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Lesson
Future sector strategies and projects seeking to modernize agriculture in Uzbekistan will require a thorough analysis of the markets and an evaluation of the sustainability of previous interventions. The new sector reform strategy seeks to reduce farm quotas, support other high-value crops (including horticulture), and introduce more resource-efficient agricultural methods (e.g., drip irrigation).

Project Number: 37536-013
Project Name: Land Improvement Project
Report Date:
Lesson
Small targeted technical assistance can have a significant impact on institutional capacity. The project supported the enhancement of the GIS capabilities of the Hydrogeological Melioration Expeditions (HGMEs), primarily through the GEF grant. Local HGMEs have benefited from the institutional capacity building provided through the project. Through the use of GIS, they are able to map drainage and irrigation infrastructure and facilities in the project areas, to support their O&M planning and implementation.

Project Number: 37536-013
Project Name: Land Improvement Project
Report Date:
Lesson
Agricultural drainage projects will yield greater benefits if they are coupled with complementary support for irrigation and other agricultural support mechanisms. In this case, the farms achieved more efficient drainage through the project, but the project did not pay enough attention to ensuring the prudent use of water. Overwatering is still practiced by farmers, exacerbating the inefficient transfer of water from sources to farms (40% reported water loss).

Project Number: 37536-013
Project Name: Land Improvement Project
Report Date:
Lesson
Regular monitoring and early course correction are required to mitigate poor project readiness and weak baselines. The project suffered from project readiness issues that resulted in significant cost overruns and delays. While ideally these would be captured before project approval, if they are not, it is imperative that identified flaws are acted on as soon as possible during implementation to allow for course correction.

Project Number: 37536-013
Project Name: Land Improvement Project
Report Date:
Lesson
Limiting the number of policy actions and reform areas could help to tighten future policy-based loans and adopt deeper policy actions. It would also allow sufficient time to implement the attached TA effectively, further strengthening potential impact. The program included a large number of policy actions, spread over five different reform areas, and some of its policy actions lacked the depth required to bring about structural change.

Project Number: 35174-082
Project Name: School Sector Program
Report Date:
Lesson
A policy-based loan needs a clearly articulated policy matrix and performance indicators with direct linkages to the design and monitoring framework (DMF) to allow results to be attributed to policy actions. In many instances, it was difficult to attribute reported achievements to policy actions supported by the program. This affected the understanding of the program’s effectiveness. The results chain of a policy-based loan should be explicitly presented in the project documents and the DMF indicators should fully reflect intended outcomes of the selected policy actions.

Project Number: 35174-082
Project Name: School Sector Program
Report Date:
Lesson
Results-based lending may be more suitable than policy-based lending for sector-wide approach, as they require a broad range of interventions implemented step by step and with appropriate incentives. When the program was approved, results-based lending was not yet available at ADB. The decision to opt for a policy-based lending modality was adequate, as it was the most suitable modality available at the time. However, the School Sector Reform Plan involved different types of initiatives, ranging from policy reforms to specific ground-level interventions.

Project Number: 35174-082
Project Name: School Sector Program
Report Date:
Lesson
The intensive involvement of the resident mission is crucial to the successful implementation of a program supporting a sector-wide approach (SWAp). Close coordination with development partners and regular consultations with government counterparts take on greater importance in a SWAp, as was illustrated under the program. Appointing a focal person at the resident mission can help in addressing issues as they emerge, and in ensuring ongoing participation in policy dialogue and joint review meetings.

Project Number: 35174-082
Project Name: School Sector Program
Report Date:
Lesson
Targeted support for sector reforms can yield positive results. The grant component of this project developed a sector strategy and road map that was successful in supporting necessary WSS reforms nationally. Similar projects can leverage their added value to the sector through this kind of targeted support for sector reform. Sequencing sector reform support in advance of loans may maximize the benefits.

Project Number: 40007-013
Project Name: Surkhandarya Water Supply and Sanitation Project
Report Date:
Lesson
Results for sanitation components suffer when low investment coincides with low priority. More attention needs to be given to sanitation components, including continuing hygiene awareness campaigns. Improved designs are needed for school toilet blocks, and schools need support for operation and maintenance.

Project Number: 40007-013
Project Name: Surkhandarya Water Supply and Sanitation Project
Report Date:
Lesson
Performance benchmarking systems must be underpinned by sustained institutional support. Benchmarking of district and provincial water utilities’ performance is an invaluable tool in monitoring performance and identifying strengths and weaknesses, allowing problems to be addressed in a timely manner. However, sustained support is required to ensure these benchmarking systems are effective. It is suggested that MHCS reviews the benchmarking system in all provincial water utilities and develops a plan for filling any gaps.

Project Number: 40007-013
Project Name: Surkhandarya Water Supply and Sanitation Project
Report Date:
Lesson
Project implementation could have been improved with appropriate interagency coordination and support on civil works design and supervision. Following the restructuring of Public Works Department in the early phase of project implementation, a new mechanism was required to ensure proper supervision during subproject design and construction. As the midterm review for the ESP II noted, an education ministry cannot be expected to have the technical resources for this purpose.

Project Number: 30175-013
Project Name: Education Sector Project
Report Date:
Lesson
Studies of affordability and the cost and efficiency of school operations and community appreciation of economic issues were needed. The IEM's school survey highlighted the thin spread of limited resources across the formal education system, which was also noted in the 2006 National Human Development Report for Samoa. Undertaking economic analysis of the education sector with examination of affordability issues would encourage policy development toward a more efficient use of resources such as specialist teachers and modern educational technology, including computers in schools.

Project Number: 30175-013
Project Name: Education Sector Project
Report Date:
Lesson
Aid harmonization was difficult due to procedural issues. Lessons from the ESP PCR regarding harmonization of external inputs were applied to the ESP II under a sector-wide approach. While progress in harmonization of aid arrangements has been recognized in the recent evaluation of the implementation of aid effectiveness principles by the Government of Samoa, the funding agencies and government partners noted continuing problems, as arrangements require them to conform to ADB procurement systems, which are difficult to apply in a very small island country.

Project Number: 30175-013
Project Name: Education Sector Project
Report Date:
Lesson
Upfront work is needed to use the sector lending modality. Project management flexibility provided to the borrower or executing agency may negatively affect project implementation and, consequently, the achievement and sustainability of project outcomes.

Project Number: 30175-013
Project Name: Education Sector Project
Report Date: