Our references

The project to revive the pineapple sector in Guinea, called REFILA and financed by the EU (5 million Euros), is part of a vast program to support the competitiveness of West African countries and its integration into regional and international trading systems. Its ambition is to establish the pineapple sector as one of Guinea's competitiveness levers for inclusive and sustainable economic growth through: (i) improving the performance of the sector by promoting its growth and stimulating its contribution to industry, regional trade, export, and job creation; and (ii) improving the business climate in Guinea through the integration and ownership of regional competitiveness policies. The main objectives of this mid-term evaluation have been to provide the relevant EU services, interested stakeholders and the general public with an overall independent analysis of REFILA’s performance, paying particular attention to its different levels, and comparing with the expected results.

Rodrigues is an island in the Indian Ocean, part of the territory of the Republic of Mauritius.The vision of the Rodrigues Regional Assembly (RRA) is to transform Rodrigues into the first ecological and sustainable island in the Indian Ocean by 2030. This vision is centered on promoting sustainable development across three key pillars: economic, environmental, and social sectors. The goal is to enhance the island's development while improving the overall quality of life for all residents.

The strategy dvelopped in the Master Plan to achieve ths vision involves the sustainable utilization of resources and the implementation of practices in various sectors, including sustainable water production and distribution, bio agriculture, sustainable tourism, blue economy, renewable energy, energy efficiency, and sustainable land use planning. The Master Plan provides a comprehensive, realistic, and clear long-term strategy spanning the period 2023-2033 to address the three main concerns of sustainable development: environmental sustainability, economic sustainability, and social sustainability.

For these Consultancy Services, CYE managed three senior experts covering each of the following sectors : Water, Socio-economy aspects and Bio-agriculture.

This evaluation covers 14 projects grouped by 5 results area. Each project has been evaluated against the 5 DAC criteria, namely: relevance, efficiency, effectiveness, sustainability and early signs of impact, and other cross cutting criteria. The overall objective of the programme was to increase incomes and reduce food insecurity through support to economic growth. The programme’s specific objective was strengthening livelihoods, nutrition and resilience of agro-pastoralists and pastoralists, farmers, fishermen and other vulnerable households.

The BAFS project (funded under the 11^th European Development Fund) constituted a sector wide approach promoting agricultural development, food security and resilience in Sierra Leone,  strengthening capacities to formulate and implement agricultural and resilience policies and promoting the most promissory value chains while ensuring the inclusion of marginal groups of the rural population in such approach along the priorities of the national development agenda. The  objective of the Mid-term evaluation was to provide the Government of Sierra Leone and the European Union with independent and reliable evidence-based performance assessment of the achievements, the quality and the results of the project and its activities in the context of an evolving cooperation policy and its contribution towards the implementation of the SDGs. The evaluation mission was also able to identify key lessons learned, conclusions and related recommendations in order to improve implementation for the remaining operational period of the project.

The main priorities for the evaluation mission were highlighted in the ToR, especially linked to the specific evaluation criteria added to the usual DAC criteria. As requested, the focus of evaluation has been on the assessment of achievements, the quality and the results of KCEP-CRAL and IPP-GAP projects with an increasing emphasis on result-oriented approaches and the contribution towards the implementation of the SDGs. The logic of intervention and the relevant theory of change have been described during the inception phase to guide the development of the final evaluation questions and provide a better understanding of the relationships between actions, and outcomes. Lessons learned and evidence-based conclusions were drawn out, as well as recommendations related to the improvement of the ongoing KCEP-CRAL project and to the design of future Actions with particular reference to coherence with EU and national policies and coordination with other development partners.

The global objective of the call for proposals was to improve relevance, affordability, availability, and sustainability of the agricultural services, and harness the market potential of local food. The specific objectives were  (a) support community driven agricultural connections and advisory information’s services, providing more effective farm and rural business decision support by promoting market linkages, climate resilient farming and good agricultural practices, and (b) reinforce the civil society capacity, pro-entrepreneurial circles and business associations in launching a variety of initiatives to promote positive investment climate and urban mentoring in local agri-food systems and regional economy in Azerbaijan, including awareness campaigns. The scope of the services provided included assistance to the EUD in the technical and financial assessment of concept notes (CN) and final applications (FA), and a high-quality, complete, and coherent selection process of projects in line with the criteria set in the guidelines for grant applicants. The external assessors carried out the technical assessment of CN, of FA and administrative and eligibility checks. They presented their assessments to the Evaluation Committee in Baku in two separate sessions.

The objective of this consultancy mission was to support the European Union Delegation and the Government of Sierra Leone in the identification and formulation of EU Actions to support Agriculture and rural development in Sierra Leone under the second phase of the 11th EDF (2018 – 2020). These actions should contribute to unlocking the agricultural potential and increasing rural access to market in Sierra Leone, and subsequently contribute to the development of a diversified and commercial agriculture sector that promotes inclusive green economic growth.

 The specific objectives were:

1. To develop actions that sustainably contribute to a more productive, diversified, climate resilient, market oriented and equitable agriculture. This further contributes to the creation of the enabling conditions for smallholder farmers in poverty-stricken districts to move towards a more sustainable, resilient and productive agriculture;

2. To develop actions that improve access to markets in targeted rural areas. This component aims to enhance connectivity between production areas and agricultural marketing centres, including removing 'bottlenecks' on the feeder road network;

3. To develop innovative interventions to support the sustainable commercialisation of Sierra Leone's commercially oriented smallholder farmers through agribusiness partnerships, capacity development and agricultural commercialisation - linking farmers to markets and value chains.

The AIESRP Project aimed to improve the competitiveness and national and international economic integration of Paraguay by supporting three production chains (production of pork, production of chicken meat and production of dairy products). The final evaluation of the project began on February, 2018 with a documentation phase; subsequently, a field phase was carried out in Paraguay and finally a synthesis phase that included the preparation of the Final report. CYE prepared a methodology respecting the Terms of Reference and the methodological guidelines of the European Union. During the field phase, the main representatives and actors involved in the project were interviewed and focus groups and field visits were conducted. The assingment ended in May, 2018 with the approval of the Final report.

The service was carried out by a team of two experts. The mission consisted of an ad hoc support to the ON in order to establish the conditions for an effective start of the actions envisaged in the 11th EDF SAN project. The specific objective was "to ensure a rapid, effective and efficient implementation of the SAN Program's start-up activities, through support to the National Coordination and sectoral components in terms of capacity building and management-administration". Two outcomes were expected: (i) the preparation of documents ready for publication / signature, (ii) the preparation of the staff of the stakeholders. The terms of reference of the intervention emphasized the notions of "coaching", "doing-doing" and "learning on the job" while providing for a mixed approach including in addition formal training, such as training in EDF procedures. 

The financing agreement of the Program of Improvement of Agricultural Productivity in Cameroon-PAPA (EDF / 2010 / 021-465) was signed on 16/02/2011 and its effective implementation ended with a final workshop of capitalization held in November 2017. The objective was to improve the income of North Cameroon family farms through better performing professional networks, the sustainable use of land and production resources, and supporting coffee and cocoa cultures in the southern zone, thereby improving food security in the country.  With a total amount of € 20,000,000, the program was implemented through three components, which themselves contained a significant number of results and activities.

The evaluation mission actually started in Cameroon with a briefing meeting at the EUD and CAON. After the start-up phase and the document phase, the field phase was held for two weeks. The objective of this phase was to meet the main stakeholders and beneficiaries and to visit a maximum of physical achievements. Particular emphasis has been placed on program-induced effects and the potential viability of outputs. The team of consultants split into three to cover the three components of the Program. A provisional restitution of the results of the mission was held at the return of the field and the workshop of restitution and final dissemination took place in Yaoundé. The process of writing and finalization of the report was then put in order to incorporate relevant comments from key stakeholders.

• Definition of a strategic framework for the implementation and management of all projects of the second tranche of the EUTF aiming at strenghtening resilience and developing employment opportunities. 
•  Identification of a set of projects to be implemented under the second tranche of the EUTF. Interventions will respond to the strategic framework adopted and will meet standardized criteria.

Since 2004, the Ministry of Agriculture and Animal Resources (MINAGRI) in Rwanda has developed and implemented three consecutive strategic plans for agricultural transformation in Rwanda (PSTA-1, PSTA-2, PSTA-3), all aiming at harmonising the agriculture sector development activities with the national Economic Development and Poverty Reduction Strategy and long-term development vision (Vision 2020) respectively. PSTA-3 had a particular focus on sustainable intensification of food production to ensure the envisaged reductions in rural poverty and malnutrition and on greater involvement of the private sector to increase agricultural exports, processing and value addition.

This assessment exercise aimed to identify the key gaps and lessons learned in PSTA III implementation as the basis for proposed improvements/adjustments to achieve the objectives of PSTA III by 30 June 2018. The assessment provided precise inputs for short-term (PSTA-III) and medium-term planning (PSTA IV), made full use of relevant past and on-going review exercises in an effective manner.

For this assignment, CYE Consult provided the Team Leader with a total of 72 working days.

• An overall independent assessment of the past and on-going performance of the EU-financed Programmes implemented by FAO, paying particular attention to the results of the different projects against their objectives and expected impact;
• Key lessons and recommendations in order to improve current and future actions in partnership with FAO.

Main activities:

• Elaboration of a gap skills analysis
• Development of a training programme 
• Conduction of training sessions with all key stakeholders

• Systematization of experiences
• Development of a regional characterization on food security
• Design of an information system on food security and nutrition at a local level  

The overall objective of the technical assistance is to improve the relevance, efficiency, effectiveness, impact, ownership and sustainability of development aid (EDF funds) in the Republic of Congo. The specific objective of the TA is to improve the performance of the DPUE and assistance to others stakeholders in the EU- Congo cooperation, so that it can carry out the tasks set out in Annex 4, Article 35, of the Cotonou Agreement. 

CYE, as consortium leader, has carried the general management of the contract, and provided the long-term expert. The services include:

• Support, advice and training of staff, annual reports, assessments, and monitoring of EU policies.
• Preparation of joint annual reviews and PIN with the EU Delegation
• Institutional support, capacity building of NSAs
• Specific training for NSAs on EDF procedures and calls for proposals.
• Preparation of a plan of visibility and communication on the Congo-EU cooperation
• Elaboration of contents for the EU webpage regarding NAO projects and actions
• Strengthening interagency coordination and dialogue between the different partners
• Development of communications actions, such as the design and publication of brochures and publications
• Regular backstopping missions

• Capitalize on experience of Food Facility projects implemented in Guinea, identifying components to improve or consolidate.
• Formulate the Action Fiche and Technical and Administrative Provisions of the future Food Security Programme.

• Evaluation of the progress of the programme
• Evaluation of the progress in increasing agriculture production, food security and in developing value chains
• Compilation of the lessons which can be learnt both in agriculture and rural infrastructures development for future programmes

• Evaluation of the relevance, efficiency, effectivenes, impact, sustainability and cross-cutting issues of the SURUDEC
• Assessment of synergies and cooperation between SURUDEC and the Eastern Cape Local Economic Development Programme
• Recommendations for the perfomance of the SURUDEC programme in achieving its key results

• Providing advice on strategic actions aimed at strengthening the work group with different stakeholders involved in the field of food security and nutrition
• Developing a work plan for the work group consistent with the actions implemented by  the Government of Guatemala
• Monitoring and updating the follow up sheet regarding all interventions of the international cooperation in the field of food security

• Evaluation of the relevance, effectiveness, efficiency, sustainability, impact, EU added value and coherence of the Programme
• Verification, analysis and assessesment of the integration and impact of cross-cutting issues in the project
• Field visits and meetings with all the stakeholders participating in the Program

• Technical assistance and support for the monitoring and implementation of Food Facility projects in Burkina Faso
• Workshops organization
• Strengthening coordination, coherence and complimentarity of FF's projects, and ensuring better capitalization of their results.

• Supporting and accompanying the closure of the project
• Optimising the last activities
• Drawing lessons learnt for sustaining the activities beyond its end date

The Government of Morocco considers that opening up roads plays a strategic role in social and economic development of rural areas, since they facilitate the access of the rural population to basic social services and foster economic exchanges contributing to reinforce local resources.

The specific objective of the technical assistance was to identify and formulate the programme in support of the European Commission to the policies of opening up of rural areas in the Kingdom of Morocco.

The mission was carried out within two distinct phases: the first aimed at identifying possible scenarios and modalities of implementation of the EC programme on social road infrastructure for isolated population. The second phase aimed at formulating the programme itself and approving technical documents.

Public health infrastructures have been severely damaged by civil war. As a result, the Government of Mozambique has adopted a strategy to rehabilitate these existing infrastructures and restore their functionality. The objective of the technical assistance is to provide support to the Infrastructures Department of the Ministry of Health in order to ensure the effective implementation and monitoring of works that have been financed by the EC.

Main activities carried out:

• Evaluation and preliminary approval of the projects detailed regarding the engineering design and economical and financial analysis
• Implementation of approved projects and coordination of the preparation of tender documents according to EDF procedures
• Planning and monitoring of contracts implementation

The purpose of the programme IDAF (Institutional Development across the Agri-Food Sector) is to support and facilitate an enabling institutional environment for development and growth across the agri-food value chain, through the development of institutional capacities of public and non-public actors, within a coherent conceptual framework.

The global objective of the consultancy is to advise on the prioritization of investments in the agribusiness sector through a participatory value chain analysis, the identification of key actions that can improve the efficiency of each of the value chains as well as the general agri-business environment in Malawi.

The overall objective of the SLPP is intended to contribute to the reduction of poverty and food insecurity in rural areas by increasing the rate of growth of livestock GDP through increasing smallholders’ incomes (in cash and in kind) from livestock production in ways that are sustainable and accrue equitably to both men and women.

The consultancy’s objective is to assess implementation and progress of the Programme and determine whether the project will achieve its objectives. Where there is concern that projected outcomes will not be achieved, the consultants recommended changes to practices and procedures.

FIDP’s overall objective is to achieve a sustainable improvement in the livelihoods of rural communities through diversifying farmers’ incomes. This is to be achieved by assisting smallholder farmers to consider farming as a business rather than a means of subsistence, while at the same time conserving and enhancing the natural resource base upon which production depends. Through an integrated approach the programme supports: the sustainable use of soil and water resources; a diversification and intensification of agricultural production; the strengthening of farmer organizations; and the marketing of produce.

The general objective of the consultancy was to undertake the mid-term evaluation of the FIDP.
The consultants also provided recommendations for the design of the potential phase two of the programme including examining a number of possible modalities, compliance with the Paris Declaration on Aid Effectiveness and the proactive integration of cross cutting issues.

The overall objective of the Programme is oriented towards improving life quality of rural communities in Loja and Zamora-Chinchipe provinces through support to strengthening local capacities with a view to obtaining coordinated management in between co-executing institutions and taking advantage of their existing capacities and activities through social basic infrastructure, irrigation, environment, education and production projects.

The Programme’s components:

• Social infrastructure (drinking water, sanitation, schools, etc.).
• Agricultural production infrastructures: irrigation schemes, food security of small producers, support to the development of the coffee sector and collection centres.
• Environment and sustainable management of water resources through integrative approach of hydrologic basins.

Showing the current situation, the documentary presents the reasons why the project was developed and highlights the specific problematic of the local border context as well as interrelations of Dominican and Haitians actors. In the end, a 25 minutes DVD was produced in Spanish with subtitles in French and didactical elements such as maps, graphs, plans and the virtual animation of the future market of Dajabón to facilitate the diffusion of the messages.

The objective of the programme is to improve the living conditions of the poor rural communities located along Haiti’s border. The PMR2 finances and executes the supervision of the implementation and then the startup of the various initiatives and projects, including dispensaries, schools, aqueducts and sewerage systems. 70 projects were carried out for a total of 15 million euros approximately.

The objective of this bi-national Project is to foster commercial exchanges in between Haitian and Dominican communities in order to enhance socio-economic development of targeted communities in rural border zones of both countries. More than 95% of the population in the border area of Dominican Republic and Haiti depend on agriculture and commerce activities for their subsistence and fight against food insecurity.

The Project includes two components: construction supervision of the market infrastructures and institutional assessment and strengthening through inter-institutional dialogue and capacity building within the Municipality and the rural communities of producers.

STABEX is a compensatory finance scheme intended to stabilize the export earnings of the ACP States. STABEX resources mainly target the commercialization of industry and the restoration of confidence by improving the capital base of banana growers, providing working capital assistance and the provision of infrastructure such as sheds, reception centres and irrigation systems. The Special Framework of Assistance (SFA) Programmes from 1999 to 2001 came into being to further modernize the banana sector. These funds were earmarked for infrastructure, improving farm productivity and yields and for agriculture diversification.

Program whose objective is to promote and develop operational co-operation, both scientific and technical, between the countries of the region as regards to plant health protection. This co-operation must result in the development and implementation of a regional strategy for crop protection specifically via the creation of a network for “protection of plants in the Indian Ocean”, the regional harmonization of the plant health legislations, quality controls (material plants and phytopharmacological products), research applied to the experimentation of the phytopharmacological products and alternative fighting methods as well as advice, support and training.

PROBANANO is a programme cofinanced by the EC (EDF) with a contribution of 1.650.000 EUR. Its goal is to improve the competitiveness of the exporting banana sector of the Dominican Republic. The target group are 713 producers working a total of 5.000 hectares of banana tree plantation.

This project aims to improve the living conditions of 64.500 inhabitants belonging to poor rural communities of the Paute river basin. The project offers to help these communities to access basic public services, to increase their capacity to create resources, to reduce their vulnerability to hydro geological risks and to create a Watershed Agency. The total cost of the project was estimated to 14 millions EUR, where 11 millions are of EC origin.