Tajikistan: Rural Development

Agriculture, natural resources and rural development / Agricultural production - Irrigation - Rural market infrastructure - Rural water supply services

Finance / Inclusive finance

Transport / Road transport (non-urban)

The project outcome is improved farm productivity. The project impact survey draft report measured 2014 yields compared to DMF targets as follows:

Wheat 2.2 t/ha : DMF target rainfed 1.7 t/ha, irrigated 3.8 t/ha

Potatoes 25.3 t/ha; DMF target rainfed 12.5 t/ha, irrigated 29.5 t/ha

Orchards 2.6 t/ha; DMF target rainfed 1.5 t/ha; irrigated 4.2 t/ha

Fodder 26.4 t/ha; DMF target rainfed 24 t/ha; irrigated 48 t/ha

1. Policy and Institutional Development and Reform

1.1 Land use rights secured

1.2 Policies and institutions for pasture lands improved

1.3 Administration and institutional aspects of business development improved

2. Sustainable Land Management (Pasture, Arable, and Forest)

2.1 Pasture and livestock planning and management skills demonstrated

2.2 Capacity for effective land management improved

2.3 Degraded lands rehabilitated

3. Agriculture and Rural Business Support

3.1 Demand-driven farm and rural business advisory services established and sustainably operated

3.2 Market information system operational

4. Rural Infrastructure Development

4.1 Raion and jamoat infrastructure planning and maintenance capacity improved

4.2 Raion and community infrastructure improved with sustainable O&M arrangements

5. Project Management

5.1 Project managed effectively

5.2 Project monitored and evaluated effectively

The project will close on 30 September 2014. At the June 2014 review mission physical implementation was 94% against elapsed time of 97% since the project was approved. The last major project contract/activity was a project impact survey, of which a draft report was submitted in early-September 2014. A description of progress in implementing project activities by output follows:

Output 1.1 Land rights secured

All activities were completed as part of the Rushdie Dehot (Contract 8), which was completed on 15 December 2011, and PMU activities. ACTED (Contracts 4&5) further developed some of the activities for this output.

Output 1.2 Policies and institutions for pasture lands improved

All activities were completed as part of the GITEC (Contract 3) work. The main achievements were an international conference, development of a sector assessment, and government adoption of a pasture law.

Output 1.3: Administrative and institutional aspects of business development improved

All activities were completed. PMU submitted report in March 2010 on costs of business interference by raion authorities, and carried out various trainings.

Output 2.1: Pasture and livestock planning and management skills demonstrated

GITEC completed all activities as designed including establishment of pasture user committees and demonstration sites.

Output 2.2: Capacity for effective land management

Following failure to contract a bidder for contract 3, GITEC accepted responsibility and included the activities (on a reduced scale) into Contract 2. Apart from the establishment of a network of collaborative institutions, which was partly achieved, all activities were completed.

Output 2.3: Degraded lands rehabilitated

GITEC was responsible for these activities. The assessment of degraded arable land was partly achieved. The remaining activities were achieved, including establishment of demonstration sites, agroforestry and nurseries.

Output 3.1: Demand-driven farm and rural business advisory services

ADB advised the Government on 14 February 2014 cancellation of the $4.1 million credit line activity (activity 3.1.6). This was made on the basis that there was limited project impact from implementing the credit line at such a late stage given (i) the other activities that the credit line was to complement were completed, and (ii) there was insufficient implementation time remaining in the project.

ACTED completed the remaining activities in this output including establishing advisory centers.

Output 3.2: Market information system operational

The activities for this output were completed. ACTED undertook a market appraisal of market chains in Kyrgystan, Kazakhstan, and Turkey.

Output 4.1: Raion and jamoat infrastructure planning and maintenance capacity

All activities were completed by the PMU including establishing community groups to develop subprojects, develop subsector plans, and undertake community training.

Output 4.2: Raion and community infrastructure improved with sustainable operation and maintenance arrangements

This output was partly achieved, with 23 out of 32 approved subprojects completed, while 4 contracts were declared misprocurement by ADB, and 5 bid evaluations were not supported and thus not contracted.

Output 5.1: Project managed effectively

The activities in this output were completed. International and national consultants were recruited, financial management system was established, and relevant QCBS and NCB contracts were prepared and contracted.

Output 5.2: Project monitored and evaluated effectively

Most activities were completed including establishing a M&E system, submission of reports, and undertaking a baseline survey. The final report of the project impact assessment survey will be submitted by 30 September 2014.

In the project area, more than 11% (62,617) of the population is of ethnic minority origin. The major ethnic minority is the ethnic Uzbek group, which accounts for more than 98% (61,365) of the ethnic population. However, more than 70% (43,616) of the ethnic Uzbek minority is found in the non-cotton-growing jamoats of Rudaki, 27% (16,723) in Vahdat, and the remaining 3% in Varzob. Other smaller ethnic minority groups include Russians (found in very small numbers in each of the project raions and primarily married to ethnic Tajik), Kyrgyz, and Ukrainians

A range of specific actions targeted at ethnic minority groups have been designed to ensure they will also benefit proportionately from the Project. These include: (i) the use of facilitators fluent in the Uzbek language, (ii) the inclusion of at least one ethnic Uzbek facilitator, where necessary, among community-based facilitators in local communities; (iii) the hiring of a national gender and social development specialist with an understanding of ethnic minority development issues, to spend up to 30% of the consulting assignment supporting ethnic Uzbek communities; and (iv) budget support specifically for the monitoring of project impact on ethnic minority groups, including the use of participatory techniques to ensure the active involvement of ethnic minority stakeholders in the monitoring and evaluation of project benefits.

The Project will provide 2,260 person-months of consulting services, to be provided by international (184 person-months) and national consultants (2,076 person-months). The consultants will be selected under separate consulting-firm contracts for: pasture land sector assessment and implementation; the development of curricula and capacity in pasture land management at an educational institution; agriculture and rural business advisory services; the establishment of a market information system; and project management. The consultants will be recruited according to ADB's Guidelines on the Use of Consultants (April 2006, as amended from time to time). The selection will be based on full technical proposals and quality for the first two contracts, and on

quality and cost for the other three contracts.

Goods, related services, and civil works will be procured according to ADB's Procurement Guidelines (April 2006, as amended from time to time).:

Infrastructure civil works $4,200,000 (NCB)