Enhancing Programme SustainabilityResults of a Desk Review and Field Studies R

AnnualAnnual Performance Review Workshop1-4 March 2009

Bangkok, Thailand

Field Studies

• Philippines– Northern Mindinao Community Initiatives and Resource

Management Project (NMCIREMP)– Cordillera Highland Agricultural Resource Management

Project (CHARM)• Laos

– Oudomxai Community Initiatives Support Project (OCISP)

• Vietnam– Decentralized Programme for Rural Poverty Reduction

(DPPR – Quang Binh and Ha Giang)• India

– North Eastern Region Community Resource Management Project for Upland Areas (NERCORMP)

Multiple Dimensions of Sustainability

• Sustainability encompasses many aspects of a programme. It is therefore useful to think about different dimensions of sustainability, each of which is likely to be achieved at a different pace:

Structural Change in Poverty

Environmental Sustainability

Household & Community Resilience

Institutional Sustainability

Dimensions of Sustainability

• Institutional Sustainability - functional institutions that will be self-sustaining after the project ends

• Household and Community Resilience - resilient communities can anticipate and adapt to change through clear decision-making processes, collaboration, participation, and management of resources

• Environmental Sustainability – Achieved when production systems are able to support sound livelihoods and at the same time maintain a stable resource base, avoid over-exploitation of renewable resources, maintain biodiversity, etc.

• Structural Change - addresses the structural dimensions of poverty through empowering poor and marginalized rural households.

IFAD Definition of Sustainability

In its Strategic Framework 2007-2010, IFAD defines sustainability as:

“Ensuring that the institutions supported through projects and the benefits realized are maintained and continue after the end of the project…”

Sustainability Factors

Appropriate Development Models Market-driven (DRRP, especially in Quang

Binh) Infrastructure

Micro-credit

Agribusiness

Increase access to markets

Community-driven (NERCORMP, OCISP, NMCIREMP) Fostering community-based groups

Empowering disadvantaged groups

Improving local production

Sustainability Factors

Design Elements Government and non-government institutional analyses

Also considers national policies, poverty reduction strategies, and capacities of local organizations

Appropriate balance between communities/beneficiaries and level-of-effort Sustainability correlated with amount of contact project has with

institutions and beneficiaries

Use of risk analysis and risk management approach What are local risks

How likely are they to occur

What can be done to reduce risk or to minimize its impact

Will IFAD activities increase risk…for whom…how much?

Sustainability Factors

• Development of clear exit strategies (sustainability strategies)• A number of CPEs have identified this as a major gap in IFAD programming• Needs to be part of the design process• Need specific criteria for graduation or exit, specific and measurable

benchmarks, and a timeline for each sector or programmatic theme

• Maintenance of a strong country presence• Incorporation of sustainability into supervisory mission TORs

Sustainability Factors

Implementation Elements Fostering participatory approaches Remaining flexible in the face of a changing

environment/circumstances Strengthening the capacity of stakeholders to plan and

manage future actions

Successful Elements - Philippines

• Early Introduction of Sustainable Strategies• Early involvement of communities in the project design• Responding to expressed needs of communities• Little direct funding to communities early on…capacity building first• Collective decision-making• Rapid Thematic Assessments (NMCIREMP) on 13 programme elements

• Community Institutions and Participatory Development • SHGs, CIs, and LGUs (approx. 250)• Use of ‘big brother/big sister’ mentoring; Hierarchical arrangements• Graduated responsibility and access to resources• Use of multiple pathways to sustainability• Use of well-developed organizational assessment tools• Capacity-building, linkage to service providers, periodic assessment and

realignment

Successful Elements - Laos

• Maintenance of Rural Infrastructure• Early strategy development on maintenance issues• User-fees for gravity-fed water systems have been successful• Provincial-level planning, contracting and oversight on rural roads

• Use of ‘Best Practices’ in Micro-finance• Loans provided on a graduated scale• Loans linked to specific training opportunities• VSCSs provided with matching funds after demonstrating capacity• Use of joint liability groups; women’s empowerment• Credit associations to be formed

• Sustainable Design Elements• High degree of participation• Focus on economic transformation, income diversification• Technically feasible livelihood alternatives

Successful Elements - India

• Design and Strategy• Did not rush to create outputs, but engaged in a slow, patient process

of group formation to gain trust and encourage participation• Activities were always selected based on community priorities and

implemented with significant local labor, materials, and sometimes even cash

• Resilience was addressed by diversifying incomes sources and building household and community assets

• Design modifications were allowed and an extension period was granted, in part to assure sustainability.

Specific Sectoral Challenges to Sustainability

• Environment and NRM– Often in conflict with other sector objectives– Needs clear link to livelihoods– Timing of anticipated change leads to unsustainable practices– Helpful to couple with environmentally-friendly agricultural practices, such as

green manure

• Infrastructure– Needs more integration with other components (agricultural production and

marketing, NRM, micro-finance) in a manner that supports HLS– Narrow focus on achievement of physical and financial targets often fails to

promote community ownership

• Agriculture– Ensure demand-driven approaches through linkages with private markets– Strengthen capacity to support off-farm, agr-based enterprises– Promote strategies for management of climate risk