To confirm development outcomes, both clear definitions identifying the target beneficiaries and clear detailed records of participation are required. The project design did not provide a clear definition of contract farmers. It was therefore unclear whether only the lead contract farmer should be counted toward the outcome target number of farmers, or whether the group of farmers represented by the lead farmer should be included, or whether the entire cohort of lead farmers, lead farmer groups, and seasonal workers was covered by the term. The records provided by SAL showed only the lead farmer’s name, father’s name, and district. It was not clear whether the district was the farmer’s residence or the location of the farm. No information was provided as to which crop the farmer was growing (potatoes or cassava), how many farmers the contract supported, or whether the farmer was continuing with the program. Given that SAL is seeking to increase farmer participation in cassava growing, it would have been useful to track why some farmers left the program and whether this was because of farmer performance, issues related to growing cassava, or because the land was needed for other purposes. The evaluation estimated farmer and seasonal worker participation in the program (paragraph 16), but, given that SAL is paying farmers for crops, more information should have been readily available, so the benefits that contract farming brings to the rural population could be tracked.
Sylvan Agriculture Limited PRAN Agribusiness Project