Japan International Cooperation Agency
Share
  • 日本語
  • English
  • Français
  • Espanol
  • Home
  • About JICA
  • News & Features
  • Countries & Regions
  • Our Work
  • Publications
  • Investor Relations

Ex-post Evaluation

Asia

1. Outline of the Project

Country:

Pakistan

Project title:

Project on the Geoscience Laboratory in the Geological Survey of Pakistan

Issue/Sector:

Industrial Minerals

Cooperation Scheme:

Project-Type Technical Cooperation

Division in Charge:

Mining and Industrial Development Cooperation Department

Total Cost:

Period of Cooperation

October 1, 1990 - September 30, 1995

Partner Country's Implementing Organization:
Federal Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Resources, Geological Survey of Pakistan (GSP), Geoscience Laboratory of Pakistan (GeoLab)

Supporting Organizations in Japan:
Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, Agency for Natural Resources and Energy and Natural Resources and Fuel Department

Related Cooperation:

1-1 Background of the Project

With the aim of furthering economic sustainability, strengthening the economic foundation, and improving both industrial development and the quality of life, the government of Pakistan prioritized the autonomous development of minerals and natural resources in its 6th Five-Year Plan implemented in 1983. The Geological Survey of Pakistan (GSP) depended on outsourcing almost all of its rock and mineral analysis due to its old buildings, outdated equipment, inadequate financial resources and technical skills. For resolving these problems, the Pakistani government established the Geoscience Laboratory (GeoLab) as part of its plan to perform its own geological analyses and surveys on useful mineral and natural resources. It requested the Japanese government for Grant Aid and project-type technical cooperation to aid in carrying out these projects. The GeoLab buildings and equipment cooperation were transferred through the Grant Aid on October 1, 1991. Before then, the project-type technical cooperation was started and staff began receiving training. This study evaluates the project-type technical cooperation which was carried out for five years from October 1, 1990.

1-2 Project Overview

This Project aimed at developing capability of scholars at GeoLab, which was established with Grant Aid, in order to improve problems in mineral resources development in Pakistan.

(1) Overall Goal
To set up a technical support system in the field of geological and mineral prospecting technology in order to contribute to Pakistan's national policies on mineral and natural resource development.

(2) Project Purpose
To provide assistance to GeoLab so that it is able to perform rock and mineral analysis necessary for creating thematic geoscience maps and papers.

(3) Outputs
1) Mineral prospecting technology involving igneous and metamorphic rocks is transferred.
2) Mineral prospecting technology involving sedimentary rock is transferred.
3) Geological prospecting technology is transferred.

(4) Inputs

Japanese side:

Long-term Experts

14

Equipment

140 Million yen

Short-term Experts

42

Local Cost

 

Trainees Received

14

Pakistan Side:

Counterparts

20

Land and Facilities

 

Local Cost

2. Evaluation Team

Members of Evaluation Team

"Semiotics Consultants (Pvt.) Limited" (Commissioned to a local consultant)

Period of Evaluation

December 9, 2002- December 23, 2002

Type of Evaluation:

Ex-Post evaluation by Overseas Office

3. Results of Evaluation

3-1 Summary of Evaluation Results

(1) Impact
A technical and specialized support system in the field of geological and mineral prospecting technology has been established, and in it, GeoLab is playing the central role. GeoLab welcomes foreign investments as a useful strategy in combating poverty, and in 2003 started two projects to prospect for gold, zinc, copper and lead with large investments from Australia and China. Mineral development in Afghanistan is also expected. The government has requested that GeoLab provide a wide range of support services in these activities. Technical and specialized assistance provided for GeoLab's geological and mineral prospecting led to the discovery of platinum group elements in the northwest and iron ore deposits and water resources in Balochistan. Over the five years from when GeoLab was established until the end of the Project, there were 41 prospect projects. The number of projects rose to 68 in the seven years between the time the Project was completed and the time the evaluation was conducted. As GeoLab

GeoLab is a division of GSP. However, the GeoLab researchers do not limit their secondary technical transfers to GSP, but also to organizations which conduct research on related fields such as Premier Exploration, LMK and the University of Agriculture, Faisalabad. Peshawar University commissions GeoLab to provide training on the use of inspection equipment, which is a notable achievement, given that the university's examination room is renowned in Pakistan. Thirteen similar institutions, including Swat Mining, the Environmental Protection Agency and Brooks Pharmaceutical Lab, have tried to improve their laboratory analytical skills by modeling themselves after GeoLab. GeoLab provides third-country training and transfers analytical skills and technology to researchers in other countries, and plans to continue its efforts in these areas.

(2) Sustainability
As of this point, the transferred technology has been secured, and GeoLab is actively involved in rock and mineral analysis and research activities. Using the transferred technology, GeoLab is currently preparing geological maps for Pakistan and expects to complete them in the near future.

During the Project, three training courses and 19 seminars were held, and after the Project, GeoLab held 16 training courses and 48 seminars in cooperation with related organizations during the seven years between 1995 and 2002. In addition, GeoLab held 10 lectures and submitted 32 research reports during the project period. Although the number of researchers had dropped at the time of the evaluation, there were an average of 25 lectures and 30 reports a year.

After the Project was finished, researchers on the Pakistan side continued to improve their own skills through their daily work, thereby ensuring technical sustainability. The Pakistan side's self-evaluation shows that they feel that their knowledge and technique regarding equipment has rather been improved since the completion of the Project.

The necessary equipment is available, maintained in good condition and used frequently. However, almost all of the equipment pieces are those supplied in 1991 through the Grant Aid, and the production of most of those models have been discontinued, making it difficult to obtain spare parts and expendables even from the original manufacturer. The problem of obsolescence is particularly severe with computers, which go out of date so quickly.

The terminal evaluation team recommended that the number of researchers should be increased from 20 to 30, but the freeze on new hires of public employees prevented this recommendation from being carried through. Additionally, several researchers have resigned and there were only 14 at the time of this evaluation. Of these, four are absent on study abroad programs or vacations, and the remaining 10 researchers had to deal with all the studies, research, tests and analytical work, meaning that each individual researcher's load was quite heavy. The lack of staff prevents facilities and equipments from being utilized to their full capacity. Seven of the original 17 counterparts transferred to the private sector or other institutions due to the working conditions at GeoLab, and the retention rate is not high. Although GSP and GeoLab will gain four additional staff members soon as a result of reorganization of GSP and GeoLab, any further loss of technical strength could threaten the Project's sustainability.

In recent years, the Pakistani government established mineral development centers in each state as part of an important strategy to reduce poverty through strengthening of mineral and natural resource development. Keeping in mind the future role of GSP and GeoLab in furthering this strategy, these organizations are currently being restructured. In the future, GeoLab will no longer be a division of GSP, and will be promoted to become part of a national research institution, which will be composed of GeoLab, the Regional Geoscience Research and Training Center, and the Geodata Center of Pakistan. Since the budget, researchers and other staff members will be allocated at once, it is necessary to pay close attention to changes in the future.

The GSP director is making appeals to the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Resources on a daily basis, which ensures the allocation of operation costs and facility and equipment O&M costs. However, there is no budget to update the equipment that is rapidly deteriorating. GeoLab receives commissions from the mining industry and private-sector mineral companies by performing test analyses, and this makes up part to their budget. However, they are not considering increasing this kind of work further to boost revenue due to their role as a government institution and the fact that they do not have enough researchers to do such work.

3-2 Factors that Promoted the Realization of Effects

(1) Factors Concerning the Planning
The GSP director and GeoLab director participated in the Project from the planning stage, and their sense of ownership helps to ensure sustainability and to create an impact.

(2) Factors Concerning the Implementation Process
Studying with Japanese experts on punctuality, organization, order, allocation of budget among researchers and assistants changed awareness and behavior of counterparts and improved the workplace environment.

3-3 Factors that Impeded the Realization of Effects

(1) Factors Concerning the Planning
N/A

(2) Factors Concerning the Implementation Process
1) The freeze on new hires of public employees prevented the number of researchers from being increased, and each individual researcher had to suffer heavy burden as a result.
2) There is no system involving salary, bonuses or other incentives to improve the motivation of researchers, therefore their retention rate is low.
3) The frequent power blackouts force researchers to repeat their analysis work, disturbing their research.
4) Most of the equipment is over 10 years old, and the manufacturing of several models has been discontinued. This makes it very difficult to obtain spare parts.

3-4 Conclusion

The Project made a large contribution to the overall goal, and GeoLab plays a central role in the system. Accordingly, the scope of GeoLab’s assistance is not limited to geology and mineral, and natural resource development, but extends to other fields. GeoLab also implements research with domestic and international research institutes, provides third-country training, and carries out secondary technical transfer to other related organizations within Pakistan. There are no impediments to technical sustainability. In particular, GeoLab not only maintains the individual technology transferred at a high level, but is also developing geological maps of Pakistan by applying and integrating various techniques, and the maps will be completed soon. However, most of the equipment is over 10 years old and it is difficult to obtain spare parts. The Pakistani government is working to strengthen the mineral sector as a strategy to alleviate poverty, and is planning to restructure GeoLab’s organization as part of this goal. GeoLab will be elevated to the status of a national mineral research institute, but much attention should be given to future change.

3-5 Recommendations

(1) For smooth performance of work, GeoLab should devise a measure to increase the number of researchers as soon as possible.

(2) Incentive systems should be adopted to improve the retention rate of researchers.

(3) GeoLab should consider increasing the capacity of generators to ensure a stable supply of electricity. 

3-6 Lessons Learned

The GSP director, GeoLab director and researchers participated in the Project from the planning stage, and were well aware of the Project goal. This had a significant effect on the Project's sustainability and impact. While a project is being implemented, Japanese experts and counterparts should not merely work to transfer technology, but should also create an environment that will foster motivation to achieve the project goals in cooperation.

3-7 Follow-up Situation

N/A

PAGE TOP

Copyright © Japan International Cooperation Agency