Ex-post Evaluation

1-1. Background of the Project

Agriculture has been the most important sector of the National Development Plan between 1989 and 1994 in the United Mexican States, and in Morelos State, the mayor cultivated areas consist of corn, sugar cane, beans and rice, typical crops of semi-savanna agriculture. Morelos State is located near the capital city of the United Mexican States geographically; thus such vegetables as onions, tomatoes, husk tomatoes, etc. are produced by local farmers. These crops account for 20 thousand hectares of agricultural land. In recent years, the importance of vegetables is increasing, while the cultivated areas of rice are being reduced. In order to produce the vegetables with high competitiveness in commerce, the improvement of respective production techniques and the diversification of crops are required. Under the above-mentioned circumstances, the Government of the United Mexican States requested the project-type technical cooperation program to the Government of Japan in March, 1993, for the following purposes: 1) to improve the yield of vegetables and to improve cultivation and mechanization techniques to increase the productivity, 2) to establish cropping systems and to use water resources more effectively, 3) to improve the post harvest techniques, and 4) to train researchers, technicians and farmers.

1-2. Project Overview

For the purpose of increasing productivity of farmers in Morelos State, this Project supports such activities as selection of suitable crops and varieties of vegetables, development and improvement of disease and pest control techniques, and improvement of breeding techniques and seed and seedling production techniques for favorable varieties of vegetables. Besides, those results are demonstrated in the validation field for the farmers, and manuals and audio-visual materials for technical extension are compiled.

(1) Overall Goal

Applicable and practical vegetables cultivation techniques are extended to key farmers in Morelos State¹.

(2) Project Purpose

1) Practical cultivation techniques of vegetables in CEZACA (Zacatepec Experimental Station of INIFAP) are improved.

2) The vegetable cultivation techniques and knowledge of C/Ps are improved.

3) The improved techniques are introduced to the extension officers and key farmers.

(3) Outputs

1) Suitable crops and varieties of vegetables are selected and introduced.

2) Disease and pest control techniques for vegetables are improved.

3) Breeding techniques and seed and seedling production techniques for favorable varieties of vegetables are improved.

4) Cultivation techniques of commercial vegetables are improved.

5) Verification, training, and extension materials for the above-mentioned cultivation techniques are improved.

¹According to R/D, the Overall Goal was that applicable and practical vegetables cultivation techniques are extended to small farmers in Morelos State. However, the joint evaluation team for the Final Evaluation of the Project revised the project design matrix (PDM) considering the context of the Project. And the focus group of the Project has been changed over from small farmers to key farmers.

3-1 Performance of the Project

(1) Impact

It is difficult to evaluate the Overall Goal of the Project in the Ex-post Evaluation by the indicator set in the Project Design Matrix (PDM): More than 30% of the key farmers in Morelos State adapt at least one technique for vegetable cultivation developed by the Project by 2010, because no Follow-up Study on the degree of extension of the developed technology has been conducted on CEZACA and because the agricultural extension system has changed since the time of the project implementation. However, based on data collected from interviews with counterparts (C/Ps), the degree of extension of disease and pest control techniques for tomatoes, husk tomatoes and a new variety of onion "Blanca Morelos"; and "multiplication techniques of virus-free strawberry plants" have reached more than 9% of the key farmers in Morelos State which means they have reached the indicator set in the Overall Goal². However, cultivation techniques of newly introduced vegetables and of virus-free strawberries seedlings and the extension degree of irrigation technology have not been defused as planned.

Other impacts seen at the time of the Final Evaluation are that, 1) C/Ps developed a cooperative relationship among themselves (the C/Ps began to do their research in cooperation with other C/Ps exchanging opinions and discussing among themselves), 2) they come to understand the needs of farmers better than before (now the C/Ps give consideration to the socioeconomic conditions, the technological level and opinions of the farmers, the condition of field, market trends, etc. when they do their research ), and 3) CEZACA got more recognition both internationally and domestically (the C/Ps had the opportunities to speak about their research in CEZACA at national and international conferences).

The Ex-Post Evaluation verified that these impacts have been continued and in addition, the following impacts have been recognized: 1) development of closer cooperative relationship between C/Ps and farmers (as the C/Ps not only make research, but also are now engaged in technical extension, they have more chance to communicate with farmers and consequently they can recognize the real needs of the farmers); 2) State's financial support for grouped farmers (a group of onion growers and other groups of farmers who utilize biospace for vegetable cultivation receive financial support from the State); 3) economic impacts of the introduction of technologies (according to the result of the questionnaire conducted at the time of Ex-Post Evaluation, 16 among the 24 respondent replied that their income has increased after introducing the vegetable cultivation technologies developed through the Project); 4) farmers' increasing interest in vegetable cultivation techniques (some farmers seek help for their problem from CEZACA and have more interest in market trend than before); and 5) the possibility of collaboration between CEZACA and other experimental station of INIFAP (some C/Ps have plan to collaborate with other experimental station, especially in the field of multiplication techniques of virus-free strawberry plants and disease and pest control techniques for tomatoes, husk tomatoes ).

(2) Sustainability

1) Prospects for Physical and Technological Sustainability
The techniques (technologies) developed by the Project have been summarized in technical manuals and leaflets. These were produced for the purpose of extension technologies to farmers, extension officers and engineers. However, the revision of information for more practical use is necessary.

Except for cultivation techniques of newly introduced vegetables (cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower)and virus-free strawberries seedlings, the technology developed through this project has been generally accepted. The cultivation techniques of newly introduced vegetables have not been rooted, due to the high introduction risk of alternative crops, lack of extension efforts on the introduction of these techniques, and the low rates of profitability as commercial crops. Also, due to a shortage in budget, cultivation techniques of virus-free strawberries seedlings have not been expanded. As for the verification of vegetable cultivation techniques, activities continue for trainings and extension. However, for financial reasons, training activities on the "Field Opening Day", "Day of Technology" and strawberry cultivation techniques have stopped.
The donated equipment is well maintained and being effectively used. However, some equipment is not functional due to the deterioration or lack of some parts.

2) Prospects for Institutional Sustainability
The Sustainability of the National Institute of Forestry, Agriculture, and Livestock Research (INIFAP) and CEZACA: in 2001 organizational adjustment began to take place in INIFAP, becoming a decentralized public institution. In 2003, with increasing decentralization, there was a growing concern about INIFAP's existence. However, the institution got through a crisis of dismantlement, partly due to the positive results of external evaluation by the International Service for National Agricultural Research (ISNAR). Under its policy of "concentration of critical mass", INIFAP currently promotes the efficiency of infrastructure, human and financial resources. As CEZACA is one of the 49 "strategic experimental stations" of INIFAP, the survival of the station is secured at present.

The sustainability of technological research and development systems: sufficient number of researchers has not been allocated; two C/Ps retired last year and as for the research in the field of soil and fertilizer, in which the implementation of the action plan was delayed, research staff will not been allocated until March 2004. Yet, seeing the number of researchers belonging to each section of CEZACA, the vegetable section, which was reinforced during the Project, has not been of declining importance in the experimental station.

The Sustainability of technical extension system: after the termination of the project, the extension system has significantly changed. There is no system for the technical extension and the extension officers are employed by project. For this reason, the C/Ps of the Department of Agricultural and Livestock Development of Morelos State (SDA) and the extension officers of the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, Rural Development, Fisheries and Food (SAGARPA) who participated in the Project no longer engage in extension. At the time of the Ex-Post Evaluation, techniques were extended through 1) C/Ps, 2) C/Ps of SDA, 3)SAGARPA, 4)Department of Agriculture, and Livestock Technology Education of the Ministry of Public Education.

3) Prospects for Financial Sustainability
The Project is implemented by the budget of INIFAP and Fundación Produce, ensuring both financial sources is important assumption for the sustainability of the Project. However, these budgets have been decreasing since the termination of the Project. Though CEZACA is currently managing to ensure financial sources from other organizations, it is still not enough for continuing the research and development and extension activities at the same level of project implementation due to the financial problem of Fundación Produce and to the existence of other sectors with higher priority than that of vegetable.

3-2. Factors promoting sustainability and impact

(1) Factors concerning to Planning

1) C/Ps are highly qualified.

(2) Factors concerning to the Implementation Process

1) Technical development and extension activities were continuously conducted by the C/Ps, 2) cooperation structure among the C/P are successfully maintained, 3) active communication between the C/Ps and farmers has been ensured, 4) interests of farmers over techniques and information on vegetable cultivation has increased, and 5) grouping of farmers was successfully promoted.

3-3. Factors inhibiting sustainability and impact

(1) Factors concerning to Planning

1) Cooperation among CEZACA, the Department of Agricultural Development of Morelos State and Fundación Produce is decreasing after the termination of the Project.

(2) Factors concerning to the Implementation Process

1) After the termination of the Project, the budget from the Fundación Produce has decreased, 2) the budget allocation system has been changed due to the Structural Adjustment of INIFAP, 3) the extension system established in the Project has not been maintained, and 4) researchers of CEZACA have no sales experience of techniques and services.

3-4. Conclusion

It is recognized that the overall goal (indicators) has been achieved regarding the technologies with high needs of farmers and with necessary human and financial resources for its improvement and extension, owing to the C/Ps' efforts, though there have been significant changes of the circumstance surrounding the Project. However, some of the activities of the Project are now stagnated or suspended and even the activities now underway are not guaranteed its sustainability. The achievement of the overall goal depends on whether CEZACA could ensure the technical extension and human and financial resources.

3-5. Recommendation

The following recommendations are to widely extend the techniques and to obtain greater impact of the Project.

(1) To improve the market value of the "training course on practical vegetable cultivation techniques" as a commercial product by utilizing the advantages of CEZACA, such as knowledge, experiences and infrastructures on vegetable cultivation.

(2) To reinforce the cooperation with other experimental station of INIFAP.

(3) To conduct business promotion towards international organizations and NGOs which implement projects on rural development, in order to ensure the financial resources by diversifying its customers.

3-6. Lessons Learned

(1) Establish a shared awareness among JICA, C/Ps and related organizations: It is important for the effective and smooth implementation and the sustainability of the projects, and for the achievement of the Overall Goal that JICA, C/Ps and other related organizations share a common awareness of approach to project implementation and management.

(2) Ensure the extension of technology: There is no system for extension of technology in Mexico. When formulating and implementing projects in a similar field in the future, it is necessary to take the actual situation into consideration and to develop strategies for ensuring continued technology extension activities, such as the advertising campaign of training course on vegetable cultivation technologies, cooperation with international organizations or NGOs, etc.

(3) Ensure budget: Specific measures, such as the cooperation with international organizations or NGOs, should be taken for ensuring financial sustainability of the Project after its termination.

(4) Human resources: Considering that INIFAP has not employed a new researcher for more than 15 years, it is unlikely that INIFAP will adopt a recruitment plan in a near future. It is important to manage the limited number of human resources effectively by promoting collaboration among the experimental stations of INIFAP and developing cooperative relations between the experimental stations and other related institutions when formulating and implementing projects in the future.

² The indicator for the Overall Goal is that more than 30% of the key farmers in Morelos State adapt at least one technique for vegetable cultivation developed by the Project by 2010, which means the increase of 3% a year. Therefore, the target ratio for 2003 is 9%.