at Completion Point xvii Executive Summary xxvii MAIN REPORT 1. Introduction 1 2. Country characteristics 2 2.1 Generalities 2 2.2 Poverty 2 3. Project design and objectives 3 3.1 Project History 3 3.2 Target Group 3 3.3 Objectives and components 3 3.4 Expected effects and assumptions 4 4. Evaluation 5 4.1 Comments on design 5 4.2 Implementation context 6 4.3 Project achievements 6 4.4 Agriculture and livestock 8 4.5 Infrastructure 11 4.6 Social sector investments 12 4.7 Targeting 12 4.8 Participation 14 4.9 Monitoring and Evaluation 15 4.10 Management 16 4.11 Role of supervision 18 4.12 Project impact 19 4.13 Effects assessment and sustainability 20 5. Conclusion: Inclusion of Bokeo in CISP 21 6. Lessons learnt and recommendations 23 6.1 Lessons learnt 23 6.2 Recommendations 24 7. Persons met 29 8. Villages visited by the Mission 31 iii ANNEX 1 – AGRICULTURE AND RELATED ACTIVITIES 1. Agro-ecological zones 35 2. Objectives and components 35 3. Activities 35 4. Environmental impact 43 5. Achievements 44 6. Sustainability 44 7. Weak points 44 8. Recommendations 44 ANNEX 2 – SOCIAL ASPECTS 1. Introduction 49 2. Design 49 3. Findings 50 4. Conclusions and issues 56 5. Lessons learnt 57 6. Recommendations 58 ANNEX 3 – SOCIO-ECONOMIC IMPACT ASSESSMENT 1. Introduction 61 2. Road impact assessment 61 3. Irrigation development 76 4. Other agricultural activities 82 5. Issues 82 6. Lessons learnt 83 7. Conclusions 83 8. Recommendations 84 Appendixes 85 ANNEX 4 – MANAGEMENT ISSUES 1. Introduction 101 2. Evaluation 103 3. Lessons learnt and recommendations 109 iv ANNEX 5 – MONITORING AND EVALUATION 1. Introduction 113 2. Implementation achievement: strengths and weaknesses 114 3. Lessons learnt and recommendations 115 ANNEX 6 – RURAL INFRASTRUCTURE 1. Introduction 119 2. Feeder roads 119 3. Irrigation development 123 4. Other infrastructure 126 Appendix A6–1. Sites Visited 128 v vi Abbreviations and Acronyms AWPB Annual Work Plan and Budget CBR California Bearing Capacity Ratio CD Community Development CISP Community Initiative Support Project DAFO District Agriculture and Forestry Office DCTPC Department of Communications, Transport, Post and Construction DPC Department of Planning and Cooperation DSA Daily Subsistence Allowance EIA Environmental Impact Assessment EIE Environmental Impact Examination FAO Food and Agriculture Organization GTZ Geschellshaft für Technische Zusammenarbeit GmbH IEE Initial Environment Examination IFAD International Fund for Agricultural Development IFI International Financial Institution IMF International Monetary Fund IRR Internal Rate of Return LAO PDR Lao People’s Democratic Republic LCRD Leading Committee for Rural Development LECS Laos Expenditure and Consumption Survey LWU Lao Women’s Union M&E Monitoring and Evaluation MAF Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry MCTPC Ministry of Communications, Transport, Post and Construction MOE Ministry of Education MOF Ministry of Finance MOH Ministry of Health MTR Mid-Term Review NGO non-governmental organization NPD National Project Director NTFP non-timber forest products O&M Operations and Maintenance OPEC Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries PAFO Provincial Agriculture and Forestry Office PIS Provincial Irrigation Service PSC Provincial Steering Committee PSO Project Support Office PPA Participatory Poverty Assessment PRA Participatory Rural Appraisal SDR Special Drawing Right SPC State Planning Committee SPT Standard Proctor Test STEA Science, Technology and Environment Administration vii T&V Training and Visit TA Technical Assistance UNOPS United Nations Office for Project Services UCS Users’ Cost Saving USD United States Dollar VDC Village Development Committee VEW Village Extension Water VRF Village Revolving Fund VVW Village Veterinary Worker WUA Water Users’ Association WUG Water Users’ Group viii “The designations employed and the presentation of the material in these maps do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of IFAD concerning the delimitations of the frontiers or boundaries, or the authorities thereof.” ix x xi xii xiii LAO PEOPLE’S DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC BOKEO FOOD SECURITY PROJECT (351-LA) INTERIM EVALUATION AGREEMENT AT COMPLETION POINT xvi LAO PEOPLE’S DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC BOKEO FOOD SECURITY PROJECT (351-LA) INTERIM EVALUATION AGREEMENT AT COMPLETION POINT RECOMMENDATIONS AND AGREED FOLLOW UP MEASURES This agreement reflects an understanding among the core partners1 at completion point of the Bokeo Food Security Project to adopt and use the lessons learned and recommendations formulated in the report. A. Agriculture and Livelihoods Improvement 1. People’s food security and their perception of living standards is based primarily on their ability to be self sufficient in rice, other food, and income from non-timber forest products, livestock and other sources. It is therefore very important to support poor families in their effort to improve their livelihoods through improvement of rice cultivation and yields, improvement of non-timber forest product (NTFP) collection, domestication, harvesting and marketing, control of animal diseases and improvement of animal husbandry and generation of income from non-farm sources. This is particularly the case for highland families who are dependent on low yield shifting agriculture. Recommendations 2. Support to sustainable irrigated rice production should be a priority in highland areas where feasible as it is an important means of stabilizing shifting agriculture. 3. The introduction and/or expansion of other high value highland produce, improvement of NTFP collection, domestication, harvesting and marketing of NTFPs, control of animal diseases and improvement of animal husbandry should be strongly encouraged and supported, as they provide important income sources alternative to poppy cultivation. 4. The role of Village Veterinary Workers (VVWs) is in the process of being expanded from animal disease treatment and vaccination to basic husbandry improvements (Village Livestock Workers). This process should be strongly supported. The Village Livestock Workers are expected to operate their businesses on a user-pay and self-financing basis. 5. A well-focused extension system with effective participatory and demand driven delivery mechanisms should be established to deliver required services to farmers, particularly in the upland area. 1 The Core Learning Partnership (CLP) comprises the Government of the Lao People’s Democratic Republic (State Planning Committee, SPC); Ministry of Finance (MOF); Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry (MAF); Ministry of Communications, Transport, Post and Construction (MCTPC); Ministry of Education (MOE); Ministry of Health (MOH); Lao Women’s Union (LWU); Provincial Steering Committee (PSC); Department of Planning and Cooperation (DPC); Provincial Agriculture and Forestry Office (PAFO); Provincial Irrigation Service (PIS); District Agriculture and Forestry Office (DAFO); Department of Communications, Transport, Post and Construction (DCTPC); Project Support Office (PSO); GTZ; IFAD, PI (Asian Office); and IFAD, Office of Evaluation and Studies (OE). xvii Agreed Follow-up Measures 6. The Government and IFAD will focus development investments in highland areas. 7. The Government shall ensure that the development of irrigated rice production with incremental command areas in the highlands is included as the highest priority in future projects. 8. Regarding irrigation, Government and IFAD will target the poorest farmers with no previous access to irrigated land; at least 75 % of the total funding for irrigation should benefit the target group. 9. IFAD will finance the development of improved collection and cultivation techniques and marketing of NTFPs. 10. The Government will take a gradual approach towards stabilization of shifting agriculture, with consideration given to both their policy goal, the process, and the time needed for the successful introduction of alternative livelihoods for the farmers who are affected by this policy. Where necessary, the land allocation programme in the upland project area should be based on the availability of adequate alternative sources of income provided to the upland farmers. 11. In future, IFAD funds will be used for irrigation development only after land certificates have been issued to the beneficiaries. The Interim Evaluation strongly recommends that the CISP should address this issue and support such a process; IFAD resources will only be invested in land allocated to beneficiaries who fit the targeting criteria agreed between the government, IFAD and other partners. 12. Any land certificate process will in future be implemented in a gender sensitive manner, with certificates in the names of both men and women in the case of couples. 13. The concerned agencies of the government will follow a participatory approach and provide intensive community mobilization, organization, training and follow up to the Water Users’ Groups (WUGs) during the process of survey, design and construction of the
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