The East-Central Region-Agricultural Development Project (ECR ADP)

 

Phase I                   : 1 Oct 2002 – 30 June 2007

Budget                   : 2.5 million CHF

Location                 : Project Management Unit, ECR-ADP (under MoA) in Zhemgang

Implementers          : 4 ECR Districts (Bumthang, Trongsa, Zhemgang &  Sarpang)

 

 Background/Introduction

 Project Implemention

 Future Challenges and Outlook:

 Key Documents available

 

Background/Introduction:

In the beginning of the 9th FYP, MoA approached Helvetas to develop a new RNR project. “East Central Region-Agricultural Development Project” (ECR-ADP) covering the four Dzongkhags of Bumthang, Trongsa, Zhemgang and Sarpang. The duration of the project was decided as five years coinciding with 9th Five Year Plan (July 2002-June 2007). The first phase is from 1 July 2002 to 30th June 2005, while the second phase was from 1 July 2005 to 30 June 2007. The project came into full operation only by February 2003.

 

The goal of the Project is to strengthen rural development and reduce poverty in the four Dzongkhags. The project has been contributing to the achievement of the RGoB’s specific RNR goals for the 9th FYP, which are food security, sustainable natural resources management, enhance rural livelihood and generate rural employment opportunities.

 

The main activities are to support:

 

1.      Implementation of 9th FYP RNR programmes at Geog and Dzongkhag levels.

2.      Enhancement of the efficiency and effectiveness of the implementation of the 9th FYP of RNR programmes.

3.      Improvement of communication among the implementers on technical and managerial issues by documenting, capitalizing and sharing existing knowledge.

4.      Local Development Initiatives (LDI) by reacting quickly to unplanned emerging-relevant and innovative activities, which are linked to the project activities.

 

Project Implemention:

The project implementation is integrated as much as possible in the existing RGoB XE "RGoB"  structures. The activities of component 1 are implemented through the existing RNR structures and the corresponding funds are routed through the governments’ channels. Component 2 is implemented directly by Helvetas while components 3 and 4 are implemented by PMU.

 

The ECR-ADP is headed by a steering committee and managed by a project management unit, located centrally in Zhemgang town.

 

 Achievements

Undoubtedly this project has made tremendous progress and contribution in alleviation of the poverty through creation of rural access, income generation, employment opportunities and capacity building process helping the people in the ECR Dzongkhags. As we can see that many more development activities are sprouting up at the grass root level as consequences of the HRD component helping both in short term and long term training needs of the implementing agencies and other stakeholders as well.  

 

According to the cumulative financial progress reports of the ECR ADP as of 30th June 2006, the project has made significant progress under various project components.

 

Some of the selected activities that has been achieved are: Farm road construction in the region – 49.50 km., Irrigation Channels- 15.42 kms, Sunday Market shed construction at Zhemgang, Orange Collection Depot at Langthil, Trongsa, Orange Collection Depot at Panbang, Zhemgang, Constructed RNR Centre at Trashiling, Trongsa, Market shed construction at Norbuling, Sarpang, Promotion of passion fruits, Improvement of RNR Centres, Awareness raising on the different fields (Cattle show etc), Farmers training and Study tour programmes in ifferent fields, ICT equipments to the PMU and implementing agencies, Mobility ( scooters) to the extension agents and Extension kits to the extension staffs in the field.

 

Tangible achievement are: Market shed has been constructed under ECR support in Zhemgang town in order to facilitate and promote marketing opportunities for the farmers. It has linked the production, access and marketing thereby boosting agricultural production and cash income of the rural farmers. The market shed consists of 6 units, which can accommodate about 120 farmers to sell their vegetables and other commodities. The market sheds constructed at a cost of Nu. 2.100 million were completed and handed over to the Municipal Corporation since June 2004.  It has not only provided market outlet but also encouraged the farmers to produce agricultural products thus addressing shortage of vegetables in the town. Today it provides with regular supply of vegetables to the consumers. Since the construction of the sheds, it has been noticed that there is a continuous flow of agricultural products for sale.

 

With the construction of 7 km of farm road under Zurphy geog, it is expected to contribute substantially to the farmers of Zurphy village in terms of their accessibility; production and access to markets. The farm road construction, under the funding of ECR-ADP will benefit 33 households in and around Zurphy.

 

The project has supported promotion of 25,000 passion fruit seedlings under Zhemgang and Trongsa Dzongkhags inorder to create avenue for the people in earning cash income,  as there is good market for such fruits.  The Department of Agriculture has already planned to set up a semi fruit processing plant at Goling which is expected to facilitate the producers of Zhemgang, Trongsa and Sarpang Dzongkhags.

 

Human Resource Development (HRD-2a)

As defined in the project document, the HRD capacities have been developed with the Masters Programme for one DLO in Animal Production and one DAO in Rural Development who have now returned and are in their respective posts.  Similarly, 18 Extension Agents have received Post Graduate Diploma in various fields including one Diploma in Animal Nutrition.  In addition, staff within the project have received short term trainings in office administration and financial management  both in-country as well as abroad.  Many study visits and exchange programmes also took place.

 

Technical Assistance (TA-2b.)

While the PMU did not have a full time Technical Assistance since its inception, a part time assistance of the Extension Adviser’s service based with RC Jakhar was made available which phased out in June 2004.  Since then the PMU is managed solely by the nationals with support from the Coordination Office, Thimphu.   The project had also hired Local TA’s for the following works:

  • External Auditing & Technical Reporting for TCWA, Wobthang

  •  Inventory and Assessment of the farmers group & cooperatives

  • Agro-economic Data analysis, Zhemgang

  • ECR-ADP Newsletters

  •  ECR Baseline Indicators

  • LDI Review

  • Preparatory works for MTR

  • MTR in November 2005

  • Horse study at Lower kheng

  • RRA and PRA at Dragteng and Langthil geog.

  • Review of Citrus marketing group, Panbang

Communication and Dissemination (C-3)

  • Project Launching and start up workshops

  • Project Support group meetings

  • Bi- annual Sector heads’ Meetings

  • Project Steering Committee Meetings

  • Stakeholders meeting on Farm road construction policy and strategies

  • LDI Review workshop with farmers’ groups and extension agents

  • RNR Expo in November 2005

Local Development Initiatives (LDI-C4)

With the decentralization of decision making power to the people at the grass root level, the farmers are taking the decisions for their development activities. However, the farmers are yet to decide development means and resources to implement their decisions. The ECR-ADP provided support in terms of know-how to the farmers’ groups  LDI by assisting them in implementing their decisions and plans. For instances people come together to work in rural water supply, irrigation, monastery construction and house construction, and in agricultural training but it is not so common in commercial enterprises, although it has greater future prospective and challenges. Since working in a group especially in commercial venture is just sprouting up, farmers have limited knowledge and skills. But we are also optimistic that as days come by our farmers will gain experiences and skills in managing groups.

 

With continuous support of Helvetas and MoA, the project is competent to provide strong support to the group members in building their capacities. The farmers’ group formation and management is one of the key strategic interventions from the ECR ADP under LDI. The reason why people are coming up in group enterprises is because at the farming level the quantity production is less that limits the individual farmers to find out the market and unless it is produced and brought together, it doesn’t help them in resolving thier market problems. In some cases, most of our farmers have limited land holding, labour shortage, and limited access to market that restricts individual farmer from producing quality and quantity neither for processing nor for export market. In order to address this, the LDI has been initiated under ECR ADP and the expected outputs of LDI is that the relevant and innovative activities strengthening community-based organizations such as emerging farmers’ groups and associations are supported and financed through the management of the LDI fund.

 

As of 2006 the project supported 43 LDIs consisting of  534 members in the region and the following is the types of group enterprises supported under LDI. The upcoming LDI groups in 2006 are not included in the list. The feedback that we received from the LDI groups are that they are doing well and satisfied with the present situation of the groups in terms of fund, working environment and income generation.

 

The diversity of the LDIs as reflected below clearly indicates that all the groups will not have the same reasons to start working in groups. The most cited reason by the participants is to increase income. While there are some success stories, these need to be verified and replicated in other region as well.  Working in the groups existed in our society since a long time especially in the areas of social and public services.

 

Project visits and Milesstones

 

  • The former Secretary General of Helvetas Mr. Werner Kuelling took over the responsibilities of the Resident Coordinator of SDC/Helvetas in Bhutan in February 2006.  While alleviation of poverty in the far flung villages will remain to be focused, he also feels that importance should be given towards decentralisation, good governance which will enable peoples participation be ready for the constitution in 2008, when a historic event takes place in Bhutan.

  • The Land Management Campaign (LMC), coordinated by the PMU, was conducted in Samcholing village, under Trongsa dzongkhag in June 2006 basically for creation of awareness on Soil and Water Management in order to preserve the pristine environment and control land slides/soil erosion. The Hon’ble Minister of Agriculture Lyonpo, Sangay Ngedup in the capacity of Prime Minster had graced the occasion and it was coordinated by the PMU, ECR-ADP. The public of Dragteng Geog including government officials and students from the region and beyond also participated in the campaign.

 

Mission of Prof. Martin Menzi along with his wife Mrs. Menzi and Dr. Pema Gyamtsho and Mr. Werner Kuelling, Resident Coordinator from SDC /Helvetas to the East Central Region commencing from 28th October to 1st November 2006 was very fruitful. The mission was mainly to see the milestones of the SDC/ Helvetas programmes and activities in Bhutan and also ongoing activities supported under ECR-ADP, PFMP, and RDT. The ECR-ADP activities mainly visiting LDI in Chuzagang and along Geleyphu/Sarpang high-way has proved the intervention to be extremely encouraging and motivating. Therefore, the next Phase of the project support is confirmed till the end of 10th FYP. It is expected that this project will cover broader areas of interest based on the poverty of the people and scope under LDI which would be more challenging.

 

Ongoing Project activities:

 

The project has already over shot the expendtiures by the end of 4th fiscal year. This is mainly in view of the construction works taken up as per the approved workplan. Generally any construction works planned in the fiscal/calender year of the plan period takes more than a year and as such it has been implemented as spill over activities. The first priotiy in the last phase of the project is to complete the spill over activities and the project has already withdrawn some construction budget in 2006-07. The following are some of the ongoing programmes including the spill over activities:

§         Milk Processign Unit, Chumey Bumthang

§         Potato Chip Processing Plant, Chokhor Bumthang.

§         Zurphy Farm road construction for final payment.

§         Sonamthang Farm road improvement (4 kms), Ngangla Geog, Zhemganng.

§         Farm road extension Dhangkhar (1.2 kms), Trong Geog, Zhemgang.

§         Black topping of Orange Collection Depot at Panbang, Zhemgang

§         Construction of  Chokhorling Farm road (5kms), Dekliling Geog, Sarpang

§         Rehabilitation of Trashiphu Irrigation (30 % ), Sezhong Geog, Sarpang

§         Construction of two additional Market shed at Norbuling, Sarpang

§         Rehabilitation of Irrigation Channels (9kms) at Umling, Sarpang

§         Paddy double cropping, Chuzagang, Sarpang

§         Horse Breeding Programme, Lower Kheng, Zhemgang 

§         Cattle breed improvement through Cattle Exchange Programme, at upper and middle kheng , Zhemgang.

§         Farmers training and Study tour programmes including Cattle show etc

§         Winter vegetable programmes

§         Community Project at Berti addressing the poverty aleviation.

 

Lessons Learnt out of the ECR ADP execution:

  •  In the first year of the project phase, confidence among all the implementers was rather low because they were worried with two things; how to accomplish all the activities proposed in the 9th FYP with limited budget available only from Helvetas, and will the project receive strong support from the Dzongkhags and Geogs. With a great relief, it can be said that the project was able to carry out all the activities as planned (with some delay) once the implementation started, it began to gradually pick up with improved working environment.

  • Project also experienced some problems in the past due to delay in fund flow to implement the activities. This is mainly because of the two fiscal years of planning and reporting, as RGoB has Fiscal year from July to June, while the project operates within the calendar year whereby the implementers and the stakeholders are still confused on the different planning and reporting system in place.

  • Initially the experiences working in the ECR-ADP indicated that Dzongkhag engineering and agriculture sector mostly lack coordinated efforts for the construction of farm roads. It is due to different mandates as Dzongkhag agriculture sector plays a facilitating and coordinating role while the budget is with Gup and implementation is done by the Geog. Therefore, there was lack of clarity and ownership; however, it has been improved with the intervention of the project.

  • It is also apparent that the roles and responsibility between the GYT and Dzongkhags executed programmes and activities eventually lead to duplication of efforts and intervention because of lack of clear understanding among the implementers on the ownership of program. Project is trying to address it continuously.

  • Lack of proper training and skills at the Geog level also limits the implementation capacity in the context of decentralization. This is specifically with reference to the farm road construction in the region wherein the capacity among the people doesn’t match the required/expected output. ECR-ADP is looking into the possibility of providing training to engineers and could involve RDT for local level trainings in management.

  •  Although the farm road guideline has been distributed to the Dzongkhags sometimes back, there is no proper implementation mechanism in place yet. Implementation mechanism needs to be built, which is being followed up and many more Farm roads have been built in the 9th FYP but lack regular roads maintenance in the absence of “Farm road User Group” instituted so far in any roads.

  • A good collaboration and cooperation among the sector heads, the project, and other stakeholders at MoA exists through the Bi-annually sector heads meeting. This meeting has been very useful and instrumental in the project areas for open discussion, criticism, and improvement.

  • With creation of LDI awareness, as well as successful implementation of some activities, many farmers come forward with proposal to forming the groups despite our limited resource. Not to kill the initiative of the community preparation plans for mobilising and training the groups could be undertaken in remote areas where there is hope for farm roads construction.

  • Converting the surplus maize into Tengma (beaten maize) is one of the major sources of cash income in the Geog. (The erstwhile RNREP project assisted by Helvetas/SDC in 1993-2002 supported a cornflake machine to the Langthil Geog. The return has been so good for the farmers, that 20 more sets of  cornflake machines are purchased by the farmers.) It has been reported that about 200 households in Langthil geog has been earning between Nu.15,000/- and Nu. 30,000 /- per household per year. The financial support to ECR-ADP area particularly Zhemgang is to be scaled up for such programmes under LDI.

  • ECR-ADP newsletter is well received and appreciated. (Only one volume was produced in March and discontinued due to resource constraints). The ECR-ADP newsletter is facilitating information amongst various stakeholders in the project area. It brings confidence and contributes towards the success and meaningful development in the region. It will be continued on a yearly basis.

  • Cardamom is one of the largest sources of income for farmers. A large part has fallen short in production due to diseases and lack of management. RNRRC Jakar has been appraised and requested for their intervention and support to help revive cardamom cultivation.

  • Lack of proper management of citrus in the region is a concern. Almost all plantations were observed to be sporadic and scattered and portrayed no proper layout. It has been discussed to institute a proper mechanism (Bylaws) through GYT ensuring an effective intervention.

  • In the next Phase of the project, the ECR-ADP may consider the development of a specific poverty alleviation in accordance with an integral rural livelihood approach, especially at the geog level, in streamlining the training activities and technical supports and other support too. Thus prioritizing the activities and concentrating within regions would bring regionally a balanced pace of development since there are some households still under poverty level.

  • The project is constrained due to lack of qualified manpower within the project management unit, and in the next phase the required manpower will be adequately put in place with good experiences and qualification background. The PMU has already submitted Manpower Requirement to the RCSC  for recruitment. 

  • Linking rural population with the urban is still the priority in the 10th FYP under ECR dzongkhags especially at Zhemgang and Sarpang. Therefore, construction of Feeder roads, Farm roads and Power Tiller Tracks will be the major components of the project and also irrigation component will have the equal priority to bring wet land into extensive paddy cultivation.

  • The limiting factors of production is also due to lack of Soil and Water Management Programme in the 9th FYP and thus this needs to be planned with package intervention in the next Plan period. Similarly Water/Rain harvesting Technology Package still needs an intervention to support the farmers wherever there are water scarcity and  dry weather conditions. 

  • The LDI support under ECRADP has been very  encouraging and successful intervention from the project under Fishery, Piggery and Poultry enterprises. One of the problems and constraints reported by the farmers groups were mainly animal feeds as the animals are required to be fed with concentrated feeds mainly produced by Karma Feeds, which is too expensive and the groups can’t afford to buy the same and  thus, a Local Feed Mill would be established.

Future Challenges and Outlook:

 The First Phase of the ECR ADP support will be phased out on 30th June 2007. The project will continue till the end of December 2007 to wrap up activities of the 2006-007 and also to start the planning for the next Phase. In the next Phase the project is expected to support in the areas of integrated development activities gearing towards alleviating the poverty which is the overall goal of the Royal Government of Bhutan.

Decentralization and Good Governance will be the two main fundamental principles in the 10th FYP in reducing poverty and thus the following are some of the expected programmes to be supported.

 

1.      Improving Rural Access through linking Production, Access and Marketing (Farm road, bridges  and Power Tiller Tracks etc).

2.      Improving rural livelihood by supporting irrigation channels and enhancing food security and cash crop development including post harvest practices and marketing (Orange, Potatoes and other fruits etc).

3.      Improvement of dairy development support by setting up commercial and semi commercial farms possibly by up scaling the best LDI practices (Piggery, Fishery & Poultry & other Enterprises).

4.      Strengthening HRD capacities through short term and long-term training needs.

5.      Cooperatives by awareness creation and vocational training.

6.      Improvement of RNR Centres support  and extension kits to the RNR staffs.

7.      Strengthening awareness programme through Media and publicity.

8.      Support through Micro credit & financing possibility.

9.      Support of the mobility to the staffs (Scooters & Motor bikes)

10.  Continue support for ICT Equipments.

11.  TA support in project monitoring and evaluation.

 

Key Documents available: 

  v     Pro-Doc, Baseline Indicator Data,

v     Farm Road Inventory,

v     Farmers Group Inventory,

v     PSC meeting Resolutions,

v     Sector Heads Meeting Resolutions,

v     Project News Letters,

v     MTR reports,

v     Various training reports etc.