Evaluation of the Empowering Farmers through Agricultural and Financial Services (EFTAF) Project

Background:
The Empowering Farmers Through Agribusiness and Financial Services (EFTAF) Project is designed to work with individual farmers, farmers’ organizations (Primary societies), Area Co-operative Enterprise (ACEs) and financial cooperatives (SACCOs) to be selected from those previously under FETAS and PACE projects, which ended in 2006.  At evaluation, it was reported that, together, there were approximately 80,000 individual members organised in 430 primary societies and 86 Area Co-operative Enterprises (ACEs). These served by approximately 50 SACCOs, which deliver financial services to all the three categories of membership.

Purpose/objective:
The purpose of the evaluation was to assess the extent to which the objectives of EFTAF have been achieved, draw the main lessons learned and to assess the relevance of EFTAF as providing basis for a continued support to smallholder farmers in Uganda.

Methodology:
The consultant undertook the assignment into three phases; (i) inception and planning, (ii) field work and (iii) data analysis and report writing.

Key findings:
The project design did not link program management with the achievement of project specific objectives although a substantial portion of project resources was spent on it.
While production has increased, the capacity for marketing the produce still needs to be strengthened and that of the SACCOs is not strong enough to deliver the financial services.

Farmers have strengthened their knowledge base through economic development activities, but trainings need to be ongoing in order to maintain level of skills update and refresh knowledge.

The concept of bulking has been successful within the project and farmers have achieved higher prices for their produce. Marketing linkages has created new opportunities for some enterprises. The problem has been lack of quality and quantity, good storage facilities, standards and certification, timely market information.

Financial services have been brought to the farmers through SACCOS but there is still a need to increase the capacity due to insufficient capital support and provision of lendable funds that farmers require to make investments in production, processing and marketing.

Many farmers benefitted from the advisory services provided by the project. Advisory services in activities such as juice and wine production, fisheries development and other key activities such as strategic and business planning and feasibility studies has been available for the farmers.

Recommendations:
The future project design should include a program management component and clear component objectives and indicators to monitor the performance of the component.
Relevant capacity development interventions should be provided to strengthen the project model.
Training should continue both to refresh already received knowledge, but also to get new knowledge within areas of business integration, value addition, quality control, standards and certification, leadership, land management, gender, HIV/AIDS, etc. 

To enhance achievements from EFTAF further marketing development interventions including expansion of activities related to the Warehouse Receipts Systems should be made.  Capacities of RPOs to engage in the market should be strengthened including avenues for the provision of produce financing, training in activities such as post-harvest handling, quality control and standards, value addition and contracts management, etc.

Financial Services through the SACCOS need to be provided with support to develop internal human resources, systems and procedures, equipment and infrastructure and in the mobilisation of members to ensure that have adequate capital and savings and loan funds that they require. Actions need to be made to assure that farmers have access to immediate needs for cash.

Further support should be provided on the strategic enterprise development topics. It is specifically recommended that model business plans for key enterprises be developed for adoption and use by interested farmers.