Fund assesses its decentralised approach to Asia-Pacific development

By RJ Whitehead

- Last updated on GMT

Fund assesses its decentralised approach to Asia-Pacific development

Related tags United nations

Government representatives and agricultural development specialists have gathered in Hanoi to discuss over two days the International Fund for Agricultural Development’s approach to decentralising its operations in Asia and the Pacific. 

The workshop will serve to inform an independent evaluation of fund’s strategy. The Hanoi event is one of the four regional workshops being used to capture the views of stakeholders of Ifad-funded operations.

Ifad began a process to decentralise from its Rome headquarters in 2003 and is now represented by offices in 40 countries. The process echoes a trend in other multilateral development institutions, including the World Bank and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, which have strengthened their presence in countries where they run operations. 

Ifad currently has 11 country offices in Asia and the Pacific, where it has financed 259 agriculture projects and development programmes since it was established in 1979, for a total investment of US$5.5bn.

Previous independent evaluations of Ifad’s operations found that the fund’s decentralisation strategy has allowed it to be closer to the projects and programmes it operates. It has also gained from greater visibility and has found it easier to draw on local expertise and talent through its network of offices. 

Its Investments in these offices has paid off in terms of both efficiency and effectiveness, the fund said in a statement, citing benefits the development of programmes and support in implementing them, alongside partnership-building, policy dialogue, knowledge management and innovation.

On the basis of the emerging findings of the evaluation, Ifad will be able to strengthen its development effectiveness on the ground and play a more effective role in the countries where it works, strengthening results and impact for project beneficiaries, and building local capacities for conducting its operations​,” said Oscar A. Garcia, director of Ifad’s Independent Office of Evaluation, which will publish its findings in December.

The evaluation will aim to answer key questions, including the relevance of decentralisation to national ownership and direction of development assistance. It will also assess the extent to which it has contributed to achieving development results and improving efficiency.

The importance of this corporate-level evaluation cannot be overstated​,” said Périn Saint Ange, Ifad’s associate vice-president. 

By understanding what has and has not worked in our decentralisation process, we will be able to improve our individual country operations and, ultimately, be more effective in improving the lives of the rural people with whom we work​.”

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