EVALUATION OF THE SUDAN AGRICULTURAL MARKET & ENTERPRISE DEVELOPMENT (AMED) PROGRAM MAY 2008 This publication was produced for review by the United States Agency for International Development. It was prepared by Management Systems International. EVALUATION OF THE SUDAN AGRICULTURAL MARKET & ENTERPRISE DEVELOPMENT (AMED) PROGRAM A subsidiary of Coffey International, Ltd. Management Systems International Corporate Offices 600 Water Street, SW Washington, DC 20024 Evaluation Team: Dr. Allen LeBel – Team Leader/Evaluation Specialist George Olesh – Institutions Specialist Contract Number: DFD-I-00-05-00251-00 task order #1 AMED Implementer: Volunteers for Economic Growth Alliance (VEGA) AMED Evaluation: Management Systems International (MSI) DISCLAIMER The author’s views expressed in this publication do not necessarily reflect the views of the United States Agency for International Development or the United States Government. EVALUATION OF THE SUDAN AGRICULTURAL MARKET & ENTERPRISE DEVELOPMENT (AMED) PROGRAM i CONTENTS ACRONYMS................................................................................................................................. II EXECUTIVE SUMMARY .........................................................................................................III I. INTRODUCTION/BACKGROUND .............................................................................. 1 II. METHODOLOGY ........................................................................................................... 3 A. Team Composition, Activities and Timing ................................................................ 3 B. Activities and Timing................................................................................................. 4 C. Impact Areas Targeted for Visits ............................................................................... 4 III. FINDINGS/LESSONS LEARNED ................................................................................. 5 A. Component One: Private Enterprise Development .................................................... 5 B. Component Two: Economic Policy and Regulatory Systems.................................... 9 C. Conclusions for Component Two............................................................................. 10 D. Component Three: Economic Development Support Services ................................ 11 E. Trade Support Funds and Institution Development Grants...................................... 12 F. Cross-Cutting Themes.............................................................................................. 14 G. Modification #3 for Fragile State Strategy............................................................... 16 H. Modification #6 for Fragile State Strategy............................................................... 17 I. Program Efficiency (Activities, Costs and Management)........................................ 19 J. Effectiveness (Results) ............................................................................................. 24 K. VEGA Response to “Yellow Rating”....................................................................... 26 IV. CONCLUSIONS ............................................................................................................. 27 V. RECOMMENDATIONS................................................................................................ 30 A. Efficiency Strategies................................................................................................. 30 B. AMED Strategy Effectiveness ................................................................................. 30 C. Lessons Learned....................................................................................................... 31 ANNEXES Annex 1 – AMED Organization & Monitoring............................................................................. 32 Annex 2 – Case Studies ................................................................................................................. 38 Annex 3 – Topic Guide for AMED Interviews.............................................................................. 47 Annex 4 – Selected AMED Activity Impact Surveys.................................................................... 48 Annex 5 – References .................................................................................................................... 63 Annex 6 – Contact List .................................................................................................................. 64 EVALUATION OF THE SUDAN AGRICULTURAL MARKET & ENTERPRISE DEVELOPMENT (AMED) PROGRAM ii ACRONYMS ACA Associate Co-operative Agreement AEFP Agricultural Enterprise Finance Program AMED Agricultural Market and Enterprise Development project CBO Community Based Organization CPA Comprehensive Peace Agreement CoC Chamber of Commerce COP Chief of Party COSHPAO Community Self Help Poverty Alleviation Organization CTC Crop Training Center, Yei CTO Cognizant Technical Officer DCOP Deputy Chief of Party GBWA Green Belt Women’s Association GFDA Gire Farmers Development Association, Yei GOSS Government of Southern Sudan ICT Internet Computer Technology IDPs Internally Displaced People LPFA Lasu Progressive Farmers Association LWA Loka Women’s Association M&E Monitoring and Evaluation MCTS Ministry of Commerce, Trade and Supply, Juba MFI Microfinance Institutions MIS Management Information Systems MITC Ministry of Industry, Trade and Commerce, Wau MSI Management Systems International NICODO Nile Community Development Organization NGO Non-Governmental Organization NPO National Program Officers OJT On-the-Job Training PLASS People Living with HIV/AIDS in Southern Sudan SME Small/Medium Enterprise SOWs Scopes of Work SPLM Sudan People’s Liberation Movement SSCCIA South Sudan Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Agriculture SUMI Sudan Microfinance Institute SUPPORT Services Under Program and Project Offices for Results Tracking SWAAP Sudanese Women’s HIV/AIDS Awareness Providers TA Technical Assistance USAID United States Agency for International Development UNICEF United Nations Children’s Fund UNMIS United Nations Mission in Sudan WBA Women’s Business Association, Wau WBGSCC Western Bahr el Ghazal State Chamber of Commerce WSHDO Women’s Self Help Development Organization VEGA Volunteers for Economic Growth Alliance EVALUATION OF THE SUDAN AGRICULTURAL MARKET & ENTERPRISE DEVELOPMENT (AMED) PROGRAM iii EXECUTIVE SUMMARY This mid-term evaluation mandated by USAID/Sudan is designed to assess the progress and achievement of the Sudan Agricultural Market and Enterprise Development (AMED) program implemented by Volunteers for Economic Growth Alliance (VEGA). USAID/Sudan funded AMED in June, 2005 for general development purposes and to assist maintenance of civil stability which resulted from the signing of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA). As originally designed AMED had three major components, including private enterprise development, economic policy and regulatory systems, and economic development support services, as well as cross-cutting themes. This evaluation was conducted through the USAID/Sudan Services Under Program and Project Offices for Results Tracking (SUPPORT) project implemented by Management Systems International (MSI). The evaluation was conducted by a two-person team, Dr. Allen LeBel, development economist and evaluation specialist and Mr. George Olesh, Institutions Development Specialist. The evaluation was conducted between April 21 and May 14, 20081. The evaluation team was asked to determine: • AMED’s achievements/performance in terms of results achieved, effectiveness, efficiency and value for money. • AMED’s contribution to the agriculture sector and private enterprise development in southern Sudan, and if these contributions are strategically relevant. • AMED’s strategic relevance to the USAID/USG Sudan program and foreign policy priorities – is this activity rendering a clear CPA “peace dividend?” and in what ways does it legitimatize the GOSS leadership? • AMED’s strategy for addressing the different needs and constraints faced by men and women in southern Sudan and how AMED is defining and addressing gender equity. The evaluation team’s findings, conclusions and recommendations based on document review, field observation and informant interviews in Juba, Yei and Wau are presented below by AMED component areas. Overall VEGA did not have a well articulate AMED strategy until late 2007. AMED’s monitoring and evaluation (M&E) is better but still fails to well define jobs created2 and other indicators. The program with its current (2007) strategy is doing well with farmers’ groups and women’s groups, both of which address important cross-cutting themes (youth, IDPs, HIV/AIDS, gender) as well as being significant SME development in their own right. Bottom line: AMED should focus on women and farmers. Every effort should be made to insure that program resources have direct impacts on these groups. Moreover, until roads improve, farm marketing should focus on local vegetable and fruit sales and all other business plans should focus on local markets. Component One: Private Enterprise Development In this component, VEGA was to: 1) complete market chain analyses and investment promotion studies for specific sub-sectors and industries; 2) support the development of individual enterprises; 3) establish a pilot agricultural market information system; 4) promote the establishment of private sector trade 1 The Evaluation Team first met with MSI staff in Washington, D.C. for briefings and document reviews on April 21 – 24, had meetings with USAID staff in Nairobi on April 28th, and conducted field work in Juba, Yei and Wau during the period April 29 – May 14, 2008. 2 Use of new indicators is planned for 2008, but they were not implemented during the project period assessed. EVALUATION OF THE SUDAN AGRICULTURAL MARKET & ENTERPRISE DEVELOPMENT (AMED) PROGRAM iv associations and chambers of commerce; and 5) provide training in basic business skills, technology improvement, and more advanced business management as entrepreneurs gain experience. Findings • AMED commissioned several studies, including Market Chain Analyses, which identified promising agricultural subsectors such as horticulture, coffee, groundnuts and beekeeping/honey production, but provided no strategy for exploitation of these subsectors. However, findings from these analysis provided background for subsequent project activities For example, they may have guided AMED’s efforts to help farmer associations to exploit horticultural potential. • AMED has assisted or strengthened farmers associations in Yei and Wau (The evaluation team observed that Associations combining farming and community development are not popular with farmers). • VEGA volunteers have provided technical, accounting and marketing training and registration assistance to farmer associations. These activities were judged to be valuable. For example, Natabo Farmers Association informants indicated that with VEGA assistance, the Association dramatically expanded horticulture production and marketing. • A one-on-one AMED service uses MBAs to research business opportunities and to teach accounting skills and business planning to GOSS, NGOs, Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) and farmer associations. • AMED assistance to the Women’s Self Help Development Organization (WSHDO) included: (a) defining objectives; (b) registering as an association and (c) helping it establish three profitable cafeterias, create 22 jobs and mentor other Women’s groups to start cafeteria, hostel, tailoring and forestry businesses and providing HIV/AIDs awareness training. • According to informants interviewed AMED’s SME assistance has strengthened two Information Technology (IT) businesses, one construction firm and helped establish a weekly business newspaper – The Weekly Business News. • Farmers the evaluation team met in Yei expressed a need to learn relative merits of small and large-scale mechanized equipment, irrigation pumps, commercial honey production, and use of chemicals, fertilizer, seeds and other inputs. As a response, AMED is commencing a study of honey production. Though not planned, this report’s recommendation of periodic trade fairs would provide farm input alternatives. Targeted policy at the National level is almost certainly a prerequisite for introduction of chemicals. • AMED has provided grants to selected SMEs; details are provided in the following section on Trade Support Funds and Development Grants. • AMED did not establish a pilot agricultural market information system because VEGA was told not do so by USAID - mainly because GOSS considers any information gathering to be a sensitive issue and therefore not to be delegated to NGOs. Conclusions • AMED one-on-one technical assistance to selected SMEs has been very successful. It has developed business management and financial management skills of the assisted SMEs. • AMED grants combined with training and technical assistance has enabled assisted SMEs to revitalize and expand (details are set forth on pp 18-19 of the main body of this report). • AMED does not have a business enterprise development strategy or work plan that is consistently applied. Rather, long term MBA volunteers seek SMEs, based on prior VEGA contacts in the region, and provide technical assistance. As the AMED strategy evolves, it could request volunteers with specific skills, often to double team with local advisors with highly developed technical skills. EVALUATION OF THE SUDAN AGRICULTURAL MARKET & ENTERPRISE DEVELOPMENT (AMED) PROGRAM v The number of SMEs assisted is very small compared to the amount of resources made available to AMED, partly due to the late development of program strategy. The program can be useful if it focuses on women’s groups and farmers’ associations and delivers a version of the assistance proposed in this report. Recommendations • AMED should concentrate and focus its resources to assist farmer associations and cooperatives to grow horticulture and market them. Current VEGA practice of pairing MBA Volunteer with AMED agricultural staff members appears to meet current needs, but as the program expands volunteers with specific agricultural skills may be needed. Moreover, training should be a form of On-the-Job Training wherever possible, particularly since multi-dimensional, hands-on training is almost certainly needed if farmers are to transition from subsistence to commercial farming. • AMED should replicate success of current women’s groups in SME development. • AMED SME grants should be combined with on the job training and technical assistance, particularly to agricultural groups. Component Two: Economic Policy and Regulatory Systems In this component, VEGA was to address economic policy and regulatory issues that support the growth and expansion of the private sector, facilitate trade, and support the expansion of opportunities for development of market chains and industry clusters. This component called for close collaboration with GOSS ministries and response to their requests for assistance. Associations, Chambers of Commerce, cooperatives, businesses and other organizations would suggest topics for training and support; the terms of reference stipulate that the GOSS would make requests for training and support on policy and regulatory systems. Findings • AMED has provided GOSS with computer training & hardware, development of regulations and personnel policies, a survey and policy document on SMEs in Wau, and “Farming as a Business” training, but GOSS produced no apparent outputs. • Drafting of 10 laws was expected. However, AMED was only able to draft 6 human resources and management-related laws. A policy framework was completed for the Southern Sudan Commission for War Disabled, War Widows and Orphans, but the institution seemed unable to utilize it adequately. • GOSS agricultural extension workers lack both skills and motivation to help farmers. VEGA has trained extension workers, and could offer further remedial training, but such training would neither (a) improve the extension worker incentive system, nor (b) provide the hands-on and detailed instruction needed for farmers to become commercially sustainable. Perhaps the best solution is to have extension workers become “active observers” in the farmer training process. As a result, some extension workers might become sufficiently skilled to be hired by AMED on a part-time basis or start their own farms. • There is no evidence that associations, Chambers of Commerce, cooperatives, businesses and other organizations have participated in policy development. The “Juba Dealmakers”, sponsored by AMED, is the first business group that AMED staff members believe to ever have the capability to participate in policy development in southern Sudan. Conclusions • GOSS capacity for developing effective policies for agricultural development is very low and, consequently adequate performance can only be viewed as a long-term goal of any project. Nevertheless, AMED does not seem to be a sufficiently effective vehicle for developing GOSS EVALUATION OF THE SUDAN AGRICULTURAL MARKET & ENTERPRISE DEVELOPMENT (AMED) PROGRAM vi capacity to reach this goal. As noted below, a much more structured form of training than AMED provides is likely to be needed for training to translate into policy action in one to five years. Recommendations • AMED should curtail its regulatory and policy technical assistance to the GOSS since it does not seem to have measurable impact. Component Three: Economic Development Support Services Under this component, VEGA was to identify up to 25 individuals from the Southern Sudanese Diaspora to return to Sudan as volunteers serving 9 months to three years at a compensation level equivalent to that of GOSS officials. These long-term volunteers (up to nine months) were to work directly in GOSS institutions to provide technical support to public institutions tasked with promoting economic development. They were to provide technical assistance to banks, financial institutions, a trade promotion agency and institutions that support road, telecommunications, environment, standards, government statistics, and a wide range of public functions. Findings • VEGA provided scopes of work to all VEGA team members to recruit volunteers from the Sudanese Diaspora (a funding pool of $500,000 described in a subsequent section was created to recruit and deploy these returnees). Failing to find volunteers from the region, the VEGA team opened the recruitment of these long-term positions to any US or third country based volunteers with appropriate skills and availability to provide long-term services in southern Sudan. • Out of 25 planned recruitments, VEGA was only able to attract 10 volunteers from the southern Sudanese Diaspora. Of these, 3 remained in the country after completing volunteer work. The Evaluation Team notes, however, AMED staff suggest that its emphasis on fielding Sudanese Diaspora declined as USAID adopted its Fragile State Strategy. Conclusions • VEGA was not able to attract and retain a significant number of volunteers from the southern Sudanese Diaspora. The main difficulty may be the uncertainty of the Sudanese situation itself, but VEGA still feels it can attract volunteers through an enhanced campaign. Recommendations • VEGA should use the 3 ex-volunteers now working in the country to invigorate recruiting procedures by serving as “success story” representatives. They should also be encouraged to invite their friends and other southern Sudanese from the Diaspora. Trade Support Funds and Institution Development Grants Under this sub-component, The VEGA team was to provide $500,000 that would be available to associations, cooperatives or businesses to support the development of market networks, test market programs or to adapt production to market demands. Funds were to be in the form of grants to institutions for marketing purposes. In addition, VEGA was to provide small grants to associations, chambers of commerce and cooperatives. Grants would be provided to support institution start-up, development of new products and services, advocacy activities or to purchase communications and information technology equipment. Grants were to be awarded in response to applications that met the criteria established by AMED staff. EVALUATION OF THE SUDAN AGRICULTURAL MARKET & ENTERPRISE DEVELOPMENT (AMED) PROGRAM vii Findings • As of the present, AMED has provided grants of $199,552 out of $500,000, of which $102,050 went to GOSS training centers, and $97,502 comprised six grants to SMEs, women’s NGOs and farmer associations (another $30,000 to three SMEs is currently in process). Three agricultural training centers were each earmarked $100,000 by USAID as support during the transition process: Padak Fisheries Training Center received the full amount, but the Crop Training Center has only received $2,500, and Anzara Agro-Technology Training Center has received none of the earmarked funds. Earmarked funds are withheld because the institutions did not provide the required financial sustainability documentation for the grants. AMED is actively working with the Crop Training Center and continues to offer assistance to the Anzara Center to develop the capacity to utilize grant funds for sustainable development. • Technical assistance in increasing SME administrative capacity to meet AMED grant criteria has occurred in the past year. Conclusions • AMED provided grants to those SMEs that submitted applications meeting the criteria established by VEGA staff. Recommendations • AMED grants should be targeted to more labor intensive activities such as farmers associations and cooperatives and women’s associations to increase employment and income generation opportunities. Cross-Cutting Themes In addition to meeting the technical requirements of the AMED Program, the VEGA team was also to address several cross-cutting themes. First, all training programs were to have HIV/AIDS awareness components to them. The Program was to develop a set curriculum and visual aids that would be provided to each volunteer and consultant providing training. The VEGA team was to consult with other programs involved with AIDS prevention in Southern Sudan to produce culturally appropriate and effective materials. Furthermore, since 58 percent of the Southern Sudanese population is below the age of 18, there is a crucial need for programs to reach Sudan’s youth and to provide economic opportunity and livelihood to young people. Training and workforce development for youth was to be particularly targeted to former combatants. Associations, cooperatives and chambers of commerce were to be encouraged to develop youth programming and support the expansion of income and employment for youths. Findings • WHSDO and other women’s associations provide HIV/AIDS awareness training to its members, and serve as sources of jobs for youth and IDPs/ex-combatants. However, the number of jobs created was not tracked. • Farmers’ groups provide HIV/AIDS awareness training to their members, develop youth wings of the association, and provide jobs and training for youth and IDPs/ex-combatants. Here too, the number of jobs generated was not tracked. • AMED has had several volunteer activities specifically related to gender awareness and HIV/AIDS. EVALUATION OF THE SUDAN AGRICULTURAL MARKET & ENTERPRISE DEVELOPMENT (AMED) PROGRAM viii Conclusions • AMED effectively imbeds HIV/AIDS awareness campaigns in its other activities. • Support of women’s associations particularly address gender issues through a broad spectrum of support, but needs some specific programming. Recommendations • AMED should continue to develop targeted HIV/AIDS training. • AME should develop more programming for women’s associations, and develop a gender awareness program. EVALUATION OF THE SUDAN AGRICULTURAL MARKET & ENTERPRISE DEVELOPMENT (AMED) PROGRAM 1 I. INTRODUCTION/BACKGROUND • What was mandated in the original Cooperative Agreement and by each of the seven Cooperative Agreement modifications? • What has VEGA achieved from the get go as stated in quarterly and annual reports? Overview Sudan, the largest country in Africa, borders nine countries, and has a population estimated at 40 million. Although the first census in decades is planned, the current Southern Sudan population is estimated at 10- 12 million people – with an estimated four million displaced to Northern Sudan and as refugees outside the country. Since independence in 1956, Southern Sudan has suffered from civil war with only a decade of troubled peace from 1972 to 1983. Southern Sudan is characterized by years of underdevelopment, war, famine, drought and flood, producing a crisis of enormous proportions across the region and resulting in the devastation of the South’s economic, political and social structures – leaving the health, education and infrastructure status of the Sudanese people and region among the poorest globally. In addition to the loss of lives, lost opportunities and destroyed infrastructure, the war displaced families and divided communities. Since the mid-1990s, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), faith-based organizations (FBOs), and multilateral/bilateral agencies offering humanitarian relief became the prime providers of an array of much needed services. After decades of civil war, Sudan’s warring parties signed a Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) in January of 2005. Since that time, the country has taken giant steps toward peace, reconciliation and good governance, although the situation on the ground in Sudan remains dynamic. In support of the peace process, in June 2005 USAID funded the program entitled Agricultural Markets and Enterprise Expansion (AMED) to develop a base for future private-sector led growth of domestic and export trade. The initial Associate Co-operative Agreement (ACA) indicates awareness that the lack of capacity in Sudan required great flexibility in program implementation, and a forecast that the implementing agent would have to deal with substantial schedule revisions and changes that could curtail elements of the program. This proved to be very prescient: the ACA had seven modifications, and the program was instructed to move offices twice, eventually ending up in Juba. Most of the ACA modifications were administrative in nature, but Modifications No. 3 and No. 6 called for significant programming changes. Modification No. 3 realigned the program strategy to the USAID/Sudan’s new Fragile State Strategy for FY 2006-2008. Consequently, AMED became focused on support for stability, implementation of the CPA, and assisting internally-displaced persons (IDPs), former combatants, youth, women, and war￾affected populations to realize a “peace dividend” from the CPA. The Evaluation Team was not able to identify AMED data that references support to former combatants and youth. Modification No. 6 was executed in September 2007. This expanded the program from provision of basic capacity building and elementary skills training to a higher level of focused assistance involving financing and targeted technical assistance in the agricultural and light industry sectors. The expansion was to strengthen the nascent private sector on a broader and deeper level. EVALUATION OF THE SUDAN AGRICULTURAL MARKET & ENTERPRISE DEVELOPMENT (AMED) PROGRAM 2 The abrupt changes in strategy, program activities and physical relocations while necessary to achieve overall structural goals and adapt successfully to the Sudanese situation, has had costs: Effective output and program administration began only in 2007. Program Objectives AMED was designed to help establish the basis for economic recovery through: 1) capacity building in agricultural and natural resources systems; 2) direct support to private enterprises and producers; 3) support to governmental and non-governmental agencies that must facilitate recovery; 4) support for Government of Southern Sudan (GOSS) policies and support systems; and 5) drawing upon the skills and support of southern Sudan’s Diaspora to assist in economic development. The program has three primary objectives: 1. Improve the productivity and competitiveness of Southern Sudan private enterprises; 2. Establish GOSS policy, regulatory, and investment plans supportive of growth and private sector productivity and trade; and 3. Establish institutions and programs to increase the competitiveness of Southern Sudan’s agriculture and industry. These goals are significant and the challenges to implementation are enormous. As Southern Sudan emerges from conflict, the AMED Program team is assisting in capacity building and market development, and serving as an information and technical resource to private enterprises, local institutions and GOSS agencies. The Program is collaborating with other implementers (other NGOs in specific areas, e.g. Winrock’s Gender Project, and larger support programs, e.g. Louis Berger Group’s Infrastructure Program) supporting private enterprise expansion and facilitating transitions from relief to private sector development. AMED Resources The program is supported with these major resources: • Long-term Sudanese and Expatriate Staff ο Five Senior Expatriate Management Staff ο Seven Senior Sudanese Program Officers ο Sudanese Support Staff • Short and Long-Term Volunteers o International, Regional and Sudanese Diaspora Volunteers (116 long-term, 12 short-term) • Grants ($500,000 initially, modified to $1.2 million currently) More detail concerning resource deployment and the current staff structure is contained in Annex 1. The Annex includes the VEGA program staff organization chart and tables summarizing financial and programmatic deliverables. At inception, VEGA employed a seven part approach to the implementation of AMED: 1. Develop plans reflecting the rudimentary post-war situation to assist promising sub-sectors and industry clusters. The expectation was that these plans would be rudimentary and with significant disruption in industry groups; 2. Provide capacity building and assistance to value chains oriented towards both domestic and regional markets; EVALUATION OF THE SUDAN AGRICULTURAL MARKET & ENTERPRISE DEVELOPMENT (AMED) PROGRAM 3 3. Build programs that complement economic infrastructure reconstruction and programs that facilitate trade and provide financial resources to communities that assists the transition from relief to development; 4. Strengthen technical and managerial capacity among entrepreneurs in targeted value chains and industry clusters; 5. Strengthen NGO and GOSS institutions to provide services and support to entrepreneurs; 6. Establish networks to provide price and market information from regional and domestic markets and to make this information widely available to Sudanese enterprises; and 7. Draw upon Sudan’s Diaspora for technical and training support and encourage Diaspora investment in local agriculture and natural resources- based enterprises. II. METHODOLOGY A. Team Composition, Activities and Timing The Evaluation Team was comprised of: 1. Dr. Allen LeBel, Economist and Evaluator – served as Private Sector Development Specialist or Development Economist with post-conflict and evaluation experience, especially in situations where human and physical infrastructure are very basic or almost non-existent. Dr. LeBel was the Team Leader. 2. Mr. George Olesh, Institutional Development and Capacity Building Specialist in a post-conflict environment where institutional structures have been destroyed or never existed. 3. Anthony Silvestro - Local Information/Communication Specialist fluent in the local languages spoken in the project area. 4. The USAID Cognizant Technical Officer (CTO) for VEGA did not accompany the evaluation team. Dr. LeBel, the Private Sector Development Specialist, and Mr. Olesh, the Institutional Development Specialist, have experience in micro-enterprise development and/or agriculture with experience in East Africa. The Team members are well versed in social science/soundness and gender analysis. Both specialists helped ensure that the evaluation is rigorous and is compliant with USAID’s Automated Directive System (ADS) 203 and MSI’s evaluation and special studies quality standards. The local Information/Communication Specialist produced the following for purposes of USAID monitoring, reporting and evaluation: • tape interviews with key informants (a brief testimony of impressions of the program, if positive); • GPS coordinates of each site observed, accompanied by a brief description of what it represents; • photographs of the area and anything that captures the USAID activity there; and • Anything else of relevance to telling the USAID/Sudan assistance story. The project COP, Scott Allen accompanied the evaluation team on all site visits and meetings to gain an understanding of how VEGA activities are perceived by the project beneficiaries and VEGA’s impact on local populations. EVALUATION OF THE SUDAN AGRICULTURAL MARKET & ENTERPRISE DEVELOPMENT (AMED) PROGRAM 4 B. Activities and Timing The team had an initial meeting in Nairobi with the USAID CTO for the AMED program, Lokosang Lemi, on April 28, 2008. The two-person Team arrived in Juba on April 29, 2008. Team members spent three days being briefed by AMED staff, reviewing documents and conducting interviews with AMED clients. They flew to Yei on May 2nd to conduct interviews through May 4th. On May 5th they flew to Wau for two days of meetings. On May 7th, the Evaluation Team returned to Juba to prepare their presentation to USAID and evaluation report. Meetings in Juba, Yei and Wau were with farmers, War Victims, farmer associations, Women’s associations, SMEs, GOSS Crop Training Center, and State Ministry officials. The Team was not able to meet with either the National Ministry of Agriculture in Juba or the State Ministry of Agriculture in Wau. Besides travel days to and from Sudan, both team members met for three days with MSI staff in Washington, D.C. to review documents and prepare an evaluation plan for field work in Sudan. Moreover, the team is expected to have additional time back in the U.S. to ensure the completion and transmission of the final report as well as the closure of any outstanding matters. Dr. Allen LeBel, the COP of the Evaluation Team, was totally responsible for managing the Team, organizing the Team’s work, and ensuring quality control and delivery of the required report as agreed by both parties. The COP of AMED, other USAID staff and GOSS employees were encouraged to join the Evaluation Team, but only the AMED COP and two of his staff members joined the team. These staff members are Zachary Ireri, Senior Field/Program Manager and Peter Lominit de Karl, Agricultural Markets Senior Program Officer. In addition, AMED field staff members in each location joined the Evaluation Team for interviews. In Yei, these staff members were Marty George and Ryan Betters, AMED long-term MBA volunteers. In Wau, these staff members were Aboud Suleiman, Agricultural Markets Senior Program Officer and Amelia Anselmo, Manager, VEGA Guest House, Wau and Khary Dickerson, AMED long￾term MBA volunteer. Finally, MSI and AMED staff arranged all meetings for the Team, in conjunction with the USAID/Juba Office. The Evaluation Team had a total of 23 interviews with AMED clients, of which nine were in Juba, seven in Yei and seven in Wau. C. Impact Areas Targeted for Visits VEGA’s principal areas of operation have been Juba, Wau and, to a lesser extent, Yei. The Evaluation Team conducted interviews in these three cities, but not other locations where AMED worked or had planned to work. AMED, for example, provided support to the Padak Fisheries Training Centre (Jonglei State). Plans called for a $100,000 grant to the Anzara Agri-Technology Training Center, per instructions from USAID, but Anzara did not complete the requirements to receive the grant. The Evaluation Team did not visit the Jonglei State or the Anzara Training Center. VEGA has not been formally notified by USAID to work in Kurmuk but they did participate, at the request of USAID, in an evaluation team with Louis Berger to do a preliminary assessment in Kurmuk earlier this year. The Evaluation Team reviewed this document, which described conditions suggesting the need for roads projects. AMED’s work in Eastern Equatoria is expected to involve the State Ministry of Agriculture as well as the CPA Reconstruction and Development Fund. The Evaluation Team executed two activities to complete its tasks. First, it reviewed the cooperative agreements, AMED quarterly and other reports and AMED internal management records. For internal EVALUATION OF THE SUDAN AGRICULTURAL MARKET & ENTERPRISE DEVELOPMENT (AMED) PROGRAM 5 management, AMED prepares a SOW for each AMED assignment, and each assignment related to a project or activity. A project might be assistance to develop a particular SME. An activity could be bookkeeping training for the SME owner. Files for each SOW contain task accomplishments and sometimes follow-up information. To select sample projects for field investigation, the Evaluation Team identified and listed a number of SOWs for different subsectors that it wished to visit if feasible. After some investigation, AMED management determined that short-notice, remote locations and limited time made certain interviews impractical. As a result, interviews in addition to those with USAID staff in Nairobi and AMED staff members included: • Ministry of Commerce, Trade and Supply, Juba • Commission for War Disabled, Widows and Orphans, Juba • Juke Mabior, IT Academy and Southern Sudan Business Week, Juba • Stanislaus Kenyi, Venus Computer Institute, Juba • Women’s Self-Help Development Organization (WSHDO), Juba • Angelus Lagu and Kosimo Andrea, Eco-Builders, Juba • David Bala, Director, Crop Training Center • Bullen Bagwe, Assistant Director, Crop Training Center, Yei • Laso Progressive Farmer’s Association (LPFA), Yei • Edward Lukule, Director, SUMI, Yei • Gire Farmers Development Association (GFDA), Yei • Mugwo Community Development Forum • Data Samuel, Carpenter SMEI • Ismail Limbo, Limbo’s Academy for Information Technology • Women’s Business Association, Wau • Natabo Farmers Association, Wau • Ministry of Industry, Trade and Commerce, Directorate of Planning, Wau • Wau Carpenter’s Association of Low-Income, Wau Second, the Evaluation Team performed field work. That is, it conducted interviews in Juba, Yei and Wau. Clients interviewed include national and state administrative institutions, small businesses, farmers groups, individual farmers, women’s groups and the SUMI micro-finance NGO. Private businesses included IT, hospitality and construction. As noted above, the Team conducted a total of 23 interviews with AMED clients. III. FINDINGS/LESSONS LEARNED A. Component One: Private Enterprise Development 1. Overview Component one was to involve (a) market chain analyses and investment promotion studies for specific sub-sectors and industries, (b) development of individual enterprises, (c) a pilot agricultural market information system, (d) establishment of private sector trade associations and chambers of commerce and (e) training in basic business skills, technology improvement, and more advanced business management as entrepreneurs gain experience. EVALUATION OF THE SUDAN AGRICULTURAL MARKET & ENTERPRISE DEVELOPMENT (AMED) PROGRAM 6 2. Findings • Market Value Chain Analyses & Investment Promotion Studies: • Survey of Crop Production Possibilities (2007) • Coffee (4/08), Groundnuts (expected 5/08) and Honey (planned) • Overall Agricultural Potential Assessment Market Chain Analyses identified promising agricultural subsectors such as horticulture, groundnuts and beekeeping/honey production, but have not provided a strategy for exploitation. The 2007 survey of crop production possibilities was conducted by Winrock staff. Staff members traveled through many areas of Southern Sudan to record which crops would grow well in different ecological areas. The report, however, does not suggest either a geographic or crop exploitation strategy. Follow-up reports on individual subsectors were to be carried out and made available to potential investors/producers. Until transport systems improve, the best strategy may be to find dynamic farmer associations and women’s groups near cities and help them produce crops that can be sold locally. Experience they gain in operating their farms as a local business will help prepare them to exploit regional markets for coffee and other products as road systems develop. The coffee study conducted by an ACDI/VOCA volunteer and released in April 2008 suggests that coffee could grow well in the soil and climate in Wau and surrounding areas.3 It points out further, however, a myriad of barriers to coffee production that include: • Untrained farmers, • Lack of planting material, • Prevalence of pests and funguses and virtually a complete lack of chemical remedies, • Virtual lack of processing infrastructure, and • Impassible roads in every direction. The groundnuts study is not yet available and the honey study is being planned. • Enterprise Support – MBA outreach & Support to Eco-Builders, WSHDO Cafeterias, Venus Computer Institute, Crop Training Institute, SUMI, et. al. Enterprise support is one-on-one service using MBAs. The MBAs research business opportunities, teach bookkeeping, business planning and “Farming as a Business”. One MBA is, for example, researching possibilities to establish a plastics recycling business. The MBAs perform two functions for SUMI. First, they conduct specialized financial analysis for SUMI. Second, they teach loan officers financial skills to become financial consultants to their clients. MBAs teach bookkeeping as adjunct studies within the Crop Training Center (CTC) to enhance the CTC’s three and nine month training courses for government extension workers. For SMEs, MBAs taught bookkeeping to Eco-Builders, one of AMED’s grantees that builds three to six bedroom houses for homeowners and labor intensive roads for donors. They have provided similar assistance to WSHDO, which has cafeterias that serve UN and airport staff, and the SME, Venus 3 See, Filtone C. Sandando, “Assessment of coffee Revitalization and Marketing in Southern Sudan, AMED Sudan Project, April, 2008. EVALUATION OF THE SUDAN AGRICULTURAL MARKET & ENTERPRISE DEVELOPMENT (AMED) PROGRAM 7 Computer Institute - which offers computer training to government and donor staff. This list is illustrative, not exhaustive. • Private Sector Association Promotion: ο Juba Dealmakers (planned for Yei and Wau) ο Assistance with Association Registration Private sector association promotion involves assisting groups in defining their objectives, organizing to become official associations, and planning activities that benefit the members. AMED staff is in the process of expanding to other cities, “Juba Dealmakers”, a business networking forum that meets at least once a month in various locations in Juba. Juba Dealmakers is expected to provide synergies and help businessmen develop each other’s business activities, while serving as the first private/public sector dialogue forum in southern Sudan. • Training in Business Skills – MBA-Driven in Public & Private Sectors and in Associations Training in business skills is delivered indirectly through Venus Computer Institute and directly through AMED MBA one-on-one assistance. Venus Computer Institute, created by a Sudanese Diaspora returnee with AMED assistance, has contracts to teach Microsoft office and computerized bookkeeping to donor and GOSS staff. At the same time, it continues to receive consulting assistance in business development advice from AMED MBAs. When Venus Institute was starting it received training, business registration assistance, organizational development advice and a $10,000 SME grant. 3. Conclusions for Component One • Market Value Chain Analyses - Provide No Strategy. Efforts to date, as noted above, include: ο Survey of Crop Production Possibilities (Winrock, 2007) – Provides no strategy4 ο Coffee (4/08) – lists innumerable obstacles to coffee production in Southern Sudan though the ecological zone surrounding Wau is amenable to coffee production. An analysis of groundnuts is expected in May 2008 and one is being planned for honey. ο • Major conclusion: AMED has not produced an agricultural production or marketing strategy. AMED’s rather unfocused efforts in many directions have, however, demonstrated the need for an agricultural strategy. Moreover, these efforts provide persuasive evidence that the strategy should be to encourage women’s groups and farmer associations to exploit certain quite specific business opportunities. Project work up to the present can be viewed as pilot-testing a broad variety of alternatives. Now is the time to define an agricultural strategy based on results of these explorations or tests. • Additional conclusions: ο Farmers and institutions lack knowledge of alternative technologies ο Enterprise business skills taught by MBA volunteers are considered useful by clients that the Evaluation Team has interviewed. These clients5 include Eco- Builders, WSHDO Cafeterias, 4 See Henry R. Winogrond &Chris Adams, Strategic Framework for AMED Enterprise Development Projects, Winrock/VEGA, April 4, 2007. 5 See Annex 2 for case studies of selected interviewees for greater detail on AMED assistance and results. EVALUATION OF THE SUDAN AGRICULTURAL MARKET & ENTERPRISE DEVELOPMENT (AMED) PROGRAM 8 Venus Computer Institute, Crop Training Institute, SUMI, Natabo Farmers Association, as well as others.6 ο Private Sector Association promotion – is useful assistance − Juba Dealmakers in Juba and planned for Yei and Wau is a useful forum for business owners to network. − Assistance with association registration is much appreciated by members of associations who have received such assistance. 4. Recommendations for Component One Component 1: Private Enterprise Development (Near Term) • Evaluate AMED’s detailed Assessments for Coffee & Groundnuts7 ο Collaborate with East African Fine Coffees Association • Prioritize Subsectors from the VEGA Assessment of April 2007 for Strategy Development8 • Develop Subsector Strategies Including: ο Horticulture development & local sales until transport improves ο Agro-forestry by county to benefit WSHDO ο Beekeeping, Honey Certification & Hive Rentals • Sponsor an agricultural fair of best practices and equipment • Enhance processing/marketing to add value to cash crops • Develop national a certification system for organic farming • Expand SUMI micro-enterprise loans with MBA assistance • Maintain dialogue to develop agricultural credit with SUMI • Replicate success of agriculture and women’s enterprises, such as WSHDO (Juba) and Natabo Farmers Assn (Wau); AMED assistance has included MBA guidance in setting organizational goals, development of business strategies, training in basic business skills, advanced training in specifically identified skills such as agriculture, tailoring, food preparation and catering, – follow up with business development advice, small SME grants to develop business plans, how to use micro-loans for future development. Component 1: Private Enterprise Development (Medium Term) • Working Hypotheses: 6 Women’s Business Association of Wau, Central Equatorial Women’s Union, Green Belt Women’s Association, Loka Women’s Association, Terkeka Women’s Self-Help Association, Nile Community Development Organization, Mugwo Development Forum, Gire Farmers Development Association, Lasu Progressive Farmers’ Association, Mongalla Development Association, People Living with HIV/AIDS in Southern Sudan, Sudanese Women HIV/AIDS Awareness Awareness Providers, young Family Multipurpose Cooperative Society. 7 AMED is likely to receive minimal government assistance with this task. Its Assessment of Coffee Revitalization notes that in the counties visited, that is, in Yei and Morobo Counties “three is no extension service that is being offered to the farmers. This is because the extension officers lacked capacity in form transport and other logistics to go round the farmers and advise them [sic]. In addition these extension workers were not motivated on account of poor salaries and conditions of service from the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry [sic]. Limited extension services were noted in the Omaci and Otogo payams where ready information about farmers’ statistics had been compiled by the community based extension officers in the areas.” 8 As noted above, these subsectors were surveyed in Henry R. Winogrond & Chris Adams, Strategic Framework for AMED Enterprise Development Projects, Winrock/VEGA, April 4, 2007. EVALUATION OF THE SUDAN AGRICULTURAL MARKET & ENTERPRISE DEVELOPMENT (AMED) PROGRAM 9 ο On-the-Job Training (OJT) between Smallholders & commercial farmers/Consultants is needed to create smallholder commercial farmers ο Irrigated agriculture reduces crop risk and can promote lower marketing and finance risk • Recommendation: create irrigated agricultural systems ο Integrate inputs, production, processing & marketing ο Microfinance through SUMI B. Component Two: Economic Policy and Regulatory Systems 1. Overview for Component Two Under this activity, AMED was to: 1. Respond to economic policy and regulatory issues that support the growth and expansion of the private sector, facilitate trade, and support the expansion of opportunities for development of market chains and industry clusters. 2. Collaborate with GOSS ministries and respond to their requests for assistance. The terms of reference stipulate that the GOSS would make requests for training and support on policy and regulatory systems. The VEGA team would support the efforts of GOSS to build capacity in the areas of policy and regulatory systems giving the private sector a greater voice in the process. 3. Train and support Associations, Chambers of Commerce, cooperatives, businesses and other organizations. 2. Findings for Component Two In outline form, the assistance provided as capacity building in targeted sub-sectors of GOSS institutions which support development of SMEs and trade were: • Assistance to Ministry of Commerce, Trade and Supply (MCTS), ο Computer training & hardware, ο Regulations, − Developed six of a planned 10 trade policies law/regulation9 , ο Development of HR Policies • Assistance to Southern Sudan Center of Statistics Commission (Census Bureau), ο Set up Finance and Human Resource Departments (2006-2007) • Assistance to Directorate of Planning and Statistics, Ministry of Industry, Trade and Commerce (MITC) for Western Bahel el Ghazal State (Wau), ο Conducted a survey of SME businesses in Wau, which served as a major policy document for the Directorate (2006-2007) • Taxation analysis being conducted by MBA Volunteers in Juba, Yei and Wau • Assistance to Ministry of Agriculture, ο Grant support available to three agricultural training centers, ο “Farming as a Business” Training to GOSS and state level agricultural officials • Establishment of policy goals for the Commission on War Disabled, Widows and Orphans. 9 Laws concern standards, consumer protection, import/export, metrification, completion, and weights and measures (see Impact Survey Example 3 in Annex 4). EVALUATION OF THE SUDAN AGRICULTURAL MARKET & ENTERPRISE DEVELOPMENT (AMED) PROGRAM 10 These activities were carried out from 2005 to 2007, and current volunteers provide on-going advisory services in the organizations. There are, however, no focused on-going activities being carried out in policy development that would encourage private enterprise. In some cases, GOSS has not been ready to address issues in the Ministry of Agriculture. Such issues include unwillingness to promulgate an AMED assisted paper on SME development and lack of policies for development of (a) an agricultural market information system, (b) an irrigation, program, and (d) motivational problems in the civil service such as those of extension workers; in other cases, GOSS has initiated some activity but been unable to sustain the effort (MCTS and MITC). A particularly unfortunate example of lack of GOSS follow-through is the SME policy document AMED assisted MITC in Wau to develop. It was expected to serve as a highlighted case study for a national workshop hosted by MCTS in Juba to develop a national trade policy strategy. However, though preparatory work is completed, the intended workshop has been sidelined and the policy paper is not being circulated to other interested parties in the different states. The Evaluation Team was unfortunately not able to meet representatives of either the national or state ministries of agriculture, nor with the Western Bahr el-Ghazal State Ministry of Finance, Directorate of Co-operatives. Scheduling conflicts caused the ministries to cancel the existing meetings and the Team was not given enough time in the field to reschedule meetings or set up alternative meetings. AMED carried out initial support to Chambers of Commerce (CoC) as mandated in the original Associate Co-operative Agreement (ACA) and made early contacts with the Chambers of Commerce through the Ministry of Commerce, Trade and Supply. However, the CoC were unable to respond and use the assistance given. Further discussions with USAID and officials in MCTS led to the conclusion that MCTS would take responsibility for the development of the CoCs while AMED would focus on assistance to industry, sector and commodity groups that could bootstrap small sub-sectors into increased activity. This change was made in 2007. C. Conclusions for Component Two Despite some initial assistance in basic capacity building within the institutions, help in development of goals and departmental focus, and basic skills training, the Team found that: • The Ministry of Commerce, Trade & Supply (MSTS), Juba, lags in overall policy formulation initiative, • The Ministry of Industry, Trade and Commerce (MITC), Directorate of Planning & Statistics, Wau, has failed to promote its formulated SME Policy, • The Commission on War Disabled, Widows & Orphans fails to formulate policy & programs, • The Ministry of Agriculture is not developing subsector policies. In general, the needs of government institutions were found to be much larger than the capacity of AMED to address, and often exceeding the program mandate. AMED provided liaison between the GOSS organization and other USAID programs that were better able to address the needs expressed. 4. Recommendations for Component Two AMED should concentrate much more, as it has already begun to do in its recent strategy shifts for the expansion modification, on support to Components One and Three of its activities. However, residual efforts could be made to assist GOSS institutions to: EVALUATION OF THE SUDAN AGRICULTURAL MARKET & ENTERPRISE DEVELOPMENT (AMED) PROGRAM 11 • Shift AMED support in the Ministry of Agriculture from training to subsector policy development. Use of current long-term staff, supported by volunteers who are subject matter specialists, would allow VEGA to address this activity. It’s MBA volunteers are better suited to hands-on assistance at operational levels of enterprises,, • Prepare to support Directorate of Planning & Statistics, MITC in Wau with pending SME assistance plan, • Discuss with MCTS assistance needs for developing the national SME policy workshop, • Encourage Commission on War Disabled, Widows and Orphans to formulate policies and to quickly act before their clients decide the institution itself has been by-passed by events. D. Component Three: Economic Development Support Services 1. Overview for Component Three Initially, AMED attempted to identify up to 25 individuals from the Southern Sudanese Diaspora to return to Sudan as volunteers serving 9 months to three years at a compensation level equivalent to that of GOSS officials. VEGA established a funding pool of $500,000 and provided scopes of work to all VEGA team members to recruit these volunteers. Failing to find a volunteer from the region, the VEGA team planned open recruitment of these long-term positions to any volunteer with appropriate skills. Such volunteers could be either US-based or from a third country. In addition, long-term VEGA volunteers, for up to nine months, would work directly in GOSS institutions to provide technical support to public institutions tasked with promoting economic development. Plans were that long term volunteers would work on technical support, banking, financial institutions, a trade promotion agency and institutions that support road, telecommunications, environment, standards, government statistics, and a wide range of public functions. 2. Findings for Component Three • Diaspora Returnees Created Successful Businesses: three IT businesses and one newspaper. AMED recruited ten Diaspora volunteers, four long-term and six short-term.10 Three long-term volunteers stayed, one left and the six short-term volunteers left after completing their assignments and did not stay in the country. • AMED MBA’s provide guidance to Diaspora SMEs, individual farmers in associations, SUMI & supplement CTC curriculum. • Don Bosco, a trade school run by a religious order, has a long-standing and excellent reputation in graduating masons, carpenters and welders. AMED staff has made some initial contacts with Don Bosco Trade School in Wau regarding training programs for specific activities. • Although finding Diaspora volunteers has taken a lower priority, due to USAID policy refocusing, AMED continues to provide technical support, jobs and grants to Diaspora returnees who have come back to Sudan on their own. 10 Juke Mabior, Ishmael Limbo, Marol Deng and Godfrey Ladu were the long-term volunteers. Juke established IT agency and business newspaper in Juba, Limbo is in process of establishing IT academy in Wau, Marol taught classes in Ministry, but wanted to obtain a government job. He was not successful and returned to US. Godfrey provided management support for PSI office in Rumbek (Population Services International), and then remained to provide business management support. EVALUATION OF THE SUDAN AGRICULTURAL MARKET & ENTERPRISE DEVELOPMENT (AMED) PROGRAM 12 3. Conclusions for Component Three • Diaspora returnees can create successful businesses (3 successes, no failure). • AMED MBA’s provide effective guidance to Diaspora SMEs and virtually all development activities11 • Trainee graduates from Don Bosco Trade School in Wau could be promising SME startup candidates 4. Recommendations for Component Three • Continue to assist Diaspora returnees as well as local entrepreneurs to establish businesses in southern Sudan. AMED has assisted creation of three successful businesses in Juba, has one in process and had no failures. • Promote AMED MBA continual coaching for all development activities. • Explore supporting trainee graduates from Don Bosco trade school in Wau. E. Trade Support Funds and Institution Development Grants 1. Overview for Trade Support & Institutional Development Funds AMED was to provide $500,000 in grants to associations, cooperatives or businesses to support the development of market networks, test market programs or to adapt production to market demands. Also, from the same fund, AMED was to provide small grants to associations, chambers of commerce and cooperatives. Grants were targeted to support institution start-up, development of new products and services, advocacy activities or to purchase communications and information technology equipment. Grants were to be awarded in response to applications that met the criteria established by program staff. 2. Findings for Component Three Small grants became a part of the overall support process. AMED program officers and MBA Volunteers identified suitable candidates in key industry clusters such as IT, agriculture, construction and hospitality. Then, after preparing assistance plans with AMED managers, they provided a program of training and business development support. Grants were used to support institution start-up, development of new products and services, advocacy activities or purchase of necessary equipment. The AMED support staff ensured that the clients had good business plans and expressed them in sound proposal. Creation of such business skills could be used later for obtaining microfinance if the business was successful and could expand. Grant activity included: • Three grants to Agricultural Training Centers: ο Crop Training Center (Yei)\12 – received only part of available grant. 11 The long-term MBA program, recently developed, provides a much more effective support system for clients than only a program of short-term MBA volunteers. Clients include Diaspora SMEs, farmers and women’s groups, SUMI, SUMI clients and government departments interested in supporting SMEs. Clients like the continuity of support from the combination of short-term volunteer experts, long-term MBA volunteers with general business skills, and long-term technical program officers. 12 A full $100,000 grant was provided to the PADAK Fisheries Center. Similar grants to the Crop Training Center in Yei and the Anzara Institute in Yambio were not given because these Centers did not complete the requirement for a sustainable financial plan, although CTC did receive some initial grant money of $2,052. A partial grant was EVALUATION OF THE SUDAN AGRICULTURAL MARKET & ENTERPRISE DEVELOPMENT (AMED) PROGRAM 13 ο Padak Fisheries ( Jonglei) – received the entire intended grant. ο Anzara Agricultural Technology Institute (Yambio) Cancelled – failed to produce financial sustainability plan, and the institution refused VEGA assistance with its required transition plan. • Smaller grants: ο Chambers of Commerce – turnover precluded interviews ο Start-Ups – two SMEs created in ICT, one in hospitality ο New Products – None Found ο Advocacy – None Found ο Equipment – IT and hospitality equipment provided, also tailoring equipment under a small secondary grant to an existing client. As directed by USAID implementation guidelines, AMED attempted to provide large grants to three GOSS Agricultural Training Centers. A full $100,000 grant was provided to the PADAK Fisheries Center. Similar grants to the Crop Training Center in Yei and the Anzara Institute in Yambio were not given because the centers did not complete the requirement for a sustainable financial plan, although CTC did receive $2,052 as an initial grant. AMED management reports that it continues to work with the institutions to develop the required documentation. The Evaluation Team does not have a clear understanding of the issues involved in the delays in these grants. However, AMED needs to treat support to these Centers as a priority while insuring that grant funds are used effectively. A partial grant for $25,000 was given to the national Chamber of Commerce, but was stopped when the Chamber had become inactive and centered around one particular individual. This was done after consultation with USAID and the GOSS Ministry of Commerce, Trade and Supply. At this time, the focus changed to industry, sector and commodity groups. Successful grants were given to: the Women’s Self-help Development Organization (WSHDO) in Juba ($39,000), Venus Computer Institute ($10,000) and IT Academy ($6,500). The total amount delivered to these six groups was $169,552 and represented all grants from 2005 to 2007. By the first quarter 2008, the amount delivered had reached $199,552 and another $30,000 (3 grants) was expected to be delivered within the next month. The delivery rate in 2008 represents a substantial increase over previous years. The Evaluation Team was unable to meet with the Chamber of Commerce representatives knowledgeable about the grants, as noted above. CoC had experienced substantial staff turnover and current personnel were not aware of the grants and refused to comment on them. As noted below in relation to Modification # 6, grant funding has expanded to $1.2 million. To manage the expansion, AMED has set up a more rigorous grant review schedule and better tracking of the status of applications in review. At the beginning of 2008 approximately 25 new applications were under review. In the original ACA, AMED was to use funds to support development of an Agricultural Market Information System. USAID cancelled this activity, however, based on an assessment indicating that Sudanese agricultural environment did not yet need this type of program, nor could it be viably set up. given to the national Chamber of Commerce ($25,000) but was stopped when the Chamber had become moribund and self-centered around one particular individual. This was done after consultation with USAID and the GOSS Ministry of Commerce, Trade and Supply when it was decided to focus on industry, sector and commodity groups. Successful grants were given to: the Women’s Self-help Development Organization in Juba ($39,000), Venus Computer Institute ($10,000) and IT Academy ($6,500). Total amount delivered was $169,552. EVALUATION OF THE SUDAN AGRICULTURAL MARKET & ENTERPRISE DEVELOPMENT (AMED) PROGRAM 14 3. Conclusions AMED’s program to provide financial support for capacity development activity in the GOSS Agricultural Training Centers did not produce obvious results to date (only one of three centers received its full, intended grant. The Centers continue to lack skills needed to develop utilization plans that meet the sustainability and business requirements of the application process. This deficiency suggests an inability to use the grant money until further organizational development occurs. The Program continues to discuss needs with the applicants in developing such acumen, but no action plans exist. Perhaps third￾party consultants could hasten the process. Two Diaspora returnees have started SMEs in ICT. One of the two has also founded a weekly newspaper, “The South Sudan Business Week”. Two women’s groups that received capacity building training have received grants for hospitality services. The group in Juba, WSHDO, has successful cafeterias in two locations, and used the grant to win a bid to establish a third cafeteria in the UNMIS compound.13 The other women’s group in Wau, the Women’s Business Association, will receive one of the 2008 approved grants to establish a similar cafeteria in the Ministry of Education compound. Farmer’s groups have also been targeted to receive assistance. Natabo Farmers Association has an action plan and is likely to receive a grant during the first half of 2008. Other associations lack focus, are more concerned with community development than farming, or lack the experience to formulate strategies related to commercial agriculture. Nonetheless, the successful example of Natabo Farmers’ Association in using AMED training to bootstrap itself into a marketing enterprise is a model that perhaps deserves replication. 4. Recommendations • Large grants to institutions like the Crop Training Center are less effective than small grants to Women’s Groups such as WSHDO, Farmers Associations such as Natabo, and individuals starting SMEs. F. Cross-Cutting Themes 1. Overview for Cross-Cutting Themes AMED cross-cutting initiatives include: • HIV/AIDS awareness training, which involves developing a set curriculum and visual aids, is promulgated using volunteers and consultants. AMED also networks with other programs involved with AIDS prevention in Southern Sudan to produce culturally appropriate and effective materials. • For youth, IDPs and former combatants, associations, cooperatives and chambers of commerce were to be encouraged to develop youth, IDP and war veteran programming and support the expansion of income and employment, particularly for youths. • For women, the strategy is to ensure that industry clusters and enterprises that employ women are included in the Program’s activities. At the outset, likely targets were the fruit and vegetable 13 AMED estimates that WSHDO realized a profit of $42,216 from its three cafeterias in 2007. EVALUATION OF THE SUDAN AGRICULTURAL MARKET & ENTERPRISE DEVELOPMENT (AMED) PROGRAM 15 production and marketing chain as well as primary food processing businesses. VEGA was to recognize the importance of literacy and English as a second language and in business training.14 2. Findings for Cross-Cutting Themes • WSHDO’s Cafeteria Program Creates Jobs & Cash Flow to: ο Mentor women’s business assn. cafeteria effort ο Provide HIV/Aids Awareness curriculum/visuals ο Youth/IDP livelihood promotion15 ο Promote women’s businesses and agricultural associations ο Basic business skills training ο English/literacy ο Receives AMED organizational & business skills training The Women’s Self-Help Development Organization (WSHDO) (Juba) received grants totaling $39,000. The Women’s Business Association (WBA) (Wau) is scheduled to receive a $10,000 grant. AMED staff report that much of their training is conducted with IDPs and has a heavy emphasis on women’s groups. Staff report that HIV/AIDS awareness training has been conducted with several specific assignments targeted towards HIV/AIDS positive groups, particularly women’s groups such as PLASS.16 3. Conclusions for Cross-Cutting Themes • WSHDO’s Cafeteria Program creates jobs and cash flow to: ο Promote replication of women’s business associations ο Demonstrate viability of women’s cafeterias ο Test viability of conference hosting &tailoring ο Promote HIV/Aids Awareness curriculum/visuals ο Promote Youth/IDP livelihood activities • Natabo Farmers Association provides: ο Direct assistance to farmers who own the Association ο Employment creation ο Vegetable market creation 14 Sixty percent of Southern Sudan’s population is women. While there are strong gender roles in most industries of Southern Sudan, the AMED team was to ensure that industry clusters and enterprises that employ women are included in the Program’s activities. Likely targets were the fruit and vegetable production and marketing chain as well as primary food processing businesses. AMED would work with existing programs for women, e.g., the women’s development center and the law project, both in Yei. VEGA was to recognize the importance of literacy and English as a second language and in business training. 15 Since 58 percent of the Southern Sudanese population is below the age of 18, there is a crucial need for programs to reach Sudan’s youth and to provide economic opportunity and livelihood to young people. This training and workforce development was to be particularly targeted to former combatants. However, former Combatants were not targeted as most of the population of Southern Sudan claim to be ex-Combatants. Associations, cooperatives and chambers of commerce were to be encouraged to develop youth programming and support the expansion of income and employment for youths. 16 AMED records, however, do not permit convenient tabular summation of such training. EVALUATION OF THE SUDAN AGRICULTURAL MARKET & ENTERPRISE DEVELOPMENT (AMED) PROGRAM 16 4. Recommendations for Cross-Cutting Themes • Use WSHDO to mentor the Women’s Business Association of Wau in its efforts to build and establish a cafeteria in the Ministry of Education compound. • Use WSHDO to assist WBA to expand its HIV/Aids Awareness Activities. • Mentor WBA To manage AMED Hostel In Wau • Assist WSHDO, WBA and other Women’s Associations to begin forestry and hostel projects G. Modification #3 for Fragile State Strategy 1. Overview – Modification #3 for Fragile State Strategy On August 14, 2006, USAID and VEGA signed Modification No. 3 to revise the Program Description to be both flexible in approach and consistent with USAID/Sudan’s new Fragile State Strategy for FY 2006- 2008. Consequently, the Program became focused on support for stability, implementation of the CPA, and assisting internally-displaced persons (IDPs), former combatants, youth, women, and war-affected populations to realize a “peace dividend” from the CPA. In specific terms, and as noted above, VEGA was instructed, inter alia, to fund the agricultural training centers in the South. This amendment reflected one of the three principal Mission strategy changes over the life of the Program. Also, and as noted above, VEGA was instructed by USAID to not go forward with the agricultural market information system and the establishment of networks to provide price and market information (as was called for in the Modification). GOSS considers the information too sensitive for management outside of a government institution.17 2. Findings – Modification #3 for Fragile State Strategy • Help stabilize CPA implementation by: ο Assisting Internally Displaced (IDPs), former combatants, youth, women and war affected through: ο Supporting to Agricultural Training Centers in the South18 ο Cancel agricultural market information efforts ο Assess agricultural market potential19 ο Shift assistance from Chambers of Commerce to sector, industry and commodity groups ο Assist farm associations Natabo Farm Association is comprised exclusively of farmers and is heavily oriented to marketing vegetables in nearby markets and hotels. AMED provides it with leadership training, registration assistance and training in “Farming as a Business” for all members. AMED has helped other farming groups become associations, but they combine community development and farmer activities, and, as a consequence of their limited farming orientation, are not popular with farmers. These include Giri Farmers Development Association (GFDA), Yei and MUGWO Community Development Forum Headquarters in Yei. 17 Though these latter two issues were discussed previously, the Evaluation Team’s SOW requires that they also be discussed in this format. Hence, they are briefly mentioned here. 18 Grants were provided to the Crop Training Center in Yei and Padak Fisheries in Jonglei State. 19 Winrock 2007 Agro-ecological Survey of crop production possibilities in Southern Sudan noted above. EVALUATION OF THE SUDAN AGRICULTURAL MARKET & ENTERPRISE DEVELOPMENT (AMED) PROGRAM 17 The Evaluation Team also met representatives of the Lasu Progressive Farmers Association briefly while meeting staff at the Crop Training Center. AMED has provided this association with short course training in farm management and zero grazing livestock management. Members of this association do some marketing, but produce mainly for subsistence. Their major crops are maize, sorghum, coffee, groundnuts, sesame and cassava. 3. Conclusions – Modification #3 for Fragile State Strategy • Successes to help stabilize CPA implementation include: ο Women’s and Farm Associations − Main Successes: WSHDO & Natabo Farm Association • Unclear success helping Internally Displaced (IDPs), Former Combatants, Youth, Women & War Affected through: ο Support to Agricultural Training Centers in the South ο Proposed CTC Grant for a Questionably Large Tractor; the advantages and disadvantages of large and small tractors need, to be summarized in the context of small-scale farmers trying to work small fields in diverse locations. Then, the findings need to be discussed with high-level officials in the Ministry of Agriculture • Trade fairs would permit small/large tractor comparisons • Assess agricultural market potential ο Winrock Assessment (2007) provided non-prioritized listing of crops suitable to certain ecological zones. • Cancelling assistance to Chambers of Commerce and providing similar assistance to Sector, Industry and Commodity Groups has proven productive. • Assistance to farm associations succeed, but assistance to associations that do both farm and community development work alienate farmers20 4. Recommendations – Modification #3 for Fragile State Strategy • Assist women’s and farm associations that assist exclusively farmer activities ο Main successes: WSHDO & Natabo Farm Association ο Train women and farmers through direct mentoring • Consider a trade fair ο Conveys alternative methods & equipment H. Modification #6 for Fragile State Strategy 1. Overview - Modification #6 for Fragile State Strategy Based on VEGA’s “Activity Expansion Proposal: Facilitating Movement from Humanitarian Assistance to Development Assistance, Technical Proposal,” submitted on September 20, 2007, USAID executed Modification No. 6 on September 27, 2007 to the original Associate Cooperative Agreement (CA). The Modification approved: 1) incorporation of VEGA’s September 20 proposal into the Agreement; 2) extension of the AMED Program until September 30, 2010; and 3) increase the total anticipated funding, subject to the availability of funds, under the Agreement from $11 million to $21 million. 20 Giri Farm Development Association, Yei and Mugwo Community Development Forum, Yei are two associations involving limited and reluctant farmer participation. EVALUATION OF THE SUDAN AGRICULTURAL MARKET & ENTERPRISE DEVELOPMENT (AMED) PROGRAM 18 The AMED Project focuses on micro-enterprise development in selected urban areas and on agricultural marketing. The geographic targets are the urban centers of Juba, Yei, and Wau as well as the immediately surrounding rural communities. Transport weaknesses limit the size of agricultural marketing areas to perhaps a 20 mile radius. 2. Findings - Modification #6 for Fragile State Strategy • Technical Assistance ο Shift from external consultants to in-house trainers to improve training continuity ο Research construction worker training as means to improve roads • Financial Assistance ο Grants − Approved Six Grants21 • Ad hoc Technical Assistance to SUMI ο Financial System Review ο Loan Officer Training In addition to provision of assistance with SUMI financial systems, AMED MBAs teach standard business support packages to loan officers as means to improve SUMI’s ability to improve client business practices. The AMED proposal to provide greater in-depth assistance in management structuring and expansion is awaiting USAID approval, and is discussed below in Section H.22 3. Conclusions - Modification #6 for Fragile State Strategy • Technical Assistance ο Shift from external consultants to in-house trainers improved training continuity ο Continued research on construction worker training needs could result in better roads and more jobs • Financial Assistance ο Grants – more are needed for practicing farmers in farm associations ο Ad hoc technical assistance to SUMI – SUMI needs a grant and farm loan strategy 4. Recommendations - Modification #6 for Fragile State Strategy • Technical Assistance ο Research irrigation possibilities • Financial Assistance ο Grants – Shift to loans for practicing farmers in associations that focus exclusively on farm￾related services and do not perform community development activities. ο For SUMI − Continue to provide ad hoc technical assistance to SUMI − Provide grant for SUMI capital expansion subject to solution of SUMI personnel problems discussed below in H.15. 21 Grants to three Diaspora Returnees: Venus Computer, Juke IT Academy, and Limbo’s Academy for IT; as well as to the Crop Training Center, Natabo Farmers Association & Women’s Business Association of Wau. 22 Section H discusses why SUM with its current management problems is not presently sustainable as an expanding institution. EVALUATION OF THE SUDAN AGRICULTURAL MARKET & ENTERPRISE DEVELOPMENT (AMED) PROGRAM 19 − Develop and implement a farm loan strategy I. Program Efficiency (Activities, Costs and Management) 1. The Evaluation Team SOW states that, in terms of assessing overall Program efficiency, the Evaluation Team should look at cost/benefit in terms of economic, social and political benefits. The program provided economic, social and political benefits through its agricultural, SME and SUMI assistance and through stimulation of “Juba Dealmakers”. Groundwork seems adequate for development of an agricultural strategy. Such a strategy could assist women’s groups and involve SUMI if irrigated agriculture could be adopted to reduce crop risk. However, AMED staff was not able to provide detailed information on resource use by activity type. Benefits to date appear to be economic and social, and at the grass roots level. Larger projects, such as irrigation schemes, could lay groundwork for institutional involvement in agricultural inputs and marketing. Such projects might generate sufficient economic activity to make community development organizations viable counterparties to local governments. The interaction would create local political development. 2. What is the relevance of the Technical Assistance (TA) to the local recipient Sudanese when considering the cultural and educational differences between them and the volunteers? Sudanese in the private sector and in the GOSS training centers speak English reasonably well. The Evaluation Team used an interpreter on only a few occasions in Wau where only Arabic was spoken. The MBAs, who invariably speak only English, were providing training services pervasively in the GOSS, at the crop training centers, at farmer and women’s associations and in farmer and community associations. All discussions that the Evaluation Team had at these locations were in English and no apparent language handicaps were noted. Where necessary, local staff has provided translation services for the MBAs and for the Evaluation Team and this practice appears to have worked well. AMED always provides interpreters/translators when required. 3. Language is a major concern with few Southerners being fluent in English. How does this affect the teaching and learning experience, especially for the more rural people? Recommendations? Ideally, the AMED Program will team English and local language specialists on projects and the two members of the team will have different skills. For example, AMED uses both a Sudanese agronomist and an MBA to deliver advisory services and training to Natabo Farmers Association. This association is performing exceptionally well. The Mugwo Community Development Forum has no obvious successes, but its inertia appears related to its mixture of farm and community goals. Rather than cope with the Forum’s hierarchy and slow decision-making, AMED MBAs seek out and train a number of its young farmers in “Agriculture as a Business”. Implementation of an agricultural strategy almost certainly could benefit from use of more volunteers with specific skills in agriculture. In some cases, they could profitably double-team with AMED MBAs. AMED Quarterly Reports indicate AMED has fielded a number of short-term agricultural volunteers as means to deliver technical agricultural advice. Efforts to incorporate the advice that these short-term volunteers deliver into skill-sets of long-term members of double teams would be useful. EVALUATION OF THE SUDAN AGRICULTURAL MARKET & ENTERPRISE DEVELOPMENT (AMED) PROGRAM 20 However, the Team noted that some of the Women in the Women’s Business Association of Wau appeared to have weak skills in English. The Evaluation Team recommends teaming a local agronomist with an MBA for assistance to all farmer Associations. For women’s associations, MBAs should be teamed with women who speak the local language. Moreover, short-term training specialists who help these women’s groups should have translation support. The AMED program should arrange to have an adequate supply of interpreters to meet ad hoc translation requirements. 4. Who determines the type of TA to be provided? Is it keyed to perceived needs or factually determined as felt needs? The Evaluation Team believes TA needs are mutually defined by the AMED Program officers and potential clients. The Program is replicating training in farmer associations and women’s groups and consequently has a reasonably clear idea of TA needs. For completely new projects, such as plastics recycling, AMED staff and potential beneficiaries need to collaborate on a training needs assessment and agreement on requirements. Once assistance begins to be targeted through specific strategies, the needs of target groups should be used to identify skill requirements and to recruit volunteers with these skills. 5. What is the range of length of time for training? Has it been adequate, considering available resources? If too short, has it still been worth it? Is there follow-up and on-the-job training? A basic assessment of the costs/benefits for the range of training assistance is desirable. AMED is revising its records to reflect duration of training and follow-up services. Past follow-up practices are particularly difficult to determine. The Evaluation Team’s interviews with clients suggest that AMED staff should make callbacks to long-term clients every two weeks, and visits to new clients more frequently. AMED should add to its records the actual time each week that its trainers are face-to-face with their clients. The Evaluation Team did not notice that AMED uses on-the-job training, but OJT is an ideal form of training. In this regard, the Team notes in the Recommendations section of this report that continuous OJT between farmers and consultants is virtually essential for subsistence farmers to become commercial farmers. The duration of OJT needed to transform subsistence farmers to commercial farmers is likely to be several seasons. However, the duration of individual training sessions can decline as the farmers’ progress and become familiar with their trainees. The goal is to give each trainee long-term access to trainers, but for shorter time periods in each session as trainees advance in proficiency. For trainees having had perhaps six months of training, trainers could “walk their book” of clients every week or two, but spend as little as 15 minutes with each client. The trainer should identify and solve problems as quickly as possible and move on to the next client. The Evaluation Team offers the program recommendation in the Recommendations section of this report that a third party should develop AMED indicators of performance. The suggestion is also made that a third party monitor follow-up practices every six months from a remote location. 6. What degree of follow-up is there with the individuals, groups and institutions that have received the training? Recommendations? As noted above, the AMED program has incomplete records of training follow-up. Early SOW and volunteer debriefing procedures were lax about establishing good baseline data for impact monitoring. Under the present program structure, there is considerable follow-up by the NPOs and EVALUATION OF THE SUDAN AGRICULTURAL MARKET & ENTERPRISE DEVELOPMENT (AMED) PROGRAM 21 long-term volunteers, who continue to provide technical assistance to the individuals, groups and institutions. There is also sectoral monitoring by senior sectoral specialist staff. As noted above, time involved in face-to-face contact with clients should be recorded. As of 2008, AMED has established a specialized M&E Officer. One of the new Officer’s first duties was to improve the impact monitoring structure that provides detailed follow-up information for the AMED management team. Both of these issues are discussed further in Annex 1. 7. How does VEGA and its trainers handle the sometimes substantial and relevant experiences of the less academically trained Sudanese with the sometimes practically inexperienced MBA volunteers? AMED has seven senior advisors or managers who are citizens of Sudan or other East African countries. They lead departmental activities, manage all the MBAs and provide technical assistance to projects. The Evaluation Team believes such leadership is effective depending on how they are deployed on a routine basis. Aboud Suleiman, an agronomist, is stationed in Wau and works effectively with clients in that locality, including Natabo Farmers Association. AMED should have such technical supervisors permanently based in each city in which it operates. 8. What degree of coordination between VEGA and the recipient institutions has there been with the GOSS, e.g., through circulation of work plans and volunteers' CVs before bringing them to Sudan? If not, what sort of coordination has occurred? There is a high degree of co-ordination in the initial stages of developing the program to be carried out as the entire process, from conception to final proposal, is a joint effort on the part of the VEGA team and the GOSS counterparts. For specialist volunteers, detailed discussions on the qualifications of the volunteers, such as for the legislative regulation specialist, are held with the recipient institutions as the candidates are identified. However, the more general MBA long-term volunteers who provide on-going support to the same institutions do not pass the same level of scrutiny in the GOSS institutions. This is a reasonable policy since the MBAs are selected to work with a wide range training topics that require basic MBA skills. Co-ordination of activities continues to be carried out at a satisfactory level. For example, for 2008, VEGA submitted its annual report, including work plan, to the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry. It also discussed its plan with the Ministry of Commerce, Trade and Supply. 9. What is the nature and degree of the joint planning that occurs between the benefiting institution and VEGA on all aspects of VEGA’s assistance? Recommendations? The in-field NPOs and MBA Volunteers identify potential recipients of VEGA assistance such as training, advisory, and grant related services. Then, they work closely with the individual/group to develop a clear idea of what is required to provide capacity development that will leverage each individual/group into a successful business enterprise. This report recommends that VEGA target women’s groups and agricultural sector focused farmers’ groups in order to obtain maximum impact of the assistance offered. Also, the future stream of activity in the construction industry, targeting labor intensive road construction firms, looks promising. It provides good synergy with farmer associations which struggle with high transport costs. However, the construction initiative is still in the development process and thus not evaluated here. EVALUATION OF THE SUDAN AGRICULTURAL MARKET & ENTERPRISE DEVELOPMENT (AMED) PROGRAM 22 10. Does VEGA have Sudanese among the senior staff members? And, if so, what functions do they perform? Recommendations? Seven out of twelve senior VEGA staff is Sudanese. The Sudanese serve as Agricultural Marketing Officers and Micro Enterprise Officer. As noted above, Aboud Suleiman, an agricultural markets senior program officer is stationed in Wau. He identifies projects, performs his technical assistance duties and supervises Khary Dickerson, an AMED MBA. Other senior managers with similar methods of operation are:, Levi Yona, Laura Elisama, James Wani, Umar Hassan, Peter de Lominit Karl and Sanyangi Wangi. James Wani also serves as the AMED M&E Officer. The Team recommends that a senior Sudanese counterpart staff member be hired at the level of the program DCOP to provide liaison with the different GOSS institutions, inform GOSS of program developments and assist in identifying vital SME and subsector candidates for support. This staff member would also, of course, need a relevant technical background in order to understand subsector issues relevant to the program. 11. Why has it been difficult for VEGA to retain their local staff, and what measures have been or could be taken to correct this problem? Is VEGA’s salary policy for local employees consistent with the reality on the ground, i.e., is this the reason for the high local staff turnover? VEGA indicates that they have had no difficulties in retaining local staff. One senior staff member left to take a post as Minister in GOSS. In the past 12 months only two local staff has left. Both took positions with significantly increased responsibilities. Salary has not been an issue with staff. They receive salary levels that are comparable to other NGOs, UN, and bilateral agencies. Hence, their salaries are significantly higher than those of GOSS. Turnover has probably been higher among expatriate staff, but salary does not seem to be the problem. The poor living environment in southern Sudan is considered to be the major contributor to this high level of turnover. 12. Related to the above, does VEGA’s policy conform to Sudanese labor laws? If not, should it be and how does VEGA determine the salaries? Scott Allen, COP, reports that Raymond Rumsey, Jr. deputy COP has obtained one of the few copies of Sudan’s labor law and has insured that AMED policies conform to it. 13. Are there any housing issues affecting program performance? If so, any recommendations? Program performance has been affected by the fact that the VEGA management team was transferred twice to new physical and work locations. Otherwise, housing has not been an issue, beyond the normal program administration problems of finding secure, reasonably priced office and housing for staff in Southern Sudan. AMED actively resolves housing as promptly as possible. Prior housing in the VEGA Guesthouse in Juba is rather uncomfortable, but the new prefab housing being put in place will be better. AMED housing in Yei and Wau is satisfactory. 14. What cost-reducing measures has VEGA utilized to keep the high costs of doing business in Juba and elsewhere in Southern Sudan as low as possible? Is there more that can be done? EVALUATION OF THE SUDAN AGRICULTURAL MARKET & ENTERPRISE DEVELOPMENT (AMED) PROGRAM 23 After reviewing on-going activities, VEGA restructured its implementation program to utilize more in-house staff and expertise to conduct much of the training that was previously done by expensive short-term volunteers. The prefab housing units for long-term expatriate staff will significantly reduce costs, as it moves personnel from high-cost hotels to a controlled cost project asset. Continued management review of logistical and administrative procedures is needed to identify cost reduction alternatives. 15. What capacity does VEGA have in assuming microfinance support, previously provided by Chemonics, to the Sudan Microfinance Institute (SUMI)? How effectively has VEGA strengthened SUMI? The VEGA Chief of Party submitted a proposal to USAID/Sudan for VEGA to support SUMI. The Evaluation Team is to review the VEGA proposal entitled, “Scope of Work, Support of Microfinance Development in South Sudan, February 26, 2008” and make recommendations on its focus and appropriateness for possible USAID funding. The VEGA proposal explains that SUMI was established in 2003 and currently has five branches in Yei, Yambio, Maridi, Rumbek and Juba. The Headquarters is in Yei. The institution has provided over 13,000 loans since inception. Until November 2007, SUMI received technical support through USAID’s Agricultural Enterprise Finance Program (AEFP) which was implemented by Chemonics International. Following the end of the management contract with Chemonics International in November 2007, SUMI has been “left on its own” at a critically young stage for the relatively nascent institution. Due to the rapid expansion experienced in the last five years, many of SUMI’s branches are still struggling to attain self-sustainability. SUMI needs additional infusions of loan capital in order to broaden outreach to more clients as well as graduating current clientele with good repayment records to more advanced loan products. The provision of such funds should be in tranches, conditional on improvements in management controls, accounting procedures and consistent performance of SUMI MIS operations. The VEGA proposal also notes that: • SUMI has experienced a high rate of staff turnover, including many of its most qualified personnel soon after they are fully trained, due to the numerous new higher paying donors and international NGO jobs opportunities opening in South Sudan. Since it is SUMI policy to only hire personnel of Sudanese origin, it is difficult to identify well qualified personnel for all positions. The position of chief accountant has reportedly been vacant for over five months as of early January 2008. • Like other MFIs in South Sudan, SUMI is not operating in all areas based on Microfinance Best Practices. Well documented weaknesses include the accounting systems and procedures, the management information system (MIS), and control procedures on loans extended to insure collection. These weaknesses severely limit SUMI’s capacity to reach operational and financial sustainability, cornerstones for continued growth and impact. The VEGA proposal suggests that AMED has three staff members who worked for SUMI. The Evaluation Team is familiar and impressed with one of these staff members, Zachary Ireri. Mr. Ireri is an AMED senior field/program manager who previously worked with Kenya Women Finance Trust where he set up two branches in Nyahururu and Bornet. He also worked with Chemonics on EVALUATION OF THE SUDAN AGRICULTURAL MARKET & ENTERPRISE DEVELOPMENT (AMED) PROGRAM 24 the SUMI project where he helped set up three branches and developed credit policies. The other two staff members are Peter Lominit de Karl, Agricultural Markets Specialist and Sanyangi Wangi, Agricultural Marketing Specialist who served as SUMI’s first branch manager The VEGA proposal references a number of tools and impressive similar work that ACDI/VOCA has accomplished. However, as the proposal points out, the key problem is staff training, retention and cost, partly due to donor competition for well-trained financial staff. AMED management reports that accountant salaries begin at $7,000 per month. None of the tools cited in the proposal address these personnel issues.23 The VEGA proposal fails to propose a satisfactory resolution of SUMI personnel problems. Plans to deal with personnel issues deserve detailed presentation. One member of the VEGA consortium had difficulties developing a microfinance program in Durban, SA in 2002 due to personnel issues. Possibilities to consider dealing with this issue include using book-keepers in lieu of more expensive accountants, on-the-job training and labor contracts that limit separations until training costs are recouped. Ideally, the on-the-job training would be structured so that training progress is quantitatively measured. In addition, VEGA provision of a complete staffing plan, including proposed deployment of its current human resources in key positions would be useful. In any case, the Evaluation Team suggests that a detailed plan that explains eventual resolution of SUMI personnel problems is needed before a contract should be awarded. Given the foregoing, USAID should only consider proposals to manage SUMI that offer detailed staffing plans and proformas detailing likely financial outcomes. Proformas should present the total cost of (a) all establishment posts, (b) all filled posts, (c) a proposed establishment and personnel training plan that, for example, substitutes bookkeepers and annual audits for high cost accountant positions. J. Effectiveness (Results) 1. What are the concrete results and impacts of the training? Can benefits to the individual and the community at large be measured? What recommendations can be made to increase effectiveness? The Evaluation Team interviewed numerous trainees in AMED projects. Views were unanimous that the training improved work performance. Women in WSHDO noted, for example, that AMED assistance with vision determination and leadership training was essential for the organization to realize its need to focus on projects that generate strong cash flow. These women pointed out further that training increased members’ sense of self-worth. It helped them dress better and have happier homes. Training recommendations made below in the Recommendations section include: • Shift from external consultants to in-house trainers to improve training continuity • Train women and farmers through direct mentoring • On-the-Job Training (OJT), preferably structured to measure progress quantitatively, between smallholders & commercial farmers/consultants is needed to create Smallholder Commercial Farmers 23 See VEGA proposal, entitled, “Scope of Work, Support of Microfinance Development in South Sudan, February 26, 2008”, p. 9. EVALUATION OF THE SUDAN AGRICULTURAL MARKET & ENTERPRISE DEVELOPMENT (AMED) PROGRAM 25 2. What strategy and efforts, if any, does VEGA have to address issues related to the sustainability of the Program? Women’s business development projects and farmer cooperatives appear to be the most sustainable components of the AMED Program. The WSHDO in Juba and the Women’s Business Association in Wau network frequently as means to share practices and experiences. The women’s projects appear to have a natural affinity to network, employ youth and IDPs and to implement social programs such as HIV/AIDs awareness. Farmer associations focus on developing their businesses and, though perhaps likely to be less concerned with social issues than women, they can create significant employment. AMED assistance to help farmer associations develop productive techniques, effective marketing plans and, ideally, irrigated systems are likely to be sustainable. In addition, they are likely to be effective demonstration projects. Natabo Farmers Association has all these features. 3. How does VEGA relate capacity building to employment opportunities, i.e., do the people whose capacities have been increased get employed or become self-employed as a result of the training? Recommendations? AMED training is directed to workers who have jobs in GOSS or in the private sector. Training only employed workers or workers who are setting up businesses based on business plans that AMED staff consider viable is a critically important policy to maintain. Training the unemployed provides no assurance that their productivity will be enhanced, and consequently wastes the limited training resources. Job opportunities for the unemployed ex-combatants, youth, returning IDPs are best created through expansion of existing businesses or through new development projects. A planned irrigation scheme, for example, could provide substantial numbers of jobs for targeted groups. Training should be tailored differently for workers who have routine jobs and the self-employed. Both groups should receive skills training, but self-employed need a heavy emphasis on business planning and management. The Recommendation Section of this report suggests, for example, that subsistence farmers almost certainly require long-term structured on-the-job training to become commercial farmers. 4. Identify the best and worst practices, success stories, and testimonials – are there important lessons to be learned, and is there a story which can best demonstrate to the U.S. Congress lasting impacts? The best success stories found in this evaluation relate to WSHDO and Natabo Farmers Association. These stories and others are contained in Annex 2, Case Studies. WSHDO staff testifies that the organization was near collapse when AMED rescued it with its cafeteria development strategy. Natabo Farmers Association has benefitted from AMED technical assistance and is scheduled to receive a grant. These two projects, by themselves, however, do not justify USAID’s investment in AMED. What’s needed now is adoption of an agricultural strategy that attempts to (a) replicate these enhancements to on-going businesses, and (b) start new initiatives such as irrigation schemes that are too large for individual entrepreneurs to create by themselves. EVALUATION OF THE SUDAN AGRICULTURAL MARKET & ENTERPRISE DEVELOPMENT (AMED) PROGRAM 26 K. VEGA Response to “Yellow Rating” Based on a USAID/Khartoum performance review in December 2007 of its portfolio, VEGA received a “yellow” rating letter. Hence, USAID deemed the Program to not be clearly achieving results and not having all the necessary tools in place for results-oriented management. The Evaluation Team should provide an assessment of the actions taken by VEGA to correct their noted deficiencies and make recommendations on other advisable actions. The USAID/Sudan Mission evaluation of the AMED program in January 2008 identified the following issues, which the management team was expected to address: 1. The supervising USAID staff members, based in Khartoum and Nairobi, were unable to clearly identify the on-going results of the activities being carried out. 2. It was felt that the senior staff members need to spend more time in Sudan and minimize frequent travel outside. Furthermore, USAID/Sudan would like VEGA to address issues that led to high turnover of staff within the organization. 3. VEGA should speed up its activities targeting Agricultural Marketing Associations and strengthen operations among the 65 local Cooperatives. 4. Consider recruitment and empowerment of local staff. 5. USAID/Sudan would appreciate VEGA to as much as possible cooperate with USAID/Sudan staff. The VEGA response to the queries was as follows: 1. VEGA established new a monitoring and evaluation framework, which better shows deliverables and impact indicators. A senior staff member is the AMED M&E Officer, in charge of continuing the development of the system, and ensuring the appropriate data is reported to USAID/Sudan. The first AMED Quarterly Report of 2008 contained the initial set of data being generated. Furthermore, a weekly staff meeting of all national program officers and technical staff is now being held to review progress toward achievement of program objectives and performance. 2. VEGA staff currently has an R&R rotation of six weeks on and one week off which is comparable to all other USAID program staff, other NGO staff and other bilateral agency staff. It is expected that current staff will remain with AMED for the foreseeable future. The one issue which may have caused some staff turnover was differing benefit packages. This was addressed and all staff benefits are harmonized. 3. VEGA will speed up its activities targeting Agricultural Marketing Associations and strengthen operations among the 65 local Cooperatives, as it now has a full complement of four agricultural program officers and two senior advisers with extensive agricultural backgrounds. 4. 58% of VEGA senior technical staff is Sudanese. These officers help develop activities and the process of managing and directing AMED. 5. VEGA co-operates fully with USAID staff as per the guidelines in the ACA. Furthermore, VEGA responded to the yellow assessment by going beyond the guidelines of the ACA: it EVALUATION OF THE SUDAN AGRICULTURAL MARKET & ENTERPRISE DEVELOPMENT (AMED) PROGRAM 27 submits all candidates for positions to USAID for approval instead of only “Key Personnel”. Furthermore, VEGA welcomes all Mission staff to its offices for familiarization with program activities at any time. IV. CONCLUSIONS What is the project’s strategic relevance to the USAID/USG Sudan program and foreign policy priorities – is this activity rendering a clear CPA “peace dividend?” and in what ways does it legitimatize the GOSS leadership? AMED’s major successful activities include: • WSHDO – created sufficient cash flow to employ 22 workers & establish links to other women’s organizations such as the Women’s Business Assn. of Wau • Natabo Farmers Association – commencing to create jobs, cash flow, vegetable sales contracts as a replicable strategy - to date it has employed 16 casual laborers to clear land and dig two wells • Diaspora - IT & Construction – jobs & cash flow • Agriculture/Community Development Associations – Linkages to youth, HIV/AIDs Awareness for Women, Youth, IDPs/Ex combatants & Farmers • MBA Grassroots Business Planning, Bookkeeping Training & Teaching the AMED curriculum, “Agriculture as a Business” • Federal Government Capacity Building ο Three initiatives with multiple SOWs to improve processes, but no outputs • Wau Ministry Industry, Commerce and Trade, Directorate of Planning & Statistics ο Activities to define processes and organization ο Studies of Women & Microenterprise Constraints ο SME Position Paper, but no output or other efforts that might catalyze national development All activities referenced above except those related to GOSS increase the CPA “peace dividend”. Hence, they increase the legitimacy of GOSS. The activities to assist the Federal and State Governments, however, have not produced impacts on civil society. More time is required to determine if meaningful capacity development occurred, that is, if AMED efforts translate into GOSS impacts on society. How has VEGA contributed to the agriculture sector, and are these contributions strategically relevant? Conclusions related to agriculture and enterprise development are: • Market Value Chain Analyses such as the Survey of Crop Production Possibilities (Winrock, 2007) and the Coffee Assessment (ACDI/VOCA, 4/08) provide no strategy for development; the lack of a strategy suggests unsuccessful exploration and the need for better management. • Assistance to farmer associations is strategically relevant. The Evaluation Team’s review of AMED assistance to farmer associations revealed that associations that (a) are composed solely of farmers (b) are managed by farmers, and (b) focus exclusively on farming-related activities is a form of organization that USAID could replicate to create income and jobs. Job creation through such associations is particularly effective because each association often includes between 50 and 200 farmers. • Enterprise Business Skills being delivered to farmers through AMED’s MBA outreach efforts help farmers view their operations as a business. The case studies in Annex 2 reflect the impacts and farmer appreciation of the MBA training efforts. EVALUATION OF THE SUDAN AGRICULTURAL MARKET & ENTERPRISE DEVELOPMENT (AMED) PROGRAM 28 • Farmers and GOSS training institutions lack knowledge of alternative technologies and types of equipment, such as the relative usefulness of small and large tractors. Trade fairs could improve the local knowledge base, although this is not yet being addressed either through GOSS, AMED or any other program. What is its performance in terms of results achieved, efficiency and value for money • AMED, since inception in 2005, has attempted to exploit opportunities that presented themselves. Modifications #3 and #6 directed AMED activities more towards fragile state assistance. VEGA is a consortium with varied experiences and should have adapted easily to these changes. Its weakness is management’s failure to choose and pursue a strategy. AMED’s experience with a variety of activities suggests that it should focus on farmer and women’s associations. AMED’s experience is that both of these types of associations create jobs and income for farmers, women, youth, IDPs and some ex-combatants. • Assistance with women’s groups also, almost reflexively, provides HIV/AIDs awareness and improved community awareness – essential aspects of USAID’s fragile state program. In addition, SUMI assistance appears worthwhile. Management is appreciative of AMED MBA training assistance for its lending officers – lending officers translate this training into client assistance. Moreover, with about 6,000 borrowers and a portfolio size of about $2.5 million, the previously USAID-supported South Sudan Microfinance Institution (SUMI) is the largest provider of microfinance in South Sudan.24 • AMED’s work with community development associations is bogged down in the bureaucracy of the associations and absorbs resources that could be used more effectively to assist women’s and farmer associations. Similarly, AMED’s efforts with agricultural training centers are futile because extension workers have neither the resources nor motivation to help farmers, as noted in the VEGA Coffee Assessment discussed above in relation to Component One – Private Enterprise Development. • AMED’s work with GOSS ministries has no apparent impact on society. On the one hand, capacity building in government institutions is a long-term activity and near-term results are usually not observed. AMED’s new M&E section needs to devise a set of indicators that GOSS can use to become more aware of where it has expanded its skills, but results are likely to be a cataloguing of training accomplishments, and sidestep measuring the impact of training on job performance. “Structured on-the-job training” offers a way to both catalogue training accomplishments and measure impact on job performance. Goals and milestones can be set and progress can be measured quantitatively on in an excel program. The setup for this form of training requires collaboration between staff and management and the development of training goals and objectives in workshops prior to commencement of training. This form of training would measure both training and results of its application to provide a measure of capacity development.25 However, the AMED program does not demonstrate any awareness of such a training system. Bottom line: AMED should focus on women, farmers and SME credit. Every effort should be made to insure that program resources have direct impacts on these groups. Moreover, until roads improve, farm marketing should focus on local vegetable and fruit sales and all other business plans should focus on local markets. 24 VEGA, Scope of Work – Support of Microfinance Development in South Sudan, February, 2008, p. 3. 25 Dr. LeBel, one of the authors of this evaluation, designed and set up a structured on-the-job training program for the Omani-American Joint Commission in Oman’s Department of Fisheries, designed a similar program for a USAID project in Guinea’s Ministry of Agriculture and outlined such a program for Qatar’s Planning Commission.. EVALUATION OF THE SUDAN AGRICULTURAL MARKET & ENTERPRISE DEVELOPMENT (AMED) PROGRAM 29 To what extent is VEGA addressing the different needs and constraints faced by men and women? How is VEGA defining and addressing gender equity? Given that the majority of all labor in the agricultural sector is undertaken by women, to what extent is VEGA empowering women to increase their productivity and earnings? (Note: In February 2007, VEGA undertook an internal gender assessment and provided training for staff members on gender issues; Charity Kabutha, et. al. “Gender Considerations in the Sudan VEGA/AMED Program: Assessment and Recommendations”. The “Gender Considerations” report points out that although GOSS has a policy of employing women in 25 percent of its posts at all levels, it lacks capacity to deal with gender issues.26 The report notes further than women who make money are more outspoken, have more control over their lives and have a greater propensity than men to use their money for household benefits.27 Women compose approximately 20 percent of AMED staff members. AMED volunteers are mainly men, though statistics are not available on the specific percentages. The report points out that AMED could advance gender equity by: • Negotiating male/female jobs to be created in SOWs for its projects, • Encourage women to attend AMED training sessions • Develop an in-house gender equity strategy that highlights: ο Training curricula for staff to pursue gender equity in the workplace ο Provide guidelines on gender mainstreaming for incoming staff members ο Develop guidelines for gender mainstreaming in project implementation, ο Target women in recruitment campaigns, and ο Ensure gender sensitivity in impact indicators.28 AMED assistance to WSHDO and the Women’s Business Association has helped almost exclusively women as noted in earlier sections of this report. The Evaluation Team did not, however, note during its field work that women benefitted from employment created in AMED’s work with farm associations. More in-depth fieldwork would be needed to observe gender interaction in these farmers’ associations. The best success stories found in this evaluation relate to WSHDO and Natabo Farmers Association, however, as pointed out above, both of these projects are evolving and Natabo Farmers Association is in its early stages of development. These stories and others are contained in Annex 2, Case Studies, pp. 31- 32). Is the project in compliance with USAID’s environmental regulations – is there any evidence that a closer examination by skilled professional should occur? The team did not note any environmental damage resulting from AMED projects. Indeed, the Evaluation Team noted a complete lack of pesticides and fungicides in the farm community. This lack of supplies suggests that USAID should consider subsector policy assistance to the Ministry of Agriculture to determine appropriate regulations and begin to arrange for required supplies of these inputs to be available to farmers together with appropriate training. 26 Charity Kabutha, et. al. “Gender Considerations in the Sudan VEGA/AMED Program: Assessment and Recommendations”, February 2007, p. 7-8. 27 Ibid. p. 13. 28 Ibid. pp 18-19. EVALUATION OF THE SUDAN AGRICULTURAL MARKET & ENTERPRISE DEVELOPMENT (AMED) PROGRAM 30 V. RECOMMENDATIONS (- for mid-course corrections, follow-on activities, expansion, models for scaling up or orderly closeout) A. Efficiency Strategies The Evaluation Team believes the following criteria define agricultural and enterprise success in AMED￾related programs: • Seek individual enterprises capable of fast growth and backward employment links such as dairies and abattoirs • Seek associations and cooperatives with 10-plus experienced members29 • Provide continuous, situation specific technical and business assistance • Assist with Government Subsector Policy Support • NGOs should focus on community development & humanitarian activities such as HIV/AIDs awareness, not brokerage of donor funds • Donor management should oversee and continuously assist each project The Evaluation Team offers programmatic recommendations that include: • Use third-parties for indicator development & remote monitoring every six months • Consider use of a national counterpart as an AMED Senior Manager to promote GOSS cooperation B. AMED Strategy Effectiveness The AMED Program is designed to help establish the basis for economic recovery through: 1) capacity building in agricultural and natural resources systems; 2) direct support to private enterprises and producers; 3) support to governmental and non-governmental agencies that must facilitate recovery; 4) support for Government of Southern Sudan (GOSS) policies and support systems; and 5) drawing upon the skills and support of southern Sudan’s Diaspora to assist in economic development.30 As noted above, AMED had no precise strategy, but sought opportunities related to its evolving mandate, which changed with Cooperative Agreement Modification #3 and #6. AMED has built capacity in agriculture through development of farmer associations, assistance to such associations and sometimes to individual farmers in those associations that combine farmer and community development. These activities, which include women’s enterprises, are virtually complete or evolving successes. Key elements of AMED’s ad hoc strategy include continual support to groups, mentoring development of business skills, providing “seed” grants and continued follow-up to assure technical assistance in SME evolution. A subsequent strategy element could be to instill conviction that loans, not grants will be needed to support future growth. 29 Women’s Associations can create jobs, cash flow and leverage USAID cross-cutting themes including HIV/AIDs Awareness, and jobs for women, youth, IDPs and war victims. 30 Evaluation Scope of Work, MSI Support Project with USAID/Sudan, p. 2. EVALUATION OF THE SUDAN AGRICULTURAL MARKET & ENTERPRISE DEVELOPMENT (AMED) PROGRAM 31 Support to Government and nongovernmental agencies charged with facilitating recovery had no obvious successes. Similarly, assistance to GOSS had no obvious impact on civil society. However, AMED assistance to Diaspora returnees in private enterprise resulted in creation of three SMEs and no failures. C. Lessons Learned (- For moving forward if the activity were to continue and/or expand – is it replicable and desirable?) Recommendations listed above concern program efficiency and strategy effectiveness. Overall, the report advocates further assistance to farm associations, women’s groups and micro lending have merit and deserve replication and expansion. All successful capacity building programs, such as those to women’s groups, farm associations and individuals focused on grass-roots support, that is, to the individuals who both manage and do the work. Expanded success depends on a continuation of such efforts, but also on large infrastructure support programs, such as roads, and SME credit. The combination of MBA and technical officer training augments likelihood of rapid growth in SMEs. VEGA’s performance in capacity development produced no apparent outputs, its project work was effective in a very limited number of cases and it has not formulated a strategy for the future. So its performance is weak. On an international scale the output received does not justify the expenditure. One might suggest that performance during the last year improved, but there’s no yardstick available to make such a judgment. Perhaps a more effective approach is to negotiate to help GOSS with policy development, then regulation development and then training to implement regulations. Most of AMED’s other work appears to be process rather than output as well, except for the success stories noted above, and perhaps Padak Fisheries Training Center which the Evaluation Team did not visit. EVALUATION OF THE SUDAN AGRICULTURAL MARKET & ENTERPRISE DEVELOPMENT (AMED) PROGRAM 32 ANNEX 1 – AMED ORGANIZATION & MONITORING In addition to the COP (Scott Allen) and DCOP (Raymond Rumsey), the two major components are headed by Brian Buckley (Microenterprise) and Gitau Mbure (Agricultural Marketing). They work with individual Program Officers: Levi Yona, Laura Elisama, James Wani and Umar Hassan – Microenterprise; and Peter de Lominit Karl, Aboud Suleiman, and Sanyangi Wangi – Agricultural Marketing. In addition, the MBA Volunteers (Khary Dickerson, Marty George, Ryan Betters, Azara Turaki and Michelle Bahk) supervised by Zachary Ireri support both teams. The AMED program was restructured in the 2007 modifications to utilize more in-house training and technical assistance. Volunteers are brought in when specific assignments cannot be done by in-house staff. Figure 1: AMED Organizational Chart Source: VEGA AMED Seven out of twelve senior VEGA staff are Sudanese (58%). These serve as Agricultural Marketing Officers and Micro Enterprise Officers. The senior VEGA Sudanese managers are: Aboud Suleiman, Levi Yona, Laura Elisama, James Wani, Umar Hassan, Peter de Lominit Karl and Sanyangi Wangi. James Wani also serves as the AMED M&E Officer. It would assist VEGA to have a senior Sudanese counterpart staff at the level of the program DCOP, hired to provide liaison with the different GOSS institutions, inform GOSS of program developments and assist in identifying vital SME sectors to develop support activities for. This person would also, of course, need EVALUATION OF THE SUDAN AGRICULTURAL MARKET & ENTERPRISE DEVELOPMENT (AMED) PROGRAM 33 a relevant technical background so he could also provide the type of mentoring and support of field staff that other senior officers provide. In regard to process of activity implementation, procedures call for every activity to be developed from an initial Scope of Work (SOW), which is developed by AMED National Program Officers in collaboration with the host individual/organization/institution as well as their colleagues and supervisors. Once approved, the SOW is sent to the individual VEGA partner organizations to recruit Volunteers from a variety of data banks. Recruited volunteers work with their Sudanese counterparts and the AMED National Program Officer. Volunteers complete an end of assignment report and a debriefing form before departing Southern Sudan. This creates the baseline data assessment, which is followed up by impact assessment reports usually done three to six months after the assignment is completed. With the provision of more in-house training and technical assistance, the process has been streamlined in order to reduce documentation requirements. Every Volunteer is assigned a National Program Officer to work with. Once the Volunteer departs, the Program Officer is responsible for all follow-up work and ensuring the continuation of support. Impact assessments were initially done by the respective Program Officers. However, VEGA has just established a Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) Officer, James Wani. New procedures have been established in 2008 to make the capture of impact from various assignments more rigorous. Figure 2: AMED Financial Delivery Data 2005 2006 2007 (thru March) Expenditures Amount % Amount % Amount % Program31 1,687,713 65% 2,962,668 76% 2,165,266 74% Operations 908,769 35% 935,578 24% 760,769 26% Totals 2,596,482 100% 3,898,246 100% 2,926,035 100% Annual Budget 4,048,307 4,321,274 5,291,403 % Delivery 64% 90% 55% Source: VEGA AMED As of mid-May 2008, AMED has developed 134 SOWs and fielded 128 volunteers, a major focus, and major resource, of the program. With volunteer assistance, organizations, both private SMEs and governmental development bodies, have been assisted in developing internal capacity to carry out private enterprise activities and subsequently given grants: six such had been delivered up to 2007, but 25-30 applications are currently being considered for 2008 (six of these have already been approved, 10 declined as being outside the scope of AMED’s mandate, and the remainder are receiving assistance in developing an adequate business proposal as part of the application). 31 Winrock does not segregate program costs from operational costs in its financial system. For this exercise, Winrock used a methodology based on internal definitions of program versus operational costs. Program costs were defined as “any cost incurred that could have a direct impact on the intended program beneficiaries.” Operational costs were defined as “any cost incurred to provide support and/or infrastructure to program activities.” EVALUATION OF THE SUDAN AGRICULTURAL MARKET & ENTERPRISE DEVELOPMENT (AMED) PROGRAM 34 Figure 3: AMED Progress toward Achievement of Program Objectives Performance Indicator32 LOP Target Results as of 10/30/07 % Achieved Results as of 1st Q 2008 % Achieved # people trained 2400 1654 69% 2784 116% # local institutions strengthened 40 37 93% 42 105% Private enterprises strengthened, micro and small enterprises assisted 120 119 99% 155 103% Jobs generated33 2505 768 31% NA34 MBA Volunteers provided 208 90 43% 128 61% Individuals assisted by MBA Volunteers 5,00035 1,170 23% Provide analysis of market opportunities, industries or sub-sectors 10 2 20% 4 40% Technical reports & feasibility studies 10 9 90% 9 90% Establish trade associations, cooperatives or chambers of commerce that provide services to members 5 3 60% 3 60% Policy & regulatory issues resolved 10 6 60% 7 70% Diaspora Volunteers provided 25 10 40% 10 40% Grants to institutions and entrepreneurs36 $500,000 $169,552 34% $199,552 40% Source: Developed from several sources – see footnote 2 below. In carrying out the activities indicated in Figure 3, AMED has worked with the following 18 groups: • South Sudan Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Agriculture (SSCCIA) • Western Bahr el Ghazal State Chamber of Commerce (WBGS) • Central Equatorial Women’s Union • Nile Community Development Organization (NICODO) • Women’s Self Help Development Organization (WSHDO) • Natabo Farmers’ Association • Women’s Business Association of Wau • Community Self Help Poverty Alleviation Organization (COSHPAO) • Gire Farmers’ Development Association (GFDA) • Green Belt Women’s Association (GBWA) • Lasu Progressive Farmers’ Association (LPFA) • Loka Women’s Association (LWA) 32 Figure contains a mixture of original CA LOP targets, some indicators agreed upon with USAID during discussions, and Evaluation Team indicators of implementation (numbers referred to in original project document). Some of these latter are measures of progress achieved on deliverables. 33 Not an original AMED program performance indicator but was added at end 2007. The target was revised with the recent project description (2008) to be annual rather than cumulative. 34 See note 2 above. 35 Original ACA says, “improve livelihoods for 5,000 families”, but this has never been included in any program indicators. It is likely that the number reported undercounts the families affected. 36 Revised to $2.1 million in late 2007, but calculations of delivery for this analysis uses the original figure. Around 25 new grants are under consideration and about $60,000 (6 applications) worth of are approved and ready to be issued. EVALUATION OF THE SUDAN AGRICULTURAL MARKET & ENTERPRISE DEVELOPMENT (AMED) PROGRAM 35 • Mongalla Development Association • Mugwo Development Forum • People Living with HIV/AIDS in Southern Sudan (PLASS) • Sudanese Women’s HIV/AIDS Awareness Providers (SWAAP) • Terkeke Women’s Self Help Association (TWSHA) • Young Family Multipurpose Cooperative Society Monitoring and evaluation of activities is a vital part of the project management tools, but as mentioned have only been recently developed. These tools are: 1. AMED SOW format 2. AMED Debriefing Form 3. AMED End of Assignment Form, and 4. AMED Impact Survey Form Examples of these were studied. Forms are adequate, but staff needs training to report progress. One of the most important requirements is the establishment of quantitative baseline indicators through Forms 1 & 2 referenced above. It is only with these indicators that good impact monitoring can be quantitatively presented. Figure 3: Initial Baseline Indicators Developed During SOW Impact Indicators Baseline data New enterprises/ Organizations provide targeted number of enterprises/organizations to be created Jobs Created Provide current number of organization’s employees Number of new/improved Products/Services provide targeted amount of new/improved products/services Productivity (Yield) provide current total and per unit yields Organization Revenue ($) provide current annual revenues of organization in US dollars(this may include member dues, service fees, other sources of income such as grants and contracts) Number of Members provide current number of organization members Sales ($) provide current annual sales converted to US dollars Production Income provide current income from production only Net Income ($) provide current annual net income of farm or business operations converted to US dollar amount Other Relevant Indicators? (list separately and add to as needed): Source: AMED SOW Format, VEGA, 2008. As can be seen in Figures 3 and 4, a list of widely used examples is given and room is left for development of alternatives. However few volunteers are able to clearly specify indicators to be followed up during the final Impact Survey. Three selected Impact Surveys are included in Annex 4. EVALUATION OF THE SUDAN AGRICULTURAL MARKET & ENTERPRISE DEVELOPMENT (AMED) PROGRAM 36 Figure 4: Enhanced Baseline Indicators Developed in Volunteer Debriefing Form Female Male Total number of participants in technical assistance37 Total number of participants in formal training seminars38 Please break down the total training and technical assistance participants listed above by type of individual participant: Private Sector Competitiveness # individuals receiving assistance to improve management practices Agricultural Productivity # individuals receiving assistance to improve agriculture productivity Please break down the total training and technical assistance participants by group: Private Sector Competitiveness # businesses strengthened through training & advisory services Agricultural Productivity # cooperatives/farmer groups/water users/other CBOs strengthened # women organizations receiving support to improve agricultural production and marketing skills Host contribution39 Volunteer contributions40 Source: AMED Debriefing Form, VEGA, 2008. The AMED logframe has been greatly improved (originally, it did not exist), but still requires some refinement. Discussions were held with the M&E Officer regarding the on-going development of the current logframe. This logframe, to be finalized soon, should form the platform for assessing AMED at its End-of-Program Assessment. In traditional short-term technical assistance (TA) programs progress is measured 6-12 months following a TA or training activity, after enough time has passed for the recommendations and training to be internalized by the beneficiaries. This is particularly true of work in the agriculture sector, where results are often contingent upon seasonal activities or plant cycles. However, given the need in Sudan to illustrate more rapid and visible impact, VEGA has revised many of its performance indicators, and modified its M&E tools to track these more immediate results. As indicated above, VEGA uses debriefing forms to capture immediate results after an assignment, and impact surveys are conducted approximately 3 months after the TA is provided to obtain additional results not immediately available following an assignment. AMED has also worked with several related programs, providing technical support for work carried out in linked activities. For example, staff has worked with the Louis Berger Infrastructure Assessment Study in 37 Technical assistance defined as any educational activity that is not a formally structured group educational activity with formal learning objectives. 38 Training defined as a formally structured group educational activity, usually in a classroom or workshop, with formal learning objectives. 39 For host contributions, please provide an estimate in U.S. dollars for non-reimbursed logistical or other support that the host provided during the assignment, e.g., lodging, drivers, interpreters, etc. 40 Volunteers/consultants sometimes make material donations to their hosts such as money, books, or equipment. Please explain what was donated and provide an estimate of the U.S. dollar value of these resources. Contributions include materials, equipment, supplies, or cash that the volunteer donates directly to the host while on assignment. EVALUATION OF THE SUDAN AGRICULTURAL MARKET & ENTERPRISE DEVELOPMENT (AMED) PROGRAM 37 Kurmuk, the STEP Project on Sod-Waste Management, and the Winrock Gender Equity through Education Project in Wau. It has also been requested to work with several NGOs in providing business training similar to its regular training for groups, SMEs and individuals. EVALUATION OF THE SUDAN AGRICULTURAL MARKET & ENTERPRISE DEVELOPMENT (AMED) PROGRAM 38 ANNEX 2 – CASE STUDIES 1. Women’s Self Help Development Organization (WSHDO) Interview conducted 5/1/08 with Mary Hawa, Member of Management Committee Founded in 1997, WSHDA’s principal source of revenue is the canteen services it provides to three cafeterias located at the UN Mission in Sudan, Miria FM Radio Station and at the Juba airport. With assistance from donors including Norwegian Peoples Aid (NPA), Japanese International Cooperation Agency (JICA) and International Refugee Committee (IRC), it provides training in bread making, sewing, tailoring, knitting and making tie and dye fabrics. It conducts workshops in business networking and business advisory services among the women in the 10 states in Southern Sudan. Its members also make blocks and gravel for sale as construction material. It has adult education programs, sponsors training in forestry and agriculture and provides tree seedlings to its members. Its vision is to empower women in Southern Sudan, partly by helping them find ways to cooperate and coordinate. WSHDO supplied as many as 1.4 ml women with food and seeds for planting during the war. Local chiefs gave the women land for settlements. With the CPA in 2005, membership dropped to 250 women, activities were consolidated to Juba and sources of income were minimal. AMED intervened in 2006 to reorient the organization. It helped the group redefine its mission, vision and objectives and focus on income generating activities. AMED refurbished the organization’s 20 sewing machines. It also guided business plan development for the three cafeterias, supplied kitchen equipment, jointly supplied office equipment and trained kitchen workers in hygiene and management. The kitchen initiative created 22 jobs, improved social life and hygiene, including HIV awareness seminars, in the community and served as a model for food service businesses in Juba. A venture under consideration is to grow seeds and sell them to the Ministry of Agriculture. Conclusion: AMED’s assistance to WSHDO has had a high impact on cash flow, particularly from its assistance in creating the three cafeteria program. The surge in cash flow coupled with AMED renovation of 20 sewing machines has subsidized training in tailoring and other skills. Successful business activity has not only created 22 or more jobs, but added community credibility to AMED training in hygiene and HIV/AIDs prevention. An initiative to secure land for forestry projects in all ten counties in Southern Sudan, and then growing trees and managing forests would establish a WSHDO presence throughout Southern Sudan. Combined with mobilization of women to plant trees on its plots would encourage women to join the organization and benefit from its other education and training programs. Moreover, it would provide long-term cash flow for the organization. See Women’s Business Association, in Wau – Interview #4 below 2. Giri Farmers Development Association (GFDA) 5/3/08 Samuel B. Ganya, the Director of GFDA, explained the Association’s activities in the presence of perhaps 15 of its approximately 230 members. Located in Ombasi, 18 miles from Yei, it was founded in February EVALUATION OF THE SUDAN AGRICULTURAL MARKET & ENTERPRISE DEVELOPMENT (AMED) PROGRAM 39 2005 to promote civil society projects. Though labeled an agricultural development association, Mr. Ganya noted that farmers are impatient with its limited provision of farm services. The only service it provides is part-time advice of an uncertified extension worker who is not paid for his services. Farmers are charged $0.50 as a registration fee and $5.00 per year as a subscription fee. Mr. Sanyangi of AMED met Association members in May 2007 and encouraged them to register as an association or cooperative with the Ministry of Cooperatives and Rural Development. It chose to become an association in order to provide community services, not just farmer-related services. After becoming registered, at a cost of $75.00, AMED provided its management with a one-week training course in organization development. It hopes to intermediate with the Crop Training Center to obtain plowing services for the community from an expected USAID grant through AMED to CTC for a large tractor. In recent weeks AMED has begun to provide selected younger members of the association with training in business plan development and bookkeeping. All of the students are involved in agriculture or warehousing in their communities. Two of AMED’s MBAs who are on 14 month contracts provide this training using interactive student assignments. The assignments, designed to teach valuation of alternative opportunities focus on: • Students developed business plans for: o Agricultural inputs sales o Storage of raw materials and finished goods o Profitability analysis of tomatoes, onion, cabbage and carrot production, o Truck purchase for transporting agricultural produce and passengers between Ombasi and Yei (two business plans), o Poultry and egg production o Planning expansion of existing agricultural warehousing o Tractor for plowing services o Grinding mill (Dume type) • Choose a business that appears interesting, volunteer to keep books for the business for a week and produce a consolidated cash flow document to share with classmates Students are enthusiastically receiving the MBA-provided training. The training not only teaches business skills, but can help the students make more informed decisions about businesses to pursue. Moreover, bookkeeping dimensions of the training include case studies requiring calculation of margins and turnover for each item in inventory. Such exercises improve not only student awareness of managerial impacts on investment returns, but provide the same insights to the subject of the case study, that is, a business owner. Subsequent discussions with Cosmas Menu, the GIRI extension worker, suggest that he is providing valuable guidance to local famers. A young farmer himself, with ½ fedan stands of sugar cane, bananas and pineapples, he urges farmers to shift from “old to modern methods”. He teaches them to plant seeds in properly spaced rows rather than simply broadcast it. Though the ground is too fertile to need chemical fertilizer, he teaches the use and benefits of biomass fertilizer. After four years of farm visits, he says farmers are beginning to adopt his suggestions. Cosmas explained that the Boma where he farms and provides extension services has six subdivisions with counts of farmers that include: • Ombasi – 71 EVALUATION OF THE SUDAN AGRICULTURAL MARKET & ENTERPRISE DEVELOPMENT (AMED) PROGRAM 40 • Boma - 102 • Calarima – 97 • Sinema – 111 • Kejiko – 67 • Yeiba – 116 Cosmas estimates that 10 percent of the farmers in Calarima are ex-combatants who do well growing coffee, pineapples, bananas. He takes the AMED MBA training in business planning and bookkeeping. Conclusion: GIRI is doing little to help farmers and its orientation is more toward community development than farmer assistance. GIRI is useful to AMED as a source of young farmers who are willing to receive training in business planning and bookkeeping from AMED MBAs. Student use of actual businesses for case studies of bookkeeping also provides training to the business owners whose businesses are being studied. In addition, Cosmas, who was trained in extension through the Norwegian Peoples Aid (NPA), appears to be providing excellent extension services and enthusiastically adopting the very practical MBA training. AMED could usefully employ him to help with its future endeavors. 3. Mugwo Community Development Forum (MCDF), Interview Conducted with Peter Lominit on 5/4/08 MCDF is located 14 miles from Yei. It promotes community health services, HIV/AIDs awareness, improved water supplies and periodic skills and micro-eEnterprise training, such as carpentry to war victims. For farmers, it provides periodic training in crop production for maize, groundnuts, beans and simsim. It also attempts to teach bookkeeping to farmers. It helped create six local organizations that are referred to as cooperatives, but are registered as associations. Associations are the preferred form of organization because they can be involved in many different business activities, while cooperatives must operate in only one business activity. MCFD has loaned these six associations $900 from its revolving loan fund. This fund is generated from the members’ registration fees and annual subscriptions. Terms are repayment in six months in equal installments at two percent interest. MCFD members pay $30 as an initial subscription fee and $7.00 dues per year. It has 58 members in an area with approximately 731 farmers. Its relationship with AMED began in June 2007 when Sanyangi gave a course in Leadership Management Skills. It also introduced the ACDI/VOCA consultant, Filtone C. Sandando to local farmers for his recent study, “Assessment of Coffee Revitalization and Marketing in Southern Sudan”, AMED Sudan Project, April, 2008. MCDF has demonstration plots around its headquarters. The approximately 50 coffee seedlings, approximately 18 inches high were shaded and relatively well-weeded. However, the adjacent plot of coffee trees approximately three feet high was overrun with weeds and leaf rust had destroyed roughly a quarter of the tree leaves. The pineapple and melon patches were similarly infested with weeds. Three to six foot papaya and mango trees growing in the yard around the building were doing well. The maize in a more distant plot was relatively well-weeded and doing well. EVALUATION OF THE SUDAN AGRICULTURAL MARKET & ENTERPRISE DEVELOPMENT (AMED) PROGRAM 41 Mr. Amber Moses, the program assistant for MCDF explained that the lack of weeding and other care was due to the layoff of MDFD’s extension worker two months earlier. He is being rehired and is expected to weed the plots. However, MDFD has no access to pesticide or fungicide, so the leaf rust is likely to remain on the coffee plants. At the Evaluation Team’s request, Mr. Amber Moses took them to the nearby workshop and home of Data Samuel, a war victim who had learned carpentry through an MCDF program in 2003-04. Later, the local chief, also a carpenter, trained him for a year. Recently, MCDF gave him two days training in financial management and bookkeeping. Though he lost both legs below the knees during the war, Data had trained to become a carpenter in the evening. During the day he first developed and then worked his farm and built five houses on his compound. Now, he works his farm and makes furniture. Unlike the onetime, one week course in leadership training that AMED gave staff at the Mugwo Forum, his training was intense for a short time and then daily for one year. Data’s progress, which includes plane shavings surrounding a newly stained bed in the foreground of his compound and weed less garden, is patently astounding. By contrast, the overgrown demonstration plots at the Mugwo Forum’s headquarters are shamefully poorly kept and suggest no impact from its leadership training. Hence, though Mugwo Forum could be used to identify promising trainees for one-on-one long-term training, it should have very limited management or brokering roles AMED development programs. Conclusion MCDF is doing little to help farmers, or tend to its own demonstration plots. The leadership training it received from AMED last September had no impacts were noticeable to the Evaluation Team. The only achievement noted was the carpentry training that Data Samuel had received. The short-term portion of that training was delivered by a third party seconded by the Forum. However, the greater part of Data’s training probably resulted from daily coaching in evenings from the local chief. Data’s work and tool supply testified to his ability. Moreover, he demonstrated his ability to sharpen his saws and plane blades to the Evaluation Team. As noted, above, Data’s skill and achievement testifies to the impact of long-term skill training combined with supervision. Perhaps it serves as a model for AMED to follow as it designs training for community groups. That is, training might commence as intense full-time courses for perhaps a week, but then be followed up with weekly or more frequent supervision and detailed project or assignment specific training. The Forum has a long-standing relationship with the community and is therefore a source of contacts for identifying needs and delivering agricultural assistance. Its role in delivering such assistance should perhaps be worked out on an ad hoc basis. Perhaps AMED’s next step could be to deploy one or its MBA’s to investigate needs and begin pilot training programs similar to the business plan and bookkeeping initiatives instituted at GIRE. 4. Women’s Business Association (WBA), Wau – Interview conducted on 5/5/08 Mary Potter, the Director of WBA explained that the organization has 37 members. AMED provided it with a business training course that began on February 28, 2007. The course, conducted by David and Florence Wagner, was conducted from 2 to 6 pm each day for two weeks. It covered: • How to start a business, and • Business planning and bookkeeping. EVALUATION OF THE SUDAN AGRICULTURAL MARKET & ENTERPRISE DEVELOPMENT (AMED) PROGRAM 42 AMED also provided them computer training through Ismail Limbo, a member of Sudan’s Diaspora who will soon receive an AMED grant to set up a computer business. Limbo taught the ladies Excel and Word. However, the ladies do not have computers, so they’ve forgotten most of what they learned. WBA has approval to open a cafeteria in the Ministry of Education. The Ministry has given them a plot of land where they intend to build their facility. It submitted its final draft of a grant proposal to AMED in November 2007 with Levi Yona’s assistance. AMED has informally told the ladies that they are likely to receive the grant soon. WBA does not receive assistance from other donors, but has informal links with WSHDO in Juba. Individual ladies in the organization embroider and farm. One lady has a donkey cart and uses it in her water carrying business. The ladies would like to join with WSHDO to obtain land to grow trees. As the trees mature they could set up restaurants or hostels, perhaps on the land where they grow the trees. 5. Natabo Farmers Association (NFA) – Interview conducted on 5/6/08 Albert Howard Zacharia, the Secretary of the Association and Ekonomides Anton, Chairman, explained that it has 14 members who each contributed $500 as a subscription fee. NFA is registered and pays a 2.5 percent sales tax on retail sales. NFA has leased six fedans of land for vegetable production at $25 per fedan per year for five years. It has also submitted a grant proposal to AMED in November 2007 for $9,800 of an estimated $17,000 needed to prepare the six fedans for production. The AMED grant, which is likely to be funded, is earmarked for irrigation pumps and pipes. The AMED program officer responsible for the NFA project is Aboud Suleiman, a professional agronomist with a BS degree in agronomy from the University of Alexandria, Egypt and a master’s degree in agronomy from Gazera University, Sudan. NFA services from AMED including: • A seven day course plus four days of pre-training consultation in agricultural technology and business skills in March, 2007, • A five day course in crop management and leadership skills in April, 2007, • Assistance with preparation of its grant proposal in November, 2007, • Farming as a Business in July, 2007 that attracted not only the 14 NFA members, but also 13 farmers and eight government officials, that is a total of 35 attendees, and • Instruction on crafting a constitution, by-laws and a business plan leading to Association registration in August, 2007. NFA does not use pesticide or herbicide because such chemicals are not available. The GOSS has no organic certification program, but officials informally suggest the likelihood of such a program in the future. NFA sells produce in three local markets and is negotiating contracts to sell vegetables to UNMIS and Wau River Lodge Limited. An AMED MBA Volunteer, Khary Dickerson, is helping NFA with negotiations for these vegetable contracts. EVALUATION OF THE SUDAN AGRICULTURAL MARKET & ENTERPRISE DEVELOPMENT (AMED) PROGRAM 43 NFA employs four full-time workers and 16 casual laborers in clearing the six fedans and in digging two wells. One well, two meters square is five meters deep and the other is the same size, but only four meters deep. The production plan is to produce vegetables in the short-run, sugarcane, and bananas in the intermediate run and citrus in the long-run. Coffee does not grow well in this ecological zone. The Team’s conversations began on Ekonomides Anton’s personal plot. Aphids and fungus were prominent on his okra, suggesting that both pesticides and fungicides are urgently needed, though not available in local markets. Discussions also revealed a badly damaged fruit and vegetable cannery and brewery in Wau. It also revealed an industrial area in Anzara that contains a jaggery mill, juice factories and at least one cotton gin damaged in the war. Conclusion: Natabo Farmers Association is an excellent example of an opportunity for USAID to create significant cash flow and employment quickly, and on a sustainable basis. The farm resources are excellent and the skills mix is well-suited for the business plan. That is, the 14 farmers involved in the Association are experienced and AMED has deployed both an agronomist program officer and an MBA advisor to the Association. Moreover, the marketing plan involves only short-distance movement of vegetables – an essential feature of success given the impassible road system in Southern Sudan. 6. Case Study: South Sudan Microfinance Institution (SUMI) – Interview was conducted on May 2, 2008 SUMI is a microfinance institution based in Yei, but with five branches in three states. The institution loans small amounts with minimal interest to service the development needs of the institution. SUMI is the largest microfinance lender in southern Sudan with 6,000 borrowers and a portfolio of about US$2.5 million. However, there are only two other microfinance institutions operating in the country. It was also noted that the only other commercial bank in Yei has suspended its loan activities indefinitely. SUMI has three different categories of loan activities: group loans (to groups of five community participants), individual loans, and salary loans (to applicants using an existing salary as collateral). 65% of the total institution activity is in group loans, which are at an average amount of SP300 (maximum amount loaned is SP20, 000-30,000). SUMI was established in 2003 and currently the five branches mentioned are in Yei, Yambio, Maridi, Rumbek and Juba. The institution has provided over 13,000 loans since inception. Until November 2007, SUMI received technical support through USAID’s Agricultural Enterprise Finance Program (AEFP). Four of the five branches are self-supporting, and these four are able to generate sufficient funds to cover the requirements at the fifth branch that is still developing. Nonetheless, the institution remains dependent on donor funding for any expansion capacity in the other regions of southern Sudan. Sudan’s pending referendum in 2011 for unity or secession hinders SUMI efforts to raise private capital or to broaden lending into additional sectors. SUMI is very interested in irrigated agriculture activities. Contact with VEGA began in August 2006 under their micro enterprise assistance program when Zachary Ireri in conjunction with SUMI developed two scopes of work for two short term volunteers. VEGA assistance to SUMI included: • One volunteer provided staff training in accounting, • A second volunteer helped develop an MIS. EVALUATION OF THE SUDAN AGRICULTURAL MARKET & ENTERPRISE DEVELOPMENT (AMED) PROGRAM 44 These two assignments lasted for 14 days and included consultation at SUMI headquarters in Yei and bank branches in Yei and Rumbek. At USAID’s request, VEGA staff member Zachary Ireri joined Chemonics to do a business surveys in larger towns in different States. Towns for which businesses were inventoried included Wau, Tonj, Rumbek, Aweil and Malakal, Yei, Torit, Juba, Yambio and Jonglei. In the towns visited, businesses were counted and focus groups were held to identify business opportunities and constraints. All participants agreed that SUMI could help local businesses as well as itself if it expanded into those areas. A report on numbers of businesses by subsector and gender ownership was produced for services, trade or manufacturing. A component of VEGA’s current policy is to use one of its long term MBA volunteers in Yei, Ryan Betters, to provide continuing assistance to the Head Office Finance Department on accounting training and financial reporting systems. VEGA plans to continue such deployment of this MBA volunteer the institution’s application to USAID for further funding is determined. If funding occurs SUMI’s loan capacity will increase and VEGA will evaluate the need for additional technical assistance. A second component of VEGA’s current policy it to use another long term MBA, Marty George, is training loan officers at the Yei branch to be business advisors to their loan clients. VEGA plans to duplicate this training in Juba with two of its MBAs. SUMI management officials are willing to consider agricultural loans to small-scale producers only if loan guarantees are available. Bank officials believe maize, groundnuts, coffee and upland rice offer commercial agricultural opportunities. They state further that they take a holistic approach to lending. They recognize that irrigation reduces crop risk and could increase SUMI’s willingness to structure agricultural loans. The meeting at SUMI HQ in Yei was attended by the Managing Director, Lokule Edward, the Operations Manager, Abdulla Michael, and the Branch Manager, Margaret Bassa. Conclusion: SUMI’s past successes and demand for SME loans suggest the need to expand SUMI’s capital and lending potential. In addition, an integrated agricultural development program that includes inputs, production and marketing – ideally in an irrigated context - might mitigate risks sufficiently for introduction of SUMI agricultural lending. Irrigation possibilities exist in Juba, Yei, Wau, Yambio and Torit. 7. Case Study: Western Bahr el-Ghazal State Ministry of Industry, Trade & Commerce, Directorate of Planning & Statistics – Interview was conducted on 5/6/08 This meeting at the Ministry was attended by the Director of Planning and Statistics, Stephen Andrea Ujika and the AMED Evaluation Team. The AMED program carried out capacity building assistance utilizing both short and long term volunteers in a series of linked programs. Activities began in 2006, with two long-term VEGA volunteers (14 months) who assisted the Director of Planning & Statistics to: • Design the departmental goals and functions, organization chart and specific job descriptions • Provide basic business skills training, technical skills training and continued advice on planning of activities EVALUATION OF THE SUDAN AGRICULTURAL MARKET & ENTERPRISE DEVELOPMENT (AMED) PROGRAM 45 • Identification of women’s groups, identifying needs, training in business and organizational skills. This latter work eventually led to the establishment of a full gender project, “Gender Equity through Education” 41 which VEGA works with closely. The results AMED capacity building helped the Ministry carry out joint planning of activities with UNDP and UNICEF. Hence, the Ministry has better control of resources that are proposed for use within their area of responsibility. Working with the VEGA Volunteers, the Director of Planning carried out an official survey of existing businesses in the region. This survey served as a basis for a Private Sector Strategy paper for WBG State. This paper could be used as a model for other areas, but is yet to be submitted to the national Ministry which is in the process of developing a National Private Sector Policy. An impact assessment of the Volunteers’ activities was carried out by AMED in September/October 2007. As a result the two long-term volunteers who completed their assignments were replaced by another long-term volunteer and a Sudanese Agricultural Program Officer. These two VEGA staff continues to work with the Ministry periodically, but they focus on direct support to farmers and associations. The Ministry was very happy with the type of work carried out by VEGA, and felt that further work in the Ministry would be useful. Mr. Ujika suggested that AMED support in developing the framework of responsibilities between the national and state institutions would be useful, but not possible now due to GOSS budgetary constraints. 8. Case Study: Ministry of Commerce, Trade & Supply – Interview was conducted on 4/30/08. The Evaluation Team met with Ministry staff to learn about AMED capacity building efforts within the Ministry. Attendees at the meeting included Under Secretary John Pan Paguir, the Director and Deputy Director of Administration and Finance, Ben Loduk and Moses Kueh, respectively, and the Director and Deputy Director of the Private Sector Support Department, Kidi Samual and Charity Lekea. VEGA carried out capacity building assistance utilizing both short and long term volunteers in a series of linked programs. This ministry was selected as it represented the government institution supporting development of private enterprise. Activities began in 2005, with three VEGA staff members including program officers and long-term volunteers assisting the senior level Ministry Human Resource officers in creating a Mission Statement. This statement formalized the department’s vision of responsibility, set forth an organizational plan, and detailed job descriptions for core Ministry personnel. For team building, VEGA brought a Volunteer from the US Department of Commerce to provide a training session in Nairobi for all the Senior Directors and the Under Secretary of the Ministry. The Ministry and VEGA identified local Chambers of Commerce as a key resource for development of national private enterprise skills. VEGA set up a program to provide technical assistance and a grant to the national CoC and the state CoC in Wau. After the initial contacts and activities, VEGA allowed the Ministry to take the lead on this program. In 2006 the Ministry asked for additional assistance for a specific capacity building task. Feeling the need to codify its trade procedures into a set of governing laws and regulations, but lacking the legal expertise, a trade law consultant was requested. VEGA fielded a short term consultant in 2007. This consultant came with to develop 10 trade laws (in the areas of standards, consumer protection, import/export, etc.) however, only six were completed due to time constraints. 41 USAID/Sudan project administered by Winrock EVALUATION OF THE SUDAN AGRICULTURAL MARKET & ENTERPRISE DEVELOPMENT (AMED) PROGRAM 46 The Ministry was very happy with the type of work carried out by VEGA, but expressed dissatisfaction with the short time allowed for the Volunteer. Ministry staff felt that time allowed did not take into account the difficulty of operating in the Sudan administrative environment and therefore was work left incomplete. The Minister has asked for two long term advisors to work within the Ministry to continue to develop trade policy issues, and to advise the Minister. VEGA has passed this request to USAID as it is not within its own mandated activities. VEGA provided a long-term MBA Volunteer to work with the Private Sector Directorate at the Ministry to train Ministry staff in 2006 and 2007. He worked to strengthen the Directorate’s linkage and interaction with the private sector and the NGO community. In addition, he carried out specific training exercises with the Ministry and the private sector. He also carried out training exercises to link the national ministry to their respective state ministry counterparts. EVALUATION OF THE SUDAN AGRICULTURAL MARKET & ENTERPRISE DEVELOPMENT (AMED) PROGRAM 47 ANNEX 3 – TOPIC GUIDE FOR AMED INTERVIEWS 1. Overview: We are an independent group performing an evaluation of the VEGA, AMED Program. We would like to learn about your business, relationship with AMED, what it did to help you and lessons learned both good and bad. 2. How did you first encounter VEGA and the AMED program? 3. How did you develop a relationship with AMED? 4. How did you and AMED develop a plan of assistance for you? 5. How and what was accomplished in the plan of assistance? 6. Was AMED assistance timely and effective? 7. What could you and AMED have done better? 8. What good and bad lessons have you learned from AMED’s assistance? EVALUATION OF THE SUDAN AGRICULTURAL MARKET & ENTERPRISE DEVELOPMENT (AMED) PROGRAM 48 ANNEX 4 – SELECTED AMED ACTIVITY IMPACT SURVEYS Example 1: Impact Survey VEGA/AMED Training in Capacity Building and Organizational Management Juba, Sudan Host: Women Self Help Development Organization (WSHDO) Assignment Number: SUD028 Date(s) of Interview: March 22, 2007 Name of Interviewer(s): Levi Yona, Field Officer; Melinda Packman, Senior Field Operations Manager Name of Person(s) Interviewed: Lucy Alphonse, Executive Director Survey Questions*: 1. Did the host make substantial changes to improve organizational capacity, and if so, what changes did the host make based on volunteer recommendations? Please state yes or no, and describe the change. It was a good training. WSHDO implemented all the recommendations of the volunteer. They are reporting the way they were taught. Record keeping has improved. Each staff member is keeping individual reports which are very clear, easy to understand, and are used to answer questions. After the training, some of the staff (5 out of 9) left WSHDO for better positions, particularly with the government, because they had better skills. The WSHDO board of trustees, who now have limited contact with the organization, have also left for better positions. Of the 4 remaining staff who participated in the training, the recommendations are being put to use. 2. Did the host establish any new formal agreements/business relationships, such as business mentoring or linkages with technical assistance sources? N/A 3. Did the host execute any new contracts, orders, and joint ventures? If so, please describe and not whether the agreement was domestic, with another Central American firm/organization with a US firm/organization, etc. What is the US dollar value of the agreement? N/A 4. Did the host strengthen its administration, management or financial controls? Please state yes or no, and describe the change. Yes, financial record keeping has improved. Records are now recorded daily by the cashier in a cash book. Monthly financial reports have been requested, but not yet produced, as the accountant is part-time and not available. The overall management structure has been strengthened. EVALUATION OF THE SUDAN AGRICULTURAL MARKET & ENTERPRISE DEVELOPMENT (AMED) PROGRAM 49 5. Were working conditions improved? Please provide the total number of people with improved safety and working conditions. Yes, now the vision is clear: to go to grassroots women, promote the feeling of peace and support their willingness to work as there are many jobs available. WSHDO understands this vision and is to spread it throughout Southern Sudan. Number of people: 21 (women) 6. What resources were donated from the United States for the host after the volunteer assignment? Please explain what was donated and provide an estimate of the U.S. dollar value of these resources. Examples of donations could include cash, equipment, supplies, and training materials. (This should not include resources that volunteers brought with them, which have already been reported in the field debriefing form. Only funds raised in the United States count as a matching contribution for this cooperative agreement.) VEGA awarded WSHDO with a $39,000 grant. The women group purchased, files for recordkeeping, paper, account receipts, ledger/cash book, and generator from their own saving as a contribution. VEGA’s grant money assisted in; • Refurbishing existing office space and purchase office supplies and equipment. • Upgrading the tea shops, kitchen, and cafeterias located on UN compounds. 7. Did FTF staff or volunteers help the host access credit, grants, or other resources from outside the United States after the volunteer assignment? Please explain what new resources were obtained and provide an estimate of the U.S. dollar value of these resources. N/A 8. Has there been an increase in the number of people with improved environmental services, such as improved waste or pollution management? If so, provide total number of people with improved environmental services. N/A 9. Did the host adopt one or more changes to improve environmental conservation, and if so, what changes did the host make based on volunteer recommendations? Please state yes or no, and describe the change. N/A 10. Has there been an increase in the total area (hectares) covered by improved natural resources management? If so, provide total number of hectares with improved natural resource management. N/A 11. Is the host providing new products and/or services as a result of FTF assistance? (In some cases, hosts may differentiate their product to enter a new niche market.) Describe any changes such as this. Yes, WSHDO has created a new, updated vision and is promoting this amongst the women. See question 5 above. EVALUATION OF THE SUDAN AGRICULTURAL MARKET & ENTERPRISE DEVELOPMENT (AMED) PROGRAM 50 12. Did the host organization increase revenues through member dues, services fees, or other sources of income such as contracts or grants? If yes, state the organizational revenue levels both before and after the assignment and the time period of the change. For each increase in revenue, please state the amount in U.S. dollars. No, not in direct relation to this assignment. 13. Did the host make substantial changes to improve organizational capacity, and if so, what changes did the host make based on volunteer recommendations? Please state yes or no, and describe the change. Yes, WSHDO made changes in the management and leadership, but these changes were made more out of necessity and not due to the volunteer’s recommendations, since many prior staff left WSHDO after the training to join other organizations and GOSS. Summary/Conclusion: (THIS IS NOT AN OPTION) Provide a brief, one paragraph summary of the survey results, which may be posted on Winrock's web pages. (To protect host confidentiality, please do not mention the host's name. Instead use a general description, such as 30 banana growers, milk processing plant, four credit unions, etc.) Fostering new ways to create organizational change and effectiveness within a business environment are key components to maintain the growth and leadership of an organization. Through a targeted volunteer training program, the structure and management of a local women’s organization was strengthened. Participating in collaborative dialogue, nine managers discussed new ways of developing leadership, cultural organization, and being open to a variety of perspectives. The creation of effective teams and communities were addressed, and the goals of the organization were revised to yield a clearer vision and mandate. The importance of proper recordkeeping was emphasized, and now the organization keeps daily records in a ledger book. As a result of this training, the women managers remain dedicated to fostering new ways of understanding and are open to change in order to leverage their overall objective within the community and environments they influence. In a separate paragraph, summarize lessons learned for Winrock program management and the semi￾annual reports. Please analyze why the assignment was or was not successful and any apparent or expected broader impacts to the community, government, etc. This program is considered successful. Accounting records have improved profit/loss statements are clear, an updated organizational chart was developed, vision statements/objectives are updated, and overall record keeping has improved. These positive changes are clear to see when speaking with the Executive Director and reviewing the accounting records. This has also helped with the morale of WSHDO members. The program was carried out in April 2006, and follow-up should have been conducted at an earlier time. Support is still needed in the area of an active and committed Board of Trustees. In addition, financial support outside of the WSHDO income generating activities needs further attention. Although more than half of the trainees left WHSDO (5 out of 9) after the training, they left because they had gained more skills and knowledge, resulting in their ability to find better employment opportunities. This has also enabled WSHDO to add new employees to the organization and provide them with training. Due to VEGA-AMED interventions, WSHDO has increased its effectiveness in training, improved their cooking skill level, and increased the financial wellbeing of their women entrepreneurs. WSHDO has also EVALUATION OF THE SUDAN AGRICULTURAL MARKET & ENTERPRISE DEVELOPMENT (AMED) PROGRAM 51 increased its recognition and credibility among international NGOs and UN agencies in Juba for its ability to identify quality cafeteria workers. WSHDO in Juba currently manages three cafeterias that serve local Sudanese meals along with traditional tea, coffee and cold drinks. The cafeteria located at the WSHDO compound caters to local workers including state government staff. The other two cafeterias are located at United Nations Mission in Sudan (UNMIS) headquarters compound and the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) compound. The VEGA-AMED grant has transformed two of the three cafeterias into profitable enterprises that have impacted the WSHDO as an organization for women. EVALUATION OF THE SUDAN AGRICULTURAL MARKET & ENTERPRISE DEVELOPMENT (AMED) PROGRAM 52 Example 2: Impact Assessment for some members of NFA Interview with 1- Ekonomidis Anton Ekonomidis is the chairman of NFA he has 3 gardens each with 6 workers he cultivates mainly tomatoes, egg plant okra, cabbage sweet pepper, banana, paw paws, sugar cane and some citrus the area under cultivation of this gardens are 3, 2 and 4 feddans respectively. The last four feddans were meant for fruit trees and it is still a new garden which needs a lot of work. At the moment it is producing bananas only. Knowledge acquired from the workshops Farm records keeping, costing, planning, this has let me to know how much I spent in purchase of in puts, labour payment. In the past we use to cultivate large area without planning or proper management, Benefit Now we are doing better than before. I used to divide the area into 4 sections and plant in stages that eases its management at first and to have crops in the garden at different stage some at harvest others at flowering, vegetative growth and others at seeding stages. There is a continues supply of vegetables to the market from my garden and other gardens, last year at such a time you don’t get tomatoes in the market. Profit In the past we don’t cost account, I use to get around 3,000 pound per a season, now the profit is more than a double. Mostly in the past our work used to be in the dry season. And I used to have a long period of redundancy no money for about two months. This is all because I don’t use to have a work plan. With continuous vegetables cropping systems things had changed a lot. Cost Manure = 1,200 Seeds = 750 Labour (18 workers) = 3,700 Skilled labour x 3 = 750 Fuel 450 ltrs = 900 Insecticides = 750 Maintenance of water pumps = 500 Total cost = 5,850 Sales/ Season in Sudanese pounds Tomatoes = 4,500 Eggplant = 1,500 Sweet pepper = 2,500 Okra = 1,500 Jute mellow = 1,500 Cabbages = 1,000 Bananas = 3,500 Sugar cane = 1,500 Paw paws = 1,500 Citrus = 500 Total sales = 19,500 Net income/ season = 19,500 – 5,850 = 13, 150 Spds EVALUATION OF THE SUDAN AGRICULTURAL MARKET & ENTERPRISE DEVELOPMENT (AMED) PROGRAM 53 Additional income from the nursery sales I established a commercial nursery for selling seedlings to other farmers, when I don’t vegetable products in my garden I get income from selling seedlings. The nursery cost of buying seeds was 300 pounds and the sales from the nursery were 3,000 Spds. That mean the profit which I make from the nursery is 2,700 pounds per a season. Total net income from the 3 gardens and the nursery = 15,850 I asked him this is just a rough estimate; do you think it could be more than this? He laughed and nodded YES! From the income that was made he managed to: o Buy a generator for welding (1,500 Spds) o Repair his vehicle (2,000 Spds) o Buy seeds and insecticides fertilizers and banana suckers (2,000 Spds) 2- Farouk Yousif Knowledge acquired from the workshops The most important thing that I have learnt is organization of the work, control, saving and generally record keeping and continuous cropping. Benefit This season my family has benefited a lot first their living conditions has improved, I manage to pay my sister to continue with here education in university of Juba, she manage to go to second year and I am very happy for that. With the little knowledge we gained in farm management we became farmers advisors, they come and seek or advice because of the success that we made. Until today there are tomatoes in my garden and I’m still selling; before this never happen to us at such time of the season you don’t see tomatoes in the market. Profit Roughly I can say that I made a profit of 11,500 pounds and I spent about 2,000 – 2,500 pounds Cost Urea (2bags) = 320 Phosphate = 350 Earth worm soil (10 kgs) = 150 Diesel (1 drum) = 400 Water pump maintenance = 150 Leveling = 300 Seedbeds preparation = 200 Seeds = 100 Weeding = 150 Labour (2) x 210 = 420 Total cost = 2,590 SPDs Sales Okra = 6,000 Purse lane = 2,000 Jute mallow = 2,000 Tomatoes = 800 Cucumber = 1,200 EVALUATION OF THE SUDAN AGRICULTURAL MARKET & ENTERPRISE DEVELOPMENT (AMED) PROGRAM 54 Radish/ others = 2,100 Lemon = 2,400 Bananas = 480 Total sales = 15,040 Net income Spds/ season = 15,040 – 2,590 = 12, 450 Sudanese pounds N.B.: from the above records you can observe that this farmer has a good record keeping. 3-Albert Awad Albert Awad is the secretary for NFA Knowledge acquired from the workshops He says that: though we know how to read and write I never keep records, in the past I use to pay the workers and I put what I get from the sales as my profit but after learning what is farm records are about the first thing I did was to know how much I spend and how much I get; and to my surprise I got that I was working at a lost Benefit We know now what the cost of production, the balance sheet is and at the end we began to know whether we are at lost or profit. In the past we used to plant the whole plot at a go, now we began to divide the land and plant in stages to have groups at different growth stages. Now I make compost manure and I have a better management for my garden. Profit I didn’t do well like the other colleagues because last year my plot was all occupied with sugar cane only so I have to harvest it first and then start managing it afresh in a different way than the previous years. Another factor is that as I am the secretary I was busy the group farm, in my absence those labours seems not to be working they need continuous supervision. Cost Plowing = 600 Seedbeds = 400 Labour x2 = 420 Fence = 300 Fuel (5 ltr) = 50 Total cost =1,770 Sales Crops grown Jute mallow, pruselane, radish, okra Jan sales = 1,800 Feb sales = 2,100 Banana sales = 650 Total sales in two months = 4,550 Net income Spda/ 2 months = 2,780 4- Abu- Bakar Ali Knowledge acquired from the workshop How to schedule the work, early planting in order to get early crop that captures the market, dividing the land into portions planting in stages, for easy management. EVALUATION OF THE SUDAN AGRICULTURAL MARKET & ENTERPRISE DEVELOPMENT (AMED) PROGRAM 55 Farm record keeping and intensive care of the garden, I planted 4 varieties of tomatoes to see which can perform well and I got American variety Super Strain B was the best. Benefit I made use of the marketing techniques which was given to us. I fond sorting of tomatoes and selling them according to size one of the main success to me as many people like that idea and they are pay me well. Also I use to sell directly to other traders from other area like Kwajok, Mapel and as far as Yirol. As a technique to increase labour efficiency I increase the number of my worker from 2 to five at the same time I increased the payment so that they can double their efforts I can determine exactly what I have gained; the crops are still standing in the field yet I have 1. I bought 2 donkeys to pull carts for sell water around the town 2. I bought 2 second hand water pumps 3. I bought a motorbike 4. I renovated 3 tukuls in my house 5. the living conditions for my family had improved a lot 6. I bought a host pipe 150 meters long Cost Manure 4 bags = 140 Seeds = 295 Labour (5 workers) = 5,000 Fuel = 1,500 Insecticides = 50 Maintenance of water pumps = 160 Rent = 400 Uprooting = 1,500 Plowing = 250 Seedbed preparation = 900 Weeding = 200 Fence support = 160 Management = 1,000 Total cost = 11,555 Sales/ Season in Sudanese pounds Tomatoes = 18,200 Okra = 525 Jute mellow = 1,350 Radish = 1,525 Purse lane = 200 Total sales = 21,800 Net income/ season = 21,800 – 11,555 = 10, 245 Spds 5- Hamza Noah Knowledge acquired from the workshop How to schedule the work, early planting in order to get early crop that captures the market, dividing the land into portions planting in stages, for easy management. EVALUATION OF THE SUDAN AGRICULTURAL MARKET & ENTERPRISE DEVELOPMENT (AMED) PROGRAM 56 Farm record keeping and intensive care of the garden, I planted 4 varieties of tomatoes to see which can perform well and I got American variety Super Strain B and Red Star were the best. From this trial I have learnt that the big tomatoes fetch better prices so next year I am going to plant only Red Star Benefit I made use of the marketing techniques which was given to us. I fond sorting of tomatoes and selling them according to size one of the main success to me as many people like that idea and they are pay me well. Also I use to sell directly to other traders from other area like Kwajok, Mapel and Aweil. As a technique to increase labour efficiency I increase the number of my worker from 4 to 6 at the same time I increased the payment so that they can double their efforts I can determine exactly what I have gained; the crops are still standing in the field yet I have 1. I increased my production by more than 90% 2. I bought a motorbike 3. bought 2 water pumps 4. I bought a host pipe 150 meters long 5. I renovated my house 6. I paid the rent of the garden 7. I have added one more feddan to my garden 8. I have continuous production of tomatoes 9. I bought seeds and fertilizers for the next season 10. I bought a Honda pump to be for emergency 11. I bought one donkey and tanker- carte for selling water 12. in general; the living conditions for my family had improved a lot Cost Urea 1 bags = 180 Seeds = 345 Labour (6 workers) = 7,500 Fuel = 900 Insecticides = 150 Maintenance of water pumps = 150 Rent = 400 Leveling = 180 Plowing = 250 Seedbed preparation = 650 Management = 1,000 Total cost = 11,705 Sales/ Season in Sudanese pounds Tomatoes = 12,000 Okra = 9,000 Jute mellow = 2,100 Radish = 1,030 Purse lane = 350 Total sales = 25,480 Net income/ season = 25,480 – 11,705 = 13, 775 Spds EVALUATION OF THE SUDAN AGRICULTURAL MARKET & ENTERPRISE DEVELOPMENT (AMED) PROGRAM 57 6- Ali Osman Knowledge acquired from the workshop Farm management, Costing; profit and lost at the beginning I use to work randomly; now I’m more organized so at the beginning I built a small hut for the worker so that they can have permanent presence in the garden, I provided them with food and I began to record every thing and plan for what I want to do Benefit At personal level I managed to 1. buy a motorbike for( 1,680 Pounds) 2. buy Lister pump 3. sent my wife and children to Khartoum by air for treatment I paid almost 3,000 SPDS 4. I bought a brick for 5,400 to build a new house 5. I bought a new garden for 4,000 SPDS 6. I dug a new well in the new garden Cost Cost of Hut = 350 Seeds = 540 Labour (3 workers) = 1,200 Skilled labour x 3 = 750 Fuel 180 ltrs = 300 Fence =1,400 Plowing = 200 Leveling = 65 Seedbed preparation = 450 Weeding = 250 Rent of the garden 2 feddans = 600 Insecticides = 60 Sprayer = 100 Maintenance of water pumps = 125 New water pumps = 2,550 New well = 2,570 Uprooting = 2,500 Tools = 724 Total cost = 14,734 Sales/ Season in Sudanese pounds Okra = 7,610 Jute mellow = 125 Purselane = 40 Radish = 40 Tomatoes Jan sales = 13,420 Tomatoes Feb sales = 7,866 Total sales = 29,101 Net income/ season = 29,101 – 14,734 = 14, 367 Spds EVALUATION OF THE SUDAN AGRICULTURAL MARKET & ENTERPRISE DEVELOPMENT (AMED) PROGRAM 58 7- Omar Ali Idris Omar is a member of NFA his student practicing farming as source of income currently he is sitting for Sudan School Certificate that’s why he is not spending much of his time in the garden Knowledge acquired from the workshop Organization of work, costing accounting of profit and lost and saving. Before it wasn’t like this, we don’t cost of other small input which when you add them together it will total to large amount Benefit I applied planning timing, cash flow, work plan and how to keep record. Cost Clearing feddans = 300 Plowing = 125 Leveling = 200 Seedbed = 700 Manure = 300 Seeds = 245 Labour x 3 = 1,900 Pruning = 170 Fuel = 300 Insecticides + sprayer = 305 Tools = 84 Host pipe 550 Maintenance of water pumps = 490 Rent of pump = 345 Total cost = 6,014 Sales/ Season in Sudanese pounds Total sales Tomatoes/ okra = 3,650 Expected sales from standing crop = 5,700 Total expected income = 9,250 Spds Net income/ season = 9,250 – 6,014 = 3, 236 Spds 8- Zubeir Ali Idris Zubeir is one of NFA members who did not attend the FAAB workshop; and because his is sitting for Sudan School Certificate a little of his time was devoted to gardening. But he said he had learned from his colleagues who attended the workshop and he use to consult them because they had improved significantly in their performance and they have gained much in term of income this year. Knowledge acquired from the workshop I cultivated ½ feddan which is near the stream. I had started later than every one in the group. At the moment I did not recover the cost. Benefit By the end of the season I am sure I will make some profit. If I had to attend the workshop, I am sure there will be a great different, though I had got some knowledge from my colleagues I still need to learn more from them. EVALUATION OF THE SUDAN AGRICULTURAL MARKET & ENTERPRISE DEVELOPMENT (AMED) PROGRAM 59 Cost Plowing = 320 Seedbed = 300 Tools = 52 Rent = 400 Fertilizer = 150 Seeds = 750 Labour = 320 Fuel = 200 Host pipe = 250 Maintenance of water pumps = 200 Total cost = 2742 Sales/ Season in Sudanese pounds Okra = 850 Jute mellow = 250 Radish = 150 Total sales = 1,250 Net income/ season = 2742 – 1,250 = -1,492 Spds This income is not final as I have just start selling recently; some crops are standing in the field some are not harvested yet. EVALUATION OF THE SUDAN AGRICULTURAL MARKET & ENTERPRISE DEVELOPMENT (AMED) PROGRAM 60 Example 3: SME Policy Study/Survey Host: Ministry of Commerce, Trade and Supply GOSS – Juba Assignment Number: SUD004 Date(s) of Interview: March 16, 2007 Name of Interviewer(s): Michael Lou Name of Person(s) Interviewed: Moses Kur Survey Questions: 1. Did the assignment result in any new or expanded businesses? If yes, please give the names and numbers of new businesses, number of expanded businesses, and explain what the new business or expansion provides as services/products to its clients. Please note whether these businesses are within the agricultural/agribusiness sector or other sectors. How did AMED help create this result? Yes The assignment result has expanded and created new businesses as result of adopting a new Implementation Strategy. New trading licenses are being issues at reasonable charges. There are over 200 import companies now operating in South Sudan. Most of them deal in building materials, while others deal in petroleum businesses, infrastructural business and lodging businesses. 2. Did any enterprises improve operations and offer increased employment opportunities as a result of this assignment? If yes, please state the name and number of enterprises and describe the changes. Yes. The host has executed new contracts, orders, and joint ventures with domestic as well as international construction companies, namely the Nile Construction Company and R.A. International. The two constructing companies have erected three new buildings and thoroughly renovated the two old buildings. The idea behind the construction of the new buildings is create more offices with improved working conditions to accommodate more employees. Subsequently, the host has increased manpower from 100 to 147 employees. Of these employees, two of them are females ranging from directors to messengers. The total US dollar value of the agreement is $1,000,000. Consequently, the host greatly increased employment. 3. Were any Sudanese directly employed by local client/collaborating entity of project (private firms, cooperatives, NGOs, micro-enterprises, etc)? If yes, please state the number of people employed (disaggregated by gender, resident status, geographic location). Yes. So far, the two companies have employed 18 workers as masons, carpenters and supervisors. None of the employees is female because none if not very females in South Sudan have taken interest in civil engineering profession. By geographic locations, three of the employees are from India; four are from Kenyans and 11 Southern Sudanese. All the employees reside in Juba, South Sudan. 4. Were any Sudanese indirectly employed as a result of project (farmer employment from producing products for market, selling products, etc)? If yes, please state number of people employed (disaggregated by gender, resident status, geographic location). Yes The sales of import and export licenses in the host increased from 100 to 200 within a time period of less than one year (July 2006-Feb 2007). The average trade license is $1,500. Therefore, the increase sales are from $150,000 to $300,000, 100% increase. Under this scenario, an enterprise or company employees an average of seven workers. Five percent of the indirectly employed EVALUATION OF THE SUDAN AGRICULTURAL MARKET & ENTERPRISE DEVELOPMENT (AMED) PROGRAM 61 Sudanese are females. They either sell goods in the local markets in Juba or import goods from Uganda. The Sudan Council of Churches Cafeteria which is location within the proximity of the host has employed three more female waitresses in addition to the 10 employees to meet the increasing demand for breakfast and lunch meals for the employees. The Sudan Council of Churches Cafeteria caters food for staff from various ministries such as Mining and Industry, Agriculture and Forestry, Finance and other NGOs such as UNDP, UNHCR, UNICEF, and UNHCR. 5. Were any new public-private partnerships or dialogue mechanisms established? If yes, please describe. Also, have any new jobs been created as a result of these partnerships? If so, how many new jobs created? Yes The Ministry of Commerce and Trade has created the Directorate of Private Sector Development to execute the above rules/Acts. This directorate is headed by a director, two deputies and three inspectors. There are three females at the moment in the directorate. 6. Were any policy or operational problems resolved by GOSS institutions or in expanding trade/private sector development? If yes, please describe. Yes The host has made inter-ministerial linkages with the ministries of Legal Affairs, Finance. VEGA brought in a volunteer by the name of Joann Sparacino, who developed the following Acts for the host to help expand trade and establish private sector development. Consumer Protection Act Metrication Act Regulation of Export and Import Act Standards Act Completion Act Weights and Measures Act Summary/Conclusion: Provide a brief, one paragraph summary of the survey results, which may be posted on VEGA and/or Winrock web pages. (To protect host confidentiality, please do not mention the host's name. Instead use a general description, such as 30 banana growers, milk processing plant, four credit unions, etc. As a peace dividend of the CPA, the survey conducted indicates that the GOSS trade controller has tremendously benefited from this workshop. Both new and old office spaces have been constructed to accommodate 147 employees, over 1,000 Sudanese and non-Sudanese have been employed indirectly and sales have increased two-fold from $150,000 to $300,000. In a separate paragraph, summarize lessons learned for program management and the USAID reports. Please analyze why the assignment was or was not successful and any apparent or expected broader impacts to the community, government, etc. Given the results of this assignment, it is considered a success as it was among the first callers for assistance in commerce and trade. Explicitly, the success of this assignment shows that Ministry EVALUATION OF THE SUDAN AGRICULTURAL MARKET & ENTERPRISE DEVELOPMENT (AMED) PROGRAM 62 of Commerce and Trade is able to use its technical and financial resources effectively and efficiently. EVALUATION OF THE SUDAN AGRICULTURAL MARKET & ENTERPRISE DEVELOPMENT (AMED) PROGRAM 63 ANNEX 5 – REFERENCES 1 AMED Activity Expansion Document. VEGA. September 2007. 2 AMED CA Modification 1. USAID. August 2005. 3 AMED CA Modification 2. USAID. February 2006. 4 AMED CA Modification 3. USAID. August 2006. 5 AMED CA Modification 4. USAID. September 2006. 6 AMED CA Modification 5. USAID. September 2007. 7 AMED CA Modification 6. USAID. September 2007. 8 AMED CA Modification 7. USAID. September 2007. 9 AMED Cooperative Agreement with VEGA LWA. USAID. June 2005. 10 AMED Evaluation Documentation. VEGA. 2008. 11 AMED Impact Assessments for Activities. VEGA. Various dates. 12 AMED Logframe. VEGA. 2008 13 AMED Personnel Assignment Status Report. VEGA. March 2008. 14 AMED Quarterly Reports. VEGA. Jul-Sep 2005 to Jan-Mar 2008. 15 AMED Staff Profiles. VEGA. 2008. 16 AMED Statements of Work Developed for Activities. VEGA. Various dates. 17 AMED Success Story Portfolio. VEGA. 2008. 18 AMED Volunteer Status Report. VEGA. May 2008. 19 AMED Yellow Letter Documentation File. Misc. 2008. 20 Fragile States Strategy. USAID. January 2005. 21 Gender Considerations in the Sudan AMED Program. Kabutha, Charity, Rodgers, Catherine, and Weiss, Nora. February 2007 22 Kurmuk Infrastructure Assessment. Louis Berger Group. January 2008. 23 South Sudan Business Week. April 20-30, 2008. 24 Strategic Framework for AMED Enterprise Development Projects. Winrock. March 2007 25 Support of Microfinance Development in South Sudan. VEGA. February 2008. 26 USAID Sudan Portfolio Evaluation. USAID. February 2008. 27 USAID Sudan: Strategy Statement, 2006-2008. USAID. December 2005. 28 VEGA Workplans, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008. VEGA. Various dates. EVALUATION OF THE SUDAN AGRICULTURAL MARKET & ENTERPRISE DEVELOPMENT (AMED) PROGRAM 64 ANNEX 6 – CONTACT LIST 1. Scott Allen (COP) Volunteers for Economic Growth Alliance (VEGA), Sudan Agricultural Marketing and Enterprise Development Project (AMED) 2. Gitau G. Mbure, Agricultural Marketing Advisor, AMED 3. Michelle Bahk, Business Development Consultant, AMED 4. John K. Pan Paguir, Undersecretary, GOSS, Ministry of Commerce, Trade and Supply 5. Ben K. Loduk, Director General of Administration, Finance and Operations, GOSS, Ministry of Commerce, Trade and Supply 6. Sam Taddesse, USAID/SUPPORT COP 7. Lokosang Lemi, USAID, CTO, AMED Program 8. Kual Aynen, Deputy Director for Administration, Southern Sudan Commission of War Disabled, War Widows and Orphans 9. Martin Tong, Senior IT Inspector, Southern Sudan Commission of War Disabled, War Widows and Orphans 10. Barnaba Tito Biimo, HRD Officer, Southern Sudan Commission of War Disabled, War Widows and Orphans (SSWDWOC) 11. Stephen Keuy, Director Projects and Capacity Building, SSWDWOC 12. James Wani, M&E Specialist, SSWDWOC 13. Abbas Ramba, SSWDWOC 14. Kidi Samuel, Ministry of Commerce, Trade and Supply 15. Moses Kueh, GOSS, Ministry of Commerce, Trade and Supply 16. Charity Leken, GOSS, Ministry of Commerce, Trade and Supply 17. Zachary Ireri, AMED, GOSS, Ministry of Commerce, Trade and Supply 18. Juke Mabior, owner, IT Academy-SS Business Week 19. Stanislaus Kenyi Lasu, Owner, Venus Computer Institute 20. Mary Hawa, Women’s Self Help Development Organization (WSHDO), Member of Management Committee 21. Inyani Anjelus Lagu, partner Eco-Builders 22. Cosmas Andruga, partner Eco-Builders 23. David Bala, General Manager, Crop Training Center, Yei 24. Peter Sebit, Business Development Manager, Crop Training Center, Yei 25. Bullen Bawagwe, Director of Studies, Crop Training Center, Yei 26. Marty George, AMED long-term MBA volunteer, Yei 27. Ryan Betters, AMED long-term MBA volunteer Yei 28. Joseph Ramba, Chairman, Lasu Progressive Farmers Association 29. Francis Amembe, Lasu Progressive Farmers Association 30. Edward Lukule, SUMI Headquarters and Branch, Yei 31. Samuel Ganya, Director, GIRI Farmers Development Association (GFDA), Yei 32. Cosmas Menu, Extension Worker (GFDA) 33. Bullen Khamis, (GFDA) 34. Cosmas Lokudu, (GFDA) 35. Peter Lominit, Senior Program Officer, Mugwo Community Development Forum (MCDF) Yei 36. Amba Faustine, Assistant Program Officer, (MCDF) 37. Data Samuel, carpenter, War Victim and MCDF trainee 38. Ismail Limbo, Limbo’s Academy for IT, Wau 39. Mary Peter, Chairwoman, Women’s Business Association, Wau 40. Veris Kila, Member Woman’s Business Association, Wau 41. Amelia Anselmo, Manager, VEGA Guest House, Wau 42. Khary Dickerson, VEGA MBA volunteer, Wau EVALUATION OF THE SUDAN AGRICULTURAL MARKET & ENTERPRISE DEVELOPMENT (AMED) PROGRAM 65 43. Ekonomoidis Anton, Natabo Farmers Association, Wau 44. Albert Zacharia, Secretary, Natabo Farmers Association, Wau 45. Aboud Suleiman, Agricultural Markets Senior Program Officer 46. Anwar Abudu, Carpentry Society, Wau 47. Steven Andrea, Director, State Ministry of Supply, Trade and Industry, Directorate of Planning and Statistics, Wau