ECOWAP 10 CONFERENCE
ECOWAP-DONORS’ GROUP
An Assessment of their contributions to ECOWAP/RAIP
By Begonia Rubio Coordinator of the ECOWAP Group
November 17-19, 2015
ECOWAP-DONORS’ GROUP: An Assessment of their contributions to ECOWAP/RAIP
1. ECOWAP-DONORS’ GROUP:
An Assessment of their contributions to ECOWAP/RAIP
By
Begonia Rubio
Coordinator of the ECOWAP Group
ECOWAP 10 CONFERENCE
November 17-19, 2015
2. What did we set out to do?
Conduct an assessment of the Donors’ Group
contributions to the implementation of the
ECOWAP with a focus on the last 5 years
3. How did we do it?
Consultant engaged to carry out the following:
Hold interviews with members of the Donors’ Group in Abuja, Accra,
Lomé & Ouagadougou
Hold interviews over Skype/phone with members
Hold interviews with key regional bodies
Conduct background document review
Produce a report with recommendations from the Donor Group on the
ECOWAP+10
4. What did we find?
Donor contribution to ECOWAP to date totals between US$
300-350 M
We do not know the impact of these monies on the
population of West Africa as the outcomes of these
investments have not been evaluated
There has been a serious under-investment in ECOWAP by
ECOWAS and Member States
5. What did we find?
The areas of donor support cover most of the key outcomes identified
in ECOWAP with the exception of 2 areas which have been less readily
covered:
Policies and strategies for sustainable management of
fisheries resources
Information & decision support systems operationalized
The implementation of the Regional Compact commitments has been
achieved in varying degrees of success with examples of good and poor
practice
6. What did we find?
There is a need to work towards the unification of policies, ideas
and methods rather than institutions in order to galvanise the
implementation of ECOWAP
The Regional Agricultural Fund has not been operationalised.
Given that the creation of the fund was mandated by the Heads of
State of member countries, the ECOWAP leadership should return
to this political body to seek their support in removing the
impediments that currently prevent its implementation.
The Donor Group’s greatest achievement is its creation,
endurance and commitment to provide a space for partners to
share information and address concerns in support of ECOWAP.
7. Our Recommendations
On the Coordination, Governance, Leadership, Funding and
Monitoring and Evaluation of ECOWAP
On the Compact Commitments
On the Group
On the matrix
8. Key Recommendations on Coordination,
Governance, Leadership, Funding, M&E
Review the structure of RAAF
Heads of States to address the issue of the parallel policies of ECOWAS &
WAEMU
Prioritise outcomes of ECOWAP and refocus on areas of greatest impact
Identify and remove the obstacles preventing the realisation of the Regional
Agricultural Fund
M&E should be made a “super-priority” enabling ECOWAS to report on the
achievements of ECOWAP
9. Key Recommendations on Coordination,
Governance, Leadership, Funding, M&E
Support capacity building for the department of Agriculture
ECOWAS to present to the collective body of donors (rather than deal bi-
laterally) its framework in order to identify areas of support and co-financing
required – and minimise dissipation of time, effort, money.
All regional donor/ECOWAP-related programmes /project agreements
should be established with ECOWAS; all sub-agreements directly with the
regional institutions – all report on progress to ECOWAS which should have
overview
Put in place structures to enable the sharing of learning occurring within
ECOWAP
Evaluate ECOWAP
10. Key Recommendations on Compact
Commitments
Re-sign existing set of commitments with some modification
Aid predictability should be retained without the multi-year planning
requirement
Subsidiarity to be made more active – donors should identify instances
where this is not complied with
Work more actively and jointly with ECOWAS in the implementation of the
commitments
Commitments should be a “living” document to continuously inform all donor
activities
Place emphasis on monitoring, tracking and documenting the implementation
experience of these commitments in the next RAIP
11. Key Recommendations on the Group
Rotate the Chair
Recruit a full-time project staff to support the new Chair
Establish an operating fund (through members’ contributions)
Adhere to the principles in the Compact
Greater participation in the Group meetings
Create awareness of the challenges faced by ECOWAP at very senior levels of
donor governments to enable these governments advocate to the ECOWAS
Heads of State on key issues – e.g. fund operationalisation, regular &
significant ring-fenced internal investment
12. Key Recommendations on the Group
Donors at HQ to convey to their regional & national staff the centrality of
ECOWAP/CAADP in driving the agricultural vision, programmes and approaches in
West Africa
Revise the rules of procedures of the ECOWAP Group refining objectives of the
Group and develop an implementation plan for the proposed activities
Create a virtual presence where sharing and learning on donor support to the
implementation of ECOWAP can take place on many levels – continental, regional,
national and local
Separate the technical partners from the financial partners and develop a
Statement of Work for each
13. Key Recommendations on the Group
Update the matrix
Include additional information
Analyze the data
