Evaluation of Support to Decentralized development in Kidal region of Mali, PADDEC, December 2007

Background:

This document is the report of the external evaluation of the project "Support to decentralized development in Kidal region, Mali" - PADDECK. The evaluation took place at Norwegian Church Aid's (NCA) regional representation's request. NCA elaborated the terms of reference.
The scope of the review is the nine years of the project intervention: Phase I (1999-2002) and Phase II (2003-2007) - since no external evaluation was carried out at the end of Phase I.
The external evaluation (EE) was requested to assess the institutional mechanism of NCA in Kidal, with three structures: PADDECK, ASSADDEC (Sahelian association for decentralized development) and CCC (Advising centre for communes).

Purpose/ Objective:

The evaluations main purposes were shared learning from both project periods, and future planning in the light of the findings.

Methodology:

Participative methodology has been used in the evaluation.
The review took place from November 14 to December 15 in Mali. The report was finalised later in France by the team leader. The external evaluation team (EE) involved three consultants: head of mission, a woman generalist with an experience in Sahelian pastoral post conflicts zones, a national consultant (man) with a good expertise in organisations management, decentralized institutions and education, and a woman national consultant, tamasheq, with an extended experience in women's organisations support in North Mali. 18 days were devoted to the field work in Kidal region (1540 kilometres from Bamako), where six out of the eleven communes of the area of PADDECK intervention were visited; more than a hundred persons were met, representative of the vast diversity of the local actors partners of PADDECK: Government, local councillors, traditional chiefs, women, young, other donors (NGOs, projects) working in Kidal region.

Key Findings:

The assessment of relevance showed that PADDECK in Phase I as well as in Phase II is a fully relevant project: it addresses the general problems of Kidal region, is in line with the big national policies - with a special accent on Decentralization linked with Poverty Reduction Strategy; it addresses the priorities of local actors with real answers, especially the new communes, and vulnerable women and young facing critical situations; it is in the scope of NCA commitment in Northern Mali. The approach was iterative, based on an in-depth review of the Kidal region which is now a reference, and other thematic studies anticipating future involvement in the domains: civil society, education, livestock, and hydraulics. For these nine years the rise of NCA intervention in Kidal region has been the fruit of both its own initiative and relevant responses to external events which led PADEECK to work progressively in the eleven communes of the region

Recommendations:

General recommendations for a third phase are the following:
• NCA mission must continue and reinforce in Kidal region
• PADDECK approach is rooted in a process of positive changes which are to be supported by NCA within a vision at 2020 horizon
• Within this long term vision, PADDECK Phase III is viewed as a new step of 5 years (2008-2012) and is designed as one programme, resulting of the consolidation of NCA interventions in Kidal region
• PADDECK III programme is under the aegis of a managing facility (management, monitoring and capitalisation component) - CCDP -, directed by a coordinator based in Kidal.
• PADDECK III should elaborate a coherent strategy of intervention reflected in a consolidated logical framework of the programme type
• Together with the re thinking and re designing of its institutional mechanism in Bamako, Gao and Kidal, NCA should elaborate a partnership strategy, aiming to reinforce and secure relationship with partners, and especially with seasoned partners, on a peer basis
• Continuity in commitment and approach is the best force of NCA and PADDECK. As a result, PADDECK III resolutely confirms this continuity, based on the same three pillars and the same synergy: support to decentralization, reinforcement of bases for sustainable development in Kidal region and consolidation of peace

Comments from Norwegian Church Aid (if any):

Proposals for the organisation of a PADDECK III Programme:
The programme could consist of five to six components, interactive but relatively independent in duration, financing, operators, etc.
1. Management Component - CCDP
2. Pastoral Component
3. Commune Support Component
4. Formal Education and Capacity Building Component
5. Equity and Poverty Alleviation Component
6. Improving Basic Health Services and fighting STD/AIDS