Ex-post Evaluation

1.1 Background of the Project

The rural area in Southeast Sulawesi was identified by the limitation of ability to fund self help in increasing the standard of living of the community. The low ability of capital formation in as much caused by the low rate of production and productivity which is in turn raised low income. The low rate of production and productivity sincerely caused by low level of community knowledge and applied technology. Throughout the outside capital injection it is expected that there will be various enable activity such as plan of farming, availability of infrastructure and facility, agriculture extension, farming management system will increase the rate of production, productivity welfare and standard of living. For that purpose, the Government of Indonesia with the assistant of the Government of Japan executes the Integrated Agricultural and Rural Development Project in Southeast Sulawesi.

1.2 Project Overview

The scope of project composed of (i) planning of the integrated agriculture and rural development covering land use plan, cultivation and farming plan; agricultural and rural development plan, (ii) development of basic agricultural infrastructure and agricultural and rural facilities, (iii) demonstration of cultivation and farming techniques of paddy, secondary food crops and estate crops, (iv) strengthening farmers group, and (v) training of regional and provincial government officials, extension workers and key farmers.

The activities have been implemented in eight "Model Villages" in the Kendari District of Southeast Sulawesi Province through participatory approach with the farmers of the villages.

(1) Overall Goal

To establish methodology and system of the integrated agricultural and rural development at less developed area in Indonesia.

(2) Project Purpose

To introduce the knowledge and technology for the appropriate agricultural and rural development in low developed regions based on natural and social condition, aiming at the increase of farmer’s income and the improvement of their living standard by the higher productivity and the diversification of agricultural production.

(3) Outputs

1) Integrated Agricultural and Rural Development Plan Methodology
2) Consolidation of agricultural and rural infrastructures
3) Promotion of cultivation technique and farming management
4) Strengthening of farmers’ groups
5) Transferring of appropriated technology for government officer, extension worker and key farmers.

(5) Inputs

Japanese side:

Indonesia side:

3.1 Summary of Evaluation Result

(1) Impact

The overall goal of the project to established methodology and system of the integrated agricultural and rural development has been highly achieved as reflected in the expansion of cultivation area, improvement of farmers’ skill and knowledge on agricultural system, improvement of crops production and productivity and increase of farmers’ income and living standards.

Enhancement of farmers’ group and improvement of rural economic activity are observed as the other positive impacts of the project.

(2) Sustainability

The counterparts and extension workers are still working in the Regional and Provincial Agriculture Service and continue the activities for monitoring, supervision and guidance as well as extension activities after the completion of the project. The Ministry of Agriculture and Provincial Agricultural Services have made efforts to support the activities by preparing national and local budgets started in 2002 until present. The farmer’s groups actively apply the recommended appropriate technology in production process and manage the stock fund for operation and maintenance. In view of institutional and outcomes, the project is highly sustainable.

3-2 Factors that have promoted project in the aspect of:

(1) Impact

Planning of the Integrated Agricultural and Rural Development in Southeast Sulawesi Project was arranged by "bottom-up" system through participative approach with community. Discussion with farmers and related community organization concerned that facilitated by government official was conducted with result planning formulation was based on community needs.

This participatory approach has created sense of belonging in community, and additionally the communities in model villages have been involved since initial project.

(2) Sustainability

Development of natural and human resources has changed the perception of settler/farmer in improving their living standard and quality of live. Farmer’s group has big contribution to project sustainability by managing stock fund for crop production.

The policy and program related to the project such as enhancement of food security, agribusiness, community empowerment for rural development and other programs for poverty alleviation have been implementing to increase farmer’s income and standard of living for rural community.

3-3 Factors that have inhibited project in the aspect of:

(1) Impact

The development of agricultural and rural development was not executed simultaneously in eight model villages. Villages where most settlers as migrant settler were developed ahead than the village with mostly local settler. In this case the difference culture, behavior and knowledge, local settler needs more supervision and time to pursue their inadvertently omitted compared with migrant settler. After project completed, the progress of rural development in these village is still left behind.

(2) Sustainability

In accelerating even development distribution, some villages have been separated to 2 or 3 new villages such as Sabalakoa, Lapulu and Laiya villages. In 2002, Kendari District had been separated and became Konawe and Konawe Selatan Districts.

In connecting with this situation, the project assets have been divided to the new separated villages with result inefficiency in one side and lack of machinery and tool in the other sides. The available stock fund is still not enough to purchase new equipment.

3-4. Conclusion

The project has succeeded in promoting integrated agricultural and rural development plan methodology. It is important not only to construct infrastructure, farm equipment but also effort to improve the capability of human resources. Farmer’s group empowerment in managing stock fund for management and maintenance of farm tool and machinery is indispensable for continuation operation and maintenance. In the other hand this method will decrease farmer’s dependency to government assistance, with result sense of self reliance among settlers become increase. By implementing this plan methodology on integrated agricultural and rural development, the project has a big contribution in increasing farmer’ income and their living standard as well as increasing rural economic activity.

The Ministry of Agriculture and Provincial Agricultural Office have made efforts to continuously conduct the activities after the completion of the project by local and national budget.

3-5. Recommendation

It is recommended to the Regional and Provincial Agriculture Services to apply the methodology and system of the integrated agricultural and rural development in other indigenous area, especially less developed area in Eastern part of Indonesia.investigation.

It is also recommended to the Regional and Provincial Agriculture Services to improve the supervision, guidance, and extension activity. The leadership of chairman of farmer’s group in stock fund management should be continuously increased to ensure the stock fund can be implemented effectively and efficiently.

3-6. Lessons Learned

Planning, development of agriculture and rural infrastructure, trial and demonstration of agriculture technique, strengthening farmer’s group and training activities should be conducted simultaneously in all project areas without mixed tribes, local settler, or migrant settler which occupied in selected villages are taken into consideration.

Rural development planning should be conducted as bottom up planning based on participatory approach among stakeholders in rural area. Participatory Rural Appraisal (PRA) should be promoted in planning and will accommodate comment, suggestion and needs of community in formulating village plan.

3-7. Follow-up Situation

Agriculture development through food security program and agribusiness development program is implemented in former model villages. The activity covers crops production, institutional development, agriculture extension services, processing and marketing. The successful of model village development has encouraged local government to develop similar model in three villages surrounding previous village model. The Sulawesi Agriculture Area Development Project under World Bank loan is implemented with aim to disseminate similar project of integrated agricultural and rural development project. The concept of one village one plan was also developed under JICA Technical Assistance in 2003 in Lake Toba Water Catchment’s Area through participative approach.