Supporting Civil Society Organizations for Empowerment and ... - Sida [PDF]

Sida Evaluation 2008:25

Supporting Civil Society Organizations for Empowerment and Economics Progress of Small Farmers and People Living in Poverty Results and Effects of Sida’s Framework Agreement with Swedish Cooperative Centre Hans Peter Dejgaard Jocke Nyberg Anders Rudqvist

Department for Cooperation with Non-Governmental Organisations, Humanitarian Assistance and Conflict Management

t

Supporting Civil Society Organizations for Empowerment and Economics Progress of Small Farmers and People Living in Poverty Results and Effects of Sida’s Framework Agreement with Swedish Cooperative Centre

Hans Peter Dejgaard Jocke Nyberg Anders Rudqvist

Sida Evaluation 2008:25 Department for Cooperation with Non-Governmental Organisations, Humanitarian Assistance and Conflict Management

This report is part of Sida Evaluations, a series comprising evaluations of Swedish development assistance. Sida’s other series concerned with evaluations, Sida Studies in Evaluation, concerns methodologically oriented studies commissioned by Sida. Both series are administered by the Department for Evaluation, an independent department reporting to Sida’s Director General. This publication can be downloaded/ordered from: http://www.sida.se/publications

Authors: Hans Peter Dejgaard, Jocke Nyberg, Anders Rudqvist. The views and interpretations expressed in this report are the authors’ and do not necessarily reflect those of the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency, Sida. Sida Evaluation 2008:25 Commissioned by Sida, Department for Cooperation with Non-Governmental Organisations, Humanitarian Assistance and Conflict Management Copyright: Sida and the authors Registration No.: 2005-003834 Date of Final Report: January 2008 Printed by Edita Communication, 2008 Art. no. Sida46268en ISBN 978-91-586-8103-3 ISSN 1401— 0402

SWEDISH INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT COOPERATION AGENCY Address: SE-105 25 Stockholm, Sweden. Office: Valhallavägen 199, Stockholm Telephone: +46 (0)8-698 50 00. Telefax: +46 (0)8-20 88 64 E-mail: [email protected]. Homepage: http://www.sida.se

Table of Contents List of Abbreviations and Acronyms ................................................................................................. 3 Executive Summary ............................................................................................................................. 5 1. Introduction ................................................................................................................................... 11 1.1. Objective of the Evaluation...................................................................................................... 11 1.2. The Work of the Evaluation Team .......................................................................................... 11 1.3. Methods and Approach ............................................................................................................ 11 1.4. Limitations of the Evaluation ................................................................................................... 13 1.5. Report Outline and Acknowledgements .................................................................................. 13 2. SCC Mandate and Strategies ................................................................................................... 14 2.1. Mandates and Constituency ..................................................................................................... 14 2.2. SCC Overall and Regional Strategies ...................................................................................... 14 2.3. Cross-cutting Issues................................................................................................................... 16 2.4. SCC Organization, Field Offices and Human Resources ........................................................ 16 2.5. Budget and Financial Sources .................................................................................................. 17 3. Outcomes and Achievements in 4 Selected Countries ...................................................... 17 3.1. The Zambia Study.................................................................................................................... 17 3.2. The Kenya Study ...................................................................................................................... 19 3.3. The Honduras Study ................................................................................................................ 20 3.4. The Paraguay Study ................................................................................................................ 23 4. SCC Working with Partners in the South ............................................................................... 25 4.1. Partner Selection, Partnerships and Cvil Society ..................................................................... 25 4.2. Advocacy and Role of SCC Partners within Civil Society....................................................... 27 4.3. Capacity Development, Including Technical Capacities and Knowledge Management......... 29 4.4. Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation Systems – and Measurement of Outcome .................. 31 4.5. The New Aid Agenda and Challenges to SCC ........................................................................ 34 4.6. Cross-cutting Issues (gender, environment, HIV/AIDS and democracy/CSO governance) .. 36 5. Relevance, Sustainability and Lesson Learned .................................................................... 40 5.1. Level of Compliance in Terms of Relevance and Objectives of SCC and Sida/SEKA ........ 40 5.2. Poverty Orientation, Stratification and Mechanisms by which to Reach the Poorest .............. 41 5.3. Sustainability, Replicability and Exit Strategies........................................................................ 43 5.4. Added Value from SCC............................................................................................................ 45 5.5. Growth, Quality, Focus and Regional Strategies at SCC ......................................................... 46 5.6. Co-operation and Dialogue with Sida ...................................................................................... 49 6. Recommendations ....................................................................................................................... 49 Annex 1 Terms of Reference .......................................................................................................... 51 Annex, Study of Zambia Programme ............................................................................................. 57 General Conclusion on Zambia Study ............................................................................................ 57 1. Introduction .............................................................................................................................. 58 2. SCC Regional Strategy............................................................................................................. 59 3. Context for Poor Farmers in Zambia ....................................................................................... 60 4. Partner Relationships and Poverty Orientation ........................................................................ 60

5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14.

Achievements in the Selected Projects ...................................................................................... 61 Cross-cutting Issues................................................................................................................... 63 Capacity Development and Knowledge Management ............................................................ 64 Advocacy in the Four Projects .................................................................................................. 67 Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation (PME) and Measurement of Outcome........................ 68 Alignment, Harmonisation and Donor Co-ordination ............................................................ 70 Sustainability, Replicability and Exit-strategies ........................................................................ 71 SCC Structure in Southern Africa ........................................................................................... 74 Added Value from SCC............................................................................................................ 74 Comment on the Regional Strategy ......................................................................................... 75 Annex A: Comments from SCC-SA Office to the Reports Recommendations ........................... 77 Annex B: Outcome of the ZNFU projects 2004 to 2007 ............................................................. 80 Annex C: Program for Field Work in Zambia ............................................................................... 83 Annex D: List of Interviews............................................................................................................. 84 Annex, Kenya Country Report ......................................................................................................... 87 List of Abbreviations ....................................................................................................................... 87 1. Introduction .............................................................................................................................. 87 2. SCC-EA Strategies: Some Findings ......................................................................................... 89 3. Partner Analysis and Capacity ................................................................................................. 91 4. Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation (PME)........................................................................... 94 5. Relevance and Effectiveness ..................................................................................................... 96 6. Conclusions and Recommendations ........................................................................................ 98 Annex A: SCC Response to the Key Issues ................................................................................ 101 Annex B: List of Interviews ........................................................................................................... 107 Annex C: Select List of Literature Reviewed .............................................................................. 109 Annex D: Achievements from the Three Selected Projects in SCC-EA .................................... 110 Anexo, 1. 2. 3. 4. 5.

Informe de Honduras + Oficina Regional para América Latina ............................. 113 Introducción ........................................................................................................................... 113 La Intervención Evaluada ...................................................................................................... 114 Hallazgos ............................................................................................................................... 125 Conclusiones ........................................................................................................................... 138 Recomendaciones ................................................................................................................... 140

Anexo A: Agenda de trabajo de campo de la evaluación en Honduras, 3 a 11 de Septiembre de 2007 ........................................................................................... 141

Anexo, Informe de las actividades de SCC en Paraguay ....................................................... 143 Conclusiones Generales ................................................................................................................. 143 1. Introducción .......................................................................................................................... 144 2. Contexto Político, Social e Económico y el Papel de la Sociedad Civil ................................ 144 3. La Estrategia Regional de SCC y su Relación con SCC Paraguay........................................ 147 4. Temas de Ejes Transversales (género, medioambiente) .......................................................... 150 5. Relaciones con las Contrapartes ............................................................................................ 151 6. Planificación, Monitoreo y Control de Calidad ..................................................................... 152 7. Eficacia y Pertinencia ............................................................................................................. 155 8. Resultados Alcanzados .......................................................................................................... 159 9. Recomendaciones ................................................................................................................... 161 Anexo A: Programa del Evaluador en Paraguay, 2 al 11/09/07 ............................................ 163 Anexo B: Lista de Personas Entrevistadas ................................................................................ 164

List of Abbreviations and Acronyms ACAN

Asociación Campesina Nacional (Honduras)

Agricord

The Alliance of Agri-Agencies

AIDS

Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome

ANAFAE

Asociación Nacional para el Fomento de la Agricultura Ecológica (Honduras)

BID/IADB

Banco Interamericano de Desarrollo (Inter American Development Bank)

CAFTA

Tratado de Libre Comercio de Centro América y Estados Unidos (Central American Free Trade Agreement)

CBM

Corredor Biológico Mesoamericano (Mesoamerican Biological Corridor)

CEEDCo

Community Empowerment and Enterprise Development through Co-operatives (Kenya)

CBOs

Community Based Organisations

CCS

Cooperative Consultancy Services

CDE

Construcción de Ciudadanía Democrática (Paraguay)

CDE

Centro de Educación y Estudios (Paraguay)

CIPAE

Comité de Iglesias para Ayudas de Emergencia (Paraguay)

CHC

Confederación Hondureña de Cooperativas

COFEP II

Community Finance and Empowerment Project (Kenya)

COAPALMA

Oil palm processing cooperative enterprise (Honduras)

CONAJUCOOP

Centro Juvenil Cooperativo (Coordinación Nacional de las Juventudes Cooperativistas de Paraguay)

CONAVI

Consejo Nacional de la Vivienda (Paraguay)

COFEP

Community Finance Empowerment Project (Kenya)

CSOs

Civil Society Organisations

CTH

Central de Trabajadores de Honduras

DANIDA

Danish International Development Agency

DFID

The Department For International Development (UK)

EPA

Economic Partnership Agreements (EU)

FBOs

Faith Based Organisation

FECOPROD

Federación de Cooperativas de Producción (Paraguay)

FECORAH

Federación de Cooperativas y Empresas de La Reforma Agraria de Honduras

FLACSO

Facultad Latinoamericana de Ciencias Sociales

FUCVAM

Federación Unificadora de Cooperativas de Vivienda por Ayuda Mutua FUCVAM (Uruguay, Paraguay)

HIV

Human Immunodeficiency Virus

ICADE

Instituto para la Cooperación y Autodesarrollo (Honduras)

IFAD

International Fund for Agricultural Development

IFAP

International Federation of Agricultural Producers

IFC

Instituto de Investigación y Formación Cooperativista (Honduras)

IMF

International Monetary Fund

ILO

International Labour Organization

KATC

Kasisi Agricultural Training Centre (Zambia)

MEJORA

Mejoramiento Organizativo, Productivo y de Comercialización de las Empresas y Familias Campesinas (Honduras)

M&E

Monitoring and Evaluation

NORAD

Norwegian Development Agency

NACHU

National Housing Cooperative Union (Kenya)

NEPAD

The New Partnership for Africa’s Development

SUPPORTING CIVIL SOCIETY ORGANIZATIONS FOR EMPOWERMENT AND ECONOMICS PROGRESS OF SMALL FARMERS AND PEOPLE LIVING IN POVERTY – Sida EVALUATION 2008:25

3

NGOs

Non-Governmental Organisations

OD

Organisational Development

OPPAZ

Organic Producers and Processors Association of Zambia

PME

Planning Monitoring and Evaluation

SACCO

Savings and Credit Co-operative (Kenya)

SACAU

Southern Confederation of Agricultural Unions

SCC

Swedish Cooperative Centre

SCC-EA

SCC Eastern Africa

SCC-LA

SCC Latin America

SCC-SA

SCC Southern Africa

SCC-Vi

Swedish Cooperative Centre and Vi Agroforestry

SEKA

NGO Division at the Department for Cooperation with Non-Governmental Organisations and Humanitarian Assistance and Conflict Management, Asdi/Sida

SEK

Swedish Kronor

Sida

Swedish Agency for International Development Cooperation

SHADE

Sustainable Habitat Development (Kenya)

UNDP

United Nations Development Programme

USAID

United States Agency for International Development

USD

US Dollar

UNIOCOOP

Unión de Cooperativas de Servicios Agropecuarios (Honduras)

Vi Agroforestry VI-SKOGEN (in Swedish) ZNFU

Zambia National Farmers’ Union

WB

The World Bank

Farmer group in Southern province in Zambia

4

SUPPORTING CIVIL SOCIETY ORGANIZATIONS FOR EMPOWERMENT AND ECONOMICS PROGRESS OF SMALL FARMERS AND PEOPLE LIVING IN POVERTY – Sida EVALUATION 2008:25

Executive Summary Chapter 1 and 2. Introduction and Context: 1. The Swedish Cooperative Centre (SCC) is one of 14 organisations that have entered into framework funding agreements with Sida in 2007. SCC’s framework agreement with Sida amounts to SEK 143.5 million. According to the Terms of Reference issued by Sida, the overall purpose of this evaluation is to assess the relevance and results of SCC’s development cooperation in relation to the objectives of Sida/ SEKA and of SCC. Moreover, the evaluation should serve as a learning tool and suggest possible improvements. 2. The Evaluation Team selected four countries, travelling to all of them during September 2007: Paraguay, Honduras, Kenya and Zambia. Here, selected projects and partners were visited, and the team sought to conduct broad-based consultations as well as to meet target groups in relatively remote rural communities together with SCC partners. In addition, valuable discussions were held with the staff at three regional SCC offices, which turned out to be open-minded and constructive. 3. The Swedish Cooperative Centre (‘Kooperation Utan Gränser’) has 62 member organisations representing all major Swedish cooperatives and sectors in which cooperatives play a central role in Sweden. SCC operates in 26 countries with activities in Africa, Latin America, Asia and Eastern Europe. The vision of SCC is “a world free from poverty and injustice”. To make its vision a reality, self-help is adopted as a general principle, meaning that poor people are given tools to find their own way out of poverty. 4. SCC’s overall strategy is outlined in the document “New steps in the Right Direction, the Swedish Cooperative Centre’s strategy for 2007–2011”, in which the primary target group of the SCC’s development cooperation is defined as “poor women and men who are members, or potential members, of cooperative organisations or other democratic associations or informal groups working to achieve common goals.” The overarching priority areas or sectors are rural development, housing and habitat, as well as financial services. This is further explained in the two regional strategies for Africa and Latin America. 5. Within a decentralised framework, the headquarters in Stockholm focuses on developing the global framework, policies, strategies and methods, information work and fundraising. Thus, greater responsibility and decision-making powers have been delegated to the regional SCC offices as concerns the signing of contracts with Southern partners in charge of day-to-day implementation.

Chapter 3. Achievements in the four countries: 6. Chapter 3 presents brief summaries of the achievements and outcomes that were identified in the four country studies. Zambia

The overall conclusion of the country study is that, over a ten-year period, SCC has contributed to strengthening democratic farmer organisations in Zambia, which have affiliated associations in almost all districts of the country. In particular, the Zambia National Farmers’ Union (ZNFU) is an example of how assistance can break new ground by supporting, from an early stage, what has today evolved into ZNFU, one of the strongest farmer organisations in Southern Africa. ZNFU has grown to become both influential at the national level and relevant to thousands of smallscale farmers engaged in local farmers’ groups, study circles and marketing activities. In this way, the Swedish support has contributed to improving the livelihoods of small-scale farmers in the four selected SUPPORTING CIVIL SOCIETY ORGANIZATIONS FOR EMPOWERMENT AND ECONOMICS PROGRESS OF SMALL FARMERS AND PEOPLE LIVING IN POVERTY – Sida EVALUATION 2008:25

5

districts. This cost-effectiveness concept has since been scaled up with support from other donors, such as Norway, Holland and Sida’s agriculture sector programme. OPPAZ is implementing a new Eco Marketing project aimed at strengthening the targeted organic producer groups with respect to their organisational and technical capabilities, while setting up control systems to monitor their adherence to organic practices. There is evidence of increased volumes of some organic products, such as vegetables, rice, groundnuts and sunflower. The regional farmer organisation, SACAU, is currently developing its capacity as a recognised regional voice of organised farmers in Southern Africa. With SCC support, SACAU has gained strength in its analysis and advocacy activities related to trade issues, including the ongoing negotiations with the EU on Economic Partnership Agreements (EPAs). Kenya

The overall conclusion is that the SCC programme responds well to the overall objective of reducing poverty and strengthening civil society. The programme is well consolidated, and support for the Savings and Credit Co-operatives (SACCOs), which is the fastest growing co-operative sector in Kenya, has been particularly successful, involving 15 co-operatives, particularly in retail banking, savings and group lending. On average, they have brought about a 23% increase in the number of people accessing financial services during the project period. SCC has done well by contributing to democratic governance structures, accountability and regular audits in the co-operatives as a way of stamping out practices that used to give a negative public image to the cooperative movement. In this respect, SCC has brought to bear its ample experience of organisational development, and also has an interesting Leadership for Change training programme, where leaders are taught skills in leadership, entrepreneurship and change management. The project entitled Community Empowerment and Enterprise Development through Cooperatives (CEEDCo) is working with 4,200 small-scale farmers organised in 47 cooperatives. The project has increased the farmers’ technical capacity to access markets through bulk sales. Furthermore, the farmers have raised both subsistence and cash crop production, while making progress on diversification through new farming techniques and organic methods. Honduras

The conclusion is that SCC’s long-term presence and experience in Honduras has been instrumental to the achievement of the positive result with the rural and urban target group of poor people. As an example, the MEJORA project “Improving Business Capacity of Farmers’ Organizations” has managed to raise peasant family income by diversifying production, expanding areas under cultivation, and improving small-scale irrigation systems. Additional progress has been made in administration and democratic practices among participating cooperatives. The technical assistance offered by promoters and complemented by local leaders (enlaces) is appreciated by beneficiaries, and has had a noticeable effect. Another project in the Tawahka Biosphere Reserve is operating in very inaccessible terrain with myriad tensions between the various population groups. Nevertheless, the peasant and indigenous communities have been organized. They voluntarily exercise surveillance over the forests in order to prevent illegal deforestation, and have also converted their agriculture and livestock breeding into more environmentally-friendly alternative production systems. Paraguay

The general conclusion of the evaluation is that SCC’s counterparts have performed well in their work and projects in terms of results and technical capacity related to the selected areas that were studied, namely agricultural development as well as housing and habitat. The majority of SCC partners are 6

SUPPORTING CIVIL SOCIETY ORGANIZATIONS FOR EMPOWERMENT AND ECONOMICS PROGRESS OF SMALL FARMERS AND PEOPLE LIVING IN POVERTY – Sida EVALUATION 2008:25

working with a clear poverty orientation, reaching marginalized target groups in both rural and urban areas. The outcome of the CIPAE project is the construction of a new residential area, with 300 homes of 70m2 built so far. SCC and CIPAE have successfully developed a model of how to organize housing cooperatives that can finance and build homes for poor people, while making them more aware of their rights. The project with FECOPROD and nine different small-scale farmer associations have improved the livelihoods of 903 farmers (635 men and 277 women). Furthermore, members of the target group have enhanced their organizational capabilities, expanded markets for their products, enlarged the business of their association, participated in advocacy regarding national politics, and honed their skills in areas such as leadership, agricultural techniques, etc.

Chapter 4. SCC working with partners in the South: 7. SCC’s selection of partners is strongly linked to SCC’s own identity as part of the historically important cooperative movement in Sweden. SCC has a set of clear definitions and criteria when selecting partners, highlighting values such as self-help, democracy, equality, justice and solidarity. In Central America, as well as in Eastern and Southern Africa, the cooperative agricultural movements went into crisis in the 1980s and 90s. In this context, it was well justified that SCC left the cooperative movement in Southern Africa, and that it took a bottom-up approach in Kenya, starting by strengthening first-level cooperatives on the ground. Interestingly, in the case of Paraguay, this cooperative model remains intact and well. 8. In general terms, SCC is skilful at selecting partners in all four countries visited. SCC cooperates with partners that are well aware of the importance of combining income-generating activities with promotion of internal democracy. SCC is highly valued by the Southern organisations for its partnership approach, which emphasizes that all partners, and ultimately their members, are owners of the development work. In many projects, SCC has set the condition that the partner should provide a certain amount of resources – not always monetary – as counterpart funding. This model is working well. 9. Historically, advocacy has not been a strong field for SCC, as the focus has been on improving cooperative members’ incomes through higher productivity and market access. In Sweden, the communication department’s role is mainly confined to feeding the 65 Swedish member organizations’ media outlets with journalistic articles for fund-raising purposes. Nevertheless, SCC has initiated small steps, for instance a feature article on fair trade coffee and the campaign report “Small farmers, big markets”. However, few efforts have been made to take advantage of SCC’s field presence and its partners’ work as an important tool for North-South advocacy for different issues in Sweden, e.g. related to EU, WTO, UN and the World Bank. At the regional and country level, SCC staff increasingly view the need for advocacy and a human-rights approach. However, although advocacy and policy work feature as priorities, few goals and indicators can be found in the various project documents so far. Both Paraguay and Honduras provide good examples of contributions delivered by partners towards new legislation, leading to the creation of national housing authorities and a new public housing financing mechanism. In Southern Africa, the regional farmer organisation, SACAU, is very active in influencing key agricultural issues in important negotiations, including the on-going negotiations with the EU on the Economic Partnership Agreement (EPAs). In this respect, SCC could more actively seek engagement with international networks, e.g. with alliances such as Via Campesina, Agricord and IFAP.

SUPPORTING CIVIL SOCIETY ORGANIZATIONS FOR EMPOWERMENT AND ECONOMICS PROGRESS OF SMALL FARMERS AND PEOPLE LIVING IN POVERTY – Sida EVALUATION 2008:25

7

10. Capacity development is part of most projects supported by SCC, and is seen as a means of improving the performance of partner organisations as such. SCC is probably among the leading international NGOs as regards strengthening farmer and cooperative organisations. This is in line with this year’s World Development Report, which calls for more attention to the agricultural sector. The SCC interventions have led to hundreds of stronger member-based organisations at local, district, provincial and national levels. SCC has relatively successfully introduced organisational development (OD), adapting this field of activity to member-based organisations. A major challenge is posed in Kenya, where one project is implemented directly with the first-level cooperatives by technical teams managed by the SCC regional office (direct implementation also in the Lake Victoria Development Programme implemented with the Vi Agroforesty). This reflects weaknesses in the representation of cooperatives’ and small-scale farmers’ interests at the national level. 11. The evaluation team has met SCC staff who are dedicated and motivated in their work. They are highly competent in the development of cooperative organisations, farmer organisations, housing cooperatives and savings & credits (or financial services or microfinance). However – notwithstanding some variety between the four countries – SCC has not in all four countries demonstrated the same degree of technical capacity – and networking with the local resource base – in the fields of rural development, sustainable agriculture, environmental mainstreaming and local business development. 12. SCC has made a major effort in the development and application of a system for planning, monitoring and evaluation (PME), which is considered fundamental to quality assurance and accountability in the management of Swedish funds. The team’s conclusion is that SCC is doing an excellent job of meeting Sida’s expectations on PME. The Honduras country report mentions it as one of the best PME systems seen among Swedish NGOs. The project documents are of good quality and spring from sound participatory processes. However, the more emphasis could be placed on baseline data. This constitutes an obstacle to measuring the outcomes and progress towards reaching the indicators set out in the Logical Framework planning. More outcome- and impact-oriented methodologies could also be useful. 13. In its regional strategies, SCC intends to strengthen the partner organisations’ capacity and accountability. The evaluation team has tested how the PME system works among selected partners in Zambia and Kenya (which already have their own annual planning and reports). The actual integration of the organisations’ own systems into the praised PME system has been relatively scarce, as project documents and progress reports are often prepared exclusively for SCC. A challenge for SCC regional teams will be to progress further towards harmonisation and alignment and downward accountability to the constituency as part of the aid effectiveness agenda of the Paris Declaration. The evaluation team observed an interesting example in Zambia, where the leadership of ZNFU wishes to move away from fragmented projects towards joint budget support from several international agencies based on their new strategic plan. Similar efforts was found in SCC’s programme in Kenya. This fit very well into SCC’s intended shift from project- to programme-based approaches. 14. SCC has carried out a number of relevant studies related to gender equity etc. However, the evaluation team found relatively few lessons learned or adjustments generated by independent external evaluations. SCC headquarters is aware that improvements are needed as concerns the practice of carrying out external evaluations. 15. The evaluation finds that SCC has progressed substantially in recent years in the area of gender after a late start. SCC gender policy paper was issued in 2004, and the area has since been given higher priority in both Africa and Latin America. Many projects have increased female membership and leadership in cooperatives, and several projects have incorporated gender-sensitive indicators. In all three regions, specific programmes are addressing gender mainstreaming. Nevertheless, there is still a certain degree of resistance among leaders in the farmer and cooperative movement. To overcome this, SCC is aware that win-win situations related to the organisations’ core business need to be established. 8

SUPPORTING CIVIL SOCIETY ORGANIZATIONS FOR EMPOWERMENT AND ECONOMICS PROGRESS OF SMALL FARMERS AND PEOPLE LIVING IN POVERTY – Sida EVALUATION 2008:25

16. Historically, SCC has devoted limited thinking and financial resources to the dreadful HIV/AIDS epidemic. Fortunately, SCC has taken important steps forward during the last two years, proving the capacity of SCC staff to convince partners on the need for collaborating with specialised national NGOs in this field. During visits to the communities, the evaluation team noticed that SCC and its partners have clearly endeavoured to pay attention to the prevention of the disease. 17. This year, SCC is developing its policy and guidelines on environmental sustainability, where the most urgent challenge will be to mainstream the issue into the agriculture projects, as well as to promote linkages between natural resource management, improved livelihoods and poverty reduction. Another challenge will be to address climate change.

Chapter 5. Relevance, sustainability and lessons learned: 18. A key conclusion of the evaluation is that SCC’s programme is relevant in terms of the objectives of the partners, of SCC and of Sida/SEKA. The objectives of SCC partners are couched in terms such as building citizenship, increasing organisational capacity, empowering people living in poverty, increasing the leadership of women, promoting sustainable agricultural methods, etc. Almost all the partners work with a clear objective of creating what is often called citizenship. This is an aspect integrated into the cooperative model. 19. Like Sida, SCC has adopted a multidimensional approach to poverty and poverty reduction, and has a clear poverty orientation in the four countries of cooperation. Nevertheless, SCC would benefit from a more analytical and explicit approach to poverty targeting and stratification, including variables and categories such as land tenure, marginality, ethnicity and gender. This could contribute to improving the outreach to the poorer segments of the population. 20. It seems important to discuss SCC’s strategies for sustainability, including the issue of exit strategies. Financial sustainability is one of the concerns most frequently raised in SCC’s reports. However, many of the projects have not agreed with partners on adequate ‘exit strategies’, nor have they considered replicability mechanisms at an early stage. 21. Sida’s ToR for the evaluation asked about the ‘value added’, meaning what SCC is adding to the money value of the grants. In addition to the strengths already mentioned, the most important reply is probably that the field presence of SCC and its committed staff is valued by the partners as essential for a close and qualified dialogue. Nevertheless, there is still room for increasing the added value, as indicated above in this Summary, e.g. on advocacy, knowledge management of technical issues, analysis of target groups and project outcomes, etc. 22. In general, SCC’s new regional strategies for Africa and Latin America are well formulated and build on many years of experience in these regions. However, they seem to stretch thin what the regional teams are able to cover within their working hours and in-house competencies, as they encompass 26 countries, three core strategic sectors and various cross-cutting issues. Less ‘SCC added value’ could be the end effect, unless sufficient focus and attention is brought to bear on a realistic and focused regional strategy and project portfolio. Therefore, the evaluation team raises the issue of growth versus quality/consolidation in the light of the very high growth rate and accelerating turnover experienced in recent years. In year 2000, the total turnover of SCC was SEK 100 million. In 2007, it is estimated at SEK 221 million, reflecting increased collaboration with Vi Agroforestry, the merging processes with “Sveriges Bönder Hjälper” and, most recently, the KF Project Centre, adding 14 countries to the project portfolio. In 2008, the turnover will be approximately SEK 250 million.

SUPPORTING CIVIL SOCIETY ORGANIZATIONS FOR EMPOWERMENT AND ECONOMICS PROGRESS OF SMALL FARMERS AND PEOPLE LIVING IN POVERTY – Sida EVALUATION 2008:25

9

23. It is correct that SCC can benefit from an economy of scale. However, the challenges above indicate that it might be time to pause for reflection, focusing more on turning SCC into a learning organisation. SCC could have some interesting years ahead with a consolidation period focusing more on programme development, taking up such challenges as systematisation of experiences, knowledge management, and increased North-South advocacy with a view to developing SCC into an even better Swedish NGO. The attraction of becoming a ‘knowledge-based’ learning organisation could be an alternative to continuous growth. Chapter 6 presents specific recommendations, summing up the evaluation team’s suggestions on how to respond to the aforementioned findings and conclusions.

10

SUPPORTING CIVIL SOCIETY ORGANIZATIONS FOR EMPOWERMENT AND ECONOMICS PROGRESS OF SMALL FARMERS AND PEOPLE LIVING IN POVERTY – Sida EVALUATION 2008:25

1.

Introduction

1.1.

Objective of the Evaluation

Sida’s NGO cooperation is focused on the development and strengthening of civil society. Since a considerable part of Swedish development cooperation is channelled via Swedish NGOs, it is of growing interest to ascertain the degree to which Swedish NGO development cooperation contributed to the overall objective of SEKA, i.e. to the strengthening of a dynamic and democratic civil society in partner countries as well as enabling poor people to improve their living conditions. The Swedish Cooperative Centre (SCC) is one of the 14 frame organisations with a long-term partnership with Sida. The current agreement between Sida and SCC is valid up to June 2009. During the financial year 2007, SCC’s frame agreement with Sida amounted to 143.5 million SEK for development cooperation. It is stipulated in this frame agreement that an external evaluation of results and effects is to take place during the period. According to the Terms of Reference from Sida (Annex 1), the overall purpose of this evaluation is to assess the relevance of the Swedish Cooperative Centre’s development cooperation in relation to the above-mentioned SEKA objective. Moreover, the evaluation should serve as a learning tool for both the Swedish Cooperative Centre and Sida/SEKA, as well as become an instrument for Sida’s overall assessment of the SCC. In addition, the evaluation should assess the results or effects of certain SCC programmes; and suggest improvements for planning, implementation and monitoring of their development cooperation.

1.2.

The Work of the Evaluation Team

The Evaluation Team selected four countries for field visits: Paraguay, Honduras, Kenya and Zambia. All four country reports can be found in Annex C, D, E and F. These field reports have taken into account written comments received from the SCC regional field offices. The field trips were undertaken during the first two to three weeks of September, when selected projects and partners were visited (see list under each country report). All the visits concluded with debriefing meetings with SCC country and/or regional staff. Upon return, the team has had constructive and valuable e-discussions with the regional SCC teams in Eastern Africa, Southern Africa and Latin America, which together with the written comments are reflected in this main report and the country reports. This has confirmed the open and constructive way in which the SCC staffs in the regions and in Stockholm have participated in transforming the evaluation’s findings and recommendations into possible improvements of the regional programme. The present evaluation was carried out by the four consultants Hans Peter Dejgaard (team leader), Jocke Nyberg, Anders Rudqvist and Mutahi Ngunyi.

1.3.

Methods and Approach

The aim of this evaluation has been to ensure overall quality of the evaluation as defined in the Sida evaluation guidelines: “Looking Back, Moving Forward, Sida Evaluation Manual” (2004). This includes the accuracy and relevance of the findings that should be assessed with reference to standard criteria of reliability and validity.1 1

Reliability: Consistency or dependability of data and evaluation judgments, with reference to the quality of the instruments, procedures and analyses used to collect and interpret evaluation data. Validity: The extent to which the data collection strategies and instruments measure what they purport to measure (page 115–116).

SUPPORTING CIVIL SOCIETY ORGANIZATIONS FOR EMPOWERMENT AND ECONOMICS PROGRESS OF SMALL FARMERS AND PEOPLE LIVING IN POVERTY – Sida EVALUATION 2008:25

11

It should be underlined that the team has designed this task as “lesson learned evaluation” rather than documentary evaluation. Therefore, the use of a participatory approach was proposed in the tender proposal and inception report, and the team has sought broad-based consultation with SCC and SCC partners in the four selected countries. A considerable part of the field visits outside the country capitals by team members were spent visiting rural communities together with SCC partners. To select projects and interviewees this evaluation has used purposeful sampling, often applied in participatory approaches, which seek to select information-rich and strategically important cases or interviewees for in-depth study. While a conventional statistical approach would collect information through a questionnaire applied to a large, statistically significant sample, the purposeful approach focuses on in-depth understanding of the needs, interests, constraints and incentives of a limited number of strategically selected categories of interviewees or informants and how they have been affected by the projects. One of the most important ways to ensure the validity of the results has been by means of different types of triangulation, which involve the systematic use and comparison of data collected with independent methods. The objective was to assess potential biases in particular methods of data collection and other independent methods or data sources that are likely to offset these biases. To ensure a degree of representation, a combination of working areas, partner organisations, direct target groups, sociological and geographical considerations were taken into account when the fieldwork was designed. Each consultant was assigned responsibility for one country, and the team leader visited both Kenya and Zambia, and has also made comments to the draft country reports on Paraguay and Honduras (in Spanish). 1) Sources of Data. This evaluation consulted both primary and secondary sources of data. From the primary sources, the team consulted with four types of interviewees. The first were the three SCC regional offices; the second were cooperation partners; the third included other stakeholders and independent referents in the four countries; and the fourth were the beneficiary co-operatives and farmer groups. This last group was the most numerous of those interviewed by the consultants. The consultants achieved answers on to results- oriented questions like about issues such as training/ capacity building and poverty alleviation from these beneficiaries without the presence of SCC staff (or technical advisers from partner organization’s, except when translation interpreting was needed, as in Zambia). 2) The four consultants pursued their country studies through semi-structured interviews with members and leaders of the cooperative/farmer associations as well as local authorities, international agencies and NGOs. The data from these interviews were coupled with direct observations made by the consultants at project locations. 3) The Sample of Projects. The evaluation sampled 3–4 projects in each of the four selected countries, which include all main working areas in the SCC regional strategies for Africa and Latin America (credits, housing, agriculture, cooperatives and farmer organisations) and the four cross-cutting issues – or “strategic priority areas” as SCC calls them. This evaluation includes all four: gender, HIV/ AIDS, environmental sustainability and democratic participation. 4) Meetings in Stockholm. The team had an initial meeting in June 07 with Sida/SEKA and with SCC’s head of the international department, where the draft inception report and the planning of the evaluation were discussed. The team also met with Sida/SEKA on 4 October 2007. In addition, a one-day meeting was held with SCC management and staff on 5 October, at which the preliminary findings from the four country studies were discussed. A final meeting was held 9th of January in Stockholm with participation of SCC management and Sida/SEKA.

12

SUPPORTING CIVIL SOCIETY ORGANIZATIONS FOR EMPOWERMENT AND ECONOMICS PROGRESS OF SMALL FARMERS AND PEOPLE LIVING IN POVERTY – Sida EVALUATION 2008:25

5) Meetings with SCC regional staff. In order to validate our analysis and findings, meeting sessions were held with SCC staff in Nairobi, Harare, San José and Asunción. Many of the recommendations in this report were generated collectively from these sessions. The Team worked in a transparent and consultative manner, sharing working papers and debriefing notes with the regional SCC offices to allow validation of findings and opportunities to provide initial feedback. All three regional SCC offices have responded to these consultations in a constructive and helpful fashion.

1.4.

Limitations of the Evaluation

This study did not experience any major limitations. The SCC programmes being regional, a visit to at least one other country in East Africa and Southern Africa would have provided richer results and a more comparative perspective. This was not possible due to the time constraints. In order to achieve the objective of the evaluation the team decided (i) to use a case study approach and (ii) to focus on the verification of the logical frameworks of active partnerships, assuming that these would be well planned with respect to the preparation and implementation of partnership-based exchanges. Although the evaluation’s credibility and impartiality are important2, the team chose to prepare a participatory evaluation aimed at “lesson learned”, and prioritised this approach over the drafting of a “detached” documentary approach.

1.5.

Report Outline and Acknowledgements

This main report encompasses the following: chapter 1: an executive summary, followed by this introduction; chapter 2: a description of SCC mandates and strategies; chapter 3 contains an overview of the outcome and achievements in four selected countries, which is explained in greater detail in the four country studies. Furthermore, chapter 4 offers an assessment of SCC work with partners in the South; chapter 5 is an account of the relevance, fulfilment of objectives and added value of SCC programmes; and chapter 6 brings the report to a close with a number of recommendations. Furthermore, the Summary comprises the main findings, conclusions and lessons learned. The present document is a final report, which has taken into account comments from SCC and Sida/ SEKA. The open and constructive feedbacks from the three regional SCC offices indicate that the follow-up to the evaluation and recommendations have a good chance of being “owned” by the SCC staff. As can be seen in the country reports, the regional teams have already provided concrete ideas for follow-up on some of the recommendations. The views expressed in this report are those of the consultancy team, and do not necessarily reflect those of the organizations that have commissioned this study, nor of the persons interviewed or otherwise consulted in the process. The Team would like to express its gratitude to the staff at the SCC regional offices and to the civil society organizations and individuals interviewed for their kind support and the valuable assistance afforded during the consultant’s work in Kenya, Zambia, Paraguay and Honduras. 2

The Sida Guidelines “Looking Back, Moving Forward, Sida Evaluation Manual” (2004) states that the credibility of evaluations depends upon three factors: i. The evaluators must be accepted as impartial and unbiased by all; ii. The evaluators must be technically and culturally competent; and iii. Methods and resources for data collection must be regarded as appropriate (page 24).

SUPPORTING CIVIL SOCIETY ORGANIZATIONS FOR EMPOWERMENT AND ECONOMICS PROGRESS OF SMALL FARMERS AND PEOPLE LIVING IN POVERTY – Sida EVALUATION 2008:25

13

2.

SCC Mandate and Strategies

2.1.

Mandates and Constituency

The Swedish Cooperative Centre (SCC), whose Swedish name is ‘Kooperation Utan Gränser’ was founded in 1958. Its member organisations are national federations representing all major Swedish cooperatives and sectors in which cooperatives play a central role in Swedish society and economy. Currently SCC has 62 member organisations such as consumer cooperatives, the farmer’s federation, cooperative housing organisations and other associations.3 SCC operates in 26 countries. Most of the activities it supports are located in Africa and Latin America, but also some countries in Eastern Europe and Asia are included in SCC’s project portfolio. The vision of SCC is “a world free from poverty and injustice”. To make its vision a reality SCC works through long-term development projects, implemented in cooperation with local partner organizations in selected countries. Self-help is adopted as a general principle for SCC development cooperation, meaning that it gives poor people tools to find a way out of poverty by themselves. SCC’s mission is to: • support women and men so as to enable them to increase their incomes; • support women and men so as to enable them to improve their living conditions, defend their rights, and organise themselves; • strengthen the democratic and economic development of its partner organisations; and • contribute to the development of democratic and just societies. The mission statement is inspired by and coincides with the values of the International Cooperative Alliance on self-help, personal responsibility, democracy, equality, justice and solidarity, as well as its principles for cooperatives: voluntary and open membership; democratic control by members; members’ economic participation, autonomy and independence; education, training and information; cooperation among cooperatives; and finally, concern for the community. In Sweden SCC works to ensure that people take a stand and become engaged in the establishment of an equitable world order by supporting development programmes through fund-raising activities.

2.2.

SCC Overall and Regional Strategies

SCC’s overall strategy is outlined in the document “New steps in the Right Direction, the Swedish Cooperative Centre’s strategy for 2007–2011”, in which the primary target group of the SCC’s development cooperation is defined as “poor women and men who are members, or potential members, of cooperative organisations or other democratic associations or informal groups working to achieve common goals.” The overarching priority areas or sectors are rural development, housing and habitat, and financial services.

3

Among SCC’s members are the Swedish Cooperative Union, KF, the Cooperative Consumer Guilds, Coop Sverige AB, most of the Swedish consumer cooperatives, the housing cooperative federations Riksbyggen and HSB, as well as many local housing cooperatives, the Federation of Swedish Farmers, LRF, the Federation of Swedish Farmers in Skåne, Sydost, Dalarna, Halland,Västerbotten, Örebro, Jönköping, Jämtland, Sjuhärad, Norrbotten, Östergötland, Värmland, Lantmännen, Folksam cooperative insurance, Fonus, the funeral cooperative, OK, the oil and petroleum cooperative, Swedbank and cooperative banks among others.

14

SUPPORTING CIVIL SOCIETY ORGANIZATIONS FOR EMPOWERMENT AND ECONOMICS PROGRESS OF SMALL FARMERS AND PEOPLE LIVING IN POVERTY – Sida EVALUATION 2008:25

The overall strategy is to guide the regional strategies for Eastern and Southern Africa and Latin America.4 Mission, goals, objectives, methods and conceptualization are common to all of the strategies. The differences between general and regional strategies reside basically in contextualization and analyses of the regional social, economic and political conditions, political and economic conjunctures, and historical experiences (e.g. of development cooperation). These in turn give rise to certain differences of emphasis, components and methods in the respective regional development programmes, such as regional priorities and priority areas, as well as strategic programme areas. In the regional strategy for Eastern and Southern Africa 2007–2011, SCC will focus on five programme areas, each divided into three thematic sectors, and on two mainstreaming issues (Gender Equality and HIV/AIDS). The sectors are: • rural development with a focus on sustainable agriculture, food security and local business development; • adequate housing; and • rural financial services. In Eastern and Southern Africa SCC is operating in Madagascar, Malawi, Mozambique, South Africa, Zambia and Zimbabwe. In the course of the present strategy period, South Africa will be phased out. The Regional Strategy for Latin America 2007–2001 concentrates on the four priority areas or sectors listed below, which are complemented with three cross-cutting thematic issues, i.e. youth, sustainable development and financial services. SCC Latin America has worked on these for a number of years. The aforementioned priority areas are: • rural development; • housing and habitat; • democratic participation; and • gender equality. In Latin America SCC is working in Bolivia, Brazil, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Paraguay and Uruguay. The strategies are supplemented with thematic policy papers on “Housing and Habitat”, “Política de Desarrollo Organizacional, Valores y Filosofía” and the “Strategy for Market-Based Agricultural Development”5, which is particularly focused on the development conditions of the small-scale farmer or campesino production. In rural development the objective is to promote the capacity of the rural poor to improve their economic, social and political livelihoods through improving their economic development and food security. Regarding housing and habitat, the aim is to contribute to increased access to adequate housing and habitat for poor people at a reasonable cost, using a model based on participation, self-management, self-help, shared responsibility and solidarity. The right to housing is, according to SCC, a human right to a “habitable, affordable and accessible” place to live. This implies public policies and tools that allow access to land, and secure tenure and access to financing on reasonable conditions, including subsidies and soft credits for the poor. 4

5

SCC, New Steps in the Right Direction; the Swedish Cooperative Centre’s Strategy for 2007–2011, Stockholm 2007; Regional strategy for Eastern and Southern Africa, Swedish Cooperative Centre 2007–2011, Stockholm 2007; Estrategia Regional para América Latina, Centro Cooperativo Sueco 2007–2011, Estocolmo 2007. SCC, Swedish Cooperative Centre’s Strategy for Market-Based Agricultural Development, Stockholm, 2007.

SUPPORTING CIVIL SOCIETY ORGANIZATIONS FOR EMPOWERMENT AND ECONOMICS PROGRESS OF SMALL FARMERS AND PEOPLE LIVING IN POVERTY – Sida EVALUATION 2008:25

15

2.3.

Cross-cutting Issues

SCC has chosen to prioritize the following cross-cutting and strategic issues: democratic participation, gender equality, environmentally sustainable development, and fighting HIV/AIDS. SCC considers these mainstreaming issues to be strategic programme areas in order to insure that sufficient planning and financial priority is allocated to them throughout the strategy period. SCC has prepared a policy paper titled “Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women”, which declares that SCC will focus on women’s strategic rights and needs, raise men’s awareness, and support women’s empowerment in order to bring about changes in legislation, institutions, structures and attitudes in general so as to improve gender equality. Democratic participation and citizenship is viewed by SCC as democracy built from below. The objective is to promote the democratic participation of organised women and men in order to increase their control, power and capacity to represent and demand compliance with their interests, rights and needs in the national and regional arenas.

2.4.

SCC Organization, Field Offices and Human Resources

The highest authority in SCC (Kooperation Utan Gränsers) is the General Annual Assembly. It is the General Assembly that elects the Board constituted by a minimum of 8 and maximum 12 board members from the member organisations. The Board has appointed the Managing Director. The total number of staff at the Stockholm headquarter is 26 persons (of which 5 part time).At the field offices in Africa and Latin America are employed 55 persons in total, plus the programme staff in Malawi and Niassa. Within the decentralised framework, the headquarter office in Stockholm focuses on developing the global framework, policies, strategies and methods, information work and fundraising. This is a major change compared to ten or fifteen years ago, when most of the staff in Africa and Latin America was Swedish and virtually all key decisions on objectives and priorities were made in Stockholm. Since then SCC has been through a decentralisation process, whereby the regional offices have been delegated more responsibility and decision-making power as concerns contracts with Southern partners that are in charge of day-to-day implementation. Today, the regional directors are Swedish while almost all the other staff at the regional offices is local. The regional offices in Southern Africa, Eastern Africa and Latin America are responsible for the daily programme management, planning, monitoring and administration of the development cooperation in their respective regions. The regional offices have went through a reorganisation process, shifting from programme officers with individual country responsibility to becoming a sector-based organisation, where programme officers work in teams. This is related to SCC’s change from country strategies to regional themes/sectors. The SCC Regional Office for Eastern Africa operates in Kenya and has a subsidiary office in Uganda. The Regional Office for Southern Africa, SCC-ROSA works with partner organisations in six countries (Madagascar, Malawi, Mozambique, South Africa, Zambia and Zimbabwe). SCC’s Regional Office for Southern Africa has maintained its presence in Harare, Zimbabwe. SCC also has a small country office in Lusaka, Zambia, as well as programme offices in Lichinga, Mozambique and Lilongwe, Malawi. SCC started to work in Central America (Nicaragua) in 1984. After expanding its cooperation to the rest of the Central American countries and including Uruguay, the Latin American Regional Office was established in San José, Costa Rica, in 1997. Currently SCC has country offices in Honduras, Nicaragua, El Salvador, Bolivia and Paraguay. 16

SUPPORTING CIVIL SOCIETY ORGANIZATIONS FOR EMPOWERMENT AND ECONOMICS PROGRESS OF SMALL FARMERS AND PEOPLE LIVING IN POVERTY – Sida EVALUATION 2008:25

2.5.

Budget and Financial Sources

SCC’s programmes are financed mainly by Sida, where the organisation is one of the framework organisations that work in co-operation with Sida. A partnership agreement between Sida and Swedish Cooperative Centre is valid up to 30 June 2009. During the financial year 2007, Swedish Cooperative Centre frame-agreement with Sida amounted to 143 500 000 SEK for development cooperation. In this frame-agreement an external evaluation of results and effects is stipulated during the agreement period as well as a system-audit evaluation. The share of the budget outside the framework with Sida/SEKA has increased in recent years. The total annual turnaround of SCC is in 2007 estimated at 221 million SEK. Upon merging with the KF Project Centre the annual turnaround will be approximately 250 million SEK in 2008.

3.

Outcomes and Achievements in 4 Selected Countries

In consensus SCC and Sida/SEKA the Evaluation Team has selected four countries for field visits: Paraguay, Honduras, Kenya and Zambia. The selection of the projects to visit was also done in close dialogue with SCC regional offices. This chapter contains summaries of the achievements and outcomes that were identified in the four country studies. More detailed information can be found in the four country reports (annexes).

3.1.

The Zambia Study

3.1.1. Selected projects

The evaluation has assessed three projects being implemented in Zambia, in addition to two regional projects, as follows: • Market Facilitation Project with ZNFU in four districts in the Eastern and the Southern provinces. SCC collaboration with ZNFU this year celebrates its tenth year. • OPPAZ Eco– Marketing Project. A new partner, coming on board in 2006. • Organic agriculture and sustainable livelihoods project with Kasisi Agricultural Training Centre (KATC). SCC is phasing out KATC at the end of 2008. • The regional farmer organisation SACAU (with two projects: Institutional Development Support Project. Document 2006–08 and the Regional Farmers Organisations Support Project. 3.1.2. Main outcomes and overall conclusion from the Zambia study

a. The context in Zambia is that a majority (80%) of the population that lives beneath the UN poverty line are small-scale farmers. Zambia’s Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper (PRSP) recognised the failure of the agricultural sector to provide livelihoods for the majority of people in rural areas. This is considered a major factor contributing to rural poverty. In this respect, SCC’s focus on longterm agriculture development and strengthening farmer organisations is well justified in a country where the majority of the international NGOs have humanitarian aid as a point of departure. Thus the target group fits well into the poverty reduction objective put forth by Sida/SEKA and SCC.

SUPPORTING CIVIL SOCIETY ORGANIZATIONS FOR EMPOWERMENT AND ECONOMICS PROGRESS OF SMALL FARMERS AND PEOPLE LIVING IN POVERTY – Sida EVALUATION 2008:25

17

b. The overall conclusion of the country study is that over a ten-year period SCC has contributed to strengthening farmer organisations in Zambia, in such a way that today there are democratic and vibrant organisations, which have affiliated associations in almost all of the country’s districts. c. The assessment of the selected projects confirms that SCC has made a good and relevant selection of partners. In the Nineties SCC decided to end its support to the Zambian cooperative movement due to state patronage, politicisation and corruption. Instead, starting in 1997, SCC began to support the Zambia National Farmers Union (ZNFU). All projects have applied ownership and the partnerships with the farmer organisations have done much to overcome the old and bad habits of patronage and corruption. d. The SCC programme in Zambia is an example of how assistance can break new ground and from an early stage onwards (ten years ago) provide support to what today has evolved into ZNFU, one of the strongest farmer organisations in Southern Africa. The union has grown to become both influential at national level and relevant for thousands of farmers engaged in local farmer groups, study circles and marketing activities. e. All projects reviewed in Zambia intend to produce immediate benefits for poor people and the partner organisations engaged in pro-poor activities and policies. Many achievements can be reported, particularly at the ZNFU project in the four districts. This has been most noticeable over the last few years, with strengthened district farmer unions (DFAs) and hundreds of local organized farmer groups, which through the so-called Information Centres have provided small-scale farmers with increased skills in farming techniques and business orientation. During the last years, there has been evidence of improved farming production and strengthening of small-scale farmer marketing and trade systems focused on the bulk marketing concept. This successful concept has since been scaled up with support from other donors, such as Norway and Holland. Furthermore, together with KATC and ZNFU, SCC has managed to introduce the Study Circles approach to Zambia, where it has proven to be a stronger alternative method for enhancing outreach and increasing cost-effectiveness than traditional extension services. f. Swedish support has contributed to improving livelihoods for small-scale farmers in the four selected districts. Nevertheless, there is still much to be done at local levels. It proved difficult for the evaluation to consolidate the outcome/effects of the five projects, mainly because the indicators/baseline/ progress monitoring has not been very consistent. This will be further discussed in Chapter 4 on SCC’s planning and monitoring system. g. The Organic Producers and Processors Association of Zambia (OPPAZ) is implementing an Eco Marketing project, which is in its second year. Thus far project efforts have focused on strengthening the targeted organic producer groups and their control systems for monitoring their adherence to organic practices. There is evidence of increased volumes in some organic products. Farmers were also able to sell the various organic products, which include wild mushrooms, groundnuts, rice and sunflower seeds. h. The regional farmer organisation SACAU is currently developing its capacity as a regional voice for farmer organizations in Southern Africa, and is recognized by NEPAD, SADC, COMESA and the Comprehensive Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP). SCC core funding is supporting SACAU in strengthening its member organisations in six countries. Further, SACAU has gained strength in its analysis and advocacy activities related to trade issues, including the on-going negotiation with the EU on Economic Partnership Agreements (EPAs). It is, however, an open question to which degree the national member organisations have the capacity to provide information and promote debate among their own members in relation to the smallholder’s interest.

18

SUPPORTING CIVIL SOCIETY ORGANIZATIONS FOR EMPOWERMENT AND ECONOMICS PROGRESS OF SMALL FARMERS AND PEOPLE LIVING IN POVERTY – Sida EVALUATION 2008:25

i. Good synergy was observed between support to the training institute (KATC), the organic farmers (OPPAZ), the ZNFU farmer organisation and regional farmers (SACAU). It is more difficult, however, to see the synergy between these partners and the intended support for urban housing.

3.2.

The Kenya Study

3.2.1. Selected projects

The evaluation has assessed three projects being implemented in Kenya, in addition to two crosscutting projects, as follows: • the Sustainable Habitat Development project (SHADE), implemented by the National Housing Cooperative Union (NACHU); • the Community Finance and Empowerment Project (COFEP II), implemented by the Co-operative Bank of Kenya (COBK); • the Community Empowerment and Enterprise Development through Co-operatives (CEEDco), implemented directly by SCC-EA; and • the Gender Equality project and Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation (PME). 3.2.2. Main outcomes and overall conclusion from the Kenya study

a. From a historical point of view, the co-operative sector in Kenya has been considered to be a mirror image of the state in terms of politicisation and corruption. The late 1990s have seen the birth of a ‘new movement’ that is adverse to anything that smacks of politics. This also implies attempts at applying the rights-based perspective, an area in which the evaluation observed during some field visits that the co-operatives could not distinguish between ‘rights advancement’ and ‘politicisation’. This misconception does not augur well for the SCC-EA strategy of building a democratic civil society. b. The overall conclusion reached by the evaluation team concerning SCC’s support to Kenya is that it responds well to the overall objective aiming at poverty reduction and strengthening civil society. The programme is well consolidated, and support to the Savings and Credit Co-operatives, which is the fastest growing co-operative sector in Kenya, has been particularly successful. c. The SHADE project strengthens primary housing co-operatives through the mobilisation of members, savings and access to financial services for 1,750 low-income households. It seems that the design has been effective in building on market platforms, where the intention has been to re-orient people-to-people market platforms from social consumption to investments in housing for lowincome slum dwellers and those without the security of tenure, in an effort to bridge financing for shelter development. NACHU faces greater demand for micro-finance loans than it is able to meet with the resources available. It is a problem that NACHU has a relatively low recovery rate for loans and its annual income statements show operating deficits. It can be observed that NACHU’s capacity has been enhanced as concerns proper governance, leadership, management and transparent administration. d. The Community Finance and Empowerment Project (COFEP II) is a response to a situation in which persons earning low incomes could no longer access the commercial banks. The project is supporting the alternative Savings Credit and Cooperative Organisations (SACCOs) as a form of retail banking for urban and rural poor. SCC has successfully supported capacity building among the management staff of 15 participating SACCO co-operatives, particularly in retail banking, savings and group lending.

SUPPORTING CIVIL SOCIETY ORGANIZATIONS FOR EMPOWERMENT AND ECONOMICS PROGRESS OF SMALL FARMERS AND PEOPLE LIVING IN POVERTY – Sida EVALUATION 2008:25

19

All participating SACCOs have seen a marked increase (on average 23% from the base) in the number of people accessing financial services as a result of the project’s activities in promoting the opening of the SACCOs common bonds to accommodate the communities within reach. The project is implemented in conjunction with the Co-operative Bank of Kenya also ensures future follow-up. e. Unlike the above projects, the Community Empowerment and Enterprise Development through Co-operatives (CEEDco) project is implemented directly by SCC-EA through a project manager and field staff. The project is working with 4,200 small-scale farmers organised in 47 cooperatives. The project has yielded increased technical capacity among the farmers for accessing markets through bulk sales. Furthermore, they are increasing both food and cash crop production as well as progressing on diversification through new farming techniques and the use of organic methods. The main problem in this project – and probably also in the large Lake Victoria Development Programme implemented by the Vi Agroforestry, which the team has not looked at – is related to organisational sustainability and the institutional framework for replication, which will be discussed further in chapter 5. f. The evaluation team’s impression is that SCC has done well in contributing to democratic governance structures, accountability and regular audits in the co-operatives as a way of stamping out the former negative image of the cooperative movement. However, their ability to change power relations (empowerment) and to hold the leadership accountable on a continuous basis is being challenged. So long as the members are not able to change power relations, it will be difficult to forestall a re-invention of corruption. g. SCC has considerable experiences with organisational development, and also has an interesting Leadership for Change training programme, where leaders are taught skills in leadership, entrepreneurship and managing change. The team considers that the leadership training and the study circle methodology can be expanded and be offered to more new potential leaders (including youth and women). h. A finding in the Kenya study has been that SCC-EA is strong in empowering the ‘market’ aspects of the co-operative movement, but faces limitations in engaging with social process and strengthening national organisations. In this sense the programme scores relatively low on advocacy, networking and rights advancement – including affirmative action for women – and the building of a democratic ethos in civil society. Notwithstanding the foregoing, democratic institutions are gradually emerging at the grassroots through the first level primary cooperatives, an achievement of the work done by SCC.

3.3.

The Honduras Study

3.3.1. Selected projects

The evaluation in Honduras comprised a selection of ongoing and recently concluded projects carried out by SCC and its counterparts. The six projects selected for the fieldwork in Honduras were the following: • Improving Business Capacity of campesino organizations (Mejoramiento Organizativo, Productivo y de Comercialización de las Empresas y Familias Campesinas, MEJORA) ACAN, P-331 • Organisational and business development of ACAN (Desarrollo Organizativo y Empresarial de la ACAN), P-333 • Economic and Business Capacity Development, FECORAH (Desarrollo de la Capacidad Económica y Empresarial de FECORAH), P-334

20

SUPPORTING CIVIL SOCIETY ORGANIZATIONS FOR EMPOWERMENT AND ECONOMICS PROGRESS OF SMALL FARMERS AND PEOPLE LIVING IN POVERTY – Sida EVALUATION 2008:25

• Technical Assistance (Asistencia Técnica), Technical Team, Country Office, SCC, Honduras, P-335 • Promotion of cooperative housing model (Promoción y Mejoramiento del Hábitat), ICADE, P-353. • Tawahka Biosphere Sustainable Development (Desarrollo Sostenible de las Comunidades del Frente de Colonización e Indígenas de la Reserva Tawahka Asangni), ICADE, P-354. 3.3.2. Overall conclusion of the Honduras study

a. Context. Honduras is the third poorest country in Latin America, with two thirds of its population under the poverty line and almost half living in conditions of extreme poverty6. Together with Guatemala, Honduras is the most unequal country in Central America7. The organized peasant movement in Honduras was an important factor in implementing the agrarian reforms from the Sixties and Seventies. In the 1980s, land redistribution slowed while peasant land takeovers of underused land continued. From this period onward the struggle for land distribution has continued, but despite numerous attempts to unify the peasant organizations, the sector is still very much divided, including along ideological lines. Further, the cooperative movement has traditionally been large and important in Honduras, but today is struggling against various weaknesses, such as its low capacity to tackle and adapt to changes in the economic and political environment and conditions, difficulties to access and interact with markets, lack of innovativeness and insufficient coordination and collaboration with other civil society actors. An additional and main challenge for the poor, the peasant sector and cooperatives is the recent Central America Free Trade Agreement that, through subsidized agricultural imports, may render these sectors no longer competitive. To successfully adjust to the new market conditions, technological changes and different needs and expectations of its members are urgent challenges for the cooperative movement. b. The overall conclusion of the evaluation is that the performance and results of SCC’s counterparts and projects in Honduras are satisfactory. It is likely that SCC’s long-term presence and experience in the region has been instrumental to the achievement of such a positive result. This extensive presence and experience constitutes an important aspect of the value added provided by SCC. c. Our examination of objectives, strategies and project practice of SCC and counterparts in Honduras demonstrates that these coincide with and are coherent with the objectives and strategies of Sida/SEKA, as well as clearly oriented toward poverty reduction and the strengthening of democratic organizations and civil society. These are also key aims of Sida and SEKA. SCC focuses its work on strengthening cooperatives, peasant organizations, small-scale agriculture and poor urban groups, which fits in well with the needs of the poor in Honduras. The practical work done by SCC and its counterparts in Honduras is contributing to poverty reduction and the strengthening of a democratic civil society. d. The assessment of counterparts and projects confirms that SCC has made a good counterpart selection. From the perspective of poverty reduction and strengthening of civil society the combination of components such as organizational development and political advocacy constitutes an advantage of and a value added by SCC. In the “Improving Business Capacity of Campesino Organizations” (MEJORA) project, an acceptable level of improvement of peasant family income has been achieved due to diversification of production, the expansion of areas under cultivation and the improvement of small-scale irrigation systems. Additional improvements have been made in administration and democratic practices among participating cooperatives, which nonetheless 6

7

Poverty more accentuated in rural (75%) than in urban areas (57%). Source: Technical Assistance Unit at the Ministry of the Presidency, January 2006. The Gini coefficient in 2005 was 0.58, a drop with respect to the 0.50 Gini coefficient recorded in 1990.

SUPPORTING CIVIL SOCIETY ORGANIZATIONS FOR EMPOWERMENT AND ECONOMICS PROGRESS OF SMALL FARMERS AND PEOPLE LIVING IN POVERTY – Sida EVALUATION 2008:25

21

continue to experience problems as regards marketing their products. The technical assistance offered by promoters and complemented by local leaders (enlaces) is appreciated by beneficiaries and had a good effect. All cooperative enterprises have contributed with a 15–20 percent counterpart funding in cash and 24 percent in other kinds of inputs to the activities supported by the project. e. The “Organisational and Business Development of ACAN” project has made progress in the achievement of its objective, i.e. the institutional, economic and social sustainability of ACAN. Capital and assets of the organization have been strengthened through the onset of productive projects and the growth of credits funds, as well as an increased capacity on the part of the organization to recover outstanding loans. New grassroots organizations have affiliated themselves with ACAN to a greater extent than expected at the beginning of the project, and training of ACAN leaders has improved its organizational and entrepreneurial capacities. f. The “Promotion of Cooperative Housing Model” project implemented by Instituto para la Cooperación y Autodesarrollo (ICADE), has achieved the expected results. In some activities, such as the organization of poor grassroots groups into home-building cooperatives, the progress made has been considerable. Another important aspect is the political incidence and policy work carried out by the project, resulting in impressive achievements such as the constitution of the nationwide network for home-building for the poor, Consejo Hondureño para la Vivienda Solidaria (COHVISOL) as well as the recent foundation of the Programa de Vivienda Ciudadana y Crédito Solidario (PROVICCSOL), a new public credit programme with the purpose of providing special credits for housing programmes focused on the poor. Lack of credits for home construction has until now been a major obstacle for the project. The homes actually built and/or improved have thus been fewer than expected. g. The “Tawahka Biosphere Sustainable Development Project” has thus far, despite operating in a very difficult context, succeeded in contributing to the conservation and sustainable use of the natural resources in the Mesoamerican Biological Corridor, specifically in the Tawahka Asangni Biosphere Reservation. The communities in the area have been organized; a representative structure has been put in place, plans and norms for joint management introduced and the organized communities exercise surveillance over the forests in order to avoid illegal deforestation, while approximately 50 percent of the target group has converted their agriculture and livestock breeding into more environment-friendly alternative production systems. Some of the new productive activities (family vegetable and fruit gardens, plots for artisanal production of bean seeds, among other) have directly contributed to the improvement of living conditions among the poor settlers of the area. h. The SCC projects target the rural and urban poor and succeed, in different degrees and ways, directly and indirectly, to reduce the poverty of these groups. Nevertheless, a more systematized, analytical and explicit account of poverty identification and targeting would be desirable, by taking into account systematically the variables and categories such as land tenure, geographical/regional differences, marginalisation, ethnicity and gender. This would, for instance, allow greater highlighting of the cultural and ethnic aspects of poverty, while strengthening civil society. i. The Regional Strategy for Latin America is an adequate response to the current development and change on the continent. The adjustment process to the new strategy is well underway and SCC is preparing the organization and regional team for the implementation of the strategy. Nonetheless, it seems necessary to strengthen the technical capacity of SCC regarding policy research and applied social science to be able to respond to the new challenges brought about by the policy and advocacy work foreseen by the new strategy. j. Concerning challenges for the future: SCC should invigorate and systematize documentation and dissemination of project experiences, learning and methods as a feedback to new planning, fundraising and policy work. In addition, it should make a concerted effort to strengthen the work on

22

SUPPORTING CIVIL SOCIETY ORGANIZATIONS FOR EMPOWERMENT AND ECONOMICS PROGRESS OF SMALL FARMERS AND PEOPLE LIVING IN POVERTY – Sida EVALUATION 2008:25

gender equality by, inter alia, reinforcing technical assistance on the subject to country teams and counterparts and insisting upon and continuing the work on the market and marketing relations of cooperatives and associations, one of the most strategic and difficult challenges for the future. At the policy level it is urgent to study and develop responses to the risks and challenges facing the poor, the peasant organizations and cooperatives brought about by the Central America Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA).

3.4.

The Paraguay Study

3.4.1. Selected projects

The evaluation in Paraguay comprised a selection of ongoing and recently concluded projects carried out by two counterparts. The projects selected for the fieldwork in Paraguay were the following: • Associative Sustainable Development in the Rural Sector, 2007–2009 (project 410), FECOPROD. • Contributing to Rural Change, 2004–2006, FECOPROD, (project 401), only outcomes studied. • Sustainable Cooperative Neighbourhood Model, 2007–2009 (project 414), CIPAE. • Citizenship and Gender Equality, 2007–2009, (project 419), CDE. • Operation Dagsverke Paraguay, 2004–2007, (project 383), CONAJUCOOP. 3.4.2. Overall conclusion of the Paraguay study

a) Context 8. The long period of dictatorship (1954–89) under the personal leadership of President Alfredo Stroessner continues to have an impact on civil and political liberties in Paraguay. The consolidation of an institutional arrangement based on a power axis between the armed forces and Stroessner’s Colorado Party established a measure of public order and continuity heretofore unknown to a country beset by political instability and violence. The authoritarian regime and patrimonial state has significantly constrained the development of civil society and contributed to the development of corrupt practices9. Thus the modernization of the state remains a necessary condition for the consolidation of democracy. According to the UNDP’s Human Development Index, Paraguay is one of the least developed countries in South America, holding position 91 on the HDI, surpassed only Bolivia. In rural areas, approximately 40% of the people lack a monthly income to cover basic necessities, whereas in urban centres this figure stands at 27%. The Gini Index for 2006 was of 0.57. A fairly long economic recession in the Nineties and the first years of the new century worsened income inequality, notably in the rural areas, where according to the World Bank the Gini Index has risen. Land concentration in the Paraguayan countryside is one of the highest on the globe: 10% of the population controls 66% of the land, while 30% of the rural people are landless. b) Overall conclusion. The general conclusion of the evaluation is that the results of SCC’s counterparts’ work and projects in Paraguay are satisfactory in terms of results and technical capacity related to the selected areas that were studied: agricultural development and housing and habitat. The majority 8

9

This part is largely based on an analysis carried out by the World Bank (2004), complemented by more recent statistics from UNDP, ECLAC and Transparency International. In the yearly updated index on corruption, Transparency International this year (2007) placed Paraguay in position 138 of 179 countries studied. According to this assessment of the perception of corruption, Paraguay is the third most corrupt country in Latin America (after Venezuela and Ecuador).

SUPPORTING CIVIL SOCIETY ORGANIZATIONS FOR EMPOWERMENT AND ECONOMICS PROGRESS OF SMALL FARMERS AND PEOPLE LIVING IN POVERTY – Sida EVALUATION 2008:25

23

of SCC partners are working with a clear poverty orientation, reaching marginalized target groups in both rural and urban areas. Further, the evaluation shows that partners comply with their own objectives, strategies and project practice, and to a satisfactory degree with SCC’s objectives as well. The common cooperative identity is very important in the relation between SCC and their partners. Project participants and beneficiaries point out that the most important added value of SCC support is the many opportunities for training and capacity building for individual members as well as grassroots organisations and national cooperative organisations. The technical capacity of SCC’s more established partners is good according to members of the recently formed associations and cooperatives. 3.4.3

Specific outcomes

c) FECOPROD: In the SCC project with FECOPROD (2004–2006) the main development objective was to contribute to improving the quality of life among the members of small rural farmers associations. The result indicator was that 50 percent of the 903 farmers (635 men and 277 women) should perceive that their basic needs satisfaction had improved through their participation in the project. Also in the ongoing project (2007–2009) similar objectives were established, now with nine different small farmer associations (from the previous project) in poor rural areas. The projects with FECOPROD also contain a large number of other objectives related to the strengthening of the associative farmer organizations’ capabilities to formulate and implement strategies, to have all documentation in order, expand markets for their products, increase business as an association, participate in advocacy in national politics, and increase learning in subjects such as leadership, agricultural techniques, etc. The evaluation found that all these objectives were met with the exception of advocacy at national level. d) CIPAE: The project outcome is much related to the number of people who will apply for membership in a housing cooperative, engage in the process to finance, organize and build a home and participate in different activities that characterize an active citizenship after construction is finished. The main outcome is the ongoing construction of a new residential area, (“Barrio Cooperativo”) with so far 300 homes with 70m2. Few people leave the cooperative. SCC and CIPAE have been able to present it as a model of how to organize, finance and build homes for poor people and make them more aware of their rights. The government approves of the technical aspect, but not the organizational model, which it perceives to be a political threat. e) Operation Dagsverke: Between 2004 and 2007 SCC has taken a strong coordinating role in Operation Dagsverke. This is not a typical SCC project, since the activities are limited to three years, now extended to a fourth year. The construction of 26 classrooms at public elementary schools was implemented by a large number of organizations. The majority of them are SCC partners, working under the supervision and collaboration of the corresponding governmental authority (Ministry of Education). The project was demanding in terms of SCC staff time, but the high degree of involvement of partners probably justified this investment. Many classrooms were built in rural areas where SCC, through partners, supports cooperative and farmer associations. This was done with the aim of strengthening the educational part as a comprehensive component of rural development. It is clear that Operation Dagsverke also contributed to the strengthening of the parent’s commitment to and participation in their children’s education, often through the rebirth of very active parents’ school associations. f) Critical remarks. SCC and its strongest partner, FECOPROD, have a strong commitment to marketbased agricultural development, which to a large extent has overshadowed efforts related to a broader view on rural development, particularly the role of the state and the need to strengthen public institutions and their financial resources. It is necessary to improve the understanding and

24

SUPPORTING CIVIL SOCIETY ORGANIZATIONS FOR EMPOWERMENT AND ECONOMICS PROGRESS OF SMALL FARMERS AND PEOPLE LIVING IN POVERTY – Sida EVALUATION 2008:25

application of the human rights-based approach in all projects, with the exception of CIPAE. This perspective is particularly important in the Paraguayan context, as indicated above in the context analysis. As in other countries, SCC Paraguay has some experience of working with gender, but the evaluation finds that both commitment and methodological knowledge is limited among SCC staff and partner organisations. It is not enough to rely on one single partner’s expertise.

4.

SCC Working with Partners in the South

4.1.

Partner Selection, Partnerships and Cvil Society

4.1.1

Historical identity of SCC’s owners and the choice of partners

SCC’s selection of partners is strongly linked to SCC’s own identity as part of the historically important cooperative movement in Sweden. It is assumed that the experience of its founding member organisations can contribute to the fight against poverty in developing countries and also in Eastern Europe. A prerequisite for a participatory democracy is according to Sida and SCC a vibrant and democratic civil society. It can be summarized in the empirically proven theory of the American political scientist Robert D Putnam: “The density and political weight of an organised civil society at local level has a profound impact not only on the quality of democracy but also on economic development.” 10 In comparison with many other Swedish popular movements and NGOs, SCC has a set of clear definitions and criteria when selecting partners. Cooperative ideals, as defined by the International Cooperative Alliance, create the frame: values such as self-help, personal responsibility, democracy, equality, justice and solidarity might sound fairly obvious, but by adding the following principles the selection of partners narrows the scope: • Voluntary and open membership • Democratic control by members • Members’ economic participation • Autonomy and independence • Education, training and information • Cooperation among cooperatives • Concern for the community.11 SCC partners are expected to work in three dimensions, all very relevant: a) democracy within their own organisations, not because of short-term efficiency but because it is a fundamental tool by which to achieve governance by the people and not governance for the people at all levels; b) a more equal distribution of economic resources within a national and international context; and c) increased income for individuals (being members of cooperatives, associations and any other form of democratic organisation). This threefold approach is not easy to apply with complete and measurable success in any society. When economic resources are scarce, the fight for controlling them easily destroys internal democracy in grassroots organisations. When power struggles include mismanagement and even corruption, 10 11

Putnam, Robert: Making Democracy Work. Civic Traditions in Modern Italy (1993). New Steps in the Right Direction, the Swedish Cooperatives Centre’s Strategy 2007–2011, page 19.

SUPPORTING CIVIL SOCIETY ORGANIZATIONS FOR EMPOWERMENT AND ECONOMICS PROGRESS OF SMALL FARMERS AND PEOPLE LIVING IN POVERTY – Sida EVALUATION 2008:25

25

democratic organisations loose legitimacy. The organisational model gradually becomes unattractive, as occurred with the old cooperative model in several regions in which SCC has a presence. In Central America, as well as in Eastern and Southern Africa, the cooperative agricultural movements are in crisis. In Eastern Africa, cooperatives were established towards the end of the colonial period, and were vigorously promoted and supported by the post-independence governments as vehicles for achieving rapid socio-economic development through state-controlled co-operatives. This top-down approach seems to have gone against the ideals of a genuine co-operative organization, one that should evolve from the members. Instead, the system created state patronage, which made it vulnerable to corruption and hampered the development of efficient and competitive leadership. In this context it is well justified that SCC left the cooperative movement in Southern Africa, and that in Kenya it has taken a bottom-up approach and started by strengthening the first-level cooperatives on the ground. It can be mentioned that in the case of Paraguay, the cooperative model is intact, and has not undergone a crisis. Democratic ideals and practices also tend to diminish when cooperatives achieve economic and political power, in the early phase through the creation of second and first level organisations (federations and confederations, respectively), and in the next phase when they become so successful that they turn into big corporations working on a global market. 4.1.2. Partner selection

So how does SCC manage to find and select partners that live up to all these proud principles and values, while simultaneously working in the three aforementioned dimensions and not becoming dependent on development cooperation resources? In general terms, it can be said that SCC is very successful at selecting partners in all four countries visited. SCC cooperates with partners that are well aware of the importance of combining incomegenerating activities, the promotion of a substantial democracy and awareness of unjust power structures. One critical remark on this point, that is further discussed in the section on advocacy (chapter 3), is that there is tendency for agricultural development to be so predominant that partners do not give much priority to analysing specific political methods that might contribute to diminishing economic and social gaps. Few partners have that interest or capacity, and SCC does not seem to perceive a sufficient need for sharing Swedish or European experiences and practices related to this issue with their partners. It is a strategy employed almost everywhere in Latin American to use stronger cooperative organisations to help weaker organisations to grow and become sustainable. This pattern has shown good results in countries as Paraguay and Honduras, where SCC has cooperated for more than a decade. In general SCC has a very good knowledge of the existing organisations in relevant areas in each country where there is a SCC office. The physical presence is key to this understanding of the local situation. When the old cooperative model went into crisis in countries such as Nicaragua, Guatemala, Honduras, Zimbabwe, Kenya and Uganda, among others, SCC managed to broaden its scope of partners without losing the vision of working with grassroots and often member-based organisations. Selected partners now include farmer unions, peasant associations with and without a cooperative ambition, popular movements at different levels, organic farmers, women’s groups, etc. In some of the countries SCC continues to work with cooperative federations and confederations. Furthermore, SCC supports national and regional networking, e.g. the Mesa de Desarrollo Rural in Paraguay, SACAU in Southern Africa and the network of Kenyan Savings and Credit Co-operatives (SACCOs). SCC is also promoting that partner organizations approach the skills level commonly found among NGOs.

26

SUPPORTING CIVIL SOCIETY ORGANIZATIONS FOR EMPOWERMENT AND ECONOMICS PROGRESS OF SMALL FARMERS AND PEOPLE LIVING IN POVERTY – Sida EVALUATION 2008:25

4.1.3. Partnership

SCC has “an ambition” to work in partnership. The definition is “a relationship involving development cooperation in which two or more organizations share the responsibility for uniting skills and resources to achieve common objectives”.12 With this definition SCC emphasizes that all partners, and ultimately their members, are the owners of the development work. The key word here is self-help. The SCC also recognizes that there will always be a difference in relation between a donor organization and a recipient organization. In many projects SCC has set a condition that the partner should provide a certain amount of resources – not always monetary – as counterpart funding. This model is working well. Together with the condition that there are practical mechanisms for internal democracy, these are the two most effective tools for a substantial partnership. There is a need to hold on very strictly to these two principles, in order to maintain the ambition of a true partnership.

4.2.

Advocacy and Role of SCC Partners within Civil Society

4.2.1. Definitions, subjects and levels

The evaluation team has adopted a broad understanding of advocacy as pleading a cause, or helping others to plead a cause. Advocacy is a way to influence decision-making leading to the achievement of a wider goal, namely the specific project. Advocacy is a way to influence decision-making and is a fundamental tool for a rights-based approach favouring the poor. To do effective advocacy you need understanding and knowledge of certain techniques, e.g. how to use tools such as information and communication as well as networking, mobilising support, gathering information, raising public awareness and exert political pressure. Advocacy can take place locally, regionally or nationally in the South, or internationally, or both. 4.2.2. SCC’s focus on advocacy and support to partners, in the past and at present

Historically advocacy has not been a strong issue for SCC. This is due to a number of reasons, the majority of them related to SCC’s internal priorities. In the case of rural development, and the related issue of agriculture, SCC in the 1990’s and the first years of the present decade had a strong focus on helping peasants and small farmers to organize cooperatives. The main purpose was to improve member’s incomes through higher productivity and access to markets. This was done without much concern for local and national political conditions, which however had, and still have, an impact on the targeted groups’ rights to food, housing, education, health, redistribution policies, and so on. In an African context this lack of a holistic approach to politics relevant for development might be understandable, and to a certain extent also in a Latin American context of dictatorships, civil wars and internal armed conflicts. But despite peace agreements and the transition towards democracy, there is little progress on the iniquitous economic and social gaps. SCC views this as a priority issue in its strategic and policy documents, but there should be a deeper understanding and knowledge of some of the basic conditions and mechanisms for improving public services that bring change to poor people. Issues such as the decentralization of political power to local authorities, tax reforms, laws on access to public documents, just to mention a few, could be used to advocate for change. The increased pace of globalisation is another reason that has made more advocacy work necessary. It is closely related to the effectiveness of the struggle against poverty. Issues such as trade agreements, the power of multinational corporations, and agricultural subsidies in developed countries all have a multidimensional impact on peoples’ lives. How does SCC at HQ , regional and country level work with advocacy and policy work, and with what are partners at the time of the evaluation in 2007? The picture is mixed. 12

New Steps in the Right Direction, the Swedish Cooperatives Centre’s Strategy 2007–2011, page 43.

SUPPORTING CIVIL SOCIETY ORGANIZATIONS FOR EMPOWERMENT AND ECONOMICS PROGRESS OF SMALL FARMERS AND PEOPLE LIVING IN POVERTY – Sida EVALUATION 2008:25

27

4.2.3. SCC HQ’s activities and its links to the partners’ advocacy work

SCC HQ has made some progress on identifying problematic aspects of globalisation and links them to their cooperation work. SCC HQ has produced a few reports, one on the business of fair trade coffee, where SCC partners in different countries provide examples of how consumer behaviour in importing countries really matters. Another campaign report – “Small farmers, big markets” – deals with the difficulties for small farmers to compete when multinational supermarket companies set the rules. In this case SCC partners are not used much to illustrate the problem. Although steps have been taken in the right direction, much more should be done. SCC HQ still does not view SCC’s field presence and its partners’ work as an important tool for North-South advocacy for different issues in Sweden and within the European Union and international institutions such as the WTO. At HQ level the communication department’s role is mainly to feed the 65 Swedish member organizations’ media outlets with journalistic articles for fund-raising purposes only. There is limited thinking and policy work on issues like trade policies and corporate social responsibility, despite the fact that many SCC members are big companies and groups with businesses at international level. 4.2.4. SCC’s regional and country office advocacy activities and support to partners

At regional and country level SCC staff increasingly view advocacy and policy work as a priority, but there is little evidence of a direct push for support to partner advocacy activities. The applications to Sida for the regional programs 2007–2009 in Latin America, Africa and single countries (e.g. Palestine, Vietnam) make mention of the importance of people’s participation and popular mobilization to combat poverty and struggle for economic and social justice. But they rarely contain anything on the strategies used or what the concrete issues are. Concepts like advocacy are almost absent in SCC’s own documents, and there is no explicit information indicating that SCC’s regional and country offices are providing their partners with communication or training them on advocacy and policy work. In the project presentations or final reports produced by SCC there are few goals or result indicators on advocacy and policy work. That said, several examples mentioned below explain how SCC has helped several partners in Africa and Latin America to reach good levels of influence in national politics. 4.2.5. SCC partners’ work with advocacy and policy work

A good number of partners in the four countries studied do implement advocacy and policy activities, some more consciously than others. In the case of housing and habitat there is a clear ambition from the beginning to influence legislation and governmental policy at national level. Both Paraguay and Honduras provide good examples of contributions achieved by partners on new legislation leading to the creation of national housing authorities and new public popular housing financing mechanism. SCC, through its partner FUCVAM, has played a strong role in this matter. In Honduras the SCC partner COHVISOL had a crucial role in the advocacy for a new forestry law, the result of which was the enactment of the Tawahka reserve, which is co-managed by the state together with peasants and indigenous peoples’ organizations. In Southern Africa there are also several positive examples: a ten-year SCC partner, the Zambian National Farmers Union (ZNFU) is a strong and influential organisation that has represented their members’ agricultural policies, tax policy, etc. ZNFU’s advocacy and policy activities can be said to be based on a popular foundation among their members. This is due to the fact that the District Farmer Associations (DFAs) affiliated to ZNFU is playing a growing role in representing the farmer’s interest before the local government and line ministries. Local advocacy work could probably be strengthened if ZNFU could offer a more systematic leadership training programme. The regional farmer organisation SACAU, also supported by SCC, is very active in influencing key agricultural issues present in important political negotiations and processes at different levels, including the on-going negotiation with the EU on the Economic Partnership Agreement (EPAs). SACAU represents farmer organisations in six countries in Southern Africa. 28

SUPPORTING CIVIL SOCIETY ORGANIZATIONS FOR EMPOWERMENT AND ECONOMICS PROGRESS OF SMALL FARMERS AND PEOPLE LIVING IN POVERTY – Sida EVALUATION 2008:25

In Eastern Africa advocacy is found to be fairly weak, both in terms of campaigning through the mobilisation of activists for certain minor issues and promoting important laws and governmental policies. The main limitation here appears to be the weakness of the national cooperative movement as such. The National Co-operatives (NACOs) have not been able to speak for the rest on strategic matters, and no other forms of ‘voice’ have emerged. For its part, SCC Eastern Africa’s efforts at ‘en-voicing’ the cooperatives and building their capacity for national and community-based advocacy have been wanting. 4.3.6. Networking and a human rights-based approach as tools for advocacy and policy work

Many partners are active in important national, regional and international organizations, coalitions, alliances and networks, where SCC has played a particularly significant role in promoting national networking and coalitions. During the last two or three years SCC has begun to view networking for advocacy and policy incidence as a priority also at a global level. Examples of this raised consciousness are the participation in groups or alliances like Via Campesina, Agricord and IFAP, where the latter put pressure on the European Commission for a better EPA deal on trade for Southern African countries. The evaluations team’s main concern is that SCC is not actively cooperating with their partners on joint North-South advocacy beyond the relationships built on projects. An obvious example asked about by several farmer leaders in meetings with the evaluation team was “Why is SCC not doing more to influence the Swedish government’s trade negotiators following the EC Commissions negotiations on the Doha round, EPA’s with Africa and the recently begun negotiations with Central America?” The team agrees with this concern, as the main target group for SCC are small-scale farmers that have a major interest in improved trade policies. How is a human rights-approach linked to advocacy and policy work? Apart from the understanding and definition of this concept, SCC and its partners in general do not use the humans rights conventions system as working tools linked to advocacy, policy formation and participation, nor the convention’s system for monitoring and placing political pressure on the state’s international legal obligations to progressively improve the citizens’ rights in a number of areas that are key to combating poverty. Another example is the ILO Convention No.16913 concerning Indigenous and Tribal Peoples, which has been ratified by Honduras. The Tawahka Indigenous Federation in their advocacy work could put this convention to additional use.

4.3.

Capacity Development, Including Technical Capacities and Knowledge Management

4.3.1. Development of farmer organisations

Capacity development is part of most projects supported by SCC, and is seen as a means by which to improve the performance of partner organisations as such. SCC is probably one of the world’s leading international NGOs as regards strengthening farmer and cooperative organisations. This has lead to there now being thousands of stronger organisations at local, district, provincial and national levels. SCC bases its work on the last twenty years of experience, during which it has developed a consistent strategic framework and methods for its efforts in that field. In the four countries studied, SCC has been most successful at national level in Zambia, Honduras and Paraguay, as regards enhancing national membership-based organisations of farmers, as well as with housing. This has strengthened their outreach as well as internal democracy, governance and accountability. This effort has been particularly important in Central America and Eastern Africa, where in the Eighties and Nineties of the past century the cooperative movement saw a sharp decline in its image and went into crisis.

13

In 2007, the UN General Assembly adopted the Declaration on rights of Indigenous Peoples.

SUPPORTING CIVIL SOCIETY ORGANIZATIONS FOR EMPOWERMENT AND ECONOMICS PROGRESS OF SMALL FARMERS AND PEOPLE LIVING IN POVERTY – Sida EVALUATION 2008:25

29

In Kenya important efforts have also been undertaken at basic level (first level cooperatives). Nevertheless, a major challenge remains with the representation of cooperatives and small-scale farmer interests at national level. Here the national cooperative apex body KNFC is still weak, while KENFAP14 is more promising for small-scale farmers as a nationwide farmer organisation. Through a long partnership, SCC in Paraguay has contributed to the organizational development of the largest cooperative federation in agriculture, FECOPROD. 4.3.2. Organisational Development

Traditionally, capacity development has been linked closely to the ability to implement ‘the project’ and to continue with similar activities after project termination. In this field, SCC in the late nineties already started with the support of INTRAC to introduce a more comprehensive type of organisational development (OD), which has gradually been adapted to capacity building of member-based organisations (including cooperatives and popular interest organisations15). The good results of this investment can be traced today by the evaluation team, and it can generally be said that SCC has responded well to the recommendation to undertake organisational assessment of partners prior to getting started on new projects.16 The most developed of the four countries in this aspect seem to be Kenya, Honduras and Paraguay, where the regional SCC offices have a resource base of local consultants that are able to facilitate OD assessments and change processes. An example of what can happen when OD is not done in proper fashion can be observed in the case of the Zambian OPPAZ (organic farming), where a recent review conducted by the Dutch HIVOS laid bare considerable weaknesses in the management, administration and financial management of this organisation. The regional SCC office in Southern Africa is currently developing its OD concept based on the Octagon17 as a participatory tool for organisational assessment. This has been done with assistance from Forum Syd. The evaluation team has observed that they are not getting much support from SCC Stockholm, which could have done more on systematising the experience of recent years on OD. From Honduras it is also reported that some of the partners have relatively low organizational capacity, although some progress has been noted, e.g. at ACAN and FECORAH. This is underlined by the frequent change in leadership due to rotation schemes, which in such popular organizations is often seen as a way to avoid too much power being rested with the leaders. Unfortunately, these changes increase staff turnover. 4.3.3. SCC technical capacity

SCC has taken a major step away from the former policy of having many Swedish advisors in place. In general terms, SCC has done a good job of identifying local staff for the regional offices, as well as having at hand a resource base of external consultants (mainly local). They are also collaborating with good technical NGOs like ICADE in Honduras, FECOPROD in Paraguay and organizations specialized in HIV and AIDS in Africa. The evaluation team has met SCC staff that is dedicated and motivated in their work. Most staff members are working mainly as generalists in development administration and less in specific technical fields. The country reports have disclosed a mixed picture of the core competence in the different fields within which SCC is operating.

14 15 16 17

SCC recently signed an MoU with the Kenya National Federation of Agricultural Producers (KENFAP) The Spanish term “gremios” is professional associations or trade associations, e.g. farmer organisations. Systemrevision av Kooperation Utan Gränser, 2003. The Octagon organizational tool was developed by Sida together with Diakonia.

30

SUPPORTING CIVIL SOCIETY ORGANIZATIONS FOR EMPOWERMENT AND ECONOMICS PROGRESS OF SMALL FARMERS AND PEOPLE LIVING IN POVERTY – Sida EVALUATION 2008:25

A key aspect of the SCC regional strategies in the four countries is to promote rural development by focusing on sustainable agriculture, food security, local business and rural development as such. It is worth noting that SCC has expertise within the development of cooperative organisations (Paraguay, Honduras and Kenya) and farmer organisations (Southern Africa). SCC has also done well as concerns financial services and farmer cooperatives in East Africa18 and housing and farmer cooperatives in Latin America. Furthermore, good results have been achieved in helping partners with training methods and the use of a study circle methodology to promote enhanced agricultural skills. However, SCC has not demonstrated the same degree of technical capacity in the fields of rural development, sustainable agriculture and mainstreaming environment. It has been verified from documents and interviews that more need to be done on establishing linkages to knowledge acquisition from regional and international sources on these areas. There is more expertise on rural development in Latin America than in Southern Africa. The two regional offices in Africa have begun discussions on how to approach the various competencies among partners as well as among field office staff. Some of them are indeed complementary, e.g. SCC is strong on finance in East Africa and strong on housing in Southern Africa. Perhaps SCC could develop further which persons at the regional offices and headquarters are managing and following knowledge acquired on key themes and sectors in SCC’s overall strategy. This set-up is already in place on housing, where the regional advisor based in Harare also works with Eastern Africa. Whereas SCC has been good on systematising experiences with farmer organisations, it has not had as much success in institutionalising their sector specialisation and knowledge acquisition within agriculture/rural development. Such specialisation is to be expected if the SCC overall strategy were focussed enough. This is an issue that will be discussed in greater detail in the next chapter. In the view of the team, agriculture/rural development in particular have insufficient in-house capacity at SCC. In the future this will become even more important, given the desire to include knowledge on sustainable natural resource management. It is easily explained that daily project administration absorbs much of the staff ’s time. In this sense two issues can be highlighted. The first is that team building is a good way by which to share knowledge, something which the evaluation team has seen promoted by all three Swedish regional directors. The second is an idea that the evaluation team has discussed with SCC regional directors and the management in Stockholm, namely that it could be considered to further strengthen the professional competencies of SCC staff. This might contribute to a more systematic human resource development of SCC staff, where technical skills, analytical capabilities and the use of available international knowledge and experience could be included.

4.4.

Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation Systems – and Measurement of Outcome

4.4.1. Introduction to PME

During the last five years, SCC has made a major effort in the development and application of a system for planning, monitoring and evaluation (PME), which is considered a fundamental part of the quality assurance and accountability in Swedish funds management by SCC headquarters. In 2004, SCC published a manual and has since trained its partners in its application. The team observed that the manual applied well in Honduras, Paraguay and to certain degree in Kenya, while in Southern Africa SCC has found the system too complicated to introduce to their partners. A working group has been appointed in Stockholm to review, simplify and adapt the contents of this manual to African reality. 18

SCC East Africa also has good knowledge in agricultural production and agroforestry, taking into account the Vi Agroforestry expertise available.

SUPPORTING CIVIL SOCIETY ORGANIZATIONS FOR EMPOWERMENT AND ECONOMICS PROGRESS OF SMALL FARMERS AND PEOPLE LIVING IN POVERTY – Sida EVALUATION 2008:25

31

4.4.2. Planning and baseline

SCC has a fairly clear concept of the Project Cycle Management (PCM) and is using the Logical Framework Approach (LFA) as its main planning tool. It is currently moving from the basic concept of projects towards a more programmatic approach, according to the key themes in the regional strategies. The evaluation team has, in general, a positive impression of the many project documents based on the LFA planning that it has seen. They are based on a sound participatory process with the partner organizations and a good sense of ownership was observed. Normally, the partners are in charge of elaborating the draft project document, and SCC regional offices in most cases enter into an active dialogue to ensure technical quality and operational feasibility. The team also noted a relatively good planning capacity by some of the partners selected for field visits, e.g. the Zambian farmer union ZNFU, the Paraguayan CIPAE and FECOPROD19, ICADE in Honduras, and the Cooperative Bank of Kenya (COFEP). On the other hand, other partners, such as KATC and OPPAZ in Zambia, and FECORAH and ACAN in Honduras need to improve further. In addition, there remains the challenge of improving mechanisms to transfer planning capacity from stronger partners to grassroots cooperatives and associations. The Honduras report makes mention of one of the best PME systems that the Swedish consultant has ever seen from a Swedish NGO. The only question refers to the baseline, which seems to be relatively weak point in all four countries, where several of the projects assessed by the team have difficulties with (or entirely lack) baseline data. This constitutes an obstacle for measuring the outcomes and progress made toward reaching the indicators set forth in the LFA planning by SCC and their partners. As suggested in the Honduras report, SCC could include both communities in the project areas and the “control group” outside the project.

In the Kenyan study it is observed that the baseline surveys are mostly quantitative, while during our field discussions with beneficiary co-operatives we noted a number of indicators that were not covered by the baselines. One of the key issues had to do with the capitalisation of the co-operatives and the lack of connection between share deposits and share capital. Although this is a matter of legislative concern in Kenya, at the practical level, an intervention could have been designed to address this disconnect. Due to the limitations of the baseline data, the evaluation team endeavoured to seek more varied (third) opinions from the numerous interviewees in the four countries, who played an important role in confirming the generally positive results of SCC’s programmes.” 4.4.3. Project monitoring and reporting

Partners, who on a regular basis submit progress reports to the SCC regional offices, carry out daily project monitoring. The partners are in general appreciative of follow-up meetings with SCC, although in preparation for these some of them would like to receive more written feedback on their progress/ annual reports. The team observed that the SCC reporting from all four countries to Sida/SEKA contains extensive and valuable information on the situation and progress made in the projects/programmes.20 It also includes information regarding constraints and problems. Although SCC has produced many good monitoring reports, the PME system had difficulties in providing the evaluation team with an overview of the outcomes in the four countries. This goes back partly to the insufficient baseline data, and furthermore, as reported from Zambia, that the Logical Framework designs have not always taken sufficiently into account the need for verifying the outcomes of the projects/programmes. This probably explains why the annual project reports do not always directly reflect the planned indicators linked to the immediate objective and outputs. In some projects, data on indicators has been too cumbersome to collect. 19 20

“Desarrollo asociativo sostenible del sector rural, periodo 2007 – 2009” is a project implemented by FECOPROD in Paraguay. KoopUG/SCC – Reports 2004–05.

32

SUPPORTING CIVIL SOCIETY ORGANIZATIONS FOR EMPOWERMENT AND ECONOMICS PROGRESS OF SMALL FARMERS AND PEOPLE LIVING IN POVERTY – Sida EVALUATION 2008:25

It can also be noted from the team’s country studies that outcome/impact-oriented monitoring methodologies are not used much, e.g. regular focus group assessments among beneficiaries, mini-surveys of outcomes, analytical work, etc.). These are methods that could strengthen the monitoring of qualitative outcomes and long-term poverty alleviation effects. Aggregated data at program level is easier to communicate to Sida/SEKA and external audiences. However, the Honduras report makes reference to the problem in measuring and aggregating data across the various projects. This challenge has become more difficult now that SCC is shifting from projects to thematic programs, with several countries involved. This also raises the question of labour costs associated with extensive monitoring. As a possible alternative, both Zambia and Honduras reported good results with participative project assessment exercises (and workshops) that have focused in particular on the qualitative aspects of project implementation. This has also strengthened dialogue between the communities and decision-makers from the partner organisation and SCC, which in turn has implied much faster adjustments and justified changes in the plans. 4.4.4. Evaluations

SCC has carried out a number of relevant studies related to their programmes in Latin America and Africa. As examples studies can be mentioned on gender equity in Southern Africa and Central America.21 Also worth mentioning is the evaluation of the Kenyan COFEP 2002 – 2006. Recently SCC Paraguay has commissioned four projects, all carried out with reasonable quality in terms of the resources required. However, the evaluation team found relatively few lessons learned or adjustments generated by independent, external evaluations. One exception is the evaluation of the South African Amalinda project, which implied much internal reflection within SCC and the regional SCC team. Lacking in particular is greater emphasis on external evaluations of the effect/impacts of the projects being supported, which also has made it more difficult for this consultancy to assess said effects. The SCC headquarters is aware that improvements are needed as concerns the practice of carrying out external evaluations. SCC has recently focused on the development of better routines and designs for evaluating projects. The result of this effort can be seen in the improved quality of the last evaluation reports for Vietnam and Palestine. Both the Honduras and Zambian reports have mentioned the idea of possible linkages of evaluations and practical applied research, which could contribute with additional insights on the understanding of the target groups as well as of the effects from the interventions being supported by SCC. This could perhaps also be linked to policy research and the dissemination of good practices derived from SCC cooperation. 4.4.5. Administration and financial accountability

Among its partners, SCC is known for “following closely and being demanding” as concerns project administration. The evaluation has not been mandated to look into administration, so here the team is only transmitting the impression that SCC has local staff helping the partner organisation in processing a proper administration of the resources provided. In some cases it would be worthwhile for SCC to look more closely at ways to strengthen the financial control systems of the entire organisation, including the partners’ own funds from membership fees, etc. This could be seen as part of SCC’s effort with organisational development, where collaboration with the external audit companies also could be sought more pro-actively. 21

Diagnóstico de la Situación de Género, Mirta Kennedy, 2006, and Report on Findings of the Gender Assessment carried out among selected SCC partners (ZFU, HPZ, ZNFU).

SUPPORTING CIVIL SOCIETY ORGANIZATIONS FOR EMPOWERMENT AND ECONOMICS PROGRESS OF SMALL FARMERS AND PEOPLE LIVING IN POVERTY – Sida EVALUATION 2008:25

33

4.5.

The New Aid Agenda and Challenges to SCC

4.5.1. The coming of the Paris agenda

According to the new regional strategy22: “Integrated monitoring: SCC believes in accountability for results. Many of SCC’s partner organisations have weak institutional capacity. SCC therefore integrates financial and project monitoring – not only as a means of promoting transparency, but also in order to build the capacity of the partner organisations within the fields of finance and administration. SCC believes that the integration of financial and development issues not only help resolve problems in time but also enhances the capacity of the partner organisation, accountability, good governance and results into a more holistic approach to development.” The evaluation team very much agrees with this statement, as it exemplifies the good intention of overcoming the traditional “parallel projects” in relation to the partners’ own systems. The evaluation team has tested this statement on the selected projects in Zambia and Kenya. This was done by requesting copies of the partner organisations’ own annual reports. In fact, thus far actual integration has been scarce, which goes back to the fact that the planning (project documents) for all projects have been prepared exclusively for SCC. This challenge in SCC’s regional strategy implied that the team had good discussions with partners and SCC regional staff in Eastern and Southern Africa. This also reflects that both the Zambian and Kenyan governments have recently agreed to a Joint Assistance Strategy with the donor community. Zambia has been one of the countries spearheading the Paris agenda, and its Minister of Finance and National Planning was among the keynote speakers at the August 2007 International Civil Society Arena Conference at the Sida Civil Society Centre in Härnösand, Sweden. Here CSOs from Sweden and the rest of the world met to discuss the Paris Agenda and civil society, along with representatives from Sida and OECD/DAC. The conference was part of the preparations toward the coming Third High-Level Forum on Aid Effectiveness to be held in Ghana in September 2008. One of the presentations at this conference was a recent Swedish study23 from Kenya, in which the conclusion was reached that awareness of the new aid agenda is very limited among Kenyan CSOs. This study was coordinated by the regional SCC office in Nairobi as a result of the visit from a group of directors from Swedish framework organisations, including SCC. The evaluation team noted that the regional offices of SCC, Diakonia, Save the Children Sweden and Forum Syd have become more aware of the new aid agenda these last months. The team has had good discussions with the SCC regional teams in Nairobi and Harare about how they can further align their support to the Southern partners’ existing governance structure, strategy, annual work plans and own performance monitoring system. Furthermore it was discussed how SCC’s project portfolio could further enhance civil society’s capabilities in areas of policy monitoring, independent checks-and-balances and budget tracing, advocacy, constructive stakeholder dialogues, etc., including the need for more collaboration with other CSOs in tracing the national and district budgets, public financial management and accountably mechanisms within the agricultural sector or housing. And how can CSOs match the increasing sector budget support these years from Sweden, the EU and others? This discussion is very rich on cooperation with Africa, while less attention is paid to the Paris agenda in Honduras and is not present in Paraguay with 1,400 dollars GNI per capita (World Bank Atlas, 2006). Although foreign aid has much less importance for the public budgets in Honduras and Paraguay, the issue regarding the overwhelming inequalities in Latin America are stressed in the two country reports. Would it not be as relevant to strengthen the capabilities of SCC partners for budget tracing, monitoring and influencing public policies in Latin America? 22 23

SCC Regional Strategy for Eastern and Southern Africa 2007–2011, page20. The Paris Agenda and its Consequences for Civil Society, in the Kenya Final Report, commissioned by a group of Swedish development organisations that have frame agreements with Sida. SKADKAER Consult. 2007.

34

SUPPORTING CIVIL SOCIETY ORGANIZATIONS FOR EMPOWERMENT AND ECONOMICS PROGRESS OF SMALL FARMERS AND PEOPLE LIVING IN POVERTY – Sida EVALUATION 2008:25

4.5.2. Donor coordination

The aid effectiveness agenda is increasingly focusing on co-ordination among NGOs, seeking common approaches, strategies and operational mechanisms (reporting and accounting formats, etc.). It is likely that Southern partners will request this with increasing frequency. The evaluation team observed an interesting example in Zambia, where SCC, as explained in chapter 2, has successfully supported the national farmer union ZNFU as it went on to become an influential national organisation. The leadership of this farmer union wish to move away from fragmented projects toward joint support from several international agencies based on their new strategic plan. Consequently, NACHU and UCA in Kenya and Uganda, and ZNFU in Zambia, are proposing that their donors establish a kind of basket fund. The Dutch and Norwegian embassies have already expressed their agreement with the intention that a comprehensive results-based management framework can be developed. The evaluation team found that ZNFU is interested in studying how they eventually could approach a possible Joint Funding Agreement (JFA), where the recent updated Nordic+ guideline24 could be an inspiration. It appears obvious that SCC should consider how exactly the intended shift from project to programme based approaches can be made with ZNFU and other donors. In the case of Zambia this would be even more important, as the Swedish Embassy will have a key role to play in the agriculture sector, according to the new Joint Assistance Strategy. Another example from Zambia is support to the organisationally relatively weak OPPAZ (described above in section 4.4.2.), where the evaluation team discussed with Hivos and SCC that the most obvious would be a joint project document followed by joint monitoring and the provision of technical assistance. In Paraguay the evaluator has not found any clear international partners that SCC could coordinate their activities with. There are very few donors working with SCC issues. However, SCC Paraguay should share its experiences more with actors that may influence governmental politics and practices, such as the World Bank and UNDP. The evaluation team generally found that SCC, through the presence of its field offices, is maintaining good relationships with other donors, as well as with other national CSOs (that are not SCC-funded). SCC is also stimulating its partners’ networking both at national and regional levels. 4.5.3. Strengthen the partners own PME and management systems

The five principles contained in the Paris Declaration for Increased Aid Effectiveness are: Ownership, harmonisation, alignment, result-based management and mutual accountability. All of these are currently trends in the reorientation of future PME systems among bilateral and multilateral agencies, and have recently joined the international debate. In recent newsletter and new book from INTRAC25 the question is raised whether the real function of the PME system has been to strengthen user feedback (downward accountability) and enhancing learning, or if instead the PME intends to achieve a predominance of short-term accountability in terms of accounting for the use of resources from donors (upward accountability). Regarding ownership, the Kenya team’s report notes the following: “It is doubtful that the SCC-EA audience in the PME is the beneficiary co-operatives. The main audience, according to several interviews with local stakeholders, is Sida and SCC Stockholm. As a result, certain aspects of PME do not resonate with the beneficiary context, as we shall show below. Similarly, we are not persuaded that learning’s from ‘below’ are fed back into the SCC-EA PME system.” 24

25

Nordic Plus Practical Guide to Joint Financing Arrangements (2007 version), which both ZNFU and SACAU management have shown interest in. INTRAC Newsletter No. 37, September 2007. INTRAC has also recently published a book titled Rethinking M&E – Challenges and Prospects in the Changing Global Aid Environment (2007).

SUPPORTING CIVIL SOCIETY ORGANIZATIONS FOR EMPOWERMENT AND ECONOMICS PROGRESS OF SMALL FARMERS AND PEOPLE LIVING IN POVERTY – Sida EVALUATION 2008:25

35

In Kenya the study also points out that that the SCC’s monitoring system has neither been synchronised with the partners’ internal PME systems nor sufficiently aimed at strengthening the partners’ own management and governance system. Rather, it is mainly a parallel tool used for the projects supported by SCC. This implies that its potential for replication and sustainability beyond engagement with SCC is limited. Both the Zambian and Kenyan field studies have reported that the SCC’s PME tool from Latin America has been too complex and taxing to use. In Southern Africa, SCC is instead intensively using participatory project review-assessments as a method for monitoring with partner staff, target groups and other key stakeholders. These assessments aim to adjust project planning when necessary and are carried out combining internal staff and external local consultants. Findings are documented in written reports. Furthermore, some partners have also used valuable self-evaluation exercises. In the case of Zambia, the evaluation team read all the partner’s own 2006 plans and annual reports presented to their general assemblies. These documents had little to do with the reports submitted to the donors. The future challenge for achieving increased harmonisation among donors poses an even greater question mark regarding the idea of having a global SCC PME system vis-à-vis a more localized system that will be flexible enough to take off from already existing systems with partners (if in existence) aiming at strengthening the partners own internal management/governance system. The SCC coordinator in Latin America responded with a viewpoint similar to that of the evaluation team:

“ … We now try to get away from our concentration on small projects, including their specific outcomes, and instead focus on organizational capacity and how they achieve an impact on society. To measure this we should do a more systematic analysis of organisations before projects are planned and we get involved in a partnership. By doing this we will have facts and knowledge of how the situation is at the starting point and will be able to measure organizational development over time.” The team’s conclusion is that SCC is doing an excellent job of complying with the Sida guidelines on PME. In a way SCC is modelling very well what Sida has done bilaterally in the past on PME. However, most bilateral donors are moving away from some of these features toward sector wide approaches. At the same time it demands considerable resources (human and time), some of which could be reallocated to focus more on the partners own PME and management/governance systems. Therefore, this is an issue for further reflection between Sida and Swedish framework organisations as regards the future balance between downward accountability versus upward accountability. A provocative question is as follows: Have the demands from Sida/SEKA become barriers to learning and in particular to strengthening the partners’ own management/governance systems and downward accountability to their constituency?

4.6.

Cross-cutting Issues (gender, environment, HIV/AIDS and democracy/CSO governance)

4.6.1

Gender equity

Gender is both an old and a new issue for SCC. Gender got its own policy paper in early 200426 and it was one of the eleven thematic areas, before these were reduced to four areas in SCC’s overall strategy. Both in Africa and Latin America gender now has high priority. Many projects had – and still have – increased women membership and leadership in cooperatives as objectives and result indicators. There is slow but clear progress. Almost all partner organizations have gradually become aware of the gender issue’s vital importance. 26

Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women. SCC Policy Paper, 2004.

36

SUPPORTING CIVIL SOCIETY ORGANIZATIONS FOR EMPOWERMENT AND ECONOMICS PROGRESS OF SMALL FARMERS AND PEOPLE LIVING IN POVERTY – Sida EVALUATION 2008:25

The policy paper (4 pages) shows that SCC understands what gender equity is all about and why it is so important to address it. Gender inequality is discrimination based on sex and it prevails because of patriarchal power structures, attitudes and behaviour. Relevant issues are mentioned in the policy, like the need for women’s empowerment, and disaggregated statistics are provided (resistance based on cultural relativism, etc.). The evaluation’s main finding on gender is that an in-house understanding is in place. In comparison to other Swedish frame NGOs, it came rather late and progress toward concrete action has been fairly slow. One reason for this appears to be a limited commitment to the gender issue at the highest level of SCC, in terms of pushing the entire organization forward. This in turn has had an effect at regional and country level, where until recently there has been work on gender but at a low intensity pace and with no development of methodologies to put it into practice. To some extent all this could be explained by the fact that agricultural cooperatives traditionally are a male business and a majority of SCC staff at regional and country level are men with a background in agronomy, engineering, etc. However, SCC is now catching up. Both in Africa and Latin America, regional projects on gender and equity was launched with its own budget and one person working full time. This was proposed by SCC’s partners, gathered at a regional meeting in 2006. In each country new partners have been identified, a majority of them women’s organizations with many years of experience in advocacy, training and promotion of law reforms. They will provide SCC and partners with methods and the opportunity to work with all partners to raise internal awareness. In almost all countries SCC offers its partners training, and they are also encouraged to make gender an even higher priority in program planning. In several countries SCC has encouraged partner organizations to elaborate internal gender policies. In Africa, new regional directors in Harare and Nairobi have played an important role to speed up gender mainstreaming. SCC has recently built good capacity at the two regional offices for dealing with gender equity, and the team met several female leaders at district levels. Nevertheless, there is still a certain degree of resistance among leaders in the farmer and cooperative movement. According to a gender assessment made among selected SCC partners in Southern Africa, “there was limited evidence to show that the organizations have consciously carried out a gender mainstreaming process at institutional level. None of the organizations had taken a precise step towards developing and implementing a gender policy.” SCC is aware that in order to efficiently promote gender equity within partner organisations, win-win situations related to the organisations’ core business need to be established. A key issue that has been identified is women and land, where increased female land ownership would benefit the partner organisations in terms of membership and influence. 4.6.2. HIV/AIDS

Historically SCC has devoted limited thinking and financial resources to the dreadful HIV/AIDS epidemic, even in Africa, were SCC has been present for decades. There are probably many reasons for this. HIV/AIDS has not been an issue recognized as a social menace by the leadership in many agricultural cooperatives supported by SCC and among targets groups in the Vi Agroforestry program. This low awareness can partly be explained in gender terms: the cooperatives’ leaders are predominantly male and the persistence of male promiscuity is one of the main sources accounting for the spreading of the virus. And as mentioned earlier, historically SCC has not worked much with gender issues in Africa. Another reason could be that SCC (as other Swedish NGO’s) has not forged relations with other development actors who work with different thematic areas and were HIV/AIDS is a strong crosscutting issues. Another aspect is that SCC has not developed communication strategies for the purpose of increasing capacities to reach out with important messages. Communication is also about creating relations of trust, which are needed to be able to achieve successful results in campaigns and popular education. SUPPORTING CIVIL SOCIETY ORGANIZATIONS FOR EMPOWERMENT AND ECONOMICS PROGRESS OF SMALL FARMERS AND PEOPLE LIVING IN POVERTY – Sida EVALUATION 2008:25

37

Understandably, HIV/AIDS has the greatest potential for success in Africa. Fortunately SCC has taken important steps forward during the last two years, with good capacity among SCC staff for dialogue with partners on the need for collaborating with specialised national NGOs in this field. The evaluation team noticed when visiting the communities that SCC and its partners have clearly made an effort to pay attention to the prevention of this disease. As a result, they are more open to this topic than they are to other non-crisis issues, such as gender and democratic participation. In Latin America, or at least in the two countries visited by the evaluators, the HIV/AIDS issue was not entirely absent in projects and activities, but neither was it very important. A few SCC partners do work with health and risk prevention, though with financial support from other donors. Crosscutting issues are important in order to make visibile how different aspects of human development interrelate. This raised awareness should result in some type of educational efforts in Latin America also, at least in a country like Honduras, where the problem of HIV/AIDS is larger than the authorities claim and the public believes. 4.6.3. An environmentally sustainable development

Although SCC has recognised the importance of addressing environmental sustainability within programme areas such as rural development and adequate housing, a policy has yet to be developed. However, a programme officer from the SCC headquarters in Stockholm is spending nine months in Latin America and Africa during 2007, for the purpose of formulating a new SCC policy and guidelines on environmental mainstreaming, working together with partner organisations. Environmental sustainability covers many aspects. Drought, erosion and lack of water are becoming problems in places with severe deforestation, something that has occurred in many countries and regions were SCC partners work. Environmentally sustainable development is present in many SCC projects but it is not a visible crosscutting issue everywhere. The farmer’s reality is closely related to environmental problems. Recently SCC started to include organisations with expertise on environmental issues in the portfolio and connect them to partners focused on a market-based agricultural economy. Some examples: In Zambia SCC started a partnership with OPPAZ with good potential for promoting organic farming and its marketing. In Kenya, SCC uses methodologies such as the study circles and farmer field schools, which offer possibilities for learning about environmental sustainability. In Paraguay the organization Altervida – specializing in ecology – is a partner in a project where the main objective is to influence municipalities planning to focus more on a sustainable development. In Honduras, thanks to mobilization by several SCC partners, the government and a large number of civil society organizations signed an agreement on the conservation of Mesoamerica’s biological corridor. This has reduced the environmental pressure to a certain degree in some areas. The degradation and destruction of the peasants’ and small farmers’ habitat is often a political issue related to an unsustainable development model which has favoured a small elite. Apart from the need to increase political pressure, peasants and small farmers need to learn more techniques on how to reduce vulnerability when extreme weather conditions become more common. Partners should be strengthened both to learn prevention techniques and how to prepare for man-made disasters. Issues like covering soil with new plants, not using agrochemicals and to plant trees, especially on river banks and in water catchments areas, are some suggestions from the SCC program officer. More ambitiously, partners and SCC could introduce Environmental Impact Assessments and ‘climate survey’ before starting a project. Upon reading the first working paper from the internal SCC consultant, the evaluation team has suggested looking more at the work done by the Poverty Environmental Partnership27 on the main27

The Poverty Environment Partnership (www.povertyenvironment.net) is an informal network of development agencies, including Sida, which seeks to improve the coordination of work on poverty reduction and the environment.

38

SUPPORTING CIVIL SOCIETY ORGANIZATIONS FOR EMPOWERMENT AND ECONOMICS PROGRESS OF SMALL FARMERS AND PEOPLE LIVING IN POVERTY – Sida EVALUATION 2008:25

streaming of environment as an issue. This network has benefited from IIED’s systematisation of experiences related to the promotion of linkages between natural resource management, improved livelihoods and poverty reduction.28 4.6.4. Democratic participation

Democratic participation has historically been a strategic priority area for SCC, as empowering the poor through the establishment of cooperative movements lies at the very root of SCC. But the scope has been rather narrow and often limited to a democratic participation inside the member organisations, the lowest or the very base level in the society. Several interviewed SCC staff recognize this and are committed to have o broader view of participation in society as a whole. This is needed as globalisation changes power patterns in many countries and inequalities prevail or are even worsening in many of the countries. Among the relevant issues that always need to be raised are: Democratic participation by whom and with what overall or specific objectives? What methods should be used: advocacy, policy work, manifestations, a human rights based approach etc? There should be clearer links between democratic participation in the farmer’s own cooperative, in the cooperative federation, the confederation and other levels in society such as the local government, regional and national politics. In Sweden and elsewhere, democratic participation is a subject of passionate discussion in the development cooperation world, in the field of the social sciences, in politics and in our own communities. The mandate and very existence of Sida/SEKA is about democratic participation. With its first policy on the matter SEKA has developed a discourse on how democratic participation is linked to civil society and how civil society is linked to participatory democracy, but SEKA has said less about how democracy is linked to the fight against poverty. Since 2004 SEKA has emphasized the need to analyse the strengths and weaknesses of civil society in any country, for the purpose of creating a baseline and from there move on to a strategy, find relevant partners, discuss key activities, etc. Democratic participation is always a context-sensitive issue. In Eastern and Southern Africa, as SCC has responded pro-actively on the last years’ changes and developments, where the cooperative movement has been viewed by poor people as a tool for corrupt elites and the state, as it became a political instrument for causes that affected poor people negatively. The entire idea of a cooperative model for fulfilling poor peoples’ hopes and supporting their struggle became illegitimate, which is very serious for an organisation like SCC. There are similar, but probably not as serious patterns in some Central American countries. However, these unfortunate experiences could serve to give democratic participation a stronger role within SCC’s programmes.

28

IIED is an international policy research institute on sustainable development (www.iied.org).

SUPPORTING CIVIL SOCIETY ORGANIZATIONS FOR EMPOWERMENT AND ECONOMICS PROGRESS OF SMALL FARMERS AND PEOPLE LIVING IN POVERTY – Sida EVALUATION 2008:25

39

5.

Relevance, Sustainability and Lesson Learned

5.1.

Level of Compliance in Terms of Relevance and Objectives of SCC and Sida/SEKA

5.1.1

The relevance of the Swedish Cooperative Centre partner’s programmes in terms of SEKA’s overall objective

A good number of SCC partners have a general idea of Sida’s overall goals. They assume that Sida has for an objective to contribute to poverty reduction. Only few partners know that Sida/SEKA has for a specific objective to contribute to a vibrant and dynamic civil society. Civil society is not a common term in the SCC partners’ vocabulary nor in their written strategies and planning documents there is not much analysis or discussion on the role of civil society as concerns democracy and human rights However, the general conclusion is that the partners’ programmes are clearly coherent with SEKA’s overall objective. The objectives of SCC partners are couched in terms such as building citizenship, increasing organisational capacity, empowering people living in poverty, increasing the leadership of women, promoting sustainable agricultural methods, etc. Almost all the partners work with a clear objective of creating what is often called citizenship. This is an integral aspect of the cooperative model. The close dialogue between partners and SCC regional offices, combined with a long-term partnership, help partners not to lose this dimension. Having said this, there are a few partners who tend to incline their thinking towards a service delivery function, where there is too little focus on advocacy and the building of capacity among grassroots organisations. With the new SCC strategy for 2007–2011, these partners will be phased out, or possibly their role will change to service delivery for cooperatives/farmer organisations. 5.1.2. The relevance of the Swedish Cooperative Centre partners’ programmes in terms of their own objectives

SCC strives for finding and selecting democratic, member-based organizations as partners. Working with these types of organizations is a good point of departure for securing coherence between objectives and the implementation of programs and projects. Despite the fact that cooperatives and peasant associations often show weakness in their own planning and monitoring, in general terms they have every intention of being democratic associations. In rural areas visited by the evaluators, small cooperatives with poor peasants for members used a common structure to present and discuss vital issues. It included details on cooperatives, history, purposes, objectives, problems and needs at forthcoming activities. At this level there are no problems related to relevance or coherence. At the next the level the evaluators analysed the coherence between stronger and more established cooperatives at first or second level. Their task in the partnership with SCC is often to strengthen new and weaker cooperatives. Here also, objectives coincide with those of SCC. Weak organizations were often seen as plausible new members. By experience SCC has encountered many situations where the partners’ objectives do not coincide with the needs of grassroots people in rural areas. This has lead to the use of the concept “technical operators”, such as when SCC signs a short or medium-term agreement by which the expertise or experience of an NGO, for instance, is used to transfer a particular type of knowledge to target groups. In other words, service delivery. The examples studied led to the conclusion that it was a good arrangement to subordinate NGO service delivery to the political direction of the farmer associations.

40

SUPPORTING CIVIL SOCIETY ORGANIZATIONS FOR EMPOWERMENT AND ECONOMICS PROGRESS OF SMALL FARMERS AND PEOPLE LIVING IN POVERTY – Sida EVALUATION 2008:25

5.2.

Poverty Orientation, Stratification and Mechanisms by which to Reach the Poorest

5.2.1. Poverty and poverty reduction

International and bilateral agencies as well as NGOs now tend to agree that poverty is multi-dimensional, extending beyond the traditional criteria of low levels of income and assets. Today poverty is thought to include dimensions such as: • Lack of opportunity: low levels of consumption and income, usually relative to a national poverty line. This is generally associated with the level and distribution of physical assets, such as land, “human capital”, social assets and market opportunities, which determine the returns to these assets. • Low capabilities: little or no improvements in health and education among a particular socioeconomic group. • Low level of security: exposure to risk and income shocks, which may arise at the national, local, household or individual level. • Lack of power: limited capacity to access and influence state institutions and social processes that shape resource allocations and public policy choices. The empirical correlations between these dimensions of poverty are overwhelmingly positive and emphasize the fact that the poor suffer from multiple and inter-related deprivations. The definition of poverty has advanced together with knowledge about the nature of poverty and its determinants. Already in 1990, the World Development Report29 expanded the traditional income-based definition of poverty to include capabilities, such as health, education and nutrition explicitly recognizing the interaction and causal relationship among the above-mentioned dimensions. The 2000/2001 World Development Report30 further extends the concept of poverty to include the dimensions of vulnerability, voicelessness, and powerlessness. These, and concepts such as social exclusion, broaden the framework for poverty analysis and expand the range of policies and actions for poverty reduction that should be considered. Yet, the individualist conception of poverty held by mainstream economists still predominates in the thinking and practice of many development agencies and governments. More comprehensive and holistically grounded conceptions focusing on social relationships and, for instance, market mechanisms that produce and reproduce poverty beyond the level of an individuals’ access or lack of access to “opportunities”31 have not yet entered the mainstream development discourse and practice. 5.2.2. SCC’s approach to poverty and poverty reduction

SCC, like Sida, has adopted a multidimensional approach to poverty and poverty reduction, defining poverty as “the lack of opportunities, economic resources, power and security32, and maintaining that the lack of power and influence is as important as the economic aspect of poverty since it constitutes a fundamental obstacle for the ability of the poor to improve their situation and living conditions. Poor people have very limited possibilities to act independently, to organize themselves and to participate as citizens in decision-making processes that define their lives. Consequently, mobilization and organization in order to act together are prerequisites for the improvement of the living conditions of the poor. In addition, the lack of financial and social security is another adverse aspect which makes the poor more vulnerable in the face of abuses of power, natural disasters, unemployment and diseases. So, the reduction or way out of poverty also requires impetus from new productive alternatives. Improving 29 30 31 32

The World Bank, World Development Report, 1990: Poverty, Oxford University Press, New York, 1990. The World Bank, World Development Report 1999/2000: Attacking Poverty, Oxford University Press, New York, 2000. Charles Tilly, Durable Inequality, University of California Press, Berkley, 1999. Swedish Cooperative Centre, New Steps in the Right Direction, SCC’s strategy for 2007–2011, Stockholm, 2007.

SUPPORTING CIVIL SOCIETY ORGANIZATIONS FOR EMPOWERMENT AND ECONOMICS PROGRESS OF SMALL FARMERS AND PEOPLE LIVING IN POVERTY – Sida EVALUATION 2008:25

41

governance and public institutions is also essential, including the strengthening of public services and accountability. Public policy and governance practices should protect, promote and enforce human rights in accordance with the obligations acknowledged by all governments that have signed and ratified the core international human rights conventions. To monitor and demand compliance with these legal obligations is a strong asset for the advocacy of poor people. 5.2.3. Poverty targeting and stratification

The mechanism most frequently used for reaching the poor is ‘area targeting’, which builds on the assumption that by selecting areas for implementation of project activities that are considered to be poor or marginal, a certain focus on poor groups will be achieved. In Honduras, for instance, the relative project concentration in the poor provinces of Intibucá, Yoro and Colón could be viewed as an application of area targeting. Moreover, in Intibucá a considerable proportion of the beneficiaries belong to the indigenous Lenca people, considered to be among the poorest population groups in the country. However, the outcome of area targeting also depends on additional factors or variables. Area or geographical targeting needs to be followed up on and refined through more explicit poverty assessment and targeting, because social and economic stratification is a dimension that runs across different levels (e.g. national, regional, local), as well as the geographical areas of a society. Local communities or areas considered to be poor and marginal are also stratified with respect to social and economic groups and positions, just like large cities or central, economically dynamic areas. Elements of both area targeting and stratification are present in SCC’s and its counterparts’ selection of target groups and beneficiaries. In Zambia thousands of small-scale farmers are benefiting from both the advocacy carried out by the farmer organisations supported by SCC and the increased skills for agriculture and marketing also provided by those organizations. The Zambian projects have a clear poverty orientation, which has resulted in additional income for many rural households. Still, it is necessary to monitor the balance between how the farmer organisations are addressing the respective needs of large-scale farmers versus small-scale farmers. For the purpose of analysing the poverty aspect, African farmers and Latin American campesinos can be divided into three categories (which can be further classified into various subcategories), as follows: • The commercial farmers (corporate companies, agribusiness chamber) and large-scale farmers • The small-scale farmers able to deal with the market • The small-scale farmers who sell very little to the market The ZNFU membership in Zambia is predominantly from among the first two categories, while almost no membership is found among farmers outside the market. This category of small subsistence farmers is part of the poorest segment of the country’s population. It cannot be expected that these agriculture projects reach the poorest households. However, it could be expected that SCC and their partners reflect more and carry out pilot experiences on ways of reaching out to small, poor farmers in the same geographical areas in which they are already working. Also in Honduras, the SCC projects are focusing on and including the urban and rural poor, and succeed to different degrees and in various ways to improve the living conditions of these groups. A classification of target groups similar to the one mentioned earlier, although including various subcategories, is applied in Honduras. These categories often include: 1. Campesinos that grow basic staple grains, vegetables, fruit and breed cattle on a small scale, affiliated to the peasant cooperatives of the Honduran agrarian reform; 2. Peasants dedicated to the artisanal processing of various products, members of cooperatives or small-scale community enterprises; 42

SUPPORTING CIVIL SOCIETY ORGANIZATIONS FOR EMPOWERMENT AND ECONOMICS PROGRESS OF SMALL FARMERS AND PEOPLE LIVING IN POVERTY – Sida EVALUATION 2008:25

3. Groups of small-scale and medium coffee producers attempting to improve the quality and of their coffee by employing new technologies in order to receive better prices, members of coffee producing cooperatives; 4. Families whose production is mainly geared toward subsistence consumption and to a minor extent sale on local and regional markets; 5. Producers whose level of income scarcely satisfies their basic needs for food, education and health care. In Paraguay as well, most of the project beneficiaries are poor, small-scale peasant families organized in cooperatives and associations in rural or semi-rural areas with incomes of US$ 500–800 a month per family. Also in Paraguay, the target group comprises various income and occupational categories similar to the ones presented above. With regard to the housing and habitat projects there are basically two categories of beneficiaries: those that are urban dwellers with stable or semi-stable employment earning about 1.5 minimum wages per month, and those living in a marginal urban neighbourhood, frequently in a situation of extreme poverty. This issue has not been analysed in the Kenya country study. Nevertheless, from the other three countries it seems that SCC would benefit from a more analytical and explicit account for the poverty targeting employed, including variables and categories such as land tenure, marginality, ethnicity and gender. It would be useful, for example, to present in a more explicit way the characteristics of the indigenous peoples, considered the poorest group in Honduras (and in many other Latin American and African countries). Such an exercise would also provide an opportunity to approach and illustrate the meaning and importance of the cultural and ethnic aspects of the multidimensional approach to poverty adopted by SCC and Sida.

5.3.

Sustainability, Replicability and Exit Strategies

5.3.1. Financial sustainability

In this report the evaluation team has covered various aspects of sustainability as understood in a broader sense, with its financial, organisational, technical, political and cultural dimensions. Although the financial sustainability is important, the team wishes to link it with a reflection on whether the concepts and activities being developed are replicable on a broader scale, and whether they are cost-effective. Some of the SCC projects have considerable budget levels (related to NGOs). These projects do produce immediate benefits, and may be effective in the short term. However, it is also necessary to consider the lasting effects and sustainability. Therefore, it is important to discuss SCC strategies for sustainability and as concerns exit strategies from projects. It is understandable that financial sustainability is one of the concerns most often raised in SCC’s reports. Several of its partners remain rather dependent on Swedish funding. This can be further underscored by the preponderance of external support relative to own incomes of the partner organisation. It would be good if in the future SCC were to carry out calculations comparing the partners’ own incomes (including membership fees) to the external/Swedish contribution. There could be possible indicators in the Logical Framework that might be used in the dialogue with partners, in particular those at which Swedish support exceeds the partner organizations’ own income by a wide margin. 5.3.2. Example from Zambia

The following is an analysis of an example from two Southern districts in Zambia (Choma and Monze), where SCC intends to phase out the programme in 2008 after a ten-year presence. The partner, ZNFU, is not happy with this decision and has proposed instead having 1–2 technical staff placed at provincial level as a more gradual way of phasing out the project in the two districts. SUPPORTING CIVIL SOCIETY ORGANIZATIONS FOR EMPOWERMENT AND ECONOMICS PROGRESS OF SMALL FARMERS AND PEOPLE LIVING IN POVERTY – Sida EVALUATION 2008:25

43

The evaluation team has discussed with the regional SCC team that sustainability and the related SCC exit strategy could be seen more broadly. Although financial sustainability is important, the concept could also include an assessment on whether activities are replicable on a broader scale, are cost-effective and have the capacity to influence public policies on agriculture. During the ten-year period SCC has provided relatively large amounts of the support received each year, in relation to the number of households in the project area. Particularly in the first years between 1998 and 2004, the projects were mainly about training and shifting the mindset of farmers away from the traditional patronage patterns. It is only during the last three or four years that the farmers themselves have increasingly been able to practice new farming methods, which have enabled them to grow better and more crops, as well as to obtain economic benefits by acting together in groups when buying and selling products. The districts of Monze and Choma have a major rural population outside the project area, for which reason there is significant potential for more cost-effective interventions in neighbouring areas. It is likely that replication can be undertaken more quickly by their visiting with the well-functioning farmer information centres. In this respect the applied and study circles and the ‘farmer-to-farmer approach with focus on horizontal interchange’ can be seen as essential for the financial and organisational sustainability of the Swedish support. The expansion to neighbouring areas could be attractive in conventional cost-benefit terms, as the possibly higher number of contact farmers and information centres can be built around the two District Farmer Associations (within the national ZNFU structure). National member-based organisations are often financially vulnerable, as they are typically receiving only a minor part of the total membership fees paid to locally based unions/cooperatives. Normally the fees are kept low due to the low average income among members. It requires a substantial endeavour by partners to raise their own income, and experiences have been mixed in Latin America and Africa as concerns combining the function of organisations with the function of income-generating business activities. In the case of agriculture, it is also relevant for SCC and their partners to advocate and challenge the government’s lack of willingness to allocate budgets for extension services. The recently published World Development Report 2008 (Agriculture for Development) shows that agricultural extension services as a means of responding to the needs of smallholders are now back on the development agenda, after a period of neglect. On Zambia the report states that: “Allocations to subsidies often divert funds from high-return investments in public goods. In Zambia only about 15 percent of the 2003/04 agricultural budget was spent on research, extension services, and rural infrastructure —investments that have shown high payoffs” (page 115). A strong asset in the ZNFU project is organisational sustainability and replicability, which is illustrated by the fact that many small-scale farmers from the large-scale agriculture sector programme supported by Sida have started looking to the ZNFU structure, as they are not expecting the same degree of follow-up from the Ministry of Agriculture after Sida support concludes in 2008. Consequently, in the Zambian country report the evaluation team has recommended that the SCC reconsider its decision to halt activities in the two Southern districts, instead embarking upon an exit strategy with a focus on replication in poorer and more remote communities. 5.3.3. Kenya and Honduras

In the Kenyan programme, the main strategic challenge is the insufficient replication of good experiences due to the weaknesses among the national farmer cooperative level (national apex organisation). The regional SCC office has recently signed a Letter of Intention with the national farmer union KENFAP, which could provide future potentials for collaboration.33 The institutional aspects are a challenge for the CEEDco cooperatives project and represent a huge challenge for the SCC/Vi’s Lake 33

Mainly collaboration on advocacy etc. While, as discussed with SCC, it could be problematic using them as funding channel to local projects that risks taking away the attention from their core-mandate.

44

SUPPORTING CIVIL SOCIETY ORGANIZATIONS FOR EMPOWERMENT AND ECONOMICS PROGRESS OF SMALL FARMERS AND PEOPLE LIVING IN POVERTY – Sida EVALUATION 2008:25

Victoria Development Programme (LVDP). The evaluation team discussed this challenge with the regional SCC office. As far as could be perceived during the fieldwork for the evaluation in Latin America, it seems that SCC operations are reasonably cost-effective. In the “Promotion of a Cooperative Housing Model” project in Honduras, an important aspect from the sustainability viewpoint is political advocacy, which resulted in the creation of the nationwide network for home construction for the poor, COHVISOL, and the founding of PROVICCSOL, the public credit programme providing special credits for housing programmes focused on the poor. These will subsist independently of the project. In both Honduras and Paraguay, SCC is using a good practice by promoting joint funding from the partners themselves. In the case of the Honduran MEJORA, its contribution is almost 20% of the value in cash plus 24% through in-kind and volunteer work. 5.3.4. Exit strategies

SCC recognises that the exit strategies should have been planned and agreed upon earlier with the partner in Zambia. From Honduras it is also reported that there are no clear exit strategies for the different projects. Exit strategies would be useful for all projects, but particularly in the case of those projects that imply cooperation over more extended periods, such as for example the MEJORA and FECORAH projects. It would be desirable if SCC, together with its partners, were to develop exit strategies by attempting to define sequential key points in time for the gradual self-sufficiency of the partners in terms of capacity and finances. The productive components of these projects in Honduras have the long-term objective of building up just such self-sufficiency and sustainability among counterpart organizations. Exit strategies might be an issue where SCC could benefit from further conceptual notions as part of the programme development coordinated from SCC Stockholm. Such strategies should be addressed already from the beginning of the cooperation and not only when a project is ending. Included in the exit strategies should be the upgrading of organisational capacities (greater transparency and efficiency, less top-down leadership, less centralised structures), if the member-based organisations are to attract more members, and hence raise their income from fees and other sources.

5.4.

Added Value from SCC

The ToR from Sida asked about the ‘value added’ of the present model of partnerships between the Swedish Cooperative Centre and its partners. In other words, Sida would like to know what SCC is adding to the money value of the grants. 5.4.1. SCC structure in the countries

Closely linked to the issues of adding value and partner relations is the question of the presence of SCC in the countries it works in. As described in Chapter 2, SCC has a considerable presence in the countries where it works in Africa and Latin America. This presence is recognized by the partners as essential for a close and qualified dialogue, which is needed for supporting structural pro-poor changes, through combined efforts of service delivery and advocacy. The evaluation team finds that the three regional SCC offices understand the constantly changing context in which the support is given. However, the offices could do more on facilitating possible alliances, coalitions and networking that could strengthen the partners’ influence favouring pro-poor and sustainable development policies. SCC is also adding advisory, “normative values agreed at UN summits” to local processes, where the presence of employed national staff is of particular importance as many of them seem to work for SCC over many years.

SUPPORTING CIVIL SOCIETY ORGANIZATIONS FOR EMPOWERMENT AND ECONOMICS PROGRESS OF SMALL FARMERS AND PEOPLE LIVING IN POVERTY – Sida EVALUATION 2008:25

45

There is always the risk in a strong presence that an international NGO could exert de facto ownership of activities, which in principle were intended to be managed by the partner. In this respect, the evaluation team came away with the impression that SCC is handling its role as facilitator and clearly has delegated the daily management responsibility to its partners. 5.4.2. Added value from SCC

Based on interviews with partners in the four countries, there is no doubt that SCC does much more than merely channels money. SCC adds value. The benefiting organisations appreciate the partnership and how SCC is accompanying preparation and implementation through its field offices and attached advisers. That said, there is still room for increasing added value. The table below summarises in a general way the strengths and future challenges that the evaluation team has observed in the four countries, based on interviews with partners and reading of documents. SCC added value in the four countries Strengths:

Future challenges:

Farmer organisations very much appreciate the partnership with SCC and its strong competence as regards member- based organisations. SCC is particularly recognised for its long-term commitments to the building up of member-based organisations.

Not enough is being done regarding advocacy at national and local level, the connection between democracy and poverty reduction, and North-South advocacy from the SCC side. Partners are saying: “We need your voice and your help in exerting influence in the regional and international arena”. There is a need for building strong cross-boarder alliances within national and global civil society.

Mainstreaming aspects (HIV, gender, democracy) was lately developed by SCC and is now geared to the realities of farmer organisations.

Insufficient technical expertise and assistance within the core-areas of rural development, e.g. technical strategies, knowledge management, exchange of experiences within sustainable agriculture, organic farming, environmental mainstreaming, marketing, etc.

SCC is among the relatively few European NGOs with a strong presence in the agricultural sector. Study circles concept, materials and advisory services are very much appreciated by partners. It is also a good low-cost model for training and extension services.

Clearer strategies for sustainability, replicability, cost-effectiveness and exits, which could be built into SCC’s planning, indicators and support for organisational development.

Highly developed PME (planning, monitoring and evaluation) in the projects supported by SCC. Administrative issues and follow-up with partners is also well in place.

More focus is needed on strengthening the partners’ own PME systems as part of their management/governance system, including strengthening their results-based management and downward accountability to their members and constituency. This fits in with the tendency to align with the partner’s own strategies and harmonising support with other donors.

The regional SCC office is under development with more focus on teamwork, staff development, thematic specialisation and professional networking in benefit of their partners.

A tendency can be observed that the regional SCC office in the past concentrated mainly on the project cycle (elaborate projects, getting the reports in on time, etc.). More attention could be devoted to strategic guidance and effects/outcomes for the target groups.

5.5.

Growth, Quality, Focus and Regional Strategies at SCC

5.5.1. Focus on SCC’s regional strategies

In general the new regional strategies for Africa and Latin America are well formulated and build on many years of experience in these regions. During formulation, staff at the regional offices was very much involved, which has implied good ownership of the strategy among SCC staff. A number of partners were also consulted. However, this evaluation has also detected some potential problems with the regional strategies, as it seems to stretch thin what the regional teams are able to cover within their working hours and in-house competencies. This is an observation which may count more for Africa than Latin America because there is less capacity among African partners. 46

SUPPORTING CIVIL SOCIETY ORGANIZATIONS FOR EMPOWERMENT AND ECONOMICS PROGRESS OF SMALL FARMERS AND PEOPLE LIVING IN POVERTY – Sida EVALUATION 2008:25

Among the three core strategic programme areas, SCC in Southern Africa has focused mainly on agriculture, in collaboration with farmer organisations. SCC has also during worked in the housing sector in Zimbabwe and South Africa since 1997. In addition, SCC intends to integrate financial services to the housing and rural development sectors. In the view of the evaluation team, rural/ agriculture development is a large and demanding sector (roads, electricity etc. are not included; SCC is in fact not covering rural development as such). And if synergy should be sought in the Zambian programme, future progress as concerns the marketing of agriculture products would put micro-finance (savings and credits) for small-scale farmers on the agenda, while no direct synergy will be obtained by supporting urban housing. Microfinance is more related to the currently prioritised area of agricultural development than urban housing. In these years bilateral donors such as Sida are reducing the number of sectors (with the Joint Assistance Strategies). The following question is raised and needs to be discussed with SCC: How does SCC plan to provide adequate added value in as many as five countries and five strategic programme areas that are to be covered in the Southern African region? Putting that into a matrix will require attention from the regional office (see matrix with crossing points34, thus risking that (time) resources are spread too thinly regarding the six or seven programme officers at the regional offices. Sustainable agriculture and business

Housing

Financial services

Gender equity

HIV and AIDS

Madagascar Malawi Mozambique Zambia Zimbabwe

The evaluation issues a warning that less quality and less “SCC added value” could be the end effect, if not enough focus and attention are brought to bear on a realistic regional strategy and project portfolio. Too much diversification in the numerous projects, sectors, professional fields and countries, obviously make it more difficult to produce a focused critical mass of learning relevant for the entire organisation. According to the SCC regional offices, it is realistic to implement the regional Africa strategy. They consider that the increased volume and programme focus has enabled stronger local capacity in Malawi and Niassa; i.e. these programmes have their own staff and internal technical assistance etc. SCC also explained that the strategy will be evaluated once a year and adapted if found necessary. 5.5.2. Growth in SCC budgets

The previous section on ‘added value’ illustrates that SCC is a solid and well-functioning international NGO. SCC is even among the relatively few European NGOs with a strong presence in the agricultural sector, which according to this year’s World Development Report requires further attention. Nevertheless, there are also a number of future challenges, where SCC can further develop its capacity and quality. Therefore, in the meeting with SCC management in October 2007 the evaluation team raised the issue about growth versus quality/consolidation. SCC has for the past five years paid attention to turnover and growth. Beyond the Sida/SEKA framework, SCC has also gained a considerable amount of financial resources from other sources, e.g. Norway and other Sida budget lines. It is understandable that the Board and SCC management wishes to spread risks related to Sidafunding, as well as maintaining a stable turnover and a predictable income from administrative fees. 34

The team is aware that not all cells are marked, meaning the total number of crossing points is less than 25.

SUPPORTING CIVIL SOCIETY ORGANIZATIONS FOR EMPOWERMENT AND ECONOMICS PROGRESS OF SMALL FARMERS AND PEOPLE LIVING IN POVERTY – Sida EVALUATION 2008:25

47

The organisation can also benefit from an economy of scale. However, the challenges above indicate that it might be time to “stop-up” for further consolidation and increase the focus on turning SCC into a learning organisation. Learning, as desirable as it may be, takes a back seat to implementation, preparing new projects, receiving assessment teams, etc. In the case of Southern Africa, SCC had a particular high growth in their project portfolio, to 58 million SEK as total budget in 2007. Of this sum, half is coming from outside the SEKA frame, in particular relatively large projects in Malawi (with NORAD) and in Mozambique (with Swedish Embassy support). The latter is an example of the additional responsibility placed on the regional office, taking into account the problems with financial management encountered in Niassa earlier this year, which demanded a lot of resources from SCC. Further, it should be stressed that the staff at the field offices and headquarter are very busy and hardworking, displaying commendable personal commitment and dedication. These last years, considerable staff resources at headquarters have been spent on increasing fundraising as well as the increased collaboration with Vi Agroforestry, the merging processes with “Sveriges bönder hjälper” and, most recently, the KF Project Centre. The latter is operating in 14 countries in Asia and Central and Eastern Europe. Considering that SCC is already working in 26 countries, it means that in the future SCC will work in more countries than Sida, after the latter’s ongoing reduction of the number of countries it operates in. Even before SCC took over responsibility for these three independent organizations and their projects, at Stockholm headquarter level, Africa and Latin America were being treated as two separate development cooperation operations, with different understandings on development paradigms, e.g. direct implementation versus partnership. The expansion has probably not helped the process to create a more common understanding of development and a more unified implementation method at the project level.

Year

Annual total million SEK

%

2000

80

100

2001

77

96

2002

84

104

2003

99

123

2004

112

138

2005

158

196

2006

196

242

2007

221

274

2008

250

313

Annual total SCC budget (million SEK)

In year 2000 the total turnaround of SCC was 100 million SEK. In 2007 it is estimated at 221 million SEK. Upon merging with the KF Project Centre the annual turnaround will be approximately 250 million SEK. This is a very high growth rate for an organisation. 350 300 250 200 150 100 50 0 1 2000 to 2008

5.5.3. SCC as a learning organisation

Earlier in this report the evaluation team highlighted the efforts made by SCC in developing Organisational Development concepts as well as operating a profound and well-functioning PME system. Programme development has also been done on HIV/AIDS and the ongoing internal work on environment. However, there is a limit to what an international department with eight staff persons is able to do on programme development, when they are also busy backstopping so many countries and programmes. According to SCC, the expansion is a result of two conscious processes. One regards the merger of Swedish organisations involved in cooperative development work, which constitutes one third of the financial increase between 2002 and 2007 (45 million SEK in 2007). The mergers are a result of a 48

SUPPORTING CIVIL SOCIETY ORGANIZATIONS FOR EMPOWERMENT AND ECONOMICS PROGRESS OF SMALL FARMERS AND PEOPLE LIVING IN POVERTY – Sida EVALUATION 2008:25

conscious policy among SCC member organisations to concentrate cooperative development work on a single organisation. Secondly, SCC management expresses confidence that it can maintain the quality of its work even during a period of expansion. It generally feels that it is natural for any dynamic and energetic organisation to adapt to changes in the environment, to be open to new opportunities and to try to expand its activities based on the belief that the organisation has the ability and potential to expand and replicate what is beneficial to its target groups. In the discussion with SCC in Stockholm, the argument made to the evaluation team was that SCC combines growth and quality, which can be further promoted by the economy of scale effect. Nevertheless, in the view of the evaluation team, SCC has some interesting years ahead with a consolidation period that will focus more on programme development, and where systematisation of experiences, knowledge management, increased North-South advocacy and other challenges could develop SCC into an even better Swedish NGO. The attraction of becoming a “knowledge-based” or learning organisation35 could the coming years be an alternative to continuous growth.

5.6.

Co-operation and Dialogue with Sida

Over the years SCC and Sida/SEKA have developed a good dialogue over a wide range of relevant issues. This was very evident during the two-year-long follow-up to the 78 recommendations made in the system revision titled “Styrning och kontroll inom Kooperation utan gränser” (Sida 2003). The dialogue was very open and productive, which also seems to be the case with the annual meetings between SCC and Sida. However, it appears from the minutes of the annual meetings that more discussions and exchange of experience between Sida and SCC could be of mutual benefit, e.g. lesson learned on issues related to dynamic, democratic and pro-poor civil society, human rights-based approach, member-based organisations, crosscutting issues etc. The total SCC development cooperation operation is now rather complicated in terms of thematic areas, countries, objectives and so on in relation to the different budget lines and departments in Sida. In this sense, there could be a need for Sida/SEKA/embassies to increase the dialogue with SCC both on issues related to different aspects of civil society, democracy and poverty and issues beyond the scope of the framework agreement.

6.

Recommendations

This chapter provides suggestions and recommendations for improvement of SCC’s cooperation programme based on the findings and conclusions presented in the previous chapters. Since this evaluation is limited to field visits in four countries, it will be up to SCC headquarters and regional offices – in consultation with their partners – to discuss the issues concerned in further detail, and to formulate a follow-up action plan with milestones aimed at operationalising the below recommendations. No. 1: Together with key partners, SCC could support and initiate studies, applied research and

initiatives aimed at gaining further understanding and concrete mechanisms for reaching out more to poorer small-scale farmers in the geographical areas of ongoing and future projects. SCC must thus be able to 35

The understanding of a learning organisation is well expressed in the Intrac publication: Praxis Paper 3, Organisational Learning in NGOs: Creating the Motive, Means and Opportunity, Bruce Britton, 2005 (English and Spanish).

SUPPORTING CIVIL SOCIETY ORGANIZATIONS FOR EMPOWERMENT AND ECONOMICS PROGRESS OF SMALL FARMERS AND PEOPLE LIVING IN POVERTY – Sida EVALUATION 2008:25

49

analyse who the poorest farmers are, and where they may or may not fit into the membership base or the interest sphere of partner organisations. No. 2: Together with partners and national research centres, SCC could analyse the role of civil society in democratisation and pro-poor initiatives. Such exercises could be based on a number of specific cases in various countries and sectors. The results could be used for advocacy as well as for the dissemination of information and good practices to other stakeholders and development practitioners. No. 3: In close collaboration with its partners, SCC could seek to enhance its understanding of the

people intended to benefit from its work, identifying ways of measuring the baseline, effects and outcomes for the target groups. Among the useful instrument may be independent evaluations, participatory selfevaluations and applied research experiences. No. 4: SCC could strengthen its partnerships, strategic alliances and networking beyond project collabora-

tion, not least by enhancing North-South advocacy related to the partners’ fields of interest, e.g. agricultural policies, poverty, national budget allocations, joint assistance strategies, trade negotiations, including advocacy in Sweden and the EU regarding the ongoing Doha round, EPA with Africa, negotiations with Central America, as well as bilateral trade negotiations. No. 5: SCC could increase its in-house knowledge of advocacy and policy research, both in Stockholm and

at the regional offices. In this area, SCC could also explore the scope for applying cases from specific projects to the analysis of sector policies, budget tracing, poverty analysis, MDGs, etc., aimed at increasing advocacy and public awareness capacity in these fields among partners at the local, national and international level. No. 6: In relation to the empowerment and advocacy of target groups, SCC and its partners could strengthen their understanding, conceptualization and use of a human-rights based approach. No. 7: SCC could enhance its technical capacity and knowledge management in the areas of sustainable

agriculture/natural resource management and local business development, as these are key sectors in SCC’s regional strategy. Furthermore, it is recommended that SCC promote systematic human resource development of its staff. No. 8: Increased alignment, harmonisation, shared planning and monitoring with other international

NGOs/agencies can be a way of aligning and strengthening the partners’ in-house strategic planning, work planning, financial management, management information system, monitoring, results-based management, and accountability mechanisms, so that they become ‘downward accountable’ to their constituencies. No. 9: Together with its partners, SCC could further develop its concepts of sustainability and its exit

strategies, including greater consideration of the value of replications and cost-effectiveness. No. 10: In the 2008 review of the regional strategy for Africa and Latin America, SCC could consider further focusing (of countries and themes/sectors) aimed at enhancing the “added value” and knowledge management that SCC is able to provide with its in-house staff and competencies. No. 11: The SCC Board and management could consider the coming years as a period in which the

stage of strong growth in recent years evolves into greater emphasis on consolidation of the entire cooperation programme, enhancing programme development and seeking to become a learning organisation that is building stronger North-South advocacy, solidarity and knowledge-based partnerships beyond the project relationship.

50

SUPPORTING CIVIL SOCIETY ORGANIZATIONS FOR EMPOWERMENT AND ECONOMICS PROGRESS OF SMALL FARMERS AND PEOPLE LIVING IN POVERTY – Sida EVALUATION 2008:25

Annex 1 Terms of Reference 1

Background

A considerable part of Swedish development cooperation is channelled through Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs). At present the Division for cooperation with NGOs (SEKA EO) within the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida), contributes funds to Swedish organisations and their cooperation partners in over hundred countries worldwide. During the last years, disbursements from Sida to Swedish NGOs for development cooperation have annually exceeded 1,300,000,000 SEK. In order to streamline the administration and assessment procedures for project proposals, Sida has introduced a system of frame agreements with the Swedish NGOs, at the moment this entails fourteen organisations. The agreements are based on procedures; principles and criteria laid down in Sida’s Conditions and Guidelines for NGO support. As part of the frame agreement Sida allocates funds on a multi-year basis to the organisations. These allocations normally do not exceed 90% of the total project costs. In recent years Sida’s NGO cooperation has focused increasingly on the development and/or strengthening of civil society. Since a considerable part of Swedish development cooperation is channelled via Swedish NGOs, it is of growing interest to assert the degree to which Swedish NGO development cooperation contributed to the overall objective of SEKA EO, i.e. to the strengthening of a dynamic and democratic civil society in partner countries as well as enabling poor people to improve their living conditions. The fourteen Framework organisations are either operative organisations with partners in the developing countries or so called umbrella organisations36. The umbrella organisations channel support through other Swedish NGOs to the cooperation they have with local partners. Swedish Cooperative Centre is one of the framework organisations that work in co-operation with Sida. A partnership agreement between Sida and Swedish Cooperative Centre was signed during and is valid up to 30 June 2009. During the financial year 2007, Swedish Cooperative Centre frame-agreement with Sida amounted to 143 500 000 SEK for development cooperation. In this frame-agreement an external evaluation of results and effects is stipulated during the agreement period as well as a systemaudit evaluation. This evaluation is part of the general follow up of programmes supported by Swedish NGOs cofinanced by Sida and is as such an important part of the dialogue between Sida and the NGOs. Any studies that recently have been undertaken in regard to Swedish Cooperative Centre, as well as the principal steering document for Sida’s cooperation with NGOs should be used as background material37.

36

37

SEKA EO support 6 umbrella organisations: Forum Syd, LO/TCO Council of International Trade Union Cooperation, Olof Palme International Centre, The Swedish Pentecostal Mission/PMU, Swedish Organisations’ of Disabled Persons International Aid Association & Swedish Mission Council. 8 operative Framework organisations: Africa Groups of Sweden, Diakonia, Swedish Cooperative Centre, Plan Sweden, Swedish Society for Nature Conservation, Save the Children, Church of Sweden & Training for Development Assistance/UBV. Additionally, Sida also has frame organisations for Humanitarian Assistance: the Swedish Red Cross. “Sida’s Guidelines for support to development programmes of Swedish NGOs (2007) “Perspectives on Poverty (2002)” and “Sida’s policy for Civil Society” (2004) and any other document that might be of relevance.

SUPPORTING CIVIL SOCIETY ORGANIZATIONS FOR EMPOWERMENT AND ECONOMICS PROGRESS OF SMALL FARMERS AND PEOPLE LIVING IN POVERTY – Sida EVALUATION 2008:25

51

2

Purpose and Scope of the Evaluation

The overall purpose is to evaluate the relevance of Swedish Cooperative Centre development cooperation in relation to the SEKA EO objective of contributing to the development of a dynamic and democratic civil society and strengthening and enable poor people to improve their living conditions. Moreover, the evaluation should serve as a learning tool for both Swedish Cooperative Centre and SEKA EO, as well as an instrument for Sida’s overall assessment of Swedish Cooperative Centre. The specific objectives of the evaluation are to asses the results/effects of certain programmes of Swedish Cooperative Centre for the stakeholders; and suggest improvements for Swedish Cooperative Centre planning, implementation and monitoring of their development cooperation. The programmes should constitute a fair representation of programmes supported by SEKA EO.

3

The Assignment

The evaluation should cover the current operations of Swedish Cooperative Centre and its partners as well as projects terminated during the last year. The evaluation should also address the following questions: a)

What is the relevance of Swedish Cooperative Centre partner’s programmes in terms of SEKA’s overall objective38?

Assessment of how coherent the work of the Swedish Cooperative Centre partner is in relation to the overall objective. This should be considered in terms of the goals and plans of the partner, including the mandate and the areas of operations of the Swedish Cooperative Centre partners. The implementation work of the local partners should be investigated including an assessment of the relationship between Swedish Cooperative Centre and its partners. b)

What is the relevance of Swedish Cooperative Centre partners’ programmes in terms of their own objectives?

Assessment of Swedish Cooperative Centre partner’s relevance considering sectors, stakeholders39 and areas of operation in relation to the problems addressed. Furthermore, addressing the relevance of the partners’ work in the national context is of importance. Could there for instance be target groups or areas of support that are neglected and ought to be given higher priority in the programmes? What role does Swedish Cooperative Centre partner play in civil society and how do they coordinate their work with other actors. c)

What is the effectiveness of the Swedish Cooperative Centre partners’ programmes?

Asses the partners’ implementation of programmes in general, as well as the cooperation between Swedish Cooperative Centre and other stakeholders. This analysis should, in turn, give an input into a discussion on the level of fulfilment of objectives of Swedish Cooperative Centre. Including assessing and analysing the results of projects funded by Swedish Cooperative Centre, in relation to the existing programme of Swedish Cooperative Centre. d)

What is the relevance of Swedish Cooperative Centre’s programmes in terms of their own objective and of SEKA’s objective?

Assess the relevance of Swedish Cooperative Centre programme in relation to the overall objective of SEKA EO and the objective of Swedish Cooperative Centre.

38

39

Contributing to the development of a dynamic and democratic civil society and strengthening and enable poor people to improve their living conditions Who are the stakeholders? How do stakeholders participate? Are participatory methods used in planning and implementing of programmes?

52

SUPPORTING CIVIL SOCIETY ORGANIZATIONS FOR EMPOWERMENT AND ECONOMICS PROGRESS OF SMALL FARMERS AND PEOPLE LIVING IN POVERTY – Sida EVALUATION 2008:25

A particular concern is to what extent the strategies, methods and goal analysis of Swedish Cooperative Centre contribute to SEKA’s overall objective. This includes contextual analysis, selection of partners, analysis of strength and weaknesses of partners, the partnership model of Swedish Cooperative Centre and how it is perceived to contribute to goal achievement. Of special interest is the value added of the present model of partnerships between Swedish Cooperative Centre and its partners.

4

Methodology, Evaluation Team and Time Schedule

The evaluation has been commissioned by Sida, the Division for cooperation with NGOs, (SEKA EO). A group consisting of representatives from both Sida and Swedish Cooperative Centre will be of access to the Consultant through out the evaluation process. The programme officer at Sida responsible for the evaluation is Karin Fällman. 4.1

Evaluation process

The Consultant shall evaluate relevant background documentation that will be provided by Swedish Cooperative Centre or Sida, as well as visit a sample of partner organisations and projects in at least two countries. The partner org anisations and projects shall be selected in order to ensure a reliable and representative basis for the purpose of this evaluation. The locations and/or organisations to be visited shall be determined in dialogue with Sida and Swedish Cooperative Centre. The selected Consultant is asked to begin the assignment by preparing an inception report not exceeding 3 pages elaborating on the basic design and plan for the evaluation. After approval by SEKA EO the Consultant shall carry out the evaluation as soon as possible. During the evaluation process, the consultant has to give feedback on and discuss the initial observations/findings with the partner organisations, i.e. included in the visits to the chosen countries. Furthermore, the consultant must discuss observations/findings with SEKA EO and Swedish Cooperative Centre through dialogue with the division. A draft report will be submitted to SEKA EO. Swedish Cooperative Centre and the concerned parties interviewed should been given the opportunity to comment and correct any factual errors. 4.2

Method

The analysis is expected to include a study of relevant documents, e.g. documents in Sweden of applications and assessment memos and descriptions of organisations. Interviews will be done with 8–10 local partners of Swedish Cooperative Centre and their branches. Selection of partners to visit will be done by the consultant in dialogue with Sida, and Swedish Cooperative Centre. The evaluation requires a mapping of the objectives, purpose, plans and priorities of Swedish Cooperative Centre and the selected partners. It also involves a mapping of the implemented programmes and projects of the selected partners. The assessment of the value added of the partnership should include a mapping on the activities of Swedish Cooperative Centre that was done as part of the partnership, and the extent to which the partner perceived the partnership as relevant. In order to assess the relevance in terms of civil society needs and priorities a review of secondary sources of information has to be done. This might include the context analysis of the partners, study of the poverty reduction strategy paper of the country and alternative papers and persons well informed of the function and roles of civil society in the country. It could also include other types of reviews and research. An obvious problem with any evaluation of this type is that a major source of information comes from the partner organisations themselves. Hence, the consultants should, to the largest extent possible, try to SUPPORTING CIVIL SOCIETY ORGANIZATIONS FOR EMPOWERMENT AND ECONOMICS PROGRESS OF SMALL FARMERS AND PEOPLE LIVING IN POVERTY – Sida EVALUATION 2008:25

53

get “second opinions” from other informants less at stake in the present partnership, or in other ways can add a different perspective. These informants might include other NGOs, community leaders, journalists, researchers, or whomever most suitable. Furthermore, the consultants are required to have a transparent discussion, for each of their main conclusion, on the type of sources they were able to use, the extent by the informant could be considered to have a stake in the issues, the extent by which they were able to corroborate or triangulate the conclusion by other sources with a different perspective or stake, or if they have any alternative explanation of their observations. 4.3

The Consultant

The Consultants assigned to carry out the evaluation are called off from the “Framework agreement for Consulting Services in relation to Civil Society” with the regard to services of evaluations/developments of methods, March 2007. The Consultant should seek to use a participatory approach and if possible to have a gender balanced team. The Consultant shall ensure that appropriate knowledge about civil society contexts form a part of the evaluation, e.g. the use of national or regional consultants. 4.4

Time Schedule

The time needed for the assignment is estimated to about 10 –14 person weeks, including the time required to prepare the inception report and including time for completing the report.

5

Reporting and Timing

The evaluation shall be started no later than the 2007-06-01. An inception report shall be presented no later than 2007-06-15 and a draft of the full report shall be presented to Sida’s NGO Division for consideration, not later than the 2007-10-01. Sida and Swedish Cooperative Centre will comment the draft report after which the Consultant shall prepare the final report. When the final report has been submitted a presentation of the report will be held at Sida. The report must include a presentation of the process in drawing up the evaluation design and choosing methodology. It shall also list all contributors to the evaluation (excepting those that have opted for anonymity). The report also has to include: • List of acronyms, tables and figures • Executive Summary • Evaluation purpose and scope • Methodology • Findings, lessons learned conclusions and recommendations The final report should be delivered by the Consultant to Sida’s NGO Division within two weeks after received comments. The final report shall not exceed 50 pages excluding Annexes and be submitted electronically and in 15 (fifteen) hardcopies. The report shall be written in English. The final report must be presented in a way that enables publication without further editing. The format and outline of the report shall therefore follow, as closely as is feasible, the guidelines in Sida Evaluation Manual – a Standardised Format. The evaluation shall be written in programme Word 6.0 or later version as attached file and copy on CD. Subject to decision by Sida, the report might be published in the series Sida Evaluation. 54

SUPPORTING CIVIL SOCIETY ORGANIZATIONS FOR EMPOWERMENT AND ECONOMICS PROGRESS OF SMALL FARMERS AND PEOPLE LIVING IN POVERTY – Sida EVALUATION 2008:25

6

Other

Sida’s strategy for the internal development of capacities implies that Sida and Swedish Cooperative Centre personnel should have a possibility to participate in the ongoing work of the Consultant when appropriate.

7

Specification of Requirements

Sida will, after evaluating the call-off proposals using the criteria specified below, decide upon which call-off proposal is most suited for the assignment. Sida will then make a decision and sign the call-off orders under the “Framework agreement for Consulting Services in Relation to Civil Society” with the regard to services of evaluations/developments of methods, March 2007. The call-off proposal shall present the following information: – How and when the assignment is to be done; – The working methods employed in order to complete the assignment and secure the quality of the completed work; use a participatory approach and if possible have a gender based team including local consultants; – State the total cost of the assignment, specified as fee per hour for each category of personnel, any reimbursable costs, any other costs and any discounts (all types of costs in SEK and exclusive of VAT); – A proposal for time and working schedules according to the Assignment; The consultant should be able to sign the call-off order no later than the 2007-06-01. Annex 1 The partner organisations of the Swedish Cooperative Centre listed Annex 2 Sida’s Guidelines for support to development programmes of Swedish NGOs

SUPPORTING CIVIL SOCIETY ORGANIZATIONS FOR EMPOWERMENT AND ECONOMICS PROGRESS OF SMALL FARMERS AND PEOPLE LIVING IN POVERTY – Sida EVALUATION 2008:25

55

56

SUPPORTING CIVIL SOCIETY ORGANIZATIONS FOR EMPOWERMENT AND ECONOMICS PROGRESS OF SMALL FARMERS AND PEOPLE LIVING IN POVERTY – Sida EVALUATION 2008:25

Annex, Study of Zambia Programme

General Conclusion on Zambia Study a. The overall conclusion reached by the Evaluation Team regarding Swedish Cooperative Centre (SCC) support to Zambia is that it fits well into the overall objective of Sida’s cooperation with civil society. During ten years SCC has contributed a lot to the organisation of farmers in Zambia, in such a way that today there are democratic and vibrant organisations, which have affiliated associations in almost all of the country’s districts. The strengthening of farmer organisation has lead to improvements in living conditions for smallscale farmers in Zambia. This has been most notable over the last few years, with strengthened district farmer unions (DFAs), local organized farmer groups (Information Centres), and increased capacity in terms of farming skills, business orientation and marketing. There will still be a lot to do on local levels. b. A majority of the 80% of the Zambian population that lives beneath the UN poverty line are smallscale farmers. The Zambia’s Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper (PRSP) recognised the failure of the agricultural sector to provide for livelihoods for the majority of people in rural areas is considered a major factor contributing to rural poverty. In this respect, SCC’s focus on long-term agriculture development and strengthening farmer organisations are well-justified in a country, where the majority of the international NGOs have humanitarian aid as point of departure. Thus the target group fit well into the poverty reduction objective put forth by Sida/SEKA and SCC. c. The SCC programme in Zambia is an example of how assistance can break new ground and from an early stage onwards provide support to what today has evolved ZNFU into one of the strongest farmer organisations in Southern Africa. The union has grown to become both influential at national level and relevant for thousands of farmers engaged in local farmer groups, study circles and marketing activities. It is clear that Swedish support has contributed to improving livelihoods for small-scale farmers in the four selected districts. d. The assessment of SCC engagement in Zambia is based on a review of four selected projects (3 in Zambia and 1 regional). The work confirms that SCC has made a good selection of partners. All projects have applied ownership, participation and a rights-based approach and are engaged in a properly functioning partnership with farmer organisations that has done much to overcome the old and bad habits of patronage and corruption. e. Good synergy was observed between support to the training institute (KATC), the organic farmers (OPPAZ), the ZNFU farmer organisation and the regional farmers (SACAU). The latter has been developing its capacity as a regional voice for farmer organizations in Southern Africa, and is recognized by NEPAD, COMESA and SADC. In particular, SACAU is strong on analysis and lobbying activities related to trade issues, including the on-going negotiation with the EU on Economic Partnership Agreements (EPAs). It is, however, an open question to which degree the national member organisations have the capacity to provide information and promote debate among their own members – in related to the smallholder’s interest. Further, it was noted that the advocacy carried out by SACAU and ZNFU is not particularly gender-sensitive.

SUPPORTING CIVIL SOCIETY ORGANIZATIONS FOR EMPOWERMENT AND ECONOMICS PROGRESS OF SMALL FARMERS AND PEOPLE LIVING IN POVERTY – Sida EVALUATION 2008:25

57

f. SCC has successfully contributed to the concept of local Information Centres, which today are the backbone of ZNFU’s presence in the communities with contact farmers and thousands of interest groups. This concept has since been scaled up with support from other donors, such as Norway and Holland. Furthermore, together with KATC and ZNFU, SCC has managed to introduce the Study Circles approach to Zambia, where it has proven to be a strong alternative method for enhancing outreach and increasing cost-effectiveness than traditional extension services. g. The annual project reports from SCC and their partners contain valuable information on the situation and progress made in the projects. Nevertheless, it has not been easy to establish an overview of the effect/outcome of the support. For this purpose the application of the Logical Framework method has not been sufficiently consistent, e.g. baseline and how the reporting is responding to the objectives, outputs and indicators. The most valuable monitoring tool from the SCC side has been participatory project assessments with partner staff, target group and other key stakeholders. In addition, SCC could consider using external evaluations more for measuring the outcomes and effects for the target groups. h. SCC is doing very well on mainstreaming issues such as gender equity, HIV/AIDS, human rights and democracy into all the projects it supports. However, SCC needs to find ways to increase its ‘added value’ on other fronts, such as North-South advocacy, organisational development and technical competence in sustainable agriculture and business development. i. The context in Zambia calls for adjustments in SCC’s future approaches and interventions. This is particularly true as regards the need to respond to the current trend toward alignment and harmonisation, which is fast entering into development cooperation in Zambia through the Joint Assistance Strategy. Good potentials can be observed in harmonizing cooperation with HIVOS among others. j. SCC has committed and qualified staff attached to their regional office in Southern Africa. However, the SCC capacity seems overstretched with the high number of countries, themes and sectors involved in the regional strategy for Africa, which is perhaps somewhat unfocussed. At the same time, the SCC Southern Africa programme has gone through considerable expansion in project portfolio (e.g. in Malawi and Mozambique outside the SEKA frame). Less quality and “added value” from SCC could be the implication, if not enough focus and attention are brought to bear on a realistic regional strategy and project portfolio, taking into account SCC capacity.

1.

Introduction

According to Sida Terms of Reference, the overall purpose of the mission is to evaluate the relevance of Swedish Cooperative Centre (SCC) development cooperation in relation to the Sida/SEKA objective of contributing to the development of a dynamic and democratic civil society, while strengthening and enabling poor people to improve their living conditions. Moreover, the evaluation should serve as a learning tool for both the Swedish Cooperative Centre and SEKA EO, as well as become an instrument for Sida’s overall assessment of the SCC. The specific objectives of the evaluation are to assess the results or effects of certain Swedish Cooperative Centre programmes on stakeholders; and suggest improvements for SCC’s planning, implementation and monitoring of their development cooperation. The Evaluation Team has selected four countries for field visits: Paraguay, Honduras, Kenya and Zambia. The consultant’s Field Study sampled one regional and three Zambian projects, as follows: • The regional farmer organisation SACAU (Institutional Development Support Project. Document 2006–08).

58

SUPPORTING CIVIL SOCIETY ORGANIZATIONS FOR EMPOWERMENT AND ECONOMICS PROGRESS OF SMALL FARMERS AND PEOPLE LIVING IN POVERTY – Sida EVALUATION 2008:25

• Market Facilitation Project (MFP) 2006–2008 with the Zambia National Farmers’ Union (ZNFU) in four districts in the eastern and southern provinces. SCC collaboration with ZNFU this year celebrates its tenth year. • OPPAZ Eco–Marketing Project. A new partner, coming on board in 2006. • Kasisi Agricultural Training Centre (KATC) 2006–08. SCC is phasing out KATC at the end of 2008. The consultant visited Zambia from 8 to 15 September 2007, where he travelled to Monze and Choma for meeting with leaders from the District Farmer Unions and Information Centres, as well as visiting individual farmers. In addition, a visit was carried out to the KATC training centre and the Chongwe Organic Producers Association. In Lusaka, the consultant held meetings with leaders at ZNFU and OPPAZ headquarters, as well as with international NGOs and other referents. Meetings were also conducted with the both the chair and CEO of SACAU. This report contains the consultant’s analysis, findings, conclusions and recommendations. The paper based on the field visit in Zambia will be discussed with SCC regional staff on Monday 17 September 2007. After the field visit, the consultant has had very valuable e-discussions with the SCC regional offices – including written comments that the consultant has taken into account in the present report. In addition, the regional office has provided comments to the reports recommendations (Annex A), which reflect the open and constructive way the SCC regional staff has participated in bringing the evaluations findings and recommendations into possible improvements of the regional programme. On 1 November 2007 the Evaluation Team will deliver a draft Main Report for circulation among Sida, SCC and the partners visited. The views expressed in this report are those of the consultancy team, and do not necessarily correspond to those of the organisations that have commissioned this study, nor by the persons interviewed or otherwise consulted in the process. The Team would like to express its gratitude to the staff at the SCC regional office and to the civilsociety organizations and individuals interviewed, for their kind support and valuable assistance given during the consultant’s stay in Zambia.

2.

SCC Regional Strategy

The SCC development cooperation is based on the principle of partnership, meaning a long-term relationship. SCC’s mission is to: • support women and men to enable them to increase their incomes, improve their living conditions, defend their rights, and organise themselves. • strengthen the democratic and economic development of our partner organisations. • contribute to the development of democratic and just societies. In February 2007 SCC adopted a new “Regional Strategy for Eastern and Southern Africa 2007– 2011”, which encompasses the following five strategic programme areas: 1: Promote rural development focussing on sustainable agriculture, food security and local business development. 2: Promote adequate housing. 3. Promote rural financial services. 4: Promote mainstreaming of gender equity. 5: Promote mainstreaming of HIV and AIDS prevention and mitigation. SUPPORTING CIVIL SOCIETY ORGANIZATIONS FOR EMPOWERMENT AND ECONOMICS PROGRESS OF SMALL FARMERS AND PEOPLE LIVING IN POVERTY – Sida EVALUATION 2008:25

59

In Southern Africa SCC is operating in the following six countries: Madagascar, Malawi, Mozambique, South Africa, Zambia and Zimbabwe. In the course of this strategy period, South Africa will be phased out. It should be noted that the current regional programme in Southern Africa 2006–2008, including the collaboration in Zambia, was planned during 2005 and thus based on the previous regional strategy. The regional office has therefore opted to see the current programme period as a learning opportunity. The actual test of the regional strategy will be in the planning of the continuation of the regional programme, i.e. collaboration beyond 2008.

3.

Context for Poor Farmers in Zambia

In the Nineties SCC decided to end its support to the Zambian cooperative movement due to state patronage, politicisation and corruption. Instead, starting in 1997, SCC began to support the Zambia National Farmers Union (ZNFU). The first agreement with the regional Southern Confederation of Agricultural Unions (SACAU) was signed in 2002. A majority of the 80% of the Zambian population that lives beneath the UN poverty line are smallscale farmers. The Zambia’s Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper (PRSP) recognised the failure of the agricultural sector to provide for livelihoods for the majority of people in rural areas is considered a major factor contributing to rural poverty. In this respect, SCC’s focus on long-term agriculture development and strengthening farmer organisations are well-justified in a country, where the majority of the international NGOs have humanitarian aid as point of departure. Thus the target group fit well into the poverty reduction objective put forth by Sida/SEKA and SCC. Today, the Zambian legal framework, political climate and socio-economic situation are conducive to the good performance shown by ZNFU, OPPAZ and KATC.

4.

Partner Relationships and Poverty Orientation

In the view of the consultant, SCC has made a good selection of partners in Zambia, whose overall objectives fit well into SCC and Sida/SEKA objectives related to poverty reduction, human rights and democracy. The same can be said about the regional farmer network SACAU. The relation between SCC and their partners in Zambia is very good and based on a shared vision. The mode of operation is that the partners implement the projects, and their ownership is emphasised. SCC takes advantage of its in-country presence in Zambia, which makes for good context sensitivity. The evaluation of the Amalinda project served to highlight for SCC how difficult it was to work in South Africa without a field office. As explained further in this report, thousands of small-scale farmers are benefiting from both the advocacy carried out by the farmer organisations as well as increased skills for agriculture and marketing. In this sense the projects have a clear poverty orientation that has implied increase income for many rural households. That said that it is always necessary to monitor the balance between how the farmer organisations are addressing the needs of the large-scale farmers versus the small-scale farmers. For the purpose of analyzing the poverty aspect, we could divide the farmers into three categories, as follows: • The commercial sector (corporate companies, agribusiness chamber) and large-scale farmers. • The small-scale farmers able to deal with the market. • The small-scale farmers who sell very little to the market. 60

SUPPORTING CIVIL SOCIETY ORGANIZATIONS FOR EMPOWERMENT AND ECONOMICS PROGRESS OF SMALL FARMERS AND PEOPLE LIVING IN POVERTY – Sida EVALUATION 2008:25

The ZNFU membership is predominantly from among the first two categories, while almost no membership is found among farmers outside the market. This category of small subsistence farmers are part of the poorest segment of the Zambian population. It cannot be expected that these agriculture projects reach the poorest households. However, it could be expected that SCC and their partners reflect more and carry out pilot experiences on ways of reaching out to the small, poor farmers in the same geographical areas in which they are already working. The SCC regional office explained at the debriefing meeting their idea about a “dual approach”, where SCC is working both with a partner and targeting poor farmers that are not yet organised. They mentioned as an example the Smallholder Drought Mitigation Programme in Zimbabwe; a study circle programme aiming to increase agricultural skills and that is open for all. The Programme runs parallel to the agriculture project being implemented by Zimbabwe Farmers Union, ZFU, and the ambition is that the smallholder project will not only increase membership in ZFU, but also enhance skills and increased food security among all farmers interested in participating. At the same time, it puts pressure on ZFU to be more relevant to its members. Recommendation no. 1:

It is suggested that SCC initiate studies and initiatives that can provide both understanding and concrete ideas for how to reach out more to poorer small-scale farmers in the geographical areas of on-going and future projects. It is thus important that SCC is able to analyse, who the poorest farmers are – and where they may fit, or not – in to the membership or the interest sphere of the partner organisations.

5.

Achievements in the Selected Projects

5.1.

Selected projects

The evaluation has assessed three projects being implemented in Zambia, in addition to two regional projects: • Organic agriculture and sustainable livelihoods project with Kasisi Agricultural Training Centre (KATC). • Market Facilitation Project with ZNFU in four districts in the Eastern and the Southern provinces. • OPPAZ Eco– Marketing Project. • Regional farmer organisation SACAU (Institutional Development Support Project and the Regional Farmers Organisations Support Project. In line with the Regional Strategy 2004–07, the programme in Zambia focuses on interventions that will promote sustainable agriculture production and local level business development. Interventions in place also support the development and strengthening of member based organisations with emphasis on local ownership. Promotion of popular education through study circles is also an integral part of the programme. Main collaborating partner organisations are Kasisi Agriculture Training Centre (KATC), Organic Producers and Processors Association (OPPAZ) and Zambia National Farmers’ Union (ZNFU). 5.2.

General outcome

All projects reviewed in Zambia intend to produce immediate benefits for poor people and the partner organisations engaged in pro-poor (or pro-sustainable) activities and policies. The benefits for the target group of farmers include training/extension and improved market access. Many achievements can be reported, particularly on the ZNFU project. The development of concepts in the two southern districts has been so successful that it has now been up-scaled in other programmes supported by the Dutch and Norwegian governments. SUPPORTING CIVIL SOCIETY ORGANIZATIONS FOR EMPOWERMENT AND ECONOMICS PROGRESS OF SMALL FARMERS AND PEOPLE LIVING IN POVERTY – Sida EVALUATION 2008:25

61

However, it has been difficult for the evaluation to consolidate the outcome/effects of the five projects, mainly because the indicators/baseline/progress monitoring has not been very consistent. As further discussed in the section about planning and monitoring, SCC’s PME system has not been able to deliver this overview in Southern Africa. For this reason it was agreed with SCC-SA that they after the consultant left should make an effort for consolidating the results of the four projects, e.g. those results achieved in the two programming periods (firstly, 2004–2005 and secondly, the current programme, January 2006–07). As it can be seen below, this effort from SCC office has provided a better picture on outcome, than if making reference only to the 2006 annual reports from the projects (this year was itself not particularly strong in performance). Nevertheless, it still illustrates some difficulties for SCC to respond to the quantitative aspects of outcome/effects (see the LFA tables on ZNFU in the Annex A). 5.3.

Kasisi Agriculture Training Centre (KATC)

KATC is currently implementing the Organic Agriculture and Sustainable Livelihoods project which is a predecessor to the Eco Rural Development Project which ended in 2005. The immediate objective of the project is “to have small-scale farmers in Chongwe district improve their food security and increase their income through practicing sustainable agriculture”. Main outcomes from the project in relation to the project objective are that: Trained farmers that have adopted and consistently used the technologies promoted by KATC have been able to improve their food security and ability to meet other basic needs such as education for their children. This has been made possible though diversification of production which has been a direct implication of the organic farming practices. Increasing incomes can also be confirmed through capacity to make further investments either in the form of household goods, equipment and tools for both farming and blacksmithing, solar power, bicycles, water pumps and livestock. This was confirmed by the internal assessment of the project in 2005 and the socio-economic study carried out by an independent consultant in 2007. KATC has through the project facilitated the establishment of the Chongwe Organic Producers’ and Processors Association (CHOPPA) thus contributing to mobilisation and organisation of local level farmer organisations. Seven individual farmer associations are affiliated to CHOPPA. CHOPPA are represented on the national board of the OPPAZ. In 2007 organic vegetable growers have been able to access an upmarket supermarket chain, Spar, through CHOPPA and based on the concept of joint/ bulk marketing promoted by the project. Farmers have therefore been able to get better prices which have the potential to contribute to improved incomes. 5.4.

Zambia National Farmers’ Union (ZNFU)

ZNFU is currently implementing a Market Facilitation Project (MFP) which is a predecessor to the Local Level Business Development Project implemented between 2002 and 2005. The immediate objective of the MFP is “To enable members of the DFA increase their net incomes from agriculture production”. Main outcomes from the project in relation to the project objective are that: During the period 2006–7 there has been evidence of improved farmer mobilisation and strengthening of small scale farmer marketing and trade systems focussed on the bulk marketing concept. Continued training in technical aspects through study circles and emphasis on farming as a business has contributed to more effective linkages with input suppliers, out growers and other service providers including those specialised in mainstreaming issues. The role of local level farmer operated Information Centres (IC) have devolved from being only a hub for both horizontal and vertical information dissemination to being the hub for input supply as well as 62

SUPPORTING CIVIL SOCIETY ORGANIZATIONS FOR EMPOWERMENT AND ECONOMICS PROGRESS OF SMALL FARMERS AND PEOPLE LIVING IN POVERTY – Sida EVALUATION 2008:25

bulk marketing of agricultural produce. The concept of bulking and the mobile phone SMS-based market information system have facilitated increased bargaining power and access to lucrative markets for various commodities including vegetables, crops such as maize, tobacco and groundnuts and small livestock such as chickens and goats. Access to lucrative markets has resulted in firstly higher margins but also the necessary demand pull to stimulate increased production. For instance it is according to SCC estimated that a farmer earned 18 per cent more in 2007 compared to 2006 even though price per unit remained the same. Off rainy season income earning capacity has been enhanced through creating necessary market linkages that have facilitated selling of small livestock and vegetables. 5.5.

Organic Producers and Processors Association of Zambia (OPPAZ)

OPPAZ is implementing an Eco Marketing project which is in its second year. The immediate objective of the project is to “Increase in Producer income through better access to organic markets”. Main outcomes from the project in relation to the project objective are that: During 2006 project efforts were focused on strengthening the targeted organic producer groups with respect to their organisational and technical capabilities as well as the farmer implemented internal control systems for monitoring their adherence to organic practices. Two producer groups/associations have functional internal control systems. There is evidence of increased volumes in some organic products. For instance in Mongu the production of rice increased from 96 tonnes in 2004/5 to 108 tonnes in 2005/6. Farmers were also able to sell the various organic products which include, wild mushrooms, groundnuts, rice and sunflower. However, even though it can be said that the foundation is being developed, it is too soon to be conclusive that project efforts have contributed to increased incomes. 5.6.

SACAU regional project

SCC has been supporting two projects within SACAU aiming at strengthening its member organisations general capacity for influencing regional and international agricultural policies. In addition, special attention is paid to trade negotiations and to provide marketing service. As a result of the SCC core-support, SACAU has provided capacity building support to its members in Southern Africa. SCC is also providing technical advisory to SACAU. A clear outcome has been that SACAU has increasingly gained recognition by regional institutions like NEPAD, SADC and COMESA and the Comprehensive Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP). As an example, SACAU has been mandated by NEPAD secretariat to spearhead the development of a regional contract farming proposal. And SACAU has recently provided an input to the coming World Bank annual report (this year on agriculture). Another key outcome has been the improvement of contract negotiation skills and policy influence skills of the national farmer unions affiliated to SACAU due to the training that SACAU has provided. As an example, the farmer organization in Madagascar has been able to influence policy decisions in land issues in their country.

6.

Cross-cutting Issues

SCC intends to mainstream gender equity, HIV/AIDS, human rights and democracy into all the projects it supports. This is a high priority, as explained in the following: 1) Of the crosscutting issues, HIV/AIDS has the greatest potential for success, due to the concentrated effort being made by SCC-SA. Further, farmer organisations have begun to engage specialised NGOs. 2) Regarding gender equity, there is still a certain degree of resistance within the farmer movement. While leaders are starting to recognise the importance of gender, it still takes a rather long time to change attitudes and behaviour. According to a gender assessment made among selected SCC

SUPPORTING CIVIL SOCIETY ORGANIZATIONS FOR EMPOWERMENT AND ECONOMICS PROGRESS OF SMALL FARMERS AND PEOPLE LIVING IN POVERTY – Sida EVALUATION 2008:25

63

partners “there was limited evidence to show that the organizations have consciously carried out a gender mainstreaming process at institutional level. None of the organizations had taken a precise step towards developing and implementing a gender policy.” Nevertheless, the consultant received the impression that SCC will continue the promotion of the gender issue. SCC is aware that in order to efficiently promote gender equity within partner organisations, including that win-win situations related to the organisations core business need to be established. A key issue that has been identified is women and land, where increased female land ownership would benefit the partner organisations in terms of membership and influence. 3) From what has been seen in Zambia, the consultant agrees with what SCC reported to Sida in the 2004–05 report1: “All SCC partners have striven to mainstream democracy and human rights throughout their programmes, activities and own internal functioning.“ The training of leaders, contact farmers and information centres includes governance of a member-based organization and internal democracy based on rights and responsibilities. The inherent democratic nature of study circles being widely promoted, is enhancing the democratic processes in the rural communities SCC provides guidelines and advisory support on how to develop a constitution, the functions of a secretariat, board, general assemblies, the working of accountability mechanisms etc. 4) Although SCC has recognised the importance of addressing environmental sustainability within programme areas such as rural development and adequate housing, a policy has yet to be developed. However, a programme officer from headquarters in Stockholm is spending nine months in Latin America, East Africa and Southern Africa this year, for the purpose of formulating a new SCC policy and guidelines on environmental mainstreaming, together with partner organisations. In the case of Zambia it can be mentioned that the new partnership with OPPAZ on organic farming has good potential for promoting environmental sustainability. In addition, SCC could consider future collaboration with the regional PELUM network with their strengths among smallscale farmers.

7.

Capacity Development and Knowledge Management

Capacity development is part of most projects supported by SCC, and is seen as a means to improving the performance of partner organisation as such. The consultant observed strong competency within SCC as concerns promoting mainstreaming aspects (HIV, gender, democracy) with their partners. The partners recognise SCC expertise and advisory capacity within these fields. SCC has been most successful in Zambia as regards enhancing the national membership-based organisation of farmers, their outreach as well as their internal democracy and governance with accountability. This has been achieved through frequent and open dialogue with ZNFU, an organisation that appreciates how SCC support for building it up was present from the outset. Nevertheless, SCC has proven less capacity for development in three fields: 7.1.

Technical capacities

A key aspect of the SCC regional strategy is to promote rural development, focussing on sustainable agriculture, food security and local business development. It is notable that SCC has expertise within the development of farmer organisations, as it is demonstrated in the Strategic Framework for SCC’s Support to Farmer Organisations in Southern Africa (2005). In this respect the SCC support to SACAU seems to be a good way to continue strengthening of the national farmer organisations in six countries. SACAU has attached an experienced Swedish SCC adviser. 1

KoopUG/SCC – Report 2004–05, Southern Africa. Page 5.

64

SUPPORTING CIVIL SOCIETY ORGANIZATIONS FOR EMPOWERMENT AND ECONOMICS PROGRESS OF SMALL FARMERS AND PEOPLE LIVING IN POVERTY – Sida EVALUATION 2008:25

SCC has for small scale farming in Southern Africa elaborated study material on conservation farming etc., as well as guides on brokerage, profitability analysis, etc., All this materials is related to Southern Africa and elaborated with the assistance of local expertise (particular from Zimbabwe). However, there is a way to go from good materials to their application. Both the field visit in Zambia and the reading of documents disclosed that, in many cases, SCC has not demonstrated sufficient technical capacity for the necessary advisory and follow-up within rural development, although it is defined as a core sector. This observation is based on the following: – A reading of the documents does not give the impression there are adequate technical capacities involved in project preparation, e.g. technical studies. This could be one of the explanations for the problems with planning the objectives, outputs, indicators and measurements of outcome/effect as explained further on in the section on planning/monitoring. – While Zambian partners are satisfied with the advisory services on mainstreaming issues and project management issues, they report only very few visits by technical advisors. – There is a general lack of application and follow-up to the technical guidelines, particularly within sustainable agriculture, marketing and local business development. One of the only documents found to come closer to the technical issues in the Zambia programme is “Assessment report of the local level farmers business development project (LLFBDP) implemented by ZNFU” (2005), but even here little is said about the Information Centres and the farmers application of improved production techniques. In Southern Africa, SCC has never provided technical assistance on specific agriculture issues per se; instead in-house competence has been built on organisational issues and overall project management. For the most part, SCC has linked up beneficiaries to other sources of expertise, e.g. the farmers in the attended districts to KTAC on agriculture training – or used the study circle methodology to promote enhanced agricultural skills. However, this does not guarantee the linkages to knowledge acquisition from regional and international sources, as would be the case if SCC had core-competence in sustainable agriculture and local business development – that are prioritised in the regional SCC strategy. The issue on technical capacities is highlighted by the situation, where ZNFU headquarter seems not to provide much technical backstopping to their technicians working in the districts. As it is formulated in the recent Dutch review of ZNFU2, quality technical support is offered to the management and the board, while insufficient support has been offered to the DFA and the technical staff hired by ZNFU. Although they can obtain advice from the various specialised associations3, it is likely that more technical support/exchange would improve performance at district level. 7.2.

Learning and knowledge management

It should be highlighted that SCC has made a major effort to develop training materials for the Study Circles, including a number of topics relevant to sustainable farming. The partner KATC has contributed significantly to the elaboration of this material and is updating it, based on the experience gathered from the courses. In this respect, the consultant suggested SCC considering how to strengthen KATC as the national reference centre in Zambia on Study Circles. However, the regional office told this has been considered and attempted already from the start up of the regional resource centre, but not found to be viable due to insufficient capacity of this partner organisation. There is no doubt that the study circle materials are highly valued by the farmers. Several of them brought the materials with them to the meeting with the consultant. Indeed, some of the contact 2 3

In August 2007 the Dutch Embassy carried out a review of the Zambia Support Programme (ZSP). OPPAZ, the Tobacco Association and the Poultry Association of Zambia are, among others, affiliates of ZNFU (specialised associations).

SUPPORTING CIVIL SOCIETY ORGANIZATIONS FOR EMPOWERMENT AND ECONOMICS PROGRESS OF SMALL FARMERS AND PEOPLE LIVING IN POVERTY – Sida EVALUATION 2008:25

65

farmers requested that more material be translated into local languages. An interesting development is the Farmer Study Group Initiative, which is a joint attempt by SCC, FAO and Sida to institutionalise different approaches to farmer education throughout Africa. A recent study, commissioned by the Initiative, is recommending that the approaches be hosted within a regional entity – that will be linked to national focal point organisations. In general, SCC regional office and Stockholm headquarter could achieve much more by improving their knowledge management. This constraint is recognised in the new regional SCC strategy: “In most cases, experiences have not been adequately documented, resulting in information gaps and inadequately documented proof that our activities are as effective as we claim.” Based on the projects in Zambia, the consultant can confirm that this is indeed the case, as it was observed that only scarce advantage is taken of available global knowledge and best practices. This is probably related to the finding described earlier concerning relatively limited technical capabilities. There is a need for SCC to discuss ways to strengthen continuous learning and documentation as a means of knowledge management and replicating of successful activities. One thing that might be profitably undertaken is to update the paper titled: “Information Centres: Concept and Practice”. Since this paper was written by ZNFU, many new and useful experiences have taken place. These should be recorded. 7.3.

Organisational development

Unlike SCC-EA, the programme in Southern Africa is recently starting to look at organisational development in a more systematic way. The SCC regional office has good facilitators, but as yet no specialised internal competencies in OD. With the assistance of a Forum Syd development worker, the regional office has facilitated an OD workshop with the cooperative organisation in Zambia (and another in Mozambique). In early 2006, SCC carried out an assessment of the Amalinda project in South Africa, which resulted in an understanding of the difficulty caused by the lack of a ground presence in South Africa and a traditional donor-project relationship in which reporting deadlines were discussed more frequently than actual impact on the target group. The regional office found it necessary to improve on how it was supporting organisational development and other value added issues in the partnerships. The regional SCC office has recently developed a concept paper4 in which it has decided to adopt the Octagon5 as a participatory tool for organisational assessment. This tool fits well into the work with farmer unions. However, it is not clear from the concept paper how strategic planning and changes in management will be integrated to OD. While ZNFU has handled their own organisational development very well, it is problematic that SCC did not include OD in the project that was initiated with OPPAZ in early 2006 (organic farming). The recent review conducted by Dutch HIVOS has laid bare considerable weaknesses in the management, administration and financial management of this organisation. None of the three key donors to OPPAZ have ever made the necessary organisation assessment. Although SCC has lacked OD in the Zambian projects, the importance of the regional project titled ‘Farmers Organisation Support Project’ should be noted. This is a capacity building programme, which has attached a Swedish SCC advisor. The project was first operated directly by SCC and the consultant agrees that it was a good decision to pass this project to SACAU. It is a major challenge in other SADC countries to develop national farmer unions to the same level as that reached by ZNFU. 4

5

“Growing Organizations: An organizational development guide for SCC ROSA and its partners”. Prepared by Imbwanga Mapoko and Patricia Mtonga-Mukumbuta. Draft July 2007. SCC-SA. The Octagon organisational tool was developed by Sida together with Diakonia.

66

SUPPORTING CIVIL SOCIETY ORGANIZATIONS FOR EMPOWERMENT AND ECONOMICS PROGRESS OF SMALL FARMERS AND PEOPLE LIVING IN POVERTY – Sida EVALUATION 2008:25

Recommendation no. 2:

SCC could enhance its technical capacity in the areas of sustainable agriculture and local business development, these being key sectors in SCC’s regional strategy. Furthermore, it is recommended that SCC strengthen competencies within organisational development, knowledge management and the sharing of good practices with other actors.

8.

Advocacy in the Four Projects

One definition useful to an understanding of advocacy is pleading a cause, or helping others to plead a cause. Advocacy is a way to influence decision-making and is fundamental tool for a rights-based approach favouring the poor. Many SCC partners such as ZNFU have the advantage of being membership-based organisations, which provide opportunities for local poor people to have their interests represented at district and national level. There follows a brief assessment of the advocacy aspect in the four projects: • The KATC training institute is probably the weakest of the four projects as regards advocacy. This fits in with the decision that once the current project concludes SCC sees it more as a service provider of courses in sustainable farming etc. • OPPAZ has 26 member organizations, which provides the potential for representation at national level on organic farming issues. OPPAZ collaborates with other NGOs in lobbying agricultural policies before the Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives (MACO). Further, OPPAZ benefits from the regional network Participatory Ecological Land-Use Management (PELUM). In addition, OPPAZ is affiliated to ZNFU, with its potential for enhancing the interests of the organic sector in Zambia. OPPAZ also participates in the strong anti-GMO lobby in Zambia that resulted in the banning import of GMO products. • The District Farmer Associations (DFAs) affiliated to ZNFU are playing an increased role in representing the farmer’s interest before the local government and line ministries. The newsletter received from national level twice a month contains very useful information in this respect. Local advocacy work could probably be strengthened if ZNFU could offer a more systematic leadership training programme. At national level ZNFU had little influence when SCC began its cooperation ten years ago. Today ZNFU is one of the strongest interest organisations in Zambia, and has had some notable achievements in their negotiations with the government. It has influenced tax policy and agricultural policies, and ZNFU has come to a favourable agreement with FRA, according to which farmers now get better prices upon coming together and bulking their products. In this respect, the experiences from the two southern districts have been used by ZNFU at national level. • The regional farmer organization SACAU is successfully developing its capacity as a regional voice for farmer organizations in the Southern Africa. SACAU has obtained recognition from NEPAD, COMESA and SADC, which can be explained by their analysis and lobbying activities related to issues like market access; sensitive products; tariffs; contract farming and the CAADP process (Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme). In addition could be highlighted the activities related to the on-going negotiation with the EU on the Economic Partnership Agreement (EPAs). Good and relevant studies have been conducted. In terms of representativity, it can be noted that SACAU has not yet succeeded in broadening its membership beyond six countries (and last year lost one of its two members in Namibia). Here, the most important challenge would be the inclusion of UNAC in Mozambique, which with their affiliation to Via Campesina would strengthen the voice of the small-scale farmers in SACAU. SUPPORTING CIVIL SOCIETY ORGANIZATIONS FOR EMPOWERMENT AND ECONOMICS PROGRESS OF SMALL FARMERS AND PEOPLE LIVING IN POVERTY – Sida EVALUATION 2008:25

67

Another question is the capacity of the national member organisations to provide information and promote debate among their own members. Leaders from three Zambian districts farmer associations interviewed by the consultant had very little knowledge about trade policies and other issues that SACAU is working with. This is for SCC an important area to continue supporting in the coming years, where a way forward for engaging more active farmers – and not only the top leaders – could be establishment of more thematic working on different topics. Finally, SACAU and ZNFU’s strong involvement in trade issues raises the question of why SCC is not more active on global advocacy work related to the key interests of their partners. Although SCC is affiliated to international networks such as Agricord and IFAP, it has not yet taken advantage of the many opportunities in linking South- and North-based initiatives within the on-going trade negotiations. This is a strategic area for farmer organisations in Southern Africa. At the same time, SCC has influential member organisations in Sweden that can exert pressure from “the other side of the table”: The European Commission in charge of the negotiation of the Doha round, the EPAs (and the 2008 Mid-term Review of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP). In fact the EPA is in the final stage of negotiation between Southern Africa and EU, however, no information can be found in that respect on the SCC website. And in general, SCC could use international networks in Europe as well as Agricord and IFAP to greater advantage. What the consultant has seen of advocacy, lobbying or position papers in the four SCC supported projects was not particularly gender-sensitive. This would therefore be an area for follow-up in the gender mainstreaming efforts being made by SCC. Recommendation no. 3:

SCC could strengthen its partnerships and strategic alliances beyond project collaboration, not least by enhancing NorthSouth advocacy on trade negotiations, including advocacy in Sweden and the EU regarding the on-going DOHA and EPA negotiations.

9.

Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation (PME) and Measurement of Outcome

9.1.

Planning and baseline

It is obvious that serious efforts are being made in all four projects assessed by the consultant. In general, the documents contain good context and problem analysis, implementation strategies and descriptions of the management set-up. See below for further comments on Logical Framework planning and the problems in measuring the outcomes of the projects. It should be noted in particular that the farmer union ZNFU has developed considerable capacity for project formulation and management. All the projects assessed have difficulties with (or lacking) the baseline data. ZNFU has not made one since the year 2000. In the case of OPPAZ, though in progress the baseline study has not been finalised yet. This situation makes it difficult to follow the progress made toward reaching the indicators set forth in the LFA planning. The drawing up of indicators is another weakness in some of the projects, which makes it more difficult to trace their effects. A good example is the ZNFU project, where two indicators are: – Market volumes of farm produce among the farmers in the target districts go up by 30% by the end of the project. – Over 50% of members adopt modern production and agribusiness skills. However, it is not realistic to measure the total market volume produced by 4000 individual farmers in the Choma district – even less so when lacking a baseline taken before project onset. What in fact is 68

SUPPORTING CIVIL SOCIETY ORGANIZATIONS FOR EMPOWERMENT AND ECONOMICS PROGRESS OF SMALL FARMERS AND PEOPLE LIVING IN POVERTY – Sida EVALUATION 2008:25

done is to measure the collective sale (bulking). Regarding other indicators, it is not defined what is meant by adopting modern production and agribusiness skills. The KATC project also describes some results and indicators in the project document that in practice have been difficult to verify through the monitoring reports. The following are some examples: • At least 15% of the targeted 4800 SSF households in Chongwe district can afford basic needs and inputs for their livelihood by December 2008. • At least 10% of the 4800 trained SSFs acquire assets (farm implements, household items, irrigation, buildings) by December 2008. • At least 20% of small-scale farming households in Chongwe district adopt technologies promoted by KATC by December 2008. • At least 10% increase in average crop yields by SSFs trained by KATC by December 2008. • At least 30% of the 17,300 small-scale farming households in Chongwe district learn and adopt KATC technologies through study circles by December 2008. The consultant’s observation is that KATC does a good job of recording participation in the study circles. However, it has proven difficult to record to what degree learning has taken place, been adopted in practice and led to an increase in the average crop yields at each individual farm. In general, the consultant has the impression that the four projects documents that were assessed are based on a sound participatory process within the partner organizations. However, the weaknesses described above would seem to indicate that SCC has not provided sufficient advisory services to combine expertise in LFA planning with technical insights in sustainable agriculture/marketing etc. (see further information on technical capacity in section 7. 9.2.

Project Monitoring

The reason for describing the examples above is that it would appear that the Logical Framework design has implied certain problems for project monitoring and assessing the outcomes. This likely explains why the annual project reports do not always respond directly to the planned outputs/indicators. In addition, the progress measurement is made more difficult due to the lack of baseline data. Daily project monitoring is done by partners, who submit a progress report to SCC each semester, based on which follow-up meetings are held. These are much appreciated by the partners, although in preparation of these meetings they would like to receive more written feedback on their progress/annual reports. In addition, it is not clear to what degree feedback from SCC is used for adjusting the projects. Two examples: – the 2005 assessment report of LLFBDP (Local Level Farmers Business Development Project) contains many recommendations. Although some have been integrated to the Market Facilitation Project, it is still not clear to what degree there has been follow-up to the many recommendations. – the monitoring was not able to detect the seriousness of the organisational capacity difficulties at OPPAZ (see section 7). It is important to note that the annual project reports from SCC partners contain valuable information on the situation and progress made in the projects. The SCC report to Sida6 also contains good reporting and honest information regarding constraints and problems. One of these is precisely the lack of an overall PME-system for systematic measuring of the outcomes and impacts of SCC work in the region. The SCC reports states that this “will be given strong priority in the coming programme period.” 6

KoopUG/SCC – Report 2004–05, Southern Africa.

SUPPORTING CIVIL SOCIETY ORGANIZATIONS FOR EMPOWERMENT AND ECONOMICS PROGRESS OF SMALL FARMERS AND PEOPLE LIVING IN POVERTY – Sida EVALUATION 2008:25

69

SCC also notes that such a system demands considerable human and time resources. SCC SA has made less effort than SCC EA in developing a PME system, as they found the model from Latin America too complex to use with their partners. Instead SCC SA has (and is) continuously using participatory project review-assessments as a method for monitoring with partner staff, target group and other key stakeholders. These assessments aiming to adjust project planning when necessary, is carried out combining internal staff and external local consultants – and documented in written reports. Furthermore, some partners have also used valuable self-evaluation exercises. 9.3.

Evaluations

SCC has carried out some external evaluations, among which the evaluation of the Amalinda project (Afesis Corplan) should be highlighted for generating much internal reflection within SCC and the regional SCC team. Lacking in particular is greater emphasis on external evaluation of the effect/ impacts of the supported projects, which also have made it more difficult for this consultancy to assess said effects. In the view of the consultant, the increased alignment and harmonization described further in section 10 implies that it less logical having a global SCC PME system. Instead, an alternative could be to further strengthen the partners own PME planning, combined with the use of participatory selfevaluation exercises and independent external evaluations. 9.4.

Administration and accountability

Among its partners, SCC is known for “following closely and being demanding” as concerns project administration. The evaluation consultant has been mandated to look into administration, only transmitting the impression that SCC has local staff helping the partner organisation to present a proper and well-accounted for administration of the resources provided. In some cases it would be worthwhile for SCC to look more at how the strengthening of financial control systems related to the administration of the Swedish funds are transferred to the entire organisation, including the partners own funds from member fees, etc. And in this way see it as part of strengthening SCC’s effort within organisational development. Recommendation no. 4:

SCC could contribute to the strengthening of the partners own planning and monitoring system (preferably result-based management) – to which SCC SA provides feedback, including more written comments to the partner’s progress reports. In addition, SCC should find ways for measuring the outcomes and effects for the target groups of SCC work in the region, including considering the possibilities for independent evaluations on that topic that take advantage of research experiences.

10.

Alignment, Harmonisation and Donor Co-ordination

According to new regional strategy: “Integrated monitoring: SCC believes in accountability for results. Many of SCC’s partner organisations have weak institutional capacity. SCC therefore integrates financial and project monitoring – not only as a means of promoting transparency, but also in order to build the capacity of the partner organisations within the fields of finance and administration.” (page 10). This statement exemplifies the good intention of overcoming the traditional “parallel projects” toward the partners’ own systems. The consultant has tested this statement on the selected four projects. This was done by requesting copies of the partner organisations’ own annual reports. In fact very little integration has so far actually occurred, which goes back to the fact that the planning (project documents) for all four projects have been done exclusively for SCC. It is clear that ZNFU will challenge SCC on this set-up, as the farmer union wants to move away from fragmented projects to a joint support by several international agencies. It is interesting to observe how with their new strategic plan starting in early 2007 ZNFU leaders are moving toward the philosophy set forth in the Paris Declaration on alignment and harmonisation. The strategy is translated into annual 70

SUPPORTING CIVIL SOCIETY ORGANIZATIONS FOR EMPOWERMENT AND ECONOMICS PROGRESS OF SMALL FARMERS AND PEOPLE LIVING IN POVERTY – Sida EVALUATION 2008:25

work plans and a monitoring system with participation from the districts. ZNFU has started to propose to donors that they engage in the establishment of a kind of basket fund. In August 2007, the Dutch Embassy carried out a Review of the support programme (ZSP) that also is supported by NORAD. The review includes an organisational analysis of ZNFU, as well as an assessment of the key programme components. The conclusions from the review indicate that ZNFU is strongest at reaching achievements for farmers at national level, but that it sometimes falls short in addressing the needs as concerns strengthening the DFAs and the many information centres. The Dutch review recommends a comprehensive results-based management framework to be developed, which would make it easier to measure progress, effects and constraints in implementing the farmer unions annual work plan (within the strategic plan). It would be obvious for SCC to consider, how the intended shift from project to programmatic approach can be made in concrete way with ZNFU and other donors. The next question is how SCC might coordinate with other international NGOs, for which reason the consultant met with Concern, SNV and HIVOS. All are working in the field of rural development and capacity building. It was noted that SCC engaged only little in the collaboration, e.g. the “livelihood group” within the international NGO Forum coordinated by Concern. It would be good if SCC actively could push for a more developmental agenda on agriculture issues in Zambia as an alternative to the main focus on humanitarian aid from the majority of the international NGOs. This could also be a way to strengthen the collaboration with the Swedish Embassy having a key role on agriculture sector, where the consultant has noted little interaction between the embassy and SCC. Sweden is a lead donor with its Agriculture Support Programme (ASP) and is at the moment considering the future support to this sector within the framework of the new Joint Assistance Strategy. At project level, the most obvious place for SCC to start harmonising would be together with HIVOS to elaborate a joint project document for supporting OPPAZ, which takes into account the many findings and recommendations in the recent HIVOS review. In this way OPPAZ would be less loaded down by the requirements of each donor and at the same time SCC and HIVOS could benefit from joint monitoring and the provision of technical assistance. A lesson learned that was expressed in the regional SCC strategy is that results were uneven in the application of the in-house SCC system for planning, monitoring and evaluation (which came from Latin America). The partners request for harmonisation pose an even greater challenge to the idea of having such a SCC system, as the most important accountability should be toward the partners’ own management and constituency – and not first toward the donor side. Recommendation no. 5:

Increased harmonisation, shared planning and monitoring with other international NGOs/agencies can be a way of reducing transactions costs as well as optimize the use of the capacity at the regional SCC office. SCC could identify the most obvious projects for alignment with its partners’ strategic plans and harmonization with other donors (e.g. OPPAZ reformulated from January 2008).

11.

Sustainability, Replicability and Exit-strategies

Financial sustainability is probably the concern most often raised in SCC’s reporting. In this section the consultant will argue that sustainability and SCCs exit strategies could be seen more broadly in relation to replication, cost-effectiveness and the capacity to influence public policies. There follows a summary of how the consultant sees the situation at the four projects: • The most critical is the situation at the KATC training institute, which is quite unique in the country in that it offers short-term courses in sustainable agriculture etc. With only 15 months left before SUPPORTING CIVIL SOCIETY ORGANIZATIONS FOR EMPOWERMENT AND ECONOMICS PROGRESS OF SMALL FARMERS AND PEOPLE LIVING IN POVERTY – Sida EVALUATION 2008:25

71

SCC support comes to an end, KATC is still heavily dependent upon SCC. The most problematic aspect is that the institute appears to lack the necessary dynamism for marketing their courses throughout the country. To the consultant it seems reasonable that after 10 years of project cooperation SCC is shifting from having KATC as a project partner to seeing KATC act as an important service provider in the training of farmers. However, it is problematic that an exit strategy has not yet been drawn up between KATC and SCC. • As described in the section on advocacy, SACAU is successfully developing its capacity as a regional voice for farmer organizations in Southern Africa. These member organizations have recently approved the SACAU strategy at their annual meeting and the regional secretariat in Johannesburg has also over the last two years gained strength and obtained supports from other donors than SCC. As the organization evolves it should of course be expected that the nine member organizations pay more than the current annual subscription of US$1.000 (eventually diversified depending of financial situation). SCC provides approximately SEK 1.600.000 in core-funding per year. However, with this dynamism it is likely that SACAU can reduce their dependency of SCC by charging management fees from a number of other donors. Or the burden-sharing could be done through a basket-funding arrangement with Joint Financing Agreement, as discussed between the CEO and the consultant. The major challenge for SACAU lies more in the outreach and participatory involvement of national farmer unions in policy debate and positions broadly consulted. • OPPAZ is in a start-up phase, where the most important aspect is consolidation and the serious need for organizational strengthening, as described earlier. OPPAZ is aware of the need to charge for services on organic farming, certification and marketing activities, in particular from their large- and medium scale members. Fortunately, SCC is not alone with OPPAZ, where in particular the close collaboration with HIVOS has good potential. • At national level, ZNFU has been able to generate its own income, not least by involving a range of donors. It is likely that their new strategic plan will also be attractive to donors. The concern over the sustainability of SCC support is present at the four selected District Farmer Associations that are progressing on covering their operational expenditures. However, it is not likely they will be able to take over the payment of technicians that is currently covered by SCC. Both the two DFAs and the Deputy CEO at the national ZFNU expressed concerns about the decision taken by SCC to end cooperation in the two southern districts at the end of 2008. The Deputy informed the consultant that their suggestion is to have technical staff placed at provincial level, which he suggested as an adequate way of phasing out the project in the two districts. SCC is recognising that the exit strategies should have been elaborated and agreed earlier with the partners. The consultant would like to raise the question with SCC that perhaps the Centre is focusing too much on absolute terms for financial sustainability. Although sustainability is important, the concept could also include an assessment on whether activities are replicable on a broader scale, and whether they are cost-effective. Replication and cost-effective are issues to look at as several of the SCC projects have been relatively large in the amount of support received per year in relation to the number of households receiving attention. Let us take the Choma and Monze districts for examples. Here, after a ten-year presence, SCC intends to phase out the programme in 2008. This is a decision that their partner ZNFU disagrees on. ZNFU sees the phase out as a greater challenge than they earlier anticipated when the 2005 assessment report came up with this recommendation. 72

SUPPORTING CIVIL SOCIETY ORGANIZATIONS FOR EMPOWERMENT AND ECONOMICS PROGRESS OF SMALL FARMERS AND PEOPLE LIVING IN POVERTY – Sida EVALUATION 2008:25

Follows some considerations from the consultant’s side for further discussion within SCC on sustainability and exit strategies: • The SCC interventions in the two districts have had considerable cost-levels, which particularly in the first years were used for a relatively small target group as well as the development of the concept. Between 1998 and 2004, the projects were mainly about training and changing the mindset of farmers away from the traditional patronage patterns. It is only during the last three or four years that the farmers themselves increasingly have been able to practice new farming methods, which have enabled them to grow better and more crops, as well as obtain economic benefits by acting together when buying and selling products. • Significant progress was made on organisational sustainability, where the information centres at community level and District Farmer Associations have the potential for providing follow-up with the contact farmers. However, it is uncertain if the DFA in Monze at the end of 2008 will be sufficiently consolidated. And although Choma has progressed regarding income generation, it is not realistic to think that they will be able to cover the cost for continuing to engage the agronomist, who offers services mainly to small-scale farmers (large-scale farmers can pay by themselves). • The districts of Monze and Choma (includes Kaloma district) have a major rural population, for which reason there is a potential for more cost-effective interventions in neighbouring areas. It is likely that replication can be done faster by their visiting the well-functioning farmer information centres. In this respect the applied “farmer to farmer approach” and study circles can be seen as essential to the sustainability of SCC support. Therefore, the expansion to neighbouring areas could be attractive in conventional cost-benefit terms, as the possibly higher number of contact farmers and information centres can be built around the two district associations (within the ZNFU structure). Additional demands for affiliation to the DFA can be expected from the agriculture sector programme supported by Sida, where many local farmer groups have started looking to the ZNFU structure, as they are not expecting the same degree of follow-up from the Ministry of Agriculture. In this sense it is problematic that SCC and Sida are phasing out at the same time in the South. National member-based organisations are often financially vulnerable, as they are typically receiving only a minor part of the total membership fees paid to locally-based unions/cooperatives. Normally the fees are kept low due to the low average income among the members. It requires a substantial endeavour of the partners to raise their own income, as experiences also have been mixed in Africa combining the function of interest organisation with the function of income generating business activities. In the case of agriculture, it is also relevant for SCC and their partners advocating and challenging the government’s lack of willingness to allocate budgets for extension services. The recent published World Development Report 2008 (Agriculture for Development), agricultural extension services, after a period of neglect, are now back on the development agenda in responding to needs of smallholders around the world. About Zambia the report is stating: “Allocations to subsidies often divert funds from highreturn investments in public goods. In Zambia only about 15 percent of the 2003/04 agricultural budget was spent on research, extension services, and rural infrastructure—investments that have shown high payoffs” (page 115).” Recommendation no. 6:

SCC could further develop its concepts on sustainability and exit strategies, including taking more into account the value of replications and cost-effectiveness. Specifically, the following is recommended regarding adequate exit strategies: • In the case of KATC an exit strategy is urgently needed (only 15 months before ending the project). A way forward could be for SCC to further strengthen support to marketing of KATCs “good

SUPPORTING CIVIL SOCIETY ORGANIZATIONS FOR EMPOWERMENT AND ECONOMICS PROGRESS OF SMALL FARMERS AND PEOPLE LIVING IN POVERTY – Sida EVALUATION 2008:25

73

product” more broadly in the country, as well as the means for consolidating the centre as a nationwide reference point on courses in study circles. • It is recommended that SCC support the idea of a donor group with Holland, Norway and others that together support ZNFU’s new strategic plan. This could enhance strategic discussions with ZNFU leadership. In the case of ZNFU in the two southern provinces, SCC could consider an adjusted exit strategy linked to ZNFU’s idea for minimum technical staff at provincial level. Such commitment should at the same time provide increase focus on the poor segment of small farmers and consider the inclusion of applied research on this topic, From ZNFU’s side, more efforts should be done on increasing the number of members and increase sources of income in the District Farmer Associations.

12.

SCC Structure in Southern Africa

SCC’s Regional Office for Southern Africa maintained its presence in Harare, Zimbabwe, although several development organizations pulled out. SCC also has a small country office in Zambia (Lusaka), as well as programme offices in Mozambique (Lichinga) and Malawi (Lilongwe). During 2006, the regional office went through a reorganisation process, moving from programme officers with individual country responsibility to a sector-based organisation where programme officers work in teams. This is related to SCC’s shift from country strategies to regional themes/sectors. It can be noted that efforts have been undertaken during the last year or two intended to strengthen the teamwork within the regional SCC office. The staff exhibits good competencies on the issues being mainstreamed. That said, most staff members have developed good competency on precisely mainstreaming issues, development administration and co-operation as such, rather than in specific technical fields such as sustainable agriculture, business development and finance. The consultant has observed that the SCC staff in general is committed, qualified and hardworking, However, they are also stretched by the expansion in project portfolio and the demands from implementing the new regional strategy (explained further in the section 14).

13.

Added Value from SCC

The ToR from Sida asked about the value added of the present model of partnerships between the Swedish Cooperative Centre and its partners. In other words, what is SCC adding to the money value of the grants? Based on interviews with the Zambian partners, there is no doubt that SCC does much more than merely channels money. The benefiting organisations appreciate the partnership and how SCC is accompanying preparation and implementation through its field representatives in Southern Africa. That said, there is a great deal of room for increasing added value. The table below summarises strengths and weaknesses that the consultant observed at the four selected projects, based on interviews and reading of documents:

74

SUPPORTING CIVIL SOCIETY ORGANIZATIONS FOR EMPOWERMENT AND ECONOMICS PROGRESS OF SMALL FARMERS AND PEOPLE LIVING IN POVERTY – Sida EVALUATION 2008:25

SCC added value in four projects Strengths:

Weaknesses:

Farmer organisations very much appreciate the partnership with SCC that has a strong competence on these member based organisations.

– Little is done regarding advocacy at national and local level. This with the notable exception of the regional SACAU strong analytic and lobbying work, which however, not has been followed up on by North-South advocacy from SCC side. – SCC is mainly at district level and could take lead at national level among the international NGOs, e.g. on national agricultural policies, the ‘livelihood group’, etc.

Mainstreaming aspects (HIV, gender, democracy) is well developed by SCC and geared to the realities of farmer organisations.

Insufficient technical expertise and assistance within the core-areas of rural development, e.g.: – technical strategies and exchange of experiences within agriculture, organic farming etc; – marketing and business development for small farmers; – lack of financial instruments such as village banking to follow up on marketing (unlike in East Africa).

Study circles concept, materials and advisory services are very much appreciated by partners.

Insufficient contribution on Organisational Development, e.g. the weaknesses within OPPAZ. Very few organisational assessments have been carried out (a situation that is beginning changing in 2007).

SCC played a very important role the first years in supporting the building up of ZNFU and its work in the districts. The concepts have been scaled up with support from other donors.

SCC will have to reconsider its future collaboration with ZNFU, taking into account the new strategic plan and request for donor alignment and harmonisation. This could provide new opportunities to SCC defining more clearly its added value.

Administrative issues and getting financial reports from partners are well in place within SCC regional structure.

Contents have played too small a role in the project set-up, where inputs/activities sometimes become more central than strategic orientations, qualitative follow up, results-based management and measurement of the effects/outcomes.

The regional SCC office is under development with more focus on team work, thematic specialisation and professional networking in benefit of their partners. The staff is receiving more staff de velopment.

A tendency can be observed that the regional SCC office in the past concentrated mainly on the project cycle (elaborate projects, getting the reports in on time, etc.).

The table above in many ways summarises what has been described earlier in this report. There follows a few additional comments: a) SCC is very much valued for its role in supporting partners among farmer organisations, and plays an important role in building these up. However, it seems that SCC has difficulties in the subsequent phase, when added-value and technical capabilities become more important. b) SCC is seen by its partners in Zambia mainly as an international NGO that is attending to project aspects and is strong on the mainstreaming issues (HIV, gender, democracy). In the view of the consultant this is well justified, if we consider how little farmer organisations previously did in these areas. However, it is also understandable that the partners would like more feedback from SCC on technical issues related to sustainable agriculture, marketing, etc.

14.

Comment on the Regional Strategy

In general the regional Africa strategy is well formulated and builds on many years of experience in eastern and southern Africa. During formulation staff at the two regional offices was involved in a good way, which has implied good ownership to the strategy among SCC staff. However, this evaluation has also detected some potential problems with the regional strategy, as it seems to stretch thin what the regional SCC team in Southern Africa is able to cover within their working hours and in-house competencies. SUPPORTING CIVIL SOCIETY ORGANIZATIONS FOR EMPOWERMENT AND ECONOMICS PROGRESS OF SMALL FARMERS AND PEOPLE LIVING IN POVERTY – Sida EVALUATION 2008:25

75

Among the three core strategic programme areas, SCC has in Southern Africa focussed mainly on agriculture, in collaboration with farmer organisations. SCC has also during several years worked in the housing sector in Zimbabwe and South Africa since 1997. In addition, SCC intends to integrate financial services to the sectors of housing and rural development. In the view of the consultant, rural/agriculture development is a big and demanding sector (as roads, electricity etc. is not included; SCC is in fact not covering rural development). And if synergy should be sought, future progress within marketing of agriculture products would for small-scale farmers put micro-finance (savings and credits) on the agenda as in Zambia, while no direct synergy will be obtained by supporting urban housing. Microfinance is more related to the currently prioritized area of agricultural development than urban housing. Recommendation no. 7:

Building on SCC’s expertise in Africa as concerns village savings and credit schemes could be relevant to further strengthening the business development/marketing in Zambia, which it is foreseen will be increasingly needed for further development of the small-farmers’ economic activities. In these years bilateral donors such as Sida and Danida are reducing the number of sectors (with the Joint Assistance Strategies). The following question is raised and needs to be discussed with SCC: How does SCC plan to provide adequate added value in as many as five countries7 and five strategic programme areas that are to be covered in the region? Putting that into a matrix will require attention from the regional office, as such a matrix will have 25 crossing points, and thus risking that (time) resources are spread too thinly from the 6–7 programme officers at the regional office. At the same time SCC has the last years had a fast growth in their project portfolio in the region, where the total budget in 2007 is 58 million SEK. Of this half is coming outside the SEKA frame, in particular relatively big projects in Malawi with NORAD and in Mozambique with Swedish Embassy support. The latter is an example of the additional responsibility put on the regional office with the problems with financial management in encountered in Niassa earlier this year, which demanded a lot of resources from SCC. Sustainable agriculture and business

Housing

Financial services

Gender equity

HIV and AIDS

Madagascar Malawi Mozambique Zambia Zimbabwe

The consultant is warning that less quality and less “SCC added value” could be the effect, if not enough focus and attention are brought to bear on a realistic regional strategy and project portfolio. On the other side, the SCC regional office finds the strategy realistic to implement. They consider that the increased volume and programme focus has enabled stronger local capacity in Malawi and Niassa; i.e. these programmes have their own staff and internal technical assistance etc. SCC is also explaining that the strategy will be evaluated once per year and adapted if found necessary. Recommendation no. 8:

In the review of the regional strategy, SCC could consider a further focus (countries and themes/sectors) for the purpose of enhancing the “added value” and knowledge management that SCC is able to provide with its in-house staff and competencies. 7

South Africa will be phased out as a programme country.

76

SUPPORTING CIVIL SOCIETY ORGANIZATIONS FOR EMPOWERMENT AND ECONOMICS PROGRESS OF SMALL FARMERS AND PEOPLE LIVING IN POVERTY – Sida EVALUATION 2008:25

Annex A: Comments from SCC-SA Office to the Reports Recommendations Response and Follow-up to Recommendations in Discussion Paper Note to Hans-Peter: all text marked with yellow are things that we have added or edited in the recommendations as presented in the discussion paper. Just so you don’t loose track of your own original wording :-) Recommendation no. 1:

It is suggested that SCC initiate studies and initiatives that can provide both understanding and concrete ideas for how to reach out more to poorer small-scale farmers in the geographical areas of on-going and future projects. It is thus important that SCC is able to analyse who the poorest farmers are and where they may fit, or not, in to the membership or the interest sphere of the partner organisations. SCC response: This is a valid observation and we fully agree. There is no doubt that our partner organisations are reaching and organising very poor women and men. The challenge, we believe, therefore lies in identifying more creative ways to interest our partner organisations to reach target groups beyond their own membership, i.e. creating win-win approaches that may to a larger extent benefit the poorest of the poor. This is also highly relevant from a gender perspective. In the case of agriculture, the majority of the poorest subsistence farmers are women and/or child led households. We have several experiences where support to a partner organisation – and its membership – is complemented with parallel running initiatives that reach a broader target group, and in many cases, the poorest of the poor. One such example is the Smallholder Drought Mitigation Programme (SDMP) in Zimbabwe, which is a community based study circle programme focussing on agricultural skills development. Although this experience is being replicated elsewhere in the region, the methods and actual implementation is not sufficiently documented beyond standard monitoring and evaluation of the programme itself. Exciting work is also ongoing in Eastern Africa, where the integration of Vi Agroforestry and SCC has led to the development of new concepts that address precisely these issues, i.e. how to support mobilisation and organisation (for sustainability) and at the same time enable participation of the poorest of the poor. In the case of Zambia, we will use the upcoming external evaluation of ZNFU (planned for September, but postponed due to the Sida evaluation coming at the same time) to look more closely at how the outreach can be broadened within current and future support. Recommendation no. 2:

SCC could enhance its technical capacity in the areas of sustainable agriculture and local business development, these being key sectors in SCC’s regional strategy. Furthermore, it is recommended that SCC strengthen competencies within organisational development, knowledge management and the sharing of good practices with other actors SCC response: We agree with the recommendation. A programme officer will be recruited to the Zambia office; the profile of this officer will, however, be decided based on discussions with partner organisations on needs and expectations, as well as internal SCC discussions on what we believe to be strategically relevant core capacity.

SUPPORTING CIVIL SOCIETY ORGANIZATIONS FOR EMPOWERMENT AND ECONOMICS PROGRESS OF SMALL FARMERS AND PEOPLE LIVING IN POVERTY – Sida EVALUATION 2008:25

77

Recommendation no. 3:

SCC could strengthen its partnerships and strategic alliances beyond project collaboration, not least by enhancing NorthSouth advocacy on trade negotiations, including advocacy in Sweden and the EU regarding the on-going DOHA and EPA negotiations. SCC response: We fully agree with this recommendation and believe that several steps have already been taken in this direction. The planning of the coming programme period post-2008, will be an opportunity for all SCC regions and head office in Stockholm, to jointly and more strategically define and address North-South advocacy issues. Recommendation no. 4:

SCC could contribute to the strengthening the partners own planning and monitoring system (preferably result-based management) – to which SCC SA provides feedback, including more written comments to the partner’s progress reports. In addition, SCC should find ways for measuring the outcomes and effects of SCC work in the region. SCC response: We agree. As outlined in the regional strategy, this is an area where we need to improve and invest resources, both human and time. Up till now, however, the regional office has not had sufficient resources to give priority to these issues, mainly due to time constraint. The planning of the coming programme period is therefore both a key opportunity and a challenge. The next step is for the regional office to sit down and jointly analyse what is in place within the current partner organisations, how it can be supported – and then define our main priorities and how they can be achieved. Recommendation no. 5:

Increased harmonisation, shared planning and monitoring with other international NGOs/agencies can be a way of reducing transactions costs as well as optimise the use of the capacity at the regional SCC offices. SCC could identify the most obvious projects for alignment with its partners’ strategic plans and harmonization with other donors (e.g. OPPAZ and when formulating projects for the next programme period). SCC response: We fully agree and although we are already working in this manner with a couple of partner organisations, we agree that we could take more of a leading role to ensure that harmonisation actually takes place where and when possible and relevant. We also agree that the current challenges within OPPAZ entail a good opportunity in this regard. Recommendation no. 6:

SCC could further develop its concepts on sustainability and exit strategies, including taking more into account the value of replications and cost-effectiveness. Specifically, the following is recommended regarding adequate exit strategies: • In the case of KATC an exit strategy has been discussed since 2006, but has not yet been agreed upon. A way forward could be for SCC to support marketing of KATC’s “good product” more broadly in the country, as well as the means for consolidating the centre as a nation-wide reference point on study circles. • It is recommended that SCC support the idea of a donor group with Holland, Norway and others that together support ZNFU’s new strategic plan. This could enhance strategic discussions with ZNFU leadership. • In the case of ZNFU in the two southern provinces, SCC is recommended an adjusted exit strategy linked to ZNFU’s idea for minimum technical staff at provincial level. Such commitment should at the same time provide increase focus on the poor segment of small farmers and consider the inclusion of applied research on this topic, From ZNFU’s side, more efforts should be done on increasing the number of members and increase sources of income in the DFAs. 78

SUPPORTING CIVIL SOCIETY ORGANIZATIONS FOR EMPOWERMENT AND ECONOMICS PROGRESS OF SMALL FARMERS AND PEOPLE LIVING IN POVERTY – Sida EVALUATION 2008:25

SCC response: We fully agree that we need to further develop our analysis on sustainability in relation to exit strategies, but we also maintain that although each exit will have certain common denominators, they also have to be adapted to each specific partner organisation and situation, i.e. we do not believe that there is such a thing as a ‘standard exit’ per se. In the case of KATC, we welcome the observation of increasing the organisations marketing capacity and will investigate how SCC may assist in this regard. SCC will take the lead to establish and consolidate a donor group with Holland and Norway and other current and potential donors in the agriculture sector in Zambia. In the case of the current ZNFU project and the planned phase out in the southern provinces, we welcome the recommendation and will discuss it in relation to what could be done together with the donors mentioned above and directly with ZNFU. Recommendation no. 7:

Building on SCC’s expertise in Africa as concerns village savings and credit schemes could be relevant to strengthening the business development/marketing, which it is foreseen will be increasingly needed for further development of the smallfarmers’ economic activities. SCC response: We fully agree with this recommendation and building on the expertise in Eastern Africa to integrate financial services in to our current programming in both agriculture and housing is high on the agenda. Some experience is already in place within Southern Africa, i.e. within the Malawi programme. Recommendation no. 8:

In the review of the regional strategy, SCC could consider a further focus (countries and themes/sectors) for the purpose of enhancing the “added value” that SCC is able to provide with its in-house staff and competencies. SCC response: We believe that the current regional strategy has enabled us to do precisely that, i.e. increase our focus on strategic programme areas as a means to increase overall impact/effect of our support. The strategy will be reviewed once per year to see how well it is guiding our work, what needs to be adapted etc, i.e. we are using it as a living document. Therefore refocusing and streamlining, if needed, will be a natural process and consequence. The first review will take place in January 2008. SCC strategic focus will be further enhanced in the planning of the coming regional programme (post2008), which will take further steps towards sector programming – moving away from individual projects as such. This will also provide an opportunity and a challenge for SCC to, together with partner organisations, enhance SCC’s added value.

SUPPORTING CIVIL SOCIETY ORGANIZATIONS FOR EMPOWERMENT AND ECONOMICS PROGRESS OF SMALL FARMERS AND PEOPLE LIVING IN POVERTY – Sida EVALUATION 2008:25

79

80

– Over 50% of the members adopt modern production and agribusiness skills

2. mproved production and agribusiness skills.

DFA membership goes up by more than 50% including retention of members by end of the project

– Increased farm management and business skills among farmers

– Increased agricultural productivity

– Market volumes of farm produce among farmers in the target districts go up by 30% by end of the project

3. Increased membership and improved governance

The improved market and trade facilitation has led to increased farm incomes. On average members income less costs from maize sold was ZMK623, 000 (USD 164) and ZMK 726,000 (USD 194) in 2006 and 2007 respectively.

Achievement on indicators

At the end of 2006, there was an increase of 12, 8% in membership in all the supported DFAs with Katete recording 1,196 members, Monze 2,044, Choma 3,975 and 732 members from Petauke bring a total of 7,947 in the 4 DFAs. At the end of 2005, there were a total of 7,044 in the 4 supported DFAs.

In 2007, a total of 5520 farmers belonging to the 4 DFAs (69% of the members) were linked to agricultural input facilities, received agribusiness skills training and were able to increase their production area. An increased production area, higher productivity through improved management practices gave rise to higher incomes for the beneficiary farmers

In 2006, following training on Mushroom production, farmers in six ICs have adopted mushroom production in Choma.

In 2006 Monze facilitated sale of 1,219.40 metric tonnes of maize to FRA and ZAMAC. Choma on the other hand facilitated 1,500.75 metric tonnes and of maize. For Katete 65% of the members were able to sell their maize to FRA in 2006 In – Extent to which DFA members get Petauke 167 members participated in maize bulking in 2006 more than the average prevailing and by June 2007, 790 tonnes of maize had been sold to FRA. The DFA members were able to obtain a 20% higher price with price for their produce FRA than the price they would have obtained had they sold to Increased financial base of DFAs ZAMAC.

Investments members have been able to make using surplus income derived from agriculture

Change of income levels (need to specify extent)

Indicators

1. Improvement in DFA’s marketing/trade facilitation for members.

Results

To enable members of the DFA to increase net incomes from agriculture production

Project Objective

The overall objective of the project is to contribute to Zambia’s agricultural growth, macroeconomic development and poverty reduction goals.

Development Objective

An estimated increase in net income from maize of 18 per cent was achieved between 2006 and 2007.

Achievement on objectives

ZNFU LFA Matrix-Progress on the Market Facilitation Project with ZNFU in Four Districts (years 2006–2007)

Annex B: Outcome of the ZNFU projects 2004 to 2007

Tables elaborated by SCC regional office (September 2007):

SUPPORTING CIVIL SOCIETY ORGANIZATIONS FOR EMPOWERMENT AND ECONOMICS PROGRESS OF SMALL FARMERS AND PEOPLE LIVING IN POVERTY – Sida EVALUATION 2008:25

SUPPORTING CIVIL SOCIETY ORGANIZATIONS FOR EMPOWERMENT AND ECONOMICS PROGRESS OF SMALL FARMERS AND PEOPLE LIVING IN POVERTY – Sida EVALUATION 2008:25

81

– Number of HIV and AIDS mitigating strategies put in place.

– Increased HIV and AIDS awareness among members.

As a result of awareness meetings conducted in 2006, IC’s have engaged in study circles on HIV/AIDS. In 2007 there were 8 study circle groups in Choma. Through linkages with locally based HIV/AIDS organisations farmer peer educators are now available in Patauke, Katete and Choma. The use of moringa tree in improving the nutritional status of the patients is being promoted. Two IC in Choma received carpentry tools and sewing machines to help in income generation through the linkage with Africare-Rapids.

b) To improve the business capacity of members of the District Farmers’ Association to engage themselves in business entrepreneurship and investment so as to increase their agricultural productivity and household farm incomes

a) To improve the market and trade capacity of the DFAs and commodity associations/ committees

Specific objective(s)

The development objective of the project is to contribute to increased household incomes through the setting-up of a coordinated and well-positioned workable marketing and trade facilitation system.

Development Objective

Increased incomes, entrepreneurship and investment

Increased household incomes

Improved market and trade opportunities

Better producers prices

Indicators

In Choma, the DFA was involved in agency agreements with input supply companies through the information centres that sold inputs to farmers. Because the fertilisers were supplied at the farmers’ doorsteps, there was a reduction in input cost to the farmers. A total of K10 million (2500USD) was raised through the agency business. At individual level, the tobacco producers in Choma received higher than average prices for their produce.

In Choma, 50% of the farmers belonging to 23 information centres were able to bulk up their produce (maize, tobacco and sunflower) and obtained better prices by tapping into lucrative price deals than farmers that individually sold their produce. As a result of the better prices, the income levels of the farmers increased. Unfortunately farmers in Monze, Katete and Petauke were less successful because of the effects of drought.

Achievement on indicators

Achievement on objectives

ZNFU Logical Framework for Local Level Farmer Business Development LLFBDP (year 2004–2005)

4. Increased HIV/AIDS awareness among members in the target districts

82

SUPPORTING CIVIL SOCIETY ORGANIZATIONS FOR EMPOWERMENT AND ECONOMICS PROGRESS OF SMALL FARMERS AND PEOPLE LIVING IN POVERTY – Sida EVALUATION 2008:25

A workable and sustainable marketing and trade system established by 2005. This will imply that farmers are actively participating and benefiting from the system on sustained basis.

At least 2–3 out grower arrangements between the commercial farmers and a number of smallscale farmers established by 2005

At least 5–10 small scale business initiatives supported and operating in a sustained manner by 2005

Over 50% of the members have access to relevant information and trained in number of subject matters in the project districts by the end of 2005

1. Improved market and trade capacity for DFAs and commodity associations

2. Established contract farming and outgrower arrangements at district level

3. Enhanced Local Level Farmers’ Business Initiatives

4. Improved information flow & capacity building training

A total of 16 information centres were established in Petauke and in Katete, 10 information centres were set up. Sources of information within the information centres included internet, production and market information leaflets and the ZNFU magazine. The availability of information has enabled increased production and better farm management.

The level of achievement was very low for this output. Instead of focussing on market oriented businesses, the project focussed on small group businesses.

In Petauke, performance was very low with only 4% of the membership having participated in outgrower arrangements. There was also an increase in the number of study circles in contract farming.

In 2005, 43% of the farmers were able to access inputs through the outgrower/contract farming arrangements facilitated by their DFAs. An estimated 16% of the membership in Choma was successfully linked to outgrower schemes in tobacco production.

ZNFU has established a marketing information system that is benefiting the farmers in all of its DFAs. The marketing information system is integrated into a cellphone network provider, Celtel. Through the use of the cellphone, farmers are able to get information on the best commodity prices and the respective buyer contact details.

Significant achievement was made in the cotton sector where commodity association structures were established at local/ information centre level. These commodity structures were linked up to the DFA level and feeding up to the national level.

Commodity associations developed and operational at district levels

c) Develop and enable commodity associations and DFA structures to deliver efficient and appropriate services and become sustainable in their operations

Results

Achievement on indicators

Indicators

Specific objective(s)

Achievement on objectives

Annex C: Program for Field Work in Zambia Sida Evaluation 2007 (Hans Peter), Zambia Leg, 8–16th September 2007. Date/Time

Time

Saturday 8/09

Activity

Participants

Arrival of Hans Peter Meet with Patricia Mukumbuta. SCC programme officer in Zambia

Sunday 9/09 Monday 10/09

Tuesday 11/09

Wed 12/09

Thursday 13/09

Meet with Chairman of SACAU

Mr. Ajay Vashee

08:30 hrs

Meet with Pelum

Musyani

10:00 hrs

Hivos

Grace Kanyanga

11:00 hrs

German DED

Gudrun Rieger

15:00 hrs

Meeting with Ramboll’s CTA at Sida Agriculture Sector Programme

Olle Otteby

08:00 hrs

Meeting with Irish Concern

Steward Highten

09:00 hrs

Meet with Dutch SNV

Russel Mushanga

11:00 hrs

Meet with ZNFU HQ

Ndambo Ndambo

14:00 hrs

Meet with OPPAZ HQ

Munshimbwe Chitalu

16:00 hrs.

Meeting with SCC Lusaka office

Patricia Mukumbuta

08:00 hrs

Travel to Chongwe

10:00 hrs

Meet with KATC staff

12:00 hrs

Meet with Executive Committee Chongwe Organic Producers Association OPPAZ

14.00 hrs

Visit organic producer Choppa Organic Association.

06:00 hrs

Travel to Monze

08:30 hrs

Meet with DFA Executive

11:00 hrs

Visit ICs and meet farmers Travel to and overnight in Choma

Friday 14/09

08:30 hrs

Meet with DFA Executive

10:30 hrs

Visit ICs and meet with farmers

16:00 hrs

Return to Lusaka

Saturday 15/09

Working on Discussion Note at hotel Holiday Inn in Lusaka

Sunday 16/09

Travel to Harare

Monday 17/09

Meet with SCC key Staff Meet with SACAU advisor Göran Forssén

Tuesday 18/09

Ishmael D Sunga. Chief Executive Officer. The Southern African Confederation of Agricultural Unions (SACAU)

In Johannesburg

SUPPORTING CIVIL SOCIETY ORGANIZATIONS FOR EMPOWERMENT AND ECONOMICS PROGRESS OF SMALL FARMERS AND PEOPLE LIVING IN POVERTY – Sida EVALUATION 2008:25

83

Annex D: List of Interviews Persons interviewed

Organisation/position

Ndambo Ndambo

Deputy Executive Director. Zambia Farmer Union ZNFU.

Munshimbwe Chitalu

CEO OPPAZ

Teddy Chamene

Field Technical Officer OPPAZ

Daniel Lakso

OD advisor. Forum Syd

Gerrit Struyf

Agribusiness consultant. SHEMP

Grace Kanyanga

Country representative. HIVOS

Olle Otteby

Ramboll’s CTA at Sida Agriculture Sector Programme

Göran Forssén

SACAU advisor (SCC)

Canon Herbert Mwanza

Team leader in Choma. Ramboll/Sida

Musyani and Henry Singili

PELUM Zambia

Angeline Kahan

Senior adviser. SNV

Russel Mushanga

Portfolio Coordinator. SNV

Sarah Lungu

Choppa Organic Association. Treasurer

Pemas Tembo

Choppa Chairman

Ivan Sikabamga

KATC training coordinator

Roland Lesseps

KATC

Charles Mulenga

KATC account

Stuart Highten

Country director. Concern World Wide

Uffe Gjerding

Country director. Danchurchaid

Ursula Schmid

Programme coordinator DED

Gudrun Rieger

Country director. DED

Staff SCC Southern Africa

Staff in Southern Africa is organised in two teams: Team Development (programme officers) and Team Finance & Administration (financial controllers and finance officers). The Programmes in Niassa/Mozambique and Malawi have their own programme staff, but the management – director and financial controller – participate in the regional team meetings. Very helpful in setting up the visit programme in Zambia were Patricia Mukumbuta, programme officer and Elias Banda. Information & Marketing officer. SCC Lusaka. Regional staff participating in the 1 day debriefing meeting in Harare on 17 September:

1. Anna Tibblin, regional director 2. Patricia Mukumbuta, programme officer gender and PME (partner portfolio: ZNFU, OPPAZ and KATC) 3. Shorai Mwale, programme officer rural development and financial services (partner portfolio: SACAU, Fekritama/Madagascar, UDACB/Mozambique) 4. Marcus Hakutangwi, coordinator regional study circle resource centre (partner portfolio: resource centre and ZFU/Zimbabwe) 5. Barbra Kohlo, regional housing advisor (inter-regional, i.e. also works with Eastern Africa; no direct partner responsibility but works at policy/lobby level with all housing partners) 84

SUPPORTING CIVIL SOCIETY ORGANIZATIONS FOR EMPOWERMENT AND ECONOMICS PROGRESS OF SMALL FARMERS AND PEOPLE LIVING IN POVERTY – Sida EVALUATION 2008:25

6. Dadirayi Chiwara, programme officer housing and HIV and AIDS (partner portfolio: HPZ, Zinhaco/Zimbabwe & MASO/Zimbabwe) 7. Marie Widengård, Forum Syd development worker – works with the regional resource centre, based in Zambia 8. Kokerai Munangarwa, regional accountant – also works with financial monitoring (all finance and admin staff are involved in ‘the development side’ of operations) 9. Valerie Magorimbo, administration and hr – also works with financial monitoring Zimbabwe staff:

10. Albert Mutasa, coordinator Smallholder Drought Mitigation Project/Zimbabwe 11. Rangarirai Mukonoweshuro, finance officer Zimbabwe – also works with financial monitoring Not in Harare on 17 September:

12. Moses Sambo, finance officer Zambia – works with financial monitoring 13. Malibongwe Fololo, programme officer South Africa (partner portfolio: Afesis-corplan, Ortafa, SACCOL) 14. Elijah Rusike, project manager Food security for HIV and AIDS affected households in Zimbabwe project (self implemented, not SEKA funded). Based in Gweru. 15. Gunnel Rosander, programme director Civil Society Support Programme/Mozambique 16. Belito Botha, financial controller, Civil Society Support Programme/Mozambique 17. Marcelo Dougnac, programme director Lake Malawi Basin Programme/Malawi 18. Margarita Boussac, financial controller, Lake Malawi Basin Programme/Malawi

SUPPORTING CIVIL SOCIETY ORGANIZATIONS FOR EMPOWERMENT AND ECONOMICS PROGRESS OF SMALL FARMERS AND PEOPLE LIVING IN POVERTY – Sida EVALUATION 2008:25

85

86

SUPPORTING CIVIL SOCIETY ORGANIZATIONS FOR EMPOWERMENT AND ECONOMICS PROGRESS OF SMALL FARMERS AND PEOPLE LIVING IN POVERTY – Sida EVALUATION 2008:25

Annex, Kenya Country Report Evaluation of SCC-Eastern Africa, By Mutahi Ngunyi, evaluation team, TCH, Nairobi Kenya, In collaboration with Inka Consult/Context, 31 October 2007

List of Abbreviations AFP

Agro-Forestry Project

AIDS

Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome

BOSA

Back Office Services Activity

CBOs

Community Based Organisations

CCS

Cooperative Consultancy Services

COBK

Cooperative Bank of Kenya

COFEP

Community Finance Empowerment Project

CSOs

Civil Society Organisations

FBOs

Faith Based Organisation

FGD

Focus Group Discussions

FOSA

Front Office Services Authority

GoK

Government of Kenya

HIV

Human Immunodeficiency Virus

IGAs

Income Generating Activities.

KUSCO

Kenya Union of Savings and Credit Cooperatives Limited.

M&E

Monitoring and Evaluation

MFIs

Micro-Finance Institutions

MFOs

Micro-Finance Organisations

NACHU

National Housing Cooperative Union

NGOs

Non-Governmental Organisations

OD

Organisational Development.

PME

Project Monitoring and Evaluation.

SACCOs

Savings Credit and Cooperative Organisations.

SCC-VI

Swedish Cooperative Centre and VI Agro Forestry.

SHADE

Sustainable Habitat Development.

SLOs

SACCO-Like Organisations.

1.

Introduction

A.1

Background Context

1) According to Sida Terms of Reference, the overall purpose of the mission is to evaluate the relevance of Swedish Cooperative Centre (SCC) development cooperation in relation to the Sida/ SEKA objective of contributing to the development of a dynamic and democratic civil society, while strengthening and enabling poor people to improve their living conditions. Moreover, the evaluation should serve as a learning tool for both the Swedish Cooperative Centre and SEKA EO, as well as become an instrument for Sida’s overall assessment of the SCC. The Evaluation Team has selected four countries for field visits: Paraguay, Honduras, Kenya and Zambia. This is the Kenya Country Report. SUPPORTING CIVIL SOCIETY ORGANIZATIONS FOR EMPOWERMENT AND ECONOMICS PROGRESS OF SMALL FARMERS AND PEOPLE LIVING IN POVERTY – Sida EVALUATION 2008:25

87

2) The Swedish Co-operative centre (SCC) and Vi-Agroforesty programme are Non-governmental organisations (registered in the East African Countries as international NGOs). The two organisations recently merged into SCC-Vi, although their operations are yet to completely merge. In collaboration with other organisations, SCC-Vi endeavours to influence society to develop a vital, ecological and sustainable civil society characterised by justice, democracy, gender equality, economic development and growth. 3) SCC-Vi Agro forestry’s broad development efforts focus on two main sectors. These are: a. Agricultural production, food security and local Business Development, example of a projects dealing with this is CEEDCo Project, which is directly implemented by SCC, and b. Micro financial services. The project dealing with financial services is the COFEP II, which is implemented by SCC partners such as the Cooperative Bank of Kenya. c. The organisation is also working within the sector of habitat to provide access to micro financial services to low-income families organised in housing cooperatives. The SHADE II Project is the one dealing with the housing sector; it is implemented by NACHU which is one of SCC partners. 4) SCC-Vi has made efforts to mainstream cross cutting issues within its development work. Gender as one of its cross cutting issues has become an increasingly important development issue not only because of the human rights aspects, but also from the premise of economic efficiency, sustainability and social justice. A gender sensitive approach incorporates gender analysis in planning, monitoring and evaluation focused on a systematic effort to document and understand the tasks and responsibility of the house hold members and to identify which group will gain or will be affected by the proposed development activity. A.2

Methodology of Study

5) Sources of Data. This study consulted both primary and secondary sources of data. A list of the secondary material reviewed is attached at Annex A of this report. From the primary sources, the team consulted with four types of respondents. The first was the SCC-EA-EA regional staff. The second was the implementing partners, the third included government officers at the national and local levels and the fourth were the beneficiary co-operatives. Regarding the beneficiary co-operatives, we interviewed a further three categories of respondents. These included the leaders, staff and members. 6) The Sample. The Study sampled three core projects, and two cross-cutting ones. Of the core projects, we sampled the Sustainable Habitat Development (SHADE) implemented by the National Housing Co-operative Union (NACHU). Under SHADE, we visited 11 co-operatives and their housing projects in the Eastern Region of Kenya at Athi River. The second project we sampled was Community Finance and Empowerment Project (COFEP II) implemented by the Co-operative Bank of Kenya (COBK). We visited two co-operatives and their Front Office Service Activity (FOSA)8 in Nairobi. The third is Community Empowerment and Enterprise Development through Co-operatives (CEEDco). This project is implemented directly by SCC-EA and we visited two of its beneficiaries in the Mt Kenya Region. A list of the interviews and names of visited co-operatives is attached at Annex B of this report. 7) Of the cross-cutting projects, we sampled the Gender Equality project and Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation (PME). We teased out the impact (potential) of the two in all the projects we visited. 8) Sample Rationale. The rationale for selecting the projects and evaluation sites varied. But at the core of this were three reasons. One, we wanted to sample different types of co-operatives. From COFEP, we got the Savings and Credit Co-operatives which is the fastest growing co-operative sector in Kenya. CEEDco gave us the traditional agricultural and marketing co-operatives, while SHADE 8

Informal bank

88

SUPPORTING CIVIL SOCIETY ORGANIZATIONS FOR EMPOWERMENT AND ECONOMICS PROGRESS OF SMALL FARMERS AND PEOPLE LIVING IN POVERTY – Sida EVALUATION 2008:25

provided the smaller co-operatives concerned with housing and livelihoods. Two, we chose the geographical areas based on levels of poverty and entrenchment of the co-operative movement. Three, in choosing the projects, we wanted to establish levels of dialogue between them. 9) Tools of Data Extraction. Our main tool of data extraction was a checklist9. We used three types of interview techniques. The first was the Key Informant Interviews (KII), which focused on expert respondents. The second was In-depth Interviews (IDI) which targeted the SCC-EA-EA staff. The third was the Focus Group Discussion (FGD) in which we strived a balance based on age, position in co-operative and gender10. 10) Workshops. In order to validate our findings and to generate recommendations, three workshop sessions were held in Nairobi. The first was with partner organisations, who included staff and one partner from Uganda. The second meeting brought together the partners, and SCC staff, while the last was exclusive to SCC staff alone. The recommendations in this report were generated from these sessions. A.3

Limitations of Study

11) This study did not experience any major inhibitions. The SCC-Vi programme being regional, a visit to at least one other country of East Africa would have provided richer results and a comparative perspective. This was not possible due to the review design, and in our assessment, the inability to include one more country did not affect our results. A.4

Good dialogue with SCC regional team

12) The Kenyan consultant Mutahi Nngunyi undertook the field work for the Kenya study in August and the beginning of September 2007. The team leader of the overall Sida evaluation, Hans Peter Dejgaard, participated three days in field visit as well as the final meeting at SCC on Friday 7th of September. Later the same months, the team leader has had very constructive and good dialogue with the regional SCC team, which is reflected in their response to key issues in Annex A. 13) The views expressed in this report are those of the consultancy team, and do not necessarily correspond to those of the organizations that have commissioned this study, nor by the persons interviewed or otherwise consulted in the process. The Team would like to express its gratitude to the staff at the SCC regional office and to the civilsociety organizations and individuals interviewed, for their kind support and valuable assistance given during the consultant’s work in Kenya.

2.

SCC-EA Strategies: Some Findings

B.1

Locating the Co-operative Movement in Civil Society

14) The Regional Strategy for ESA, SCC-EA defines civil society as “…All organised expressions that are separated from the state, the markets and the individual household…” (SCC-EA: 2007, 43). In the context of Kenya, grooming this ‘organised expression’ into a dynamic and democratic actor has been challenging for two reasons. One, the co-operative movement in Kenya straddles the market spheres and civil society spaces11. And because civil society is conceptualized in terms of organizational ‘forms’ as opposed to ‘functions’, the movement is relegated to the market sphere. This is compounded by the fact that the co-operative sector does not consider itself as part of civil society12. The result: the space occupied by the movement within civil society has remained insignificant. 9 10 11 12

Generated from a joint questionnaire for the global evaluation This was not always possible, given that some co-operatives do not have women for instance. Assumption here is that civil society and markets are separate spheres Position taken during interviews with all the co-operatives

SUPPORTING CIVIL SOCIETY ORGANIZATIONS FOR EMPOWERMENT AND ECONOMICS PROGRESS OF SMALL FARMERS AND PEOPLE LIVING IN POVERTY – Sida EVALUATION 2008:25

89

15) Two, and from a historical point of view, the co-operative sector has been viewed as a mirror image of the state. It is politicized and corrupt13. And this is because it was introduced to Kenya as a ‘state project’ and imposed from above on communities. It suffered rejection and resentment as a result. When civil society reconstituted itself in the 1980s, it advanced in natural opposition to the sector14. In sum, the sector is perceived as being incapable of civic virtue15. More so because in the Moi regime, co-operatives were used to bankroll politics using members proceeds. Given the strong propoor agenda in civil society, this history has made the movement appear like an adversary in the fight against poverty. B.2

Challenges to Strategy

16) The SCC-EA strategy on civil society in Kenya has advanced in sharp relief against this background. In the context of this history, three challenges to strategy are obvious. It must be noted that these challenges are not as a result of SCC programming, but arise from historical difficulties in the environment. One, the co-operative movement was ‘over-politicised’ in the past. The 1990s have seen the birth of a ‘new movement’ that is detached from state patronage and politicisation. It is as a result averse to anything that smacks of politics. Unfortunately, attempts at applying the rights perspective to programming have been interpreted as ‘politicisation’ of the movement in some places. During our field visits, the co-operatives could not distinguish between ‘rights advancement’ and ‘politicisation’. This misconception has not augured well for the SCC-EA strategy of building a democratic and en-voiced civil society. 17) Two, and related to one, the movement is historically averse to attempts at civic engagement with the government. This has in turn dogged attempts at the much needed policy and legislative advocacy16. In our view, advocacy as a form of civic action is a critical measure of a dynamic civil society. Aversion to this form of engagement is therefore a drawback to the realisation of a vibrant civil society as envisaged in the SEKA objective. 18) Three, SCC-EA’s strategy is to build democratic governance structures in the co-operatives as a way of stumping out corruption from the sector. As an approach to anti-corruption, this has great transformative potential. And the process of building accountable structures through SCC-EA projects is evident from the co-operatives we visited. However, the challenge to this process is that of membership. And the issue here is the difference between empowerment and participation. According to the sampled co-operatives, the quality of membership participation is improving. However, their ability to change power relations (empowerment) and to hold the leadership accountable on a continuous basis is challenged. So long as the members are not able to change power relations, it will be difficult to forestall a re-invention of corruption17. B.3

SCC-EA Project Description

19) SCC-EA-EA has a total of 11 projects implemented in the three countries of East Africa18. Of these, the review sampled three of the core projects and all the cross-cutting ones.

13 14

15

16 17 18

This is particularly true of the farmer and marketing co-operatives. Presupposition here is that civil society is the buffer against state aggression on the individual. Any formations that mirrorimage the state therefore tend to be viewed as aggressing on the individual See Mutahi Ngunyi, Transition without Transformation: Civil Society and the Transition Cycles in Kenya (IDS Sussex; 2001) Position also corroborated by NACHU. We explore this point in greater details in a bit. Position strongly made by Ndetika Co-operative, KIFCO and Kingdom List of the projects provided as Annex V of this report.

90

SUPPORTING CIVIL SOCIETY ORGANIZATIONS FOR EMPOWERMENT AND ECONOMICS PROGRESS OF SMALL FARMERS AND PEOPLE LIVING IN POVERTY – Sida EVALUATION 2008:25

B.3.1 SHADE 20) The Sustainable Habitat Development (SHADE) is implemented in collaboration with the National Housing Co-operative Union (NACHU) as a partner. The primary objective19 of this project is to “…empower Primary Housing Co-operatives through mobilisation of members, savings and access to financial services by 1750 low-income households for development of decent shelter”. The expected output from the project is to empower communities through mobilization of member savings and access to financial services, and to strengthen capacity of partner organization to promote proper governance management and administration of primary housing co-ops.

B.3.2 COFEP 21) Community Finance and Empowerment Project (COFEP II) is implemented in conjunction with Co-operative Bank of Kenya as the partner. The project objective is: “Improved access to sustainable and affordable financial services for low income rural and urban communities in the target areas”. The expected outcomes are; to have an enhanced capacity of the Co-op Bank and the project partners (SACCOs) to do planning, monitoring and evaluation; Increased number of SACCOs providing quality and sustainable financial services to their members and low income communities in the target areas; An enhanced capacity of the rural communities to access financial services and the increased number of available and suitable financial products for the rural communities.

B.3.3 CEEDco. 22) Community Empowerment and Enterprise Development through Co-operatives (CEEDco) is implemented directly by SCC-EA through a project manager and field staff. The project seeks to empower 4200 small-scale farmers, and members to become strong marketing organisations with improved income by 2009.

B.3.4 The Cross-cutting Projects 23) Of the cross-cutting projects, this review focused on two. The first is Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation (PME). This project aims at “…improving impact assessment through timely and quality information in SCC-EA funded projects” It expects to build the capacity of staff and stakeholders in PME, and to develop tools for information gathering, analysis and storage. The second is Gender Equality and the project objective is to “…develop gender equity in all development efforts”

3.

Partner Analysis and Capacity

C.1

Partner Selection and Relationships

24) SCC-EA operates with two levels of partnerships. The first is the implementing partners, while the second comprise of the beneficiary partners. The implementing partners for COFEP (Co-operative Bank) and SHADE (NACHU) were selected on the basis of their comparative advantage, specialised competencies and networks. CEEDco and some of the cross-cutting projects do not have implementing/collaborating partners, which in our view is a missed opportunity20. 25) The beneficiary partners for COFEP were selected by the bank competitively on the basis of potential and the history the bank had with the first phase of the project. Beneficiaries of SHADE were also selected competitively by the implementing partner, NACHU. Potential and history with SHADE I were also factored in. CEEDco selected its Kenya partners through a bidding process as well. This was done in conjunction with the Kenya Government, which works closely with the programme as a non-funded partner. 19 20

All the objectives are derived from the SCC-EA project application to Sida. In the value-adding sense and as mentioned above, in the sense of building on the competencies of others.

SUPPORTING CIVIL SOCIETY ORGANIZATIONS FOR EMPOWERMENT AND ECONOMICS PROGRESS OF SMALL FARMERS AND PEOPLE LIVING IN POVERTY – Sida EVALUATION 2008:25

91

26) The Achievements. In the view of this paper, SCC-EA could not have gotten better implementing partners than the Co-operative Bank and NACHU. The value proposition of the two partners in terms of their expertise, national networks and innovation provides a good basis for project sustainability beyond SCC-EA. The fact that they have built the projects into their mainstay operations21 attests to their potential for sustainability. 27) The challenges. Although the selection of both partner levels has potential for impact, two challenges are evident. One, potential for project replication22 at the beneficiary level is limited. This is particularly true for SHADE where the support to beneficiary co-operatives is seen as an end in itself, not a means to a greater end23. To this extent, it is only instrumental and not transformative. Two, we are not persuaded that selection through bidding is the best method of partner identification. This method works well for the market-oriented activities and not for building social and political processes. Selecting for social process (civil society building) would require a less competitive and more subjective criteria. And this is how the centre can ‘positively discriminate’ in favour of disadvantaged groups like women. The competitive process did not seem sensitive to the categories requiring affirmative action24. C.2

Capacity Development, Including Professional and Technical Capacities

28) SCC-EA In-house Capacity. The capacity of staff in- house is in our assessment of a high quality and committed. Technical capacity building is the central plank with regards to capacity development. This has been provided to all partners in inter alia., PME, food production, and financial management. However, the technical capacity is less within sustainable agriculture techniques. 29) Methods and Tools. SCC-EA capacity building is in the form of awareness creation, professional and technical capacity building. Awareness creation has been used on the formative co-operatives to educate on a whole range of issues. These range from the building of a savings and loaning culture to issues of internal democracy and accountable governance within the movement25. Professional capacity building has applied more to the management staff of the co-operatives, and more so the FOSAs. The co-operative bank has for instance worked through COFEP to professionalize the running of the FOSAs. 30) The Achievements. This aspect of SCC-EA work has yielded a number of results. Technical capacity in increasing farm access to markets through CEEDco should be recorded as a success26. Diversification, and new techniques of farming, including organic methods, has increased both food and cash crop production. This has also raised incomes, and levels of food security. Similarly, technical capacity in retail banking, savings and group lending under COFEP has increased the viability and credit ratings27 of SACCOs. The same can be said of the professionalisation of FOSAs. 31) Awareness creation and technical support to the NACHU beneficiaries has transformed simple merry-go-round formations into co-operatives. This has provided them with the opportunity to access loans, and construct homes28.

21

22 23 24

25 26 27 28

COFEP is for instance, not just a project domiciled in the co-operative development division of the Co-operative Bank. The second phase expects to mainstream it into the other bank operations as way of building its sustainability. This decision is motivated by the perceived value of the project to the bank and its clientele. Within and without the beneficiary co-operative. Evident from the field visit to the co-operatives SCC position is that they do not exclusively select through the bidding process. The consultant did not see the evidence that supports this assertion. This has further included awareness creation on the legislation governing the sector Testimonies from producer co-operatives The SACCOs borrow from the Co-operative Bank Interviews with 11 co-operatives in Athi-River

92

SUPPORTING CIVIL SOCIETY ORGANIZATIONS FOR EMPOWERMENT AND ECONOMICS PROGRESS OF SMALL FARMERS AND PEOPLE LIVING IN POVERTY – Sida EVALUATION 2008:25

32) The challenges. There are two areas of challenge. The first refers to PME, and we address it in the next section. The second is capacity building for social, political and institutional processes. And this is mostly evident in the cross-cutting projects for two reasons. One, the projects did not build their interventions on existing civil society work. As a result, capacity building efforts were either wasteful, or non-cumulative29. Wasteful because they addressed areas that were saturated30, and non-cumulative because they were not designed to upscale existing engagements31. Two, there was little evidence of collaboration between SCC and other civil society formations in especially the cross-cutting projects. As such, the centre did not have access to innovations and new methodologies of engagement. Lack of collaboration32 in especially the rights approach must be recorded as a missed opportunity. SCC-EA’s co-ordination of the study on the “Implications of the Paris Agenda on Civil Society in Kenya” 33 should be used as a basis for deepening collaboration with CSOs. The study concluded that the awareness of the new aid agenda is very limited among Kenyan CSOs. The study was presented in August 07 at the International Civil Society Arena Conference at Sida Civil Society Center in Härnösand, Sweden. Here participated the regional SCC coordinator Carina Andersson. C.3

Advocacy and SCC-EA Partner’s Role in Civil Society

33) Advocacy. At the operational level in Kenya, advocacy takes three forms34. The first one is campaigns, which is for the most part activistic and is characterised by ‘bells and whistles’. The second is lobbying. This includes identifying actors who are friendly to a civil society course and ground-working them into supporting it either at a policy or legislation site35. The third is representation36 and it takes the form of negotiations in which a position favouring the disadvantaged is navigated through horse trading. Given the history of co-operatives in Kenya, the first form of advocacy (activism) has not been possible. Lobbying and representation are probably the only viable forms of advocacy the co-operative movement can engage in. 34) However, the SCC-EA projects have not been strong on either. The platforms for advocacy, the potential to frame issues and the voice are all there. Although opportunities to carry out Legislative and Policy Advocacy for the movement exist, the scouting of such opportunities and capacity to engage are amiss. And this is partly why such legislation as the SACCO Bill37, have stalled. The main limitation here has to do with the notion that advocacy of this nature has to be done by a national body that collectivises voice38. And since the National Co-operatives (NACOs) have not been able to speak for the rest on strategic matters, no other forms of ‘voice’ have emerged. On its part, SCC-EA’s efforts at ‘en-voicing’ the co-operatives and building their capacity for national and community-based advocacy have been wanting. Our hypothesis is that advocacy is not a strong area for SCC-EA.

29 30

31

32

33

34 35

36

37

38

Meaning they did not build on each other cumulatively. For instance awareness creation on AIDS and on democratic governance. This saturation was actually observed during field visits. Up scaling from awareness creation to attitude change for instance. In the area of democratic change, this is up scaling from subjective to actual civic competence. This refers to both funding and non-funding collaborations with international NGOs and local CSOs. Collaboration with ABANTU or FIDA for gender rights, or KHRC on general mainstreaming of rights. The Paris Agenda and its consequences for Civil Society in Kenya Final Report Commissioned by a group of Swedish Development Organisations with Frame-agreements with Sida. SKADKAER Consult. 2007. The three are as pursued in the Kenya context and do not have to be applicable elsewhere. For instance, the Family Protection Bill and the Domestic Violence Bill were supported by members of parliament through the lobbying of FIDA. For instance, civil society representation in the GJLOS, or the Kenya Anti-Corruption Commission with the intention of framing and articulating civil society interests. SACCOs are regulated using the Co-operative Act or the Banking Act. Yet neither of the Acts address the specific challenges facing the Savings and Credit Co-operatives. Position occupied by both the SCC-EA staff and co-operatives. We invited them to interrogate the position.

SUPPORTING CIVIL SOCIETY ORGANIZATIONS FOR EMPOWERMENT AND ECONOMICS PROGRESS OF SMALL FARMERS AND PEOPLE LIVING IN POVERTY – Sida EVALUATION 2008:25

93

35) The aforementioned notwithstanding, SCC-EA has signed Memoranda of Understanding with KENFAP, UNFFE, and EAFF with part intention of expanding collaboration into the area of national and regional advocacy with them. Together with SCC-SA, SCC-EA also intends to develop collaborations for purposes of advocacy in the area of housing. 36) SCC-EA’s Partner Role in Civil Society has been varied. Of the partners we sampled for this study, only NACHU is active in civil society activities39. The others, mainly the beneficiary partners, do not view themselves as part of civil society and as such, their roles are limited. This is particularly true of the FOSAs who view themselves as market actors in municipal society, and whose role in active civic action is limited.

4.

Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation (PME)

C.4.1 The Achievements. 37) Design. The SCC-EA plans and those developed for the partners are bankable both in content and form. The programes programmes are strong and appropriate in the area of design. And by appropriateness we mean the timeliness of interventions and the resonance of their approach. In its design, COFEP is for instance a community response to market failure40. After the commercial banks raised their minimum deposits41, the low-income earners were kicked out of the formal banks. This necessitated the strengthening of the Front Office Service Activity (FOSA) in the co-operative movement as a form of retail banking for the poor. The project was therefore designed to percolate capacity from the Co-operative Bank to the emerging community banks. The simplification of methods and tools of retail banking has been recorded by the FOSAs as transformative42. 38) Strategic Planning. The sheer fact of getting a co-operative to plan and forecast must be recorded as an achievement. Although the planning culture is yet to take root, as would be expected, this attempt has directed energy and resources to the most deserving areas. According to the members of co-operatives we interviewed, the strategic plans have also opened up the governance spaces for scrutiny. That is, while in the past they did not know what was happening in their co-operatives, now they have it in writing and they can monitor it. Although capacity to do so is limited, the belief that they can monitor the transparency of their leaders through the plan must be recorded as an achievement. 39) Monitoring. The monitoring systems and schedules in the co-operatives are in their formative stages. But like in the planning, attempts to create an M&E culture in the co-operatives is an achievement. This will in many ways stamp out the culture of corruption and mis-governance once it takes root.

C.4.2 The Challenges 40) Ownership. It is doubtful that the SCC-EA audience in the PME is the beneficiary co-operatives. The main audience, according to several interviews with local stakeholders, is Sida and SCC Stockholm. As a result, certain aspects of PME do not resonate with the beneficiary context as we shall show below. Similarly, we are not persuaded that learnings from ‘below’ are fed back into the SCC-EA PME system. This has resulted in a latent top-down approach, which SCC-EA is probably unaware of43. The best example here is the Kibirigwi Irrigation Farmers Co-operative (KIFCO) in Mt Kenya region. A plan was developed for the co-operative through CEEDco. But when we visited them, the co-operative’s ‘plan’ and indicators were in some aspects different from those in the SCC-EA 39

40 41 42 43

The other active players in civil society including Shelter Forum were not part of our sample. This organization is not a cooperative and is a recent partner. This civic response can be defined as From about $ 100 to $ 250 Interviews with the Kingdom and Ndetika SACCOs. SCC-EA’s ambition is to develop plans that can give support to the partner’s own monitoring processes on the one hand, and provide the requisite information on results for SCC on the other.

94

SUPPORTING CIVIL SOCIETY ORGANIZATIONS FOR EMPOWERMENT AND ECONOMICS PROGRESS OF SMALL FARMERS AND PEOPLE LIVING IN POVERTY – Sida EVALUATION 2008:25

supported project44. In our view, this disconnect was partly caused by the fact that the planning (and indicators) was more ‘supply-driven’ than ‘demand-driven’. 41) It should be noted that the strategic niche of SCC-EA in the co-operative sector of Kenya is its ability to motivate for innovations elsewhere. Applying these innovations to practice could be interpreted as ‘supply-drivenness’. In the view of this report, innovations that are SCC-driven, and which are later owned by the partners are not necessarily bad. In fact, SCC should not shy away from this practice. 42) Baselines and Planning. Project Planning at SCC-EA is preceded by a needs analysis, and a baseline survey, which is a good practice. At the SCC-EA level, this practice has served to inform design and has worked well. However, the fact that the baseline surveys are mostly quantitative means that certain nuances that the methodology cannot pick are missed. For instance, during our field discussions with beneficiary co-operatives, a number of critical that were not teased out by the baselines, were raised. One of the issues and cutting across the entire sample had to do with the capitalisation of the co-operatives45 and the disconnection between share deposits and share capital. Although this is a matter of legislative concern in Kenya, at the level of practice, an intervention could have been designed to address this disconnect46. 43) Monitoring. As mentioned earlier, the SCC monitoring tools are complex and difficult to use. Similarly, they have not been synchronised with the tools existing at the project site – neither aimed at strengthen the partners own PME within their governance system. Where the PME project is present, its tools are used for the SCC-EA interventions alone. The rationale is that, if the partner organisation ‘likes’ the tools, they can adopt them for their other activities47. While this has an institutional logic at SCC-EA, its potential for replication and sustainability beyond engagement with SCC-EA is limited. 44) Similarly, in the COFEP project, the co-operatives found the SCC-EA suggested monitoring tools rather complex, and taxing. The Co-operative Bank also noted that the tools elicited information that was contradicting in some instances48. SCC-EA noted that these tools were being piloted and that the process of developing simpler ones is on course. 45) Learning and Knowledge Management. Although SCC-EA is up to speed on evaluations as a way getting of feedback, documentation of best practices and learnings is limited49. 46) Evaluation. At both the SCC-EA office and the project sites50, self-evaluation as a continuous process has been institutionalised. This has as a result, made the strategic plans a living document. C.5

Cross-Cutting Projects

47) Of the cross-cutting projects, HIV/AIDS has the greatest potential for success. This is partly because of the SCC-EA efforts at mainstreaming it in all projects, but also because of the efforts of other providers51. Similarly, this project has taken root because communities have come to terms with HIV/AIDS as a social menace requiring drastic intervention. As a result, they are more open to its mainstreaming than they are to other non-crisis issues52 like gender and democracy. These two have 44 45

46

47 48 49 50 51 52

In collaboration with the Ministry of Co-operatives, Kenya Government. This issue was teased out in the Ranjuu Co-operative baseline and built into the strategic plan. However, it was not anywhere else The point here is that, the co-operatives do not need policy or legislative interventions for them to effect changes that can be done through practice alterations. Interview with George Onyango, SCC-EA Programme Officer for PME Interview with Jeremiah Kimeu and Esther W. Co-operative Bank Interview with George Onyango, Programme officer This comes in the form of monitoring meetings and the teasing out of lessons. Meaning that the social spaces are saturated with messages on HIV/AIDS by development activists and groups. Observation made during an FGD with Mavoco co-operative in Athi River (21st August 2007)

SUPPORTING CIVIL SOCIETY ORGANIZATIONS FOR EMPOWERMENT AND ECONOMICS PROGRESS OF SMALL FARMERS AND PEOPLE LIVING IN POVERTY – Sida EVALUATION 2008:25

95

foot-dragged: Gender because the project is still new, and democracy for two reasons. One, the project design was weak. It advanced as a stand-alone without attempts at building on the achievements of others53. And as mentioned earlier, this aspect of mainstreaming – including the rights approach – was viewed by the co-operatives as a form of re-politicising the movement. Had this notion come up in the baselines, the design of the project would have addressed the difficulty. 48) Regarding Gender Equity and attempts to mainstream it in projects, there is a resistance from the movement. The farmers co-operatives we visited exhibited an understanding and need for gender equity. However, they registered an unease with taking action regarding equity. In the Kanjuu Cooperative Society54 for instance, the leadership was categorical that gender equity can only be effected in the management of the movement, not the elected leadership55. 49) This contradiction led us to believe that awareness on gender equity had been created, but attitudes and behaviour had not been changed. And if awareness was high, we also concluded that this was not necessarily as a result of SCC-EA work. Other organisations had done some prior work, but SCC-EA had not necessarily built on it. The design of this project was therefore not appropriate at two levels. One, it was not built on existing platforms and competences in the area of gender equity.56 And as such, it was not value adding. Two, the project methods and tools did not resonate with communities. The design of the project, in our view, should have targeted attitude change.

5.

Relevance and Effectiveness

D.1

Relevance of Design and Implementation

50) We examined relevance at two levels. One, whether the project design was consistent with the strategic intentions of Sida/SEKA regarding civil society and those of the SCC global family. Two, in trying to be consistent with the big picture, whether SCC-EA project design ‘makes sense’ to the partners and the target beneficiaries. 51) On the first account, the design remains true to the big picture with a few variations. However, attempts to roll out the global intentions of SCC has bred some challenges at partner and beneficiary levels. According to the partners, this has resulted in rigidity of design arising from the need to be consistent with the global intentions. The rigidity has in turn stifled innovation57. Similarly, the partners and beneficiaries noted that the SCC-EA projects tend to be supply-driven as a result. While remaining relevant to the global course therefore, the SCC-EA approach has a challenged relevance at the local level. This observation was best demonstrated by NACHU under the SHADE project, and the Co-operative Bank under COFEP. And the issue was the continued relevance of capacity building. 52) SCC-EA, consistent with Sida policy, is biased more towards ‘software investment’ (like capacity development) than ‘hardware investments’ (like financing physical infrastructure). This position begged a question from the partners: “Is software investment bankable?” The challenge here is that there is a limit to which you can build capacity. Beyond this limit, efforts at capacity development become wasteful, saturated and non-cumulative. For capacity building to be relevant and bankable therefore, it must be accompanied by a form of ‘hardware investment’. Failure to do so has only led to the reduction of ‘software poverty’ in the form of empowerment, leaving ‘hardware poverty’ intact. 53

54 55 56 57

The same can be said of the gender project and the fact that it has not built on the gender empowerment networks. Although attempts to do so through the identification of the networks and possible areas of engagements were made by a baseline survey, we are not persuaded that this attempt was taken up seriously Focus Group Discussion with the leadership (9th August 2007) The leadership is the strategic unit of the co-operative where all decisions are made. This also speaks to SCC-EA’s capacity for learning from sources outside its sphere. Interview with NACHU (21st August 2007)

96

SUPPORTING CIVIL SOCIETY ORGANIZATIONS FOR EMPOWERMENT AND ECONOMICS PROGRESS OF SMALL FARMERS AND PEOPLE LIVING IN POVERTY – Sida EVALUATION 2008:25

53) At NACHU for instance, the capacity building efforts in the housing co-operatives loose their relevance in the absence of a ‘hardware investment’ in the Revolving Loan Fund. The same argument was made by the Co-operative Bank. The partner has built capacity in Savings and Credit Cooperatives (SACCOs), however, this cannot be sufficiently animated and sustained in the absence of a loaning facility. The challenge here is not for SCC-EA to go into ‘hardware investments’, but to facilitate access to such facilities where possible. In order to make capacity building bankable, this link-making must be made a strategic intention of SCC-EA. D.2

Effectiveness of Design and Implementation

54) Overall Achievements. It is the position of this paper that the SCC programmes have increased the value of their grants. That is, compared to other funding mechanisms, SCC-EA is able to produce good results compared with their financial resources58. We credit this cost-effectiveness to the thoroughgoing design/formulation process and the quality of the regional SCC team. 55) SCC-EA projects have been most effective where they have been built on existing market platforms. Both the COFEP and SHADE projects attest to this. COFEP II has for instance been designed to take advantage of the Co-operative Bank’s extensive infrastructure. In fact, the project has now been mainstreamed into the bank’s other operations. Most critical here is that COFEP is now being implemented as a business, not a social responsibility project. The bank has ‘marketised’ it by arguing that it must accrue income. The intention here is to increase the bank’s buy-in, and its potential for sustainability beyond SCC-EA funding59. To this extent, the design of the project is effective. However, little thought has gone into translating this market effort into civil society building. 56) Similarly, evidence from SHADE points to effectiveness of design when a project is built on market platforms. As part of the SHADE design, NACHU targeted Merry-go-Round60 formations with the intention of translating them into co-operatives. The intention here was to re-orient people-topeople market platforms from social consumption to investments. This intention must be recorded as most effective. 57) The Challenges. Three challenges in the area of effectiveness can be singled out. One, project design is cognisant of Sida/SCC-EA strategic intentions at the global level. However, the effectiveness of implementation in terms of civil society building is challenged61. This is so because SCC-EA projects are more responsive to markets and less sensitive to social and institutional processes. And this, in our view, tends to dog efforts at building a dynamic civil society. 58) Two, emerging co-operatives are ‘owned’ by the strategic elite in rural areas. The implication is that the hardcore poor62 are not beneficiaries63. Three, beyond saving and loaning, these formations have no social justice and clear advocacy agenda. The project design did not factor this in. And where attempts to ‘sneak it in’ are made, they have not been effective. In the absence of a social justice agenda, these co-operatives remain ‘voice poor’ and can hardly participate in civic engagements as part of civil society.

58

59 60 61 62

63

We did not do a cost-benefit analysis. This is a subjective analysis which compared other funding mechanisms with those of SCC-EA and the kind of results obtained. Interview with Lucy Murumba, Chief Manager Co-operative Bank (20th August 2007) These are self-help savings schemes situated in municipal society. Some of the reasons for this are mentioned in the section that attempts to locate the co-operative movement in civil society Concept used in government discourse on poverty. It denotes the category of poor people with the largest poverty gap. Poverty gap is the distance between the poor and the poverty line, which in Kenya stands at US$ 18 per month or less than US $ 0.5 a day. There is an attempt to reach the hardcore poor using the Co-Save project. However, at the design level, there is no evidence linking this project to the others as a way of up scaling the poor. The evaluation would have probably benefited from a visit to the CECFIS project in Uganda or the Co-Save project in Lake Victoria region to study SCC support to the hardcore poor. This was only implied in discussions with the Regional Office.

SUPPORTING CIVIL SOCIETY ORGANIZATIONS FOR EMPOWERMENT AND ECONOMICS PROGRESS OF SMALL FARMERS AND PEOPLE LIVING IN POVERTY – Sida EVALUATION 2008:25

97

59) Project designs aimed at building on existing social and institutional processes have been ineffective. This is particularly true of the cross-cutting projects. SCC-EA has not designed its projects to take advantage of the competencies created by other civil society initiatives. As such, some of these projects advance as stand-alones in an environment where they could benefit from collaboration. In this respect, the institutional aspect seems to be the challenge with the huge SCC/Vi’s Lake Victoria Development Programme (LVDP). And although justified as a way out of the crisis in the cooperative movement in the nineties, it cannot continue with the current lack of institutionalization as observed in the CEEDco co-operatives project. These 1st level cooperatives that explained to the evaluation team that they “want to become member of SCC”. The challenge here is how to represent different interests within the cooperatives and how to keep track of what the first level cooperatives are doing.

6.

Conclusions and Recommendations

60) The overall conclusion reached by the Evaluation Team regarding Swedish Cooperative Centre (SCC) support to Kenya is that it responds well with the overall objective of SCC and Sida’s cooperation aiming at poverty reduction and strengthening civil society. SCC’s programme in Kenya is well consolidated, and particular successful has been the support to the Savings and Credit Cooperatives, which is the fastest growing co-operative sector in Kenya. 61) This Kenya country study advanced from three working theses: – One, that SCC-EA is strong in empowering the ‘market’ aspects of the co-operative movement, but limited in engaging with social process. This ‘marketised’ approach to building civil society addresses the poverty reduction aspects of the Sida policy. However, it scores low on rights advancement – including affirmative action for women – and the building of a democratic ethos in civil society64. – Two, SCC-EA is strong in its strategic orientation, but challenged in the operational thrust. This is evident from the fact that the project designs are tight and thoroughgoing. However, the implementation has hitches. – Three, the global structure (and approach) of SCC-EA promotes rigidity and stifles innovation at the regional offices. The rigidity of the SCC framework is not only at the level of programming, but financial management as well. E.1

Engaging with Social Process.

62) Strategic Challenges. SCC-EA is challenged at the levels of advocacy, and embedding the rights approach in its projects. It is also challenged in terms of building on existing competencies and platforms within civil society. The process of selecting partners does not augur well with social process as well. Due to its competitiveness, it is not given to affirmative action and the promotion of disadvantaged. While as the projects supported in the market sector have a chance to replicate their gains across board, replication in the groups situated within the Kenyan context of social process is limited. 63) Recommendations. SCC-EA should work with other civil society organisations as partners that can use the platforms and competencies for SCC-EA work. This should also be seen as a venture in ‘valueadding’ to other broader interventions in civil society. Support should also go to processes, not only projects.

64

This notwithstanding, democratic institutions are gradually emerging at the grassroots through the work of SCC.

98

SUPPORTING CIVIL SOCIETY ORGANIZATIONS FOR EMPOWERMENT AND ECONOMICS PROGRESS OF SMALL FARMERS AND PEOPLE LIVING IN POVERTY – Sida EVALUATION 2008:25

E.2

Rigidity of SCC Framework of Engagement

64) Strategic Challenge. It is good that SCC is carrying out stricth financial controls. However, SCC has certain rigidity on administration and harmonisation65, where SCC’s request for monthly financials from partners is a precondition to disbursements. This is taxing partners who have synchronised their reporting systems for all the other donors. 65) Recommendations. On financial management, we recommend that the reporting period be increased from one month to three months. This would also allow for a more bankable trend analysis. Similarly, SCC-EA should synchronise and harmonise its financial reporting requirements with other grant-makers (with the same partner). At more general level, SCC is recommended to undertake an internal assessment of their project portfolio in East Africa, aiming at enhancing the application in the coming planning cycle of the five principles in the Paris declaration (ownership, alignment, harmonization, managing for results and mutual accountability). E.3

Increase Education of Leaders and Member

66) Recommendation. Leadership training and the Study circle methodology in training is for SCC a successful tools that can be expanded. This will allow experienced members to offer training to the incoming members of the skills and knowledge they have learnt in the period they were members. Leadership training should be offered to new leaders (including youth and female) to getting leadership skills, including how to handle internal democracy and accountability towards the members. E.4

Build Institutional Framework for Replication

67) Strategic Challenge. The strategic intentions of SCC-EA are right on target. Rolling them out is however challenged. The result of this is in some cases duplication of projects and insufficient replication of good experiences. This operational weakness is indicative of a lack of project dialogue and organisational sustainability. It is also as a result of supporting projects and not sufficiently processes and replication strategies build on national organisations. The institutional aspect seems to be the challenge with the huge SCC/Vi’s Lake Victoria Development Programme (LVDP). And although justified as a way out of the crisis in the cooperative movement in the nineties, it cannot continue with the current lack of institutionalization as observed in the CEEDco co-operatives project. 68) Recommendations. We recommend a more thoroughgoing process of decomposing strategic intentions into operations. Emphasis here should not be on SCC’s own tools (e.g. PME) but on mechanism for replication and increased organisational sustainability (institutionalization) with Kenyan partners. In this way some of our unique impacts and innovations in rural development, financial services, housing and habitat, could be shared and scaled up. Furthermore, this could lead to strengthening the advocacy work of the farmers and cooperatives movement. E.5

Strengthen Advocacy and Networking Capacity of Partners.

69) Recommendations. Future projects should be designed with strengthening the partner’s advocacy skills for approaching opportunities in the context. This include that the join potential alliances and networks for influencing policy sites66 for hardware investments. SCC could do more for linking partners with the potential networks for funding to support member development, which will come after capacity building. Furthermore, SCC could strengthen its collaboration with partners on North-Southern advocacy/lobbying of common interest. 65

66

For instance, in the case of NACHU, SCC-EA’s approach is not necessarily consistent with that of the other donors who have a less rigid approach.. Some policy sites are KJAS, UCA motivating for budget support from Uganda government. etc.

SUPPORTING CIVIL SOCIETY ORGANIZATIONS FOR EMPOWERMENT AND ECONOMICS PROGRESS OF SMALL FARMERS AND PEOPLE LIVING IN POVERTY – Sida EVALUATION 2008:25

99

E.6

Strengthen the Thematic Approach.

70) Recommendation. A participatory identification and selection of themes should be introduced.67 Cross partner learning among should also be strengthened. This will help partners and beneficiaries to broaden their knowledge scope and make them more innovative as they see and learn what other regions are doing in their area of interest. E.7

Strengthen Organisation Development to new trends

The image of the cooperative movement in Kenya is not optimal due to the past. SCC could provide their partners with adequate tools responding to the following challenges in the context: a. Cartelise innovation and change as response to the globalisations. b. Respond to changing interests such as youth, gender, common interest groups etc. c. Respond to increased competition in the market.

67

As SCC develops objectives for funding, it should include the objectives of partners. Partners should be there when these objectives are being developed.

100

SUPPORTING CIVIL SOCIETY ORGANIZATIONS FOR EMPOWERMENT AND ECONOMICS PROGRESS OF SMALL FARMERS AND PEOPLE LIVING IN POVERTY – Sida EVALUATION 2008:25

Annex A: SCC Response to the Key Issues Response to the key issues raised by Hans Peter on e-mail on 1st October 2007.

a) Recommendations for increased member education and training? Member education and training is the way forward for strong farmer’s organizations. Members will be in control of their organizations if they have confidence in their leaders. Members who are not empowered are vulnerable to manipulation and exploitation. To avoid this scenario, members must be involved in selecting themes or topics for their education followed by pedagogical participatory methodologies such as the study circles and farmer field schools that offer an organic learning environment to them. Adults learn more from seeing which makes demonstrations and study visits important in member education. SCC already has a leadership training programme in place based on the reflection – learning – action principle. What needs to be done is for SCC to link up with other like minded stakeholders in rural development and design a curriculum with the input of the members, taking in consideration the realities of today, to be able to offer attractive packages that will cater for the interests of all categories of membership including the youth and women. Special attention should be put on the interests of the youth and women and where necessary affirmative action should be initiated to make up for the existing gaps. The training to be provided must be as practical as possible, to address the factors that hinder the members/farmers from acting as entrepreneurs, who must look at whatever they are doing in a business context and play an active role in the value chains. Group action must be emphasized given the small scale operations of the majority of the farmers who live in rural areas and derive their livelihood from agriculture. Careful selection of thematic topics that fall within the areas of focus of SCC must be done with a gradual inbuilt cost sharing element if sustainability has to be realized. Where topics demanded by members fall outside the focus areas of SCC, linkages must be established with other organizations that have the expertise and capacity to handle them in order not to frustrate the members. SCC needs to strengthen the OD process in the farmer’s organizations to catalyze innovation and change in the attitude of members to embrace the principles of self – help ownership and sustainability. Individual visioning and strategic planning will be a precursor to building strong farmers organizations. When these principles are taken into consideration, and the members have been empowered, they will elect good leaders whom they will hold accountable for their actions.

b) The major challenge with strengthening national representation of farmers (and networking for avoiding spending all the time on formalization as said by your deputy). Connected to the problems with SCC EA exit strategies at organizational levels, e.g. empowerment project and the huge Lake Victoria. The major challenge in strengthening farmers’ organisation is to ensure there is a good balance between institutional support and project support. There is however increased awareness that a more programmatic support is the most viable alternative of supporting and strengthening farmers organisations. It also ensures that there are clear exit strategies that lead to long term sustainability of the organisation with an economically empowered membership. The way to go is therefore to work with those farmer organisations with clear strategic and business plans. Our support should therefore be to work within the framework of the strategic plan, initially to ensure that the foundation of the plan is really based on strategic thinking and consciously working with the farmers’ organisations to strengthen some of the components of the strategic/business plan. In the absence of the strategic plan, our entry and engagement with the farmers’ organisations should be to ensure that there is a clear vision and strategic thought on where farmers’ organisations are and want to be. This strategic planning process should be planned in a way that it also empowers the general membership of the organisation, so that the vision and mission of their organisation is written in the hearts and minds of all the members. SUPPORTING CIVIL SOCIETY ORGANIZATIONS FOR EMPOWERMENT AND ECONOMICS PROGRESS OF SMALL FARMERS AND PEOPLE LIVING IN POVERTY – Sida EVALUATION 2008:25

101

The challenge for the Livelihood Improvement through Farmer Empowerment (LIFE), now called the Farmer Enterprise Development (FED) within the SCC/Vi’s Lake Victoria Development Programme (LVDP), is to ensure that the productivity gains made by smallholder farmer groups, some who are formally organised and registered and others who are not, are sustained beyond the program period. SCC/Vi will have to increase the ownership and sustainability of the Lake Victoria Development Programme by engaging the services of various institutions and farmer organisations, depending on capacity and competence. By strengthening the capacities of various member based farmer organisations, the agricultural/agroforestry extension component of LVDP can be more driven by the farmers’ organisation. The LVDP has initially implemented directly through employed extension staff, and this has created conditions where farmers can demand extension support from a position of knowledge and information. Today there are innovations in extension delivery mechanisms where farmers’ organisations can be strengthened to take advantage. These include but not limited to; farmer field schools, and study circles. The Farmer Enterprise Development component of LVDP, will require to be implemented in future by a competent service provider, but with the active involvement of a member based farmer organisation. In Tanzania, the Moshi University College of Cooperative and Business Studies (MUCCoBs) has proved to be an efficient service provider of the FED process, the challenge remains to identify a suitable member based farmer organisation whose membership can benefit from farming as a business and other capacity development components promoted in the FED process. The financial services component (Co-Save) of LVDP would also require the services of an efficient service provider, and again with active and close collaboration of member based farmer organisations.

c) Strengthen advocacy and networking capacity among partners to influence public policy and priorities/budget, agro-policy, etc. Alliances with other CSOs, research, etc. In addition, SCC observed relatively weak on NorthSouthern advocacy/lobbying. We at SCC could strengthen our lobbying and advocacy work, at both the national, regional and international levels, by making deliberate and proactive efforts to increase our participation in the appropriate networks that are specifically established with a strong policy formulation and policy dialogue agenda. In this way some of our unique impacts and innovations in rural development, financial services, housing and habitat, could be shared and scaled up. At the national levels, it is our partner organisations, that play a key role in lobbying and advocacy work. Our added value would be to provide the necessary resources, singularly or though basket funding to strengthen the appropriate networks. However given the general weaknesses of farmers unions in the region, we could widen the criteria of selection of partners to include local NGO’s and other Civil Society Organisations who are actively involved in lobbying and advocacy. Lobbying and advocacy at the national level is geared to ensure that national governments and related institutions are engaged to provide legislation that facilitates rather controls the democratic development of civil society organisations, including our partner organisations. At both the national and the regional levels, networks could be strengthened to create a stronger voice in advocating for policies that strengthen capacity of national and regional member organisations to ensure trade, agricultural policies and taxation and other measures are put in place for a faster growth of democratic and economically empowered civil society organisations. Advocacy and Lobbying should also be informed by research that is carried independently, and our added value would also be to support networks and individual civil society organisation with a strong research agenda whose findings can be used to engage governments in policy dialogue. As we also increasingly recognise advocacy and lobbying as important ingredients of ensuring polices are created that are favourable to our partner organisations, there is a need to make sure this is an 102

SUPPORTING CIVIL SOCIETY ORGANIZATIONS FOR EMPOWERMENT AND ECONOMICS PROGRESS OF SMALL FARMERS AND PEOPLE LIVING IN POVERTY – Sida EVALUATION 2008:25

important criteria for partner selection, and where this is lacking it can be part of the support in the capacity development of our partners.

d) How to develop/stimulate innovation within the partner organizations, e.g. flow of information and involvement of members, less hieratical, new thinking, and attract the interest among the young generation? (in the changing globalised world) As noted during our discussions and correspondences, most farmers’ organizations/cooperatives in Eastern Africa, like in many other emerging post-colonial states, were introduced and promoted by the immediate post independent states. They were supported to play a crucial role in national building, rarely were they nurtured to act as vehicles for farmer empowerment. This explains that for years, they operated in a state controlled market environment, and their functions were more of routine; collecting members produce and channeling it to state owned marketing boards, and the reverse in the case of payments, and farm inputs. Under such an environment the virtues of strategic management and innovativeness were not necessary, neither were they inculcated, as they relied on state personnel for technical advice. (Itself a disempowering experience). Over the years, a lot of things have changed; the outside support; the market has been liberalized; leadership; members priorities etc. not many were able to adjust to such new situations, since survival would have dependent on ability to adjust and adapt, which can only happen if there exists a conscious Organizational Development framework that ensures an on-going process of re-adjusting goals/objectives exists, in order to; • maintain competitiveness • ensure survival • and increase and improve delivery of benefits to members By embracing the O.D approach, SCC-EA supported partner organizations are/would be encouraged and supported to establish a framework that ensures a conscious approach to the organization’s future, establishing a system that responds to the changes in the environment in an; innovative, flexible and efficient way. Two important principles (which need to be balanced) should be/are advised under the O.D support; I. The organizations to put members’ interests first to ensure that all developments achieved ultimately benefit the member. This calls for innovative channels for communication and information ( newsletters, investing on member education days, meetings, reconsidering zones for more efficient representation, as well as tapping on the new technological innovations to improve information management – such as use of computer based services) II. Maintaining an entrepreneurial behavior to ensure that new business opportunities are identified and pursued. This would call for appropriate governance; provision of incentives to members and ensuring such organizations are managed by people with relevant entrepreneurial capabilities. Various ways can be explored in relation to attracting the interests of the young generation, either in mainstream partner organizations’ activities or by support separate activities that the youth can easily engage in. Mostly those which don’t require such capital resources like land.

e) Consider careful the role of farmer organisations’ (e.g. KENFAP) as interest organisation, not overloading with project implementation tasks (which they may oversee delegating to others). I agree. We must carefully consider the role of the farmers’ organisations and avoiding “overloading” them with projects to implement. As you know we are in the process of developing strong networks with SUPPORTING CIVIL SOCIETY ORGANIZATIONS FOR EMPOWERMENT AND ECONOMICS PROGRESS OF SMALL FARMERS AND PEOPLE LIVING IN POVERTY – Sida EVALUATION 2008:25

103

the farmers’ organisations in the region with the aim of establishing how we can support them and collaborate with them more strategically in the countries and in the region to give stronger voice to the farmers. KENFAP appears to be a strong and dynamic organisation with good management and leadership. They have developed a clear strategy which they refer to as a frame work for any donor collaboration. Further they expect their partners to align to their own systems for reporting and auditing, hence this calls for a harmonized approach among the donors. I find this commendable! As initially put, main focus of future collaboration with KENFAP should be on strengthening their role as an interest organisation for farmers and should mainly focus on advocacy on strategic issues at different levels. However, as was discussed at our meeting with you, we are considering how the cooperative societies which we work with in CEEDCo can be linked up with KENFAP. “Handing over” CEEDCo to them might not be the best option as we can foresee risks with that and it is probably not the best solution. But KENFAP is a strategic actor and future partner, which role we are to further investigate. The sister organisations in Uganda (UNFFE) and Tanzania (MWIWATA) are according to our experience in different situations, facing risks of being “implementing agencies” for donors. However, we believe that if a farmers’ organisation has a clear strategy for what they want to achieve and enough management capacity they can handle several donors and projects. Delegation and outsourcing of project implementation might not be the best solution.

f) How is the technical capacity within SCC EA to overcome the many issues/countries outlined in the SCC Africa strategy? (an issue we discussed a lot in Harare, as it came out as insufficient technical capacity came out as a finding from the Zambia study, where the Africa regional strategy seems too unfocussed). It also relates to how to strengthen your thematic areas, without loosing sector expertise on rural development, finance/business and housing. First of all I do not agree that our regional strategy is unfocussed. It was our intention when we revised it last year to enhance focus on our strategic programme areas and key cross-cutting issues. In Eastern Africa we have since years back applied a sector/thematic approach to our regional programme with less emphasis on geographical areas (countries). In my view the technical capacity and know how of the office and its staff is high and very relevant in our main fields of operation which are rural development/agriculture production, business development, financial services and housing. In these fields we have our own expertise and external networks. As mentioned in another note (on SCC future role), housing is still a sector under development. We have made strong efforts to build in-house capacity, to link up with external expertise, and to have strong collaboration between the two regions in Africa now having an inter-regional team on housing. We have also strong capacity in HIV/AIDS (we recruited a specialist) and gender issues (we have developed internal capacity and linked to external expertise). Where we lack behind in capacity is mainly in environmental issues and in mainstreaming a rights based approach. We need to strongly link up with external expertise to achieve mainstreaming in these areas. With regard to environmental issues, you are aware of our present efforts with a programme officer from our Stockholm office developing a new SCC policy in strong collaboration with regional staff and partners.

g) How to adopt the Paris agenda into SCC EA programme? (alignment, harmonization, reduced transaction costs). And how to progress on Result Based Management? Does Paris not question the future of a global PME system within SCC? With a strong sector and programme approach, I think in future we will be in a better position to achieve more in this regard, moving away from the strong project orientation. With more strategic, programmatic objectives and indicators, it will be easier to work in close collaboration with other development and partner organisations in joint interventions. With the current set up, we are trying and 104

SUPPORTING CIVIL SOCIETY ORGANIZATIONS FOR EMPOWERMENT AND ECONOMICS PROGRESS OF SMALL FARMERS AND PEOPLE LIVING IN POVERTY – Sida EVALUATION 2008:25

can still do a lot. In an increased number of projects we now supporting the partner organisations’ own strategic/business plan (alignment); we have regular coordination meetings with the other donor organisations and the partners to achieve increased harmonization. Of course, this is not always easy as donors (not only us according to my experience!) feel restricted to adapt too much to a common (partner) system for reporting, especially on finances. But this is changing (with the new agenda and increased awareness). On Result Based Management. I believe that we are making worthwhile efforts here. There is of course still a lot to be done! PME has been a major issue in SCC for year. In this region our intention is to develop a more localized system which will be flexible enough to take off from and support already existing systems with partners (if in existence). I assume this will be an interesting issue to discuss in Stockholm this week.

Nairobi 19 September 2007 Dear Hans Peter, You asked us to write something on how we would like to see the future role of SCC in this region (say in five years or so). I asked my team members to come in with their views from their different thematic and sector specific perspectives which I would like to share with you. I will send them separately. Below I will try to give you my picture from a more overall perspective complemented with my colleagues’ inputs. I hope that this is in line with what you expected to get. Kindly let me know if we did not get you right on this or if you think that I am to brief and overall. In the coming years we will have strengthened our position in this region as an important actor in the strategic programme areas of sustainable, market driven agriculture production, business development, financial services and housing. Already today we have considerable experiences and knowledge in these areas, perhaps with the exception of housing. Although we have collaborated with NACHU since 2004 the collaboration has been too limited to achieve strategic effects or impact. We have, together with SCC Southern Africa embarked on a process of developing a regional strategy for the same. It is a challenging but worthwhile exercise since the two African regions have identified that SCC can provide an added value in this area. SCC has a unique position being one of few Swedish organisations involved in housing and with a strong mandate from its member organisations. Against this background we believe that we have value to add on cooperative housing for the benefit of rural as well as urban poor. This was further manifested by the Letter of Intent signed with UN HABITAT in 2005 which provides a framework to further develop models and approaches to cooperative housing solutions in close collaboration with partner organisations and other stake holders in the sector. We will have strong networks and relationships with strategic stakeholders and to a greater extent participate in relevant forums at different levels. Traditionally we have worked mainly with the cooperative movement in this region. We will increase our collaboration with the farmers’ organisations/unions and try to facilitate a closer cooperation between the two for the benefit of the members/farmers. This is a challenge as there is a sense of competition. In Kenya, the producers/marketing cooperatives do not have a national apex, contrary to the other coop sectors. We will investigate the need for and, if so, facilitate the evolvement of such an organisation in close discussion with strategic actors, such as KENFAP. We will support the partner organisations in a more strategic and “holistic” manner, and in alignment with their own strategic plans and priorities. Through organizational assessments we are able to provide more flexible and tailor made support which will strengthen their capacity to service their members at different levels as well as giving voice to their specific interests in formulation of government policies and legislations through lobbying and advocacy. This will also help to continuously increase our own in-house capacity and align it with the needs and expectations of our partners. We will, together with the partner organisations get more involved in issues of strategic interest to us, them and their members, which are being negotiated internationally; e.g. trade agreements. Further, we will continue our efforts to achieve greater harmonization with other national, regional and international organisations to identify areas for strategic partnership, joint interventions as well as to avoid overlapping of resources and overstretching the capacity of the partner organisations. SUPPORTING CIVIL SOCIETY ORGANIZATIONS FOR EMPOWERMENT AND ECONOMICS PROGRESS OF SMALL FARMERS AND PEOPLE LIVING IN POVERTY – Sida EVALUATION 2008:25

105

We will develop a more programmatic approach in our interventions, and enhance our efforts to create national and regional meeting places for partner organisations to create synergy, build capacity and knowledge and to share experiences in order to achieve increased learning and networking. This will be done in close collaboration between the two SCC regional offices and their respective partner organisations and networks. Thematic and sector specific studies will be carried out and fed into this process. We are aware of the fact that this will require a more flexible overall approach from SCC towards our partner organisations. In the coming years we have scaled up our training programmes in leadership for change, OD, etc. We have a well developed resource centre for farmer led study groups, (study circles) with relevant study materials available and used in both regions. We have developed an efficient and user-friendly monitoring system which enables us to effectively measure results and outcome of our interventions at different levels as well as supporting partner organisations in strengthening their own internal systems for monitoring. I would also have liked to say something about the mainstreaming issues, such as environment, HIV & AIDS and gender equality, which are very important to us in our development work, but I believe you will find useful contributions on this from my team members’ contributions and from the discussion you had with Hanna Wetterstrand. Carina

106

SUPPORTING CIVIL SOCIETY ORGANIZATIONS FOR EMPOWERMENT AND ECONOMICS PROGRESS OF SMALL FARMERS AND PEOPLE LIVING IN POVERTY – Sida EVALUATION 2008:25

Annex B: List of Interviews Persons interviewed Carina Andersson Ngolia Kimanzu Baseeta Leuben Adeline Masinde Gerald Mutinda George Onyango Charles Mutua Philip Wambua Annika Nordin Jayawardena J. K. Kiara Krister Adolfsson

Organisation/position Regional Director, SCC & Vi Agroforestry Deputy Regional Director SCC & Vi Agroforestry SCC STAFF

Head of Development Co-operation. Sida. Embassy of Sweden in Nairobi Programme Officer Agriculture and Rural Development. Sida. Regional Manager. Diakonia. Nairobi.

Kariuki Jamlek Elijah Ndambiri Peter Njiru Peter Muthike Perminus Karoki John Muthike Joseph Nyagah Stanely muchira James Muthike Faith Mutuku Julia Mukuba James Nganga Naftaly Maina Mary Wanjiku Kennedy Simiyu Jane Karanja Baseeta Reuben Simon Mwarire

KANJUU Coop. society Chairman Group chairman Supervisory committee Supervisory secretary Group chairman Group chairman Vice chairman Secretary Group chairman Project assistant – ceedco project D.C.O’s office D.C.O’s office Book keeper Manager Project officer-CEEDCo project CCD’s office SCC-Vi ROEA Member.

Joyce W. Ngari John Mugeru Silas Kigotho Micheal Maina Joseph Maina John Njogu D.N. Waweru Edison Kiranga Miriam Kibuchi Joseph Irungu Joseph Kibuchi Lucy Kimeu

KIFCO Horticultural coop. Secretary/ manager Hon. Secretary Vice chairman Chairman Bookkeeper Irrigation system officer Member Member Grading store attendant Member Member. Cooperative Bank

SUPPORTING CIVIL SOCIETY ORGANIZATIONS FOR EMPOWERMENT AND ECONOMICS PROGRESS OF SMALL FARMERS AND PEOPLE LIVING IN POVERTY – Sida EVALUATION 2008:25

107

Peter Maina Peter Kimanzi Lillian Njogu Julius Mwangi Alponse Kalisa Pricilla Musela Janet Nyagah Jeremiah Nyakundi Ruth Nzioka Robert Sukulu Richard Ndolo Dorcas Nzula Philisa Mwangangi Joseph Mutindwa Josephine Mutuku Pricilla Senga Agnes Ndunge Ruth Kalute Margaret Nzioka Angela mutuku Florence Kivuva Thomas Musesya Thaddeus Mulei Brian Ombat. John Wachira Mary Mathenge Nderi Tibae Kamugogu Karai John Kinyua Jane Wambui Rose Karanja Charles

Samuel Gitau Pius Ndungu Anselim Kimani Michael Kamau Francis Kamau Henry Chege Gabriel Murage Gothard Mburu Louis Mburu UCA NACHU Cooperative Bank Leonard Msemakweli Krister Adolfsson Kikki Nordin Annika Nordin Jayawardena K. K. Kiara 108

NACHU Beneficiaries. Director Aka Mamuta- Member Njata housing- Member Meko housing- member Meko housing- chairman Makeka housing- chairlady Uvumilivu housing- chairlady Amani housing-chairman Mayoko housing- vice chairlady Uvumilivu housing- member Mayoco housing- chairman Mayoco housing- vice secretary Uvumilivu housing- member Itambya housing – secretary Itambya housing- member Itambya housing- member Mavoko housing- member Mutahi housing- member Uvumilivu housing- treasurer Makeka housing- treasurer Makeka housing- secretary Uvumilivu housing- vice chairman Mayoco housing- member Amani housing – secretary. NACHU NACHU Ndetika cooperative

Secretary-kingdom cooperative Accountant- kingdom cooperative Manager- Kingdom cooperative. COFEP II Kamuga Farmers cooperative society Chairman Hon. Secretary V. Chairman CEEDCo Chairman Member Member Member Member member SCC-Partners SCC-Partners SCC-Partners General Secretary. Uganda Co-operative Alliance Participated in Friday 7 October meeting Regional manager, Diakonia LVI Director, Sida Head of Development Co-operation. Sida. Embassy of Sweden in Nairobi. Programme Officer. Agriculture and Rural Development. Embassy of Sweden in Nairobi.

SUPPORTING CIVIL SOCIETY ORGANIZATIONS FOR EMPOWERMENT AND ECONOMICS PROGRESS OF SMALL FARMERS AND PEOPLE LIVING IN POVERTY – Sida EVALUATION 2008:25

Annex C: Select List of Literature Reviewed 1)

Swedish Cooperative Centre. Organisational Development (OD) Guidelines. Nairobi, 2005.

2)

Kingdom Sacco Limited. Annual Report and Accounts. Nairobi, 2006.

3)

Swedish Cooperative Centre. Strategy for Agricultural Production, Food Security and Business Development. SCC regional office, 2005.

4)

Resource Mobilisation Centre. “Project Evaluation Report” Community Finance Empowerment Project (COFEP). November 2006.

5)

Dr. Lawrence P. Oteba. “Mid-Term Evaluation for Building Capacity to Combat HIV and AIDS Regional Project”. SCC-VI Eastern Africa. December 2006.

6)

Matrix Development Consultants. “A Review of the National Cooperative Housing Union (NACHU)”. SCC and NBBL. December 2006.

7)

Jocke Nyberg, Hans Peter. Evaluation of Swedish cooperative Centre, Its Activities and Relations. Stockholm and Copenhagen, 10th august 2007.

8)

David Bizimana. Community Empowerment through Cooperative Financial Services Phase II. Uganda Cooperative Alliance, April 2007.

9)

Uganda Cooperative Alliance. Final Evaluation of the Farmer Empowerment through Agricultural Services (FETAS) Project. UCA, November 2007.

10) Kimberly Brown, Maria Papidimitriou. “Legal Barriers to Women’s Participation in Agricultural Marketing Cooperatives”. SCC-CEEDCo Project. March 5 2007. 11) Maria Papidimitriou. Assessing the effects of HIV and AIDS on the productivity of Agricultural Marketing Cooperatives: Experiences from Kenya. SCC- CEEDCo Project. March 2007. 12) Njoki Wainaina. Report of the SCC-Vi Study on Gender Mainstreaming.

SUPPORTING CIVIL SOCIETY ORGANIZATIONS FOR EMPOWERMENT AND ECONOMICS PROGRESS OF SMALL FARMERS AND PEOPLE LIVING IN POVERTY – Sida EVALUATION 2008:25

109

Annex D: Achievements from the Three Selected Projects in SCC-EA Elaborated by SCC regional office in October 2007: Shade Phase 1

The SHADE Project objective – “to empower PHCs through mobilization of members, savings and access to financial services by some 583 low-income households for development of decent shelter by 2006”. In the light of the established objectives, It was noted that after creation of awareness, the number of low-income households utilizing the products and services increased from 644 individuals (men 315, women 329) in 2005, while there were 888 in 2006 (489 men and 399 women). Out of these a total of kshs. 2681438/= was saved (men kshs 931 470/= and women kshs. 1 303 108/=. The group project savings by two societies amounted to kshs. 446 860/=. Loans amounting to kshs. 1 883 520/= (men kshs. 623 500/= and women kshs. 66 000/=) were accessed by 12 members. A group that constructed a rental house accessed kshs. 600 000/=. The impact brought about by the savings and loans activities resulted in creating hope that people can change their situation resulting in increased interest in joining or registering new housing cooperatives products The capacity of NACHU to promote proper governance, leadership, management and administration of Shirika Nyumbas to provide quality services to members and to enhance transparency and accountability was strengthened. The SHADE project has contributed in various ways towards strengthening NACHU and its human resources as well as their capacity to interact, advocate and lobby in achieving its course. COFEP

All participating SACCOs have had a marked increase (an average of 23% increase from base) in the number of people accessing financial services as a result of the project’s activities in promoting the opening of the SACCOs common bonds to accommodate the communities within reach. The capacity of the 15 participating SACCOs has been greatly enhanced to ensure better provision of services for the members and good management through the use of the operations manuals developed by the project and through trainings. The project brought in new concepts of providing services to the communities by promoting a group lending methodology and new products among the SACCOs. The effect of this was increased business for the SACCOs but also increased access to financial services for the larger community. The project developed 12 manuals for effective and efficient SACCO operations. The project activities made important contributions in two areas that are worth highlighting; The activities led to the strengthening of operations and systems for improved service delivery. This was achieved through the development of manuals for roll out and training of SACCOs. The manuals, which are in high demand, have potential to significantly increase the institutional and staff capacity of SACCOs to provide quality financial services to the rural poor. Group-lending methodology has been institutionalized among the SACCOs (doing it the micro-finance way) through the application of the lending toolkit/manual. By using character-based lending among groups, many low-income persons are now able to access credit. Hence, the unit has supported the bank develop and build relationships with SACCOs and in turn achieve its objective of innovative, linkage banking concept.

110

SUPPORTING CIVIL SOCIETY ORGANIZATIONS FOR EMPOWERMENT AND ECONOMICS PROGRESS OF SMALL FARMERS AND PEOPLE LIVING IN POVERTY – Sida EVALUATION 2008:25

CEEDCO

Community Empowerment and Enterprise Development through Co-operatives (CEEDCo- period 2006– 2009), is a project of SCC/VIAF-EA under the Food security, Agricultural production and local business development sector. It contributes to poverty reduction by enhancing; improved governance in member- based community institutions mainly agricultural marketing Co-operative societies and facilitating linkages between subsistence staple producers, food security and market participation. It’s currently working in 1668 districts programmed into four field offices, each staffed with two field officers, and collaborating with cooperative officers stationed in each district under the ministry of Cooperative development and marketing. The project objective is “8,000 Empowered male & female farmers, members to strong producer organizations, will have improved their farm-incomes and influenced over 52,000 peers by 2009”. By July 2007, a total of 47 primary marketing cooperatives and 15 farmers associations were participating in the project partnership, with a total membership of 31,331 farmers (73% males, 27 females) and a critical mass of 5,591 farmers were participating in project interventions in a more regular basis, out of which; 40% were males, 23% females; 23% youthful males and 14% youthful females, making a total outreach of 70%. Mainly the farmers organizations are engaged in the production and marketing of certain traditional crops/livestock & products; coffee; diary; fruits; beekeeping. Major outcomes Strengthened organizational capacity of farmers organizations

By introducing the O.D approach, the organizations have self-assessed their performance, established an O.D framework backed by articulate strategic plans. Whose implementation has been going on, mainly targeting; Increasing number of active members (from the baseline average of 51%); Increasing share capital (from the average Kshs 800,00/F.O in order to be able to invest in business ventures & compete with other players; Improving services provision to members; farm inputs; crop advance; innovative marketing strategies. Enhancing governance structures to encourage member controls; timely & well participated meetings, updating books of accounts and audits, promoting gender equality e.t.c. this has had an instant effect of attracting more active membership. In north Rift project area, all 14 F.Os had audits in arrears of 3–12 years, which by June 2007 only 3 had not updated their audits, while 4 female farmers joined the F.O boards, raising the number from 13 to 17. 6 out of the 14 F.Os in north rift have recorded an 80% increase in active membership, from 381 to 684, which has translated into increased member economic participation, as in Kamno cooperative where daily milk intake increased from 38kgs to 250kgs. Improved farm incomes

According to the baseline survey, analysis on household income streams indicated on-farm related activities as main sources of incomes69-Contributing as much as 70% of household incomes. For the targeted farmers to realise increases in household incomes, it is evident that agricultural enterprises have to play a bigger role. Besides making judicious and strategic enterprise selection decisions, such farmers would require to access markets offering good prices. As a result of insightful consultations facilitated by the project on why prices are low and what can be done to improve the situation, several site specific business development models have seen some F.Os start realising better prices, mainly related to improvements on quality and/or access to more gainful markets, especially for dairy products through change of strategies to; retailing, supplying to deficient areas, and basic value addition.

68

69

This is the original number of districts before the recent revision of district boundaries and creation of new ones, so the no. is slightly bigger than 16 now. Main sources of income; Crops= 51%, Livestock & products= 20%, wages=14%, others = 16% (source; CEEDCo Project baseline survey Report 2006)

SUPPORTING CIVIL SOCIETY ORGANIZATIONS FOR EMPOWERMENT AND ECONOMICS PROGRESS OF SMALL FARMERS AND PEOPLE LIVING IN POVERTY – Sida EVALUATION 2008:25

111

Example of F.Os reporting improved prices F.O

Enterprise

Previous prices (Kshs/unit)

New prices (Kshs/unit)

Net Change (%)

Reasons

Gatanga DFC70

Dairy

10/kg

16

60

Avoiding hawkers, Revival of the F.O

Mavindini MCS

Mangoes

3/piece

10

233

Linkage to a mangoes exporter

Kamuga CFS

Bananas

100–150

270

170–120

Linkage to a private agency- Techno-serve

Kamno DFC

Dairy

11/kg

20

81

Supplying milk deficient areas (avoid KCC)

Manaret DFC

Dairy

14/kg

20

43

Retailing- milk bar (avoid KCC)

EX-Lewa DFC

Dairy

13/kg

36

176

Packaging fresh milk

71

70 71

DFC – Dairy Farmers Cooperative CFC – Coffee Farmers Cooperative

112

SUPPORTING CIVIL SOCIETY ORGANIZATIONS FOR EMPOWERMENT AND ECONOMICS PROGRESS OF SMALL FARMERS AND PEOPLE LIVING IN POVERTY – Sida EVALUATION 2008:25

Anexo, Informe de Honduras + Oficina Regional para América Latina Anders Rudqvist, Evaluation of SCC, by Context/Inka Consult, Octubre de 2007

1.

Introducción

De acuerdo con los términos de referencia acordados entre Asdi, SEKA y el SCC, el objetivo general de esta “Evaluación de las Actividades y Relaciones de la Cooperación Internacional de Desarrollo del Centro Cooperativo Sueco” es examinar la pertinencia de la cooperación del SCC en relación con el objetivo fundamental de Asdi, SEKA, o sea: “Contribuir al desarrollo de de una sociedad civil dinámica y democrática en la que las personas tengan posibilidad de actuar juntas para influir en el desarrollo de la sociedad y mejorar sus condiciones de vida.” Esto implica evaluar los resultados para los grupos que participan en los proyectos seleccionados por EL SCC. La evaluación, asimismo, debe servir como una herramienta para Asdi, SCC y sus socios a futuro y sugerir mejoras en cuanto a LA planificación, la implementación y el monitoreo llevados a cabo por el SCC y sus socios. En los términos de referencia se destacan las siguientes cuatro cuestiones de evaluación: • ¿Cuál es la relevancia de los programas de los socios del SCC en relación a los objetivos generales de Asdi? Evaluar que tan coherente es el trabajo de los socios de SCC en relación al objetivo general de Asdi. Este aspecto de la evaluación debe tomar en cuenta los objetivos y planes de los socios, la implementación del trabajo de los socios, sus mandatos y áreas temáticas. • ¿Cuál es la relevancia de los programas de los socios del SCC en relación a sus propios objetivos (los objetivos generales y específicos de los socios)? La pertinencia de los programas de las contrapartes considerando sectores, áreas de trabajo y beneficiarios/actores interesados. También es importante analizar la relevancia del trabajo de los socios en relación al contexto nacional. Por ejemplo: ¿Puede haber grupos meta o áreas de trabajo apoyados que son desatendidos, ignorados y deben tener prioridad(es) más altas? ¿Qué papel juegan las contrapartes de SCC en la sociedad civil del país respectivo y como coordinan su trabajo con otros actores? • ¿Cuál es la eficiencia de los programas de los socios del SCC? Tanto en cuanto a la implementación de los programas de los socios en general como en cuanto a la cooperación entre SCC y otros interesados/ actores. • ¿Cuál es la relevancia del programa del SCC en relación a su propio objetivo y al objetivo de Asdi? La pertinencia del programa del SCC en relación al objetivo general de Asdi y el objetivo mismo del SCC (según su nueva estrategia quinquenal). Esta perspectiva incluye un análisis de contexto, selección de contrapartes, análisis de fortalezas y debilidades de las contrapartes, el modelo de relación en la cooperación (“partenariado”) del SCC y como es percibido en cuanto a su contribución al cumplimiento de las metas. De particular interés es el valor agregado de la particular relación, partenariado, en la cooperación entre SCC y sus socios. Cuatro países fueron seleccionados para la realización de visitas de campo a proyectos representativos del SCC: Honduras, Paraguay, Kenia y Zambia. La evaluación en Honduras comprendió una selección de las actividades en marcha y recién finalizadas del SCC y de sus contrapartes. El trabajo de campo tuvo lugar durante el periodo del 1 de septiembre al 15 de septiembre, 2007. Se visitó una selección de proyectos y organizaciones contrapartes claves en diferentes regiones de Honduras y, adicionalmente, se realizó una serie de entrevistas con el personal de la oficina regional para América Latina del SCC, así como con representantes de la Alianza Cooperativa Internacional, Américas, y la Facultad Latinoamericana de Ciencias Sociales, FLACSO, en San José, Costa Rica. Los seis proyectos seleccionados para el trabajo en campo en Honduras fueron los siguientes: SUPPORTING CIVIL SOCIETY ORGANIZATIONS FOR EMPOWERMENT AND ECONOMICS PROGRESS OF SMALL FARMERS AND PEOPLE LIVING IN POVERTY – Sida EVALUATION 2008:25

113

• Mejoramiento Organizativo, Productivo y de Comercialización de las Empresas y Familias Campesinas, MEJORA (Improving Business Capacity of campesino organizations) ACAN, P-331 • Desarrollo Organizativo y Empresarial de la ACAN (Organisational and business development of ACAN), P-333 • Desarrollo de la Capacidad Económica y Empresarial de FECORAH (Economic and Business Capacity Development, FECORAH), P-334 • Asistencia Técnica (Technical Assistance), Equipo Técnico, Oficina País, SCC, Honduras, P-335 • Promoción y Mejoramiento del Hábitat (Promotion of cooperative housing model), ICADE, P-353. • Desarrollo Sostenible de las Comunidades del Frente de Colonización e Indígenas de la Reserva Tawahka Asangni (Tawahka Biosphere Sustainable Development), ICADE, P-354.

2.

La Intervención Evaluada

2.1.

El contexto – pobreza y violencia en Honduras

La pobreza en Honduras no ha cambiado significativamente desde hace 1998 a pesar de un crecimiento anual del PNB de 3 por ciento en términos reales.72 Honduras se encuentra en el tercer lugar de los países más pobres de América Latina con dos terceras partes de su población por debajo de la línea de pobreza y casi la mitad viviendo en pobreza extrema.73 Como sucede generalmente en los países pobres, la pobreza es más acentuada en las áreas rurales (75%) que en las áreas urbanas (57%). Junto con Guatemala Honduras es el país más desigual de Centroamérica en cuanto a la distribución de los ingresos, teniendo un coeficiente Gini de 0.58 en 2005, lo cual implica un deterioro con respecto al mismo coeficiente de 1990 que entonces alcanzó 0.50. Esta desigualdad extrema explica la relación débil que existe en Honduras entre el crecimiento económico y la reducción de la pobreza. Otro efecto importante de la desigual distribución de los recursos es que restringe el acceso de la mayoría de la población a factores o medios de producción como tierra, capital, tecnología e información. Como consecuencia el llamado “sector informal” de la economía hondureña sigue siendo desproporcionalmente grande. A pesar de la introducción de un sistema político formalmente democrático en 1982 y siete traspasos democráticos consecutivos, incluyendo la elección en 2005 del actual presidente Zelaya Rosales, subsisten serias limitaciones de los gobiernos hondureños en cuanto a la participación ciudadana, la vigencia del Estado de Derecho y de los derechos humanos. La esfera política está dominada por los dos partidos tradicionales del sistema bipartidista, el Partido Liberal de Honduras y el Partido Nacional de Honduras, que representan en gran medida la poderosa élite económica y política del país, mientras la mayoría de la población está afectada por exclusión social, política y económica. Los gobiernos y la administración pública se han caracterizado por altos niveles de clientelismo y corrupción. La desigualdad asimismo es una de las causas de la violencia y Honduras, partiendo de un nivel alto de violencia, ha sufrido en los últimos años un incremento del índice de violencia y muertes violentas provocado también por la incidencia creciente del crimen organizado y el narcotráfico, que en ciertos casos están relacionados con intereses políticos y económicos.74 Así las muertes violentas aumentaron de 37 por cien mil habitantes en 2006 a 46 por cien mil en 2007.75 Un alto grado de impunidad de los perpetradores de los crímenes y la falta de acceso de los pobres a la justicia son factores que contribuyen a impedir avances en la seguridad de los grupos vulnerables y el fortalecimiento del Estado de Derecho.

72

73 74 75

The World Bank, Honduras Poverty Assessment, Attaining Poverty Reduction, Volume I: Main Report, Washington DC, June 30, 2006. Technical Assistance Unit at the Ministry of the Presidency, January 2006. Embassy of Sweden, Guatemala, Sida Country Report 2006, Honduras, Stockholm, 2007. PNUD, Universidad Nacional de Honduras, Observatorio de Violencia, 2007.

114

SUPPORTING CIVIL SOCIETY ORGANIZATIONS FOR EMPOWERMENT AND ECONOMICS PROGRESS OF SMALL FARMERS AND PEOPLE LIVING IN POVERTY – Sida EVALUATION 2008:25

Honduras terminó la preparación de su Documento de Estrategia de Lucha contra la Pobreza en 2001.76 La preparación de la estrategia contó con cierta participación de organizaciones de la sociedad civil, pero éstas resolvieron preparar un documento propio que contenía puntos de vista opuestos a los incluidos en el documento oficial. Las organizaciones consideraron que su documento era eficaz para presentar un punto de vista alternativo, pero se sintieron decepcionados por el hecho de que el Banco Mundial y el Fondo Monetario Internacional no tomaron el documento en cuenta al sancionar la estrategia del gobierno. Las críticas a la actitud del Banco Mundial y del FMI, así como el impacto que ésta ha tenido sobre el Documento, han sido resumidas por Trócaire, agencia irlandesa de caridad y desarrollo, que mantiene que el modo en que se negoció el Servicio para el Crecimiento y la Lucha contra la Pobreza y la ausencia de cualquier intento de referenciarlo al Documento de Estrategia de Lucha contra la Pobreza, ha llevado a las organizaciones de la sociedad civil de Honduras y Nicaragua a la conclusión de que la formulación de las políticas macroeconómicas sigue dominada por las condiciones impuestas de las instituciones financieras internacionales, con muy poca relación con las políticas de desarrollo social formuladas en el Documento de Estrategia de Lucha contra la Pobreza.77 Según un reciente estudio,78 y confirmado por las entrevistas realizadas durante el trabajo de campo de esta evaluación, el movimiento cooperativista en Honduras y en América Central tiene varias debilidades, que hay que tomar en cuenta al examinar el trabajo del SCC en la región: baja capacidad para enfrentar y adaptarse a los cambios del entorno; difícil inserción en los mercados; problemas internos de gobernabilidad política; liderazgo tradicional y poco innovador; poca creatividad y capacidad para desarrollar nuevas iniciativas y relaciones con otras cooperativas así como insuficiente coordinación y colaboración con otros actores de la sociedad civil. Esto frecuentemente resulta en una baja incidencia en las políticas públicas. Otro factor importante es el predominio durante las últimas décadas de políticas económicas neoliberales y de globalización que han dificultado de varias maneras el desarrollo de cooperativas y otras organizaciones populares. Esta complejidad del contexto, la dinámica de los mercados, las nuevas tecnologías, cambios en las expectativas y necesidades de los beneficiarios, constituyen nuevos retos para las organizaciones sociales, que requieren esfuerzos más integrales por mejorar el desempeño y la capacidad técnica y operativa de las organizaciones. El reto más grande que tendrá que afrontar los pobres, los campesinos y las cooperativas en Centroamérica en el futuro inmediato es el del Tratado de Libre Comercio entre Centroamérica, República Dominicana y Estados Unidos, CAFTA79 y el tratado de libre comercio entre Centroamérica y la Unión Europea. Esto se debe a varios factores de los cuales es primordial la relación de competición injusta impuesta a Centroamérica con respecto a la exportación de productos agrícolas y alimentos subsidiados de los Estados Unidos y la Unión Europea. Sin embargo, coinciden factores como la alta concentración de la tierra en países como Honduras que, primero, implica un uso irracional de la tierra ya que gran parte de las áreas cultivables se dedican a grandes praderas de ganadería más o menos extensiva y, segundo, agrava la situación del sector campesino, el gran productor de alimentos básicos, frente a la agricultura comercial, porque el CAFTA establece condiciones de competencia en las que ganan unos y pierden otros.

76

77

78 79

Government of Honduras, International Monetary Fund, Honduras: Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper 2001–2015, Washington DC, 2001, and International Monetary Fund, Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper Progress Report, Washington DC, March 2005. Overseas Development Institute, Experiencias en Estrategias de lucha contra la pobreza en América Latina y el Caribe, Monitoring and Synthesis Project, PRSP Nota de Síntesis, no. 5, febrero de 2003. Luis Guillermo Coto Moya, Situación del Cooperativismo en Centroamérica, CCC-CA, octubre 2006. Central America Free Trade Agreement.

SUPPORTING CIVIL SOCIETY ORGANIZATIONS FOR EMPOWERMENT AND ECONOMICS PROGRESS OF SMALL FARMERS AND PEOPLE LIVING IN POVERTY – Sida EVALUATION 2008:25

115

Los perdedores son los productores de alimentos cereales con gran porcentaje de nutrientes como el arroz, el trigo, el maíz y otros, es decir campesinos y pequeños o medianos empresarios del sector social que produce alimentos y que se encuentra arrinconado por la concentración de la tierra. Estos productores no podrán competir porque sus precios son más altos que la producción subsidiada de Estados Unidos y Europa. Los ganadores son los llamados cultivos de tardío rendimiento como palma africana, caucho, frutales y bosques maderables. Este es también el sector que puede cumplir dos condiciones: una gran liquidez para resistir cinco, diez y hasta 20 años entre el momento de la siembra y la producción, o que posee grandes extensiones de tierra ya que generalmente no se cultiva un bosque o la palma africana en una sola hectárea. Estas condiciones las cumplen quienes ya poseen grandes capitales o grandes extensiones de tierra. 2.2.

La Estrategia Regional del SCC para América Latina

En febrero de 2007 SCC adoptó su nueva estrategia para América Latina para el periodo 2007–2011 que, basándose en las experiencias de los años de trabajo pasados en América Central, propone una reorientación de ciertos aspectos del trabajo del SCC. Para lograr un impacto más estructural y afectar las causas fundamentales de la pobreza y la desigualdad se considera necesario desarrollar y fortalecer la influencia e incidencia propositiva y de políticas del SCC y las organizaciones contraparte. Esto significa también fortalecer la articulación entre el trabajo en el ámbito comunitario y local con el de nivel nacional y global. Entre otras cosas promoviendo alianzas y coordinación entre diferentes organizaciones y actores. En el marco de la nueva estrategia SCC enfatiza la concentración y focalización de sus actividades y proyectos desarrollando programas regionales más integrales para evitar problemas y debilidades experimentadas en el pasado con proyectos relativamente pequeños y aislados con respecto a los niveles regional y nacional. Se distingue en este sentido tres diferentes niveles de trabajo, es decir: • local, con organizaciones de base, apoyando acciones directas para mejorar las condiciones de vida de los asociados, así como desarrollando modelos replicables; • nacional, con organizaciones de segundo y tercer grado, fortaleciendo las redes que representan y su incidencia en los gobiernos e instituciones públicas locales y nacionales; • internacional, promoviendo el intercambio, desarrollando sinergias e incidiendo en organismos e instituciones internacionales. En América Latina el SCC se concentrará en las siguientes cuatro áreas prioritarias durante el período 2007–2011: Desarrollo rural, Vivienda y hábitat, Participación ciudadana, Equidad de género. Estas prioridades se relacionan con cambios en la sociedad y dentro de cada una se contemplan acciones desde una perspectiva integral. 2.3.

Selección de socios y relaciones de “partenariado”

En su Estrategia Regional para América Latina el SCC define partenariado como “una relación de cooperación para el desarrollo en la cual dos o más organizaciones comparten la responsabilidad de unir competencias y recursos para alcanzar objetivos comunes”. Con esta definición se busca enfatizar que la organización contraparte es dueña de sus propias actividades y que la cooperación se basa en necesidades o prioridades formuladas por organizaciones o actores locales. El SCC siempre exige una contrapartida de las contrapartes con las cuales colabora. Sin embargo, reconoce que existen diferencias fundamentales entre organizaciones donantes y sus contrapartes, la diferencia más importante siendo que una entidad financia a la otra. Esta asimetría de poder dificulta el logro de un verdadero partenariado, sea el “donante” el SCC, Asdi u otra agencia de desarrollo internacional. Una distinción importante en la nueva orientación estratégica del SCC es la que se establece entre las organizaciones contrapartes de largo plazo, generalmente organizaciones sociales que tienen que 116

SUPPORTING CIVIL SOCIETY ORGANIZATIONS FOR EMPOWERMENT AND ECONOMICS PROGRESS OF SMALL FARMERS AND PEOPLE LIVING IN POVERTY – Sida EVALUATION 2008:25

compartir los valores y objetivos de desarrollo fundamentales del SCC, y las organizaciones “operadoras técnicas” u ONG de servicio, que hacen diferentes tipos de contribuciones técnicas a un proyecto dado, a una contraparte de largo plazo o a una organización de base que coopera con el SCC. La relación con las operadoras técnicas debe ser de corto o mediano plazo y responder a tareas concretas definidas según las necesidades en cada caso de colaboración. La misma Estrategia Regional para América Latina establece los siguientes criterios generales para la selección de organizaciones contraparte: que tengan potencial para desarrollarse; que compartan mutuos principios y valores, y; que contribuyan de manera positiva a mejorar las condiciones de vida de la población pobre y a la construcción de una sociedad más justa. SCC dispone además de otro instrumento, un Guía de Análisis Organizacional, para la selección de socios o contrapartes80 que contiene criterios y variables sistemáticas y detalladas para la clasificación de organizaciones. El Centro asimismo ha preparado varios diagnósticos organizacionales detallados sobre sus contrapartes principales, comprendiendo una caracterización de su misión, sus objetivos, capacidades, fortalezas, debilidades y proyecciones hacía el futuro. 2.4.

Contrapartes del SCC en Honduras

SCC inició su trabajo en Centroamérica en 1984. El largo tiempo de presencia y experiencia en la región, junto con los procedimientos metodológicos de selección que acabamos de mencionar, han resultado en una selección bastante adecuada de contrapartes, tanto desde el punto de vista de contrapartes a largo plazo como en cuanto a “operadoras técnicas” a corto o mediano plazo. En seguida presentaremos las contrapartes más importantes del SCC en Honduras.

2.4.1. Asociación Campesina Nacional, ACAN La asociación fue fundada en el año de 1982 y ha dedicado sus esfuerzos a organizar y apoyar a los campesinos en la lucha por la legalidad en la ocupación de las tierras. Es una organización gremial campesina que nació de las luchas por la tierra y por mejores condiciones de vida de los campesinos hondureños. Obtuvo su personería jurídica en 1987 y ha jugado un papel muy importante en las reivindicaciones campesinas del país. Actualmente cuenta con 531 asociaciones de base que integran unas 13,000 familias, llevando los beneficios de su acción gremial política a más de 76,000 dependientes organizados. Tiene presencia en 14 departamentos de Honduras.81 La cooperativización regional ha contribuido con el desarrollo de varias empresas de base y de las familias más pobres afiliadas a la ACAN. Cuenta con 10 Cooperativas Agropecuarias Regionales de autogestión considerados modelos en los municipios donde funcionan y responsables de impulsar la economía de las regiones donde operan. La estructura organizativa de ACAN está constituida por un Congreso Nacional ordinario, un Consejo Consultivo Intermedio, la Junta Directiva integrada por 9 miembros de los cuales 4 son mujeres; la Presidencia Ejecutiva; 15 asociaciones regionales y 531 asociaciones de base. Operativamente funciona con una unidad administrativa y una unidad técnica. ACAN forma parte de los siguientes organismos de integración: Confederación Hondureña de Cooperativas, CHC, Central de Trabajadores de Honduras, CTH, Consejo Coordinador de Organizaciones Campesinas, COCOCH, Asociación Nacional para el Fomento de la Agricultura Ecológica, ANAFAE e Instituto de Investigación y Formación Cooperativista, IFC. De los proyectos visitados en Honduras ACAN es contraparte de “Mejoramiento Organizativo, Productivo y de Comercialización de las Empresas y Familias Campesinas, MEJORA” así como del proyecto “Desarrollo Organizativo y Empresarial de la ACAN.” 80

81

SCC, Oficina Regional para América Latina, Proyecto Regional de Desarrollo Organizacional y Construcción de Capacidades, Análisis Organizacional FECOOPA, San José, 26 y 27 de noviembre de 2006. Olancho, Cortés, Valle, Yoro, Choluteca, El Paraíso, Comayagua, Intibucá, Copán, Atlántida, Francisco Morazán, Santa Bárbara, Colón, La Paz.

SUPPORTING CIVIL SOCIETY ORGANIZATIONS FOR EMPOWERMENT AND ECONOMICS PROGRESS OF SMALL FARMERS AND PEOPLE LIVING IN POVERTY – Sida EVALUATION 2008:25

117

2.4.2. Federación de Cooperativas y Empresas de La Reforma Agraria de Honduras, FECORAH Es una organización de segundo grado con cobertura nacional, que surgió como respuesta a la necesidad de las cooperativas organizadas en el marco de la ley de reforma agraria en 1974. En ella están integradas, además de las cooperativas de la reforma agraria, las empresas agropecuarias de transformación y agroindustriales como COAPALMA (procesamiento de palma africana). Fue constituida la federación en 1973 y las principales actividades de producción de las cooperativas y empresas afiliadas son el cultivo de palma africana, granos básicos, banano, caña de azúcar, plátanos, cítricos, hortalizas, papas, camarón cultivado, melón, sandía, fresas, ganado vacuno de doble propósito y plátanos. La estructura organizativa de FECORAH está se compone por la asamblea general, la junta directiva, la junta de vigilancia, el comité ejecutivo, comités auxiliares para los servicios de educación y producción, y una gerencia general, junto al personal administrativo y técnico. FECORAH cuenta actualmente con 102 cooperativas agropecuarias de hombres, 33 cooperativas de mujeres; 11 empresas asociativas campesinas y varias cooperativas en formación. La Federación está afiliada a la Confederación Hondureña de Cooperativas, CHC, a la Confederación de Cooperativas del Caribe y Centro América, CCCCA, y forma parte del Consejo Nacional Campesino, CNC. Entre los proyectos evaluados en Honduras FECORAH es contraparte del “Desarrollo de la Capacidad Económica y Empresarial de FECORAH.”

2.4.3. Instituto para la Cooperación y Autodesarrollo, ICADE El ICADE, que se fundó en 1992, es un instituto de desarrollo de carácter técnico y social, con personería jurídica y sin fines de lucro. ICADE busca elevar el nivel de vida de la población, preferentemente de los sectores que han estado marginados de los beneficios de la sociedad. Busca impulsar la economía social, solidaria y colectiva como una alternativa al enfoque neoliberal e individualista. Su propuesta política plantea la integración de la identidad social, cultural y productiva de los sectores de base y que éstos construyan la gobernabilidad local, regional y nacional. ICADE tiene claro que su acompañamiento a movimientos sociales y grupos de base no es para siempre. Su objetivo es que en un plazo de 5–6 años los sectores con los cuales trabaja puedan valerse por sí mismos. Por eso el estímulo de sus capacidades combina el fortalecimiento de la identidad comunitaria con iniciativas productivas a través de la creación de redes. Las actividades y programas de ICADE incluyen: desarrollo campesino autogestionario; servicios financieros; protección de los recursos naturales y el medio ambiente; el programa de certificación socio-ambiental; capacitación y asistencia técnica; la unidad de servicios administrativos, así como vivienda solidaria rural y urbana por ayuda mutua. ICADE es contraparte de los proyectos “Promoción y Mejoramiento del Hábitat” y “Desarrollo Sostenible de las Comunidades del Frente de Colonización e Indígenas de la Reserva Tawahka Asangni.”

2.4.4. Unión de Cooperativas de Servicios Agropecuarios, UNIOCOOP UNIOCOOP es una organización de integración cooperativa de segundo grado, fundada en 1985 y registrada en el IHDECOOP. Sus objetivos generales son: • Mejorar las condiciones económicas, sociales y culturales de los y las cooperativistas y la comunidad en donde se desenvuelven sus cooperativas de base. • Aumentar el patrimonio nacional y de los cooperativistas, estimulando la producción, la productividad y el ahorro interno. • Incrementar y diversificar las exportaciones e impulsar el uso racional de los recursos naturales. • Estimular la iniciativa individual y colectiva, la solidaridad, la autoayuda y el espíritu de responsabilidad en todos los estratos de la población, para la solución de sus problemas económicos y sociales en general. • Brindar servicios de distribución de insumos agrícolas a sus afiliados y al público en general.

118

SUPPORTING CIVIL SOCIETY ORGANIZATIONS FOR EMPOWERMENT AND ECONOMICS PROGRESS OF SMALL FARMERS AND PEOPLE LIVING IN POVERTY – Sida EVALUATION 2008:25

• Realizar y apoyar a sus afiliadas en la industrialización y comercialización de sus productos destinados al mercado nacional e internacional. • Gestionar, coordinar y proporcionar a las cooperativas servicios de asistencia técnica, administrativa, educativa, financiera y prestar cualquier otro servicio que demanden sus afiliadas. UNIOCOOP forma parte de los siguientes organismos de integración: Instituto Hondureño del Café, IHCAFE, Fondo Cafetero Nacional, FCN, Consejo Nacional Cafetalero, CONACAFE, Confederación Hondureña de Cooperativas, CHC, Instituto Hondureño de Cooperativas, IHDECOOP e Instituto de Investigación y Formación Cooperativista, IFC. UNIOCOOP es contraparte del proyecto “Mejoramiento Organizativo, Productivo y de Comercialización de las Empresas y Familias Campesinas, MEJORA.”

2.4.5. Instituto de Investigación y Formación Cooperativista, IFC El IFC es un organismo auxiliar creado en 1974 con la finalidad de contribuir al desarrollo del Movimiento Cooperativo Nacional mediante su gestión en organización y desarrollo de procesos de capacitación, formación e investigación. En el instituto se han capacitado cientos de directivos, funcionarios y cooperativistas, nacionales y de base. El IFC asienta su trabajo en estrategias de competitividad, diferenciación de productos y servicios, para lo cual cuenta con el Centro Nacional de Capacitación Cooperativista, CENCOOP y una oficina regional en San Pedro Sula. IFC es contraparte del proyecto “Mejoramiento Organizativo, Productivo y de Comercialización de las Empresas y Familias Campesinas, MEJORA.” 2.5.

Proyectos visitados en Honduras

2.5.1

MEJORA, Mejoramiento Organizativo, Productivo y de Comercialización de las Empresas y Familias Campesinas, P-331

Antecedentes. El proyecto Mejora se estructuró para consolidar los resultados generados por un proyecto anterior, Cendec, implementado por ACAN, FECORAH, UNIOCOOP e IFC en el periodo 2002– 2005. El nuevo proyecto se inició en el año 2006, incorporando como beneficiarias a 51 empresas de base y 5 de segundo grado, ubicadas en tres de los departamentos más pobres de Honduras, Intibucá, Yoro y La Paz. El objetivo es mejorar las condiciones de vida de las familias campesinas por medio del fortalecimiento de las capacidades asociativas, productivas y de comercialización de las empresas asociativas incorporadas ya que el problema clave de estas asociaciones ha sido la débil capacidad de gestión de las empresas la cual ha generando bajos niveles de ingresos y rentabilidad. Durante la misión de evaluación se visitó a las siguientes cooperativas y asociaciones campesinas integradas al proyecto MEJORA: Cooperativa Regional ECARAI, Intibucá, la Empresa Asociativa Campesina Los Encinos, Intibucá, Cooperativa COACVAL, Intibucá, Cooperativa Brisas de Ulúa, El Progreso, Empresa Asociativa Campesina 26 de Junio, El Progreso. Objetivos y actividades. Las actividades del proyecto comprenden una serie de acciones de desarrollo organizacional como: elaboración de una estrategia para fortalecer las relaciones de equidad de género; implementación de los controles administrativos en las organizaciones de base; capacitación a las organizaciones de base en aspectos organizativos y administrativos con equidad de género. En desarrollo empresarial: diseño e implementación de fincas integrales; consolidación del funcionamiento de microsistemas de riego; implementación de 18 acciones concretas para la protección del medio ambiente; implementación y consolidación de los modelos de economía de patio (cerdos, ganados, peces, abejas, gallinas y pavo); plantación de parcelas demostrativas para el rescate de por lo menos 5 variedades criollas; ampliación y consolidación de la producción artesanal (tejidos, panadería, envasados, procesamiento de carnes, fabricación de concentrados y reelaboración de abonos orgánicos); elaboración e implementación de una estrategia de comercialización; fortalecimiento de 3 mecanismos de comerciali-

SUPPORTING CIVIL SOCIETY ORGANIZATIONS FOR EMPOWERMENT AND ECONOMICS PROGRESS OF SMALL FARMERS AND PEOPLE LIVING IN POVERTY – Sida EVALUATION 2008:25

119

zación (ECARAI, CORMISEL, CARSYL); suscripción de alianzas para que los productores participen en ferias agropecuarias ya establecidas. Para las contrapartes responsables de la gestión del proyecto se lleva a cabo acciones de capacitación de su personal técnico y administrativo. Organización operativa. La estructura operativa del proyecto consiste de una Comisión Directiva Nacional integrada por los presidentes de las organizaciones contraparte y una Comisión Gerencial compuesta por los directores y gerentes de las contrapartes, que verifica la ejecución de actividades, aprueba las solicitudes de fondos al SCC así como los reportes financieros al SCC, liquidaciones de viáticos, gastos de viaje y solicitudes de anticipo de los técnicos de campo, las solicitudes de fondos adicionales y transferencias presupuestarias entre actividades y componentes. Adicionalmente, la Comisión Gerencial aprueba los informes de seguimiento y monitoreo presentados por los técnicos de campo y responde por el manejo y administración transparente de los recursos asignados por el SCC. Además hay una Comisión Técnica integrada por los técnicos de las contrapartes y los técnicos de campo que responde por la planificación operativa de las actividades del proyecto, evalúa el avance de las actividades, suministra y sistematiza la información a los responsables del proyecto y realiza giras de campo de observación y monitoreo. Para apoyar las organizaciones de base el proyecto cuenta con un técnico en agricultura sostenible en cada región, quienes son responsables de coordinar y ejecutar las actividades operativas de campo, así como la transferencia de conocimientos en el ámbito regional y local. Los “enlaces” son colaboradores con los técnicos de campo, dándole seguimiento a los cultivos y otras actividades del proyecto, aplicando los conocimientos adquiridos en la capacitación con las familias participantes. Son seleccionados uno por cada cooperativa y empresa participante y funcionan como un para-técnico auxiliando las familias de su respectiva base. Adicionalmente, se ha formado Comisiones Regionales que sirven de apoyo a los técnicos de campo para que las bases afiliadas a cada contraparte cumplan con sus obligaciones contraídas con el proyecto. Las comisiones están integradas por los presidentes de las juntas directivas regionales.El presupuesto del proyecto asciende a SEK 1.266.000 en 2007 y SEK 1.435.000 en 2008 para un total de SEK 2.701.000

2.5.2. Desarrollo Organizativo y Empresarial de la ACAN, P-333 Antecedentes. La Asociación Campesina Nacional es una organización gremial del sector campesino que agrupa varios modelos organizativos como cooperativas, empresas asociativas, grupos de mujeres, cajas rurales, asociaciones de pequeños productores así como 10 cooperativas regionales de autogestión. Las bases de estas asociaciones están constituidas por familias campesinas de bajos ingresos que presentan estabilidad en el sentido de que están organizadas alrededor del recurso tierra. Las limitadas capacidades organizativas y empresariales de ACAN es un problema vital para la organización, que implica un riesgo importante en relación con sus esfuerzos de lograr la sostenibilidad y el desarrollo. Además pone la organización en una situación débil con respecto a sus esfuerzos para incrementar su autonomía e independencia frente al Estado y el gobierno de turno. Objetivos y Actividades. El objetivo de desarrollo del proyecto es contribuir a la sostenibilidad económica, social e institucional de la ACAN y el objetivo del proyecto es fortalecer los aspectos organizativos y empresariales de la asociación. El proyecto tiene dos componentes los cuales son: Desarrollo Organizacional e Inversiones. En el marco del componente de desarrollo organizacional: se capacitarán los integrantes de los órganos de dirección nacionales y regionales para mejorar sus habilidades en el labor político gremial y para impulsar la perspectiva y la equidad de género; se mejorará el sistema de planificación; se incrementará la efectividad de la sección de créditos de ACAN en la recuperación de créditos otorgados a sus beneficiarios. En cuanto a inversiones se mejorará la infraestructura de la ACAN y se implementarán tres proyectos productivos con fines de contribuir a la sostenibilidad de la asociación. Los beneficiarios directos son tanto la estructura central de la ACAN como sus organismos regionales y de base que representan unas 3,160 familias campesinas, de las cuales un 31 por ciento son mujeres 120

SUPPORTING CIVIL SOCIETY ORGANIZATIONS FOR EMPOWERMENT AND ECONOMICS PROGRESS OF SMALL FARMERS AND PEOPLE LIVING IN POVERTY – Sida EVALUATION 2008:25

jefes de familia y un 69 por ciento son hombres jefes de familia. Se extienden los efectos en forma indirecta a unas 13,000 familias campesinas en unas 159 comunidades donde funcionan las organizaciones de base de la ACAN, al recibir la acción de los nuevos líderes capacitados desarrollando sus funciones gremial, política y empresarial. La implementación del proyecto tiene cobertura en 13 de los 18 departamentos de Honduras. Al involucrar varias cooperativas regionales en las actividades, tanto de capacitación como en aspectos organizativos y la elaboración de propuestas de proyectos regionales, ACAN se propone beneficiar un número de familias afiliadas mayor que el número posible de alcanzar desde la oficina central. El presupuesto total del proyecto para los tres años de duración asciende a SEK 2.119.732 de los cuales el SCC aportaría SEK 1.624.000 equivalentes al 76.6%. El resto del financiamiento, correspondiente a SEK 495.732 (23.4%), será aportado por la ACAN en especie con SEK 239.151 (11.3%) y en efectivo con SEK 256.581 (12.1%), que serán canalizados a través de la cuenta del proyecto.

2.5.3. Desarrollo de la Capacidad Económica y Empresarial de FECORAH, P-334 Antecedentes. Se inició el proyecto en enero de 2007 y finaliza en diciembre de 2009. El propósito del SCC, es fortalecer las organizaciones contrapartes del programa con la finalidad de que brinden mejores servicios a sus afiliados. Este proyecto se preparó también para darle seguimiento al proceso iniciado por el proyecto “Fortalecimiento Institucional de FECORAH” ejecutado durante los tres años anteriores y para contribuir a resolver el problema de la débil capacidad económica y empresarial de la federación que la obliga a depender en un grado alto de los proyectos y el apoyo financiero del gobierno. Esta dependencia explica, entre otras cosas, la poca incidencia que la Federación tiene ante las instituciones del Estado. Después de tres años de ejecución del proyecto anterior, se ha logrado resultados importantes relacionados con la sostenibilidad y la autogestión de FECORAH, pero este proceso está diseñado a mediano y largo plazo para que la Federación alcance un nivel de sostenimiento adecuado. Objetivos y actividades. El objetivo de desarrollo del proyecto es “mejorar las condiciones de sostenibilidad de FECORAH” y el objetivo del proyecto es “desarrollar la capacidad económica y empresarial de FECORAH con equidad de género.” El proyecto consiste de tres componentes, es decir, desarrollo organizacional, sostenibilidad económica y crédito. En desarrollo organizacional se lleva a cabo: capacitación de dirigentes nacionales, regionales y de base para renovar cuadros así como revisión del plan estratégico de la federación y preparación de planes de operación; apoyo a la incidencia gremial y política de FECORAH; equipamiento de la sala de capacitación de FECORAH; revisión de estatutos para aplicar políticas de género; talleres regionales de base para la sensibilización de hombres y mujeres así como encuentros regionales y nacionales de mujeres para definir la estrategia de inclusión en la estructura de FECORAH. El componente de sostenibilidad económica comprende: el establecimiento de dos centros de acopio de producción agrícola (Norte y Aguan) la implementación de un proyecto de ganado de doble propósito y un proyecto de cerdos para la venta de carne. Finalmente, el componente de crédito abarca una revisión de mecanismos y controles para el otorgamiento del crédito, el seguimiento de la cartera de crédito, gestión de recursos ante nuevas fuentes financieras y la operación de la cartera de crédito. El presupuesto del proyecto para 2007 es SEK 635.000, para 2008 asciende a 670.000, sumando SEK 1.305.000.

2.5.4. Promoción y Mejoramiento del Hábitat, ICADE, P-353 Antecedentes. El proyecto, implementado por ICADE, se inició para contribuir a la solución de la carencia de vivienda digna que afecta en forma grave a los pobres en las áreas urbanas y rurales. La deficiencia de vivienda es tan grande en Honduras que las soluciones no alcanzan a cubrir siquiera la aumento de la demanda anual causada por el crecimiento de la población. Las soluciones oficiales que se han planteado y aplicado, con pocas excepciones, se han apegado a un concepto comercial, cuyo efecto inmediato ha sido el encarecimiento de la vivienda, debido a que para la empresa privada no es intereSUPPORTING CIVIL SOCIETY ORGANIZATIONS FOR EMPOWERMENT AND ECONOMICS PROGRESS OF SMALL FARMERS AND PEOPLE LIVING IN POVERTY – Sida EVALUATION 2008:25

121

sante desarrollar vivienda popular, porque la ganancia no es atractiva y la población pobre es considerada de alto riesgo. No hay una política de tierras para impulsar la vivienda popular. Ha sido la presión organizada de la población la que muchas veces ha determinado el acceso a la tierra y la vivienda. Objetivos y actividades. El proyecto pretende organizar los sectores populares de Honduras en empresas de economía social, con la participación del Estado, los gobiernos locales y el ICADE, para que desarrollen capacidades para resolver sus necesidades de vivienda y hábitat dignos. Procura, además, fortalecer el compromiso y las capacidades de los beneficiarios para resolver otros problemas socioeconómicos, como generación de empleo e ingreso, gestión de terrenos y servicios básicos para facilitar la construcción de viviendas y el desarrollo del hábitat, promoviendo el sentido de pertenencia de las organizaciones populares de vivienda con el sector social de la economía, para fortalecer su integración y consolidación. En la ejecución de los proyectos se utiliza la ayuda mutua que permite integrar los participantes en las actividades de organización, capacitación, formalización, legalización, administración y construcción de las viviendas. La ayuda mutua facilita asimismo la resolución de otros problemas que en muchos casos se relacionan con fuentes de ingreso, salud, educación a niños, jóvenes y adultos, deportes, tercera edad, etc. En el proyecto participan 14 cooperativas de vivienda de diferentes partes del país y los beneficiarios directos son 1,195 mujeres y 1,776 hombres. El objetivo de desarrollo es “contribuir a que los sectores excluidos de los beneficios de la sociedad hondureña mejoren sus condiciones para acceder a una vivienda digna” y el objetivo del proyecto es “facilitar condiciones de apoyo técnico y de gestión orientadas a viabilizar el desarrollo de proyectos de construcción y mejoramiento de viviendas de la población meta.” Los componentes del proyecto son; organización, consolidación y capacitación. Se consolidarán las cooperativas de vivienda organizadas y constituidas legalmente, trabajando con los pobladores en asistencia técnica continua relacionada con los aspectos legales, administrativos y de funcionamiento interno. Por esta razón se mantendrá una actividad de capacitación de los cuerpos directivos, de fiscalización, comités de educación y otros comités que se constituyan. Se documentarán y divulgarán las experiencias exitosas y el proyecto piloto. Por otro lado se mantendrán las 3,000 familias detectadas y promovidas hacia la gestión de su solución habitacional, razón por la cual siempre se estarán realizando charlas promocionales y se estarán promoviendo aproximadamente 400 pobladores anuales para sustituir a los que se retiran porque no ven una solución inmediata a su necesidad de vivienda. Incidencia e intercambios. La celebración de un foro anual sobre la vivienda popular es un mecanismo de sensibilización de los organismos gubernamentales para abrir fuentes de financiamiento, en línea con la modificación de políticas nacionales sobre la vivienda para los sectores menos favorecidos. Realización de eventos, charlas, seminarios y talleres con organizaciones del sector social de la economía permitirá encaminar los pasos hacia la constitución de una red de organizaciones populares con actividades sobre vivienda para buscar incidencia. Se continuará con el intercambio de experiencias para dirigentes de organizaciones de vivienda, dirigentes de organizaciones populares y funcionarios de alto nivel de las instituciones del Estado que pertenecen al sector de vivienda, con otras organizaciones que han acumulado experiencias exitosas en la organización de los pobladores y en la ejecución de proyectos por ayuda mutua. Como parte de este intercambio, el ICADE gestionará material de apoyo e intercambio de experiencias en materia de vivienda, a través del proyecto regional que impulsa el SCC. Gestión de proyectos. Para esta fase del proyecto no se contempla en el presupuesto recursos para la construcción de las viviendas, razón por la cual es necesario gestionar los fondos con otras instituciones nacionales y agencias de cooperación internacional, para poder ejecutar la construcción de las obras físicas. En este sentido se completará la información técnica para elaborar los documentos de proyecto 122

SUPPORTING CIVIL SOCIETY ORGANIZATIONS FOR EMPOWERMENT AND ECONOMICS PROGRESS OF SMALL FARMERS AND PEOPLE LIVING IN POVERTY – Sida EVALUATION 2008:25

que permitan obtener los recursos para el financiamiento de la construcción. En el marco de este componente se mantiene la ejecución física de los mismos, siendo el ingeniero encargado, el que coordina la construcción de las viviendas por el método de ayuda mutua, lo mismo que la capacitación de los comités de obra. El presupuesto del proyecto para el año 2007 asciende a SEK 1.055.000 y para 2008 a SEK 925.000.

2.5.6. Desarrollo Sostenible de las Comunidades del Frente de Colonización e Indígenas de la Reserva Tawahka Asangni, ICADE, P-354. Antecedentes. La Biosfera Tawahka Asangni (234,000 hectáreas) es una de las tres reservas de bosque más grandes de Honduras. Tiene una rica diversidad biológica y cultural de gran valor y constituye un eslabón vital del Corredor Biológico Mesoamericano. En la zona central de la reserva habitan 25 comunidades indígenas tawahkas. Sin embargo, la reserva es seriamente amenazada por una acelerada destrucción de sus bosques debido al avance de la frontera agrícola. Campesinos colonos deforestan rápidamente, en razón de una inmigración incontrolada de familias del interior del país presionadas por la pobreza, la falta de tierras para cultivar así como ganaderos y madereros, todos ilegales, interesados en el acaparamiento y la explotación de los bosques. Al mismo tiempo es patente la ausencia de las instituciones y mecanismos de regulación del Estado en la reserva. Objetivos y actividades. La intervención del ICADE se realiza mediante acciones educativas y socioempresariales con la población local, organizándola de acuerdo con la economía social, con un enfoque ambientalista del desarrollo humano. Este trabajo de organización y movilización resultó en 2005 en un Pacto por la Conservación y Uso Sostenible de los Recursos Naturales y el Ambiente en el Corredor Biológico Mesoamericano y contribuyó a reducir la depredación. Subsisten, no obstante, fuertes amenazas sobre la reserva, las organizaciones son todavía muy débiles y necesitan consolidación. Por eso es urgente continuar las operaciones para lograr impactos permanentes de concientización y adopción de las comunidades y de los otros actores de nuevas tecnologías apropiadas. El objetivo de desarrollo es contribuir a la conservación y el uso sostenible de los recursos naturales del Corredor Biológico Mesoamericano, y el objetivo del proyecto es fortalecer la autogestión local y el desarrollo socioeconómico de la población meta. Los tres componentes del proyecto son: Organización, Protección y educación ambiental, y, Producción, los cuales incluyen las siguientes acciones de desarrollo: • Administración y manejo conjunto de la Biosfera: Creación de condiciones humanas para el establecimiento de un sistema de planificación territorial y el desarrollo de nuevos modelos de gestión, protección y conservación de los recursos naturales, sobre la base de estructuras comunales de autogestión. • Desarrollo empresarial autogestionario: Promoción de la organización comunal por áreas productivas, en torno a la cual se planificará el desarrollo sustentable; se administrará el manejo conjunto de la Biosfera; se aprovechará racionalmente el recurso forestal; se desarrollarán estructuras de transformación de la madera y se promoverán las relaciones de solidaridad, equidad de género, rendición de cuentas y participación transparente. • Reconversión productiva: Capacitación a los productores para consolidar sistemas agro-silvo-pastoriles sustentables. Promoción de la reforestación con maderables y frutales con propósitos ambientales y económicos, promoviendo la ganadería intensiva y la agricultura orgánica así como introducción de cultivos amigables con el bosque. Es necesaria la participación protagónica de las comunidades locales y la incidencia para que los gobiernos locales, la sociedad civil, y el Estado, ejerzan una influencia positiva en la protección de los recursos naturales, buscando eliminar las actividades depredadoras ilegales, (tala y comercio ilegales de madera) así como la impunidad ambiental. El proyecto integrará esfuerzos con organizaciones ambientalistas, sociedad civil organizada y pueblos indígenas para concertar el nuevo Proyecto de Ley Forestal,

SUPPORTING CIVIL SOCIETY ORGANIZATIONS FOR EMPOWERMENT AND ECONOMICS PROGRESS OF SMALL FARMERS AND PEOPLE LIVING IN POVERTY – Sida EVALUATION 2008:25

123

especialmente con el Movimiento Ambientalista de Olancho, MAO, movimientos indígenas y ONG, para lograr la aprobación de una nueva Ley Forestal. Se procurará también formar una alianza con sectores de la empresa privada, a fin de que concurran en apoyo a los trabajos de conservación y protección de los recursos naturales. Esta alianza será clave en la estrategia del proyecto, por el peso del sector en el gobierno y en el grupo de empresarios que tienen conexión con los que deforestan la zona. El presupuesto del proyecto para el año 2007 asciende a SEK 475.000 y para 2008 a SEK 500.000.

2.5.7. Asistencia Técnica, P-335, Equipo Técnico, Oficina País, SCC, Honduras El objetivo del proyecto es brindar asesoría técnica y apoyo administrativo a las contrapartes del SCC en Honduras, en la planificación, ejecución, monitoreo y evaluación de los proyectos de cooperación del SCC en el país, para facilitar el logro de los objetivos de los 13 proyectos (de los cuales 10 son financiados por SEKA), promoviendo el desarrollo organizacional y de capacidades de las organizaciones contrapartes para la ejecución de los proyectos. El trabajo de asistencia se realiza por el equipo de la oficina del SCC, el Coordinador de Programa, la Asistente de Programa y la Administradora Financiera. El coordinador se dedica especialmente a planificación, monitoreo y evaluación y la administradora financiera a capacitación y monitoreo financieros. En forma indirecta, a través de la ejecución de los diferentes proyectos de cooperación, este trabajo contribuye al mejoramiento de las condiciones de vida del grupo meta del programa país y a promover la equidad de género. El monitoreo financiero empieza, luego de la firma del convenio de un proyecto, con un proceso de capacitación financiera de las contrapartes. Luego se prepara un plan de trabajo organizacional y administrativo con acompañamiento del SCC hasta el primer desembolso. Las contrapartes hacen liquidaciones mensuales durante el período. Por medio de esta experiencia y la capacitación las contrapartes quedan con un avance en la capacidad interna de monitoreo financiero. Cabe mencionar que el SCC Honduras ha apoyado a Diakonia, Forum Syd y Caritas con la preparación de los sistemas de planificación y ejercicios con sus contrapartes. Para facilitar el seguimiento de los aportes a los proyectos (en mano de obra, insumos o financiación) de las contrapartes SCC ha preparado un instrumento para poder registrar sistemáticamente el valor de tales aportes. Se hace asimismo un inventario anual de cada organización (toda la organización incluyendo proyectos que no son financiados por el SCC). Este procedimiento se ha establecido en los convenios con las organizaciones contrapartes. Las liquidaciones que les corresponden a las contrapartes se hacen mensualmente. Conjuntamente, se ha desarrollado un sistema de contabilidad que permite incluir proyectos financiados por otras organizaciones tales como Heifer International, Diakonia y otras. Se está usando el manual de Planificación Monitoreo y Evaluación, Proyectos de Desarrollo Social y Humano.82 La preparación de este instrumento fue coordinada por Armando Costa Pinto de la oficina de Estocolmo y el personal técnico del SCC en la región de Centroamérica jugó un papel clave como colaboradores directos en este trabajo. Los resultados y la efectividad de los proyectos del SCC en Centroamérica se miden por medio de este sistema. En cuanto a la eficiencia de las operaciones el equipo técnico de Honduras considera que el SCC (en Honduras y Centroamérica en general) tiene una estructura administrativa y técnica bastante liviana (tres personas en Honduras) para la operación de los 13 proyectos actuales del país. El presupuesto de la asistencia técnica asciende a SEK 770.000 el año 2007 y SEK 810.000 en el año 2008.

82

Armando Costa Pinto (coordinador) Eduardo Cantos, Arturo Piedra-Santa, Viviana Vargas, Agustín Canzani, Manual de Planificación, Monitoreo y Evaluación, Proyectos de Desarrollo Social y Humano, Centro Cooperativo Sueco, San José, Costa Rica, 2004.

124

SUPPORTING CIVIL SOCIETY ORGANIZATIONS FOR EMPOWERMENT AND ECONOMICS PROGRESS OF SMALL FARMERS AND PEOPLE LIVING IN POVERTY – Sida EVALUATION 2008:25

3.

Hallazgos

3.1.

El modo de operación del SCC en Centroamérica

3.1.1. Antecedentes, cambios y relaciones con la estrategia El SCC se estableció en Centroamérica (Nicaragua) en 1984. Luego de una expansión que comprendió el resto de Centroamérica e incluyó a Uruguay, se abrió la Oficina Regional de América Latina en Costa Rica en 1997. El proceso de expansión y operación del SCC en Centroamérica se ha caracterizado por una descentralización y una autonomía crecientes con respecto a la oficina principal en Estocolmo. Desde su establecimiento en Centroamérica el SCC ha trabajado con contrapartes regionales y locales que han sido los responsables de la implementación directa de los proyectos. A partir de una modalidad de trabajo en la cual la mayoría del personal dirigiendo las actividades eran suecos, que tenían un papel de administradores antes que agentes de cambio y los objetivos, prioridades y decisiones relacionadas con el trabajo fueron determinadas casi exclusivamente desde Estocolmo, se ha ido transformando gradualmente este modo de operación en una creciente autonomía de las oficinas nacionales y regional con respecto a Estocolmo. La expansión de la presencia del SCC en Centroamérica contribuyó asimismo a un incremento de latinoamericanos en el personal contratado para trabajar con el SCC en la región. La crisis del movimiento cooperativista en la década de los 1980 y 1990, particularmente en los países del Su y la focalización de la cooperación internacional (incluyendo la de Asdi) en la reducción de la pobreza estimuló la discusión dentro del SCC sobre el carácter de sus programas, formas de trabajar y tipo de socios en este nuevo ámbito de cooperación al desarrollo. Originalmente, el trabajo del SCC en Centroamérica había sido orientado principalmente hacia el sector cooperativista, consistiendo de apoyo financiero y técnico a organizaciones cooperativas y proyectos cooperativos relativamente pequeños e individuales, sin una consciencia explícita de la orientación y las condiciones de los proyectos como totalidad o programa. Ahora, se inició un proceso de reorientación del trabajo del SCC en Centroamérica, enfatizando las relaciones entre los niveles micro y macro, o sea entre los proyectos productivos pequeños y las políticas de desarrollo nacional e internacional. Luego de la descentralización de decisiones clave de Estocolmo a las oficinas nacionales y regionales siguió otro paso que amplió la participación de los equipos de países y regionales en la preparación y selección de proyectos más allá de la intervención de la dirección regional y los coordinadores de país. Un cambio adicional ocurrido en el trabajo del SCC en Centroamérica es que se ha producido gradualmente, como consecuencia de la experiencia en el pasado, una apertura hacía la incorporación de nuevas categorías de organizaciones (movimientos sociales, organizaciones gremiales) y actividades que no necesariamente sean cooperativistas en un sentido tradicional. Otro cambio importante relacionado con la nueva estrategia fue la decisión de reducir las 11 áreas de trabajo existiendo anteriormente a únicamente cuatro áreas o programas principales, es decir desarrollo rural, vivienda digna, participación ciudadana y equidad de género. También se fortalecerá la perspectiva regional por medio de programas regionales con proyectos incorporados por país. La razón del cambio es fortalecer la concentración y focalización de las actividades de acuerdo con los objetivos de la nueva estrategia regional. Por lo tanto, los proyectos incorporados tendrán componentes manifiestos relacionados con incidencia política, participación, equidad de género y desarrollo organizacional. Aún otra manera de fortalecer la puesta en práctica de la nueva estrategia es mediante la formación de equipos de programas o temas de trabajo. La estructura organizacional de las oficinas y coordinadores por país seguirá vigente, pero se complementará con nuevos coordinadores de programas o temas.

3.1.2. La preparación de las propuestas de proyecto Actualmente se preparan las propuestas de proyectos en la siguiente forma. Después de recibir una propuesta de un proyecto las oficinas nacionales del SCC la analizan de acuerdo con su guía de identifiSUPPORTING CIVIL SOCIETY ORGANIZATIONS FOR EMPOWERMENT AND ECONOMICS PROGRESS OF SMALL FARMERS AND PEOPLE LIVING IN POVERTY – Sida EVALUATION 2008:25

125

cación y preparación de proyectos para luego entregarla a la oficina regional donde se la incorporan en una Bolsa de Proyectos. El próximo paso consiste de discusión y análisis de la propuesta entre oficinas de país y la oficina regional. Uno de los espacios y canales para este diálogo son las reuniones de países en las cuales participan los equipos de país y el equipo regional del SCC. Luego de una decisión de la dirección regional según los criterios convenidos para la selección, la propuesta sigue a SCC y SEKA en Estocolmo para aprobación. Para cada propuesta aprobada las contrapartes, con asistencia de la oficina país del SCC, preparan después un plan de trabajo. 3.2.

La relevancia de los programas del SCC y sus contrapartes en relación con los objetivos de estas organizaciones y con los objetivos de Asdi

Para responder las cuestiones formuladas en los términos de referencia alrededor de la relevancia de los proyectos del SCC y de sus contrapartes se ha hecho un examen de los documentos estratégicos y de políticas de las organizaciones que se complementa por las observaciones directas y las entrevistas del trabajo de campo. El escrutinio de los objetivos globales de desarrollo de Asdi, SCC y las organizaciones contrapartes de Honduras revela que hay una coincidencia y coherencia bastante alta en cuanto a los objetivos de estas tres categorías de agencias. Los objetivos globales de Asdi referentes a la reducción de la pobreza y la sociedad civil83 son muy coherentes con los objetivos y la posición del SCC en relación con la reducción de la pobreza, la focalización de grupos meta y su concepción de la sociedad civil en relación con el movimiento cooperativista.84 Empoderar los pobres, promover la democracia, promover la paz y la seguridad, y desarrollar un espacio o una red global para la interacción de organizaciones de la sociedad civil son otras ambiciones específicas expresadas por Asdi en relación con el trabajo con la sociedad civil85 que son compartidas por el SCC. Como se puede deducir de la presentación de las organizaciones contrapartes del SCC en las páginas anteriores, tanto la misión, los objetivos como los proyectos que están realizando en colaboración con el SCC tienen una alta coherencia con los objetivos del SCC y Asdi. Llama la atención desde la perspectiva de los objetivos de reducción de la pobreza y el trabajo con la sociedad civil que los proyectos y las contrapartes reúnen en forma orgánica actividades y componentes tanto de reducción de la pobreza como de fortalecimiento de las organizaciones y la sociedad civil mediante la combinación de proyectos o componentes productivos con actividades de incidencia política, fortalecimiento organizacional y capacitación técnica. Las organizaciones que funcionan como “operadoras técnicas”, particularmente ICADE, tienen una capacidad técnica significativa y una conceptualización coherente y valiosa del cooperativismo y su relación con la economía social y las empresas solidarias. Las otras contrapartes son asociaciones de pobladores urbanos y movimientos populares, como federaciones de cooperativas y organizaciones campesinas con una base amplia de cooperativas de base o asociaciones regionales y locales cuyas ventajas residen en ser organizaciones que existen independientemente de la cooperación internacional y en tener una trayectoria larga de funcionamiento democrático. Entre estos dos tipos de contrapartes así como con respecto al mismo SCC hay importantes espacios de sinergia y posibilidades de fortalecimiento mutuo. No obstante, las organizaciones contrapartes también adolecen de algunas debilidades que trataremos en seguida.

83

84

85

El objetivo implica que: “Asdi debe aspirar a promover el desarrollo de una sociedad civil dinámica y democrática, que brinde a los pobres la posibilidad de actuar juntos para mejorar sus condiciones de vida.” SCC, Nuevos pasos en la dirección correcta, Estrategia del Centro Cooperativo Sueco (SCC) para 2007– 2011, Estocolmo, abril, 2007. Sida, NGO Division at the Department for Cooperation with Non-Governmental Organisations and Humanitarian Assistance and Conflict Management, SEKA, May 16, 2007.

126

SUPPORTING CIVIL SOCIETY ORGANIZATIONS FOR EMPOWERMENT AND ECONOMICS PROGRESS OF SMALL FARMERS AND PEOPLE LIVING IN POVERTY – Sida EVALUATION 2008:25

3.2.1. Debilidades de las contrapartes y del cooperativismo en Centroamérica Varias de las debilidades administrativas y organizacionales características del movimiento cooperativista en Centroamérica, más acentuadas mientras uno se acerca al nivel de base de las organizaciones, caracterizan también las contrapartes del SCC en Honduras, excepción hecha de la operadora técnica ICADE. Los movimientos populares, las federaciones de cooperativas, y aún más las organizaciones correspondientes de base, tienen generalmente un bajo o muy bajo nivel de capacidad administrativa, de gestión y de organización. Un factor primordial, que parcialmente explica las otras debilidades, es la falta de recursos económicos que directamente afecta al desarrollo organizacional y la construcción de capacidades de las organizaciones, contribuyendo a problemas tales como la falta de recursos humanos calificados y un nivel bajo en la gestión y ejecución administrativa. Es importante mencionar en este contexto que de los miembros afiliados a ACAN, por ejemplo, 69 por ciento se encuentran ubicados abajo de la línea de pobreza. 3.3.

Capacidad técnica, capacitación y desarrollo organizacional

La capacidad técnica del personal del SCC en Honduras y Costa Rica es alta como lo demuestran los sistemas administrativos, de control de calidad y particularmente el sistema de PME. La documentación de los proyectos, de la cual una parte estratégicamente importante es la producida por el sistema PME es, excepción hecha de la falta de línea de base, de calidad buena y se destaca positivamente en comparación con muchos otros proyectos de la cooperación internacional sueca. El equipo de la oficina dispone de buenos conocimientos en desarrollo rural y en vivienda tienen apoyo de la experimentada operadora técnica FUCVAM. En relación con desarrollo organizacional la oficina de país ha usado principalmente consultorías con instituciones expertas en la materia que han producido estudios detallados sobre la estructura organizacional, las fuerzas y las debilidades de las contrapartes claves. Se ha preparado asimismo, un instrumento para análisis organizacional detallada de organizaciones y contrapartes.86 Según la nueva Estrategia Regional para América Latina SCC buscará fortalecer la influencia e incidencia políticas del SCC y las organizaciones contraparte. Para lograr trabajar con éxito tanto en el campo de la influencia directa, las presiones y la abogacía dirigida al gobierno y otros grupos poderosos importantes, así como jugar un papel en investigaciones políticas incluyendo evaluación crítica de las políticas públicas, preparación de análisis alternativos, directrices o métodos para la práctica y la acción en este campo (policy research) es preciso que los equipos de país y regional se fortalezcan con más capacidad y conocimientos en esta materia. Igualmente, el área de sistematización, documentación y difusión de las experiencias de los proyectos, los aprendizajes logrados y los métodos aplicados no ha sido suficientemente aprovechada. Esta tarea constituye un reto importante para el SCC en los años venideros. En cuanto a las contrapartes del SCC la situación es mixta. ICADE se distingue como una institución de alta capacidad técnica y de gestión mientras las correspondientes capacidades de ACAN y FECORAH son débiles. Como resultado de las acciones de capacitación y desarrollo organizacional llevadas a cabo en el marco de los proyectos evaluados, han tenido avances, en algunos casos respetables, pero siguen siendo débiles, por lo cual necesitarán más asistencia ya que estos proceses de capacitación, tomando en cuenta el estado de las organizaciones al inicio, son de largo o mediano plazo. Las contrapartes y organizaciones de base entrevistadas durante el trabajo de campo de la evaluación expresaron unánimemente que la capacitación que han recibido así como las acciones de desarrollo organizacional han sido de gran utilidad y en muchas ocasiones de importancia fundamental para el funcionamiento y la sostenibilidad de sus organizaciones así como un requisito para el desempeño satisfactorio de los otros componentes de los respectivos proyectos. 86

Elsa Milena Sánchez, Francis de Castellón, Diagnóstico Organizacional de FECORAH y ACAN, informe final, Honduras, Julio 15 del 2003, SCC, Oficina Regional para América Latina, ICADE, Análisis Organizacional, Proyecto Regional de Desarrollo Organizacional y Construcción de Capacidades, Honduras, 12 al 14 de marzo de 2006.

SUPPORTING CIVIL SOCIETY ORGANIZATIONS FOR EMPOWERMENT AND ECONOMICS PROGRESS OF SMALL FARMERS AND PEOPLE LIVING IN POVERTY – Sida EVALUATION 2008:25

127

La Asistencia, Técnica (P-335) ofrecida por el equipo técnico de la oficina del SCC en Honduras se refiere principalmente a asistencia, capacitación y desarrollo organizacional con respecto a las contrapartes. Cabe mencionar como punto de partida algunas dificultades en el trabajo de asistencia técnica que se originan en la situación y las características de las organizaciones populares, gremiales y cooperativistas en Honduras. Una de ellas es la baja capacidad técnica de tales contrapartes y beneficiarios en cuanto a administración, gestión y manejo económico, algo que se refleja también en una baja capacidad analítica y de síntesis. Sin embargo, el nivel de compromiso de estas organizaciones con las actividades emprendidas es alto. Otra dificultad se relaciona con la rotación rápida de los representantes electos y el personal de las organizaciones contrapartes más débiles. Este movimiento, por un lado, refleja una cultura democrática saludable con elecciones y cambios regulares de dirigentes y representantes, pero por otro lado dificulta la acumulación continua de conocimientos, la sistematización de aprendizajes y, por ende, la eficiencia del liderazgo y las operaciones de las organizaciones. Otro fenómeno que ha causado ciertos problemas es la cultura de “no pago” que predomina en Centroamérica y que debilita la base económica y financiera de las asociaciones ya que los miembros asociaciones e individuos no pagan o se atrasan en los pagos de las cuotas o créditos, por ejemplo. Una tarea de la asistencia técnica ha sido insistir en la necesidad de cambiar esta “cultura” e imponer más disciplina. Según el equipo técnico la situación la situación en este respecto ha mejorado (en el caso del sistema de microcréditos del SCC por ejemplo). La equidad de género también ha sido un tema difícil. La ambición inicial de “transversalización” del trabajo de género resultó en que el tema volvió algo intangible y difícil de abordar mediante acciones concretas. En el ámbito de la planificación y el seguimiento de los proyectos falta todavía la preparación de una línea de base completa y sistemática de los proyectos. Existe apenas en algunos casos y en ningún caso hay grupos de control. Ahora sin embargo la intención es preparar la línea de base en forma más sistemática para todos los proyectos. El equipo técnico de Honduras considera que el resultado de la asistencia técnica se refleja en la implementación eficaz y eficiente del programa de cooperación del SCC en el país y que en forma indirecta, a través de la ejecución de los proyectos de cooperación, ha contribuido al mejoramiento de las condiciones de vida del grupo meta del programa país y a la promoción de la equidad de género en los proyectos. Cabe agregar que esta apreciación es compartida por los representantes de las organizaciones contrapartes entrevistadas en el curso de la evaluación en Honduras. 3.4.

Sistemas de planificación, monitoreo y evaluación

El sistema de PME fue desarrollado por los equipos regionales y nacionales del SCC iniciándose con algunos de los proyectos del SCC en Centroamérica. Resultó luego en la publicación de la guía de PME. A partir del año 2002 el SCC inició el apoyo a sus contrapartes en la creación de un sistema de evaluación y monitoreo de los proyectos siguiendo los lineamientos de la Estrategia Regional para América Latina. Se realizaron talleres de capacitación de los técnicos de las contrapartes para facilitar la introducción del sistema en cada proyecto y en el periodo 2003–2004 se aplicaron las primeras herramientas de monitoreo y todas las contrapartes hicieron esfuerzos dirigidos a medir los indicadores. Los resultados obtenidos fueron socializados en talleres para el enriquecimiento institucional y técnico, así como para validar la información y enriquecerla con la participación de los beneficiarios. El proceso de aplicación del sistema cubrió varias etapas. Inicialmente se identificaron las variables y se definieron los indicadores para cada proyecto. Luego se procedió a la elaboración de las fichas metodológicas, de acuerdo al número de indicadores a medir. Posteriormente, se seleccionó muestras representativas de familias y organizaciones participantes en los proyectos y se elaboraron encuestas dirigidas a directivos, informantes claves y a las familias, dependiendo del indicador que se pretendía medir.

128

SUPPORTING CIVIL SOCIETY ORGANIZATIONS FOR EMPOWERMENT AND ECONOMICS PROGRESS OF SMALL FARMERS AND PEOPLE LIVING IN POVERTY – Sida EVALUATION 2008:25

En estas encuestas se incorporaron, además, los indicadores de la Estrategia Regional para América Latina del SCC. Actualmente continúa la difusión e implementación del sistema. Hay que aclarar, no obstante, que este proceso no se ha desarrollado en forma uniforme sino que se ha introducido diferentes variantes del sistema, y conseguido diferentes resultados, dependiendo del nivel de educación y capacitación de las contrapartes y, particularmente, sus respectivos grupos de base. Todas las contrapartes del SCC en Honduras se han integrado, con las adaptaciones mencionadas arriba, al sistema de PME introducido por el SCC y parece que esta integración ha transcurrido sin mayores tropiezos, entre otras cosas en razón del bajo nivel técnico y la ausencia de sistemas de PME realmente operativos y funcionales de parte de las contrapartes y aún más de sus organizaciones de base. Se pudo observar en la documentación y los registros que el sistema PME ha sido introducido en una forma consecuente y coherente y que constituye un instrumento fundamental para el seguimiento y los ajustes de los proyectos. Aparte de registrar resultados en forma cuantitativa de acuerdo con los indicadores de desempeño o resultados seleccionados el sistema incluye el componente de talleres de monitoreo participativo como un elemento muy importante. Estos talleres permiten cubrir las aspectos cualitativos y no “medibles” que frecuentemente son muy importantes, pero por definición escapan los sistemas de monitoreo exclusivamente cuantitativos. Además, ejercicios sistemáticos como los talleres de monitoreo participativo fortalecen considerablemente la participación de los grupos de base y los beneficiarios directos de los proyectos y facilitan la retroalimentación rápida de información para la toma de decisiones, ajustes y cambios en la planificación y operación de los responsables de la gestión de los proyectos. Todavía, sin embargo, hace falta la preparación de una línea de base sistematizada para todos los proyectos. Se ha iniciado el trabajo en algunos proyectos, pero otros faltan. Tal línea es esencial como punto de partida de la evaluación y el monitoreo de los proyectos ya que si es de buena calidad permite establecer un “punto cero” de partida con respecto a los resultados producidos por los proyectos. Para ser realmente útil la línea de base debe comprender tanto el “grupo del proyecto” es decir los participantes en el proyecto, y un “grupo de control”, o sea un grupo tan idéntico al “grupo del proyecto” como sea posible con referencia a una serie de variables y características claves, pero que no participa en el proyecto. La construcción de una línea de base es el reto mayor en el momento al sistema de PME, sobre el cuál cabe destacar que es un sistema se distingue favorablemente visto en la perspectiva del conjunto de la cooperación internacional sueca. Otro reto se relaciona con la agregación o consolidación de la información sobre los resultados de componentes de proyectos, de proyectos y de programas, como partes constitutivas de una totalidad nacional, regional o institucional del SCC como agencia. Esta consolidación probablemente no aparece como una necesidad apremiante en el ámbito de las oficinas nacionales (o entre las contrapartes) que por su experiencia y trabajo diario con los proyectos tienen una buena visión de su estado y su desempeño. Se trata más bien de una urgencia del evaluador externo y del donante. Las tendencias que predominan actualmente en la cooperación internacional enfatizan la “efectividad”, los “resultados” y la “medición de resultados” (sin tener y/o ofrecer muchos instrumentos y recursos para ello) nos hace pensar que la consolidación de resultados es una tarea que el SCC tendrá que abordar pronto. Probablemente tal consolidación debe ser enfocada tanto desde la perspectiva de una consolidación cuantitativa de datos, como desde la perspectiva cualitativa, de una consolidación analítica. Se alcanzó percibir que dentro del SCC se da una discusión interna actualmente, sobre el futuro papel del sistema PME. Algunos argumentos proponen bajarle el perfil del sistema ya que requiere bastantes recursos en términos de tiempo y trabajo. La sugerencia es simplificar el sistema haciéndolo más “liviano” para que sea manejable con menos recursos. A la vez otro argumento sostiene que el sistema ha dado identidad al SCC, que ha mostrado ser un sistema que funciona y que es importante.

SUPPORTING CIVIL SOCIETY ORGANIZATIONS FOR EMPOWERMENT AND ECONOMICS PROGRESS OF SMALL FARMERS AND PEOPLE LIVING IN POVERTY – Sida EVALUATION 2008:25

129

3.5.

Enfoque de reducción de la pobreza

El SCC, adoptando un enfoque multidimensional, define la pobreza como “la falta de oportunidades, recursos económicos, poder y seguridad”87 considerando que la falta de poder e influencia es tan importante como el aspecto económico porque constituye un obstáculo fundamental para que los pobres puedan mejorar su situación y condición de vida. Los pobres tienen posibilidades muy limitadas de actuar con independencia y de participar como ciudadanos y ciudadanas en procesos de toma de decisiones que definan sus vidas. Por lo tanto, la movilización y organización para actuar de manera conjunta son prerrequisitos para mejorar las condiciones de vida de los pobres. Además, la falta de seguridad es otro aspecto adverso que hace los pobres vulnerables frente a los abusos de poder, catástrofes causadas por fenómenos naturales, al desempleo y las enfermedades. No tienen márgenes para poder tomar riesgos y hacer inversiones a largo plazo. Consecuentemente, la reducción o salida de la pobreza requiere también el impulso de nuevas alternativas productivas, combinando la actuación e incidencia política con la creación de una base económica. Vistos dentro de esta perspectiva, una primera conclusión alrededor de los proyectos del SCC en Honduras es que sí se dirigen e incluyen a los grupos pobres, y que logran en diferentes grados y formas mejorar las condiciones de vida de estos grupos. La capacidad de llegar a los pobres depende de varios factores. Un factor esencial es que el SCC aplica una focalización de pobreza en la identificación y preparación de los proyectos – aunque éstos de acuerdo con los principios cooperativistas también pueden incluir categorías de campesinos, pobladores u otros grupos que no se encuentran por debajo de la línea de pobreza. Los beneficiarios del proyecto MEJORA (P-331), por ejemplo, están caracterizados según su posición como productores directos y su acceso a formas y medios de producción.88 Los miembros de las organizaciones ACAN y FECORAH así como los beneficiarios de los proyectos correspondientes (P-333), (P334), tienen un perfil socioeconómico muy similar a él de los beneficiarios de MEJORA, siendo los de ACAN y FECORAH miembros de organizaciones de base y dedicados a la producción de granos básicos, hortalizas, frutales, pequeña ganadería y a transformación de materias primas y comercialización en escala pequeña. Los beneficiarios del proyecto “Promoción y Mejoramiento del Hábitat” (P-353) están constituidos por núcleos familiares con ingresos y nivel patrimonial que los sitúan por debajo de la línea de pobreza, incluyendo campesinos asalariados y pequeños productores independientes de granos básicos y productos hortícolas, empleados de cooperativas productoras de palma africana, banano, etc., así como pequeños comerciantes independientes con ingresos moderados, tanto del área urbana como de las comunidades rurales. Dentro de la población de beneficiarios hay un claro predominio de participantes de la población más vulnerable, tales como madres solteras y familias campesinas, obreras, pobladores de zonas marginales y grupos étnicos postergados, sin acceso a la oferta de financiamiento de las entidades mercantiles. En el proyecto “Desarrollo Sostenible de las Comunidades del Frente de Colonización e Indígenas de la Reserva Tawahka Asangni” (P-354) la caracterización de los beneficiarios es algo más compleja considerando el carácter y los objetivos del proyecto. Los beneficiarios directos y focalizados en primer lugar son colonizadores de las tierras de la Reserva Tawahka, familias de escasos recursos económicos y bajos 87 88

Swedish Cooperative Centre, New steps in the right direction, SCC’s strategy for 2007–2011, Stockholm, 2007. 1. Campesinos dedicados a la producción de granos básicos, hortalizas, frutales y ganadería en pequeña escala, afiliados a cooperativas campesinas de la reforma agraria hondureña; 2. campesinos que transforman diversos productos artesanalmente y que están afiliadas en cooperativas o pequeñas empresa de autogestión comunal; 3. Grupos de pequeños y medianos productores de café que tratan de mejorar la calidad del producto utilizando nuevas tecnologías a fin de obtener mejores precios en el mercado internacional, todos afiliados a cooperativas cafetaleras; 4. familias cuya producción es dedicada en su mayoría al autoconsumo y en menor grado para la comercialización en el mercado local y regional; 5. productores cuyo nivel de ingresos apenas cubre las necesidades mínimas de alimentación, educación y salud.

130

SUPPORTING CIVIL SOCIETY ORGANIZATIONS FOR EMPOWERMENT AND ECONOMICS PROGRESS OF SMALL FARMERS AND PEOPLE LIVING IN POVERTY – Sida EVALUATION 2008:25

ingresos, provenientes del interior del país. Han emigrado por razones de conflictos bélicos, desplazamiento por construcción de proyectos hidroeléctricos o carencia de tierras. Se dedican a la producción agrícola tradicional de granos básicos. Se dirige asimismo a la comunidad indígenas Pech que se dedica al cultivo de granos básicos para la subsistencia y pequeños excedentes para la comercialización. La comunidad está ubicada en la zona de amortiguamiento de la Reserva. El proyecto se propone mejorar la calidad de vida de estas familias organizándolas y capacitándolas para reconvertir sus sistemas productivos de extensivos a intensivos, con tecnologías conservacionistas, mejorando sus ingresos, su nivel educativo y su salud, y creando conciencia ambiental. Como se trata de un proyecto integral se ha incorporado también algunas otras categorías de “actores interesados”, es decir, individuos, grupos o instituciones que serán afectados positivamente o negativamente del proyecto, o que pueden afectar su resultado. Estas categorías también serán beneficiarios del proyecto.89 Otro mecanismo para llegar a los pobres es la focalización geográfica. Se puede constatar que las actividades del SCC en Honduras tienen una concentración en las zonas urbanas más pobres y marginales así como y en las regiones rurales más pobres del país, como son las de los departamentos de Intibucá, Yoro y Colon. En Intibucá, además, una proporción considerable de los beneficiarios de los proyectos pertenecen al pueblo indígena Lenca y los pueblos indígenas son considerablemente más pobres que la población ladina en general. Constituyen 6.4 por ciento de la población total y 71 por ciento de ellos se ubican bajo la línea de pobreza.90 Forman así el grupo más pobre y excluido del país. Igualmente, la Reserva Tawahka Asangni es una de las subregiones geográficamente más periféricas y socialmente más marginales de Honduras. Otro modo de focalización con respecto a los grupos meta es la diferenciación entre beneficiarios directos e indirectos la cual por lo general se articula con o tiene consecuencias para los efectos, directos o indirectos, relacionados con la reducción de la pobreza. Muchos de los efectos de los componentes de los proyectos dirigidos a capacitación, fortalecimiento y desarrollo organizacional tienen efectos indirectos en la reducción de la pobreza, mientras los proyectos productivos agrícolas o de construcción y mejoramiento de vivienda tienen efectos directos. Estos efectos directos, inclusive, a veces producen ciertos efectos positivos imprevistos como la creación de nuevas fuentes de trabajo, la dinamización de mercados locales y el desarrollo de nuevas habilidades de los participantes. Si se aplica una concepción multidimensional de la pobreza cobra importancia la consideración de factores y criterios más intangibles o cualitativos que la “línea de pobreza” o las “necesidades básicas insatisfechas” para examinar resultados o desempeño de los proyectos. Estas apreciaciones de las dimensiones cualitativas de la pobreza están presentes en las secciones cualitativas de los talleres de monitoreo y evaluación. Unos ejemplos son las siguientes afirmaciones: “Con la ejecución del proyecto se crea en cada uno de los miembros de nuestras familias un sentimiento de esperanza y unidad por ver la realización de nuestros proyectos,” que el proyecto ha producido un “mejoramiento en la situación económica, social y psicológica” y que significa una “superación de las condiciones de vida al contar con una vivienda digna” o que “al inicio de los proyectos la gente creía que no podíamos organizarnos ni auto-dirigirnos – el resultado es que ahora sí creen en las cooperativas y desean ser parte de ellas.” Como algunos componentes significativos de los proyectos van dirigidos a la capacitación de los dirigentes y el personal de las organizaciones contrapartes a diferentes niveles (central, regional, local) es importante observar que estos dirigentes campesinos de ACAN y FECORAH son de la misma extrac89

90

La población de ganaderos, ubicada en algunas comunidades campesinas y los márgenes de los ríos y la población de madereros, ubicada en la Reserva. Adicionalmente se beneficiará la población de escolares, ubicada en 17 escuelas primarias de la zona. The World Bank, Honduras Poverty Assessment, Attaining Poverty Reduction, Vol: I, Main Report, Washington DC, June 30, 2006, p. 3.

SUPPORTING CIVIL SOCIETY ORGANIZATIONS FOR EMPOWERMENT AND ECONOMICS PROGRESS OF SMALL FARMERS AND PEOPLE LIVING IN POVERTY – Sida EVALUATION 2008:25

131

ción social que los beneficiarios y frecuentemente tienen una larga trayectoria en la lucha por la tierra que involucra a los más pobres de los pobres de Honduras – campesinos sin tierra o sin seguridad de su tenencia de la tierra. Estos antecedentes de los dirigentes son importantes porque les confieren credibilidad en cuanto a su compromiso con la causa de los miembros de las organizaciones. 3.6.

Efectividad y resultados de los programas del SCC en Honduras

Una dificultad en la evaluación de los resultados del conjunto de proyectos del SCC seleccionado para la evaluación es llegar a un resultado consolidado o agregado de los resultados parciales de los proyectos, componentes y actividades. Esta dificultad se debe al nivel de complejidad de los proyectos: el número de componentes, número de organizaciones participantes a nivel local, regional y nacional así como la variedad de sectores involucrados – cada uno de estos variables con sus resultados o efectos específicos, positivos y negativos, en el ámbito de un solo proyecto. El siguiente examen, por lo tanto, es un intento de síntesis analítica de los resultados de los proyectos, basada en los registros y la documentación del sistema de PME y las entrevistas y observaciones hechas en el curso del trabajo de campo en Honduras y Costa Rica.

3.6.1. Desempeño de los proyectos evaluados En seguida se hará un examen del desempeño de los proyectos seleccionados que se basa en los respectivos protocolos, informes de planificación, monitoreo y evaluación, talleres de monitoreo con los participantes y grupos interesados de los proyectos, informes anuales y especiales, así como la observación directa y las entrevistas realizadas durante el trabajo de campo de esta evaluación.

3.6.2. Mejoramiento Organizativo, Productivo y de Comercialización de las Empresas y Familias Campesinas, MEJORA, P-331 Los resultados de MEJORA están contribuyendo al logro de los objetivos del proyecto. Según el informe de monitoreo del año 2006, las familias beneficiarias consideran que el incremento de los ingresos familiares alcanzó un nivel “medio”91, en función de la diversificación de la producción, la ampliación de las áreas cultivadas y el apoyo con sistemas de riego. Sin embargo, el área organizativa sigue siendo débil. El número esperado de familias campesinas que se involucraran en el proyecto, alcanzó en el primer año de implementación un 49 por ciento (1,345 familias) lejano del 90 por ciento esperado. Se tomará en el 2007 medidas para aumentar la participación. El ejercicio de prácticas democráticas se ubica en un nivel “medio-alto”. La mayoría de los afiliados participa en la toma decisiones y el grado de satisfacción de necesidades y expectativas de las organizaciones supera el nivel “medio”, lo que se considera adecuado para el período transcurrido de ejecución. Asimismo, el 30 por ciento de las 57 organizaciones están aplicando registros contables producto de la capacitación y el seguimiento que se les ha brindado, especialmente en la región de Intibucá, y la mitad de las organizaciones se han integrado a los mecanismos de comercialización, lo que es prometedor debido a que la comercialización sigue siendo una de las debilidades más fuertes de las organizaciones. La comercialización sigue siendo una gran limitante ya que los productores siguen comercializando individualmente. En esta actividad los esfuerzos por fortalecer el proyecto no han sido suficientes. Los micro-proyectos (economía de patio – ganado, aves, pavos y peces con el fin de diversificar la producción) han despertado gran interés en las familias, son manejados eficientemente por las organizaciones y están generando buenos resultados. El acompañamiento de los técnicos de campo y el trabajo de los enlaces ha sido fundamental para el logro de estos objetivos. Los conocimientos han sido mejor asimilados gracias a la acción permanente en las actividades productivas. La conciencia hacia la sostenibilidad en las organizaciones ha aumentado, ya que todas las empresas han contribuido con el 15 y hasta un 20 por ciento de contrapartida en efectivo y un 24 por ciento en especie en las actividades apoyadas por el proyecto. La conciencia hacia la sostenibilidad en las organi91

Escala ordinal: 1. Muy Bajo, 2. Bajo, 3. Medio, 4. Alto 5. Muy Alto.

132

SUPPORTING CIVIL SOCIETY ORGANIZATIONS FOR EMPOWERMENT AND ECONOMICS PROGRESS OF SMALL FARMERS AND PEOPLE LIVING IN POVERTY – Sida EVALUATION 2008:25

zaciones ha aumentado, ya que todas las empresas han contribuido con el 15 y hasta un 20 por ciento de contrapartida en efectivo y un 24 por ciento en especie en las actividades apoyadas por el proyecto. El área administrativa de las organizaciones sigue siendo débil sobre todo en los controles y registros.

3.6.3

Desarrollo Organizativo y Empresarial de la ACAN, P-333

Durante el tiempo transcurrido el proyecto ha avanzado en el logro del objetivo de desarrollo que es contribuir a la sostenibilidad económica, social e institucional de la ACAN. En cuanto a este objetivo. El proceso de monitoreo demuestra que el grado de sostenibilidad se ubica en un nivel “medio”, indicando que los esfuerzos de capitalización interna están surtiendo efecto. A esta capitalización han contribuido significativamente la puesta en funcionamiento de uno de los proyectos productivos y el crecimiento del fondo de crédito que hoy sobrepasa los tres millones, lo cual ha permitido la reinversión de los recursos dado el buen cumplimiento de las obligaciones crediticias de las bases beneficiadas. Al inicio del proyecto los beneficiarios directos eran 76 organizaciones de base con un total de 3,160 personas. En el curso del proyecto, no obstante, se han afiliado nuevas organizaciones de base a ACAN, con una población aproximada de 2,598 personas. El crecimiento fue superior a lo esperado y se produjo a causa de la acción de los líderes regionales, promoviendo la afiliación en las regiones de Colon, Sur y Central. Con la implementación de los talleres de formación de líderes en cuatro regiones, la organización cuenta con el elemento humano capacitado para que se pueda implementar la política de sostenibilidad aprobada por la Junta Directiva Nacional. En lo relacionado al objetivo del proyecto de fortalecer los aspectos organizativos y empresariales de la asociación, este logro es evidente y el grado de satisfacción de necesidades y expectativas de las organizaciones de base afiliadas se ubica en un nivel “medio”. Se ha incrementado en un 31 por ciento el patrimonio de la ACAN durante el año 2006, triplicando el porcentaje esperado. En lo relacionado al objetivo del proyecto, el fortalecimiento organizativo y empresarial es evidente y el grado de satisfacción de necesidades y expectativas de las organizaciones de base afiliadas se ubica en un nivel “medio”. Se ha incrementado en un 31 por ciento el patrimonio de la ACAN durante el año 2006, triplicando el porcentaje esperado.

3.6.4. Desarrollo de la Capacidad Económica y Empresarial de FECORAH P-334 Como aclaramos en páginas anteriores, este proyecto que se inició en 2007 es la continuación de un proyecto anterior implementado durante en los años los años 2005 y 2004. Por lo tanto, es muy temprano evaluar su desempeño en este momento por lo que en seguida nos referiremos en gran parte al proyecto antecesor. Según el último informe de monitoreo de enero a diciembre de 2006 (que también comprende los años 2005 y 2004) el proyecto antecesor logró un nivel “bajo” de mejora con respecto a su objetivo de desarrollo, “mejorar las condiciones de sostenibilidad de FECORAH.” Entre las causas del bajo nivel de mejora se identifican la poca socialización del proyecto, que probablemente ha provocado el escaso empoderamiento por parte de las cooperativas de base, “algunas de las cuales consideran que la federación debe gestionar recursos para ellas nada más, pero se olvidan de cumplir con sus deberes.” Otra causa que se menciona es que en el primer año de implementación surgieron algunos problemas internas (entre cooperativas) en la ejecución de las actividades.” Sin embargo, la percepción de los dirigentes de base en cuanto a que la prestación de servicios por parte de la federación a sus cooperativas se encuentra en un nivel “medio” lo cual demuestra un criterio de aceptación de los servicios ofrecidos por FECORAH. El proyecto obtuvo también “bajas” calificaciones de progreso en cuanto a su objetivo de proyecto, que era “desarrollar la capacidad económica y empresarial de FECORAH con equidad de género”. Parece, empero, que ocurrieron avances en el proyecto a partir de 2006 ya que de acuerdo con el informe de monitoreo el logro del objetivo de desarrollo fue calificado por miembros y directivos como “alto” y el SUPPORTING CIVIL SOCIETY ORGANIZATIONS FOR EMPOWERMENT AND ECONOMICS PROGRESS OF SMALL FARMERS AND PEOPLE LIVING IN POVERTY – Sida EVALUATION 2008:25

133

objetivo del proyecto obtuvo una calificación para el año 2006 de 3.9 puntos o sea casi llegando al nivel “alto”. Según el informe se mejoró durante este último año la capacidad para administrar los fondos a nivel de la federación y de sus bases, mejorando asimismo los conocimientos en el manejo de los fondos de crédito. La capacitación sirvió para desarrollar capacidades en los dirigentes de interactuar con sus afiliadas y otras contrapartes. Diversos talleres impartidos por el SCC ayudaron a los técnicos de la contraparte a desarrollar habilidades y destrezas para incrementar su capacidad técnica. El proyecto ha generado en las cooperativas beneficiarias del crédito un incremento en la cultura de pago y la voluntad de servir a otras organizaciones hermanas y vecinas. La estrategia de trabajo utilizada en el proyecto está dando como resultado que las actividades se ejecuten con logros significativos, según la información del taller de monitoreo. Todos los fondos aportados a la federación han sido bien invertidos y manejados con transparencia. Sin embargo, la comercialización siguió siendo una actividad problemática hasta el final del proyecto antepasado y será un reto difícil pero importante de abordar en el curso del nuevo, recién iniciado proyecto. El componente productivo del proyecto anterior, establecimiento de una empresa de acopio y cadena de comercialización con el fin de para generar excedentes para la autosostenibilidad de FECORAH, resultó complicado y tuvo un desempeño bajo, algo que debe constituir un aprendizaje para el nuevo proyecto. Otra conclusión es que la información de monitoreo, particularmente la información cuantitativa, del resultado de este componente productivo fue insuficiente para poder sacar conclusiones sobre el mismo.

3.6.5. Promoción y Mejoramiento del Hábitat, ICADE, P-353 En cuanto al objetivo de desarrollo del proyecto, “contribuir a que los sectores excluidos de los beneficios de la sociedad hondureña mejoren sus condiciones para acceder a una vivienda digna”, los beneficiarios consideran que el grado de acceso a una vivienda digna de la población hondureña pobre se mantiene en un nivel “medio”, debido a que no se han podido reorientar las políticas públicas vigentes. Con la reciente creación del Programa de Vivienda Ciudadana y Crédito Solidario, PROVICCSOL, en cuya fundación ICADE y el proyecto jugó un papel central, se abre la esperanza de que las familias pobres puedan tener acceso a los recursos públicos para financiar proyectos de vivienda. Consideran asimismo que se está logrando el efecto esperado del proyecto, mediante acciones de apoyo a las familias para la organización en cooperativas y para desarrollar capacidades propias de gestión, incluyendo iniciativas para incidir en los gobiernos locales. Al privilegiar el trabajo colectivo para la ejecución de los proyectos, se ha contribuido a la cohesión familiar y se ha cultivado el sentido de pertenencia en las organizaciones de base, mejorando las relaciones interpersonales y desarrollando su capacidad para la ejecución de proyectos colectivos. Ha contribuido también el proyecto a la solución del problema de la vivienda de las familias involucradas y ha podido crear conciencia de participación en el movimiento social por la vivienda, lo cual abre perspectivas de lucha de la población para incidir efectivamente en las políticas de Estado y en las decisiones gubernamentales en materia de vivienda. El impacto positivo de mayor connotación radica en la constitución y puesta en marcha del Consejo Hondureño para la Vivienda Solidaria, COHVISOL, organización social integrada por centenares de organizaciones interesadas en luchar por el mejoramiento del hábitat a favor de la población empobrecida y por mejorar el acceso a la vivienda digna para los sectores excluidos de la sociedad hondureña. El más reciente taller de monitoreo y evaluación del proyecto, correspondiente al período enero-junio 2007, tuvo lugar en agosto 2007. En este ejercicio los participantes, representantes de los grupos de base del proyecto, calificaron la labor realizada como excelente. El logro medido por los indicadores de los resultados fue considerado como “sobresaliente” con excepción de un resultado importante, “construidas y/o mejoradas (o en proceso) 1,500 viviendas bajo diferentes modalidades de ejecución de los proyectos.” El logro (20/22 viviendas) respecto a este resultado esperado se calificó como “malo”. El mayor 134

SUPPORTING CIVIL SOCIETY ORGANIZATIONS FOR EMPOWERMENT AND ECONOMICS PROGRESS OF SMALL FARMERS AND PEOPLE LIVING IN POVERTY – Sida EVALUATION 2008:25

obstáculo para alcanzar este resultado esperado ha sido externo al proyecto, es decir no poder obtener financiamiento subsidiado con las instituciones públicas. Los tres proyectos iniciados han sido financiados por Hábitat para la Humanidad y la agencia irlandesa, Trócaire. Se iniciarán, no obstante, 198 viviendas pronto y esperan, con fondos de PROVICCSOL, acercarse más a la meta en lo que queda del año.

3.6.6. Desarrollo Sostenible de las Comunidades del Frente de Colonización e Indígenas de la Reserva Tawahka Asangni, ICADE, P-354. El proyecto ha logrado contribuir a un progreso de la conservación y el uso sostenible de los recursos naturales del Corredor Biológico Mesoamericano. Como hemos indicado, el objetivo de este proyecto es fortalecer la autogestión local y el desarrollo socioeconómico de la población meta. Según el informe anual de 2006, el taller de monitoreo y evaluación de diciembre el mismo año, y corroborado por la observación y las entrevistas del trabajo de campo de esta evaluación, el proyecto ha logrado contribuir a un progreso de la conservación y el uso sostenible de los recursos naturales del Corredor Biológico Mesoamericano y específicamente de la Reserva de Biosfera Tawahka Asangni. La participación de las organizaciones en el proceso de desarrollo sostenible y co-manejo participativo de la Reserva, así como la aplicación por parte de las comunidades y municipalidades de los mecanismos de control conjunto para el cumplimiento de las leyes, reglamentos y procedimientos de protección forestal, se ubican en un nivel “medio-alto”. En lo referente al objetivo del proyecto los logros se manifiestan en el nivel de organización de las comunidades incorporadas que se califica como “alto”: se ha establecido una estructura representativa, estatutos, planes y normas de funcionamiento; ha aumentado el grado en que las comunidades organizadas mantienen una vigilancia sobre el bosque, evitando la deforestación; y cerca del 50 por ciento de la población meta ha reconvertido la producción agropecuaria a sistemas alternativos. Con el ordenamiento territorial a través de planes de manejo locales, los grupos comunitarios han asumido compromisos de manejo alternativo de los recursos naturales; con los intercambios de experiencias sobre técnicas de producción pecuaria, los colonos han podido conocer prácticas sostenibles sobre diversificación productiva, lo que ha contribuido a un mejoramiento en el manejo y aprovechamiento de la biodiversidad local y de la introducida; los ganaderos han reconvertido sus sistemas de explotación tradicional, implementando parcelas maderables comerciales bajo sistemas silvo-pastoriles con especies de caoba, cedro, laurel negro, limba y teca. Además, la reorganización de las cooperativas agroforestales y las reflexiones durante ese proceso sobre el manejo alternativo de conflictos y la interacción adecuada con la comunidad, contribuyó a una disminución de la explotación ilegal de madera. Mediante las actividades productivas (huertos familiares de hortalizas y frutos manejados por las mujeres, parcelas de fríjol para producción de semilla artesanal entre otras) el proyecto ha contribuido directamente a la mejora de las condiciones de vida de los colonos pobres de la Reserva. En cuanto al aspecto de género se ha podido observar la participación decidida de las mujeres, involucrándose activamente en las diferentes actividades con el apoyo de los hombres, que en años anteriores no permitían la participación de las mujeres en los procesos organizativos, administrativos y productivos. Un problema importante para el funcionamiento del proyecto se relaciona con la inaccesibilidad de la zona y la ubicación de las comunidades muy distantes entre ellas, lo cual dificulta el desplazamiento y afecta negativamente la frecuencia del acompañamiento a las mismas. Además, la inseguridad ciudadana que reina en algunas zonas de la Reserva es un gran problema que ha cobrado la vida de uno de los técnicos del proyecto, así como provocado el desaparecimiento físico de personas, temor y el abandono de hogares de parte de varios de los habitantes.

SUPPORTING CIVIL SOCIETY ORGANIZATIONS FOR EMPOWERMENT AND ECONOMICS PROGRESS OF SMALL FARMERS AND PEOPLE LIVING IN POVERTY – Sida EVALUATION 2008:25

135

3.7.

Asuntos transversales

Género. A pesar de dificultades al iniciar el trabajo del la equidad de género, se ha podido notar avances en los proyectos evaluados tanto en la documentación de seguimiento como durante el trabajo de campo. La participación y la actividad de las mujeres han aumentado en los proyectos y asimismo en las organizaciones contraparte por medio de progresos en la participación y representación de las mujeres en puestos que implican poder en la toma de decisiones. Sin embargo, falta mucho terreno por recorrer y todavía hay un desequilibrio entre hombres y mujeres en cuanto a la participación en los proyectos y en el ejercicio de poder e influencia. El equipo técnico está dispuesto y con voluntad para impulsar la equidad de género, pero para poder realizar un buen trabajo necesitará apoyo técnico y metodológico en la materia para abordar en forma sistemática y efectiva la tarea. Entre los dirigentes de las contrapartes como por ejemplo ACAN y FECORAH hay también una buena disposición y en ambas organizaciones hay mujeres que recientemente han asumido posiciones importantes. Pero las contrapartes también requerirán asistencia técnica y metodológica especializada. Por eso se prevé que tendrá un papel importante de apoyo la nueva asesora regional de género. La equidad de género, por razones culturales y de poder, es un reto grande y difícil que se vuelve más difícil de abordar en el ámbito local y rural donde las tradiciones y la cultura machista están más fuertemente enraizadas. La tarea no es fácil en las zonas centrales y urbanas tampoco, como lo demuestra una experiencia del trabajo en Honduras, donde las contrapartes de los proyectos de género tenían problemas para visitar a las zonas del proyecto. No han querido o podido viajar, a veces por razones de atención a sus propios niños o familias o por la renuencia de parte de sus maridos que prefieren ver las mujeres en la casa. Entendiendo que la problemática de género es de carácter sociológico y cultural parece aconsejable realizar un análisis de la organización social y cultural con enfoque de género para establecer un punto de partida adecuado para el trabajo en la región. Medio ambiente. El proyecto bandera de medio ambiente del SCC en Honduras es el “Desarrollo Sostenible de las Comunidades del Frente de Colonización e Indígenas de la Reserva Tawahka Asangni” cuyo objetivo de desarrollo es la conservación y el uso sostenible de los recursos naturales del Corredor Biológico Mesoamericano y que se propone fortalecer la autogestión local y el desarrollo socioeconómico de la población meta por medio de organización de los grupos de base, protección y educación ambiental. Es un proyecto donde el aspecto ambiental está completamente transversal y los aprendizajes de este se constituyen un potencial importante para sinergia e intercambio con los otros proyectos evaluados. “Mejoramiento Organizativo, Productivo y de Comercialización de las Empresas y Familias Campesinas, MEJORA” es otro proyecto que se caracteriza por un alto grado de aplicación transversal de enfoque y prácticas de medio ambiente, como la ejecución de 18 acciones para la protección del medio ambiente, diseño e implementación de fincas integrales, parcelas demostrativas para el rescate de variedades criollas reelaboración de abonos orgánicos, consolidación de microsistemas de riego, diversificación de la producción mediante modelos de “economía de patio” de especies menores. Visto que ACAN es contraparte de MEJORA y que FECORAH está en contacto permanente con la red de organizaciones campesinas y cooperativistas de la alianza que coopera con MEJORA hay buenas oportunidades para transferencia de experiencias y aprendizajes de MEJORA a los proyectos “Desarrollo Organizativo y Empresarial de la ACAN” y “Desarrollo de la Capacidad Económica y Empresarial de FECORAH”. Estos últimos tienen únicamente un componente productivo, cada uno, relacionado con el medio ambiente. El proyecto “Mejoramiento del Hábitat” implementado por ICADE tiene relación con el medio ambiente por sus esfuerzos de resolver las necesidades de vivienda y hábitat dignos en los ámbitos urbano y rural y además fortalecer las capacidades de los beneficiarios para resolver otros problemas 136

SUPPORTING CIVIL SOCIETY ORGANIZATIONS FOR EMPOWERMENT AND ECONOMICS PROGRESS OF SMALL FARMERS AND PEOPLE LIVING IN POVERTY – Sida EVALUATION 2008:25

socioeconómicos como los servicios básicos para facilitar la construcción de viviendas y el desarrollo del hábitat. Este proyecto no tiene actividades dirigidas explícitamente a la problemática del medio ambiente, pero ICADE que implementa el proyecto “Desarrollo Sostenible de las Comunidades del Frente de Colonización e Indígenas de la Reserva Tawahka Asangni” y que dirige su propio programa de protección de los recursos naturales y el medio ambiente así como el programa de certificación socioambiental es una institución bien equipada para encargarse del trabajo de los aspectos de medio ambiente en el marco del proyecto “Mejoramiento del Hábitat.” 3.8.

Incidencia política del SCC, contrapartes y proyectos

Hemos visto que el SCC, siguiendo las orientaciones de la nueva Estrategia Regional para América Latina busca fortalecer la influencia e incidencia propositiva y de políticas de las organizaciones contraparte. Un aspecto importante de la incidencia política se refiere a influencia directa, las presiones y la abogacía dirigida al gobierno y los grupos política y económicamente poderosos con el fin de mejorar la gobernabilidad, la transparencia la exigibilidad de derechos y la democracia en general a favor de los grupos pobres y marginados. Otro aspecto se refiere a las investigaciones de políticas (policy research) dirigidas a investigar esta problemática y producir análisis, directrices o métodos para la práctica y la acción. En lo concerniente al primer aspecto, incidencia política, el SCC ha creado una buena base en Honduras que se debe expandir y profundizar en los años venideros. Todos los proyectos incluidos en esta evaluación incorporan, en diferentes grados, dimensiones de incidencia política y esfuerzos de lograr cambios estructurales en sus respectivos sectores o espacios sociales, y el hecho de que las contrapartes son organizaciones que tienen cobertura nacional y redes o medios de difusión nacionales fortalecen su capacidad como vehículos de incidencia política y cambio social. Uno de los logros más importantes en incidencia política ha sido la organización y constitución el Consejo Nacional para la Vivienda Solidaria, COHVISOL, en el marco del proyecto “Mejoramiento del Hábitat”. El Consejo articula un movimiento nacional por la vivienda solidaria, de amplia representación, integrado por centenares de organizaciones sociales que luchan por el mejoramiento del hábitat a favor de la población empobrecida y por mejorar el acceso a la vivienda digna para los sectores excluidos hondureños. El proyecto, ICADE y el Consejo jugaron un papel destacado en el trabajo de incidencia que resultó en la creación del programa de financiación pública de vivienda, Programa de Vivienda Ciudadana y Crédito Solidario, PROVICCSOL a finales del año pasado. Igualmente, la incidencia política es un eje fundamental y una condición vital del proyecto “Desarrollo Sostenible de las Comunidades del Frente de Colonización e Indígenas de la Reserva Tawahka Asangni”. La base política y el prerrequisito para que el proyecto pueda funcionar son los logros del “Pacto por la Conservación y Uso Sostenible de los Recursos Naturales y el Ambiente en el Corredor Biológico Mesoamericano”, firmado por todos los grupos sociales claves de la subregión así como el Convenio de Co-manejo, del cual forman parte el ICADE varias municipalidades de la zona, la Federación Indígena Tawahka, la Asociación de Comunidades Campesinas para la Conservación y Desarrollo de la BTA y la Asociación de Productores Agropecuarios Conservacionistas entre otros. El trabajo de incidencia política en los ámbitos local, regional y nacional es permanente en este proyecto. Honduras tiene una larga tradición de organización campesina y cooperativista y existe en el país una multitud de organizaciones de esta clase a diferentes niveles. Tal diversidad implica también una debilidad estructural para las organizaciones campesinas y cooperativistas como movimiento social nacional. Sobra decir que esta división ha sido activamente fomentada por los gobiernos de turno porque el fraccionamiento implica una incidencia política menor de las organizaciones y una dependencia mayor de ellas con respecto al apoyo económico de los gobiernos. Por lo tanto, un reto mayor

SUPPORTING CIVIL SOCIETY ORGANIZATIONS FOR EMPOWERMENT AND ECONOMICS PROGRESS OF SMALL FARMERS AND PEOPLE LIVING IN POVERTY – Sida EVALUATION 2008:25

137

para el SCC a futuro es contribuir al incremento de la interacción, el trabajo conjunto y las alianzas de las organizaciones campesinas y cooperativistas para fortalecer el movimiento nacional campesino y cooperativista en los años que vienen. Un ejemplo de este tipo de acciones de apoyo mutuo es la participación de los dirigentes nacionales campesinos de los proyectos del SCC en acciones de incidencia con otras organizaciones campesinas para buscar la reforma o derogación de artículos de la ley de modernización agrícola que entorpecen el desarrollo de la reforma agraria. Al mismo tiempo los líderes han incursionado en campos tales como cargos municipales y comunales y se han incorporado a las comisiones de transparencia y auditoria social en las comunidades. Además, la ACAN forma parte del proceso de la implementación del la Estrategia para la Reducción de la Pobreza, ERP, a través del Consejo Hondureño del Sector Social de la Economía, COHDESSE. En cuanto al otro aspecto mencionado arriba, la investigación aplicada de políticas (policy research) el SCC ha apoyado y cofinanciado estudios y actividades del realizados por la Alianza Cooperativa Internacional para las Américas, entre otras cosas referentes a la incidencia política.92

4.

Conclusiones

1. La conclusión global de la evaluación de los proyectos y las actividades del SCC en Honduras es que el desempeño y los resultados del SCC, sus contrapartes y proyectos son satisfactorios. Es muy probable que este resultado positivo se relacione con el tiempo largo de presencia y experiencia en la región de parte del SCC, algo que constituye buena parte del valor agregado de la organización. 2. El examen y la confrontación de los respectivos objetivos de desarrollo de Asdi, SCC y las organizaciones contrapartes de Honduras demuestran que hay una coincidencia y coherencia muy alta en cuanto a los objetivos (específicamente los que se refieren a la reducción de la pobreza y la cooperación con la sociedad civil) de Asdi, SCC y sus contrapartes. Esta apreciación, se basa en revisión de los documentos pertinentes, entrevistas con informantes claves de las agencias y fue corroborada por las visitas y la observación directa de los proyectos así como en entrevistas con diferentes categorías de informantes de los mismos, a nivel local, regional y nacional. 3. Los proyectos del SCC focalizan e incluyen a los pobres rurales y urbanos, y logran en diferentes grados y formas mejorar las condiciones de vida de estos grupos sociales. Hace falta, empero, una sistematización más nítida y analítica de la focalización de pobreza según variables y categorías tales como tenencia de la tierra, ubicación geográfica/marginalidad, etnicidad y género. Sería útil, por ejemplo, presentar en forma más explícita las características de los pueblos indígenas, consideradas el grupo más pobre en Honduras y su participación en los proyectos del SCC. Esto constituiría además una buena oportunidad de abordar e ilustrar la importancia y el significado de los aspectos étnicos y culturales del enfoque multidimensional de la pobreza adoptado por el SCC y Asdi. 4. Desde la perspectiva de los objetivos de reducción de la pobreza y el trabajo con la sociedad civil es una ventaja comparativa y un valor agregado que los proyectos del SCC y sus contrapartes reúnen en forma orgánica actividades y componentes, tanto de reducción de la pobreza como de fortalecimiento de las organizaciones y la sociedad civil mediante la combinación de proyectos o componentes productivos con actividades de incidencia política, fortalecimiento organizacional y capacitación técnica. 5. La Estrategia para América Latina 2007–2011 es una respuesta acertada al desarrollo y los cambios que ocurren actualmente en Centroamérica en particular y en América Latina en general. 92

Guía para elaborar Planes de Incidencia, ACI-Américas, San José, Costa Rica, 2004, Análisis del Modelo Cooperativo en el Nuevo Escenario Económico, ACI-Américas, San José, Costa Rica, 2005, Sistematización de las Experiencias de Incidencia en América Latina, ACI-Américas, San José, Costa Rica2006.

138

SUPPORTING CIVIL SOCIETY ORGANIZATIONS FOR EMPOWERMENT AND ECONOMICS PROGRESS OF SMALL FARMERS AND PEOPLE LIVING IN POVERTY – Sida EVALUATION 2008:25

Los proyectos y actividades del SCC en Honduras se ajustan bien a la nueva estrategia y el SCC está tomando medidas para preparar su organización y su equipo técnico regional y de los países frente a la implementación de la estrategia. Sin embargo, sería aconsejable fortalecer la capacidad técnica del SCC en cuanto a análisis e investigación aplicada de políticas (policy research). 6. El sistema de Planificación, Monitoreo y Evaluación desarrollado por el SCC y aplicado por sus contrapartes en Centroamérica es un logro importante y un sistema (o un conjunto de instrumentos) que se distingue favorablemente visto en la perspectiva del conjunto de la cooperación internacional sueca (con la excepción de la falta de una línea de base sistemática). Es un sistema que ha demostrado su funcionamiento en la práctica y que adquiere importancia frente a las tendencias que prevalecen hoy en la cooperación internacional que destacan o exigen “efectividad” y “medición de resultados”. En estas circunstancias el sistema de PME es un “valor agregado” para el SCC. Falta, no obstante, completar la preparación de una línea de base sistematizada para todos los proyectos. Un reto adicional es la consolidación de la información de los resultados de componentes de proyectos, de proyectos y de programas, como partes constitutivas de una totalidad nacional, regional o institucional del SCC como agencia. 7. Sería útil para el SCC vigorizar y sistematizar la documentación y difusión de las experiencias de los proyectos, los aprendizajes logrados y los métodos aplicados en Centroamérica, con el fin de compartirlos e incorporarlos como insumo en el trabajo de incidencia e investigación de políticas así como en el trabajo de información y recolección de fondos en Suecia. 8. Las relaciones con el mercado y el mercadeo de las cooperativas y asociaciones campesinas es uno de los problemas más grandes de los proyectos de Honduras en específico, y para la economía campesina latinoamericana en general, a causa de factores inherentes a la producción campesina tales como producción individual de cantidades pequeñas, baja capacidad de almacenamiento y transporte, escasez y limitado acceso a crédito, etc., que ponen el productor campesino en gran desventaja frente los productores del sector de la agricultura de mercado. Debido a la importancia estratégica de este reto, sin embargo, hay que insistir y fortificar los esfuerzos ya iniciados en este campo de los que varios han tenido un éxito relativo y proporcionan aprendizajes valiosos para un desarrollo a futuro. 9. Se puede notar ciertos avances en el trabajo de equidad de género en Honduras. La participación de las mujeres ha aumentado en los proyectos y en las organizaciones contraparte. En los últimos hay un aumento perceptible de las mujeres en puestos que implican poder en la toma de decisiones. Se puede, además, advertir una buena voluntad para impulsar el tema de parte del equipo técnico del SCC y los dirigentes y representantes de las contrapartes. Pero todavía falta mucho para llegar a un resultado satisfactorio y para avanzar más el equipo y los dirigentes requieren asistencia técnica y metodológica especializada en la materia. 10. El reto mayor para el SCC en el futuro inmediato es abordar las consecuencias para la economía campesina y los grupos pobres de Honduras y Centroamérica del Tratado de Libre Comercio entre Centroamérica, República Dominicana y Estados Unidos, CAFTA y el tratado de libre comercio entre Centroamérica y la Unión Europea. Es evidente que el CAFTA perjudicará seriamente a las empresas de producción y transformación campesinas y que es urgente buscar formas de contrarrestar los efectos negativos de los tratados para asegurar la supervivencia de las empresas campesinas y para poder seguir fortaleciendo el modelo cooperativo de autogestión regional. 11. La debilidad o ausencia de políticas públicas agrarias en Centroamérica, particularmente las dirigidas al sector campesino, abre un espacio importante para análisis e incidencia política del SCC que es un actor destacado y experimentado en organización campesina y cooperativismo en Centroamérica. El trabajo relacionado a este tema tendrá también una relación directa con el de la problemática de los tratados de libre comercio.

SUPPORTING CIVIL SOCIETY ORGANIZATIONS FOR EMPOWERMENT AND ECONOMICS PROGRESS OF SMALL FARMERS AND PEOPLE LIVING IN POVERTY – Sida EVALUATION 2008:25

139

12. En cuanto a varios de los temas tocados arriba es importante que el SCC fortalezca las relaciones y el trabajo de incidencia Sur – Norte movilizando las instituciones y organizaciones de peso político que están incorporadas en sus redes de contactos y colegas en el Norte. Además es esencial preparar y movilizar estas mismas fuerzas para denunciar públicamente y ante las autoridades competentes cualquier violación de los derechos democráticos y humanos del personal de las contrapartes y demás colaboradores en los proyectos de desarrollo del SCC.

5.

Recomendaciones

1. Se le recomienda al SCC realizar un análisis y una sistematización de los criterios, variables y categorías usados para la focalización de pobreza e integrar en esta una caracterización de los pueblos indígenas, considerados el grupo más pobre en Honduras, y su participación en los proyectos del SCC, estableciendo contactos más cercanos con el Fondo Indígena y las organizaciones indígenas de Centroamérica, así como tomando como punto de partida en su trabajo la convención 169 de la OIT alrededor de los Pueblos Indígenas. 2. Se recomienda que el SCC mantenga el sistema de PME en su capacidad actual de operación haciendo los ajustes necesarios para agilizarlo y rebajar sus costos. 3. Se recomienda que el SCC complete la preparación de una línea de base sistematizada para todos los proyectos así como analice la problemática de la consolidación de la información parcial del sistema de PME sobre los resultados de los proyectos, para efectuar una consolidación analítica y numérica de los datos a niveles de agregación más altos. 4. Se recomienda que el SCC fortalezca y sistematiza la documentación y difusión de las experiencias de los proyectos, aprendizajes y métodos en Centroamérica como insumo en el trabajo de incidencia e investigación de políticas así como en el trabajo de información y recolección de fondos en Suecia. 5. Se recomienda que el SCC insista y fortifique los esfuerzos de impulsar el desarrollo de las relaciones con el mercado y el mercadeo de las cooperativas y asociaciones campesinas ya que la comercialización, junto con el acceso a la tierra, constituye el reto más estratégico para la supervivencia de este sector. 6. Se recomienda que el SCC siga impulsando sistemáticamente en el trabajo de equidad de género en Centroamérica y que proporcione la asistencia técnica y metodológica necesaria para ello a las Oficinas País y las contrapartes. 7. Se recomienda que el SCC acepta el reto principal para los campesinos, cooperativistas y pobres en Centroamérica, es decir buscar y crear los modos de contrarrestar los efectos negativos de los tratados de libre comercio para asegurar la supervivencia de las empresas campesinas y para poder seguir fortaleciendo el modelo cooperativo de autogestión. 8. Se recomienda que el SCC en su trabajo de análisis e incidencia política aborde la problemática de las políticas públicas agrarias en Centroamérica, particularmente las dirigidas al sector campesino. Éstas, entre otras cosas relevantes para el SCC, tienen una relación directa con el de la problemática los tratados de libre comercio. 9. Se recomienda que el SCC fortalezca las relaciones y el trabajo de incidencia Sur – Norte, movilizando las instituciones y organizaciones de peso político que están incorporadas en sus redes de contactos y colegas en el Norte. 10. Se recomienda que el SCC prepare y movilice sus contactos de peso político para denunciar públicamente y ante las autoridades competentes cualquier violación de los derechos democráticos y humanos del personal de las contrapartes y demás colaboradores en los proyectos de desarrollo del SCC. 140

SUPPORTING CIVIL SOCIETY ORGANIZATIONS FOR EMPOWERMENT AND ECONOMICS PROGRESS OF SMALL FARMERS AND PEOPLE LIVING IN POVERTY – Sida EVALUATION 2008:25

Anexo A: Agenda de trabajo de campo de la evaluación en Honduras, 3 a 11 de Septiembre de 2007 Día y Hora Domingo 2 11:42 - 13:00

Actividad

Lugar

Observaciones

Llegada a Tegucigalpa. Revisión del Programa Preliminar

Aeropuerto / Hotel Hotel

Durante la tarde

Lunes 3 9:00 - 10:30 11:00 - 12:30 13:00 - 14:30 15:30 - 16:15 16:15 - 17:45 Martes 4 8:30 - 9:30 10:00 - 11:30 12:00 - 13:30 14:00 Miércoles 5 9:00 - 9:45 10:00 - 12:00 12:00 - 13:30 14:00 - 14:45 15:00 - 16:30

Revisión de documentos, reunión con Coordinador SCC Reunión con el personal de la Oficina del SCC en Honduras Almuerzo Reunión con Junta Directiva de ACAN Directivos y Coordinador del Proyecto ACAN Reunión con Coordinador del SCC Reunión con Ann Stödberg, Consejera de la Embajada de Suecia en Honduras Almuerzo Trabajo en el Hotel Reunión con Junta Directiva de FECORAH Directivos y Coordinador del Proyecto FECORAH Almuerzo Reunión con Comisión Gerencial de MEJORA Gerentes y Coordinador del Proyecto MEJORA

Jueves 6 7:30 - 10:30

Viaje Tegucigalpa - Intibucá

10:30 - 11:30

Visita a Cooperativa Regional ECARAI

Hotel Oficina

Análisis del proyecto P335: Asistencia Técnica

Oficina ACAN

Presentación institucional, preguntas y respuestas

Oficina ACAN

Proyecto P333: Desarrollo Organizativo y Empresarial de la ACAN

Hotel

Análisis del Proyecto P335: Asistencia Técnica

Oficina de Asdi Huracán Félix Oficina FECORAH

Presentación institucional, preguntas y respuestas

Oficina FECORAH

Proyecto P334: Desarrollo de la Capacidad Económica y Empresarial de FECORAH

Oficina FECORAH

Presentación institucional, preguntas y respuestas

Oficina FECORAH

Proyecto P331: Mejoramiento Organizativo, Productivo y de Comercialización de las Empresas y Familias Campesinas (MEJORA)

Intibucá

Proyecto P334: Desarrollo de la Capacidad Económica y Empresarial de FECORAH

Entrevistadas y Reuniones – Honduras y Costa Rica Oficina del SCC, Tegucigalpa, Honduras

Alfredo Alonso, Coordinador de Programa, Aida García, Asistente de programa, Reina Yánez, Administradora financiero Embajada de Suecia, Tegucigalpa

Ann Stödberg, Consejera de Cooperación Internacional, Oficina RegionaL de América Latina del SCC, San José, Costa Rica

Viveka Carlestam, Directora Regional Arturo Piedra-Santa, Coordinador de Programa Costa Rica Viviana Vargas, Directora Regional Adjunta Facultad Latinoamericana de Ciencias Sociales, FLACSO, San José, Costa Rica

Carlos Sojo Zambrano, Director Alianza Cooperativa Internacional para las Américas, San José, Costa Rica

Manuel Mariño, Director Regional

SUPPORTING CIVIL SOCIETY ORGANIZATIONS FOR EMPOWERMENT AND ECONOMICS PROGRESS OF SMALL FARMERS AND PEOPLE LIVING IN POVERTY – Sida EVALUATION 2008:25

141

Instituto para la Cooperación y Autodesarrollo, ICADE, Tegucigalpa (8 de septiembre 2007)

Alcides A. Andrade Gladys Balahwy Leónidas Ávila Chavez Santos Donaldo Florez Carlos Turios Gregorio Calix

Presidente de la Junta Directivo Administradora Director Ejecutivo Coordinador de Ambiente, Oficina de Catacamas Promotor Vivienda Promotor Vivienda

Asociación Campesina Nacional, ACAN, Tegucigalpa (3 de septiembre 2007)

Delia Patricia Medina Lucila Licona Casco Santos Cornelio Chirinos Piedad del Carmen Ochoa Dionisio González Vásquez Francia Turcios Luis Arturo Ardón Francis David Fúnes

Secretaria de Educación Secretaria de Finanzas Secretario de Organización y Asuntos Legales Secretaria de Género y Medio Ambiente Presidente Administradora Coordinador PPM Coordinador de Proyectos SCC

Federación de Cooperativas y Empresas de La Reforma Agraria de Honduras, FECORAH, Tegucigalpa

Valentín Gómez, Presidente Rigoberto Duarte, Gerente FECORAH, El Progreso

Nicolás López Cristián G. Florez Romualdo Caballero Salomé Arana Abraham García Arnulfo Nuñez Oscaer Avila

Coordinador de FECORAH, El Progreso Técnico, Zona Yoro, El Progreso EAC Brisas de Ulúa EAC Brisas de Ulúa Brisas de Ulúa Brisas de Ulúa Brisas de Ulúa

Comisión Gerencial Proyecto MEJORA, Tegucigalpa

Luis Valladares Marlon Rodríguez Rigoberto Duarte N. Lucila Licona

Director ejecutivo, Instituto de Investigación y Fomento Cooperativista, IFC Gerente General, UNIOCOOP Gerente, FECORAH Secretaria Finanzas, ACAN

Cooperativas del proyecto MEJORA, Intibucá

Reyes Antonio González Oscar Murillo Andrés Medina Osiris Jarib Reyes Inestroza José Inés Gómez García Estanislao Pérez Ewin Alemán

142

Coordinador Unidad Técnica FUNDER Coordinador de Mercadeo, ECARAI Coordinador Proyecto MEJORA SCC Secretaria Administrativa Presidente ECARAI Secretario ECARAI Técnico FUNDER

SUPPORTING CIVIL SOCIETY ORGANIZATIONS FOR EMPOWERMENT AND ECONOMICS PROGRESS OF SMALL FARMERS AND PEOPLE LIVING IN POVERTY – Sida EVALUATION 2008:25

Anexo, Informe de las actividades de SCC en Paraguay Evaluación del Centro Cooperativo Sueco (SCC), Context/Inka Consult 2007, Jocke Nyberg, Octubre de 2007

5 600 incendios en el campo, una amenaza seria

   

Padres y madres de alumnos organizados después de Operation Dagsverke

         

        

Asociación campesina con cultivos de hortalizas ecológicas

Mejoramiento de vivienda, barrio marginal, Asunción

 

Conclusiones Generales En Paraguay SCC apoya a organizaciones que coinciden muy bien con las metas de Asdi, las mateas de SCC. Las contrapartes – diez en su totalidad – son organizaciones heterogenias, hay una ONG con mandato amplios en temas de desarrollo, otra especializada en género una federación nacional de cooperativas agrícolas sólida y organizaciones de base. La filosofía de SCC Paraguay es que las contrapartes que tienen mucha capacidad son usadas para apoyar a las organizaciones aun no consolidadas. Este modelo funciona sin grandes problemas pero en algunos casos se puede aumentar la velocidad de transferencias de poderes a las organizaciones de base. Se reconoce que este proceso no es fácil o lineal. Todos los proyectos contienen componentes de un enfoque integral. Explícitamente incluyen en su planificación metas relacionadas con 1) mejoramiento de la situación económica y social de los beneficiarios directos,2) fortalecimiento institucional y organizativo e 3) incidencia en las políticas públicas. Este último tema es más visible en el área de vivienda y ´habitad que en el área desarrollo rural, por lo menos cuando se lo incluye en aspectos que definen el desarrollo rural en su totalidad. Los proyectos están focalizadas a trabara directamente con personas en pobreza y de menor grado pobreza extrema. Incluyen jóvenes, mujeres y hombres. Algunas contrapartes tienen elaborados mejores criterios técnicos para definir quienes son pobres en comparación con otros. SCC Paraguay usa en forma coherente el sistema de PME. Los matrices con metas e indicadores son elaborados con muchos detalles, lo cual hace medición de resultados fáciles y confiables. Hay un par de observaciones críticas que forman la base para las recomendaciones: SCC Paraguay y SCC América Latina debe profundizar el conocimiento sobre una cooperación internacional basado en el enfoque de derechos humanos. Hay grandes variaciones en ambos niveles (SCC Paraguay y SCC América Latina) sobre el conocimiento, interpretación y el uso práctico de este enfoque. Este tema está relacionado con incidencia política, donde la capacidad de SCC Paraguay y SCC América Latina con poca frecuencia se preocupan por analizar, discutir y realizar acciones concretas en relación a temas que son vitales para el desarrollo rural, por ejemplo el crecimiento de los recursos del estado y los bienes públicos que ayudan a cumplir las obligaciones de estado hacia las personas en situación de pobreza. La figura 1 intenta explicar esta problemática. El matriz que define las áreas temáticas y áreas de prioridad estratégica el programa regional para América Latina no ayuda a explicar con claridad cómo los dos conceptos están relacionados. SCC Paraguay debe mejorar su capacidad técnica en el tema de género para fortalecer este tema en el programa. El género esta percibido en el programa como un área de prioridad estratégica. SUPPORTING CIVIL SOCIETY ORGANIZATIONS FOR EMPOWERMENT AND ECONOMICS PROGRESS OF SMALL FARMERS AND PEOPLE LIVING IN POVERTY – Sida EVALUATION 2008:25

143

En esta misma categoría esta “desarrollo sostenible” donde está incluida el medio ambiente. Varias de las organizaciones campesinas han cambiado su método de de producción y no usan agroquímicos. Pero la contraparte más importante, FECOPROD, es el principal movilizador contra una ley que restringe de manera leve el uso de agroquímicos. Existe necesidad de discutir estas dos posiciones con la finalidad de encontrar un enfoque coherente.

1.

Introducción

1.1

Modalidad de cooperación

En Paraguay SCC está pasando por importantes cambios. Durante muchos años el portafolio de proyectos reflejaba once áreas estratégicas, que significó bastante dispersión en cuanto a temas y grupos de meta. SCC apoyaba población rural en procesos de desarrollo, asociaciones y cooperativas agrícolas rurales, de vivienda, de seguros y de ahorro y préstamo, los tres últimos en su mayoría en áreas urbanos Los grupos de meta relacionados con ahorro y préstamos incluían en buena medida pobladores urbanos pobres y de clase media. La reducción en cantidad de áreas es parte de la nueva estrategia SCC para América Latina. Desde 2006 los proyectos relacionados con ahorro y préstamos están en su fase de ser concluidos y se dejará trabajar con estos dos temas. El programa se orienta en forma más clara a campesinos en situación de pobreza que están organizados en cooperativas y asociaciones agrícolas rurales y pobladores urbanos sin techo propio. Los jóvenes son cada vez más integrados en las actividades de las cooperativas. En un proyecto, administrado por y en un caso Conajucoop (Centro Juvenil Cooperativo) son un grupo de meta directo. Esta contraparte tiene en desafío grande de administrar y llenar con actividades una Casa cultural de la juventud, construido entre fines del 2006 y principios del 2007con los recursos de “Operación Dagsverke” y localizado en un municipio urbano vecino a Asunción. El proyecto de Coonajucoop también está en su fase de terminación.

2.

Contexto Político, Social e Económico y el Papel de la Sociedad Civil

2.1

Introducción

Hay varias formas y niveles de analizar el contexto nacional. SCC siempre analiza y toma en cuenta el contexto nacional cuando analiza propuestas de proyectos presentados por las contrapartes. Cada documento que describe los proyectos aprobados incluye siempre un análisis del contexto político, social y económico. La calidad de este análisis es razonable. SCC Paraguay trata de conocer los análisis de coyuntura hechos por diferentes institutos de investigación y por ejemplo las agencias de Naciones Unidas. El Banco Mundial ofrece una buena síntesis sobre las características y problemas principales de Paraguay, en orden político, económico y social, y tiene mucha relevancia sobre las actividades de SCC. Sobre los acontecimientos político después de 1989, año cuando fue derrocado el general Alfredo Stroessner después de 35 años de dictadura, sostiene: Durante casi 35 años, el eje de la política paraguaya se encontraba en la conjunción de tres instituciones principales: las Fuerzas Armadas, la Asociación Nacional Republicana (ANR o Partido Colorado) y las diferentes ramas del Estado. La consolidación de este esquema institucional estableció cierto grado de orden público y continuidad, desconocido en un país asola do por la inestabilidad política y la violencia. También cementó la larga tradición de autoritarismo político paraguayo. El poder se ejercía de manera discrecional e informal, sin la restricción de reglas o compromisos ideológicos. El régimen autoritario y el Estado patrimonialista acotaron significativamente el desarrollo de la sociedad civil y contribuyeron a la expansión de las prácticas corruptas.

144

SUPPORTING CIVIL SOCIETY ORGANIZATIONS FOR EMPOWERMENT AND ECONOMICS PROGRESS OF SMALL FARMERS AND PEOPLE LIVING IN POVERTY – Sida EVALUATION 2008:25

Sobre lo económico Paraguay es un país pobre con una sociedad desigual. De acuerdo con distintas estimaciones de pobreza (Evaluación de Pobreza del Banco Mundial), uno de cada tres paraguayos o hasta la mitad de la población (Encuesta de Hogares 2003 de la Dirección de Estadísticas) es pobre. En las áreas rurales el 41,2% de la gente carece de un ingreso mensual suficiente para cubrir las necesidades básicas, cifra que alcanza el 27,6% en los centros urbanos. El 10% superior de la población detenta el 43,8% del ingreso nacional, mientras que el 10% inferior sólo tiene el 0,5%. El Índice Gini es 0,57. La recesión económica ha empeorado la desigualdad del ingreso, especialmente en las áreas rurales, donde el Índice Gini se elevó de 0,56 en 1995 a 0,66 en 1999. De igual manera, la concentración de tierras en el campo paraguayo es una de las más elevadas del mundo: el 10% de la población controla el 66% de las tierras, mientras que el 30% de los habitantes rurales carece de ellas. El Banco Mundial se preocupa mucho sobre la situación del sector público en Paraguay. Sostiene que el gasto del gobierno central es de alrededor del 16% del PIB, uno de los más bajas de América Latina y el Caribe, resultado de su reducida base tributaria. El poco público que tiene Paraguay además es en mucho sentido tratado como propiedad de las elites dentro el Partido Colorado. 2.2

Análisis de la sociedad civil

2.2.1

SCC sobre el papel de la sociedad civil

Para un observador de afuera es obvio que Paraguay necesita abrirse y permitir el crecimiento de tendencias políticas diferentes a los que estuvieron vinculados y proclives a la dictadura del general Alfredo Stroessner (1954–1989). SCC Paraguay está claro sobre el rol y la importancia del movimiento social en el contexto político y social. Se puede afirmar que aunque SCC Paraguay no usa mucho el término “sociedad civil”, esta misma está presente en los diferentes documentos, por ejemplo en las descripciones de los proyectos y los programas. De igual forma se puede decir que ni SCC en general, ni la oficina en Paraguay analiza el papel de la sociedad civil con la misma profundidad que propone el modelo de análisis propuesto por Asdi en el documento “Política de Asdi sobre la sociedad civil” (tanto la versión actual como la anterior), tomando en cuenta las tres dimensiones “estructura”, “valor” e “impacto” de la sociedad civil en cualquier país. Según la oficina central de SCC en Estocolmo se va a usar la metodología de Asdi en el futuro. También se puede observar que el enfoque de trabajo de SCC en Paraguay de construir ciudadanía no es igual que trabajar con un enfoque de derechos y de derechos humanos. SCC Paraguay (y SCC en general) maneja perfectamente la importancia promover organizaciones dinámicas y democráticas, pero no con un enfoque de derechos o/y de derechos humanos. Al decir esto el evaluador se refiere a SCC Paraguay y los proyectos de país en su totalidad. Hay contrapartes, el ejemplo más claro es CIPAE (con el tema de la vivienda y habitad) que conoce y usa este enfoque. CIPAE tiene una larga trayectoria de luchar por los derechos humanos y lo incluye el trabajo con el proyecto de la construcción Barrio Cooperativa dentro el contexto de derechos humanos (ver 3.2.1) No es casual que justamente este proyecto tiene un gran avance en incidencia de políticas públicas (ver abajo) comparado con otros proyectos. En un contexto político-social donde todavía le falta a SCC una perspectiva de derechos humanos como eje transversal en todos los proyectos la cooperación es problemática en relación a los objetivos de Asdi y los objetivos del mismo SCC. En el proceso de transformación de una dictadura político-militar larga y de corte fascista hacia una democracia, Paraguay como país no ha hecho grandes avances en el desarrollo de una sociedad civil dinámica y democrática, donde las organizaciones populares y no gubernamentales juegan un papel importante para promover la participación en la sociedad en gene-

SUPPORTING CIVIL SOCIETY ORGANIZATIONS FOR EMPOWERMENT AND ECONOMICS PROGRESS OF SMALL FARMERS AND PEOPLE LIVING IN POVERTY – Sida EVALUATION 2008:25

145

ral, incluyendo ejercicios de derechos civiles y políticos. Según varias analistas, incluyendo el principal periódico del país, el sistema político ha sido cooptado por un pequeño élite mafioso que vela por sus intereses económicos en toda su gestión gubernamental. Los ciudadanos no confían en instituciones claves para la democracia como por ejemplo la justicia93. Los indicadores sociales en los sectores de la educación y de la salud muestran pérdida de calidad y grado de cobertura, según FECOPROD, la contraparte más grande de SCC. Si combinamos el contexto político con el contexto social y económico y donde el fortalecimiento de las políticas públicas por el bien común es clave para disminuir la pobreza y la brecha social, es un deber trabajar con un enfoque de derechos (humanos). La exigibilidad de los derechos civiles, políticos, económicos, sociales y culturales deben estar presentes como eje transversal en todos los proyectos. Hacerlo implica conciencia y conocimiento sobre las obligaciones legales que ha hecho Paraguay cuando ratificó las convenciones internacionales y de las Américas de los derechos humanos. SCC y la mayoría de sus contrapartes – CIPAE necesitan saber cómo usar las herramientas de monitoreo y como los ciudadanos pueden reclamar sus derechos mediante la presentación de violaciones de derechos humanos a instancias internacionales. Lo dicho arriba no significa que las actividades y proyectos de Paraguay que de SCC apoya es á política. SCC y sus contrapartes analiza el contexto político y están conscientes de la necesidad de fortalecer las cooperativas como actor democrático dentro la sociedad civil. Algunas personas que tienen cargos importantes de las contrapartes participan en la vida partidaria con el fin de ampliar la gama de expresiones políticas. Pero siendo una organización sueca con experiencias históricas y pioneras de promover la participación política (en Suecia a partir del los finales del siglo 18), SCC debe y puede mostrar a sus contrapartes y las bases en Paraguay ejemplos de reformas, valores y herramientas políticas que tuvieron gran alcance e impacto para profundizar la democracia, combatir la pobreza y aumentar la equidad social y económica. Algunos de estas reformas fueron, por ejemplo, sistemas tributarios eficaces y progresistas lejos de las desigualdades en América Latina; descentralización del poder y de los recursos económicos hacia los municipios; creación de herramientas legales y administrativas para prevenir y combatir corrupción en todos los niveles (por ejemplo la ley de acceso a la información pública), sistemas de educación popular (como círculo de estudios y educación popular adulta) y muchas más. Dentro de estos temas existen propuestas por parte de ONGs y otros en Paraguay, solamente que cierta “asolación” de SCC y sus socios de redes de la sociedad civil ha implicado poco participación en estos temas vinculado con derechos a favor de los pobres en este país. La conciencia política en las bases de las cooperativas y asociaciones muestra una gran variedad. Hay cooperativas donde raras veces se hablan de la política y otros que tienen dirigentes muy empoderados y conscientes sobre qué tipo de relaciones se deben tener y qué métodos usar para tener éxitos con sus reivindicaciones. Esta brecha SCC puede disminuir mediante la promoción y organización de capacitaciones con un contenido político y social.

2.2.2

Como las contrapartes perciben sociedad civil y su relación a la democracia

El concepto sociedad civil no ha sido usado mucho en el contexto político y social en Paraguay. Ni hoy es tan común. Las causas son varias, la larga y dura dictadura significó serias restricciones a derechos civiles y políticos como la libre organización, expresión y reunión. El casi monopolio del poder del Partido Colorado obstaculiza el crecimiento de expresiones autónomas. Otro factor es que en comparación con por ejemplo Centro América y los países andinos no hay mucha cooperación internacional en o hacia Paraguay.

93

Según una encuesta realizado por Latinobarómetro, una ONG reconocida en Chile, 80 por ciento de los paraguayos no creen que la justicia es autónoma del ejecutivo (datos de 2006).

146

SUPPORTING CIVIL SOCIETY ORGANIZATIONS FOR EMPOWERMENT AND ECONOMICS PROGRESS OF SMALL FARMERS AND PEOPLE LIVING IN POVERTY – Sida EVALUATION 2008:25

Sin embargo el movimiento social crece como tal y su papel en la política nacional tiene más peso. Existe un candidato fuerte en las elecciones presidenciales próximas (primera vuelta marzo 2007) que sostiene que sus bases son el movimiento social en oposición a la vieja clase política. Independiente sí sea cierto o no la coyuntura política ha abierto debate sobre el papel de la sociedad para profundizar la democracia y las contrapartes de SCC están activas en él. Incluso en esferas altas del Gobierno actual, del partido Colorado, elogió el papel de SCC y sus contrapartes por su construcción de ciudadanía, en referencia a su incidencia positiva en la política gubernamental e legislativa de vivienda y habitad.

3.

La Estrategia Regional de SCC y su Relación con SCC Paraguay

3.1

Temas y contrapartes en el programa en Paraguay

3.1.1

Selección de contrapartes

FECOPROD SCC Paraguay tiene una adecuada mezcla de contrapartes. Para la promoción y fortalecimiento de cooperativas y asociaciones productivas, donde los miembros son pequeños campesinos con ingresos bajos y pocos años de escolaridad SCC ha seleccionado una contraparte muy pertinente: FECOPROD, la federación de cooperativas de producción más grande del país con 40 cooperativas como miembros. Entre ellos están las cooperativas de los menonitas, Manos Unidas, que son económicamente y políticamente muy fuertes y pueden ser comparados con cooperativas suecas como Arla (campesinos lecheros) o Swedish Meat (productores de carne). Las experiencias y fortalezas de FECOPROD son grandes en temas económicos. FECOPROD tiene las capacidades técnicas en las áreas que SCC quiere enfocar: mejorar las capacidades organizativas, productivas y de mercadeo de los campesinos pequeños. El apoyo que FECOPROD brinda a las 5–6 asociaciones agrícolas constituye principalmente en asesoría técnica para mejorar la producción, la calidad de los productos, conseguir nuevos mercados, incluso en el exterior. Las asociaciones no son miembros de FECOPROD. Una razón es que no son todavía suficientemente grandes y consolidados (la membrecía cuesta dinero). Un desafió para SCC en su relación con FECOPROD es encontrar formas de medir como los técnicos de FECOPROD – y FECOPROD como federación gremial – transmiten y trasladan experiencias que empoderan tanto las cooperativas y sus dirigentes. Otros desafío, más grande, es estimar y presentar los resultados de de lobying en favor de los campesinos más pequeños. CIPAE CIPAE es una ONG grande y fuerte en Paraguay, con la cuál SCC coopera en el tema de vivienda y habitad. En este proyecto existe esfuerzos más claros en cuanto a incidir la política macro para hacer verdad lo que el artículo 100 en la constitución paraguaya (1993) promete: el derecho a una vivienda digna para todos los ciudadanos. CIPAE ha redactado la propuesta de ley que creyó el Fondo Nacional para la Vivienda y una iniciativa de ley que transformará el Concejo Nacional de Vivienda a un Ministerio, lo cual significaría mejores condiciones presupuestarias para financiar proyectos de viviendo social. El hecho de que CIPAE tiene más experiencias de incidencia política públicas que son parte de la planificación de SCC tiene una explicación: tiene 30 años de trabajo con derechos humanos. Es importante mencionar que en el tema de vivienda y habitad SCC ha contribuido a fortalecer la gestión y metodología de CIPAE. Antes del apoyo SCC el CIPAE tenía una importante experiencia de construcción de viviendas por ayuda mutua con fondos de cooperación externa, pero sin incorporar la autogestión cooperativa ni la participación del Estado. La estrategia seguida en vivienda y los éxitos parciales obtenidos son un claro resultado del modelo impulsado por el SCC, con apoyo de FUCVAM, de trasladar la larga experiencia – 40 años – de Uruguay. Esta estrategia está basada en la lucha por un marco legal y financiero para las cooperativas de vivienda por ayuda mutua apoyado en un proyecto piloto que demuestre la viabilidad del modelo.

SUPPORTING CIVIL SOCIETY ORGANIZATIONS FOR EMPOWERMENT AND ECONOMICS PROGRESS OF SMALL FARMERS AND PEOPLE LIVING IN POVERTY – Sida EVALUATION 2008:25

147

Dentro el marco de la evaluación en Paraguay un consultor del equipo estudió tres proyectos. • Desarrollo asociativo sostenible del sector rural, administrado por la contraparte FECOPROD (Federación de cooperativas de Producción Ltda.). • Desarrollo del modelo de barrio cooperativa sustentable, administrado por CIPAE • Fortalecimiento del Centro Juvenil Cooperativo, CONAJUCOOP. Además el evaluador de manera parcial estudió el programa de construcción de aulas escolares y una casa de cultura juvenil, realizados dentro el programa “Operation Dagsverke” en Paraguay durante 2005 y 2006. La mayoría de las aulas escolares fueron construidas en zonas rurales donde SCC apoya – a través de FECOPROD – asociaciones y cooperativas agrícolas. El evaluador también participó en el inicio de un taller sobre la formulación de la política de género de ONAC (Organización Nacional Campesina), una contraparte de SCC. El taller era una actividad del proyecto de “Construcción de ciudadanía democrática con igualdad de género en organizaciones de la sociedad civil” ejecutado por el CDE. El programa de visita completo se encuentra en Anexo A. El programa de Paraguay de SCC para 2007–2008 está distribuido por los siguientes temas y contrapartes: Desarrollo rural: FECOPROD, ONAC Vivienda y habitad: CIPAE y el apoyo de CIPAE a la Mesa Coordinadora de las Cooperativas de Vivienda por ayuda mutua del Paraguay, una alianza con cooperativas de vivienda, en su mayoría de reciente creación. Equidad de género: CDE, CONAMURI, Componente género de CONPACOOP Participación democrática: CONAJUCOOP, ALTERVIDA, CONPACOOP Otros temas: a) Mejoras en la gestión empresarial de las organizaciones de ahorro y crédito: CONCORCIO. b) Mejora de la calidad de vida de los asegurados: TAJY. Ambos proyectos están en su fase de conclusión. Todos los proyectos en Paraguay tiene un enfoque multidimensional: combinan metas para mejorar la situación económica y de vivienda en forma concreta de los beneficiarios con metas de fortalecer su organización cooperativista al nivel comunitario y sus dirigentes para adquirir capacidad de incidir en las políticas públicas al nivel micro y macro. Esta filosofía de la cooperación es muy visible en el caso de la vivienda. Alrededor de la autoayuda, autogestión y autoconstrucción de casas y especialmente un barrio completo SCC ha liderado la creación de modelo de autogestión y construcción de viviendas populares en Paraguay. Hasta qué punto puede ser replicable en forma masiva depende mucho del gobierno. Muchas actividades que SCC apoya tienen como fin empoderar los habitantes como ciudadanos conscientes y activos. Una conclusión importante en este informe es que SCC Paraguay construye ciudadanía en una manera consciente. Pero todavía SCC no aplica de manera transversal en todos los proyectos la perspectiva derechos humanos. 3.2

SCC Paraguay dentro la estrategia regional de América Latina

Las actividades de SCC Paraguay están enmarcadas dentro las áreas temáticas de SCC, históricamente y actualmente. La entrada de SCC Paraguay, 1998, fue basado en una idea de que el modelo para promover mejores viviendas para los pobres, mediante la cooperativas de viviendas. Después se expandió al tema de promoción a y apoyo a cooperativas de producción agrícola.

148

SUPPORTING CIVIL SOCIETY ORGANIZATIONS FOR EMPOWERMENT AND ECONOMICS PROGRESS OF SMALL FARMERS AND PEOPLE LIVING IN POVERTY – Sida EVALUATION 2008:25

La nueva estrategia regional para América Latina 2007–2011 tiene un énfasis más político en relación a las orientaciones anteriores, en el sentido que hace más énfasis en acciones orientadas a concientizar a los grupos de meta sobre las inequidades e injusticias al nivel macro político. Incluso la estrategia regional es más política que la estrategia general de SCC por que resalta con estadísticas, ejemplos en el lenguaje mismo que las brechas sociales y económicas son resultados de decisiones políticas. De esta manera contextualiza bien. Para que las actividades de SCC en Paraguay coincidan o se adapten a la nueva estrategia regional para América Latina fue necesario hacer algunos ajustes en él portafolio de los proyectos. Pero la gran mayoría – ocho de diez – de las contrapartes siguen en el programa durante el periodo 2007–2111. SCC Paraguay decidió concluir el trabajo con servicios financieros relacionados con los temas “ahorro y préstamos” y “seguros”. Ahora SCC América Latina sostiene que no existen programas de país, solamente un programa regional bajo lo cual los países donde coopera SCC. Es una declaración de intentos, y no es algo que refleja la situación real de los países, pero apunta hacia un programa más coherente para el futuro. Tabla 1: Áreas y áreas de prioridad estratégica de SCC en América Latina y la posición de SCC Paraguay en ellas Participación democrática

Equidad de género

Desarrollo sostenible

Desarrollo rural

XX

XXX

XX

Vivienda y habitad

XXX

XX

XX

Áreas de prioridad estratégica

Lucha contra HIV/SIDA

Áreas

Servicios financieros

Comentario a la Tabla 1: 1. La decisión de nombrar los conceptos en las dos vertientes “Áreas” y “Áreas de prioridad estratégica” no ayuda en entender con cien por ciento de claridad la diferencia entre las dos. Por ejemplo como debe entender las contrapartes de Paraguay que desarrollo rural es una “área” mientras desarrollo sostenible es un área de prioridad estratégica? Primero sabemos muy bien que “desarrollo sostenible” es un concepto muy nebuloso que incluye centenares de sub-temas. Segundo la palabra estrategia normalmente se responde como una organización o empresa va actuar para alcanzar sus metas. Es “desarrollo sostenible” una estrategia para alcanzar desarrollo rural? Desarrollo sostenible tiene, es el matriz, y en el pensamiento de SCC el mismo rango que participación democrática y genero. 2. Las células en el matriz marcados con una, dos y tres “X” es donde los proyectos y sus actividades de las contrapartes de SCC Paraguay actualmente (septiembre 2007) están presentes. La valoración tres XXX quiere decir que hay muy alta presencia y ninguna. El área servicios financieros no fue valorada por que el evaluador no estudio estos los proyectos en Paraguay por que están en su fase de terminar. Por ejemplo en el proyecto sobre desarrollo rural el evaluador concluye que FECOPROD hay un poco menos participación democrática que en el proyecto de vivienda y habitad porque en ello los mismos grupos de metas – pobladores sin techo – lograron formar su propia coordinadora que además ha logrado conseguir su propio espacio físico en las oficinas de CIPAE para se supone ayuda a consolidar su trabajo.

SUPPORTING CIVIL SOCIETY ORGANIZATIONS FOR EMPOWERMENT AND ECONOMICS PROGRESS OF SMALL FARMERS AND PEOPLE LIVING IN POVERTY – Sida EVALUATION 2008:25

149

4.

Temas de Ejes Transversales (género, medioambiente)

4.1

Medioambiente

El tema de medioambiente SCC Paraguay está focalizado en el ámbito local: Las asociaciones y cooperativas agrícolas pequeñas, por experiencia y condiciones económicas, están cada día más usando métodos de producción sin agroquímicos. Se nota avances importantes en cuanto a lograr metas de producción con métodos no-tradicionales. Hay también limitaciones, por ejemplo en el caso de cultivadores de banano todavía no se ha intentado promover métodos de producción ecológicos. En el proyecto estudiado por el evaluador (“Desarrollo asociativo sostenible del sector rural”) hay varias capacitaciones relacionados con métodos de agricultura sostenible con enfoque en del medio ambiente. En el mencionado proyecto SCC hace un breve análisis sobre la situación del medio ambiente del país: La situación ambiental es uno de los escenarios críticos en el país y la región. La deforestación y el avance de tecnologías perniciosas para el ambiente y la población, como el mal uso de plaguicidas y el cultivo de especies con genoma modificado en laboratorios, inquietan a un sector de la sociedad civil. Paraguay, un país con el 50% de su superficie cubierta de bosques a mediados del siglo pasado, comienza a importar madera para su consumo. (---) La sostenibilidad de los procesos productivos y de las empresas, e incluso de las mismas comunidades, es cuestionada y percibida como en peligro.94 Es fácil percibir como una contradicción que el ejecutor del proyecto mencionado arriba, FECOPROD lideró durante 2007 una campaña para tumbar un proyecto de ley para en limitar, en forma moderada, el uso de agroquímicos tóxicos en la producción agrícola. Hubo discusión entre SCC y FECOPROD sobre los motivos de esta resistencia y FECOPROD era de la opinión que el proyecto era extremadamente radical y contenía errores importantes que limitaban al extremo la producción agrícola. Dada la radicalización de las partes en pugna no se pudo intentar una conciliación. FECOPROD es la contraparte que brinda apoyo técnico a una media docena de asociaciones de producción agrícola dentro el proyecto con SCC. Varias de estas organizaciones, compuestos por campesinos, optaron por cultivar una buena parte de sus productos en forma ecológico, por varias razones, uno ellos que la calidad del suelo se mantiene más tiempo. El equipo de evaluación reconoce el estudio sobre medio ambiente, que recién ha sido hecho por un miembro del staff en Estocolmo: “SCC policy on environmental sustainability – conclusions Latin America” (2007). Ha salido la recomendación de responder a las inquietudes de contrapartes en mejorar su capacidad en el tema ambiente. O mejor dicho desarrollo sostenible, como la recomendación es “environmentally sustainability requires a livelihood approach”que muestra: 1) Resistencia frente a choques y tensiones externos. 2) Capacitad de mantener una productividad de recursos naturales por largo tiempo. 3) Capacidad de no socavar el sustento de otros y comprometer las opciones del sustento abiertos para otros. 4.2

Equidad de género

Equidad de género es uno de cuatro áreas estratégicos propios del programa en América Latina. No es considerado un eje transversal. No está muy claro como SCC al nivel de sede o sede regional ha discutido con su personal al nivel de país y sus contrapartes cuál es la principal diferencia entre estos dos enfoques. En Paraguay SCC ha optado por contratar una ONG – Centro de Documentación y Educación, CDE – para dirigir el proceso de “Impulsar estrategias de inclusión de las mujeres y de la perspectiva de género en los movimientos sociales y asociaciones, como parte de un proceso de construcción ciudadana democrática” 95. 94 95

Cita de la descripción del proyecto “Desarrollo asociativo sostenible del sector rural” periodo 2007–2009. Cita de la publicación Estrategia Regional para América Latina

150

SUPPORTING CIVIL SOCIETY ORGANIZATIONS FOR EMPOWERMENT AND ECONOMICS PROGRESS OF SMALL FARMERS AND PEOPLE LIVING IN POVERTY – Sida EVALUATION 2008:25

Capacitaciones y sensibilización son las principales actividades que están realizándose con la mayoría de las contrapartes. Positivo es que CDE tiene la tarea de trabajar con uno de – las coordinaciones que SCC ha promovido. Dentro la llamada Mesa de Desarrollo Rural está contrapartes como ONAC, ALTERVIDA, CONAMURI y FECOPROD. También el CDE está ayudando una contraparte formular su propia política de género (el caso de ONAC). Una observación critica es que la oficina regional de América Latina no ha dado muchas instrucciones precisas como los coordinadores nacionales debe involucrase en el área estratégicas. El evaluador cree que es muy importante que los coordinadores tengan un buen nivel de conocimiento de métodos como trabajar el tema de género y no confiar en una contraparte, aunque se supone que es especialista en el tema.

5.

Relaciones con las Contrapartes

5.1

Modelo de relaciones

Hay dos componentes que distingue SCC con otras organizaciones suecas y de otros países. Ambos son muy favorables y puede ser considerados como valores agregados aunque las contrapartes en Paraguay no lo mencionan: La primera es la exigencia de una contrapartida de sus contrapartes como tal vez la palabra condición no es correcta, si no más es una identidad. En el caso Paraguay esta regla se aplica de manera consecuente y con transparencia a todas las partes involucrados. Proyectos basados en donaciones a 100 % no existen. Significa que el partnership model (una denominación usado por SCC en español es “modelo de partenariado”) de gran medida es basado en negociaciones sobre cómo, cuanto y en que especie, dinero o trabajo etc. las contrapartes van a contribuir. En general, los proyectos destinan más del 80% del total de sus fondos a actividades de formación informal, capacitación, intercambio, estudios y asistencia técnica. La coordinación y administración de los proyectos no sobrepasa del 20% y en general es financiada o cofinanciada por la contraparte. En algunos proyectos un 20% de los fondos se destinan a pequeñas inversiones agrícolas o fondos de preobra. El SCC no financia viviendas, ha donado un fondo de preobra para las cooperativas que financia los estudios, permisos, instalación de servicios y acciones requieras previa a las obras de construcción. Estos fondos son devueltos por las cooperativas y vueltos a prestar. Las contrapartes con alguna excepción no perciben la exigencia de contrapartidas como un problema. En general aprecian las relaciones con SCC y lo denominan como “armónica” y de “respeto en cuanto a trabajos y planes operacionales en ejecución y proyección”. Al preguntar si las contrapartes si es pertinente llamar las relaciones con SCC como en modelo, dicen que sí. La principal razón es que SCC “tiene un enfoque participativo” y “existe involucramiento continuo de SCC con los ejecutores del proyecto”. Otra apreciación es que SCC siempre brinda apoyo para fortalecimiento institucional y organizativo. La presencia de dos representantes (un oficial y un asistente) de SCC en Paraguay y su activa preocupación por los proyectos y sus contrapartes es importante y valorada. 5.2

Valor agregado?

Valor agregado es un concepto no fácil de tratar. Primero es un concepto comparativo, una organización, de este caso de cooperación internacional, un donante, tiene un valor agregado en relación con otro donante. Segundo a que definir valor agregado para quién? Se supone que las contrapartes o a los grupos de meta que participan en actividades financiados por proyectos de diferentes donantes. Pero como las contrapartes dependen, económicamente de uno o varios donantes no muy a menudo quieren opinar que un donante tiene mayor valor agregado en relación al otro. Por eso las respuestas a la pregunta “cuál es el valor agregado de SCC” existen riesgos que las respuestas no son muy objetivas o sinceras.

SUPPORTING CIVIL SOCIETY ORGANIZATIONS FOR EMPOWERMENT AND ECONOMICS PROGRESS OF SMALL FARMERS AND PEOPLE LIVING IN POVERTY – Sida EVALUATION 2008:25

151

El evaluador por su parte puede estimar el valor agregado mediante su propia observación, y este requiere un conocimiento profundo sobre las actividades y orientaciones de otros donantes para poder comparar. Con estas reservaciones igual se hizo la pregunta sobre el valor agregado a algunas personas al nivel técnico de las contrapartes en Paraguay. Los siguientes fueron resaltados:

“Las capacitaciones” (2 respondientes) “Ha contribuido a la introducción el tema de equidad de género, junto con inquietudes de líderes de las cooperativas” (2 respondientes) “Las formaciones de recursos humanos de la organización, es aspectos de desarrollo social y humano ha permitido introducir la conciencia de la equidad de género” (1 respondiente) Al preguntar los beneficiarios directos sobre el valor agregado de la cooperación financiado por SCC una respuesta recibida con frecuencia fue “las capacitaciones” y “el apoyo técnico” Tanto los miembros de las cooperativas agrícolas como las de vivienda opinan que las diferentes tipos de capacitaciones – ejecutados por las contrapartes – tienen mucho valor e importancia. Las capacitaciones son las actividades más importantes de los proyectos por que abren nuevos mundos para los pequeños campesinos y pobladores sin techo que no tienen muchas de oportunidades de estudios. Las capacitaciones y los talleres son apreciados por su calidad técnico y uso práctico. A menudo son combinados con intercambios de experiencias prácticas orientadas a resolver problemas concretos de los participantes. Un ejemplo son viajes a países vecinos como Argentina y Brasil para estudiar los requisitos de exportación a estos mercados y mejores tecnologías para la producción agrícola, en este caso relacionado a cultivos de bananos. Otro ejemplo, y tal vez más importante, del valor agregado es que SCC ha sido una especie de importador del tema viviendo social con participación del estado en Paraguay. La participación es todavía mínima pero existe un reconocimiento por la autoridad CONAVI.

6.

Planificación, Monitoreo y Control de Calidad

6.1

Planificación

Para garantizar la calidad de la cooperación en sus diferentes fases, incluyendo la planificación, es necesario tener un marco, un sistema. SCC América Latina fue ejemplar cuando elaboró un sistema de PME 2003 y el año siguiente publicó un manual bastante completo. El PME significa que la cooperación requiere cierta profundidad en todos los detalles y permite hacer comparaciones de resultados e impactos entre proyectos e actividades que aplican la misma metodología. Ya en 1999 SCC in América Latina decidió ser parte del sistema de certificación ISO 9000. El proceso de lograr este sello demoró alrededor de cuatro años. El mencionado manual de PME fue parte de este proceso. SCC Paraguay aplica bien las reglas establecidas en el PME. El evaluador recogió un ejemplo de para analizar la calidad de las fases de planificación y evaluación. Además este ejemplo muestra los resultados concretos SCC y su contraparte quiere alcanzar. El siguiente cuadro es tomado de la descripción del proyecto “Desarrollo asociativo sostenible del sector rural” periodo 2007–2009 (proyecto # 4102007), ejecutado por FECOPROD. Las metas del proyecto para los tres años 2007–2009 son los siguientes: • Contribuir al desarrollo socio económico de 600 familias de pequeños productores rurales organizados ubicados en los departamentos de Concepción, San Pedro, Caaguazú, Itapúa, Caazapá y 152

SUPPORTING CIVIL SOCIETY ORGANIZATIONS FOR EMPOWERMENT AND ECONOMICS PROGRESS OF SMALL FARMERS AND PEOPLE LIVING IN POVERTY – Sida EVALUATION 2008:25

Guairá. Estos grupos están situados en zonas con los más altos índices de pobreza del país y su selección corresponde al propósito de la Federación de Cooperativas de Producción –FECOPROD Ltda. y del Centro Cooperativo Sueco –SCC-, de promocionar el desarrollo de comunidades y empresas asociativas entre los sectores más necesitados. • Contribuir al desarrollo organizacional de la FECOPROD en respuesta a las exigencias de las cooperativas agrarias. • Ofrecer a 30 cooperativas agrarias eventos educativos y de intercambio con una perspectiva actualizada del modelo cooperativo, estimulando la vinculación activa entre ellas. El proyecto, cuya duración prevista en principio es de tres años (2.007 al 2.009), partió de un análisis participativo de la situación de los involucrados, utilizándose como instrumento de planificación y ejecución el Esquema de Marco Lógico. Como se observa abajo – tabla 1 – se ha hecho una planificación usando marco lógico. Hay indicadores más o menos precisos y el documento lista un buen número de actividades para alcanzar las metas. Tabla 2: Planificación del proyecto con fecoprod 2007–2009 Resultados

Indicadores

Instrumentos

Supuestos

2.1 Miembros de las organizaciones con mejoras de sus capacidades dirigenciales

* Al menos el 50% de los miembros participan en actividades de capacitación

* Encuestas en las fincas y organizaciones

* Compromiso de miembros de las organizaciones en la utilización de las capacidades y recursos entregados.

2.2. Miembros de las organizaciones con mejoras en sus capacidades administrativas 2.3. Empresas y organizaciones agrarias mejoran su gestión productiva, comercial y ambiental 2.4. Miembros de las comunidades con mejora en su capacidad de gestionar servicios básicos

6.2

* Al menos el 80% de las organizaciones con documentación básica al día * Aumento de la producción en un 10% * Aumento de la comercialización en un 10% * Al menos el 50% de las fincas con prácticas de sostenibilidad ambiental

* Informes de eventos. * Documentos formales * Talleres de monitoreo * Registros contables * Actas de las organizaciones

* Condiciones climáticas favorables para el sector agrícola. * Dirigentes campesinos con actitudes favorables al desarrollo social y económico de los pobladores de las comunidades * Cooperación en las instancias gubernamentales

* Al menos tres servicios comunitarios asegurados

Monitoreo y seguimiento:

Para poder entender que las contrapartes tiene un sistema de seguimiento, en continuación se reproduce una de las tres herramientas (“Fichas”) que lo constituyen. Tabla 1 (abajo) es lo que SCC en conjunto con FECOPROD ha elaborado como herramienta de seguimiento del proyecto. FECOPROD hace dos monitoreos cada año, y los resultados se registran en el formato pre-establecido.

SUPPORTING CIVIL SOCIETY ORGANIZATIONS FOR EMPOWERMENT AND ECONOMICS PROGRESS OF SMALL FARMERS AND PEOPLE LIVING IN POVERTY – Sida EVALUATION 2008:25

153

Tabla 3: Ficha de registro usado por fecoprod en el segumiento del proyecto No.1 Corresponde al 1er monitoreo del Año1 del proyecto. Fecha de elaboración: 29 de mayo de 2007.Responsables de la elaboración: Equipo Técnico del Proyecto de FECOPROD-SCC. Línea de Base 2.007 1er. Monitoreo 2007

2º Monitoreo 2007 Mayo a Diciembre

Enero a Abril Objetivo de Desarrollo: Miembros y sus familias de las organizaciones y comunidades participantes con mejoras en su calidad de vida. Indicador: Percepción del grado de satisfacción de las necesidades básicas familiares

1 (en escala de 0 a 3)

Objetivo de Proyecto: Mejora de la gestión de empresas asociativas y comunidades rurales. Indicador: Al menos el 30% de las organizaciones con planificación estratégica en ejecución

19/40 = 48%

Indicador: Aumento de la comercialización en un 10%

G 2.122.000.000 (datos 11peq. coop. y 3 dispensarios)

Indicador: Al menos el 80% de las organizaciones con documentación formal básica ordenada

16/40 = 40%

Resultado 1.1: Mejora en la capacidad de incidencia en las políticas nacionales Indicador: Participaciones en al menos tres instancias relacionadas a políticas nacionales

3 : MIC, INCOOP, UGP

Resultado 1.2: Mejora de las capacidades de gestión de la FECOPROD • Indicador: Al menos el 50% de futuros líderes y ejecutivos participantes de eventos muestran evidencias de aprendizaje

50%

• Indicador: Al menos el 50% de las cooperativas socias promueven claramente la formación y participación activa de mujeres y/o jóvenes

7/29 = 24%

Observaciones y sugerencias sobre tabla 1: •

La frecuencia del monitoreo con registro – 2 veces al año – parece ser razonable. Es bueno agregar una columna llamado “fuentes de verificación”, lo cual es normal en formatos que usan el modelo Marco Lógico (MF)

•

La segunda columna tiene una mezcla de denominación, “Línea de base 2007” y “Primer Monitoreo 2007”. El evaluador sugiere que los datos que se establecieron al hacer el estudio de línea de base son puestos en una columna propio y de esta manera son tratados como una situación que estaba presente antes de la intervención del proyecto, “ex ante”. Al parecer SCC Paraguay usa el concepto “línea base” como algo que cambia constantemente, lo cual no es de acuerdo al modelo más común de MF.

Tabla 4 es un ejemplo de ficha para encuesta a los beneficiarios directos del proyecto.

154

SUPPORTING CIVIL SOCIETY ORGANIZATIONS FOR EMPOWERMENT AND ECONOMICS PROGRESS OF SMALL FARMERS AND PEOPLE LIVING IN POVERTY – Sida EVALUATION 2008:25

Tabla 4: Ejemplo de ficha para encuesta sobre grado de satisfacción de las necesidades básicas familiares. Socios cooperativa integral del norte – Concepción Fecha de la Encuesta: 12 de mayo 2007 1- Datos Personales Nombre y Apellido del/los entrevistado/s

Cxccxccxcx cvxccxccx y vbcvvcvc vcvvcvc

2- Organización a la que pertenece el/la entrevistado/a: Coop. Yxyxyx yuxuux

3- Percepción del grado de satisfacción de las necesidades básicas familiares. Necesidades básicas

Bajo (0)

Medio (1)

Alto (2)

Alimentación Vivienda

Muy Alto (3)

X X

Salud

X

Educación

X

Entretenimiento

X

Hay por lo menos una más ficha de encuesta para realizar el seguimiento. En ella hay preguntas claves como, por ejemplo:

– Ejecuta la organización su Planificación Estratégica? Si…………. No…………. – Cuál es el valor bruto ingresado a la organización (cooperativa, dispensario, comité de productores) por la venta de productos o servicios de los asociados? ¿Están los socios al día con sus aportes? Si………No……. Como se puede ver FECOPROD puede ajuntar las respuestas a indicadores cuantitativas, lo cual es bueno para hacer mediciones comparativas durante el periodo que dura el proyecto. Las preguntas – no todos son reproducidos aquí – son separados por componentes del proyecto, por ejemplo hay varias destinados a medir el impacto de la incidencia política de FECOPROD. Las preguntas son relevantes para las metas propuestas y funcionan bien para el seguimiento. Como conclusión SCC ha asegurado que las contrapartes tienen un buen sistema de planificación y seguimiento que garantiza la medición sobre los indicadores de avance y los resultados obtenidos.

7.

Eficacia y Pertinencia

7.1

Pertinencia de los programas de las contrapartes en relación a sus propios objetivos, los objetivos de SCC y los objetivos de Asdi/SEKA.

7.1.1 P ertinencia de los programas de las contrapartes en relación a los objetivos de Asdi /SEKA El programa de SCC Paraguay es muy pertinente para los objetivos de SEKA por que en la gran mayoría de los proyectos y actividades hay un enfoque que combina los tres elementos 1) la lucha contra la pobreza mediante el aumento de los ingresos, 2) construcción de liderazgo social/fortalecimiento de la ciudadanía y 3) fortalecer la capacidad organizativa de las contrapartes. Es importante resaltar que estos tres componentes figuran en las metas en todos los proyectos en Paraguay y en América Latina. Este pensamiento integral está establecido en el sistema de PME, lo cual garantiza que es algo sistemático. Al preguntar tres contrapartes si conocen las metas de Asdi en relación a la cooperación con SCC, las respuestas muestran que existe nociones precisos sobre la lucha contra pobreza pero menos conocimientos sobre como Asdi valoriza el papel de la sociedad civil. SUPPORTING CIVIL SOCIETY ORGANIZATIONS FOR EMPOWERMENT AND ECONOMICS PROGRESS OF SMALL FARMERS AND PEOPLE LIVING IN POVERTY – Sida EVALUATION 2008:25

155

7.1.2

Enfoque a combatir la pobreza: Grupos de metas

Una gran parte de los participantes y los beneficiarios de los proyectos son considerados personas en situación de pobreza. Son en su mayoría pequeños campesinos y sus familias organizados en asociaciones y cooperativas en zonas rurales y semi-rurales, cuyos ingresos, según SCC, oscilan entre 500–800 USD por año/por familia. Incluso, sostiene SCC, que los ingresos están en descenso, aunque esta afirmación no está sostenida con estadísticas y fuentes en los estudios de línea de base. Dentro los proyectos estudiados se observa varios niveles de pobreza de los grupos de meta. Por ejemplo en el proyecto con FECOPROD las diferentes asociaciones de producción agrícolas tienen diferentes niveles de desarrollo: hay algunos con productos que se exportan y que tienen mayores ingresos y otros que apenas han logrado conquistar pequeños mercados locales. Los últimos son campesinos muy pobres, lo cual el evaluador pudo observar mediante visita a seis asociaciones rurales de 200–400 kilómetros de Asunción. En el caso del tema vivienda y habitad hay beneficiarios de dos estratos sociales/económicos: los beneficiarios en el Barrio Cooperativo, 40 minutos de Asunción, son pobladores urbanos con cierto nivel económico: tienen trabajos en forma estable o semi estable y ganan según la contraparte CIPAE como promedio 1,5 sueldo mínimo por mes. Los beneficiarios de mejoramiento de su vivienda en el barrio marginal Bañados – casi en el centro de Asunción – muy a menudo están en una situación de extrema pobreza. Tienen trabajos temporales con mucha precariedad. Para que una persona pueda participar en cualquier proyecto de vivienda y habitad no debe tener propiedad propio (terreno o casa). Es un criterio de CIPAE. La participación de beneficiarios directos en los proyectos y sus actividades es fuerte y una ventaja que SCC no debe perder cuando inicia cambios y ajustes en su estrategia.

7.1.3

Pertinencia de los programas de las contrapartes en relación a los objetivos de SCC

En Paraguay el programa de SCC y los programas de sus contrapartes son prácticamente idénticos. Las contrapartes, tantos las grandes más profesionales como las pequeñas con menos formación conceptualmente entienden la importancia de trabajar con los tres componentes mencionados arriba en forma integral. La exigencia de contrapartidas, por ejemplo microcréditos, fortalece las contrapartes y los beneficiarios como actores no cien por ciento dependientes de cooperación internacional.

7.1.4

Pertinencia de los programas de las contrapartes en relación a sus propios objetivos

Los beneficiarios directos, muchas veces personas con escasos recursos y débil organización, tiene un razonable nivel de influencia en las contrapartes que funcionan como asesores, intermediarios, capacitadores y fuentes de financiamiento. Trabajar con cooperativas significa un buen grado de democracia interna y por lo tanto los mismos beneficiarios ejercen cierta influencia para definir sus objetivos. Este aspecto se cumple bien en la mayoría de los proyectos que SCC apoya. Todas las cooperativas visitadas presentaron (al evaluador) sus problemas, necesidades, avances y metas en una forma lógica y concreta. Según el propio análisis de SCC Paraguay la transferencia de poder o dicho de otra manera el empoderamiento a los beneficiarios directos en algunos proyectos debe aumentarse. La misma observación hizo el evaluador en relación a las capacidades de las cooperativas agrícolas y de vivienda de usar sistemas de planificación más completos, como el Marco Lógico aunque sea es versiones simplificadas.

156

SUPPORTING CIVIL SOCIETY ORGANIZATIONS FOR EMPOWERMENT AND ECONOMICS PROGRESS OF SMALL FARMERS AND PEOPLE LIVING IN POVERTY – Sida EVALUATION 2008:25

7.2

Incidencia sobre temas y condiciones relevantes para el desarrollo

Los procesos de desarrollo en cualquier país son complejos. Muchos factores inciden, hasta el origen y filosofías de las religiones (Galtung 1998) y condiciones climatológicas. El economista sueco Stefan de Vylder ha captado la complejidad de esta manera, basándose en investigadores destacados como Douglas North, premio nobel de economía 1993: “Para que haya desarrollo económico y social, se requiere un equilibrio razonable entre diferentes tipos de recursos, o lo que podría llamarse diferentes tipos de capital. Un intento de matizar el concepto capital podría llevar a establecer las distinciones siguientes: Por capital natural se entienden recursos naturales – tierra cultivable, recursos hídricos, minerales, etc. Es difícil imaginarse algún bien que no dependa de insumos provenientes de los recursos naturales de la tierra. Se necesita capital financiero – »dinero« – para obtener control sobre otros tipos de capital. Se puede usar el capital financiero para el consumo o para las inversiones, o para el pago de deudas. El capital financiero está en el centro cuando se discuten temas como deuda externa o déficit presupuestario. Muchos de los políticos de hoy están totalmente obsesionados precisamente con este tipo de capital. Podemos llamar capital directamente productivo o capital real, a la maquinaria y otros instrumentos semejantes que ayudan al ser humano a producir bienes y servicios. Capital infraestructural son bienes de utilidad, tales como caminos, puertos, hospitales, sistemas de alcantarillado, aeropuertos, telecomunicaciones, etc. También se requiere de capital humano, que son los conocimientos y competencias que permiten al ser humano aprovechar la naturaleza y la tecnología para producir bienes y servicios. El capital institucional es un bien escaso en muchos países. Una buena institucionalidad puede ser todo, desde la democracia parlamentaria y una prensa libre, hasta inspecciones financieras transparentes, oficinas nacionales de estadísticas competentes y sistemas de recaudación de impuestos o entidades de patentes y derechos intelectuales con un funcionamiento eficiente, para tan sólo nombrar algunos al azar. El capital social es el pegamento invisible que cohesiona una sociedad. El ser humano es, como ya lo señalaba Aristóteles, un ser social y político. El desarrollo supone interacción. La competencia es importante, aunque para que las personas puedan expresar correctamente sus conocimientos y su creatividad, se requiere de un mínimo de normas y reglas formales e informales para la cooperación y consideración recíprocas. Podemos llamar este concepto nebuloso »capital social«. En la medida que hay capital social en una sociedad, en esa misma medida se hará más fácil cooperar y habrá más confianza entre las personas. Es sobre todo cuando no hay capital social, que se nota su importancia: No confío en ti, y tú no confías en mí. Yo sólo pienso en mí mismo y tú sólo piensas en ti mismo. No es grato vivir en una sociedad así y, además, lleva a la ineficiencia”.96

Es difícil contradecir que Paraguay necesita fortalecer todos estos capitales, incluso el capital natural pensando en el mejor mantenimiento de sus bosques. SCC como organización democrática y con una larga experiencia sabe muy bien como los diferentes capitales son interrelacionadas, por ejemplo como el capital humano a través de educación influye en el capital institucional. Este a su vez depende del capital social. En el contexto paraguayo con instituciones públicas débiles en servicios de los ricos y una inequidad casi endémica es importante enfocar incidencia no solamente en los temas de su especialización si no también en un nivel superior: las condiciones que definen el desarrollo, como por ejemplo los sistemas tributarios y políticas de transferencias de recursos financieros del gobierno central a los municipios. Como el estado puede mejorar su servicio a los campesinos pobres si no tienen políticas públicas eficientes para hacerlo. Argumentar que temas relacionados con el crecimiento del los bienes públicos en general (como sistemas tributarios y leyes que definen el acceso a la información pública) son temas para otros actores y no de SCC es una falta de entendimiento sobre las condiciones que tienen gran impacto en la vida de los pobres. 96

Extracto de De Vylder, Stefan: Las fuerzas de desarrollo. Sobre pobreza, riqueza y justicia en el mundo. Original en sueco: Utvecklingens drivkrafter. Om fattigdom, rikedom och rättvisa i världen, Forum Syd, 2007.

SUPPORTING CIVIL SOCIETY ORGANIZATIONS FOR EMPOWERMENT AND ECONOMICS PROGRESS OF SMALL FARMERS AND PEOPLE LIVING IN POVERTY – Sida EVALUATION 2008:25

157

7.3

Fortalezas y debilidades de SCC en cuanto a incidencia

En la siguiente gráfica se muestra las fortalezas y debilidades de SCC en cuanto a incidencia en temas pertinentes en diferentes niveles: Figura 1: Promocion e incidencia sobre cooperativismo y politicas agrarias en cuatro niveles pertinentes

Incidencia en politicas de comercio relacionados con productos agrícolas. NIVEL INTERNACIONAL Incidencia en politicas publicas que definen desarrollo y mejor distribución de la riqueza NIVEL NACIONAL Incidencia en politicas agrarias NIVEL NACIONAL

Fomento de cooperativas: Organización, Producción, Mercado NIVEL LOCAL

ALTA CAPACIDAD ALTA CAPACIDAD BAJA CAPACIDAD BAJA CAPACIDAD

Comentario:

La valoración “baja capacidad” para incidir en políticas públicas al nivel nacional, que a gran medida definen la distribución de las riqueza, está basada en la poca exposición de estos temas en los documentos de SCC Paraguay, SCC América Latina y SCC en general y en sus contrapartes. Dicho eso hay que reconocer esto aplica a muchas otras organizaciones suecas y de otros países. Si hubiéramos elegido graficar el ejemplo políticas de vivienda y habitad, y no desarrollo rural, la valoración habría sido “alta capacidad” en los cuatro niveles.

158

SUPPORTING CIVIL SOCIETY ORGANIZATIONS FOR EMPOWERMENT AND ECONOMICS PROGRESS OF SMALL FARMERS AND PEOPLE LIVING IN POVERTY – Sida EVALUATION 2008:25

8.

Resultados Alcanzados

8.1

Introducción

SCC posee buenas herramientas para medir si las metas puestas son alcanzadas en los proyectos. En los tres proyectos estudiados del periodo actual (2007–2009) la estructura de metas son idénticas: Hay metas de desarrollo, metas de proyecto y metas de fortalecimiento institucional, en el último están incluidos indicadores de resultado en relación a incidencia. Los matrices de marco lógico también son idénticos con columnas para metas, indicadores de resultado e instrumentos (son fuentes de verificación). En general SCC Paraguay a través de sus contrapartes han logrado conseguir los resultados esperados en los tres niveles. Sobre la mejora de la calidad de vida del las familias y personas en situación de pobreza FECOPROD informa a base de encuestas y entrevistas personales la percepción de los mismos beneficiarios sobre el grado de desarrollo personal, incluyendo el comportamiento de los ingresos económicos. En el caso de CIPAE es más fácil como los indicadores tienen que ver con el número de personas que participan en la rehabilitación de viviendas y construcción de casas. En continuación se intenta estimar los resultados a base de ejemplos en dos proyectos: 8.2

Proyectos con FECOPROD 2004–2006 y 2007–2011

SCC ha apoyado a FECOPROD desde 1995 y los primeros proyectos estuvieron más orientados a mejorar su capacidad como federación y aumentar la cantidad de miembros. El proyecto trianual (2004–2006) que fue llamado “Contribuyendo a al cambio rural”, tenía los siguientes objetivos e indicadores (algunos ejemplos, la tabla está cortado por razones de espacio): Objetivos/Resultados

Variables

Indicadores

Instrumentos

Objetivo de Desarrollo: Contribuir a la mejora de la calidad de vida de las familias de los asociados a las cooperativas

Calidad de vida

Al fin del proyecto, al menos el 50% de las familias campesinas con mejoras en más de una necesidad básica

Memorias. Encuestas. Entrevistas. Medios de prensa

Objetivo del Proyecto Empresas asociativas campesinas y asociadas a la FECOPROD con mejores capacidades en la atención de las necesidades de sus miembros

Capacidades Al fin del proyecto, más del 80% de de las las organizaciones campesinas con cooperativas aumento en su capital social Al fin del proyecto al menos el 50% de las organizaciones campesinas con aumento en sus inversiones

Encuestas Entrevistas Memorias Balances Cuadros de resultados Actas e Informes

El número de personas que fueron beneficiarios en forma directa del proyecto fueron según los mismos informes de SCC: 635 hombres y 277 mujeres. Cada familia rural está compuesta por 5–7 personas. Las metas establecidas arriba se lograron. En este proyecto hubo un buen número de objetivos preciso en relación al fortalecimiento de FRECOPROD en varios sentidos. Por ejemplo: Objetivos/Resultados

Variables

Indicadores

Instrumentos

Resultado 11: La FECOPROD dispone de un diagnóstico actual de las dificultades de las cooperativas agrarias

Disposición de Diagnóstico

Diagnóstico disponible

Documento del Diagnóstico

Resultado 12: La FECOPROD cuenta con estrategias actualizadas para su gestión

Estrategias actualizadas

Ajustes de estrategias realizados

Documento de estrategias Informes de ajustes

Resultado 13: La FECOPROD con mejoras en su estructura organizacional y funcionamiento

Mejora de estructura y funcionamiento

Sistema de reestructuración y funciones diseñado

Documento de diseño Informes de avances

Niveles de avance en la mejora en la reestructuración y funcionamiento

SUPPORTING CIVIL SOCIETY ORGANIZATIONS FOR EMPOWERMENT AND ECONOMICS PROGRESS OF SMALL FARMERS AND PEOPLE LIVING IN POVERTY – Sida EVALUATION 2008:25

159

Objetivos/Resultados

Variables

Indicadores

Instrumentos

Resultado 14: Los planes y servicios de la FECOPROD son promocionados

Promoción de planes y servicios

Número de casos de promoción de los planes y servicios de la FECOPROD

Materiales de promoción

Monitoreo y evaluación de planes y proyectos

Ejecución del monitoreo

Informes de monitoreo

Ejecución de la evaluación

Informes de evaluación

Resultado 15: Planes y proyectos de la FECOPROD monitoreados y evaluados

Informes

Cuando se inició el proyecto FECOPROD tenía 29 miembros, ahora tiene 42. Tiene mejor nivel de planificación y ejecución. Según indicaciones escritas por FECOPROD en relación a esta evaluación el apoyo de SCC a FECOPROD ha sido importante para su crecimiento. Incluso hay éxitos sustanciales para FECOPROD como federación, por ejemplo recién ganó una licitación para administrar un proyecto de desarrollar rural grande con fondos de IFAD (sigla inglés del International Fund for Agricultural Development). Se pudo comprobar que FECOPROD tiene capacidad de convocatoria en relación a las protestas de campesinos comerciales (“farmers”) contra una propuesta de ley para restringir levemente el uso de pesticidas. Grandes marchas fueron co-organizadas por FECOPROD. Objetivos/Resultados

Variables

Indicadores

Instrumentos

Resultados 21: Socios campesinos de tres cooperativas y un comité capacitados en técnicas de producción

Capacitación

Al fin del proyecto, al menos el 80% de los asociados con calificación satisfactoria sobre técnicas de producción

Informes de los eventos realizados

Resultado 22: Socios campesinos de tres cooperativas y un comité capacitados en la gestión comercial de sus empresas

Capacitación

Para el 2006, al menos el 80% de los asociados con calificación satisfactoria sobre gestión comercial

Informes de los eventos realizados

Resultado 24: Socios campesinos de tres cooperativas y un comité con apoyo financiero para inversiones productivas

Apoyo financiero

Al fin del proyecto al menos cinco inversiones productivas conjuntas iniciadas

Seguimiento de las inversiones realizadas

Resultado 33: Miembros de cooperativas de mayor desarrollo con capacidades para seleccionar y definir alternativas de sostenibilidad.

Capacitación

Al menos el 60% de los asistentes aprueban capacitación en análisis de alternativas

Informes de las capacitaciones

Al menos el 50% de los miembros de la organizaciones participan de eventos de equidad de género y edad

Informes de las capacitaciones

Resultado 34: Miembros de comités y Sensibilizacooperativas agrarias sensibilizados ción en equidad de género y de edad

Al menos 30% de los participantes de los cursos son mujeres y jóvenes

Estas metas están relacionados con los campesinos en situación de pobreza en cooperativas recién formadas, incluso algunos son comités que es una entidad aun no consolidada para ser cooperativa. Aunque el evaluador no hizo una medición exacta sobre el cumplimiento de estas metas se supone que estas cooperativas forman parte de los nuevos socios de FECOPROD y que tengan una consolidación como entes productivos más o menos fuerte. Por eso SCC y FECOPROD en el proyecto en el actual periodo (2007–2011) están trabajando con siete nuevas asociaciones campesinas de los cuales seis fueron visitados por el evaluador. Tomando en cuenta las observaciones propias y entrevistas personales de los socios junto con herramientas aún más finas para el seguimiento es fácil establecer FECOPROD están en buen camino para lograr los objetivos establecidos.

160

SUPPORTING CIVIL SOCIETY ORGANIZATIONS FOR EMPOWERMENT AND ECONOMICS PROGRESS OF SMALL FARMERS AND PEOPLE LIVING IN POVERTY – Sida EVALUATION 2008:25

8.3

El proyecto con CIPAE 2007–2009

Objetivo de Desarrollo

Indicadores/metas

1. Un 10% de las viviendas para familias de limitados recursos económicos con finanAcceso a la vivienda digna en ciamiento público se construyen en barrios cooperativos productivos sustentables. barrios auto gestionados por los propios vecinos asociados 2. Cuota de la vivienda es inferior al 15% de los Ingresos de las familias que integran a una cooperativa, para familias los barrios cooperativos. de recursos económicos 3. El 90% de las familias pagan al día la cuota de sus viviendas a la cooperativa. limitados, en forma sustentable.

1. La meta es ambicioso dado que el presupuesto público ordinario, es decir los recursos propios del estado, cubre solamente los sueldos de los 240 empleados del Consejo Nacional De la Vivienda (CONAVI). No hay dinero del presupuesto ordinario para construir viviendas. La meta depende de préstamos y donaciones (Taiwán) que hace el estado. Una complicación puede ser que CONAVI no tiene la misma definición o la conceptualización de “los barrios cooperativos sustentables” 2. 180 familias que han sido beneficiadas con nuevas casas durante 2006 y 2007. Según los ejecutores no hay mayor problemas con los indicadores 2 y 3. Objetivo de Proyecto

Indicadores/metas

Expansión y desarrollo del modelo de barrio cooperativo sustentable a nivel nacional en articulación con el movimiento cooperativo.

Indicador 1. Barrio cooperativo sustentable piloto con 5% de morosidad como máximo. Indicador 2. Diez y ocho (18) Cooperativas de vivienda y departamentos de vivienda a fines del 2009. Indicador 3. 18 barrios cooperativos: 6 habitados, 6 en construcción y 6 en gestión de créditos. Indicador 4. El 90% de los cooperativistas no abandona el barrio cooperativo por problemas económicos.

SCC Paraguay ha puesto mucha energía en mostrar que el modelo de FUCVAM se puede introducir y expandir a otros países en América Latina, incluyendo Uruguay. En Paraguay hay buenos resultados hasta ahora. Las ambiciones en el matriz arriba son grandes. La calidad de los indicadores es buena al igual que el seguimiento. El cumplimiento de las metas arriba dependerá no solamente de SCC y su contraparte si no en el fortalecimiento de la red Movimimiento de Cooperativas de Vivienda, una instancia interesante creado como resultado del proyecto, y el resultado de las elecciones políticas en Marzo 2008.

9.

Recomendaciones

1. Enfoque de derechos humanos: Como herramienta en el trabajo de incidencia política y filosofía de su cooperación SCC Paraguay, al igual que SCC América Latina, debe profundizar el conocimiento sobre una cooperación internacional basado en el enfoque de derechos humanos. Hay grandes variaciones dentro SCC América Latina sobre el conocimiento, interpretación y el uso práctico de este enfoque. Se recomienda que SCC Paraguay estudie el contenido de las convenciones internacionales de derechos humanos en relación a sus temas y áreas, como el sistema de seguimiento de cada convención trata Paraguay como el estado e influye en las acciones de los gobiernos y en la sociedad civil. En Paraguay CIPAE es un recurso que debe ser usado en este proceso. 2. Transferencia a capacidades a organizaciones de base: SCC Paraguay deber asegurar que las contrapartes que brindan asesoría técnica las organizaciones de base (cooperativas, asociaciones de productores entre otros) aumentan sus capacidades de planificación, monitoreo y evaluación usando elementos de Marco Lógico. Este trabajo es parte de la misión para empoderar a las personas en situación de pobreza y sus organizaciones. SUPPORTING CIVIL SOCIETY ORGANIZATIONS FOR EMPOWERMENT AND ECONOMICS PROGRESS OF SMALL FARMERS AND PEOPLE LIVING IN POVERTY – Sida EVALUATION 2008:25

161

3. Capacidades propias de SCC en el tema de género: SCC Paraguay puede involucrarse más en el contenido de las capacitaciones sobre equidad de género, estudiando materiales pedagógicos existentes (por ejemplo de Diakonia Suecia) y hacer uso de las recomendaciones hechas al estado de Paraguay por parte del Comité de Seguimiento de la Convención de los derechos de las mujeres (sigla en inglés CEDAW) y la Convención para prevenir, erradicar y castigar todas las formas de violencia hacia la mujer en el sistema interamericano (conocido también como la Convención Belém do Pará). 4. Medio ambiente y desarrollo sostenible: Sobre el tema de medioambiente y las consecuencias del modelo actual de agroexportaciones, especialmente de carne y de soja, SCC debe aumentar su diálogo con la dirigencia de FECOPROD sobre temas relacionados con medio ambiente, especialmente reforestación y recursos hídricos. 5. Documentación: SCC Paraguay puede mejorar su sistema de documentos, mediante numeración y separación de documentos relacionados con planficación y monitoreo. Se puede aplicar el modelo que usa SCC Honduras: 1. Base Line Study 2. Marco Lógico del proyecto. 3. Solicitud de la contraparte. 4. Documento de análisis interno. 5. Decisión de SCC. 6. Informes de seguimiento. 7. Informe final. Etc.

162

SUPPORTING CIVIL SOCIETY ORGANIZATIONS FOR EMPOWERMENT AND ECONOMICS PROGRESS OF SMALL FARMERS AND PEOPLE LIVING IN POVERTY – Sida EVALUATION 2008:25

SUPPORTING CIVIL SOCIETY ORGANIZATIONS FOR EMPOWERMENT AND ECONOMICS PROGRESS OF SMALL FARMERS AND PEOPLE LIVING IN POVERTY – Sida EVALUATION 2008:25

163

Hotel Santa Rosa

Hotel Asunción

Hotel Concepción

14.30 Visitas Escuela de Prosperidad

13.00 Almuerzo

12.00 Almuerzo

14.30 Visita Coop. Cleto Romero

11.30 Visita Escuela Cororoi central

10.30 Salida Cleto Romero

10.30 Visita Escuela San Miguel del Norte

Hotel Santa Rosa

14.30 Vista Escuela Calle 14

13.30 Almuerzo

11.00 Visita Coop. Integral del Norte

Hotel Asunción

14.00 Visita Coop Avatí Poty

12.30 Almuerzo

Hotel Asunción

Cooperativas Vivienda

16.00 Reunión Mesa Coord

14.00 Reunión CIPAE

12.30 Almuerzo

10.00 Visita Centro Cultural Juvenil

8.00 Reunión con SCC

9.00 Visita Coop Guayaibí Poty

8.00 Visita Coop. Rincón de Luna

8.00 Visita Coop. Aguaray

Ofna de SCC 8.30 Ajuste programa

9.00 Reunión FECOPROD

Viernes 7/09

Jueves 6/09

Miércoles 5/09

Martes 4/09

Lunes 3/09 Asunción y (nobre del municipio)

23.00 Llegada a Asunción

Domingo 2/09 Asuncion

Hotel Asunción

12.30 Almuerzo

Hotel Asunción

Hotel Asunción

14.00 Reunión con SCC

12.30 Almuerzo

10.30 Reunión con Comisión Vivienda Parlamento – .CANCELADO

Aveiro: reunión Consorcio y recorrida barrio

12.00 Almuerzo

6.00 Partida de Asunción

9.00 Reunión con CONAVI

9.00 Visita Barrio Coop

9.00 Visita Bañados de Asunción 11.30 Reunión con Cobañados

Martes 11/09

Lunes 10/09

Domingo 9/09

Sábado 8/09

Anexo A: Programa del Evaluador en Paraguay, 2 al 11/09/07

Anexo B: Lista de Personas Entrevistadas SCC y otras agencias

Eduardo Cantos, coordinador país (Paraguay), Centro Cooperativo Sueco Lourdes Barude, asistente de programa (Paraguay), SCC Viveka Carlestam, directora regional,de SCC en América Latina Hanna Wetterstrand, oficial de programa, SCC Juan Carlos Yuste, representante de Paraguay, Diakonia (Suecia) Gobierno:

Ceasar Vallejo, director de Consejo Nacional de la Vivienda, CONAVI, Contrapartes y grupos de meta: Xx yyy, FECOPROD Xxxx, FECOPROD Xxxx, FECOPROD Xxxx, FECOPROD Cristina Vila, secretaria ejecutiva, CIPAE Miguel Angel, Coordinador Area Urbana, CIPAE Georgina Gonzales, administradora Area Urbana CIPAE Ricardo Cavese, arquitecto, Area Urbana, CIPAE Marciel Candelo, Equipo Tecnico, Area Urbana, CIPAE 8 miembros y directivos CONAJUCOOP, Asunción Miembros y directivos de la Mesa Coordinadora de Cooperativas de Vivienda , Asunción: Antonia Cabrera, Asociacion Comunitaria Chacasita, Asuncion Blas Gutierrez, Serna, Asunción Dionisio Sánchez, C.O.B.A.T, Asunción Carmelinda Fernandez, Bañados Central y Asociación de Organizaciones Sociales y Comunitarios de la Chacarita Rafael Erames, Teko, Asunción Doménua Díaz, Teko, Asunción Carmen Castillo, CODECO, Asunción Basilica Espinola, CIPAE, Asunción Viaje al interior del país, visitas a cooperativas a asociaciones rurales

12 miembros i directivos de la Asociacion de Campesinos de, Cleto Romero, Municipio de Romero 15 miembros y directivos de Cooperativa. Aguaray, municipio San Miguel del Norte 10 miembros de la cooperativa Rincón de Luna Ltda, , municipio Concepción 8 Miembros y directivos de la cooperativa Integral del Norte, municipio Horqueta, municipio 12 miembros de la cooperativa Guajayuvi Poty, municipo de ¿? Participación en el inicio del taller para formular una politica de género de la organización UNAC (Union Nacional der Campesinos) con aproximadamente 15 participantes , Ciudad Ovieto Habitantes y directivos de diferentes servicios en el Barrio Cooperativa, Asunción: Operation dagsverke:

Visita a 5 escuelas rurales con aulas construidas; entrevistas con miembros de Asociaciones Escolares de padres y madres de familia 164

SUPPORTING CIVIL SOCIETY ORGANIZATIONS FOR EMPOWERMENT AND ECONOMICS PROGRESS OF SMALL FARMERS AND PEOPLE LIVING IN POVERTY – Sida EVALUATION 2008:25

Recent Sida Evaluations

2008:15 Sida’s Support to the Eastern and Southern African Regional Office of UNICEF Mainstreaming a Rights Based Approach to Safeguard the Rights of Children Orphaned by HIV/AIDS. Robert N. Sinclair, Nishu Aggarwal Department for Africa

2008:16 Regional Air Pollution in Developing Countries (RAPIDC) 1998–2007 John Magne Skjelvik, Haakon Vennemo Department for Infrastructure and Economic Cooperation

2008:17 Outcome Mapping Evaluation of Six Civil Society Projects in Bosnia and Herzegovina Summary Report Steve Powell, Ivona Čelebičić, Esad Bratović, Ajla Šišić Department for Europe

2008:18 Sida’s Support to the Centre for Information on Low External Input and Sustainable Agriculture (ILEIA) Robin Walraven Department for Natural Resources and the Environment

2008:19 Development of Real Property Market in the Republic of Belarus Åke Sahlin, Maksym Kalyta Department for Europe

2008:20 Improving Care and Institutional Conditions for Orphans and Children Deprived of Parental Rights in Belarus Alexandra Göransson, Anna Von Bothmer, Andrej Makhanko Department for Europe

2008:21 Combating Trafficking in Women and Children in Belarus, 2004–2007 Caroline Hartoft-Nielsen, Birgitte Kofod Olsen Department for Europe

2008:22 Young People Against Drugs – the Pinsk Model in Belarus. The Swedish National Association for a Drug-free Society (RNS) Kalegium Cooperation Project Karin Attström, Anders Kragh, Vladimir Korzh Department for Europe

2008:23 Review of Raoul Wallenberg Institute’s Human Rights Capacity Building Programme in China, 2004–2007 Joakim Anger, Per Bergling Department for Democracy and Social Development

2008:24 Lessons Learnt on Sustainable Forest Management in Africa, Sustainable Forest Management, Phase II Thorsten Celander Department for Natural Resources and Environment

Sida Evaluations may be ordered from: Infocenter, Sida SE-105 25 Stockholm Phone: +46 (0)8 779 96 50 Fax: +46 (0)8 779 96 10 [email protected]

A complete backlist of earlier evaluation reports may be ordered from: Sida, UTV, SE-105 25 Stockholm Phone: +46 (0) 8 698 51 63 Fax: +46 (0) 8 698 56 43 Homepage: http://www.sida.se

SWEDISH INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT COOPERATION AGENCY SE-105 25 Stockholm, Sweden Tel: +46 (0)8-698 50 00. Fax: +46 (0)8-20 88 64 E-mail: [email protected]. Homepage: http://www.sida.se