IFAD Reform towards a better development effectiveness

How can we all do better?Mohamed BavoguiDirector, West and Central AfricaJanuary 2009

Why reforming IFAD?6th Replenishment, 2002: members requested Independent External Evaluation of IFADIn 2005, the Independent External Evaluation (IEE) measured IFADs performance in terms of relevance, efficiency and effectiveness, and made recommendations. IEE report found:IFADs low performance: only a little over half of the sampled projects showed a satisfactory overall impact on povertyTo meet challenges, deep, far-reaching changes needed.

How IFAD was reformed?IFADs Action Plan to improve its development effectiveness (2006-2008) is the response to the IEE recommendations in terms of:

strengthening strategic planning and guidanceenhancing project quality, performance and impactimproving capacity to innovate and manage the knowledge gainedimproving financial and human resource managementbuilding a values-based, enabling corporate culturemonitoring and reporting on development and organizational effectiveness

What are the reform goal and targets? Goal to increase IFADs development effectiveness, efficiency and relevance in helping its member countries reduce rural poverty.

By 2009,RELEVANCE: 100% congruence with country development objectives, strategies and prioritiesEFFECTIVENESS: 80% or more of IFAD projects will achieve their development objectivesEFFICIENCY: 60% or more of IFAD projects will have a high or substantial level of efficiency Over 40 deliverables defined in areas of: strategic planning and guidance; project quality and impact; and knowledge management and innovationHR Reform

What are the key reforms? New Strategic Framework 2007-2010: reference for all reform efforts and guidance for allManagement for Development Results - focus on strategic priorities, and monitoring and assessing results.Innovation and Knowledge Management StrategiesNew Operating Model:Working more closely with our country partners and within their poverty reduction strategiesNew project design guidelines and processes for quality enhancement at entry (QE)New arms-length quality assurance system (QA) Direct Supervision (and new policy)Enhanced country presence to contribute to the Paris/Accra agenda on Aid EffectivenessCore Values: focus on results, integrity, professionalism and respectReforming HR

Management for Development Results coherent framework

Organizational effectiveness: Financial, HR management and alignmentOperational effectiveness: Improving country programmes and projectsStrategic objectives: Action Plan targets; Strategic Framework 2007-2010 Measurement, managing and reportingAreas of reformReport on IFADs DevelopmentEffectivenessLevel 2: IFAD contribution to development outcomesLevel 3: Progress in enhancing IFADs operational effectivenessLevel 4: Progress in improving IFADs organizational effectivenessLevel 1: Country progress in key development outcomes

Corporate Management Results (CMRs): Country-level results are criticalCMR 1: Better Country Programme Management CMR 2: Better Project Design (loans and grants) CMR 3: Better Implementation Support CMR 4. Improved Resource Mobilisation and ManagementCMR 5. Improved Human Resource ManagementCMR 6. Improved Risk ManagementCMR 7. Improved Administrative EfficiencyCMR 8: Strengthened International Advocacy

The New Operating Model

Key features of the New Quality-based Project Design

Country Programme Teams (CPMT): A Collaborative Tool to Operationalise the Paris/Accra DeclarationCompositionOwnership: Key Government & partner stakeholders from the host country including core project managementTechnical: Staff in key thematic areas of the project & co-opted membersFiduciary: Legal and Financial personnel from IFAD and/or CIPeers: Other CPMs (including from other divisions) with relevant expertise, Regional Economists, Field Presence, Specialists and personnel from other rural development agencies/donors in host country

CPMT Role

The end result is the Quality of Design and Implementation Proposals (internal quality enhancement)Collective responsibility and accountabilityOutputsParameters of a new project; Main areas of investigation and analysis requiredDesign PlanProject development timeline and budgetLife File development & managementCPMT to present the project in fora & committees

Objective and approachKnowledge for IFAD is development practiceRationale: to learn systematically and collectively through own programs, from the experience of partners, especially the rural poor people and their organizationsObjective: to improve knowledge sharing and learning and translate these into better projects, better programs and better implementation

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Strengthening knowledge sharing and learning processes at country levelWithin country program cycle to improve development effectiveness:Mainstreamed KM through R-B COSOP M&E as a learning toolImplementation support: supervision, MTR, learning Country presence to foster knowledge sharing and learningIn-country policy dialogue is systematically informed by programme experienceInitiatives to value and stimulate local knowledge Local knowledge with high potential to be scaled up

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Strengthening knowledge sharing and learning networks and processesStrengthening a few thematic networks (e.g. Rural finance, cassava, rice, CDD)Further expand FIDAfrique to cover Subsaharan AfricaExpand knowledge services: information repository, project webpages, facilitating learning initiatives (workshops, e-conf.)Stronger linkages with Rural Poverty PortalTwo types of services: self-services, facilitated services

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Operational (project) performance against IEE baseline and Action Plan targets