Project Descriptions
- Additional exercises for the Programme Project Sheet (PPS) Source: Report on the Portfolio Review of IFAD-funded Projects and Programmes approved
between 1999 and 2005 (IFAD, May 2006).
Note : The information in the data set has been adopted for the PRAIS trainings.
Content:
AFRICA
1. Project Description #1: IFAD Loan N.633 to The Gambia, called 'Participatory
Integrated-Watershed Management Project'
2. Project Description #2: IFAD Loan N.641 to Lesotho called 'Sustainable Agriculture
and Natural Resource Management Programme'
ASIA
3. Project Description #3: IFAD Loan N.600 to China called 'Environment Conservation
and Poverty-Reduction Programme in Ningxia and Shanxi'
4. Project Description #4: IFAD Loan N.654 to Jordan called 'Agricultural Resource
Management Project - Phase II'
LAC
5. Project Description #5: IFAD Loan N.610 to Nicaragua called 'Programme for the
Economic Development of the Dry Region in Nicaragua'
6. Project Description #6: IFAD Loan N.627 to Venezuela called 'Sustainable Rural
Development Project for the Semi Arid Zones of Falcon and Lara States Phase II'
CEE
7. Project Description #7: IFAD Loan N.653 to Armenia called 'Rural Areas Economic
Development Programme'
1|Page
Project Description 1
AFRICA
Project Summary
Participatory Integrated-Watershed Management Project
Title
Short
Description
Empower poor rural communities to undertake and maintain integrated
watershed-management activities that enhance their livelihoods and protect their
natural resources.
Relevant Objective(s)
(a) to strengthen the capacity of rural communities and service providers to plan, implement, manage
and maintain watershed management in a sustainable manner and (b) to provide resources to local
communities so that they can implement their watershed development activities.
Project Code
633
Country
Gambia, The
Region
Date of Approval 21/04/2004
Start Date
11/04/2006
Completion Date
Status
PIPELINE
as of
(reporting date)
Recipient
THE REPUBLIC OF THE
GAMBIA
Executing
Agency
Department of State for
Agriculture (DOSA)
Activity Type
Funding Organizations
Name
1 IFAD
2 Beneficiaries
3 Government
4 African Dev. Bank
Total (USD)
Notes on IFAD Amount
Interest rate (%)
Grace (years)
Loan duration (years)
31/12/2010
31 December 2009
PROJECT
AGRICULTURAL
DEVELOPMENT
Amount contributed (USD)
7015864
1652000
1713000
7081000
17531000
0.75
10
40
2|Page
Cooperating Institution
Beneficiaries
Notes on target
groups
AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT BANK
N. of Individuals
60000
N. of Households
12000
poor smallholders dependent on traditional upland crops and lowland rice
cultivation as their main source of livelihood.
Relevant Land degradation issues addressed by the project
poor natural resource base and high dependency on the monocropping of
groundnuts as the main export crop. Significant land pressure, salt intrusion and
the acidification of land along the interface between rice ecologies and the river,
sandy upland soils, low water retention, poor dike material, and serious erosion on
the uplands affecting lowland development are the main causes of low productivity
and low production. Weak organization of farmers and the difficulties in accessing
markets and credit.Upland farmers are under considerable pressure because of the
shortage of land due to increasing populations and declining soil fertility
Project Components/Activities
Component 1: Institutional strengthening
Activities geared towards: (a) institutional strengthening at the watershed level that will support rural
communities in organizing themselves and in identifying, planning, implementing and maintaining the
development of their watersheds in an integrated manner in order to improve food security and
livelihoods, while protecting natural resources; and (b) institutional strengthening at the national,
divisional and district levels that will support the strengthening of the capacity of service providers to
use participatory, demand-driven approaches in order to serve communities more effectively. The
project will finance an information and sensitization campaign, a training programme, a functional
literacy education programme and study tours.
Component 2: Watershed development fund (WDF)
Set up a community development fund that will support the implementation of four main activities:
(a) lowland soil and water-management schemes; (b) swamp access causeways and bridges; (c) village
upland land management and conservation farming; and (d) agricultural development activities. Also
support community members in accessing other agency funds and programmes.
UNCCD/NAP explicitly mentioned: No
Additional
remarks
The project adopts a holistic participatory watershed conservation approach based
on the systematic identification and management of agronomic and environmental
problems. Its overall environmental impact is expected to be positive.
Interventions such as tidal swamp access, land reclamation and the establishment
of gully plugs might generate secondary negative impacts (even minor ones) or
alter the natural hydrology patterns if implementation is defective or mitigation
measures are deficient. The project will not support activities that might generate
significant irreversible or cumulative environmental impacts.
UNCCD mentioned: No. CBD mentioned: No. UNFCCC mentioned: No.
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Project Description 2
AFRICA
Desertification-Related Project Summary
Sustainable Agriculture and Natural Resource Management Programme
Title
Short
Description
improve food security, family nutrition and incomes for rural households in the
programme area.
Relevant Objective(s)
Secure a sustained increase in agricultural production and productivity through investment to: (i)
promote the effective delivery of core support services responsive to the needs and priorities of poor
rural households; (ii) promote agricultural diversification and intensification with due attention to
sustainable natural resource use and management; (iii) strengthen institutional capacity of the
decentralized district administrations as the focal points for programming, implementation,
monitoring and evaluation; and (iv) empower local communities through the participatory
community-action planning process.
Project Code
641
Country
Lesotho
Region
Africa
Date of Approval 02/12/2004
Start Date
23/05/2005
Completion Date
Status
ONGOING
as of
(reporting date)
Recipient
THE KINGDOM OF LESOTHO
Executing
Agency
Ministry of Agriculture and
Food Security and the
Ministry of Forestry and Land
Reclamation
Funding Organizations
Name
1 IFAD
2 Beneficiaries
3 Government
Total (USD)
31/12/2011
Activity Type
31 December 2009
PROGRAMME
AGRICULTURAL
DEVELOPMENT
Amount contributed (USD)
10472686
198000
1687000
12014000
4|Page
Notes on IFAD Amount
Interest rate (%)
Grace (years)
Loan duration (years)
0.75
10
40
Cooperating Institution
UNITED NATIONS OFFICE FOR PROJECT SERVICES
Beneficiaries
Notes on target
groups
N. of Individuals
474285
N. of Households
94857
landless, below subsistence, subsistence or small-scale farmers operating on less
than 2 hectares (ha) of land.
Relevant land degradation issues addressed by the project
past government policies contributing to the decline in agricultural production and
productivity, severe land degradation, retrenchment of Basotho migrant mine
workers from the Republic of South Africa, lack of public investment in agriculture
over the past decade, the limited natural resource base, drought, weak agricultural
support services, rampant stock theft, lack of basic social infrastructure, the impact
of HIV/AIDS, and lack of alternative off-farm employment opportunities.
Project Components/Activities
Component 1: Agricultural diversification and intensification
Through training of field-level staff, promote the adoption of ecologically sound crop-husbandry
practices under the traditional rain-fed farming system and the indigenous Machobane farming
system (MFS). The programme will also promote investments in low cost, microscale, gravity-fed
irrigation systems, including the adoption of rain-harvesting techniques for use by landless households
engaged in homestead gardens. Promote the development of local seed-multiplication capacity, and
adoption of improved post-harvest processing and storage technologies, and train artisans in making
improved harness for draught-animal power. Support the upgrading of facilities at the Siloe
agricultural research substation and assist the Department of Research in firming up a strategy for
agricultural research in Lesotho. Support small-ruminant development – mainly sheep and goats.
Small stock is the most important: domestic animals kept primarily for the production of wool and
mohair. Overall, however, productivity is comparatively low, due to poor and indifferent animal
husbandry practices, poor animal health and nutrition, and the inferior quality of wool and mohair
clip. The programme will address these constraints by ensuring the effective delivery of core support
services, including the upgrading of existing and planned area resource centres (ARCs) and subcentres
(ARS-Cs) in the three districts. Support will also be provided for herd upgrading to improve stock
quality in collaboration with grazing associations, and wool and mohair growers’ associations/groups.
Their members will be trained. Provide a minimal level of field veterinary support, including
establishment of three district veterinary clinics with links to herders, ARS-Cs and ARCs. These
investments will provide the basis for a national disease surveillance network through which the
provision of vaccination and prophylactic services can be planned and executed. Revolving drug funds
will also be established at district and field levels to enhance access to essential drugs by farmers
through ARS-Cs, woolsheds and dip-yards. Support construction of plunge-dip yards using improved
designs that meet environmentally acceptable standards. Support upgrading of woolsheds to permit
more efficient shearing, combined with intensive skills training for classifiers and shearers. It will also
introduce improved rams of suitable quality. Support the renovation and upgrading of district
abattoirs, which currently pose a public health risk. To reduce stock theft, the programme will support
ownership identification of livestock in the three districts, underpinned by close monitoring of animal
movements.
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Component 2: Land and water management
Promote participatory identification, design and implementation of communally accepted and
ecologically sound measures to improve natural resource use and management. The programme will
support a benchmark survey to firm up the degree of land degradation and the socio-economic
profiles of beneficiary households, including the status of food insecurity and child malnutrition. The
programme will also support development of land-degradation monitoring and will upgrade the
technical skills of land and water management staff. During the participatory community planning
(PCP) process, communities will be sensitized and trained to formulate land-use maps and community
action plans (CAPs) to be implemented as part of the annual work programme and budget (AWP/B).
Soil-conservation works will include biological and physical soil-conservation measures. Through
demonstrations, the programme will promote the construction of small earth dams to retain runoff
for small-scale irrigation and livestock, header tanks to provide microscale irrigation for homestead
gardens and rain storage tanks utilizing roof catchments. Demonstrations for on-farm waterharvesting and moisture-retention techniques will include cultural methods to improve infiltration of
rainwater and reduce runoff on cropped land. In the rangelands, the programme will support training
for members of grazing associations in rangeland and pasture management and rehabilitation of
degraded areas, and will promote legislation on land tenure and grazing rights for range management
areas and village grazing areas.
Component 3: Local capacity-building.
The programme will upgrade the facilities and basic infrastructure needed to attract and retain
qualified staff in remote locations. Limited support will also be provided to improve staff mobility,
particularly at ARCs, ARS-Cs and farmers’ training centres. It will also promote and institutionalize the
PCP process as an integral part of the annual budget cycle. The process will commence with the
appointment of local service providers (reputable NGOs) to develop training modules and to sensitize
and upgrade skills of field-level staff in participatory methods. At communal or village levels, a
multidisciplinary team will sensitize communities in participatory situation analysis, identification and
prioritization of needs, analysis of key problems and possible solutions, and development of CAPs.
UNCCD/NAP explicitly mentioned: Yes
The programme area includes three of Lesotho’s ten administrative districts,
namely Mafeteng, Mohale’s Hoek and Quthing. The three districts, which account
for about 30% of the total population, suffer the most degradation. From Lesotho
NAP: “For the NAP, the priority geographical areas are the Districts of Mafeteng,
Mohale’s Hoek and Quthing, as well as a part of Maseru District in the South-West
of Lesotho. Of the ten districts in the country, the three Eastern and mostly
mountainous districts of Mokhotlong, Thaba Tseka and Qacha’s Nek are much less
populated and are being covered under ASIP by the proposed IFAD-funded
Sustainable Agricultural Development Programme (SADPMA) which in its design
includes most of the elements contained in the five programme areas of the NAP.
Additional
In comparison with the remaining districts, the selected priority districts present
remarks
more serious degradation problems.” The programme will improve land and water
use and management and thereby arrest and reverse the rate of land degradation.
Through the PCP process, the programme will sensitize and train beneficiary
households in the formulation and implementation of sound land-use plans,
leading to the adoption of appropriate biological conservation, water-harvesting
and moisture-retention techniques. No expansion of the area under crop
production is expected under the programme. The development and adoption of
improved and ecologically sound agricultural production technologies will
maximize soil and water conservation and enhance soil fertility. Improvements in
livestock production are expected from better animal health, husbandry and
6|Page
nutrition, leading to increased quality and quantity of livestock products. While the
improved livestock will require more daily dry matter, stocking rates are expected
to decrease marginally as a result of increased fodder production through, inter
alia, rotational and deferred grazing, fodder reserves and conservation. The
introduction of improved and suitably located trench plunge-dips, combined with
the closure of polluting dip-tanks located on river banks, will further minimize an
environmental hazard. Lastly, the development of grazing plans in collaboration
with the beneficiaries, the formation of grazing associations, the demarcation of
range management areas and the training of farmers in pasture management will
all contribute to better rangeland and environmental protection. Overall, the
programme’s impact on the environment will be positive. Mentions government’s
PRSP and agricultural sector strategy , IFAD’s country strategy. Principal agroecological zones of the project area are semi-arid and dry sub-humid.
UNCCD mentioned: Yes. CBD mentioned: No. UNFCCC mentioned: No.
7|Page
Project Description 3
ASIA
Project Summary
Environment Conservation and Poverty-Reduction Programme in Ningxia and
Shanxi
Title
Short
Description
Sustainable and equitable poverty reduction vulnerable rural households living in
an environment with limited and deteriorating natural resources.
Relevant Objective(s)
Achieve a sustainable increase in productive capacity, both on- and off-farm, and to offer households
increased access to economic and social resources, including financial services, education, health and
social networks.
Project Code
600
Country
China
Region
Asia
Date of Approval 11/12/2002
Start Date
11/02/2005
Completion Date
Status
ONGOING
as of
(reporting date)
Recipient
Executing
Agency
30/09/2011
31 December 2009
THE PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF
CHINA
Ministries of Agriculture and
Finance
Funding Organizations
Name
1 IFAD
2 Beneficiaries
3 Government
4 WFP
Total (USD)
Activity Type
PROJECT
AGRICULTURAL
DEVELOPMENT
Amount contributed (USD)
29222913
7119000
46938000
7280000
90303000
8|Page
Notes on IFAD Amount
Interest rate (%)
Grace (years)
Loan duration (years)
0.75
10
40
Cooperating Institution
UNITED NATIONS OFFICE FOR PROJECT SERVICES
Beneficiaries
1340000
300000
Notes on target
groups
N. of Individuals
N. of Households
households in the poorest townships of the poorest counties; women
Relevant land degradation issues addressed by the project
isolated upland areas with inadequate access roads, obsolete and underperforming
health and education facilities, low-yielding arable land and weak extension
services. Almost all arable land is rainfed, and most is on slopes. Rainfall is
unreliable, and droughts and floods occur regularly. Farmers cannot take
advantage of improved technology for lack of funds and training. Large-scale
deforestation and irrational rangeland management have caused vegetative cover
to deteriorate, provoking serious soil erosion.
Project Components/Activities
Component 1: Land-based activities
Increase the proportion of more-productive land through (a) adequate irrigation of flat land; (b) lining
of canals for better water-use efficiency; (c) construction of individual irrigation tanks; and (d) the
construction of other water storage structures. Drylands, mainly on slopes, will be improved through
soil levelling and terracing. Soil fertility and productivity will be enhanced through increased use of
organic manure resulting from higher production of crop residues and intensified livestock production.
Rangelands will be rehabilitated, and environmental trees and shrubs will be planted within the
framework of a vast demonstration programme of desertification, land-degradation control and
communal management techniques. In addition, degraded forest areas will be placed under village
guardianship for regeneration. VIGs will organize the beneficiaries in water users’ groups to ensure
operation and maintenance of common irrigation and domestic water supply systems. Technical
training and on-farm demonstrations for crops and livestock will be conducted on land worked by
poor farmers and especially women. Extension stations will be strengthened and made more genderand poverty-responsive
Component 2: Financial services
Improved access to credit will directly benefit farmers, especially women, and target profitable
activities such as grain production, annual and perennial cash crops, livestock, food processing and a
wide range of income-generating off-farm activities. Develop the rural (cooperative) banking system,
with farmers as members holding shares and with savings collected for additional sustainability. A
savings and credit awareness campaign will be carried out at the village level
Component 3: Social development
Improved access of the poor to social services. Activities will concentrate on training and include
literacy training (particularly for women), health, nutritional awareness-building and the provision of
health equipment. The reduction of primary school drop-out rates, particularly among girls, will be
9|Page
another major objective. Support to village health workers and doctors, and rehabilitation of primary
schools at the village level to improve access to literacy and skills training. A large element of skills
training will also be included in preparation for obtaining loans for income-generation activities.
Improvements in the availability and quality of drinking water will ease the burden of fetching water,
which falls in particular on women. It will also free additional cash resources, now devoted to
purchasing water. Drinking water will be provided mainly through the construction of individual water
tanks with collectors and small common supply systems at the village level
UNCCD/NAP explicitly mentioned: Yes
Arid and semi-arid climate. Government-supported public and private tree-planting
and desertification-control schemes are underway. Irrigation and land
development are expected to improve the productivity of good cropping land, thus
releasing marginal cropped land to ecologically and economically more sustainable
use. Programme design includes demonstrations of several modes of planting trees
and shrubs along roadsides, canals and within cropping systems wherever
practicable. The introduction of a participatory rangeland management system will
ensure the sustainability of rehabilitation efforts. Consultations are going forward
with the Global Environment Facility (GEF), Global Mechanism and Asian
Additional
Development Bank with regard to the preparation of pilot activities aimed at
remarks
reducing desertification and land degradation as incremental support to the
programme. Mentions China’s policy for poverty reduction and IFAD’s strategy in
China. AR mentions the "Law of Combating Desertification of the People's Rep of
China", a document which is "fundamental for the prohect areas to carry out
activities in desertification control". also mentions "International Conversion on
Combating Desertification."
UNCCD mentioned: Yes. CBD mentioned: No. UNFCCC mentioned: No.
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Project Description 4
ASIA
Desertification-Related Project Summary
Agricultural Resource Management Project - Phase II
Title
Short
Description
Improve food and water security and the income levels of the target group of rural
poor households in the project area.
Relevant Objective(s)
Promote community development and the efficient use and improved management of soil and water
resources through technical and financial support to: (i) build soil and water conservation structures
and improve agricultural production through the active participation of the target group; (ii) promote
sustainable land and water management practices and environmental monitoring; (iii) promote rural
microfinance for on and off-farm activities; and (iv) strengthen the capacity of the existing PMU and
the agricultural directorates in the project area.
Project Code
654
Country
Jordan
Region
Asia
Date of Approval 02/12/2004
Start Date
05/05/2005
Completion Date
Status
ONGOING
as of
(reporting date)
Recipient
Executing
Agency
31/12/2013
31 December 2009
THE HASHEMITE KINGDOM
OF JORDAN
Ministry of Agriculture
Funding Organizations
Name
1 IFAD
2 Beneficiaries
3 Government
4 GEF
5 OPEC Fund
6 IFAD Grant
7 IFAD Grant
Activity Type
PROJECT
AGRICULTURAL
DEVELOPMENT
Amount contributed (USD)
11704767
2436000
11032000
6450000
10273000
215614
217421
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Total (USD)
41968000
Notes on IFAD Amount
Interest rate (%)
Grace (years)
Loan duration (years)
2.55
5
20
Cooperating Institution
UNITED NATIONS OFFICE FOR PROJECT SERVICES
Beneficiaries
Notes on target
groups
N. of Individuals
134000
N. of Households
22300
small and medium farmers, rural landless and other disadvantaged households.
Women.
Relevant land degradation issues addressed by the project
Drought. limited sources of family income and employment; large family size and a
high dependency rate; low rainfall and extremely limited water resources;
fragmentation of landholding; low levels of agricultural technology and inefficient
extension services; and limited access to rural finance. Poverty is most prevalent in
the southern governorates of Jordan where the project area is located. The
majority of households are dependent on low-input farming, which generates
limited output based on low and uncertain rainfall.
Project Components/Activities
Component 1: Community Development.
(i) capacity-building of communities to develop effective mechanisms to involve all members in
decision-making to enhance community self-reliance and ownership of project activities in order to
sustain development, and assisting communities in prioritizing their development needs, both as
individual households and as a community, and in compiling CAPs; and (ii) the strengthening of
women’s development capacity to ensure that they are integrated into the community participatory
planning process. Women’s particular needs in areas such as literacy training, on and off-farm incomegenerating activities and credit will also be addressed.
Component 2: Resource Management
finance: (i) soil and water conservation. This includes on-farm measures for suitable land based on
beneficiary demand and farm plans where the average rainfall is greater than 200 mm per year and
off-farm measures including wadi bank protection and check dams for flood protection and erosion
control; and (ii) water resource development including the construction of on-farm storage facilities
such as cisterns and the rehabilitation of Roman wells; off-farm reservoirs (mini-earth dams) for
seasonal storage of water for supplementary irrigation; protection of the springs and rehabilitation of
their irrigation systems; assisting and training water users to form Water Users’ Associations (WUAs)
for proper operation and maintenance of the irrigation system and for efficient use of water. In
addition, a research programme will be funded to examine methodologies for the safe and
economically feasible treatment of household domestic wastewater for reuse in irrigating tree crops.
Component 3: Sustainable Land Management
enhance the enabling policy, regulatory and incentive frameworks that govern natural resource use,
promote integrated land use planning and mainstream sustainable land management into national
planning frameworks. A Concept Note has been submitted to the GEF to finance the preparation of a
12 | P a g e
project development proposal and provide a grant to implement such interventions. The grant will
promote the following activities: (i) support for increased community awareness of land degradation
and desertification issues and of the cost-effective mitigation measures that they can undertake; (ii)
expansion of soil conservation measures not funded under the resource management component on
state lands to protect the integrity of the watershed; (iii) support for the development of
environmental monitoring at the project and national levels; and (iv) institutional support and
capacity-building to implement the proposed interventions.
Component 4: Agricultural Development, Rural Roads & Rural Financial Services
fund: (i) orchard development in conjunction with the project interventions in soil and water
conservation, and for eligible farmers who have installed soil conservation structures under the
Agricultural Resource Management Project in the Governorates of Karak and Tafila, but have not been
able to plant due to drought and other constraints. The beneficiaries’ preferences, technical
considerations and market potential will determine the type and variety of tree crops to be planted;
(ii) agricultural extension through the existing extension services at the governorate level, which will
be strengthened to ensure efficiency and sustainability after project completion; and (iii) agricultural
research to support the development of technological packages for orchard diversification and
integration of crop and livestock production at the household level. Support the construction of rural
roads to facilitate access to markets and social facilities. The roads will be built on the basis of
community demand, cost-effectiveness, present and expected future traffic, agricultural area and
number of beneficiaries served, and in accordance with the CAPs. The project will promote sound and
sustainable rural financing through: (i) institutional strengthening of cooperatives and other legal
entities established and operating in the project area with a view to transforming them into financial
intermediaries between the three project area ACC branches and the rural population; and (ii)
strengthening the ACC both institutionally and financially.
UNCCD/NAP explicitly mentioned: Yes
The community-based participatory approach is based on the principle that the
communities themselves will elaborate and implement, in partnership with the
project, their village development programme. The communities will be directly
involved in all phases of the project cycle and project beneficiaries will be jointly
selected by community members and the Project Management Unit (PMU).
Communities will establish criteria for identifying the poor and disadvantaged
households within their community. All project interventions in the targeted
villages will be planned and implemented on the basis of community demand,
reflected in Community Action Plans (CAPs) and Annual Work Plans (AWPs).
Investments in soil and water conservation measures will reduce further
degradation of the fragile ecosystem, increase vegetable cover, reduce run-off and
soil loss, and improve soil fertility. The project will have a positive environmental
Additional
impact through a process of participatory planning and investments in soil and
remarks
water conservation works, and the introduction of new farm management
practices through extension and orchard development. Soil and water conservation
works and farm management will help reduce further degradation of the fragile
ecosystem, restore natural vegetation cover, reduce run-off and soil loss, and
improve soil fertility and resistance to erosion. The project will focus on
introducing a complete and improved orchard management package to farmers.
The supplementary project interventions in mini-check dam construction and
small-scale water harvesting will have minimal negative environmental side effects.
The proposed project interventions relating to the protection of springs will
increase water-use efficiency and prevent water logging, particularly at the sources
of springs. The project will not promote groundwater depletion. The Ministry of
the Environment has the national mandate to oversee the protection of the
13 | P a g e
environment and is represented on the PSC and RCCs with the authority to
approve the AWP/B for all project interventions, including the environmentally
sensitive issues of rural roads and mini-check dams. The Ministry of the
Environment will, therefore, be in a strong position to review the environmental
impact assessments and proposed mitigation measures to ensure compliance. No
NAP on UNCCD site for Jordan . Mentions Enhanced Productivity Programme and
IFAD’s strategy in Jordan. ESSN also mentions RAMSAR and NEAP. Average annual
rainfall between 350 and 50 mm.
UNCCD mentioned: Yes. CBD mentioned: Yes. UNFCCC mentioned: Yes.
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Project Description 5
LAC
Desertification-Related Project Summary
Programme for the Economic Development of the Dry Region in Nicaragua
Title
Short
Description
Contribute to the reduction of rural poverty by increasing the income of rural poor
households
Relevant Objective(s)
increase sustainably and equitably the access of poor rural households to assets that allow them to
benefit from income-generating opportunities
Project Code
610
Country
Nicaragua
Region
LAC
Date of Approval 10/04/2003
Start Date
17/08/2004
Completion Date
Status
ONGOING
as of
(reporting date)
Recipient
NICARAGUA
Executing
Agency
Rural Development Institute
(IDR)
Funding Organizations
Name
1 IFAD
2 Beneficiaries
3 Government
4 BCIE
5 Domes. Fin. Inst.
Total (USD)
31/03/2011
Activity Type
31 December 2009
PROGRAMME
CREDIT AND FINANCIAL
SERVICES
Amount contributed (USD)
13997707
1184000
1821000
3995000
4000000
25000000
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Notes on IFAD Amount
Interest rate (%)
Grace (years)
Loan duration (years)
0.75
10
40
Cooperating Institution
BCO CENTROAMERICANO DE INTEGRACION
ECONOMICA (BCIE)
Beneficiaries
Notes on target
groups
N. of Individuals
66000
N. of Households
12000
seasonal and migrant workers, small subsitence peasants, small agricultural
producers and non-agricultural micro-entrepreneurs and strategic partners for the
por target population. Youth, women and women-headed households
Relevant land degradation issues addressed by the project
low productivity and poor natural resource management
Project Components/Activities
Component 1: Promotion of local employment and businesses
strengthening human and social capital and empowering stakeholders so that they can benefit from
programme opportunities. Raise local awareness of its activities; Identify local opportunities and
stakeholders; Assist beneficiary groups in formulating local business and employment plans; Prepare
feasibility studies for the more complex proposals; and Improve local capacities to support the
implementation of income-generating activities
Component 2: Financing of local employment and businesses
Finance the implementation of business and employment plans developed by beneficiaries through
the fund FOPEN, which will provide small businesses with start-up funds and facilitate access to better
employment opportunities.
Component 3: Rural financial services
Sustainably improve the rural poors' access to financial services through the Peasants' Development
Fund (FONDECA). The programme will support the geogrphical expansion of financial services and
improvements in the quality and suitability of services.
Component 4: Strengthening of rural development policies and institutions
Support government efforts to establish a permanent rural development programme, consolidating
and improving strategies, increasing resource allocation efficiency, and expanding its geographical
coverage. The programme will investigate and initiate policy dialogue on themes of interest to
governmental organizations.
UNCCD/NAP explicitly mentioned: No
Mentions Strategic Framework, Regional Strategy, Nicaragua's Reinforced Strategy
for Ecomic Growth and Poverty Reduction. RAMSAR convention mentioned.
Additional
remarks
UNCCD mentioned: No. CBD mentioned: No. UNFCCC mentioned: No.
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Project Description 6
LAC
Desertification-Related Project Summary
Sustainable Rural Development Project for the Semi Arid Zones of Falcon and Lara
States Phase II
Title
Short
Description
reduce poverty and estreme poverty significantly in rural communities in semi-arid
zones by means of social and economic development that is environmentally
sustainable and gender equitable.
Relevant Objective(s)
(a) the economic and political empowerment of the social and economic organizations of poor rural
communities in semi-arid zones; (b) the rehabilitation, conservation and sustainable use of natural
resources in semi-arid zones, with a special focus on soil and water conservation; (c) the
transformation of agricultural and non-agricultural subsistence production into a market-oriented,
profitable and sustainable business; and (d) greater access of poor rural communities in semi-arid
zones to local rural financial services (cajas rurales), as well as to formal state and national financial
services.
Project Code
627
Country
Venezuela
Region
LAC
Date of Approval 18/12/2003
Start Date
27/06/2006
Completion Date
Status
ONGOING
as of
(reporting date)
Recipient
VENEZUELA
Executing
Agency
Foundation for Training and
Innovation for Rural
Development
Funding Organizations
Name
1 IFAD
2 Beneficiaries
3 Government
4 CAF
Total (USD)
31/12/2012
Activity Type
31 December 2009
PROJECT
RURAL DEVELOPMENT
Amount contributed (USD)
15340104
1000000
3000000
4000000
23000000
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Notes on IFAD Amount
Interest rate (%)
Grace (years)
Loan duration (years)
5.09
3
15
Cooperating Institution
CORPORACION ANDINA DE FOMENTO
Beneficiaries
Notes on target
groups
N. of Individuals
20000
N. of Households
4000
rural communities in micro-watersheds located in the semi-arid regions of the
states of Falcon and Lara.
Relevant land degradation issues addresses by the project
Limited access to schooling, health care and markets; Poverty
Project Components/Activities
Component 1: Human and social capital development
Support and strengthen local participatory mechanisms for environmentally sustainable social and
economic development by providing systematic training and fostering decision-making capabilities
among community-based organizations. Focus on participatory social, productive and environmental
assessments within communities and micro-watershed areas, the preparation of medium and
longterm strategic development plans within communities and micro-watershed areas, and the
strengthening of linkages between rural communities and municipal and state governments by
supporting the national Government’s decentralization plans. Involves: (a) training and strengthening
of community-based organizations; (b) support for the preparation of participatory social, economic
and environmental assessments and strategic development plans in rural communities and microwatershed areas, including involvement of local extension agents (promotores campesinos) who will
ensure sustainability at the community level; (c) job skills training to help young men and women gain
access to better paying rural and urban jobs; (d) building of participatory planning capacity and
methodological instruments to enable municipal governments to formulate rural development plans;
(e) training for private field-service providers; and (f) the establishment of a participatory social and
cultural action fund to provide financial support for social development and cultural initiatives among
communities in semi-arid zones.
Component 2: Natural resource rehabilitation, management and conservation
Improve soil, water and vegetation management and conservation, as well as biodiversity, based on
the micro-watershed as a territorial unit and the basic intervention unit for social and economic
development. Involves: (a) the strengthening of participatory assessment and planning tools to focus
in an integrated manner on the micro-watershed as an ecosystem; (b) integrated micro-watershed
management training for service providers and local extension agents; and (c) the promotion of
sustainable management, rehabilitation and use of micro-watersheds through the transfer of
replicable models of soil and water conservation and management. Conduct the following activities:
(a) awareness and capacity-building among the population through training and basic education; (b)
capacity-building among project staff and service providers through systematic training in the
rehabilitation, management and sustainable use of microwatersheds, territorial zoning in microwatersheds, rangeland and semi-arid forest evaluation, and participatory assessment and planning
tools; (c) the adoption of best practices through systematic supervision of natural resource
management and conservation interventions in micro-watershed areas, combined with the accurate
recording of the gains achieved through conservation interventions in terms of the environment (soil
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and water retention, recovery of plant cover, reduction in erosion, etc.), local social culture
(community attitudes towards natural resource conservation, solid and liquid waste disposal, etc.) and
economics (agriculture); and (d) the establishment of a natural resource management and
conservation fund to finance basic soil conservation infrastructure, soil and water conservation
practices, and reforestation activities.
Component 3: Production development
Help transform the agricultural and non-agricultural subsistence production system of the
beneficiaries into a market-oriented, sustainable micro-entrepreneurial production system. Focus on
value-added production clusters and chains in order to promote competitive advantages and identify
entrepreneurial capacity and abilities in the target population. Activities to be carried out include: (a)
demand-led specialized technical support services for the agricultural and non-agricultural productive
clusters and value-added chains of the beneficiaries; (b) market support services to strengthen the
market penetration of local agricultural and non-agricultural products; and (c) the establishment of a
water resource management fund.
Component 4: Rural financial services.
Facilitate beneficiaries’ access to rural financial services, pursuing a multiple-focus, pragmatic
approach aimed at supporting beneficiaries’ access to the diverse sorts of rural financial services
available in the project area that can satisfy the various demands and financial capacities of the target
group. The following activities will be conducted: (a) support for existing cajas rurales, the creation
and consolidation of new ones through training, ongoing assistance and specialized technical support
services, and the expansion of the base coverage to include all communities in the micro-watersheds;
(b) the provision of financing for fixed assets to new microenterprises, capitalizing the highest rated
village banks; and (c) support for the access of the target population to the formal financial services
available in the project area through the newly implemented regional mutual guarantee companies,
which are designed to provide collateral to small farmers and microentrepreneurs.
UNCCD/NAP explicitly mentioned: No
Family crop and livestock production systems and local rural microenterprises will
be improved through an integrated approach focused on all annual and perennial
cash and subsistence crops and implemented in combination with natural resource
conservation and management practices. Particular attention will be paid to the
management and improvement of natural rangeland and forests in the semi-arid
zones so as to promote sustainable goat production, as well as environmental
Additional
protection. The activities under the soil and water conservation and agricultural
remarks
and non-agricultural components of the project will help recover some of the semiarid areas that are in danger of degradation and will also promote the rational use
of natural resources in the micro-watersheds. Mentions SF, COSOP, government’s
strategy. average annual rainfall between 350 and 720 mm.
UNCCD mentioned: No. CBD mentioned: No. UNFCCC mentioned: No.
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Project Description 7
CEE
Desertification-Related Project Summary
Rural Areas Economic Development Programme
Title
Short Description
Increase sustainable incomes among rural people in the mountain areas of seven
disadvantaged marzes and to stimulate sustained growth of rural enterprise
activity in the defined programme area.
Relevant Objective(s)
(i) provide medium- and long-term financing to rural commercial entities in a competitive environment, (ii)
ensure that SMEs have effective access to required business intermediation services, and (iii) establish
commercially derived infrastructure in the programme area.
Project Code
653
Country
Armenia
Date of Approval
02/12/2004
Start Date
19/07/2005
Region
CEE
Compl. Date
Status
ONGOING
as of
(reporting date)
Recipient
Executing Agency
31/06/2010
31 December 2009
THE REPUBLIC OF ARMENIA
Ministry of Agriculture
Funding Organizations
Name
1 IFAD
2 Beneficiaries
3 Government
4 Domes. Fin. Inst.
5 OPEC Fund
6 United States/USAID
Total (USD)
Activity Type
PROGRAMME
CREDIT AND FINANCIAL
SERVICES
Amount contributed (USD)
16094055
3728000
2260000
1910000
5000000
522000
28721000
Notes on IFAD Amount
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Interest rate (%)
Grace (years)
Loan duration (years)
Cooperating Institution
Beneficiaries
Notes on target
groups
0.75
10
40
UNITED NATIONS OFFICE FOR PROJECT SERVICES
N. of Individuals
0
N. of Households
0
unemployed rural men and women, small and medium farmers, rural entrepreneurs,
agro-processors and traders.
Relevant land degradation issues addressed by the project
Mountainous landlocked country with few natural resources. At higher elevations, soils tend to
be shallower, often stony and with only scattered areas suited to irrigation. geographical focus
of RAEDP investment will be the mountain area marzes of Aragatsotn, Gegharkunik, Lori, Shirak,
Syunik, Tavush and Vayots Dzor.
Project Components/Activities
Component 1: Rural enterprise finance
Provide refinancing capital to pre-qualified commercial banks and other eligible financial institutions,
channelled to financial institutions through a permanent, autonomous unit, the Rural Finance Facility (RFF),
to be established under the Ministry of Finance by Government decree. Two general types of loan
applications by programme clients are anticipated: (i) loans up to USD 5 000 by household-based on-farm and
off-farm microenterprises; and (ii) rural SME development loans of between USD 5 000 and 150 000. The kind
of loans seen as appropriate for RFF refinancing include those for: intensifying primary agricultural
production; expanding livestock operations; developing machinery-contracting businesses offering
mechanized services to smallholders; establishing factory/outgrower schemes; and developing small
agroproduce processing factories. RFF funds will also be used to refinance rural leasing contracts.
Component 2: The rural business intermediation services
Improve the operating environment in the programme area for the lending activities of financial institutions.
Develop a network of RAEDP-accredited business service providers in the programme area who will help loan
applicants prepare supportive business plans and provide technical advice. Emerging service providers will
receive training in: (i) analysis of business development options; (ii) market research and development
services; (iii) technology options; and (iv) general business services (accountancy and tax and regulation
compliance, including food hygiene/safety and environmental regulations). RBIS providers will be enabled to
assess the commercial feasibility of an investment proposal, prepare a financing proposal and seek financing
on behalf of their clients. As a targeting mechanism for giving added encouragement to smaller prospective
investors, funds will be available to support first-time clients of business services with a discounted cost of
services during the first two years.
Component 3: Commercially derived infrastructure
Improve operational efficiencies in supply/value chains by reducing constraints imposed by the condition of
essential infrastructure. Establishment of a programme mechanism for responding to investment proposals
for small-scale, commercially derived infrastructure arising from the facilitation of public-private investment
partnerships. Examples of such investments include water points for livestock, small irrigation and road
works, and environmental investments related to dairy and slaughterhouse enterprises. Grants awarded will
be consistent with nationally applicable regulations on environmental impact assessments and
environmental controls in order to avoid potentially adverse environmental effects.
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UNCCD/NAP explicitly mentioned: No
Programme-financed investments at farm level lead to higher productivity, greater
returns to family labour and more disposable income, while the technological
modernization and commercialization associated with these investments will, in
many cases, provide greater security against external shocks (e.g. droughts and
price changes). Programme investments are expected to be in infrastructure and
buildings directly related to farming. They will include irrigation system
improvements; investments in modern irrigation technology, livestock watering
points, produce handling and storage facilities, housing for livestock and farmingrelated and non-farming light industries; and access road and public utility system
improvements. No major shift in designated land use is envisaged. Any irrigation
Additional remarks
works will be confined to improving existing schemes on current agricultural land.
The programme will generally establish or expand off-farm enterprises in a part of
previously established industrial and commercial facilities, mainly in small towns
and villages. The eligibility criteria for programme support to commercially derived
infrastructure stipulate that works should be environmentally acceptable.
Mentions COSOP, PRSP, IFAD SF 2002-2006, Regional Strategy. average annual
rainfall between 200 and 1000 mm.
UNCCD mentioned: No. CBD mentioned: No. UNFCCC mentioned: No.
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