ALLIANCE FOR A GREEN REVOLUTION IN AFRICA INTEGRATED SOIL FERTILITY MANAGEMENT (ISFM) PROMOTIONAL PROJECT IMPLEMENTED BY AFRICARE FINAL REPORT: END OF PROJECT EVALUATION MFSV-Ghana/The Urban Associates Limited P. O. Box AN 8528 Accra-North, Ghana Tel/Fax: +233-302-407739 Mobile: +233-264-653027 Contact: Sylvester Gabianu E-mail: [email protected] Page | i November 2014 MFSV-Ghana/The Urban Associates LimitedIANCE FOR A TABLE OF CONTENTS LIST OF TABLES .................................................................................................................................... v LIST OF FIGURES .................................................................................................................................. v LIST OF PHOTOS .................................................................................................................................. vi LIST OF MAPS ....................................................................................................................................... vi ABBREVIATIONS ................................................................................................................................ vii EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ................................................................................................................... viii 1. INTRODUCTION ................................................................................................................................ 1 1.1. Background ....................................................................................................................................... 1 1.2. Objectives and Scope of the Assignment .......................................................................................... 2 1.3. National Agriculture Policy Trend .................................................................................................... 3 1.4. AGRA Strategy for Ghana ................................................................................................................ 4 1.5. Contextualizing ISFM Promotional Projects within Ghana Agricultural and Food Security Policies and AGRA Strategy for Ghana ..................................................................................................................... 5 2. DESCRIPTION OF ISFM PROMOTIONAL PROJECT .................................................................... 6 3. EVALUATION APPROACH AND METHODLOGY ........................................................................ 7 3.1. APPROACH AND METHODOLOGY ............................................................................................ 7 3.2. Concept and Analytical Framework ................................................................................................. 8 3.3. Evaluation approach .......................................................................................................................... 8 3.4. Sampling method .............................................................................................................................. 9 3.5. Data Sources, Collection Procedures and Instruments ................................................................... 10 3.5.1. Document Review ....................................................................................................................... 10 3.5.2. Focus Group Discussions (FGDs)............................................................................................... 10 3.5.3. Key Informant Interviews (KIIs) ................................................................................................ 11 3.6. Evaluation principles: attribution versus contribution .................................................................... 12 3.7. Limitations ...................................................................................................................................... 13 4. RESULTS AND ANALYSES ............................................................................................................ 13 Page | ii 4.1. Level of stakeholders participation in project cycle (Design, implementation and monitoring) .... 14 4.2. Relevance of project intervention ................................................................................................... 20 4.2.1. Relevance of ISFM Promotional Project to agriculture needs of target beneficiaries ................ 20 4.2.2. Relevance to national agriculture policy direction ...................................................................... 22 4.2.3. Relevance to AGRA Country Strategy ....................................................................................... 23 4.3. PROJECT PERFORMANCE ......................................................................................................... 23 4.3.1. Effectiveness in producing intended outputs, outcome and impact ............................................ 23 4.3.1.1. Status of Planned Outputs and Outcomes ............................................................................... 25 4.4. Functionality of One-Stop Centres ................................................................................................. 33 4.4.1. Selection of communities for OSC construction ......................................................................... 34 4.5. Mass media ISFM education and knowledge transfer .................................................................... 35 4.6. PROJECT COVERAGE ................................................................................................................. 47 4.7. Efficiency/cost effectives and Project financing ............................................................................. 48 4.7.1. Direct and indirect AGRA investment ........................................................................................ 49 4.7.2. Value of investment by stakeholders .......................................................................................... 50 4.8. IMPACT ......................................................................................................................................... 51 4.8.1. Intended project impact ............................................................................................................... 52 4.8.1. Untended benefits ....................................................................................................................... 54 4.8.2. Positive and negative impacts ..................................................................................................... 55 5. SUSTAINABILITY ............................................................................................................................ 56 5.1. Project Design and ownership ......................................................................................................... 56 5.2. Institutional Arrangement and capacity .......................................................................................... 57 5.2.1. Local institutions ......................................................................................................................... 57 5.2.2. Agriculture financing arrangement ............................................................................................. 58 5.2.3. Community organisation and participation ................................................................................. 58 5.2.4. Information dissemination .......................................................................................................... 61 5.2.5. Capacity building and transfer of knowledge ............................................................................. 62 Page | iii 5.2.6. Post AFRICARE implementation of activities ........................................................................... 63 5.2.7. Environmental sustainability....................................................................................................... 63 5.2.8. Poverty reduction ........................................................................................................................ 64 6. KEY ISSUES, FINDINGS, LESSONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS ........................................... 64 6.1. Lessons learnt and challenges ......................................................................................................... 64 6.2. Recommendations ........................................................................................................................... 67 6.2.1. Institutional nexus ....................................................................................................................... 67 6.2.2. Improved access to credit facilities ............................................................................................. 68 6.2.3. Markets and agriculture mechanization ...................................................................................... 69 6.2.4. Support from other sources (including donors) .......................................................................... 70 6.2.5. Capacity building for FBOs ........................................................................................................ 71 6.2.6. One-Stop Centres (OSCs) ........................................................................................................... 71 6.2.7. Development of a gender and youth strategy .............................................................................. 72 6.2.8. Integration of participatory radio education