The new BSF.JP strategy laid special emphasis on evaluation, recognizing it as an important tool in refining operational strategy so as to enhance project impact. On that basis, it was agreed that a global evaluation of the BSF.JP portfolio would be undertaken by IFAD's Office of Evaluation and Studies in collaboration with the Belgian Administration for Development and Co-operation (BADC). As of 1998, a full-fledged evaluation programme was launched, and two projects are being evaluated each year until 2003.

The first project evaluated (in August 1996) was the Hoima and Kibaale Districts Integrated Community Development Project in Uganda. That evaluation commended the BSF.JP approach to social and community development, and concluded that the project was having a positive impact on the well-being and empowerment of the beneficiaries. The Dry Areas Smallholder and Community Services Development Project in Kenya, the UWESO Development Project in Uganda Women's Efforts to Save Orphans and the Beyond Relief Programme in Somalia were evaluated in 1998. The Farmers' Group and Community Support Project in Kenya and the Water Supply and Health Project in Marginal Areas in the United Republic of Tanzania were assessed in 1999, followed in 2000 by the Masindi District Integrated Community Development Project in Uganda.

A special evaluator was nominated by the Belgian Parliament, with responsibility to undertake thematic and gender evaluations of a number of projects. Two such evaluations have been completed - of the Support Programme for Kenya Women's Finance Trust in Kenya and the Hoima and Kibaale Districts Integrated Community Development Project in Uganda.

The global evaluations undertaken made it possible to take stock of the impact on target groups and to improve the quality of new project proposals based on lessons learned. The evaluations clearly demonstrated that the BSF partnership with IFAD has had a multiplier impact on BSF activities: the purchasing power of individuals and communities was a prerequisite for access to basic, sustainable social services. At the same time, IFAD's collaboration with Belgium through the BSF.JP has been instrumental in the Fund's reaching the most marginalized and destitute rural populations in sub-Saharan Africa. It was well understood that the social conditions of the target group were so poor that it was almost impossible for a target population to embark on sustainable economic development in terms of enhanced income and household food security without an entry point first being created by meeting fundamental needs in health, water, sanitation and basic social services. Furthermore, the poorest are able and willing to participate in institution-building around social services, particularly water, sanitation, and primary health care. Developing community organizations at this level creates the foundation necessary to move towards higher-level economic organizations for sustainable development.

The interests and concerns of Belgium in the development sphere and IFAD's corporate strategy were clearly a close and fruitful match: the common goal of sustainable livelihood security was more easily attained by linking social services with the economic development of poor smallholders. This synergistic partnership of mutual interests has had greater impact than if BSF and IFAD projects had been implemented individually and has been uniquely successful in reducing the poverty and vulnerability of the poorest.