USAID Afghanistan EVALUATION Final Performance Evaluation Accelerating Sustainable Agriculture Program (ASAP) April 2012 This report was produced for review by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). It was prepared under contract with Checchi and Company Consulting, Inc. for USAID’s Afghanistan “Services under Program and Project Offices for Results Tracking” (SUPPORT) project. Final Performance Evaluation Accelerating Sustainable Agriculture Program (ASAP) April , 2012 This report was produced for review by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). It was prepared under contract with Checchi and Company Consulting, Inc. for USAID’s Afghanistan “Services under Program and Project Offices for Results Tracking” (SUPPORT) project. i ii ASAP ACTIVITY LOCATIONS Regional Command North (RC-North) Kunduz Jawzjan Balkh Badakhshan Takhar Regional Command West (RC-West) Samangan Baghlan Regional Command Faryab Sari Pul East (RC-East) Bamyan Cashmere Ghor Herat Wardak Nangarhar VFU Dai Kundi Ghazni AgDepot Urea Treatment Paktika Farah Alfalfa Zabul Trellising Kandahar Pomegranate Helmand Nimruz Regional Command Agribusiness South (RC-South) Gender iii TABLE OF CONTENTS ASAP ACTIVITY LOCATIONS ............................................................................................ iii ABBREVIATIONS AND ACRONYMS ................................................................................ vi I. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ........................................................................................... 1 II. INTRODUCTION ......................................................................................................... 3 1. DESCRIPTION OF THE PROJECT EVALUATED, INCLUDING GOALS AND OBJECTIVES ....... 3 2. BRIEF STATEMENT OF WHY THE PROJECT WAS EVALUATED ......................................... 5 3. BRIEF STATEMENT ON THE METHODS USED IN THE EVALUATION ............................. 5 III. FINDINGS .................................................................................................................... 6 1. AGRIBUSINESS INVESTMENTS ...................................................................................... 6 a. Support and establish agribusinesses ......................................................................... 7 b. Increased Exports ....................................................................................................... 7 c. Create New Jobs ......................................................................................................... 9 d. Improved livelihoods ................................................................................................ 10 e. Gender ...................................................................................................................... 11 2. AGRICULTURAL INPUTS ............................................................................................. 11 a. Ag Depots ................................................................................................................. 12 b. Veterinary field units (VFUs) ................................................................................... 13 3. AGRICULTURAL SERVICES ......................................................................................... 14 a. Badham Bagh Farm .................................................................................................. 15 b. Post-harvest handling ............................................................................................... 16 c. Cashmere .................................................................................................................. 17 4. ADVISORY SERVICES ................................................................................................. 18 a. Support to MAIL ...................................................................................................... 18 IV. CONCLUSIONS ......................................................................................................... 20 1. AGRIBUSINESS AND AGRICULTURE FOCUS AREA SUCCESSES ................................... 20 2. CONFIDENCE IN GOVERNMENT .................................................................................. 22 3. SUSTAINABILITY ....................................................................................................... 23 4. CAPACITY BUILDING.................................................................................................. 25 5. TRANSITION .............................................................................................................. 26 V. CHALLENGES ........................................................................................................... 26 VI. LESSONS LEARNED ................................................................................................ 29 VII. RECOMMENDATIONS ............................................................................................ 31 1. DESIGN ISSUES .......................................................................................................... 31 2. COLLABORATION WITH MAIL .................................................................................. 31 3. AGRICULTURE CONSIDERATIONS .............................................................................. 32 4. USAID CONSIDERATION ........................................................................................... 32 5. PROJECT NICHES ....................................................................................................... 33 ANNEX A: ASAP Evaluation Statement of Work ................................................................. 34 ANNEX B: Documents and Websites Referenced ................................................................. 41 ANNEX C: Contact Names List ............................................................................................. 43 ANNEX D: Questionnaires Used in the Field ......................................................................... 46 ANNEX F: Marketing Studies References for ASAP ............................................................. 77 ANNEX G: Agribusiness Trade Facilitation and Investment Program .................................. 78 ANNEX H : AgDepots Impact Study in Afghanistan; Evaluation Interview Summary ........ 87 ANNEX I: Summary Women Activity Supported by ASAP .................................................. 90 ANNEX J: ASAP Support to VFUs ........................................................................................ 98 ANNEX K: Veterinary Field Unit Assessment Report March 2012 .................................... 101 ANNEX M: Post Harvest Success Story .............................................................................. 117 ANNEX N: MOU between DCA and Herati Cashmere and Skin Processing Plant ............ 118 iv ANNEX O: AfGAP Program ................................................................................................ 119 ANNEX P: Helmand Ihssan Poultry Farm Project ............................................................... 124 ANNEX Q: Grape Trellising Review and Interview Summary ............................................ 128 ANNEX R: Transition of ASAPs Primary Components ....................................................... 133 ANNEX S: ASAP Indicators and Deliverables Review ....................................................... 135 List of Tables ......................................................................................................................... 138 v ABBREVIATIONS AND ACRONYMS ACCI Afghan Chamber of Commerce and Industries AI Artificial Insemination AICC Afghanistan International Chamber of Commerce AISA Afghanistan Investment Support Agency ALA Afghanistan Land Authority (Arazi) ALP- Alternative Livelihoods Program ANDS Afghanistan National Development Strategy ANSA Afghan National Standards Agency ASAP Accelerating Sustainable Agriculture Program ASI Afghanistan Stabilization Initiative ASP Afghanistan Stabilization Program AVA Afghan Veterinary Association AWATT Afghanistan Water, Agriculture, and Technology Transfer Program AWBC Afghan Women’s Business Council CERP Commanders Emergency Response Program CHAMP Commercial Horticulture and Agricultural Marketing Project CSO Central Statistics Office DAIL Directorate of Agriculture, Irrigation, and Livestock DASA Durukhshan Association DCA Dutch Committee for Afghanistan DFID Department for International Development (UK) EPAA Export Promotion Agency of Afghanistan FAIDA Financial Access for Investing in the Development of Afghanistan FPO Field Program Office GAP Good Agriculture Practices GIRoA Government of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan HACCP Hazard Access and Critical Control Points HIPC Helmand Ihsan Poultry Co. HPP Helmand Poultry Project LGCD Local Governance and Community Development M&E Monitoring and Evaluation MAIL Ministry of Agriculture, Irrigation, and Livestock MFI Mazar Food Initiative MT Metric Ton NAIS National Agriculture Information System NGO Nongovernmental Organization PMP Performance Management Plan PRT Provincial Reconstruction team TAFA Trade and Accession Facilitation for Afghanistan USAID United States Agency for International Development USDA United States Department of Agriculture USG United States Government VFU Veterinary Field Units WB World Bank vi I. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY The Accelerating Sustainable Agriculture Program (ASAP) followed other USAID funded agriculture development programs with similar objectives.