How to Monitor the Zambian Agricultural Sector?

Dr. Klaus Droppelmann

 The PRSP implementation from 2002 to 2004 in the agricultural sector saw a concentration of funding on a few big projects namely the Out-grower scheme Support Programme, the Fertiliser Support Programmes and Crop Marketing. Over the three years smaller programmes received less and less allocations until all of them received no funds at all in 2004. The general philosophy of the PRSP was, however, that it functions as an overall framework for the development of the country with the overarching aim of reducing poverty levels. So far this philosophy is not reflected in the reports by the Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives (MACO) at the Sector Advisory Group (SAG) Conferences. PRSP implementation rather appears as being limited to MACO activities and (quasi-) public sector actors, which are mostly coordinated at national level, with a few additional programme components implemented through the provincial administration.

 The provincial and district level of MACO, although engaged with the implementation, do not experience ownership of the programme since it is coordinated at higher levels. It is also not clear from those reports in how far the intended programme beneficiaries are involved in monitoring & evaluation as it was envisaged, for example under its predecessor programme, the Agricultural Sector Investment Programme (ASIP). With the exception of the out-grower scheme support programme it remains unclear, which real impact these programmes have achieved on the ground so far [MACO, 2004].

 The above mentioned arguments and the recent disclosure of allegedly corrupt and criminal practices in the implementation of the Fertiliser Support Programme (FSP), as reported by the Times of Zambia in February this year [ToZ, 2005] calls for a more pro-active approach. It is good when culprits are brought to justice, but the damage is done and the intended beneficiaries are frustrated. Through an institutionalised participatory monitoring approach, especially of the FSP and the Crop Marketing programmes, transparency and ownership could be greatly enhanced. District Agricultural Committees (DACs) were established under ASIP to coordinate and monitor its implementation at district level. Currently the DACs are involved in the selection of beneficiaries and participating input dealers but do not yet take a prominent role in monitoring. 

 Zambia’s Agricultural Sector Policy

At the end of 2004 the new National Agricultural Policy (NAP) [GRZ/MACO-NAP, 2004-2015], was launched. The policy acknowledges the fact that the Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives and in fact Government can not be the sole provider of services but has to increasingly develop partnerships with farmers and other private sector players as well as NGOs and cooperating partners. The private sector is expected to engage more and more into service provision like veterinary services, agricultural production input supply and crop marketing, while MACO is focusing on its core functions of policy formulation, enforcement of legislation and regulation. Other tasks like extension service provision, agricultural research and monitoring and evaluation of sector performance will have to be undertaken in a joint effort among sector stakeholders. This transition process has to be conducted in a consultative manner at all levels with close observation of the progress in order to keep it on track and all stakeholders on board.

……but how to put the policy into practice?

 In order to create a deeper understanding and better appreciation of the NAP, MACO will embark on a sensitisation programme at district and provincial level. Following their sensitisation, stakeholders will be invited to draw up action plans.  Such action plans will act as vehicles for the translation of the NAP into development initiatives on the ground including all actors, not just the ministry itself. Thus they have to be discussed, designed, implemented and monitored by agricultural sector stakeholders at local level. They should form part of the general development strategy of a district, which is to be coordinated by the District Development Coordinating Committee (DDCC) and thus accelerating Zambia’s decentralisation efforts. At district level the DACs are proposed to form the agricultural sub-committee under the DDCC and thus are well suited for this mandate. Additionally the work plans of MACO at district level are to be approved by the DAC. The complementary design and effective coordination of sectoral action plans and MACO work plans need the adoption of a rigorous monitoring mechanism, which is based on a hierarchical and comprehensive indicator system. DDCC reports and district plans will be consolidated into provincial reports and development strategies through the PDCC and where applicable also the Provincial Agricultural Committees (PAC).

 The national PRSP indicator system will have to be localised to district specific needs and conditions in an effort to make them relevant for planning and coordination of interventions at that level. Past experience has shown that a lot of data can be generated at district level [SDRD, 2004] but a continuous and systematic data collection will not be possible either without substantial external incentives or real local demand, which is the more sustainable approach. The national indicator system and MACO’s Management Information System will have to take this fact into account. It is equally important that the two systems are harmonised with each other.

 Every so often monitoring is still understood as a mere reporting mechanism to higher levels or as a donor imposed conditionality and hence seen as a mere control mechanism. The fact that the successful implementation of the PRSP and the NAP can only be achieved through combined efforts by all players in the sector can not be overemphasised. Successful implementation needs effective coordination and efficient management. This has to be fact-based if it is to be realistic and all parties involved have to participate. Thus monitoring and evaluation has a key role in this process.

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