2011
Muthanna Capacity Building
(MCB)
Saad Al-Kadhimi
UNDP-Iraq CO
4/9/2011
Project Title: Muthanna Capacity Building
Project Budget: US $2,083,994.00
Area of Operations: Muthanna Governorate
Period of Implementation: December 2008 – May 2010
Financing: Government of Japan (GOJ)
1
Table of Contents
I. INTRODUCTION..................................................................................... 3
Context ......................................................................................................................... 3
Programme Objectives ................................................................................................. 3
Geographical Coverage ................................................................................................ 4
Beneficiaries ..................................................................................................................5
Implementation Mechanisms ........................................................................................5
Management Arrangements......................................................................................... 6
Strategy ....................................................................................................................... 6
II. ACHIEVMENTS ..................................................................................... 7
Provision of Re-Construction and Capacity Building ...................................................... 7
Civil Defense ................................................................................................................ 8
Agriculture and irrigation ............................................................................................ 10
Education
………………………………………………………………………………..…………........12
III. IMPACT Of MCB’s INTERVENTIONS .................................................... 14
Local Capacity............................................................................................................. 15
Socio Economic .......................................................................................................... 16
IV. FINANCIAL STATUS ........................................................................... 16
V. ISSUES and LESSONS LEARNED ......................................................... 16
VI. CONCLUSION .................................................................................... 17
VII. ANNEXES ......................................................................................... 18
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I.
INTRODUCTION
Context
The crisis that stormed Iraq throughout past period isolated severe deterioration in the
infrastructure that have affected Iraq in general and Al-Muthanna governorate in particular as
it is considered as one of the poorest governorates in Iraq with a dramatic increasing rates of
poverty and unemployment. Poor infrastructure and weak delivery of basic services such as
water, electricity and sanitation as well as damaged housing that contributed to the
deteriorating living conditions of Muthanna inhabitants. These factors necessitated rapid
assessment to promote the current worsening situation to start with mainly alleviation of the
capacity of manpower to be able to carry on working on the reconstruction of the
infrastructure. In order to upgrade the technical and designing manpower, training gap should
be identified and located prior to physical activities.
Thus UNDP in collaboration with local authorities in Al-Muthanna Governorate initiated to
conduct a project for Training Needs Assessment (TNA). Through the outcome of this activity,
a potential strategy was drawn and priorities were highlighted for near future endeavors. The
main target of this TNA was to categorize and identify locations that were indicated in the
outcome and based on this UNDP with local authorities designed several initiatives in line with
the findings of the TNA assessment report. By which and through GOJ financial resources,
training gap was supposed to be minimized and capacity of the public midlevel management
was to be aimed with those trainings. The program was planned to be completed within one
year. However continuous changes in the political environment in the country at large and at
the local Muthana governorate level have lead to several delays in the course of
implementation of the program. This obliged UNDP to request a six months extension for the
programme implementation. This period was foreseen as sufficient to carry on with the project
activities and outputs. But unfortunately, the delay in the formation of the new government
beyond the elections of 7 March 2010 had caused further delays to the implementation
process. Nevertheless, local authorities commitment and sustained project management drive
has realized the completion of the project activities as designed and delivered the planned
outputs by the end of year 2010.
Programme Objectives
The combination of wars, sanctions and deliberate vandalism has severely affected the
provision of basic services in Iraq. Despite the reconstruction efforts made after the recent war,
the Iraqi people are not properly equipped to sustain achievements nor to further develop and
improve basic and social services delivery. Certain capacity shortcomings were identified in
planning, design and technical execution. Needs are tremendous in the various sectors in Iraq
in general and in Muthanna governorate in particular as it is considered as one of the poorest
3
governorates in Iraq.
The project will promote ownership, synergy and sustainability of the various ongoing and
completed ODA projects in Muthanna and will capitalize on success stories and lessons
learned. Special attention will be made to the active participation of the central and local
governments and special consultation and coordination mechanism will be established to
respond to the various capacity building needs. The project will pay special attention to local
authorities and technical departments’ capacity as well as to some extent to civil society
organizations with a view to self-govern further improvements in basic services provision.
The main goal of this project is to enhance the institutional and human resources capacities to
provide efficiently social and basic services to the people of Muthanna. The project’s electricity
and WATSAN components have been operationally completed (under the same award, but a
differing project number).
Geographical Coverage
As a result of mutual agreement between the (GOJ and UNDP) and as was stated in the project
proposal submitted to GOJ that, MCB shall concentrate its activities in one of the Iraqi
southern Governorate: Al-Muthanna.
Figure 1: Map shows lower and upper south of Al-Muthanna
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The southern region of Iraq including Muthanna continued to have high unemployment rates
and suffering from lack of adequate basic and social infrastructure. The situation for rural
households, particularly in the south was alarming. The unemployment rates continued to
pose a problem in the south as seen particularly in Muthanna.
Figure 2: Unemployment rates across Iraq
Beneficiaries
Direct beneficiaries of the programme are the Technical Departments in Muthanna through
the improved capacities of the midlevel management who will be targeted in the activities of
this program
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Implementation Mechanisms
Due to the worsening security situation and the absence of the UN agencies/personnel from
Iraq, the UNDP redesigned and explored workable implementation mechanisms to continue
delivering services to the Iraqi people. One of these modalities was the use of local consulting
firms that have experience in working with UNDP programmes. A consultancy firm that was
based in Basrah was selected by UNDP/ MCB as the Iraqi MCB Implementation Team (IIT). The
main responsibility of the firm was to support the UNDP/ MCB team in following up the
implementation activities in the field, as UNDP personnel were not present on the ground
throughout the project implementation period due to security reasons.
It is worth mentioning that the consultancy firm undertook activities, such as assessment of
the situation, networking and supporting to local authorities/departments in the planning
process, implementation and monitoring of some small scale projects. Moreover, the firm was
recruited to make sure that MCB vision and strategy in terms of focusing on building the
capacities of midlevel management. The capacity of the firm was also built in course of time,
as it continued to work with the UNDP/MCB team throughout the project implementation
period.
Management Arrangements
Due to the absence of UNDP staff from Iraq, an international programme manager and an
administrative assistant were recruited and based in Amman - Jordan to support the MCB
Implementation Team (IIT) hired as a local consulting firm with a sub office to run the activities
in Muthanna Governorate (1 sub office manager, 2 engineers and 2 monitors).
Coordination was made at various levels to ensure smooth and effective implementation;
MCB team leader coordinated with the programme manager either through telephone call, emails and/or exchange of visits. Moreover, MCB team ensured the involvement of the local
authorities/institutions and local communities in the planning, selection of workers,
implementation and monitoring of the various projects’ activities. This was done through
establishing the Project Advisory Committee (PAC) headed by a member from Provincial
Council that included amongst its members people from technical departments, local councils
and representatives of local NGOs.
Strategy
MCB strategy was based on the fact to enhance the institutional and human resources
capacities to provide efficiently social and basic services to the people of Muthanna. In line
with this, MCB developed a flexible strategy to address and respond efficiently to this
situation. MCB working team engaged some of its activities in enhancing the capacities of local
authorities/municipalities through active participation of personnel from those institutions in
the identification of priorities, the selection and monitoring of workers as well as empower
local municipality technical staff and women in vocational training such as carpentry,
plumbing, welding, sewing and computer and internet skills etc.
An added value to the programme was the actual in kind contribution of the local technical
department in the projects. This helped in developing the sense of ownership of the project
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within the department and thus helped in the sustainability of the projects.
II. ACHIEVMENTS
Provision of re-construction and capacity building
Under the Reconstruction and capacity building Programme, funded by the Government of
Japan (GOJ), UNDP-MCB undertook a number of priority rehabilitation activities that provided
enhancement to the institutional and human resources capacities for further provisioning of
efficient social and basic services to the people of Muthanna. These activities are grouped in
the following main areas:
i. Civil Defence
ii. Agriculture and irrigation
iii. Education
Since December 2008, (10) projects for reconstruction and rehabilitation were implemented in
Muthanna in addition to (10) capacity building training courses exclusively for Muthanna
conducted in Amman. The total number of workers recruited under these projects reached
(1,106) generating (21,065) workdays. The average number of workdays per beneficiary
worker was (19).
Workdays Generated Per
Sector
36%
40%
Education
Workers Recuited Per Sector
45%
31%
Agriculture
Agriculture
24%
Civil Defence
Education
24%
Civil Defence
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MCB Expenditure Per Sector
6%
Education
24%
Agriculture
70%
Civil Defence
i. Civil Defence
a. As a result of decades of imposed constraints and rigid governance policies, civil
society organizations were forbidden to evolve, capacity building and
empowerment programmes were not in place, and women were basically
marginalized. When MCB program initiated, UNDP prioritized utilization of its
experience in linking all the sub-projects activities funded by GOJ to overcome
some of the constraints mentioned above. The enhancement of civil servants
capabilities in setting priorities, identifying, implementing and monitoring of
projects, and recruiting vulnerable unemployed workers in the target region was
a primary objective of the various interventions under this project. During those
processes MCB engaged all concerned personnel through on the job training
and is capitalizing on this for future interventions.
b. One of MCB program endeavors was to be up to date with the international
current crisis and dangerous situations. The most dangerous epidemic diseases
that rapidly spread among the world are HINI and AVIAN FLU, which seem to be
difficult to control by the ordinary and preliminary methods. In Iraq most of the
people including civil defense personnel are suffering from lack of essential
health awareness particularly in those two potential diseases as well as
principles of first aid and paramedic which both are their main task, they used,
while occurring of accidents, to depend totally on health department. In order to
develop and promote the knowledge of civil defense in those categories, an
initiation raised to hold a preventive training course with collaboration of health
department to set forth professional methods and ways to confront such crisis
in case of occurrence.
c. This was achieved through (1) project exclusively for Civil Defense Department
personnel with procurement of special materials and devices for utilization in
first aid or emergency cases and involving (500 CD staff + 6 specialized doctors
from MOH) generating (7590) working days and invested $28,850 and the inkind contribution amounted to $975.00. This project directly benefitted (506)
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meanwhile the actual indirect beneficiaries are the citizens of Al-Muthanna
Governorate in addition to adjacent governorates
ii.
MCB program continued carrying out conducting training courses based on
outcomes of the campaign of distributing questionnaire forms among various
departments and local councils all over Al-Muthanna Governorate to identify the
Training Needs Assessment. Accordingly, MCB program and by the fund of GOJ,
conducted number of courses in Amman – Jordan in the following subjects:
1. Leadership and Strategic Planning: number of personnel delegated on this subject
are (69) from various departments in addition to number of Provincial Council
members. (23) out of this number were female.
2. Environmental Management: number of personnel delegated on this subject is
(39) and same as above.
3. Engineering Management in Construction and Infrastructure Projects: number of
engineers delegated to this course was (18) engineers selected from their
departments.
4. Income Generating Workshop: number of delegated is (16) consisting of selection
from NGO's.
5. Training on the skills of public awareness: this course specialized for Civil
Defense staff, number of delegated was (20).
6. Training course in special agriculture exclusively for Agriculture Department
with number of PC member leading agricultural committee in PC. Number
delegated was (37).
7. Strategic Planning Course for personnel working on Planning sections in their
department. Number of delegated was (20).
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iii. Agriculture and irrigation
MCB program has carried out 3 significant projects in this sector, recruiting some 267
unemployed workers and generating 4,875 working days. Those projects were of $109,036.00
worth with an in kind contribution from the government departments of $98,400.00 worth
representing 41% of the total budget.
Departments In-Kind Contribution
70%
60%
50%
40%
30%
20%
10%
0%
Education
Agriculture
Civil Defence
Average
The first project was aiming to establish fruits and vegetables nursery in Al-Warkaa rural subdistrict that implied decrease in velocity and require a rapid renaissance and to upgrade the
reality amidst this sector.
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The second project scheduled for establishing new agricultural plastic houses, as it is a new
developed scientific system for improving the agricultural products in terms of quantity and
quality.
And the third workshop was for training courses for women farmers involving 174 women
framers from rural areas to acquire developed knowledge in modern agriculture.
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iv. Education
Within the priorities based on the results of the TNA conducted in Al-Muthanna Governorate
for the capacity building program that include provisioning of needed assessments and
professional training.
MCB program implemented 1 workshop in vocational and professional training;
This workshop was for training around 28 women and 180 men, through separate workshops,
They were trained in different trades to acquire new skills in welding, carpentry, molding,
masonry building, domestic electricity and computer and internet skills that was exclusively for
women.
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The program initiates performance on both simultaneously. The start was with Education
Department by rehabilitating schools that required to be. Therefore an agreement approached
with Education Department to set an appraisal for the urgent requirements of different stages
schools in the governorate. To set forth such an appraisal, UNDP, through their monitoring
team assessed the urgent need for constructing (2) additional class rooms in (4) different
stages schools, in addition to rehabilitating (4000) school desks. This was achieved through (6)
sub projects that involved (333) workers and generated (8600) working days and invested
$333,151.00 in those projects, while there was an in kind contribution of $136,020.00. Those
projects directly helped (3330) citizens being supported by the workers from the targeted areas
while other (11,900) being represents families of the pupils studying and sitting on the class
desks in those schools who have indirectly benefited from those sub projects.
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III. IMPACT OF MCB’s INTERVENTIONS
The main impact of MCB was the improved capacities of local authorities in the areas of
weaknesses identified through the training needs assessment as well as the directions received
from the local authorities in Muthanna (Governor and PC Chairman). MCB implemented
projects responded to the direct needs of urban and rural communities in terms of
rehabilitation and development of school desks whereby students beforehand have had to sit
on the ground while studying, rehabilitation of schools by constructing (2) additional class
rooms in (4) different stages schools and empowerment of civil servants, women and youth
and developed their capacities. It was envisaged that there was transfer of skills from the
trained people to other community members, and local authorities gained confidence in
handling their recovery activities. Despite the complicated political and security situations in
Iraq, the impact of MCB – both direct and indirect - had been considerable at different levels:
14
Working days Generated Per Sector and Per
$1000 Expenditure
0.6
0.5
0.4
0.3
0.2
0.1
0
Education
Agriculture
Civil Defence
Workers Employed Per Sector and Per $1000
Expenditure
0.6
0.5
0.4
0.3
0.2
0.1
0
Education
Agriculture
Civil Defence
Local Capacity Building
The objective of MCB is to enhance the capacities of civil servants and local communities to
assume greater responsibilities in the rebuilding of Iraq. Towards that end, MCB program
engaged all concerned civil servants from the various municipalities and local authorities in
identification, design, prioritization, and implementation of the various sub-projects funded by
GOJ. This process formed an umbrella of on-the-job training for at least (219) civil servants
who acquired the skills and knowledge of project management. Moreover, MCB program
designed (2) vocational training projects targeting both women and men. Total of (382)
persons of both genders were trained in different skills under these projects. One project of
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interest was the Professional training Courses for Unskilled workers where (180) unskilled
workers followed a training workshop to develop their technical skills. Graduates were offered
a certificate from the Technical Institute to certify the skills they have gained. These acquired
skills opened opportunities for the trained men and women to diversify their sources of income
for livelihood.
Within the achievements of MCB program a strong partnership with the various institutions
and stakeholders in Muthanna has been created and extended to some sort of synergies and
coordination mechanisms between local communities and local authorities/municipalities.
This process lead to establish a Project Advisory Committee (PAC) which was headed by a
member of Provincial Council and membership of representatives of municipalities, local
councils and governorate offices. The main function of the PAC was to ensure an efficient
mechanism of prioritization of project proposals, identified by the local authorities.
The involvement of the communities in the various processes of IREP, identification of priority
interventions and implementation, had enthused their sense of ownership.
Socio – economic
Since MCB program under this funding had employed around (1325) workers and employees
and had implemented around (10) projects. Those projects generated (21065) workdays.
Not only were salaries paid to the direct beneficiaries but also to local suppliers of materials
and tools, who were indirect beneficiaries. Thus contributed to the economic impact of the
program. Funds for the procurement of materials amounted to ($313,727) was invested for
purchasing tools and the rental of specialized or heavy equipments (dump trucks, buses for
transport of workers, tractors, welding equipment, etc..) were then spent locally, thus having a
further multiplier effect on the local economy.
IV. FINANCIAL STATUS
As per the agreement signed between GOJ and UNDP, the total GOJ contribution to MCB
Program reached an amount of $2,083,994.00 including the implementation support services.
V. ISSUES AND LESSONS LEARNED
MCB Program was the successor of IREP in the Muthanna Governorate, it was considered as an
expansion of the work started by that program and so have to follow the same steps in tackling
and mitigating major issues and constraints that might emerged or anticipated within project
achievements and lessons were learned in a number of areas such as in the implementation
modalities of the actual sub-projects, ownership, wages and cost of material, the security
situation and measures taken to mitigate them, and the need for capacity and institutional
building with local counterparts. All of these factors prevented from hindering the
implementation of MCB activities.
The use of local institutions in improving the capacities of local staff was one of the best
practices learnt from MCB. The Muthanna Technical Institute as well as the use of the
professors from nearby Universities in leading some training activities for government
employees was another lesson learned.
The simple and well-established procedures and implementation mechanisms including the
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remote management of MCB program manager had allowed UNDP to react with flexibility and
thus provided a rapid response to the rehabilitation of social and physical infrastructure
priorities expressed by MCB team, local communities, and authorities.
The synergies, coordination and partnership established with local authorities/ municipalities,
the governors’ offices and local communities represented an attractive and "implementationFriendly" platform for donors.
In order to promote peace, confidence and trust amongst the various
stakeholders/beneficiaries, such community-based felt-needs interventions are of great
importance, and should be initiated by the international communities.
VI. CONCLUSION
Through the GOJ project implementation, it was understood that MCB programme policies
and implementation modalities were proven to be the perfect remote management
mechanisms for the programme implementation in the prevailing situation of Iraq. After the
success in partnering MCB program with local authorities, civil society organizations and
donors, UNDP is looking forward to capitalize on progress made and to extend support by the
donor community to sustain this initiative, to meet the urgent needs of Iraqis.
As the unemployment is rampant in the region, there is a great need to engage youth in
advancement of their skills through vocational training as well as micro-enterprise
development. Moreover, empowerment of women will be first on list.
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VII. ANNEXES
Annex 1: List of UNDP/ MCB Projects implemented in the Muthanna through GOJ Funds
Project
No.
MU-318
MU-319
MU-320
MU-321
Sector
Education
Education
Education
Education
Town/
Village
Project
Name
Workers
Women
Work
Days
WorkersDays
Value
Cofund
Samawa
Rehabilitation of
4000 School
desks in
Muthanna
13
0
40
520
96400
66000
Khudhir
Constructing
two class rooms
in Asmaa
Intermediate
School
28
0
40
1120
48642
4505
Rumaitha
Constructing
two class rooms
in Al Imam Al
Sajad Primary
School
28
0
40
1120
48642
4505
Khudhir
Constructing
two class rooms
in Aqaba Primary
School
28
0
40
1120
48642
4505
28
0
40
1120
48642
4505
MU-322
Education
Al Swair
Constructing
two class rooms
in Al Mawada
Primary School
MU- 325
Agriculture
Rumaitha
Training Course
for Women
Farmers
0
174
20
3480
27049
3250
Warkaa
Establishing
Fruits and
Vegetables
Nursery in Al
Warkaa
41
0
15
615
34520
3825
Warkaa
Establishing
New Agricultural
Plastic Houses in
Al-Warkaa
52
0
15
780
47467
91325
Samawa
Professional
training course
for unskilled
workers
180
28
20
3600
42183
52000
506
0
15
7590
28850
975
1106
202
285
21065
471037
235395
MU- 326
MU- 327
MU- 328
MU- 329
Agriculture
Agriculture
Education
Civil
Defence
Samawa
Total
First Aid and
Epidemic
Disease Training
Course
18
Sector
Workers
per sector
%
Workdays
%
Expenditure
%
Education
333
31%
5000
24%
290968
15%
Agriculture
267
24%
1395
7%
81987
18%
Civil Defence
506
45%
7590
36%
28850
7%
Total
1106
21065
471037
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