Conducted Joint Monitoring Visit
Published By: HVAP        on: 2015-01-16

High Value Agriculture Project (HVAP) organized a joint monitoring visit to Surkhet-Chhinchu-Jajarkot road corridors from 1-3 Jan. 2015. The visit focused on two performance areas;

·          Project Achievements and Effectiveness

·          Sustainability Issues

The aim of the joint monitoring was to observe HVAP project intervention at the field level from the eyes of district and regional level stakeholders and getting their feedback for further improvement based on performance indicator i.e. project effectiveness and sustainability.

The joint monitoring team was led by chairperson of project coordination committee group (PCCG) members (7) along with representatives from ministry of agricultural development (MOAD), Directorates from Agriculture and Livestock. The team visited particular areas of Surkhet-Chinchu-Jajarkot road corridors such as Ramghat, Lekhfarsa, Majkanda (Salyan district) and Birndranagar of Surkhet-Chinchu road corridor and Matela at Jajarkor. During the visit, the team observed HVAP interventions such as off season vegetable farming, commercial ginger production, turmeric processing unit, goat farming and interacted with producers, traders, processers and district based line agencies so as to know the project achievements, effectiveness and coordination mechanisms. The major observation and recommendations provided by the visit team are as follows;

Major Observations:

Response made by the monitoring team in terms of field observation was satisfactory. The team has found some of the remarkable success, achievements and changes made by the project. It can be listed as the team were highly satisfactory with the HVAP working modality (inclusive business), coverage (road corridor approach) and planning process (participatory). At the same time, the team has observed various good cases of OSV, Goat, and Ginger, Turmeric that clearly shows increased level of income, collective marketing and commercializing and good market linkages. The positive aspect of the HVAP is its strong coordination mechanisms with various service providers that drive it to the success.

Recommendations:

Though the project is well designed and producing prolific changes at the community level (producers to traders and suppliers), the team has observed some areas to be improved which are as follows;

               * HVAP has been supporting farmers and private sectors for inclusive business                                          development. Now, the project should leave them for self-dependent.

* Technical backstopping is needed for the group of producers. They have insufficient     technical knowledge, skills and innovations. They are still bit far from the commercialization.

* Farmers, producers, processors and even traders promoted by HVAP can visualize success; however; however, they have lacked factual information (data base) to show changes on volume of production, areas of increment, level of increased income.

* Private entrepreneurs (processers) delaying to set up processing equipment.

* Need to promote visibility of project interventions such print flex and set up hoarding board to show success.

* HVAP has completed more than half of the project period where the target made by the project is not so appreciable. Hence, the team should gear up the program activities so as to accomplish remaining activities within the program period.

* HVAP coordination mechanisms are very strong, now the team has to think about institutionalising activities from the sustainability aspects.

* Issues of agriculture insurance and micro-credit facilities were dealt on various places which was major concerns of the community. Hence, the project should also think about it.

Conclusion:

The monitoring team expressed that the project has produced some of the remarkable changes at the community level through value chain inclusive business approach. HVAP's modality of partnership being led by Government of Nepal including private sector, I/NGO and communities is new for MoAD and the joint monitoring team hope that it will ensure sustainability of the project activities even after the project completion.