Ak Altin Agricultural Development Project

In general, something as substantial and sensitive as cotton and wheat (C&W) quota system reform cannot be completed within a short time frame and should be undertaken at the national level. Although the Ministry of Agriculture and Water Resources was responsible for implementing the C&W quota system, reform required inputs from other government departments. Such policy reforms are better accomplished through vehicles other than projects, and certainly not a single pilot investment project in one district or region. A need for a policy reform could be identified and clarified by a technical assistance. Then, implementation of the reform could be set up in ADB's country partnership strategy as the condition to be met before specific investments could be processed. Sensitive policy reform must be separated from physical investment: project design that is highly independent of at-risk assumptions such as policy reforms will ensure the economic viability and efficiency needed to achieve outcomes. It should be noted that Uzbekistan's policy reforms are being gradually implemented - a fact that should have been considered to ensure a more realistic project design.