2  Jointness of the Evaluation  Evaluation process  Evaluation objectives  Context for ARD in Africa  Selected findings (Performance, Partnership, and Business Processes)  Preliminary conclusions  Issues for the Final Report Contents

3 “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)

6  Determine relevance of IFAD/AfDB policies and operations  Assess performance and impact of AfDB/IFAD policies and operations  Evaluate strategic partnerships of IFAD/AfDB  Develop 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

7 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

8 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

9 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

10 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

11 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

12  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

13  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

14 Past Performance: AfDB & IFAD Projects (Evaluations )

15 Project Performance cont.

16 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

18 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

19 Partnerships  So 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

20 Partnerships cont.  Overall there is a proliferation of partnerships and competing demands  Move beyond opportunistic partnerships  Require partnership strategies and organizational reform

21 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

22 Preliminary Conclusions  ARD work in Africa is complex- responding to risk and vulnerability requires flexibility and multiple, context-specific project components  IFAD-AfDB response to context has not been adequate  Increased 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 addressed  Strong partnerships are key - with each other and with other donors and national governments.  Complementarity between the organizations could be the basis for future partnerships

23 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