By Mamadou Edrisa Njie
Participatory
Integrated Watershed Management Project (PIWAMP), a demand-driven project
co-funded by the Government of The Gambia (GOTG), International Fund for
Agricultural Development (IFAD) and the African Development Bank (AfDB), has
been ranked fourth in IFAD’s fiduciary rating 2011.
The
design of PIWAMP was built on the successful experience of the concluded
Lowland Agricultural Development Project (LADEP), its achievements, effects,
impacts, as well as the strengths and shortcomings.
At
a Financial Management training workshop held in Rome, Italy
from the 25th to 30th August, 2012, the Fiduciary Ratings
of the top ten IFAD supported projects in West and Central Africa (WCA) was
announced.
According
to this rating which compares the total financial investment of a project
against it achievements, PIWAMP is rated fourth best performing project among
45 IFAD supported projects in West and Central as of June ending 2012.
In
an interview with journalists in his office, Mr. Momodou Gassama, project
coordinator of PIWAMP said “this is the first time PIWAMP scores among the top
ten best performing projects in WCA Fiduciary rating.”
This
performance will significantly improve the overall country portfolio rating by
IFAD and therefore make more IFAD resources available to The Gambia, he said
while thanking the GOTG through the Ministry of Agriculture and the other two
IFAD supported projects in the country - Rural Finance Project (RFP) and
Livestock and Horticulture Development Project (LHDP).
He
noted that the enabling environment provided by the government also made it
possible for the three IFAD projects in the country to work closely and as a
result of their collaboration, PIWAMP was able to achieve this result. He also
thanked his staff staff for what he described as “excellent team work” but was
quick to say this high rating is a challenge for them to continue working
harder to maintain this performance.
He
said PIWAMP is performing well in executing its mandate of addressing soil
erosion and improve soil fertility status in the uplands, prevent village
flooding, enhance water retention and prevent salt water intrusion in the
lowlands, facilitate access to the swamp rice fields and improve inter-village
road connections through innovative soil and water management technologies with
the aim of significantly increasing food security for the rural poor.
In
August 2011, the AfDB A nominated PIWAMP as one of its candidates to the US
Treasury Department MDB Award for innovation of simple land management
techniques aimed at increasing food security.
“If
successful, this could open up the country to more investments from the USA,” Mr
Gassama said.
The
PIWAMP project coordinator explained that IFAD started its active operations in
The Gambia in 1982 and has since financed nine projects and programmes
totalling US$53.6 million (GMB 1.6bn, 41%) benefiting more than 120, 000
households in rural areas.
Mr.
Gassama said PIWAMP’s objectives are to increase land productivity and increase
crop production on a sustainable basis. The project’s main expected outputs
are; to enhance the capacity of the stakeholder institutions and beneficiaries,
to train and empower communities in natural resources management, and increase
production and productivity in the project area on a sustainable basis. PIWAMP,
he stated has improved the livelihood of Gambian communities across the entire
country.
IFAD, a UN agency, is committed to rural poverty
reduction through equitable and inclusive development. Its priority
target group is the poor rural smallholders dependant on traditional crops and
lowland rice cultivation as their main source of livelihood.
Over the years, IFAD have become one of the largest
sources of development financing for agriculture and rural development in many
developing countries. It has invested US$13.1 billion in 899 projects and
programs that have reached some 400 million poor rural people in the world
since 1978 when it started operations.
The Author: Mamadou Edrisa Njie is the publisher of Mansa Banko (The Kingdom) a leading blog in Banjul, The Gambia.
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