Development Cooperation 105054: IRIS Project No.
AFG/14/01/SID: TC Symbol
Progress Report SIDA: Donor
ROAP: Administrative Unit
(DCPR)
Country or Region: AFGHANISTAN
Title: Road to Jobs: Bringing decent work to rural households of Northern provinces of
Afghanistan
P&B Outcome: 3
Report: Annual For projects reporting on an annual basis, all sections must be
completed and the report must cover the previous 12 months.
6-month For projects reporting twice per year, all sections must be completed
and the report must cover the previous 6 months.
Quarterly For projects reporting on a quarterly basis, every second and fourth
report (i.e. twice a year) should complete all sections. The other
reports may leave out sections 3 and 4.
Sequence: 2nd report 3rd report 4th report 5th report 6th
7th report 8th report 9th report 10th report 11th report
Related project(s): Road to Jobs Project: AFG/14/01/SID
Reporting Information
Reporting period: From January to December 2017
Report prepared by: Tonderai Manoto, Acting CTA March 2018
Report reviewed by:
Merten Sievers ,
I have reviewed the classifications and agree they
are a fair and accurate reflection of progress
Reviewer initials: EM
Report approved by:
Manzoor Khaliq,
I have reviewed the classifications and agree they
are a fair and accurate reflection of progress
Approver initials: MK
Instructions
This is the standard ILO format for extra-budgetary development cooperation progress reporting. Information
submitted in DCPRs will be collected and used by the ILO to monitor progress towards results.
DCPRs must be submitted as per the schedule outlined in the Approval Minute.
Please note this is the format for interim reports only. Final progress reports must use a different template.
For guidance on completing the DCPR please visit:
www.ilo.org/intranet/english/bureau/pardev/tcguides/templates.htm
Annual-Technical Progress Report R2J Project-Afghanistan 2017
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Introduction
The implementation in 2017 has led to several successful interventions that the project would like to
consolidate and consider for scaling up and replication in the next phase. The project invested in building
many partnerships with key market actors and players and poor women and men made a total net income
of USD1 882 989. There were 247 full time jobs created (120 women and 127 men). There were 48 402
improved jobs in all interventions in the year under review. The lesson learnt is that full participation and
inclusiveness of stakeholders is time-consuming and therefore requires strong and mutual commitment. The
project invested more in building the capacity of local consultants and ended up with 3 local business
development services (BDS) companies set up to support Road to Jobs (R2J) project implementation. Two of
those companies have competencies in monitoring, evaluation and market research and the third one in
entrepreneurship development and enterprise management. There was greater investment in private sector
partnerships which saw offtakers making USD81 169, middlemen USD45 030 and workers USD70 681 as net
incomes during the year.
R2J project managed to leverage additional resources from RADP-N/DAI/USAID and UNHCR for women’s
economic empowerment and this has also helped the project to achieve better targeting of beneficiaries as
UNHCR mainly focuses on internally displaced people (IDPs) and returnees. There were 630 women
entrepreneurs trained. The ILO-Lab project in Geneva has provided technical backstopping to the project
especially in improving the monitoring and results measurement system (MRM). Through the Lab project,
R2J project was selected to give a sole presentation on the application of the Donor Committee for Enterprise
Development (DCED) standard for MRM in fragile and conflict affected settings at the DCED-BEAM Seminar
2018
R2J has put effort in ensuring that the visibility of the project and that of the funding donor (Sida) is highly
promoted in the region. Several workshops and knowledge sharing events were held in Afghanistan bringing
together various stakeholders. In addition to producing and publishing monthly issues of ‘Newsflash’
covering events and key activities taking place, the project also developed a knowledge sharing platform to
reach out to the general public both in the country and beyond. Social media tools including Facebook and
You-Tube were utilized.
The project finalized the selection of two financial services providers (FSPs) to partner with in improving
access to financial services among poor women and men. The project also introduced the ILO Start and
Improve Your Business (SIYB) programme to drive women’s economic empowerment and managed to train
338 women entrepreneurs. This also included the GET Ahead programme meant for illiterate women which
trained 330. The successful launch of the mobile phone based extension service (2-3-4 Service) marks the
beginning of a revolution in the form of private sector-led extension in Afghanistan.
1. Budget / Planning Information
Project budget in USD: 7,641,365
Project duration in months: 43 Planned Actual
Project start date: Dec, 2014 April, 2015
Project end date: Nov, 2017 December 2018
2. NARRATIVE REPORT
2.1. Perspectives on current status
Briefly explain
the overall
status of project
implementation,
making
reference to
progress under
each immediate
objective.
The overall goal of the Road to Jobs project is More and better jobs in selected Northern Provinces contribute to improved livelihoods and poverty
reduction.
The project aims at addressing the underlying causes of poor market systems performance in selected agricultural sub-sectors. The following was done
to continue to work towards this goal.
• Both review and implementation of 17 interventions in almonds, cotton, textiles, livestock, dairy and poultry continued in 2017.
• Three more willing partners were identified and engaged in the grapes value chain.
• Interventions were designed, 10 partners identified and deals signed for implementation in the cotton value chain in Balkh.
• The project embarked on a comprehensive process to identify, broker and structure market deals with financial services providers (FSPs)
in order to ensure the poor access financial services.
• A mid-term review of the project was undertaken and recommendations incorporated into the project plan to improve performance.
• A DCED pre-audit was also undertaken and it concluded that overall R2J does quite well in implementing the MRM system (interventions
are well planned based on carefully considered facts and assumptions, there is a system for measuring results that is reasonably well implemented
and there is a review system in place to guide interventions). The recommendations made were all taken on board.
• Capacity building for both staff and partners was continued.
Outcome 0: More and better jobs in selected Northern Provinces contribute to improved livelihoods and poverty reduction
The project managed to facilitate marked changes in incomes at company, households and individual levels. The market linkage deals
which were implemented in 2017 enabled poor women and men and their partner companies to increase their incomes. New jobs
were also created during the course of the year. Please see tables of incomes and jobs below.
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Annual-Technical Progress Report R2J Project-Afghanistan 2017
Attributed Income generated by market actors in
2017
Intervention Net income US($) Remarks
Company Middlemen Farmers Workers Total
Dairy market linkage 8271 8290 10504 19232 46297 100% Attributable income
Para-vets. Vet services 18112 10535 1160529 0 1189176 Not attributable, as NHLP, DCA, Agha Khan and other
organizations are working in the livestock sector
Poultry buyback 1890 8283 6123 0 16296 100% Attributable income
Grape Juice 4348 5481 31102 1248 42179 100% Attributable income except farmers, as NHLP, RADP-N
and other market actors working in the area
Extension services on
GAP
1200 2400 369870 0 373470 Not 100% attributed for farmers, as NHLP, RADP-N are
working in grape sector
Radio Azad 2325 0 0 0 2325 100% Attributable income
Chicken litter/organic
fertilizer
0 16 2400 18777 21193 100% Attributable income
Almond quality
improvement
0 0 4756 0 4756 100% Attributable income, farmers sold with 10% higher price
to the export companies than the market price
SIYB 0 0 0 8530 8530 10% of the trained entrepreneurs assumed that they started
and expanded new business. Impact assessment is going to
happen in April 2018, and will prove this hypothesis.
Get Ahead 0 0 0 2000 2000 10% of the trained entrepreneurs assumed to have started
and expanded new businesses. Impact assessment is going to
happen in April 2018, and will prove this hypothesis.
Cotton extension
services
13603 0 252905 8971 275479 100% Attributable income
Textile company 15994 1201 0 7708 24903 100% Attributable income
Cold storage 7426 8824 0 4215 20465 100% Attributable income
Renewable energy-SP 8000 0 44800 0 52800 100% Attributable income
Total 81169 45030 1882989 70681 2079869
Attributed Jobs generated by the
project in 2017
Intervention Jobs created Remarks
FTE jobs Improved jobs (Increased
income to farmers)
Indirect improved jobs Total
Men Women
Dairy market
linkage
22 2 365 100 489 365 farmers attributed, 100 indirect are the
milk sellers who are trained by MMCs and
sell milk to the MCCs at the same villages.
Paravets-Vet
services
9 0 46367 46376 Para-vets expanded their business to new 15
villages+138 formers.
Poultry
buyback
24 2 0 26 100% Attributed
Grape Juice 2 1 40 43 100% Attributed
Extension
services on
GAP to grape
farmers
8 0 596 604 Not 100% attributed, as NHLP, RADP-N are
working in grape sector
Chicken
litter/organic
fertilizer
8 8 5 21 100% Attributed
Almond
quality
improvement
0 0 25 25 100% Attributed, 25 farmers contracted and
sold quality almond to export companies
SIYB 28.4 56.9 0 85.3 10% of the trained entrepreneurs assumed
that they started and expanded new
business. Impact assessment is going to
happen in April 2018, and will prove this
hypothesis.
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Annual-Technical Progress Report R2J Project-Afghanistan 2017
Get Ahead 10 30 0 40 10% of the trained entrepreneurs assumed
that they started and expanded new
business. Impact assessment is going to
happen in April 2018, and will prove this
hypothesis.
Cotton
extension
services
4.4 8 1000 1012.4 100% Attributed
Textile
company
3 15 0 15 100% Attributed
Cold storage 2.7 0 4 6.7 100% Attributed
Renewable
energy-Solar
pump
5 0 0 5 Estimated for 16 installed solar pump.
Impact assessment will be conducted in May
2018.
Total 127 120 48402 100 48748
Programme Management Unit
Project relocated to the UNAMA compound to improve security. Contracts with WFP and UNDP for lease of vehicles were discontinued
to reduce operational costs because 2 project vehicles had finally been delivered. The contracting for the Gender and Livelihoods
Officer fell through because the candidate who had been identified ended up turning down the offer due to the delay in the
contracting. The Programme assistant was upgraded into the role and offered support to carry out the work under the CTA’s close
supervision.
ii) Programme oversight
The project advisory committee (PAC) met twice to review the mid-term report and to help plan for the knowledge sharing event which R2J project
hosted in October 2017.
Outcome 1: Collaboration and co-ordination among local stakeholders for local economic development is improved
Stakeholder consultations and working groups
The R2J Project continued to facilitate the convening of stakeholder working groups in order to ensure coordination, unity of purpose and focus
on resolving pertinent issues of common interest among market actors in the different value chains.
• The cotton value chain lacks coordination among market actors. R2J project invested heavily in stakeholder consultative engagements.
After the cotton value chain market systems analysis (MSA) a validation workshop was convened. This brought together government
departments, farmers’ groups, various middlemen, ginners, FSPs, transporters, inputs suppliers and BDS companies. In order to get policy
makers involved it was then agreed to bring in the ministry of agriculture. The deputy minister of agriculture was engaged and work on
the Cotton Development Policy was tackled well. MAIL was supported to convene policy dissemination workshops in Kabul and Mazar.
• During the development of mobile phone extension messages for Roshan’s 2-3-4 Service, R2J facilitated the setting up and convening of
Content Development Committees (CDC) chaired by MAIL. These met at ministry level and received training on how to develop content
for mobile phones. These brought together private sector actors involved in cotton, grapes and wheat. Extension experts, Academics,
Researchers, Seed breeders and International NGOs were also part of the committees. Three message sets were produced by the 3 The
Samangan Livestock Committee was formed among livestock farmers, DAIL and para-vets to work on solutions to the challenges faced by
stakeholders. The output was a suite of messages now on the 2-3-4 service hosted by Roshan, the MNO managing the extension service
in Afghanistan. A cotton development platform was suggested by MAIL as more appropriate to keep all investment and development
activities coordinated.
• BCCI continued to be the main focal point for most of the private sector engagement efforts. BCCI was instrumental in mobilising the
business community and consumers to the R2J knowledge sharing event (KSE) in October 2018. Their capacity to recruit more members
and deliver services to members has improved.
• R2J project’s local economic development (LED) coordinators continued to attend the attend the monthly provincial economic
development committee meetings to give updates on what the project is doing and to learn what others are doing and seek coordination
and partnership.
• The project facilitated the participation of its private sector partners in 5 provincial and national trade exhibitions in Mazar and Kabul
where the participants earned a total of USD45346 in the year.
Implementation of PACA Proposals from 6 agricultural sub-sectors
Considerable progress was made in the implementation of pilots in the following interventions
• Conversion of chicken litter to organic fertilizer. Drukhshan continued to contract with poultry farmers for supply of chicken litter without
R2J intervention. The relationship with farmers has grown.
• Dairy development to benefit women farmers. Pakiza’s arrangement with milk collection centres and farmers is working very well. The
market linkage has allowed at least 519 women dairy farmers to sell milk on any given day.
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Annual-Technical Progress Report R2J Project-Afghanistan 2017
• Chicken buy-back scheme to support poultry farmers. This contractual arrangement between Balkh Poultry company and poultry farmers
included inputs supply and enabled farmers to supply chickens and repay their loans to the company.
• Improving farmer access to good quality livestock medicines. Well beyond the training, paravets managed to extend their reach to
thousands more livestock farmers working together and with the farmers to make it a win-win for all.
• Improving the quality of exported almonds. Besides getting training on integrated pest and productivity management, almond export
companies came to sign contracts with farmers. Their interaction grew beyond the facilitation efforts of R2J project.
A few interventions had to be dropped because not much progress was being made.
• Women’s enterprises in processing pickles. They are already processing pickles and it turned out there was little room for any
improvement. The decision was to look at some activities with potential for growth like carpet making and garments.
• Women’s enterprises involving soap making. There was no progress with the women’s groups.
• Trellising systems for grape productivity improvement. Farmers seemed not be interested in the new technology because it does not
integrate into already existing grapevines. It seems to require complete uprooting of vines to start afresh.
Outcome 2: The position of poor and disadvantaged groups within selected sub-sectors is improved
The summary outcome was altogether positive for poor people in 2017. Farmers collectively made an income of USD1 882 989. There were 48
402 improved jobs, 247 new jobs ( 120 women, 127 men) and 100 improved jobs. There were others who benefitted from capacity building
programmes which enabled them to support poor people better. R2J project undertook a number of initiatives to address this issue.
• Certified SIYB Trainers, Business Coaches and Mentors set up SIYB Afghanistan, a business development services (BDS) company in Mazar-
I-Sharif to continue to offer entrepreneurship training to enterprising women and men. This is a sign of the market system responding to
need and building up resilience to sustain the provision of such a service in the market place. The project supported the market system
by certifying 8 more trainers in 2017.
• In 2017, 769 entrepreneurs were trained in SIYB, 11 received coaching support to help them improve their businesses. This should begin
to translate to better management of businesses and increased incomes for the poor women and men trained. 125 (estimated as 10%)
have set up enterprises. An assessment of enterprises and jobs will be carried out in 2018.
• Pakiza Dairy in Mazar city, partnered with R2J project to train another 750 women dairy farmers in Dawlatabad. The training enabled the
women to position themselves well to supply milk to Pakiza without loss or with less rejection rates. To show the training did not just
represent a one-off intervention and had actual results to date there are still at least 510 female farmers actively selling milk to the
company on any single day.
• The training of 18 para-vets from Samangan province helped to ensure that more than 5,000 farmers have access to better veterinary
services and medicines to reduce livestock losses and one paravet also expanded his veterinary medicine store in Aybak city and his service
delivery improved to the extent that more farmers were now walking in to buy medicines for their animals.
• The project supported the training of 200 almond farmers in Integrated Pest Management (IPM). Five private exporters of almonds
facilitated the training and ended up signing production contracts with 50 farmers on a trial basis. This has helped poor farmers improve
their production systems, manage their crop better and the 50 farmers’ incomes increased as a result of the training.
• Chicken farmers continued to sell litter to Drukhshan Balkh Poultry company. Poor farmers have been able to earn an income from waste.
The organic fertilizer made by Drukhshan has proven to improve the soil structure for those farmers who have used it. The price is lower
than the chemical fertilizers by almost 45% and this means the cost of production went down for users of the fertilizer. The environmental
pollution by poultry farmers is reducing with increased purchase of the chicken litter.
• The poultry buy-back system helped generate access to finance and inputs for 40 poultry farmers. These are very poor farmers and 65%
of these made at least 90% profit from 3 cycles of chicken production. 35% made losses and indicated they would not try this again. Balkh
Poultry Company also increased its interest in making this scheme bigger because they now had a good incentive to invest more as a result
of a successful pilot. This now opens up opportunities for more poultry farmers. A new career opportunity has arisen for freelance
extension people who are paid by the company based on the service they provide to farmers. The service cost is met by the farmers and
the cost is deducted from the total cost of the chickens at the time of buy-back by the company.
• Radio Azad and its ‘Farmer’s Voice’ broadcast programme has helped disseminate information on GAP in a very engaging way for farmers
reaching at least 1,200 farmers in its pilot. The business model applied makes it possible for Radio Azad to continue these broadcasts at
no cost to the poor farmers as long as the Radio Station is able to sell advertising air time to companies interested in marketing their
products to the farmers.
• The project, in partnership with the ministry of agriculture, irrigation and livestock (MAIL), Roshan (a mobile network operator - MNO)
and Human Network International (HNI) launched the 2-3-4 service in Afghanistan so as to provide free agriculture information using a
commercial model. Farmers are able to dial 2-3-4 for free in October 2017. At least 1250 farmers have been reached with this service
making information on GAP more accessible for poor farmers who need it the most but are least able to pay for it.
• 16 grapes farmers received loans worth USD44 800 and installed solar powered water pumps for irrigation. This represents a significant
increase in efficiency, reduction in greenhouse gas emissions (GHG), reduction in costs and ultimately and increase in farmer incomes.
FINCA’s partnership with Ilyas solar power company to make solar pumps available to poor farmers helps improve the situation for them.
• The partnership with Hamid Saadat Non-Alcoloholic Beverages company supported 200 farmers with extension and markets for fresh
grapes. The same happened with Meran Gorzah Gah Cold storage company. The added benefit to the poor was the availability of fresh
Afghani grapes on the market 2 months after the normal harvest season. These grapes are available at market prices (the price of cold
storage and imported grapes seems equal, 70-80 Afs/kg for both, but the cold storage had good demand as the grapes were fresh).
• Aryana Balkh textile company agreed to pilot with recruitment of 15 female textile workers, train and permanently employ them and the
outcome was very positive. There were disparities between women’s (USD100/ month) wages and men’s wages (USD145/month) for the
same job. This was picked up during monitoring by a local consultant and the project will now engage the local trade union to champion
workers’ rights and decent work. The number of mistakes reduced when women were engaged. Occupational hazards and accidents also
reduced by 50% due to the investment in skills training of the workers. Negotiations are already under way to employ 30 more women.
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Annual-Technical Progress Report R2J Project-Afghanistan 2017
• Jin and Press ginners partnered with R2J on a business model which allowed the company to give inputs loans on credit to 1000 cotton
farmers to grow cotton on contract. The company provided extension services to the farmers and the output per farmer increased. Loan
repayment was 97% and the company bought more cotton from the farmers than in previous years. This will be repeated in 2018. Farmers
had access to finance, inputs and extension services in a package and this helped improve on productivity 850kg/Ha and incomes
USD1285/ha. This means that cotton enterprise was profitable for farmers and this needs to be improved and extended to more farmers.
• An agreement with the National Union of Afghan Workers and Employees (NUAWAE) and the union will engage with all workers in R2J
interventions and support them to get improved working conditions. This approach will see NUAWE receive proper technical input and
support on workers’ activities and this automatically create conditions for tripartite negotiations around all decent work deficits.
• R2J project invested in building the capacity of 5 food processing companies in international food safety standards. The companies
received training, production system audits and recommendations on what to improve in order to improve food safety standards. Two
cotton oil companies, grape juice manufacturer, dairy processor and fresh grapes storage company enlisted for the training. The
companies have since incorporated the training into their production processes and they are now ready to apply for food safety standards
certification. This will now happen in 2018. This is a positive development for the thousands of consumers who buy their products.
Outcome 3: Access to and utilization of financial services by the farmers and disadvantaged groups improved.
The search for suitable FSPs to partner with to address this outcome was stepped up in 2017. R2J project issued a limited call for proposals to 4
shortlisted FSPs. These are FINCA, FMFB, OXUS and Bakhtar bank. The project then hired and inclusive finance specialist to come and evaluate
the proposed innovations. This was backstopped by Inclusive Finance Unit in ILO headquarters. A final shortlist was produced with FINCA and
FMFB as the FSPs of choice and OXUS as a possibility. Negotiations for contracting were held and will be finalised early in 2018.
Although R2J has not partnered with an official FSP, it has anyway piloted embedded financial services through the companies which provide
inputs on credit to farmers. This was the case with 16 farmers who bought solar pumps worth USD34 000 through credit arrangements between
a solar company and FSP. The chicken buy-back project benefitted 60 farmers with inputs loans to start broiler production operations which
reached a 97% repayment rate. The cotton farming inputs credit scheme between Jinn and Press company and 330 farmers was also a good
case in point of embedded financial services which farmers accessed as a result of the partnership R2J project negotiated with the company.
2.2 Issues and actions the report
Examine the main
challenges facing
the timely delivery
of outputs and
achievement of
immediate
objectives. Please
explain delays
duration and the
reasons why.
These can be
issues that have
already been
encountered or are
foreseen.
Staff turn-over faced in the past year
The candidate who was selected after interviews turned down the job offer very late in September 2017 and it was too late to start the recruitment
again. The programme assistant who was recruited was given the women’s empowerment portfolio. It does take time to build networks and trust
among stakeholders but progress was made.
One of the 2 LED coordinators left the project at the end of September 2017 and the CTA also left at the end of the year. Their replacement will
take place early in 2018.
Unabated security situation
The security situation took a marked downward turn in the last quarter of 2017 as a disagreement between the government and the provincial
governor opened up opportunities for insurgents and those engaged in crime. This further undermined local investors’ confidence making it more
difficult to find more partners to pilot business models which could help create more jobs and help increase incomes. The security situation
continued to render the economy fragile. Movement is limited and this slows progress and restricts monitoring to safe areas. In our kind of work
it is important to continuously have interface with partners especially during periods of implementation.
Examine to which
extent
expenditure is in
line with budget
forecasts. Please
explain any over or
underspend and
the reasons why.
Year 2017
Expenditure Category Budget Actual Balance Remarks
Outcome 1: Rapid Market Assessment
(RMA) 368.20 368.20 0
The remaining funds were utilized for stakeholder
consultations which followed after the cotton
market system analysis which was done in 2016.
Sector selection ( Urban and
Agriculture ) 0.00 0.00 0.00
This activity was finalised in 2016 so no
expenditure in 2017.
Local competitiveness assessment
(PACA) and thematic assessment
240.18 -240.18
The project continued to use locally recruited and
trained PACA consultants to support data collection
in insecure areas. Their costs were met from this
line. Because they are volunteers seconded by the
stakeholder community to support the project,
only their costs of undertaking activities are met.
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Annual-Technical Progress Report R2J Project-Afghanistan 2017
Value chain Analysis (VCA) 0.00 0.00 0.00 There were no activities planned in this year.
Implementation phase planning 25,000 0.00 25,000.00
The planning session was carried out from the
office because it was not feasible to do it outside
the office. The security situation would not allow so
the money was never spent.
Project Personnel 815,333.24 817,720.22 -2,386.98
The slight budget overrun is as a result of 2 drivers’
staff salary increment resulting from overtime
payments which had not been adequately
provided for.
Supplies and Commodity 385,562.92 270,408.29 115,154.62
This activity was covered fully from the budget line
as envisaged but a surplus was realised because of
the budget revision which was done in November
2017 as a result of the no-cost extension. The
balance remaining was meant to cover the 6
months rental to May 2018 and it was reflected in
the 2017 budget.
Equipment 181,177.25 29,115.63 152,061.62
All planned procurements for furniture and
equipment were not fully expended because the
project moved to better, more secure and spacious
offices in UNAMA compound and there were
furnishings and safety equipment already there.
Project Support Costs 409,371.56 215,225.32 194,146.24
This activity was covered fully from the budget line
as envisaged and the remainder was for the period
December 2016 to May 2018 as a result of the
budget revision necessitated by the no-cost project
extension.
Total 2,087,221.40 1,333,077.84 488,509.28
Explain corrective
actions taken or to
be taken regarding
implementation
challenges, delayed
delivery, over or
underspend and
the low probability
of achieving
immediate
objectives.
Staff turn-over faced during the year
R2J project had to take mitigation measures in order to avoid stalling implementation of project activities. When the programme assistant joined
the project she was given the women’s economic empowerment portfolio. This helped to reduce the workload on the market systems development
officer (his job is to advise the LED Coordinators and support them in managing their portfolio of interventions). The CTA continued to manage the
SIYB entrepreneurship programme.
Unabated security situation
R2J continued to call on the PACA facilitators to help with privately reaching partners in other hard-to-reach areas. The project also invested
more in the capacity building of 2 local BDS companies to help with monitoring of interventions in difficult areas. Work was out sourced to these
companies. The R2J team works closely with them.
Briefly explain any
reformulations of
project immediate
objectives or
outputs, and their
corresponding
indicators and
targets.
There were no project reformulations in 2017.
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Annual-Technical Progress Report R2J Project-Afghanistan 2017
Please describe
whether within the
reporting period
any efficiency
gains have been
realized.
This can be
achieved through:
- Learning,
improved or
shared
knowledge; -
Partnerships with
key stakeholders,
- Sequencing of
activities;
- Cost
savings; -
Economies of
scale1 or scopeb
by combining
activities within a
project, or
between projects; -
Other (please
explain).
R2J project invested in building the capacity of local partners so as to make them more efficient in data collection in highly insecure areas. The
partnership with independent consultants was strengthened. These were able to carry out monitoring assignments in highly insecure areas for
project staff to access. Identification of female beneficiaries for entrepreneurship development and empowerment interventions was shared
with partners like ACTED, UNHCR and RADP-N. The project managed to leverage resources to reach more women entrepreneurs. Other
investment made in partnerships is detailed below.
1. Radio Azad
This is a pilot to commercialise extension services through radio. It is also a cheap way of disseminating extension information to farmers in the
language they understand and during the time they are likely to be listening and with the messages packaged in a very engaging way. The
advertising revenue on the radio pays for the delivery of the extension messages to poor women and men.
2. 2-3-4 Service
The launch of the 2-3-4 service in Afghanistan in partnership with Roshan is a milestone in provision of extension services cheaply to poor women
and men in very remote areas with mobile phone access. This eases up work for farmers, government extension staff and companies seeking to
work with farmers.
3. Financial services provision
R2J project has now moved to contract with FINCA and FMFB to reach more than 3 000 poor women and men with financial services. The 2 FSPs
are offering innovations in branchless banking, mobile money services, agent banking services and applications which do not need mobile network
connectivity for users to access banks and make electronic payments. This improves access and helps reduce the costs of transacting for both FSP
and the clients. People in remote areas no longer need to travel to the city in order to do any banking. All banking will now be happening in the
village.
4. BDS services market development with SIYB Afghanistan
Supporting entrepreneurship development in Afghanistan needs a sustainable business model in order to move away from a supply-driven
approach currently prevalent in the development space in Afghanistan. The project invested in training 20 SIYB trainers and now they have set up
SIYB Afghanistan, a BDS company which is owned by the certified trainers. They objective is offer entrepreneurship training, business coaching
and mentoring services to entrepreneurs on a commercial basis. R2J project is now able to contract them to provide support to women’s groups
in Balkh and Samangan provinces.
5. Training on market systems development for staff and partners
The project invested more resources in building the capacity of both staff and partners in the area of making markets work for the poor (M4P).
As a fairly new way of approaching development more investment is needed in building capacity among stakeholders so that understanding and
appreciation improves. The level of engagement has significantly improved among partners because they now better understand R2J project and
how it seeks to achieve its objectives. Another more in-depth M4P course is planned for 2018. PACA facilitators, UNHCR, ACTED, GIZ SEDEP
partners and R2J staff attended. There were 15 people trained.
One more R2J project staff successfully completed the 9-month online course on Enterprise Development through Value Chains and Business
Service Markets. Another one attended the M4P training hosted by Springfield Centre. These courses meant to set the context right and offered
1 Declining unit costs as scale increases b Functions serving more than one activity
opportunities for learning from other similar settings. For staff the quality of work has improved and the deals being brokered are proving more
sustainable.
6. A DCED pre-audit was commissioned by the project. Its recommendations were used to make changes and improvements in how the
monitoring and results measurement (MRM) system is capturing impact data and reflecting it to represent R2J project impact. The audit
has led to a marked improvement in the MRM system.
7. Publication of the Road to Jobs (R2J) project Newsflash
R2J project continues to produce the monthly Newsflash. This is meant to keep stakeholders informed of the progress as well as share learning
with partners. Distribution has now been widened to the government ministries of Commerce and Industry, MAIL and ministry of Labour and
NUAWE.
8. The project opened its own Facebook page and used it for communicating with stakeholders in the build up to the knowledge sharing
event and the response from youths was tremendous and that also reflected in the event. More than 40% of the 30 000 visitors to the
event during the 2 day event were youths (Rod to Jobs).
9. The project continues to feature on the ILO Asia-Pacific web page ( http://www.ilo.org/asia/projects/WCMS_428968/lang--en/index.htm)
and the International Training Centre (ITC) of ILO web page https://fragilestates.itcilo.org/2017/06/23/road-to-jobs-r2j-bringing-decent-
work-to-rural-households-in-northern-afghanistan/ .
10. Partnerships with key stakeholders
R2J project’s key partnerships continued to deliver expected outputs in 2017.
- BCCI helped host several stakeholder engagement events which include
- SIYB Trainers’ development programme.
- Business Coaching development programme
- SIYB Entrepreneurs’ training
- The cotton MSA validation workshop
- The cotton development policy dissemination workshops
- The international knowledge sharing event was held in Kefayat Hotel in Mazar.
11. Publication of the Road to Jobs (R2J) project Newsflash
Highlights of the R2J project activities are regularly published in the Newsflash. This is meant to keep stakeholders informed of the progress as
well as share learning with partners.
12. A new partnership agreement with UNHCR is under negotiation to include internally displaced people (IDPs), refugees and
returnees in the value chains R2J project are focusing on in Balkh and Samangan. This will also include SIYB entrepreneurship development
training. UNHCR plan on investing USD300 000.
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Annual-Technical Progress Report R2J Project-Afghanistan 2017
Briefly describe
any evaluations,
project reviews,
self-assessments
or undertaken,
including follow-up
to findings and
recommendations.
The project commissioned an independent mid-term evaluation of the project with a view to assessing whether the project was on course to
achieve its intended outcomes. The review came up with a number of recommendations which management took on board and incorporated into
the project implementation.
1. Mid-Term Review
An independent mid-term review of the R2J project was carried out in 2017. The following recommendations and management action were taken.
Improve MRM System
1. Carry out a pre-audit of the MRM system using the Donor Committee for Enterprise Development (DCED) Standard to be very clear where
the programme is particularly strong / weak and suggest possible ways of improving compliance with the standard. The pre-audit was
carried out by DCED auditor contracted independently by R2J project and the recommendations have been incorporated into the planning
of the project.
2. R2J to participate at the forthcoming 4th DCED Global Conference on results measurement, scheduled for February 2018 in Nairobi, Kenya.
3. Additionally, R2J to continue receiving capacity building and technical backstopping from ILO’s The Lab project in Geneva.
4. Conduct more beneficiary assessments to track progress towards project outcomes. Two BDS companies have been contracted to gather
monitoring information in the difficult areas. Four assessments in livestock, grapes, cotton and dairy have already been undertaken. More
assessments of impact will be done in 2018.
5. Revisit the project logframe to revise targets in no-cost extension. The MRM team is already working with intervention managers to set
realistic targets based on current experience working with partners.
Re-assess Immediate Objective 3
The project has taken the following actions:
Conducted an exercise to engage with financial services providers (FSPs) in the design of appropriate interventions to address the issues of
1. awareness
2. literacy
3. access
to financial services for farmers and other businesses involved in the selected agriculture values chains. The project team worked jointly with FSPs
to develop concrete proposals for implementing access to finance by target beneficiaries and settled on piloting two very innovative initiatives
proposed by FMFB and FINCA. The project will co-invest in those initiatives in 2018.
Strengthen Project Advisory Committee (PAC)
As remedial action, the project convened 2 meetings in 2017 and agreed on the following actions:
1. Conduct frequent PAC meetings involving all the members. During the last meeting in August 2017, it was agreed that 4 meetings will be
held every year instead of 3 meeting previously.
2. Next meeting to be held in December 2017. This meeting was held to review the knowledge sharing event and the 2018 annual work plan.
3. Involve all members in other key R2J events.
PAC members participated at the following:
a) National Launch of the 2-3-4 agricultural mobile extension services in Kabul on 15th October 2017
b) R2J National Knowledge Sharing Event (KSE) in Mazar-I-Sharif on 25-26 October 2017.
Beneficiary selection criteria should be improved
1. Following the planned MRM system/ DCED pre-audit, R2J will review the monitoring and tracking system in order to ensure that the
selection of the targeted beneficiary groups is inclusive.
2. Guide private sector market actors who are key partners accordingly in order to ensure the impact is realized by the targeted beneficiaries.
This will include redefining the specific criteria within the implementation agreement entered into between R2J and implementation
partners.
3. Hold a series of consultative meetings with implementing partners and other key stakeholders in order to discuss and agree on actions
that will ensure inclusivity in beneficiary targeting and selection.
4. Enter into collaborative partnerships with projects targeting similar beneficiaries. UNHCR. ACTED. ITC ILO. A training initiative for returnees
and IDPs working with ACTED was carried out by SIYB Afghanistan with R2J support. Partnership discussions with UNHCR are already
underway. A new initiative has been started with ITC ILO on Youth Employment and women’s entrepreneurship in Afghanistan. R2J project
has helped build capacity in BCCI to carry out activities to support beneficiaries in 2017.
Engage and inform stakeholders
R2J has taken additional actions to ensure full engagement keeping stakeholders well involved and informed:
1. Developed a knowledge sharing platform portal where all project information updates can be accessed. This portal sits on the ITC ILO web
page.
2. Piloted a video clip with different interventions undertaken by the project. These video clip will be accessed through the knowledge
sharing platform.
3. With technical back stopping from ILO Bangkok, initiated the inclusion of Facebook and YouTube into the knowledge sharing portal for
easy access and to inform all stakeholders.
4. Documenting success stories and uploading onto the portal
5. R2J Project now on the BEAM Exchange website and map of M4P Projects.
6. R2J Project now has been granted space to present experiences with applying the DCED standard in fragile and insecure environments
like Afghanistan at the upcoming DCED Conference in Nairobi, Kenya in February 2018.
7. R2J project hosted a successful international knowledge sharing event in Mazar-I-Sharif, Afghanistan in October 2017.
Develop realistic plans
In view of the environment under which the project is operating
18
Annual-Technical Progress Report R2J Project-Afghanistan 2017
• There is need for continuous re-evaluation of risk mitigating factors. Success regarding how effective implementation can take place is
depended on the security situation on the ground. The project continues to ensure that this is done. So far there have not been any serious
disruptions to project work although security threats do always slow down progress.
• Intervention-based risk assessment system will be strengthened, and mitigation measures will be identified and planned for accordingly.
• Set realistic targets. Most targets previously set were over-ambitious. This has been addressed in the 2018 annual work plan.
Continue to build the capacity of counterparts
This is an on-going core activity embedded within the project's implementation strategy.
1. An introductory ‘Making markets work for poor’ (M4P) training course was conducted for partners and staff in
December 2017 and an in-depth one will be held in 2018.
2. Capacity building of the labour union members on providing membership services and decent work support
services to the workers in different industries.
3. Start and Improve Your Business training programme is being conducted for partners.
4. Capacity building for women’s groups is planned for the coming year.
5. Coaching, mentoring and business clinics are services now being provided to entrepreneurs through SIYB
Afghanistan, a company which R2J helped set up and train.
6. Food safety standards have now been introduced to 5 partner companies. Training was provided and their
production systems audited. The companies are now implementing HACCP standards and the next step is for
them to apply for HACCP certification in 2018.
Scale up and expand market system development approach to other provinces
• R2J have initiated a new project design process that will lead to a programme expanding to other potential provinces in Afghanistan. Herat
(Grapes, Saffron, Cotton, Poultry). Kabul (Grapes, Dairy, Poultry). Jalalabad (Aquaculture, Poultry, Dairy, Olives, Cotton, Vegetables)
• With technical backstopping from ILO (Enterprises) Geneva, and DWT in India, R2J supported an in-country mission in July 2017. The
objective of this mission was to review R2J project implementation strategy and support future planning through meetings with the project
team and implementing partners. This mission was carried out with a view to re-assessing some of the key elements of sustainability and
effectiveness of the project to be able to provide a recommendation both to the ILO as well as to the donor of the future prospects of the
project.
• Next steps: 1. A concept note was drafted. 2. Develop Terms of Reference, Identify project design team/consultant. 3. Carry out new
project design and develop a project document. 4. Present the project to Sida for consideration and funding.
2. DCED Pre-Audit
R2J project commissioned a pre-audit of the Monitoring and Results Measurement (MRM) system using the DCED standard. This was meant to
help the project improve on its MRM system in order to reflect better the impact of the project on the intended targets. The review concluded
that R2J’s MRM system was fairly well developed and implemented and came up with a number of recommendations for further improvement.
i. Articulating the Results Chain
Intervention results chain should reflect all key activities that the partner or the project undertakes in bringing about the desired changes in the
market. The key changes should not only reflect how the target beneficiaries are reached but also what is done to ensure sustainability of the
intervention, and all transactions that occur under an intervention. The expectation is also that intervention managers should be able to explain
the intervention activities and the changes due to those activities. The explanation given should fit with what is shown in the results chain.
The intervention managers, with the support of the Lab project have put in place plans to ensure that results chains of all the interventions are
reviewed and include all missing activities.
ii. Defining Indicators of Change, Other Information Needs
Indicators need to be defined for each box of the results chain, these indicators should be able to assess if the change has happened, and if the
change is influenced by the previous box. Indicators should also allow the project to assess if activities being carried out are the right ones.
Intervention managers should be able to list the main indicators related to a box in their results chain when they are asked, without having to
look at the measurement plan.
The team will review all results chains and finalize them by defining indicators for each box in the results chains so that change in every box can
be measured. This will also include indicators to measure sustainability and gender related changes. Key qualitative indicators will be defined for
each level of actor involved in interventions.
iii. Measuring Attributable Change
It is important that the project collects baseline, monitoring and impact information for all its interventions. The collection of these information
must be carefully planned using good research practices. There should be a well thought out attribution strategy for each actor in the results
chains that is appropriate for the change happening to that actor.
The intervention managers together with MRM-Officer will finalize the measurement plan in the Intervention Guide (IG) and collecting regular
information from partners. The project will verify information collected by the partners or collect more in-depth information (through contracted
BDS companies) before an impact assessment either through market visits and phone interviews.
iv. Reporting Costs and Impact
The project annual report should be modified so that it includes:
• Annual and cumulative changes in the logframe indicators
• Gender disaggregated information and qualitative changes in women’s situation such as access to money etc.
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Annual-Technical Progress Report R2J Project-Afghanistan 2017
• Evidence based information on systemic change that has occurred in the sectors due to the interventions at both market actors level and
at beneficiary level.
• An explanation of the sources of information for reporting that clarifies that some information comes from monitoring information and
some from more rigorous impact assessments.
• If there are any assumptions made when reporting impact those should be clearly mentioned in the report.
v. Managing the System for Results Measurement
Implementing the above changes will require commitment and coordination between all project staff. Intervention managers will need to start
taking ownership of both intervention activities and collecting monitoring information. Project managers and project management systems will
need to hold intervention managers accountable to do so. This may require further staff training and/or backstopping for intervention managers
and that support should be found and made available. Monthly review meetings should continue and the focus should include how activities
have been implemented, what results have been achieved, have the activities been effective, will they achieve systemic change and
sustainability. All these points should be discussed based on evidence collected using good research practices. The MRM Manual will need to be
updated.
R2J project has requested full-time support for MRM functions for 3 months in 2018 in order to help with updating all results chains (RCs) and
carrying out the needed quality checks and improve the assurance process.
3. Summary Outputs
OUTPUT DELIVERY 2
Output Percent
complete
Output
status Output summary (1000 characters maximum)
Immediate Objective 1: Collaboration and co-ordination among local stakeholders for local economic development is improved
1.1 Regular collaboration mechanisms
established for dialogue among local
economic development stakeholders
95% On schedule Seven workshops were held with stakeholders to determine the way forward for sheep and goats,
the development of para-vet services, horticulture (onions), almonds, women’s empowerment and
the cotton value chain. From the dialogues emerged the following initiatives.
• Balkh Poultry company owner, Mr Khwaja Mohammad travelled to Kandahar to learn the
chicken buy-back works. On 4th April 2017 R2J facilitated a workshop in BCCI for poultry
producers to share the lessons learned from the Kandahar trip and discuss the planned
system in Balkh province. Balkh poultry invested USD58 000 into a pilot scheme which
proved very successful. 60 farmers (40 men and 20 women) trained in poultry
management, and 40 farmers went through all 3 production cycles linked with the
company in the buyback scheme (26 men and 14 women). And generated about USD 16
296 as net income to all players.
• Improving farmer access to good quality livestock medicines. Para vets continued to work
on improving service delivery in 2017. They coordinated through the MAIL office.
Monitoring reports indicate they are able to link into the animal medicines store in Aybak
to ensure everyone has access to good quality medicines for farmers.
• The search for a solution to food quality standards among manufacturing companies is an
issue which continued to be pursued by the project. BCCI championed the need for
improvement of the quality of cotton oil. The project identified a Dutch company based in
Kabul, Afghanistan which offers capacity building services in international food safety
standards to the private sector. Further consultations resulted in the companies coming
together to receive training support to improve their production systems as they work
towards HACCP certification.
2 Based on the Implementation Plan
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Annual-Technical Progress Report R2J Project-Afghanistan 2017
• Several consultative workshops were held by cotton stakeholders. After the cotton MSA, a
workshop was held to validate the findings of the assessment and define interventions
which would be necessary to address the major issues raised as needing attention in the
value chain. It was agreed that efforts to improve the value chain are not coordinated.
Meetings were held with MAIL to help support the coordination of efforts in the sub-sector.
The first workshop was held in Kabul and it was agreed that policy-dissemination workshops
be held in Mazar and Kandahar. The main objective of the workshop was “to prioritize
interventions for funding available to MAIL and UN-ILO, while recognizing that lack of quality
seed is at the top of the stakeholders' priorities as stated in the Policy and build synergy
with the economic development programmes (EDPs) currently underway. R2J supported
these efforts. Stakeholders agreed to set up a cotton development platform in 2018 to work
for improving the cotton value chain.
1.2 Knowledge creation on the use of
VCD and LED tools for job creation in
post-conflict environments
enhanced
90% On schedule • The project invested in building capacity of PACA facilitators, BCCI and other independent
trainers in entrepreneurship development and business management. 8 SIYB trainers were
certified. 12 business coaches were certified. R2J project partnered with ITC ILO to provide
training in India. The trainers in turn trained 380 entrepreneurs (180 literate. 200 illiterate)
• 2 more project staff received training in value chain development (VCD).
• 1 staff member received M4P training by Springfield Centre.
• R2J project staff trained 15 staff and partners in an introductory course on M4P.
• Monthly Newsflashes on events and activities were produced and distributed to
stakeholders.
• The R2J page on the ITC ILO portal for fragile states was created and project resources have
been up loaded.
• The project is now reflected on the Afghanistan page of the ILO Asia-Pacific web page.
• Efforts were made to also have the project included on the list of M4P projects on the
BEAM Exchange website.
• The project will have a sole presentation on MRM during the upcoming DCED Conference
to be held in Nairobi, Kenya in 2018.
An international knowledge sharing event was hosted by R2J project in Mazar-I-Sharif in October
2017 The event brought together 300 delegates. The trade exhibition by private sector partners had
about 5 000 visitors in 2 days and generated incomes and B2B contracts worth USD144 344.
Exhibitors of agriculture products and facilities had nuts, dried fruits, dairy products, wheat,
improved seeds, poultry, vegetables, agro-medicines. Handicrafts included gemstones, jewelry,
woolen products, embroidery products, sport balls and clothes. Other products included saffron,
honey, pickles, cakes, cookies and sweets. Two FSPs participated.
All these were done with a view to raising the profile of the project as well as enhancing the use and
application of the M4P tools in job creation work in Afghanistan and beyond. UNHCR have come
forward asking to partner on the use of VCD and LED tools in Afghanistan.
Immediate Objective 2: The position of poor and disadvantaged groups within selected sub-sectors is improved
2.1 The underlying constraints inhibiting
the performance of key sub-sectors
for competitiveness and inclusive
growth are addressed.
80%
60%
80%
On schedule
Delayed
On schedule
Grape Value Chain. Implementation of interventions to address
1. The need for good agriculture practices (GAP). The AZAD radio programme rolled out perfectly
and the results were very encouraging. 1 250 grapes farmers received information packaged in
the form they wanted it. Radio station managed to sell advertising air time to more than 10
companies and made a revenue of USD2 325 in the pilot.
2. Negotiations with HNI, Roshan, MAIL were finalised late in October 2017 and the agreement
signed. The mobile phone based extension services (2-3-4 Service) were launched at the end of
October 2017. The target is 1.6 million farmers growing grapes, cotton and wheat. This is
meant to resolve the issue of lack of factual information on GAP by farmers in remote and
insecure areas.
3. Piloting with private sector-led extension services embedded in trade proved quite interesting.
Karwan Sabz, an inputs supplier partnered with R2J project to train small inputs suppliers and
farmers buying their inputs on usage and application in agronomy. 8 Input Suppliers trained
596 grape farmers who recorded increases in productivity from the average 9 300 kg to 11
410kg/ha (of course this includes all other extension and application of technologies). This
increased incomes to USD620/ha to farmers (USD369 520 to 596 farmers). The input suppliers
had 2240 customers in 2016 and that number increased to 3160 customers in 2017 showing an
increase of 41%. The small inputs suppliers recorded an aggregated USD 2 400 net income.
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Annual-Technical Progress Report R2J Project-Afghanistan 2017
60%
60%
90%
75%
75%
50%
30%
30%
On schedule
On schedule
On schedule
On Schedule
On Schedule
Delayed
Delayed
Delayed
4. Productivity improvement. Use of Solar water pumps is being implemented as both an
efficiency and productivity improvement technology. Two solar companies Vista and Ilya are
partnering with FINCA a FSP working in Samangan province to increase access to finance and
cleaner irrigation technologies for poor farmers.
5. The need for better paying markets and general improved access to markets. A new grape
juice product has been designed, an export market study has just been finalised and a
horticultural produce chilling plant has just been identified and engaged.
Cotton Value chain
The cotton MSA was completed in 2016. Interventions were designed and implemented in 2017.
1. GAP in cotton production: Market linkages with Jinn and Press ginners and 1000 cotton
farmers. Extension services on GAP to cotton farmers. 1000 cotton farmers trained on GAP.
USD275478 generated as net income (USD252905 to farmers, USD13603 to the company, and
USD8971 to labours/workers). 1050 men labours and 2000 women labours worked for almost
3 months in harvesting and cotton collection.
2. Processing of cotton oil: Sanaizada and Ettifaq cooking oil. Improvement of cooking oil quality
to protect consumers.
3. Textile production: Aryana Balkh textiles. 45 workers trained as semi-skilled workers for the
company. 3 men and 15 women newly hired by the company. USD 23 025 as net income
generated (USD5 125 to workers and USD17 900 to the company). Aryana Balkh textile firm.
Improved efficiency to create more jobs for poor people. They managed to reduce their
operational costs by employing and training 18 more local workers.
4. Garment making. Kabul-based designer finally agreed to open up supply chain to 60 women in
Mazar. R2J project will co-invest with Torque Force Consulting in a business model where the
designer will train 60 women in design and manufacture of apparel for Torque Force clientele
in Afghanistan and Turkey. Torque Force will use modern marketing
5. Cotton Development Platform. Setting up of platform by cotton value chain stakeholders. This
platform will serve as a coordination mechanism for all interventions aimed at improving the
cotton value chain in Afghanistan.
75%
80%
60%
60%
70%
40%
On schedule
On schedule
Delayed
On schedule
Delayed
Delayed
6. Breeder seed development and commercial seed multiplication. This area is a MAIL
prerogative. Government is slow in moving things. Breeder seed development can only be kept
in the hands of government since cotton is a strategic national crop. This intervention could
have started but government has not finished designing how the Breeder seed programme will
be structured and managed.
Dairy development to support women farmers. 750 more women dairy farmers trained and linked
with 3 milk collection centres set up by Pakiza Dairy in Dawlatabad district. Progress is good. In total
2250 women milk producers trained (1500 in 2016 and 750 in 2017). Out of them, 365 women had
milk selling in 2017. Total income generated to all actors as USD27 064 and 389 jobs created (new
and improved). There were 100 indirect jobs recorded by the monitoring report which indicated
farmers who were selling milk to MCCs and Pakiza without having been trained directly by the
project.
Para-vets improving services to livestock farmers. 18 trained paravets delivered quality vet services
to 46 361 new herders/farmers. Total aggregated incomes for 46 361 farmers amounted to USD 1
160 529 and USD28 647 income generated by 18 paravets and 9 Basic Vet Workers (BVW) hired by
the paravets for field work. Para-vets expanded their coverage from 138 to 153 villages. The main
reasons for this improvement are increased public awareness by para-vets, better technical
services and farmers handling and administering vaccines properly.
Improving almonds marketing and productivity. 200 farmers now trained. 25 farmers contracted to
5 almond exporting companies. Monitoring data for outcomes is not yet available.
Chicken buy-back scheme. Once started, progress was good. Three cycles of broiler production
were achieved in 6 months. 60 out of a possible 100 chicken farmers were recruited and trained.
They received all inputs on loan and all their chickens were bought back by Balkh Poultry Company.
Chicken litter converted to organic fertilizer. This started off very promising. New product design
was accomplished on schedule in 2016. Drukhshan Poultry company lost momentum in 2017. Very
little progress was registered in the year under review. More fertilizer was produced. Marketing
plan needs review and more demonstrations need to be set up to create awareness to the
product. 81.6 tons chicken litter purchased and composted by Durukhshan poultry company. 44
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Annual-Technical Progress Report R2J Project-Afghanistan 2017
tons converted to organic fertilizers (pellets). 1.2 tons sold by the company. USD21 193 as net
income generated to all actors. 16 jobs created in the processing line by 2017. This intervention
has huge potential for job creation, cost cutting for farmers, productivity improvement and income
increases for farmers but Drukhshan are too slow.
Immediate Objective 3: Access to and utilization of financial services by the farmers and disadvantaged groups improved
Number of households now accessing financial
services
Number of households who have utilized
financial services
30%
50%
Delayed:
delayed
According to the interviews held with Sayed Israr, the deputy regional head of FINCA, 16 farmers
installed solar pumps (SPs) from Ilyas solar company on credit. USD2 800/SP (for 16 farmers USD44
800 credit from FINCA). This is in Feroz Nakchir district of Samangan Province. According to the
FSP, one solar pump will reduce a farmer’s irrigation costs by USD2 000/ha/year. It means USD32
000 for 16 farmers in one year. This information is to the end of December, 2017. Many farmers
are coming to the solar company every day and demand SPs because they have seen the early
adopters and how they have reduced their costs.
60 farmers (20 women and 40 men) received loans from Balkh Poultry company in the first cycle of
production. Of these, 20 opted out of the contract because they had not made any profit. There
were 40 farmers (14 women and 26 men) who participated in the second and third cycles of broilers
production. The total loan size varied with each farmer but totalled USD32 447 and USD 16 296 was
generated as net income to all players in the market linkage deal.
An inclusive finance specialist was recruited in May 2017 and he spent a month working with all 4
short listed FSPs helping them work through their innovative financing models. In the end FINCA and
FMFB were recommended for partnership in piloting. This will happen in 2018.
OUTPUT CLASSIFICATION 3
3 This is a self-assessment
Highly satisfactory Satisfactory
Implementation of almost all (>80%) outputs is on Implementation of the majority (60-80%) of outputs is on schedule as envisaged in the implementation schedule
as envisaged in the implementation plan plan and the majority (60-80%) of indicator milestones have been met. and almost all (>80%) indicator milestones have
been met.
Unsatisfactory Very unsatisfactory
Some (40-60%) outputs are being implemented Few (<40%) outputs are being implemented on schedule as envisaged in the implementation plan and/or on
schedule as envisaged in the implementation only a few (<40%) indicator milestones have been met.
plan and/or only some (40-60%) indicator milestones have
been met.
Briefly explain the major factors taken into account to justify the output classification and provide any other comments (2000 characters maximum):
1. Regular collaboration mechanisms established for dialogue among local economic development stakeholders: In 2016 it was very difficult to get partners to
come together to implement an intervention and so progress in implementation was painfully slow. This current year has seen significant improvement in
responsiveness by implementing partners. BCCI’s membership figures have soared because entrepreneurs are seeing the progress and improvement in service
delivery by the membership body. The marked improvement in BCCI’s capacity as a result of the work R2J project is doing with them is partly the reason why
their membership drive has been so successful. This is also rubbing off the member companies who are partnering with R2J project. The continuous meetings
and consultations with the business community has helped increase their trust in how R2J project seeks to achieve its objectives. This trend is expected to
continue in the coming year.
2. The underlying constraints inhibiting the performance of key sub-sectors for competitiveness and inclusive growth are addressed: It takes innovation and
commitment to unlock opportunities in the market place and slowly companies are beginning to open up their supply chains for the poor to participate. The
private sector has demonstrated that they are beginning to understand and appreciate the incentives available for them to include the poor. This is
demonstrated in the increase in dairy farmers trained to supply milk to Pakiza, the poultry buy-back scheme with poor women and men participating, the grapes
cold storage and farmers supplying grapes, Radio Azad providing extension information for free using a commercial model. This marks a significant step in the
right direction for markets systems development in Afghanistan. R2J will convene reviews of all the current interventions in the course of 2018 to share
information on progress and lessons learnt. It is expected this will encourage more and more market actors to adopt some of the innovations.
3. Number of households now accessing financial services: The two FSPs selected for partnership in 2018 offer prospects for significant outreach. Now that the
feasibility assessment is done it means that half the work is completed. What remains is implementation of the two pilots to see how many poor women and
men can be reached.
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Annual-Technical Progress Report R2J Project-Afghanistan 2017
4. Summary Immediate Objectives
IMMEDIATE OBJECTIVE ACHIEVEMENT 4
Indicator Baseline Indicator Milestone (compare
planned against actual)
Target (end-of-project
total)
Immediate Objective
summary
Immediate Objective 1: Collaboration and co-ordination among local stakeholders for local economic development is improved
Number of local
economic development
initiatives resulting from
dialogue among
stakeholders
Number of initiatives that
aim at increasing
0
0
Planned 13 and implemented 8
1. Grape Juice processing
2. Improved irrigation systems-solar pumping:
3. Extension services on GAP for grape farmers: 30
4. Extension services on GAP to grape farmers through
media house
5. Dairy market
6. Conversion of chicken litter to fertilizer
7. Chicken buy back
8. Expand Para-vet services:
Planned 20 implemented and implemented 15
1. Dairy market linkages (750 women)
20
20
most milestones on track
4 Based on the M&E plan
participation of women in
value chains
2. Poultry buy-back scheme (20 women)
3. Get Ahead ToT and training of entrepreneurs (330
women)
4. SIYB ToT and training of entrepreneurs (245 women)
5. Conversion of chicken litter to fertilizer (9 women)
6. Para-vets services (monitoring review will
determined numbers)
7. Radio extension services ( monitoring will review and
give numbers)
8. Mobile extension services (monitoring will review )
9. Design skills for apparel and jewellery (60 women)
10. Policy dialogue on cotton development policy by
MAIL.
11. Bringing decent work into the cotton value chain.
12. Cotton oil quality improvement
13. Textile workers’ skills development (15 women)
14. Market linkage for GAP for cotton farmers
15. Affordable financial products to rural households
Immediate Objective 2: The position of poor and disadvantaged groups within selected sub-sectors is improved
Number of farmers
accessing new/improved
goods, services or market-
selling opportunities
(male/female)
0
1. Grape Juice processing (40 farmers vs 160
planned)
2. Improved irrigation systems-solar pumping (17
farmers vs 200 targeted)
3. Extension services on GAP for grape farmers
Karwan Sabz (596 farmers)
4. Extension services on GAP to grape farmers
through Radio Azad (1250 farmers vs 2000)
5. Dairy market linkage (750 farmers vs 750 farmers
targeted)
6. Conversion of chicken litter to fertilizer (5 farmers
vs 10 farmers targeted)
7. Chicken buy back (60 farmers vs 100 targeted)
200
200
1000
5000
2250
100
600
Most milestones are on
track
30
Annual-Technical Progress Report R2J Project-Afghanistan 2017
8. Expand Para-vet services (46367 farmers vs 5000
targeted)
9. Get Ahead ToT and training of entrepreneurs
(330 women vs 300 targeted)
10. SIYB ToT and training of entrepreneurs (338
entrepreneurs vs 150 targeted)
11. Mobile extension services (300 000 targeted)
12. Design skills for apparel and jewellery (60 women
targeted)
13. Policy dialogue on cotton development policy by
MAIL (20 000 targeted).
14. Market linkage for GAP for cotton farmers for
affordable financial products to rural households
(1000 farmers vs 1000 targeted
5000
1000
1000
1.6 million
100
20 000
2000
Number of workers
reporting greater access
to job improvement
opportunities
(male/female)
0
1. Skills development for textile workers (45 workers vs
45targeted).
2. Chicken litter fertilizer training on composting
pelletizing and marketing (16 workers vs 16 targeted)
3. Dairy market linkage. Pakiza trained staff in milk
handling, processing and marketing and distribution.
(51 workers vs 11 workers targeted)
4. Radio Azad (11 workers trained vs 11 targeted)
5. Sanaizada Cotton Oil (20 workers trained in HACCP vs
20 targeted)
6. Ettifaq Cotton Oil (40 workers vs 40 targeted)
7. Mehran Guzagah cold storage (16 workers vs 16
targeted)
50
16
11
11
20
40
16
Immediate Objective 3: Access to and utilization of financial services by the farmers and disadvantaged groups improved
Number of households now
accessing financial services
Number of households
utilising financial services
0
1. Solar pumps loans (16 HHs vs 200 targeted)
2. Chicken buy-back (40 HHs vs 100 targeted)
3. Jinn and Press Inputs supply scheme (320 HHs vs 1000
targeted)
200
600
2000
5 This is a self-assessment
IMMEDIATE OBJECTIVE ACHIEVEMENT CLASSIFICATION 5
Highly probable Probable
Almost all (>80%) reporting period milestones have been met. Based on The majority (60-80%) of reporting period milestones have been met.
the indicators, it is highly probable all immediate objectives will be Based on the indicators, it is probable the majority of immediate achieved by the
end of the project.
Low probability Improbable
Some (40-60%) reporting period milestones have been. Progress is Few (<40%) reporting period milestones have been met. Limited being made on the
immediate objectives but based on the indicators progress is being made on the immediate objectives and based on the only some immediate
objectives will be achieved. indicators only a few immediate objectives will be achieved.
32
Annual-Technical Progress Report R2J Project-Afghanistan 2017
Briefly explain the major factors taken into account to justify the immediate objective classification and provide any other comments (2000 characters maximum):
The year 2017 has been a good year for stakeholder engagement to implement interventions which will bring the desired results. The process is somehow dependent on
how well market actors respond to the available incentives in the marketplace. In implementing market systems development projects, money is not the only incentive
upon private sector partnerships should be built. In Afghanistan, however, this is the major incentive for partners from the private sector to even consider partnering.
Settling on partnership with FMFB and FINCA was a long process of negotiation which lasted more than 12 months and still the agreement will only be signed early in
2018.
Finding like-minded partners is also another challenge. Roll out and scale up may not be as spontaneous as we would like it to be because the market actors and
investors are just too cautious. The presence of grant money which is supply-driven is also a big factor. Potential partners will first exhaust possibilities for grants before
they can decide to commit their own resources. Sometimes partners half-heartedly commit with the expectation that R2J project will give them money at some point
during the course of the implementation of the pilot. It is only encouraging to note that in 2017 we managed to have more than 12 partnerships signed and
implementation of interventions started. The investment made in more awareness creation, trust building engagements and the involvement of BCCI as a committed
partner have all helped to speed up the rate of response by partners. R2J project now feels more confident implementation speed can only improve because the private
sector is becoming more responsive.
ILO Development Cooperation Progress Report: page 33 of 35
6 Based on Risk Register
5. Risks and Assumptions
RISK TRACKING 6
Key Assumptions
Risk level
mit
Describe current risk and any
igation measures (1000 characters
maximum)
Start-of-project /
previous
reporting period
Current
The momentum of working
together along the three pillars
continues beyond the project
period
Yellow (medium riskYellow (medium ris k� Identify clear champions among
the local stakeholders who could
maintain the momentum beyond
the project period.
� Make sure that the several cycles of
successful implementation of
action plans reinforce the
momentum during the project
period.
� Build realistic incentives for market
system actors into the
interventions.
The expansion capacity of lead
firms is sufficient to
accommodate a good number
of target population
Yellow (medium riskYellow (medium ris kParallel to supporting the expansion of
the lead firm capacity, the project will
actively promote replication by others.
The successful value chain
business models are replicated by
others
Green (low risk) Green (low risk) • The project will work where the
initial success of the private sector
lead firms is observed.
• Profitability of the business models is
clearly documented.
• Dissemination through media is
emphasized.
Sharia-compliant financial
products are becoming
available in Afghanistan
Green (low risk) Green (low risk) � Work closely with the program
which has pioneered the Sharia
compliant products.
� Work closely with the apex and
industry association of
microfinance in Afghanistan to
address the challenge sector-wide.
� Undertake a vigorous financial
education programme in
Afghanistan to create awereness.
Co-financing/investment
opportunities exist in the target
districts
Green (low risk) Green (low risk) � The project can always put its
resources when the resources are
not available elsewhere.
� The project should always look for
low cost solutions.
Lead firms are interested and
willing to collaborate
Yellow (medium riskYellow (medium ris sector selection and prioritization
should continue to have lead firms’
propensity to collaborate as the
selection criteria.
� Sector specific collaborative
platforms will help to keep market
actors and players coordinated and
engaged.
Competent international
consultants are available on
mission when needed on each
topic of technical inputs
Yellow (medium
ris
kYellow (medium ris k� Develop a shortlist of consultants on
the same topic to secure backups.
Begin inquiring concerned
consultants early.
� Prepare alternative means of
support through enhanced use of
videoconferencing/webinar/Skype.
Target population are available for
planned training/capacity building
Green (low risk) Green (low risk) � Plan training at time and places
easily accessible by the target
population in both rural and urban
settings.
� Strategy has worked well and will
continue to be used.
6. Performance issues
Check key reasons for shortfalls in Output Delivery, Output Quality and Immediate Objective Achievement:
The inception phase brings
together local stakeholders and
leads to the formation of a forum
as the platform for project
activities
Green (low risk) Green (low risk) � BCCI, farmer organisations and
government departments are key
to sustaining momentum.
ILO Development Cooperation Progress Report: page 35 of 35
Implementing partner (constituents or private ILO (Office and staff) performance entities)
performance
Difficulties in inter-agency coordination Inadequate cost estimates
Lack of constituent or implementing partner Inadequate project design
commitment/ownership
ILO policy changes Counterpart funding shortfall
Budget processing (revision/disbursement etc.) Unexpected change in external environment
delays
Community/political opposition HR difficulties (recruitment, contracts)
Other - please specify:
7. Lessons learned
Describe any lessons, positive and negative, that have been learned during project implementation. Organise the
lessons using the headings below.
Context and implementing
environment
• Security is likely to be a persistent concern throughout the project,
and will, in practice, slow down implementation.
• The project needs to gain a deeper understanding of what makes
the private sector, including farmers, “tick” in the target areas. Why
market players act as they do, what their incentives are, is not
always clear and needs longer-term engagement to understand.
• Research and analysis suffered from a lack of quantitative, up-to
date data. The project will have to do more primary research itself
than is usual, not only for the analysis of market systems and in
preparation for the design of interventions, but also to measure and
monitor progress.
These factors affect the potential for achieving systemic change. Most
importantly, perhaps, the willingness to invest is weak due to the security
situation. This will limit the scope for effective partnerships, and will require
the project to invest more itself than would be expected in other contexts.
However, the project has already identified potential partners in several
market systems, with incentives and capacity to improve their roles, which
is a reason for optimism.
8. ANNEXES
Include any other documentation or information that may contribute to a better understanding of project
progress.
Annex I Success Stories