AT A GLANCE from the CSPE. In addition to discussing the economic development poles approach, stakeholders also commended the development of irrigated areas and the provision of seeds and fertilizers, in addition to water and soil conservation activities, including degraded land reclamation. These interventions have made it possible to recover nearly 30,000 hectares of previously uncultivated land, and have contributed to improving agricultural production and productivity, with the yields of different vegetable crops recoding increases of up to 36 per cent. In this context, the combination of environmental restoration activities with ‘food-forwork’ initiatives has created incentives for communities to engage in labour intensive activities and provided collective benefits in the long term. “A key area of success has been the regeneration of local vegetation, and the rehabilitation of land through simple techniques that local communities are now able to master and maintain”, Dr Naidoo underscored in this regard. Since 1980, IFAD has financed 14 projects in Niger, totalling US$ 739 million in loans and grants. To date, eighty-three per cent of the population in Niger lives in rural areas. In 2018, agriculture represented 39 per cent of GNP, and was the backbone of the economy. Niger is exposed to several sources of fragility, such climate-related risks and drought, and security threats, including along its borders with Mali and Nigeria. The country also suffers from a high prevalence of child malnutrition, with a stunting rate of 47.8 per cent. Looking forward, workshop participants noted the importance of striking a balance between the emphasis on large infrastructure investments for economic development poles, and the provision of basic services and activities that cater to the immediate needs of rural communities, such as access to drinking water, sanitization, and functional literacy. These interventions would also need to take carefully into account latent tensions between different natural resource users.
Ecuador: Country Strategy Programme Evaluation
I
OE recently published its second country strategy and programme evaluation (CSPE) in Ecuador. It covers the period 2009–2019, reviewing four loan projects and nine grants. The evaluation found that IFAD’s performance in Ecuador has been moderately satisfactory. The strategic design of IFAD’s programme was sound and enabled its activities to remain relevant despite the significant changes occurring in the country. There was an improvement in the access to assets and resources to support the diversification of Ecuador’s rural economy, through the promotion and strengthening of production and associative enterprises. However, the lack of attention to marketing and market access limited the expected outcomes. For the future, IOE’s recommendations include reinforcing the differentiated territorial approach with local stakeholders’ participation in project implementation, considered key in enabling access to differentiated markets and valuing Ecuador’s biocultural heritage; and promoting the sustainability of enterprises, one of the cornerstones of IFAD’s portfolio in the country. 29
@Unsplash/Andres Medina
