However, despite this constraint, the expected outcomes of the ARC intervention might readily be achieved if interventions provided to these communities address their requirements, gaps and potentials, and are delivered in a timely manner. Given the ARCs selected by DAR, the crucial factor would be the mix of interventions provided. The profile of the ARCs and their development potentials vary across geo-physical and socio-economic characteristics of a given area. Hence, interventions should be differentiated along these areas. DAR formulated the ARC typology framework to facilitate planning and program implementation, particularly in ensuring that interventions to the communities are relevant and appropriate. This framework is generally similar to the provincial typology described in the introductory section of the study. They might differ in scale, but they both describe the areas (ARCs, provinces) in terms of their potential to agricultural development and access to markets. The provincial typology has nine provincial clusters, generated from a 3x3 matrix, each cluster a combination of two attributes: urbanization (rural, peri-urban, urban) and geophysical or agri-potential (high, mid, low). Each of the nine clusters will have its particular development constraints and potentials. Following this frame of thought, we could say that the pathways out of poverty will be different across the provincial clusters. There are parallels between ARC typologies and the provincial typologies. Provinces with predominantly Prime and Semi-Prime ARCs have high potential for agricultural and enterprise development and the communities therein have access to market and processing centers. These provinces will be similar to those belonging to the urban/peri-urban and high/mid geo-physical endowment clusters. Provinces with predominantly Satellite ARCs are characterized by marginal agricultural areas (low fertility, low agricultural production) with most of the communities located far from market centers. These provinces are similar to those belonging to the rural and low geo-physical endowment clusters. We will assess the interventions provided by DAR and other agencies within the context of a community-driven development framework. Intrinsic in the CDD approach is that the community determines its required interventions through an area planning process. This will result in differentiated interventions across the communities in terms of the mix and scale of interventions. As such, some communities will primarily need infrastructure development, while others will require more agricultural production enhancement interventions. In the provincial typology framework, the different clusters will require differentiated interventions. Ideally, there should be different types and a mix of interventions for the different clusters. This will give an indication of whether or not the ARC interventions were targeted and strategizing was done in the planning and provision of interventions. The analysis requires plotting the comprehensive profile of ARC interventions in the nine provincial clusters. There are, however, severe data constraints. The ARC Monitoring Forms (Forms 1 to 11) and the ALDA database feature output and outcome indicators of the ARCs. They do not track the different inputs provided to the ARCs. The budget and expenditures for ARCs are not disaggregated. Hence, the study cannot get a profile of the inputs provided by the different DAR offices.
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