Programme for the Development of Integrated Crop-Livestock Production in Low Rainfall Areas of Mashreq and Maghreb Phase II: Participatory Validation of Integrated Systems Technology Packages to Improve Adaptability under Favorable Policy Environments: Completion Review Mission Report


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Date

2002-06-23

Date Issued

2002-06-23

Citation

Nasri Haddad, Ali Eltom. (23/6/2002). Programme for the Development of Integrated Crop-Livestock Production in Low Rainfall Areas of Mashreq and Maghreb Phase II: Participatory Validation of Integrated Systems Technology Packages to Improve Adaptability under Favorable Policy Environments: Completion Review Mission Report. Beirut, Lebanon: International Center for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas (ICARDA).
This review mission has been commissioned by IFAD with clear and explicit TOR aimed at assessing the progress achieved and the constraints encountered during the implementation of phase II of the Mashreq and Maghreb ( M&M ) programme which has targeted poor farmers and small ruminant producers in the low rainfall areas of the region. The review would concentrate on the three main programme components of (a) the technological package aimed at a structural increase of productivity of the crop livestock and pastoral livestock production systems; (b) the development of community institutions, and, (c) the policy and institutional reforms essential for programme sustainability. The M&M programme covers eight countries of the WANA region, Jordan, Syria, Lebanon and Iraq in the Mashreq sub-region and Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia and Libya in the Maghreb subregion. Mission duration was from 30 March to 20 April and from 9 to 21 June, 2002. Its programme consisted of desk studies and review of documents, progress reports and related literature, extensive field visits and interviews with farmers, herdsmen, technical and administrative staff, and high-powered policy makers, planners and executives. In addition to visits to six of the eight participating countries, the HQs of ICARDA in Aleppo (Syria) was visited where relevantly useful discussions were conducted with a multi-disciplinary group from the staff of the ICARDA and IFPRI. The mission spent considerable time at IFAD HQs and discussed their draft report with the staff, and presented their findings in a seminar. An objective assessment of the progress made hitherto by the project has revealed wide differences between the participating countries in the realization of the set objectives as well as in the pace of progress made and the magnitude and significance of the problems and constraints encountered. However, it may be stated with some degree of generalization that considerable progress has been made across the board in the development and delivery of the technological packages related to feed production and to the promotion and application of alternative animal feeds and improvement of small ruminants, in addition to some modest achievements in land use planning and in small ruminants health. In spite of the good progress that has been made in the policy and property rights research in three countries (Morocco, Tunisia and Jordan) the work on the other five countries was lagging behind. Furthermore, work on marketing, finance and credit has not been addressed. With the exception of a few countries, government presence and involvement in the programme has been limited, although awareness of its importance for future development is increasing. Given the short time since the inception of the M&M programme, it can be stated with certainty that the community approach has been implemented and progressed. The project has also succeeded to a considerable extent in promoting and consolidating intra and inter-sub-regional cooperation and exchange of experiences. Socio-economic planning (modeling) has been usefully accomplished in three of the four participating countries entrusted with the assignment. In many of the participating countries, programme activities have been very closely associated with an active tempo and momentum of women activities including farming and non-farming vocations. The review team has been guided by its TOR to look into future prospects, possibilities and options. The team has given this aspect profound and objective thinking and has weighed with adequate flexibility and assumptions the feasible alternatives. In so doing, due consideration was given to the interests of the enthusiastic stakeholders, the wishes expressed by government representatives as well as possible reactions of the potential stakeholders