Search

Displaying 1 - 15 of 97

Lesson
Repeated and progressive training and continuous practice are effective in promoting mastery and proficient use of the environmental and social management system (ESMS). The ESMS was a new concept for the executing and implementing agencies, and its implementation depended on the gradual accumulation of knowledge and experience from learning and practice. The financial intermediaries’ successful incorporation of the ESMS into their business was largely attributable to robust training and practice.

Project Number: 47046-002
Project Name: Gansu Featured Agriculture and Financial Services System Development Project
Report Date:
Lesson
Making social and Gender action plan (SGAP) an integral part of the ESMS and consultants' deliverables would help ensure its implementation. Guidance and training on the SGAP were provided by ADB’s social development specialist and/or ADB’s social development staff consultant during the ADB review missions. SGAP implementation was made an integral part of the ESMS; in addition, it was included in the terms of reference of social development consultants for the project. Both measures ensured implementation as well as progress monitoring of the SGAP.

Project Number: 47046-002
Project Name: Gansu Featured Agriculture and Financial Services System Development Project
Report Date:
Lesson
Balanced distribution of project benefits may require the provision of incentives for coverage of less attractive project areas. The beneficiaries of the project were highly concentrated in a few counties. Adequate incentives (e.g., bonus and honor) to the financial intermediaries and county project management offices to implement the project activities in all project counties would have ensured balanced the distribution of project benefits.

Project Number: 47046-002
Project Name: Gansu Featured Agriculture and Financial Services System Development Project
Report Date:
Lesson
Additional ADB support for safeguard implementation should be anticipated for future projects in which the executing and imoplagencies have no prior experience in ESMS. ADB environmental safeguard support was comprehensive for project preparation but less so for project implementation. This was due to a range of factors, which contributed to reduced guidance for the review of subproject safeguard categorization, draft safeguard documents, and support for the implementing agencies.

Project Number: 47046-002
Project Name: Gansu Featured Agriculture and Financial Services System Development Project
Report Date:
Lesson
It is important to examine the rural grassroots performance of financial intermediaries being considered for agricultural financial service projects with a large number of clients. The performance of potential intermediaries for agricultural financial service projects catering to smallholder farmers, cooperatives, and agricultural small and medium enterprises needs to be examined to ensure that intended benefits are not unduly compromised.

Project Number: 47046-002
Project Name: Gansu Featured Agriculture and Financial Services System Development Project
Report Date:
Lesson
It would be best for ADB to review all subprojects classified as category B for the environment in all future financial intermediation loans. The ESMS criteria defining the number and types of subprojects to be reviewed by ADB resulted in the submission of only 11 sample subprojects and one IEE to ADB for review. The criteria were originally designed to balance the need for an adequate ADB review and guidance with the practical need to avoid reviewing a very large number of subprojects.

Project Number: 47046-002
Project Name: Gansu Featured Agriculture and Financial Services System Development Project
Report Date:
Lesson
It is important for future projects to exhaust options to finance a certified institute to prepare IEEs. The project management office's initiative to use a project implementation consultant to prepare the IEEs for category B subprojects was a pragmatic solution to fulfill ESMS requirements and reduce the financial burden on subborrowers. Nonetheless, this approach may have contributed to the suboptimal quality of the IEEs and added to the consultant’s intended key roles, i.e., project oversight, training, monitoring, and reporting.

Project Number: 47046-002
Project Name: Gansu Featured Agriculture and Financial Services System Development Project
Report Date:
Lesson
Improved implementation of the ESMS would require complete documentation of the steps being followed and strengthening of linkages with other ADB safeguard measures. Implementation of the ESMS steps for impact assessment, consultation, monitoring, and reporting was less documented than the other steps for screening and categorization in the initial environmental examination (IEE) and safeguard monitoring reports. The COVID-19 health and safety plan was prepared during project implementation, but the ESMS template was not updated to include the plan.

Project Number: 47046-002
Project Name: Gansu Featured Agriculture and Financial Services System Development Project
Report Date:
Lesson
Effective communication mechanisms enhance project implementation and need to continue beyond project completion. The effective communication mechanisms established by the project management and implementation institutions guaranteed joint efforts to timely find issues, actively communicate and consult with all parties, and seek and adopt effective solutions. After project completion, the relevant institutions should further ensure smooth communication.

Project Number: 47046-002
Project Name: Gansu Featured Agriculture and Financial Services System Development Project
Report Date:
Lesson
Dissemination of achievements made under the program is essential for knowledge-sharing and to strengthen ADB’s image as an effective development partner, The program supported the implementation of key reforms that were relevant and highly desired by the government to accelerate the country's economic growth. It is important to communicate the achievements made, with the general public and development partners, to improve knowledge and raise awareness. Communication and public awareness are also essential to enhance ADB’s status and credibility as an effective development partner.

Project Number: 53248-001
Project Name: Second Public Efficiency and Financial Markets Program
Report Date:
Lesson
Strong alignment with government strategies and priorities leads to strong government ownership and participation in program implementation. The reforms adopted under this program were essential to improve fiscal credibility and strengthen the capital market in Armenia. They were fully aligned with the strategies of the government and ADB. Because of this strong strategic alignment, government ownership of the program remained strong and all implementing agencies actively coordinated with ADB to achieve the reform agenda.

Project Number: 53248-001
Project Name: Second Public Efficiency and Financial Markets Program
Report Date:
Lesson
The absence of a programmatic approach in policy-based loans (PBLs) can put at risk the sustainability of reforms. This program was designed as a stand-alone, single-tranche, PBL and effectively achieved its objective because of strong ownership by and well-coordinated efforts of the authorities and ADB staff. However, the lack of a programmatic approach posed a high risk to the sustainability of the reforms made.

Project Number: 53248-001
Project Name: Second Public Efficiency and Financial Markets Program
Report Date:
Lesson
Technical assistance (TA) is required to develop the capacity of institutions to meaningfully engage with ADB on a longer-term basis. ADB’s continuous engagement with the country, during and after a PBL, is essential. It allows ADB to keep a foothold in the country, learn about the reforms being assisted by other development partners, remain updated about emerging needs and issues, support sustainability, and help in processing new programs.

Project Number: 53248-001
Project Name: Second Public Efficiency and Financial Markets Program
Report Date:
Lesson
The ownership and rationale of policy reforms need to be carefully assessed at appraisal. Strong ownership and consistent government support are critical to the success of program loans. As such, the ownership and rationale of policy reforms should be carefully assessed at appraisal. In assessing ownership, it is important to remember that policy actions affect many stakeholders, both within and outside the government.

Project Number: 45253-002
Project Name: Third Capital Market Development Program
Report Date:
Lesson
The design and monitoring framework (DMF) should be reviewed and updated as necessary during implementation to ensure continued alignment with other aspects of the program. The outcome and output indicators in the program DMF had been developed at appraisal for achievement over a relatively short period of 24 months. However, when program implementation was extended by 23 months to November 2019, an opportunity was missed to update the targeted dates for the indicators, which were measured about 1 year after the extended program completion date.

Project Number: 45253-002
Project Name: Third Capital Market Development Program
Report Date: