2

Jointness of the Evaluation Evaluation process Evaluation objectives Context for ARD in Africa Selected findings (Performance,

Partnership, Business Processes, Portfolio Analysis, and Country Visits)

Preliminary conclusions Issues for the Final Report

Contents

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“Jointness” of the Joint Evaluation Joint Evaluations are promoted by OECD/DAC in line

with the 2005 Paris Declaration on Aid-Effectiveness

IFAD/AfDB evaluation is characterized by a very high degree of “jointness”: represents a “partnership evaluation”

Agreed-upon evaluation methodology, including processes, deliverables & timeframes

A single evaluation team, selected jointly by AfDB and IFAD

One joint final report to be issued by both evaluation outfits

A single budget, financed on a 50:50 basis Co-ordinated communication throughout

4

Possible Risks and Mitigating Measures of the Joint Evaluation

Possible Risks: Different institutional cultures, methodologies, processes and

procedures Different views and interests among the Managements and Boards Unclear roles and responsibilities between key partners Danger of a “lowest common denominator” approach Timeline – actual time devoted to the exercise longer than planned Heavy administration and high costs

Mitigating Measures: Formal MOU signed between IFAD and AfDB on the evaluation,

including specific governance and management arrangements Two-tier structure to manage and govern the Joint Evaluation: An

Oversight Committee and a Joint Secretariat Three Senior Independent Advisers of international standing from day

one to provide strategic and technical guidance

5

Process Establishment of an MOU (July 2007) and Approach

Paper Inception Report (January 2008) Interim Report (April 2009):

Past performance of AfDB/IFAD (meta evaluation) Emerging challenges and prospects for ARD in Africa Role of partnerships for development effectiveness Business processes

Portfolio review (quality at entry) Country Synthesis Report

Field work in eight countries Final report (December 2009)

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Determine relevance of IFAD/AfDB policies and operations

Assess performance and impact of AfDB/IFAD policies and operations

Evaluate strategic partnerships of IFAD/AfDBDevelop recommendations to enhance

effectiveness

* Forward looking - how can IFAD/AfDB more effectively respond to Africa’s changing environment (food price volatility, climate change, Accra Agenda for Action, economic downturn etc) in partnership with others?

Evaluation objectives

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Context: Africa on the move Economic and agricultural growth accelerating Stronger civil society & improved democratic

processes; reduced number of armed conflicts More regional integration More space for private sector activities Rising government commitment to agriculture

and rural development Emerging donors playing increasing role

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Context: Challenges Remain Adapting to and mitigating climate change Volatile prices for commodities and underdeveloped and

inefficient input/output markets New trade regime required; barriers to integration remain Getting turnaround in fragile states Weak government capacity & poor quality sector

institutions & limited decentralization Inadequate fiscal commitments from national

governments Slow pace of regional integration: CAADP still nascent Stagnant volume and quality of aid from traditional donors

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Emerging Issues for ARD in Africa Agricultural growth as a key to reducing rural

poverty Need to focus on widely shared growth

(“the four Is”):• Improve investment through incentives for farmers

& private sector• Close the infrastructure gap • Focus on innovation as the primary motor for

productivity• Institutional and human capacity development to

overcome weak institutions including for Ag S&T

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Emerging Issues for ARD in Africa

Improved targeting Small holder farmers

• Majority of poor people in Africa are engaged in agriculture

• Producing for subsistence and the market• Smallholder development is a key to reducing poverty

Bottom Billion• Fall into four traps: Conflict, Natural Resources,

Landlocked with poor Neighbors, and Poor Governance and Policy

• Require different instruments and implementation modalities

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Emerging Issues for ARD in Africa

Enhanced engagement with the Private Sector

AfDB and IFAD traditionally work through governments Agriculture is largely a private sector activity Shift in focus is required (value chain and markets) Rural Finance Important input for agricultural and non-farm activities It is a challenging area requiring innovation

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New aid architecture Exploding numbers of players Development assistance shifting to new donors:

emerging countries and private sector 2005 Paris Declaration on Aid Effectiveness

bringing more harmonization, alignment, managing for results

Growing importance of regional African organizations, e.g. NEPAD, CAADP

Emerging Issues for ARD in Africa

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Imperative for Regional Integration Small countries depend on regional integration Regional infrastructure critical for access to

markets Natural resources and environmental

management require trans-boundary collective action

Defence against plant and animal epidemics requires collective regional action

Emerging Issues for ARD in Africa

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Past Performance: AfDB & IFAD Projects (Evaluations 2003-07)

70%

90%

60% 60%50%

66%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

% of satisfactory ratings

Relevance Effectiveness Efficiency

Evaluation Criteria

AfDB

IFAD

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Project Performance cont.Effectiveness of Project Components

All Projects

N=19

N=29

N=14

N=34

N=6

N=40

N=23

N=35

N=8

N=29

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80%

Livestock development

Community devevelopment &capacity building

Irrigation development

Agricultural Development(Crops)

Micro-enterprise development

Rural Infrastructure

Natural Resources

Institutional Development

Woman-specific activities

Rural finance

Satisfactory Unsatisfactory

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Project Performance cont. Overall 55% of projects have a satisfactory or

moderately satisfactory poverty impact Impact was good in agricultural production

and physical assets Impact was less positive in promoting access

to markets, strengthening gov’t institutions, and natural resource management

Sustainability is the area of greatest concern Weak agency performance for both IFAD and

AfDB as well for the borrowers

17

Country Performance

Relevance of country programmes lower than for projects

Policy dialogue found to be inadequate Partnerships with governments have been

good while partnerships with other development agencies could benefit from a more systematic approach

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Performance: Emerging Issues

Micro-Macro paradox Rethinking project relevance Not enough attention paid to Gender Rural Finance requires innovative products Strengthening sustainability Enhancing analytic work Strengthening country presence Focusing on sub-sectors

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PartnershipsSo far, the IFAD-AfDB partnership has been

modest

Other partnerships have been variable and ad hoc

There are opportunities to enhance the partnership:

Joint engagement: complementary strategic areas Joint leverage: funding for ARD in Africa

Joint analysis for better performance Pooled ARD knowledge & experience in Africa Shared learning: organisational change processes Shared resources: programme managers, joint

supervision and country presence

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Partnerships cont.

Overall there is a proliferation of partnerships and competing demands

Move beyond opportunistic partnerships

Require partnership strategies and organizational reform

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Business Processes Many important changes to business process have

taken place Long term strategic focus needed by both agencies Knowledge inadequately captured and shared: much is

generated by consultants and must be passed on. Country presence vital with growing emphasis on

country ownership, donor coordination and mutual accountability

HR: the introduction of new policies and operating models require changes in HR

Reforms are at an early stage; thus, it is important to stay the course

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Ongoing Portfolio Analysis Review Objective: To assess the extent to which

lessons from past operations and recent reform initiatives have been reflected in a recent country strategies and operations

Signs of recent improvements: Improvement in design of strategies and projects Stronger policy dialogue Increasing focus on alignment and harmonisation IFAD progressing on knowledge management

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Ongoing Portfolio Analysis Review But attention still needed on critical issues:

Risk analysis / risk management Sustainability and exit Rigorous analysis of policy context Strategic direction and comparative advantage Effective field presence Gender Analysis is still often lacking Little attention to comparative advantage (selectivity)

how to generate partnerships Emphasis on lending agency. Borrower performance

has received little attention

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Country Visits

The country visits were intended to verify findings and test hypothesises from the Interim phase. Findings include: Country context matters! – and is challenging Improvements in policies and business processes

are evident Limited engagement on policy / policy dialogue Lack of selectivity and hard-to-implement multi-

component projects

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Country Visits cont Weak risk analysis / management Perceived comparative advantage not

reflected in (diverse) sector portfolios at country level

Weak knowledge generation and use – lost opportunity for greater relevance and better performance

Flexibility and responsiveness important, especially in fragile states and MICs

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Preliminary ConclusionsARD work in Africa is complex- responding to risk and vulnerability requires flexibility and multiple, context-specific project componentsIFAD-AfDB response to context has not been adequateIncreased Gov’t commitment to ARD (Maputo)Recognition of the contribution and importance of AfDB and IFAD to the sector Non-lending activities are as important as lending activities Opportunities to improve performance, impact and sustainability as shortcomings can be addressedStrong partnerships are key - with each other and with other donors and national governments.Complementarity between the organizations could be the basis for future partnerships

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Issues for the Final Report Africa: positive trends, but continuing volatility and challenges Country context matters! Address diversity Doing things right: business process reforms helping to

improve performance...but are we doing the right things? Relevance and selectivity also key to better results

Better knowledge generation and use in policy and operations, including for risk management, is a missed opportunity

‘Partnership proliferation’ or partnering for results? Identify and develop comparative advantage (within evolving aid architecture), especially at country level

Manage the change: coordinate not only between organisations but also within them by adopting appropriate business processes