IFAD strategy and operations

IFAD Strategy

IFAD operations in Syria have been guided by the strategy prepared by the Strategy-Cum-General Identification Mission (SCGIM) in 1992. The SCGIM's strategy had five key objectives: (i) to raise the productivity of land and labour; (ii) to utilise resources better and protect the environment; (iii) to improve income and raise the standards of living of the target groups; (iv) to increase local employment and reduce urban migration; and (v) to halt marginalization in areas subject to environmental deterioration. Three target groups were described as: (i) small and vulnerable farmers in semi-arid and arid plains and upland dryland farm areas; (ii) Bedouin herders who experienced loss of sheep due to drought, and (iii) small mixed farm households in the irrigated or high rainfall areas.

The strategy was multidimensional. First, a geographical dimension gave priority to the east and north-central parts, the semi-arid areas and the remote and upland locations. Second, a thematic dimension was aimed at improving dryland farming, enhancing traditional sheep-rearing, protecting the environment, supporting small-scale irrigation and providing support for women's development through income-generating activities (IGAs). Third, a human resource dimension called for the active involvement of local organizations and groups and gave prominence to women during all stages of the project cycle. Fourth, an economic management dimension was designed to support liberalization and decentralization policies and upgrade data-collecting and statistical services. Overall, the strategy was all embracing, describing a desirable wide spectrum for IFAD/government collaboration rather than identifying specific areas for IFAD support within the overall framework of the Government's development policies.

IFAD operations

The Fund's first intervention in Syria, preceding strategy development, was the first phase of the Southern Region Agricultural Development Project (SRADP-I) cofinanced with the World Bank. On the basis of lessons learned from this project, and following the strategy's directions, four additional projects were developed. These are: SRADP-II, the Jebel Al-Hoss Agricultural Development Project (JHADP), the Coastal Midlands Agricultural Development Project (CMADP) and the Badia Rangelands Development Project (BRDP).

The main intervention funded in the first four projects had been land reclamation through de-rocking by heavy equipment. This has been mostly concentrated in ASZs 1 and 2. These four projects are designed to reach 110 600 households and de-rock 166 000 ha of land.³ They also include limited support for adaptive research and extension, and women's programmes based on the provision of literacy and skills training and the promotion of IGAs through credit. The last approved project and the only one without de-rocking, BRDP, aims to address the deteriorating Badia rangelands, improving the livelihoods of 16 800 nomadic and semi-nomadic herders by introducing a participatory rangeland management system and rehabilitating pastureland in ASZ 5.

The total area that will be de-rocked with IFAD support is large enough to make a significant contribution to the Government's objectives of increasing production and food security.⁴ The four land reclamation projects helped to realize the geographical and thematic dimension of IFAD's strategy, while the project in the Badia extended the activities to the rangelands to support environmental rehabilitation. Projects addressed individually some aspects of human resource development and supported decentralization. Except for in JHADP, IFAD has not fully addressed the problems of small landholders in semi-arid and arid environments (ASZs 3 and 4), although farmers in these areas were identified by the SCGIM as potential beneficiaries who would perhaps be the most deserving. Some of the key parameters of the projects are summarized in Table 1.

Table 1. Summary of key parameters from the IFAD portfolio

Note: SRADP-I cost as estimated at appraisal. IFAD loan and land de-rocked are actual figures.

Disbursements

Up to November 2000, the record of disbursements for the IFAD portfolio had been disappointing. The closed project, SRADP-I, had disbursed only about 48% of total allocated funds.⁵ The four remaining projects had disbursement rates of 48%, 37%, 12% and 5%, respectively. The main reason was the delay in procurement, particularly of heavy machinery and equipment for land reclamation. The equipment procurement issue was resolved in early 2000, and orders have been placed. IFAD Funds Status for November 2000 shows these commitments. For SRADP-II alone this will take the disbursement rate to 78%.

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3/ In fact, they will de-rock more land and reach more households than originally planned. The table gives updated estimates.

4/ The Government's overall target for de-rocking is 0.8 million ha: the present portfolio could directly account for about 25% of this area, but the machinery supplied will continue operating for many years after project closures.

5/ This low level of final disbursement is mainly caused by the cancellation of the World Bank loan.