Cost efficiency

The adoption of a new format and approach for the IFAD COSOP has a number of cost implications, the impact of which could be cushioned by efficiency gains through:

• improved COSOP planning; and
• synergies with other activities of relevance to IFAD’s evolving operating model including design, supervision, implementation support, policy dialogue and country presence, partnership building, innovation, knowledge management, scaling up. In terms of the proposed process of reporting, most of the proposals in the new approach require the use of existing internal processes, as opposed to imposing new processes. For example, annual reporting on COSOP implementation will be accommodated by using the existing Portfolio Review System. The only addition is that the CPM will fill out a one page Results Management Framework to attach to the PSRs, CPISs, and RIMS reports that are already produced.

There are two genuinely incremental activities involved under the RB-COSOP process compared to the old style COSOP: the mid-term review and the self evaluation of the COSOP at its completion. However these are not intended to be large or excessively time or resource consuming exercises. Ongoing reviews of experiences with RBCOSOPs will provide more detailed insights on costs associated with RB-COSOP formulation. COSOP related reviews will also be carried out across countries and regions, as well as experiences, achievements and challenges in pursuing synergies and efficiency gains through improved country programme design and management.