Relevance

Relevance Achievement of the Project‟s specific objective will be measured by ensuring that 50% of households in target districts with rice deficit (some 70,000 persons) no longer suffer from rice deficits by Project end. All Project components potentially contribute directly or indirectly to eliminating rice deficits but agricultural productivity improvements are needed to effect real change. Other initiatives, credit, vocational training, road access, health, and education, seem unlikely to generate a significant off-farm economy in the short to medium term. The design specified (for result C1), four integrated rural development modules (IRDMs) - M1 to M4 to be implemented under ALF in 90 target villages in 40 communes. These modules introduce varied technologies for increased agricultural productivity but lacked attention to existing household labour strategies. The need for IRDMs to be implemented in pre-defined contracts according to “Budget” rules left little room for adaption. The design underestimated risks of implementation delay and problems of coordinating contractors. Other components contribute to Project purpose. Irrigation rehabilitation supports agricultural interventions. The water supply and sanitation (WS&S) component and roads programme improve health and access. Economic and employment opportunities are developed through vocational training, and easier access to credit. Local communities are empowered by literacy and new skills, capacities of commune councils (CCs) and line departments strengthened. The results/outputs of these components are relevant but, credit aside, offer little potential for impact outside immediate beneficiaries. The SAL component comprises systematic land titling for 42,000 titles and demining.400 ha out of the 1000 ha highly contaminated land in target villages. Both have relevance for higher investment in land and higher agricultural productivity. Management has responded flexibly to the transformation from direct implementation to acting as a contract manager. ECOSORN was required by “Budget” procurement rules to implement via contractors through a direct international tender procedure. This implementation modality has both constraints and advantages. Implementation only commenced in Mar. 2008 so it is too early to assess relevance.

ECOSORN‟s design was weak to achieve the intended quick impact. Changes to Project design have created the opportunity to deliver a real and sustainable boost over a medium time period to the target villages, but this requires further careful thought about sustainability, especially about extension services and other support to community based organisations (CBOs), than is currently present in ECOSORN's exit strategies.