## _cr1127 - EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ## Source details **Canonical URL:** [_cr1127 - EXECUTIVE SUMMARY](https://www.imf.org/-/media/websites/imf/imported-full-text-pdf/external/pubs/ft/scr/2011/_cr1127.pdf) ## Other formats - [Markdown version](/-/media/websites/imf/imported-full-text-pdf/external/pubs/ft/scr/2011/_cr1127.pdf.md) - [Structured JSON version](/-/media/websites/imf/imported-full-text-pdf/external/pubs/ft/scr/2011/_cr1127.pdf.json) --- ### Executive overview - Independent mid-term review of the PRSP II assessing five pillars, achievements, gaps, emerging issues and recommendations. - PRSP II programmes were mostly activity-based rather than outcome-based, making reporting on actual outputs challenging. - Major achievements recorded for 2007-2009 despite shortcomings. - Macroeconomic performance exceeded PRSP II growth target of 4.5% with actual growth rates of 6.3% and 6.1% for the years 2007 and 2008 respectively. - National budget reflected poverty budgeting for the first time during PRSP II with an average of 26% of the national budget going to the social sectors and the productive sectors during 2007-2009 (PRSP II target: 30%, gap: 3-4 percentage points). - Productive sectors, especially agriculture, boosted in 2007 and 2008 due to good rainy seasons and introduction of NERICA rice. - Fisheries and natural resources benefited from increased government and private sector investment and post-harvest infrastructural development. - Industrial development requires improvement in policy and laws despite government review efforts. ### Poverty profile and trends - Based on the National Household Poverty Survey 2003, estimated head count ratio for poverty is 59%. - Between 2003 and 2008 poverty dropped by 3% (below PRSP II annual target of 2% per year). - Poverty headcount increased from 59% in 2003 to 61% in 2005. - Poverty varies greatly across dimensions and requires multi-sectoral policies, investment, social protection and safety nets. ### PRSP evolution and timeframe - GOTG developed SPA in 1994. - PRSP1 developed in 2003 and implemented 2003–2005; implementation rated unsatisfactory. - PRSP II formulated in 2006 to be implemented from 2007 to 2011; MDG-based medium term planning framework for poverty reduction. - Mid-term review covered implementation from October 2007 to date of review. ### PRSP II five priorities - Create enabling policy environment for rapid economic growth and poverty reduction. - Enhance capacity and output of productive sector. - Improve coverage of basic social services and social protection for poor and vulnerable. - Enhance governance systems and build capacity of local communities and Civil Society Organizations (CSOs). - Mainstream cross-cutting issues contributing to poverty reduction. ### Methodology and approach - Literature review of PRSP II, Annual Progress reports, Final Report of Phase 1 and related documents. - Key partner and informant interviews with government institutions and partner agencies (Finance, Education, Health, Local Government). - Focused Group Discussions with select ministries and institutions. - Analysis of PRSP II interventions, strengths, opportunities and challenges; qualitative analysis. - Major constraint: difficulty obtaining detailed information on activities, projects and programmes, requiring reliance on desk reviews. ### Highlights of progress and gaps (overall) - Significant progress reported across all five pillars. - Stable macroeconomic situation. - Productive sectors enhanced via laws, policies and investment. - Social sectors (health and education) received more government resources at an average of 18% of the national budget. - Decentralization delays limited success in enhancing governance and local capacity. - Cross-cutting issues (gender, environment, population, youth, nutrition) addressed within pillars with registered successes. - Review identified gaps and emerging issues for way forward. --- ### Pillar 1: Creating an enabling policy environment — macroeconomic outcomes and fiscal findings - Economic growth: 6.3% in 2007 and 6.1% in 2008 (PRSP target: 4.5%). - Agriculture performed better in 2008 due to good rains. - Inflation: 5.4% in 2007 to 4.5% in 2008 (inflation target: 5% achieved). - Domestic debt to GDP: 28.1% in 2007 and 25.1% in 2008 (targets: 28.5% and 26.5% respectively). - Poverty programme expenditure in 2007: D1.067 billion, disbursement rate of 92.2%. - IFMIS launched January 2007 to improve control, monitoring, information access, accountability and transparency. - NPC established in 2008 to coordinate PRSP II planning, implementation and monitoring. - Central Statistics Bill enacted December 2005 transforming Central Statistics Department into Gambia Bureau of Statistics (GBOS). Tax, revenue and PFM - Gambia Revenue Authority established August 2004; commenced business January 2007 and enhanced revenue collections. - Domestic tax revenue exceeded 20% of GDP enabling a fiscal surplus in 2007. - New public procurement law enacted 2001 with implementation 2003; GPPA created to supervise procurement. - PFMCC established; held two quarterly meetings since inception in March 2009. - National Audit Office: accounts for 1991–2004 audited and submitted; 2005–2006 submitted March 2009; 2007 accounts being audited. Macroeconomic and fiscal challenges and financing gap - Need greater fiscal space for pro-poor policies; external and domestic debt vulnerability remains. - External debt to exports ratio above recommended threshold. - Domestic debt stock increasing, raising debt cost and reducing fiscal space. - Actual HIPC inflows fell short in 2008; donor pledges for PRSP II may not be fully realised. - Allocation to discretionary programs has received more resources at expense of poverty programs. - Allocation of 25% of domestically generated resources to priority sectors (Agriculture, Education, Health, Nutrition) falls short of PRSP target and is erratic. - Total PRSP II cost: $752 million - Government contribution: $100.5 million - Donor commitment: $174 million - Funding gap: $479.9 million - Gap reduction to $320 million when HIPC and MDRI resources become available. - Resulting financing gap equivalent to $64 million per year over PRSP II period. --- ### Pillar 2: Enhancing capacity and output of productive sector — agriculture, fisheries, tourism, trade, energy, infrastructure Agriculture and rural finance - Cultivated cereals area: 182,637 ha in 2006/2007 to 186,182 ha in 2007/2008 (2 percent increase). - Cereal production: 183,405 Mt in 2006/2007 to 149,942 Mt in 2007/2008 (reduction). - Projections for 2008/2009: cultivated area 223,003 ha (19.8 percent increase) and production 210,000 Mt (40 percent increase). - Rice area: 15,199 ha (2006/2007) to 16,588 ha (2007/2008) (9 percent increase); projected to 20,442 ha in 2008/2009. - Rice production: 15,832 Mt to 11,395 Mt (28% decrease); projected to 18,012 Mt (58% increase) in 2008/2009. - Groundnut area: 110,383 ha to 117,590 ha (7 percent increase); production reduced from 81,775 Mt to 72,558 Mt. - Groundnut projected to increase to 105,000 Mt (45% increase). - Livestock hatchery capacity: 20,000 chicks per month with potential to increase to 200,000 per month. - 66 VISACAS established by Rural Finance Project for rural micro-finance access. - Nine agricultural projects registered during review period (named in source). Fisheries sector - Fisheries Act 2007; Fisheries Regulations signed July 2008; new Fisheries Policy formulated with FAO assistance in 2008. - Fishermen training in Tanji started March 2008 (25 youths for 18 months); trainees provided fishing materials in 2009. - Japan-funded multipurpose fish market at Brikama constructed; fisheries jetty and bunkering facilities contracted. - D2,617,040 disbursed as credit to fisheries operators in 2008; 224 beneficiaries (141 females, 83 males) across several communities. Tourism - Tourist arrivals: 124,800 in 2006; 142,626 in 2007; 146,759 in 2008. - Phase II international advertising on CNN; regional tourism promotion increased regional flights. - Training packages, school curriculum integration, hotel classification system planned. - Major infrastructure and product development in Tourism Development Area; approvals/works for Four 5 star hotels and 5 Star Meridian Hotels in Brufut. - GTA London office restructured; Eyes2Market hired for German market; hosted first Sub-regional Tourism and Travel Fair “MBOKA”. Trade, competition, MSME, industry - EPA negotiations at ECOWAS level incomplete by June 30, 2009; key issues remain. - Competition law enacted 2007; Competition Commission established October 2008; office inaugurated August 2009. - National trade policy draft submitted; Trade Policy Review with WTO expected July 2010. - CET negotiations delayed; 5th band endorsed at 35 percent in December 2008; negotiations began February 2009. - MSME policy completed and at Cabinet level; institutional arrangement with four departments finalised. - Industrial competitiveness project to boost exports and institutional capacity. Investment and employment - GIPFZA Gateway Project supported GIPFZA through 31st December 2009; between 2001–2008 GIPFZA helped set up 59 companies with investment over US$215 million and created over 4,600 direct jobs. - GAMJOBS engaged consultants to review and update National Employment Policy and Action Plan; consultancy report validated. - ILO provided technical expert for capacity building and reporting; tripartite steering committee constituted. Energy and renewable energy - Increased Kotu Power Station generation capacity. - Rural Electrification Project first phase commissioned with total generating capacity of 4MW. - LPG promoted; import tax on renewable energy and energy efficiency equipment lifted March 2009. - GREC revitalised; REGAM formed April 2008. - Renewable energy feasibility study (2007) showed greater potential in solar than wind. - License issued in 2008 to Batakuku Village for windmill generation capacity of 150KW. - More than twenty bio-gas plants constructed under Peri-urban project. - 51 metric tonnes storage facility for petroleum products inaugurated in 2008 with six month interrupted supply capacity. - Petroleum Products Bill finalised. Infrastructure, ports, transport - Mandinaba–Soma Road Project progressing; 90% of Western Region Feeder Roads project completed; North Bank Region Road Project completed. - Acquisition of Half-Die properties by Gambia Ports Authority at cost of D70 million. - Fourth Port expansion Project designed; funding being pursued. - Coastal tariff revised several times to encourage coastal shipping. - Barra ferry terminal construction and berthing completed. - Gambia Maritime Administration established. Telecommunications - Liberalised since 2000 with private sector participation. - Interconnection agreements signed by all service providers; PURA facilitated improved interconnectivity. - Technical audit recommendations implemented to improve connectivity. Food security focus and constraints - The Gambia was a food deficit country before global food crisis; vulnerable to food crisis. - Annual rice consumption requirement: 160,000 metric tonnes; locally produced clean rice: about 7,400 metric tonnes. - "4.6 percent of the annual requirement is produced locally." - Low production/productivity of rice, millet, sorghum, maize due to dependence on short (3 months), erratic rain-fed agriculture. - Rice price rose 40 percent between April to September 2008. - Cereal consumption increased from 214,000 metric tonnes in 1997 to 291,000 metric tonnes in 2007. - WFP analysis: cereal gap widened from 65,700 metric tonnes to around 150,000 metric tonnes in 2007 over the last three years. Sectoral constraints (selected) - Fisheries: lack of fishing port; limited nationals with technical competence; limited micro-finance access; foreign dominance; high fuel costs; limited equipment; limited budgetary support. - Tourism: limited air access; high electricity costs; aviation fuel price not revised despite world market drop from $169 to $49; high expatriate tax; excursion costs approx. 30% of total tourist; limited GTA marketing budget. - MOTIE institutional gaps: lack of baseline data, inadequate quantitative targets/indicators, capacity gaps, under-resourced, outdated policies, absence of functional Standard and Consumer Protection Bureau. - Energy constraints: NAWEC maintenance and expansion limitations; LPG high cost and irregular supply; renewable energy funding constraints; bio-mass high construction costs; petroleum market restrictions; limited private sector involvement. - Infrastructure delays and limited private participation in coastal shipping; reliance on GPA for ferry services. - Government participation in mobile telephony affected sector efficiency. --- ### Pillar 3: Coverage of basic social services and social protection — education, health, WASH, social welfare Education sector findings - Sector-wide approach moved education policy toward MDGs. - Hardship allowances introduced: 30% of teachers’ basic salary for region 3 and 4; 35% for region 5 and 6. - Provision of textbooks for lower basic attracted and retained children in school. - Gross Enrolment Rate (GER) for formal schools: 77% in 2007 to 74% in 2008; overall GER (including madrassa) stands at 90% and 93% for 2007 and 2008 respectively for lower basic schools. - Net enrolment for lower basic overall: 84% in 2007 and 87% in 2008 with female enrolment high. - Tertiary enrolment increases: The Gambia College and GTTI increased from 14.9% and 17.5% (between 2007 and 2008); MDI and UTG increased 43.4% and 50.6% respectively. - Challenges: high standardized test failure rates (particularly girls); low performance in English and Mathematics despite class size expansion by 72%; overloaded PTC and HTC programmes; Gambia College capacity constraints; poor remuneration and high teacher attrition. - Net-primary enrolment for school age children (7-14) increased; Net Enrolment 87% in 2008. - Targets: increase admission rate from 101% to 125% by 2015. - Introduction of Senior Management Committees elected for two year terms in lower basic schools; recommendation to extend to upper basic and senior secondary. Health sector findings - Expansion of primary and secondary healthcare; 85% physical access to basic health services due to new health centres. - Child mortality declined from 159 per 1,000 to 93 per 1,000 up to 2006; target of reducing under-5 mortality to 133 per 1,000 met; in 2009 under-5 mortality at 128 per 1,000. - Malaria indicators (2007–2008): - average increase of 2.5% for total malaria cases - decline of 3.5% for uncomplicated under five years cases - decline of 28.6% for uncomplicated malaria cases in pregnant women - Over 85% and 97% of the population are within 3 to 7.5 km and primary health care posts respectively. - EPI coverage: 90% childhood immunization nationwide. - National Eye Care Program reduced Trachoma prevalence; blindness reduced to 0.4%. Water, sanitation and environmental health - 1,150 water points provided as hand pump wells with management training. - Rural water supply projects supported by GoTG/Japan, Saudi Sahelian Project Phase iv, UNDP, UNICEF, CCF, EDF and CDDP. - EDF activities: health education campaigns, pit latrines construction, village mason training, hand washing promotion. - Department of Water Resources training school rehabilitated; training for 14 Class IV hydrology and meteorology technicians commenced March 2009 with first graduates expected December 2009. Social welfare and protection - Department of Social Welfare provided child protection, foster care, and support to needy families. - Adult care support to 275 Gambian and over 100 families with clothing, food and financial assistance via grants. - Disability care: Mobility Aid and Assistive Devices supplied to over 5,000 persons with disabilities. - Achievements in rural water supply rehabilitation and sanitation; climate change awareness raised. Challenges and gaps - Institutional, financial, technical, social and physical constraints remain across sectors, impeding service delivery. --- ### Pillar 4: Governance, decentralization, civic education, National Assembly, and CSOs Local community capacity and decentralization - Strengthening community-based organisations via women groups, technical assistance and resource provision. - Local council decentralization programs implemented; village and ward development committees involved in local initiatives. - Planning units strengthened; a Financial manual compiled; CDDP recruited six financial controllers for six rural regions. - Village strategic plans developed for 145 communities; training on Local Government Act and project costing conducted. Civic education (NCCE) - Nationwide voter education for January 24th 2008 local government elections; UNDP-funded election basket supported outreach. - Training seminars for newly elected councillors on Local Government Act (March 2008). - Pilot civic and human rights education modules implemented in selected schools with monitoring missions in 2008. National Assembly - Oversight functions strengthened; joint public accounts/enterprise committee commenced 25th August 2008. - 51 government enterprises and agencies subject to scrutiny; 26 institutions scrutinized; 14 agencies deferred. - Contract awarded for auditing National Audit Office; negotiation for modern parliament building completed. - UNDP-funded project officer placed in National Assembly for capacity building. Civil Society - Capacity building: organizational self-assessment supported for 75 national NGOs (15 benefited); VSO provided international volunteers. - Pro-PAG involved in budget analysis and advocacy; 2009 training for National Assembly members in policy and budget analysis. - NGO engagement in food security during 2008 crisis supporting horticultural gardens and cereal production. Challenges and gaps - Coordination and integration problems in skills and income generating schemes. - Governance issues in many CSOs: lack of accountability, transparency and focus. - Donor-driven activities have caused CSOs to react to donor priorities rather than their own. --- ### Pillar 5: Cross-cutting issues — gender, environment, HIV/AIDS, nutrition, youth, population Gender and women empowerment - Increased enrolment and retention of girls across education levels; gender parity at primary level. - Girls education scholarship expansion across regions; special university access program for girls at UTG. - Adult literacy in Upper River Region targeting 500 women. - Training of 1,250 women in vegetable production, marketing and food preservation; construction/improvement of 26 women gardens. - National Women Policy revised; National Women’s Bill sent to Cabinet. - Election of 18 women as ward councillors; Women’s Bureau staff trained to Diploma level. Environment and MEAs - NEA implementing MEAs including Montreal Protocol, CCD, CBD, POPs protocol, UNFCCC, Basel convention, Abidjan convention. - GEAP Phase II developed and under validation; State of the Environment Report completed; greenhouse gas inventory updated; Second national communication to UNFCCC developed. - Anti-littering regulation enforcement commenced in 2008. MDG 6 / HIV, AIDS, clinical care and capacity building - HIV prevalence relatively low. - 30 VCT sites; 45,547 persons took VCT (82% of project target but small percentage of 15–49 age group). - PPTCT services extended countrywide to pregnant women found HIV positive. - ART: 8 fully functional ART centres and 9 sub-ART centres established. - Training: 32 health workers trained on WHO infant feeding counselling modules; training modules developed for severe nutrition management; Baby Friendly Community Initiatives introduced to 293 communities. Nutrition, food safety and reproductive health - Food vulnerability mapping in Banjul and KMC: 60% of households found food insecure. - Nutritional surveillance: 10% of children 0–5 years found to be wasting. - Micronutrient control: salt iodization targeting 108 tons locally produced salt; 86% vitamin A coverage for children 6–59 months; 82% de-worming coverage for same age group. - Five Year Strategic Plan on Food Control Sanitary and Phytosanitary Systems developed. - Reproductive health advocacy to eradicate harmful traditional practices and promote adolescent reproductive health. Challenges and gaps - Institutional support insufficient to complement government service delivery; capacity gaps and limitations in institutional effectiveness. --- ### Key lessons learnt (selected) - Stakeholder participation is necessary to improve implementation, accountability and ownership of reforms. - Promote attitudinal change within implementing institutions to complement technical PFM reforms (example: IFMIS). - MOFEA needs to create synergies to coordinate reform programs; PFM Committee expected to facilitate governance and stakeholder involvement. - Human resource capacity constraints hamper implementation of reforms (IFMIS, ISPEFG, MTEF). - Basic social services must include food, shelter, employment and clothing; high food prices and land cost affect the poor. - Employment is a growing problem; youthful population contributes to unemployment figures (youthful population making up 22% of the 6% unemployment figures). - Improve linkage between education/training and labor market to increase employability. - Focus on agricultural productivity interventions rather than land expansion; promote nonfarm activities. --- ### Recommendations — general - Conduct a capacity needs assessment for all sectors. - Develop a resource mobilisation strategy and identify new funding partners. - Clarify reporting responsibilities and mandates among numerous indicators. - Account for emerging issues (global economic crisis, climate change, sub-regional developments) in PRSP implementation. ### Selected Pillar-specific recommendations (selected) Pillar 1 (Macroeconomic) - Prioritise PRSP programs in resource allocation and identify more poverty-reducing programs. - Expand bilateral cooperation to secure additional grants for PRSP financing. - Improve marketing and processing of agricultural exports and value-added groundnut products. - Allocate greater resources to build capacities of local communities and CSOs. - Reverse budget allocation ranking so agriculture receives more than 5% of departmental budget; health and education currently receive 8% and 16% respectively. - Promote commercial agriculture, irrigation and mechanisation. - Pursue prudent fiscal discipline to reduce domestic borrowing. - Strengthen ADRS and increase legal sector capacity (more trained Judges, Magistrates, Lawyers). Pillar II (Agriculture and rural development) - Timely provision of certified quality seeds and planting materials for cereals and horticulture. - Strengthen and expand Integrated Pest Management into national programme. - Promote financial intermediation to increase smallholder access to credit and savings. - Ensure availability of water, market access, post-harvest handling, transportation and processing for food/horticulture crops. - Develop special research and extension programme for staple food crops. - Support organisation and strengthening of smallholder producer groups for economies of scale. - Promote appropriate small-scale machinery and train local craftsmen for manufacture, operation and maintenance. - Provide safeguards for poultry sector against unfair import competition. - Strengthen NARI capacity for selective research. Fisheries and aquaculture - Ensure institutional stability for policy direction and programme implementation. - Diversify into unexploited stocks; regulate estuarine shrimp fishery; introduce closed areas/seasons; limit entry of foreign fishermen. - Provide infrastructure, sensitization, finance access and appropriate technologies; encourage fisheries associations and gender sensitization. - Promote aquaculture and mariculture for exportable species; maintain inland fisheries biodiversity. - Strengthen fisheries database, conduct resources and stock assessment surveys and disseminate research findings. Tourism, energy and industry - More aggressive marketing to encourage flights and provide fiscal incentives for off-season charters. - Consider affordable energy rates for industry during off season; encourage alternative efficient energy sources. - Allow exemptions on expatriate tax where competencies not locally available. - Reduce excursion costs to encourage repeat visitors. - Provide resources to GTA for destination marketing. Human resources, MSME, standards and industrial cooperation - Establish baseline data for quantitative targets/indicators submitted for PRSP II. - Establish a labour information system and build capacity to analyse labour data. - Fill vacancies in Employment Division; finalise institutional arrangement for MSME policy implementation. - Ensure establishment of functional Standard Bureau by 2011. - Pursue Country Cooperation Programme with UNIDO. Energy, ports, transport and private sector engagement - Modernise transmission/distribution and increase generation capacity for NAWEC. - Encourage private sector LPG production to improve supply and reduce cost. - Promote renewable energy implementation from feasibility study results and subsidise bio-mass construction. - Lift petroleum market restrictions to allow competition. - Assist GPA to implement Port Master Plan; develop privatisation plan for ferry services. - Withdraw government participation in cellular operation to improve competition; review legal framework to allow private sector technologies and reduce reliance on GAMTEL. - Encourage private investment in coastal shipping. Education and health sector needs - Create incentives to reduce staff attrition; mobilise and target funds to improve quality, capacity development and learning materials. - Health: additional resources needed for infrastructure, management, drug supply and trained personnel particularly in rural centres. Institutional transformation, M&E and resource mobilisation - Address funding gap, infrastructure gap, inadequate policy and unrealistic strategic interventions. - Emerging issues: - governance framework supportive of poverty eradication - capacity needs assessment - resource mobilisation targeting new financing (including non-traditional donors) - shift M&E focus from activities to outputs and outcomes - institutional support recognizing public sector reforms and new Ministry of Planning, Economic Affairs and Industry Resource mobilisation (figures preserved) - $480 million identified as funding gap for 5-year PRSP - Government to contribute 33% (25% given so far) - Donors pledged 67% but only 22% received so far - Need to set new resource mobilisation targets and engage non-traditional donors and foundations. Monitoring and Evaluation — findings and recommendations - Current M&E tools from PRSP II preparatory phase inadequate and disjointed. - Gaps identified: - No clear framework for monitoring PRSP II implementation. - APR focuses on process indicators rather than results. - APR results are hardly used as feedback for sector planning. - Results matrix contains over 200 indicators—too costly and time-consuming to monitor. - Harmonisation across sectors and decentralised levels is challenging due to weak M&E capacity. - M&E conclusions: build on existing strategies, gradual improvement, flexible arrangements, focus on functional relations and incentives, stimulate demand for monitoring information, tailor outputs to varied users. - Recommended concentrate on: - An Annual Progress Report - A Results Matrix - A Resource Matrix Proposed M&E institutional responsibilities (selected points) - HILEC / National Assembly M&E Committee: policy direction, compare performances, verification missions, agree reporting formats, compile six-monthly national reports (prepared two months after six-month period). - National Planning Authority: technical support to HILEC, commission evaluations, planning units to host sectoral database and prepare sectoral reports every six months, undertake verification missions. - Sectoral Projects / Technical Line Departments: prepare quarterly progress reports, M&E Units to undertake verification missions, Steering Committees to review reports before submission to Dept. of State Planning Unit. *Source: _cr1127 - EXECUTIVE SUMMARY.* ### EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ### _cr1127 - EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ### Executive overview - This report presents the findings of the independent mid-term review of the PRSP II. - The findings covered the five pillars of the PRSP II. The review focused on assessing the five pillars reflected in the PRSP II programme, looking at the achievements, gaps and identified the emerging issues as well as make recommendations on the findings. - The review reveals that the PRSP II programmes were mostly based on activities rather than outcomes which made it challenging to report on actual outputs. - Despite this shortcoming major achievements were recorded from 2007-2009. - Macroeconomic performance exceeded the PRSP II growth target of 4.5% with actual growth rates of 6.3% and 6.1% for the years 2007 and 2008 respectively. - The national budget for the first time during the PRSP II reflected poverty budgeting with an average of 26% of the national budget going to the social sectors and the productive sectors, during the period 2007-2009 respectively. This is between 3-4% points of the PRSP II target of 30%. - The productive sectors, especially agriculture, experienced a boost in 2007 and 2008 due to a good rainy season; rice growing was especially successful due to the introduction of the NERICA rice. - In fisheries and natural resources there has been increased government and private sector investment; post-harvest aspects benefited from infrastructural development at landing sites and the provision of ice plants. - Industrial development still requires improvement, especially in policy and laws, despite government work on new policies and reviewing old ones. ### Poverty profile and trends - Based on the National Household Poverty Survey 2003, estimated head count ratio for poverty is 59%. - Between 2003 and 2008 Poverty has only dropped 3% far below the annual target of 2% as set out in the PRSP II. - Poverty headcount increased from 59% in 2003 to 61% in 2005. - The shift in the incidence of poverty indicates a policy gap; poverty varies greatly along multiple dimensions and requires a multi-sectoral approach with broad-based policies, investment, and instruments of social protection and safety nets. ### PRSP evolution and timeframe - GOTG developed a five years poverty reduction strategic paper known as SPA in 1994. - PRSP1 was developed in 2003 and implemented from 2003 to 2005; implementation of PRSP1 was rated as unsatisfactory. - PRSP II was developed to be implemented from 2007 to 2011 and is the subject of this mid-term review. - The MDG-based PRSP II serves as the medium term planning framework for reducing poverty in the country and was formulated in 2006. ### PRSP II five priorities - Creating an enabling policy environment for rapid economic growth and poverty reduction - Enhancing the capacity and output of productive sector - Improve coverage of basic social services and social protection needs of the poor and vulnerable - Enhance governance systems and build the capacity of local communities and Civil Society Organizations(CSOs) to play an active role in Economic Growth and Poverty Reduction - Mainstreaming cross-cutting issues that also contribute to poverty ### Purpose and objectives of the review - Review and update the PRSP with current poverty/policies, intervention and changing environment. - Identify achievements, shortcomings, constraints, challenges, opportunities and provide recommendations to be used as an addendum to the existing PRSP to guide implementation and monitoring for the remaining period. - The review looked at implementation of the PRSP from October 2007 to date, its achievements and challenges, and proposed recommendations for its completion. ### Methodology and approach - Literature review of PRSP II, Annual Progress reports, Final Report of Phase 1, and other relevant documents to identify gaps, especially performance gaps. - Key partner and key informant interviews, including outputs questionnaires with mostly government institutions and interviews with officials of partner agencies (Finance, Education, Health, Local Government). - Focused Group Discussions (FGDs) with select ministries and institutions to capture views on programme quality, performance and future direction. - Analysis steps included: analysis of PRSP II interventions, strengths, opportunities and challenges faced by NPC and partners; the changing macroeconomic environment; qualitative analysis of data. - Limits and constraints: a major constraint was obtaining detailed information and documents on activities, projects and programmes related to the PRSP, creating information gaps and requiring reliance on desk reviews. ### Highlights of progress and gaps (overall) - Significant progress reported in all five pillars of the PRSP. - Macroeconomic situation is stable. - Productive sectors are being enhanced through laws, policies and investment for better output. - Social sectors, health and education are receiving more government resources, especially in the national budget at an average of 18%. - Enhancing governance systems and building capacity at local levels of communities and civil society organizations has registered less success due to delay in the decentralization process. - Cross-cutting issues (gender, environment, population, youth and nutrition) have been addressed within the first four pillars with registered successes. - The review identified gaps and emerging issues to map the way forward. ### Pillar 1: Creating an enabling policy environment for rapid economic growth and poverty reduction (summary of findings) - This pillar registered some of the most outstanding success. - The Gambia has been able to maintain sustained macroeconomic stability from 2003- *Executive Summary of the independent mid-term review of PRSP II (document: _cr1127 - EXECUTIVE SUMMARY).* ### 2008. This sustained effort is an indication of government’s commitment to provide the ### _cr1127 - 2008. This sustained effort is an indication of government’s commitment to provide the ### Macroeconomic outcomes and poverty spending - The rate of economic growth continue to be above the PSRP target of 4.5% with actual growth rates of 6.3% and 6.1% for the years 2007 and 2008 respectively. - The Agricultural sector performed significantly better in 2008 than 2007 mainly due to the good rains experienced in 2008. - Inflation target of 5% has been achieved from 5.4% in 2007 to 4.5% in 2008. - Domestic debt to GDP ratio declines: outturns from 28.1% in 2007 to 25.1% in 2008, compared to targets of 28.5% and 26.5% respectively. - Overall expenditure on poverty programmes and activities in 2007 reached D1.067 billion, representing a disbursement rate of 92.2%. ### Financial governance and management reforms - In January 2007, Government launched and operationalised the Integrated Financial Management Information System (IFMIS). IFMIS objectives achieved: - increase the ability to undertake control and monitoring of expenditure and receipts in government departments - Increase the ability to access information on financial and operational performance - Increase the ability to access information on government cash position - Increase the ability to access information on economic performance - Increase the ability to demonstrate accountability to donors - Increase accountability and transparency in the use of public funds - National Planning Commission (NPC) set up in 2008 to coordinate planning and implementation of PRSP II, monitor program delivery, undertake poverty policy analysis and monitor poverty reduction targets. - Central Statistics Bill enacted in December 2005 transforming Central Statistics Department into Gambia Bureau of Statistics (GBOS) and a statistics council; preceded by “Central Statistics Master Plan”, and Communication and Dissemination Policy. ### Tax administration, revenue, and fiscal outcomes - Establishment of the Gambia Revenue Authority by Act of the National Assembly in August 2004; Act subsumed Central Revenue and Custom and Excise Departments into one semi-autonomous institution and amended Income and Sales Tax Law. - Revenue Authority commenced business in January 2007 and registered considerable success in enhancing revenue collections. - Revenue collections in 2007 enabled government to generate fiscal surplus for the first time in many years as domestic tax revenue was over 20% of GDP. ### Public procurement and public financial management coordination - New public procurement law enacted in 2001 with implementation starting in 2003; procurement decentralized to spending agencies and governed by a new procurement code and guidelines. - Creation of Gambia Public Procurement Agency (GPPA) to supervise and facilitate new procurement procedures and carry out final review of procurements over a pre-set threshold. - Under GPPA leadership, The Gambia has made slow but steady progress towards a more transparent and efficient procurement system. - Public Financial Management Coordination Committee (PFMCC) established to provide framework for improved awareness, coordination, harmonization, and monitoring of government PFM activities; committee answerable to the Minister of Finance and Economic Affairs and held two quarterly meetings since inception in March 2009. - National Audit Office achievements: accounts for 1991 to 2004 audited and submitted to National Assembly; accounts for 2005 and 2006 submitted in March 2009; 2007 accounts being audited. - Civil service reform ongoing with proposals to increase payroll, improve policy planning and management and institutionalize performance reward system; reforms to be implemented in parallel with pension’s reforms. ### Challenges and gaps (macroeconomic and fiscal) - Need for greater fiscal space to support pro-poor policies and programs; government’s external and domestic debt vulnerability remains a major challenge. - External debt to exports ratio is above the recommended threshold. - Current debt to GDP ratio continues to decline but the stock of domestic debt is steadily increasing, raising the cost of debt and reducing fiscal space for social and investment programs. - Actual inflows from HIPC resources fall short of anticipated amounts in 2008; expectations that donor pledges to finance PRSP II for successive years may not be fully realised. - Allocation to discretionary programs has received more resources at the expense of poverty programs; need to prioritise more resources towards poverty spending. - Allocation of 25% of domestically generated resources to priority sectors (Agriculture, Education, Health and Nutrition) continues to fall short of PRSP target; performance against this benchmark remains erratic. - Total cost of implementing PRSP II activities is $752 million of which government will contribute $100.5 million and donor commitment of $174 million, leaving a funding gap of $479.9 million. - Gap reduction to $320 million when HIPC and MDRI resources become available. - Resulting financing gap is equivalent to a funding need of $64 million per year over the PRSP II period. ### Pillar 2: Enhancing capacity and output of productive sector — overview - Pillar covers all productive sectors; achievement levels less clear cut than macroeconomic sector. - Main findings relate to agriculture, livestock, fisheries, tourism, trade, investment, energy, infrastructure, ports, and telecommunications. ### Agriculture and rural finance - Total cultivated area for cereals increased from 182,637 ha in 2006/2007 to 186,182 ha in 2007/2008, representing 2 percent increase. - Production reduced from 183,405 Mt in 2006/2007 to 149,942 Mt in 2007/2008. - Cultivated area projected to increase to 223,003 ha (19.8 percent) in 2008/2009 and production to 210,000 Mt (i.e.40 percent). - Rice area: 15,199 ha in 2006/2007 to 16,588 ha in 2007/2008 (9 percent increase); projected to increase to 20,442 ha in 2008/2009. - Rice production decreased from 15,832 Mt to 11,395 metric tonnes (28%); projected to increase to 18,012 metric tonnes (58%) in 2008/2009. - Groundnut area increased from 110,383 ha in 2006/2007 to 117,590 ha in 2007/2008 (7 percent); production reduced from 81,775 Mt to 72,558 Mt in 2007/2008. - Groundnut projected to increase to 105,000 metric tonnes, i.e. 45% increase. - Livestock sub-sector progress: hatchery capacity to produce 20,000 chicks per month with potential to increase to 200,000 per month; hatchery currently in operation. - Sustainable Management of Endemic Ruminants’ Species project (ITC under GEF) has increased prospects in small ruminant population. - 66 VISACAS established by Rural Finance Project to enable farmers’ access to rural micro-finance institutions. - Nine agricultural projects registered during review period: PIWAMP; FMRIP; PIMIAWP; SPFS; IRRIDEP; AELP; RFP; GALDEP; plus others listed in the source. - Restructuring of Department of State for Agriculture technical departments: establishment of six (6) regional directorates, a central project coordinating unit and nine (9) specialized technical services. ### Fisheries sector actions and financing - Fisheries Act 2007 formulated to improve management and protection of resources; Fisheries Regulations completed and signed in July 2008. - New Fisheries Policy formulated with FAO assistance in 2008. - Fishermen training programme started in Tanji in March 2008 with 25 Youths for 18 months; trainees provided with fishing materials at end of training in 2009. - Government of Japan funded multipurpose fish market at Brikama constructed; works contract for fisheries jetty at Wharf Njago, Bond road concluded; contract awarded for bunkering facilities at fisheries jetty site. - Provision of soft loans to fisheries operators under the GAFDP Revolving loan scheme. - Implementation and preparatory activities: FAO sustainable aquaculture project, nationwide sensitization on Fisheries Act 2007 and Fisheries Regulations 2008, World Bank fisheries project preparatory phase, establishment of co-management committees, capacity building in fisheries conservation and protection. - Aquaculture research in Jahali rice field on 1.2 ha comprising 14 fish ponds in collaboration with Taiwanese Technical Team. - Assistance under Special Programme for Food Security for construction of five fish ponds at Salikene; fish ponds in Medina Kanuma and Ndenban with technical advice and monitoring. - In 2008 an amount of D2,617,040 were disbursed as credit to fisheries operators for disbursement to their members; funds managed by SDF and disbursed through microfinance institutions. - Fisheries operators in Sankwia, Kayaf, Geneire, Jassoba, massembe and Barro Kunda in Foni Kansala benefited: 224 beneficiaries with 141 females and 83 male. ### Tourism sector developments - Tourist arrivals: 124,800 in 2006 to 142,626 in 2007, increasing to 146,759 in 2008. - Phase II of international advertisements on CNN undertaken; promotion of regional tourism increased regional flights into The Gambia. - Government considering tailor-made training packages for Hospitality Sector (Guest Relations and Customer Care, Quality Management, product development). - Integration of tourism into school curriculum being finalized. - Inspectorate Unit of Gambian Tourism Authority strengthened; comprehensive check-list of best practice standards developed by Licensing Committee. - Introduction and implementation planned for the first-ever hotel classification system in The Gambia. - Major infrastructural and product development in Tourism Development Area: dream park near Kotu Stream; phase II of Street Lightening Project utilizing solar panels; community-based pro-poor tourism projects in Kartong, Juffureh, and Albreda (WTO ST-EP model). - Approvals and initial works in progress for construction of Four 5 star hotels and 5 Star Meridian Hotels under construction in Brufut. - 9th Edition of the Roots Home Coming Festival celebrated in 2008; Government allocated land for National Theatre Complex with resources to be mobilized in 2009. - GTA London office restructured towards end of 2008 to operate a vertical marketing framework; Eyes2Market hired to revitalize presence in German market. - The Gambia hosted first ever Sub-regional Tourism and Travel Fair “MBOKA”. ### Trade policy, competition, MSME, and industrial competitiveness - Economic Partnership Agreement negotiations at ECOWAS level could not be concluded by June 30, 2009; substantive issues (EPA Development Programme, Sensitive Products and Rules of Origin) remain priorities for ECOWAS. - Competition law enacted in 2007; Competition Commission established in October 2008 with four commissioners and Executive Secretary appointed in January 2009; new office inaugurated in Kotu in August 2009. Commission to work with Central Bank and PURA. - National trade policy formulation with WAMI progressed; draft policy submitted for review and comments; hopeful for validation before end of the year (as per source timeline). - Trade Policy Review with WTO expected to be completed in July 2010. - Common External Tariff (CET) negotiations delayed beyond July 31st due to inclusion of 5th band; 5th band endorsed at 35 percent rate by Authority of Heads of State and Government in December 2008; negotiation on 5th band began in February 2009. - MSME policy formulation completed and at Cabinet level; institutional arrangement finalised with four departments: Corporate Services, Investment Promotion, Business and Export Development, and Enterprise Support and Innovation. - Industrial competitiveness project objective: boost exports and industrial growth to alleviate poverty through employment generation and income distribution; immediate objective to build institutional capacity to analyze industrial and trade competitiveness. - Investment component to provide economic and financial information through Investment Survey Reports and establishment of Investment Monitoring Platform and capacity building. - Trade Capacity Building component aims to establish national system for accreditation and certification, strengthen standards bodies and harmonisation, and promote quality and consumer protection. ### Investment promotion, employment, and projects - Gambia Investment Promotion and Free Zones Agency (GIPFZA): Gateway Project supporting GIPFZA ending on 31st December 2009 after extension; during 2001-2008 GIPFZA helped set up 59 companies with total investment level of over US$215 million and created over 4600 direct jobs. - GAMJOBS engaged consultants to review and update National Employment Policy and Action Plan; consultancy report validated. - Capacity needs assessment conducted for Employment Unit and Labour Department; ILO provided technical expert to train policy makers, trade unions and private sector for ILO reporting; tripartite steering committee constituted. ### Energy, renewable energy, and rural electrification - Increased generation capacity of the Kotu Power Station during review period. - First phase of Rural Electrification Project commissioned at various locations with total generating capacity of 4MW. - LPG promoted as alternative to firewood for cooking; government lifted import tax on all forms of renewable energy and energy efficiency equipment in March 2009. - Gambia Renewable Energy Centre (GREC) revitalised to promote renewable technologies and advise government. - Renewable Energy Association of the Gambia (REGAM) formed in April 2008. - Renewable energy feasibility study in 2007 shows greater potential in solar energy than wind energy. - In 2008 a license issued to Batakuku Village for generation and supply of electricity through windmill with generating capacity of 150KW. - More than twenty bio-gas plants constructed under Peri-urban project. - Jatropha currently used as bio-fuel by a limited number of the population. - A 51 metric tonnes storage facility for all petroleum products including LPG and Heavy Fuel Oil inaugurated in 2008 with a six month interrupted supply capacity. - Petroleum Products Bill finalised. ### Infrastructure, ports, roads, river transport, and maritime administration - Mandinaba–Soma Road Project progressing well; 90% of Western Region Feeder Roads project completed; North Bank Region Road Project completed; Soma-Basse Road progressing faster than Mandinaba-Soma road. - Acquisition of the Half-Die properties finalized by Gambia Ports Authority at a cost of D70 million. - Fourth Port expansion Project designed; funding being pursued. - Detailed Engineering and Economic Studies of the Port Master Plan and the Port Efficiency project finalised. - Coastal tariff revised several times to encourage coastal shipping. - Construction of Barra ferry terminal and ramps and berthing completed; fiscal incentives attached to investment in river transportation. - Government set up Gambia Maritime Administration to ensure compliance with national regulations and international conventions. ### Telecommunications and connectivity - Telecommunications sector liberalised since 2000 with private sector participation. - All telecommunications Service Providers have signed interconnection agreements facilitated by PURA, markedly improving interconnectivity. - Implementation of recommendations of the Technical Audit Report resolved identified problems and brought better connectivity. ### Challenges and GAPS (food security focus) - The Gambia is among the most vulnerable countries to the current global food crisis given that she was a food deficit country before the current food crisis. - Annual consumption requirement of 160,000 metric tonnes of rice (staple food) of which only about 7,400 metric tonnes of clean rice is locally produced. *IMF content unit: _cr1127 - 2008. This sustained effort is an indication of government’s commitment to provide* ### 4.6 percent of the annual requirement is produced locally. ### _cr1127 - 4.6 percent of the annual requirement is produced locally. ### Food production and agricultural sector findings - "4.6 percent of the annual requirement is produced locally." - Low production and productivity of key food crops (rice, millet, sorghum and maize) attributed to high dependence on rain-fed agriculture, which is short (3 months), erratic and unpredictable. - Between April to September 2008, The Gambia witnessed a steady increase in the price of her stable food (rice) which went up by 40 percent. - Cereal consumption increased from 214,000 metric tonnes in 1997 to 291,000 metric tonnes in 2007, creating a gap in cereal availability. - World Food Programme analysis: the widening cereal gap increased from 65,700 metric tonnes to around 150,000 metric tonnes in 2007 over the last three years. - Structural problems constraining agricultural sector: - inappropriate agricultural techniques - lack of production resources - subsistence farming - pests and diseases - high dependence on rain-fed agriculture - climate change - unstable management structure due to frequent structural reforms delaying programme implementation ### Fisheries sector constraints - Multiple impediments to growth and development of the fisheries sector, categorized as: - Physical: Lack of a fishing port has been a perennial constraint to development and attainment of full potential of the sub-sector. - Technical: Absence of enough nationals with technical competence to man fishing vessels as skippers and engineer. - Financial: Lack of adequate access to micro-finance facilities for artisanal operators. - Social: Difficulties in recruiting, training and retaining Gambians in artisanal fisheries. - Institutional: Absence of a structure specifically dedicated to the development of inland fisheries and aquaculture. - Additional constraints: - Limited access to concessionary investment finance - Foreign dominance - high cost of fuel - paucity of appropriate equipment and machinery - limited budgetary support - Industrial fishing sector constraints: - limited private sector participation leading to excessive dependency on artisanal fisheries for supply of raw materials - excessive standards requirements are costly to maintain and limit export of processed fish and fisheries products from The Gambia ### Tourism and related industry constraints - Limited air access remains a major problem limiting exploitation of the tourist industry’s potential; many more chartered flights are needed year-round as in the winter. - Energy cost: The cost of electricity to the industry is deemed to be too expensive, making The Gambia a high cost destination. - Aviation Fuel: "The Gambia is one among none in the world that has not revised the rate of fuel since its price at world market level has dropped from $169 to $49." - Taxation: current expatriate tax is deemed to be too high; numerous taxes and levels of taxes are considered too much for the industry. - Cost of excursions by Ground Tour operators considered too expensive, particularly for repeaters, which is approximately 30% of the total tourist. - Marketing budget: Limited budgetary support has limited the ability of GTA to embark on aggressive marketing. ### Ministry of Trade, Industry and Employment (MOTIE) institutional capacity and policy gaps - Challenges obtaining baseline data on quantitative variables; inability to monitor behaviour of variables without baseline data. - Quantitative variables provided in the report are not adequate to assess performance of policy programmes; most have no baseline and targets. - Urgent need for institutional capacity building. - Serious capacity gaps have persisted for long. - Ministry is under resourced in terms of funding for programme implementation. - Assessment revealed the Ministry has been operating without up-to-date policies (such as industrial and investment policies); some units (trade division) lack a policy. - Outdated policies were formulated before PRSP and MDGs and are not helpful in pursuing PRSP and MDG objectives. - Lack of a formal national trade policy hampers integration of trade in PRSP and limits visibility as a development strategy. - A Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises Policy has only recently been finalized to enhance sector development as a vehicle for wealth creation. - Employment data/statistics and usage problems: - Neither the Ministry nor the Labour Department has the capacity to analyse labour data and make informed policy decisions. - Vital labour information is often left out of national development planning; attempts to address unemployment and underemployment have been based on guess work. - Absence of a functional Standard and Consumer Protection Bureau: - Makes it difficult to develop national standards and coordinate issues of standards coherently. - Affects integration into the global trading system. ### Energy, renewable energy and petroleum sector issues - NAWEC’s inability to properly maintain and expand power generation, transmission and distribution has resulted in electricity supply not being extended to several communities. - Promotion of LPG as alternative energy source to firewood is constrained by its high cost and irregular supply, as supply depends on bilateral relationships with Senegal and Mauritania. - Promotion of renewable energy is constrained by funding. - A renewable energy feasibility study conducted in 2007 recommended a solar energy project for 54 schools, 18 ICT centres, 30 Health Posts and 10,200 Households which could not be implemented due to funding problems. - Use of Bio-mass is limited because of the high cost involved in construction and therefore is only constructed by projects. - Restriction in the petroleum business has constrained competition in the petroleum product market at the expense of consumers. - Limited private sector involvement in energy leaves investment potential largely untapped. ### Infrastructure, transport, ports and coastal shipping - Road constructions often experience delays affecting timely completion. - Limited private sector participation in coastal shipping hinders development of coastal shipping in The Gambia. - Lack of funding delays implementation of the Ports Master Plan for modernization of Banjul Ports. - Continuous reliance of ferry services on the Gambia Ports Authority affects efficiency as GPA draws financial resources mainly from the GPA budget. ### Telecommunications and government participation - Continued participation of the Government in the telecommunication industry (mobile phone) has affected the efficiency of the industry. ### Pillar 3 — Coverage of basic social services and social protection (overview) - Pillar 3 focuses on delivery of basic social services (health, education) and social protection for the poor and vulnerable (child care, adult care and the disabled). - Emphasis on provision of quality, relevant, affordable and accessible healthcare and education including access to water and sanitation. - Government considers a sector-wide approach necessary by including sector-initiated plans and strategies in PRSP. ### Education sector findings and achievements - MOBSE efforts to consolidate gains to access and improve quality education for all. - Third Education Project supported quality pre- and in-service training for teachers, particularly in provincial schools; established cluster level training structures; graduated unqualified teachers to quality teachers; strengthened in-service training; and reformed pre-service training. - Sector-wide approach successful in moving education policy and masterplan toward MDGs. - Introduction of hardship allowances of 30% of teachers’ basic salary for teachers in region 3 and 4 and 35% for those in region 5 and 6 has attracted more qualified teachers to these schools. - Provision of text books for all core subjects for each child in the lower basic continues to attract and keep children in school. - Total Gross Enrolment Rate (GER) for Formal schools dropped from 77% in 2007 to 74% in 2008; overall GER (including madrassa) stands at 90% and 93% for 2007 and 2008 respectively for the lower basic schools. - Net enrolment for lower basic overall is at 84% and 87% for 2007 and 2008 respectively with female enrolment on the high side. - School improvement activities, development of assessment tools, improved performance monitoring feedback, and training of head teachers in management and education leadership are on track. - Adult and Non-formal Education (ANFE) strengthened to coordinate and deliver programmes with NGOs and CBOs; tools designed to implement literacy programmes, improve relevance, access and opportunities for illiterate adults, and monitoring/evaluation mechanisms established. - Tertiary education access increased: enrolment at The Gambia College and GTTI increased from 14.9% and 17.5% between 2007 and 2008 respectively; MDI and UTG increased 43.4% and 50.6% for the same period respectively. - Teacher training and support: standardized tests show relatively high failure rates, particularly for girls; low performance levels in English and Mathematics despite significant expansion of class size by 72%. - The PTC and HTC programmes are overloaded with subject contents not aligned to the school curriculum. - The Gambia College faces inadequate learning and teaching materials, ill-equipped library, acute staff shortage, inadequate supervision for student teachers, overcrowded classrooms, and unsolved skill gap development. - Poor remuneration packages, high teacher attrition, short supply of training resources and limited capacity building make recruitment and retention of qualified academic staff difficult. - During 2007-2009, number of students at all levels significantly improved, particularly in primary and junior secondary schools. Net Enrolment was 87% in 2008. - Net-primary enrolment for school age children (7-14) has increased significantly. - Access: access to schools is not an issue, but targets remain to increase admission rate from 101% to 125% by 2015 and ensure schools are supplied with qualified teachers and instructional learning materials. - Non-participatory school management is being improved by introducing Senior Management Committees elected for two year terms in lower basic schools; recommendation to introduce similar committees at upper basic and senior secondary levels. ### Health sector findings and achievements - Significant expansion in primary and secondary healthcare services; rural and poor communities witnessed construction of health centres, leading to 85% physical access to basic health services. - Sharp decline in child mortality rate: from 159 per 1,000 to 93 per 1000 up till 2006. Target of reducing under-5 mortality rate to 133 per 1000 has been met; in 2009, under-5 mortality rate is at 128 per 1000. - Malaria indicators between 2007 and 2008: - an average increase of 2.5% for total malaria cases between 2007 and 2008 - a decline of 3.5% from the 2007 to 2008 for uncomplicated under five years - a sharp decline of 28.6% from 2007 to 2008 for uncomplicated malaria cases in pregnant women - Environmental health addressed in the Public Health Act of 2005 covering protection, preservation and promotion of health; diseases, food, occupational health, port health, buildings, slaughter houses, disease control and control of stray animals. - Remarkable achievements in control of communicable diseases; expansion of health facilities and recruitment of trained personnel. - Over 85% and 97% of the population are within 3 to 7.5 km of travelling time to a basic health facility and primary health care posts respectively. - EPI records show 90% coverage for childhood immunization across the country; introduction of new infant immunization vaccines being finalised. - National Eye Care Program reduced prevalence of Trachoma; blindness reduced down to 0.4% despite population increase. Gambia has met the cataract surgical rate in the sub region; regional eye care centre fully operational providing clinical and surgical services and training. ### Water, sanitation and environmental health - NAWEC and Department of Water Resources taking measures to mitigate problems and improve urban water supply. - Rural areas: construction of hand pump wells with significant achievements in provision of safe drinking water of minimum standard of 25 Litres per person per day as basic right. - Main providers of safe drinking water: GoTG/Japan Rural Water Supply Projects Phase II, The Saudi Sahelian Project Phase iv, UNDP; other providers include UNICEF, the CCF, EDF and CDDP. - Considerable access to water supply in all regions with 1,150 water points provided in the form of hand pump wells with sustainable and management training. - EDF recruited an NGO for Health Education Media Campaigns, constructed pit latrines country-wide, trained village masons nationwide on construction, and promoted hand washing at local level. - Department of Water Resources training school rehabilitated and training for 14 Class IV hydrology and meteorology technicians commenced in March, 2009 with first graduates expected in December, 2009. ### Social welfare, child care, adult care and disability services - Department of social welfare active as provider and enabler; child right protection services given prominence; support provided to risky and needy children. - Private sector initiatives (Standard Chartered Bank and Trust Bank Limited) provided services to orphans and the vulnerable; foster care schemes support babies and families affected by maternal deaths. - Adult Care: support extended to two hundred and seventy-five (275) Gambian and over hundred (100) families in forms of clothing, food items and financial assistance through grants. - Disability Care: rehabilitation services supplied Mobility Aid and Assistive Devices for over five thousand (5000) persons with Disabilities. - Other social services and protection provided include: water, climate change, sanitation, social protection and social welfare and foster care scheme. - Significant achievements registered in provision of social services; immediate rehabilitation and maintenance work of rural water supply and sanitation schemes carried out in all regions. - Awareness on climate change and global warming issues created; social protection, social welfare and foster care have gained recognition particularly for the vulnerable (young and the old). ### Challenges and gaps - Multiple institutional, financial, technical, social and physical constraints across sectors outlined above remain as challenges and gaps to sectoral development and service delivery. *Italicized source attribution: _cr1127 - 4.6 percent of the annual requirement is produced locally.* ### 1. Education has benefited from extensive program support both from government and ### 1. Education has benefited from extensive program support both from government and donors ### Quality - Key quality challenges: Teacher training and support; pedagogy teaching and learning material in schools; Leadership and management together with parents and community participation in schools. ### Teacher training and support - The standardized tests have not been showing impressive results. - Failure rates are relatively high particularly for girls who have under-performed at all levels. - Low performance level attained by the intakes, especially in English and Mathematics despite the significant expansion of class size by 72%. - The PTC and HTC programme are over loaded with a wide range of subject contents that are not aligned to the school curriculum. - The Gambia College, the only teacher training centre, is hampered by: - inadequate learning and teaching materials, - an ill-equipped library, - acute staff shortage contributing to poor capacity to deal with the knowledge gap. - Inadequate supervision for student teachers and overcrowded classrooms in the absence of skill gap development remain unsolved. - Poor remuneration packages, high teacher attrition, short supply of training resources and capacity building opportunities hinder recruitment and retention of qualified academic staff. ### Pedagogy, teaching and learning material in schools - Culture of reading is not reinforced in schools. - Inadequate supply of supplementary reading material, lack of fixed procedures and pedagogy, rote reading and learning, and ill-equipped classrooms adversely affect students’ ability to become seasoned writers and literates. ### Leadership and management; Parents and community participation - Management of schools are not widely defined; the concept is not broadening nor given any special attention. - Support and training for head teachers are not clearly defined. - Effectiveness of parent teacher associations is modified; leadership and management in schools can be enhanced by community and parent participation. - Head teachers are not always accountable to the communities they serve. ### Resources - Inadequate human and material resources caused by the funding gap at all levels of education resulted in poor service delivery in public educational institutions. - Inadequate physical infrastructures in urban areas have resulted in overcrowded classrooms and poor learning conditions. - Lack of functional laboratories particularly in the sciences has hindered effective teaching of these subjects. ### Management (regional) - Under staffed and under resourced regional directorates. - Despite additional staffing and provision of additional vehicles to some regional directorates, they are yet to realise their full potential to ensure excellent coverage of supervisory mandates. - Inadequate capacity of cluster monitors in methods of teaching and school administration despite attempts to enhance their capacities. ### Access - Access to schools is not an issue; there has been remarkable achievement, but there is still space for improvement. - Targets: increasing admission rate from 101% to 125% by 2015. - Need to ensure schools are supplied with required qualified teachers and instructional learning materials. - Overall enrolment has gone up; however, quality becomes the issue. - Insufficient action by some regions to put in place necessary conditions to scale up requirements of the new educational policy. - Delay in finalising the curriculum framework that is supposed to serve as a guiding tool. ### Health (education-related) - Primary level: Weekly visits to these establishments to measure progress level and additional training for personnel have been neglected. - Secondary level: Encompasses too many categories of facilities; not efficiently organized. Some minor health centres are poorly built; difficulties to upgrade structures due to lack of space; drug stores poorly ventilated. - Third level: Referral system among service levels is weak. DHTs are weak regarding human, material resources, and planning capacity. ### Water and sanitation - Access to water supply in urban areas is better compared to rural areas. - Urban water supply systems have difficulties: outlived design period, low expected output/production level, inadequate system and high leakages, low level of investment and implementation capacity. - Proportion of population using improved drinking water has been attained but sanitation remains a major problem; access to safe drinking water cannot be guaranteed. ### Social protection and projects - Budget allocations in the national budget, though increased annually since 2007, are not enough to cover available programmes. - Projects are in place for assistance but delays and prolonged processes in loan and grant programme implementation have set back effort. - Lack of comprehensive institutional arrangement, management, high cost of construction raw materials and poor and low implementation have impeded progress. --- ### Pillar 4: Enhance governance systems and build the capacity of local communities and Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) to play an active role in Economic Growth and Poverty Reduction ### Primary focus areas - Local Community; Civic Education; National Assembly; and NGOs. ### Findings and program activities - Capacity building and development for the local community: - Strengthening capacity of community based organisations through women group, provision of Technical Assistance, resources (self labour and or financial support). - Government undertaking regular comprehensive reform measures to improve community participation in governance. - Programmes to build local community capacity for planning, awareness and structural reforms for participatory development. - Local council decentralization programs to enable institutional transformations for effective service delivery; local councils headed by governors and constituencies/wards headed by a in a bid chairman to ensure autonomy. - Creation of capacity for capacity building: Commission’s Office changed to Governor’s office; divisions renamed as regions; village and ward development committees directly involved in local initiatives. - Local institutional transformation at different stages across regions; planning units strengthened by workshops for area councillors and governors on financial management; a Financial manual compiled and ready for use. - Through the CDDP, key managers and six financial controllers were recruited and posted in the six rural regions. - Developed village strategic plan for 145 communities were supported and implemented. - Training on Local Government Act, project costing and implementation conducted in all the 145 villages. - 50 multi disciplinary facilitation teams (MDFT) were trained on the field guide manual, 44 rapid results initiatives approach and team building. - Six rural councils supported with six desk Top computers and their accessories with solar powered system. ### Civic Education (NCCE activities) - NCCE conducted nationwide voter education campaigns in preparation of the January 24th 2008 local government elections; ten days nationwide community outreach and face-to-face meetings coordinated with UNDP-funded election baskets fund. - In March 2008, NCCE organised training seminars for newly elected councillors on the local government act 2002 as amended; trainings conducted in respective councils for two days each. - NCCE incorporated series of amendments into the principal act and produced copies for elected and nominated councillors, majors and chairpersons. - Post election community sensitization conducted in Central River Region South from the 25th -31st may 2008 on mandate and functions of ward and village development committees; 20 meetings conducted in selected communities in the Janjanbureh local government area. - Piloting civic and human rights education teaching modules: validation workshop, teacher training and three monitoring visits during 2008 involving stakeholders: curriculum research evaluation development and in-service training (credit), Gambia teachers union, Gambia college ,MOBSE. - Validated materials printed into handy books for pilot schools. - 12 upper basic cycle schools identified in each educational region for piloting; training workshops at regional levels with four teachers from each chosen school including head teachers. - Three monitoring missions between 15th -17th September, 27th -30th October and 1st -5th December 2008; monitoring reports satisfactory; monitoring exercise expected to be completed in March or April 2009. ### National Assembly - National assembly oversight functions continue to make significant progress despite meagre resources. - Joint session of public accounts/enterprise committee commenced since the 25th august 2008 considering annual activity reports, audit accounts, financial statements and management letters of 51 government enterprise and agencies. - 26 institutions successfully scrutinized with 14 agencies presently deferred. - A contract awarded to an auditing firm for auditing of the national audit office. - Negotiation completed for construction of a modern parliament building. - A project officer placed in the national assembly to help build capacity of NAMs and support staff under UNDP funding. ### Civil Society and poverty reduction - Achievements in building capacity, lobbying, advocacy and food security. - Capacity Building: - Tango and Concern Universal supported organisational self-assessment; 75 national NGOs targeted and 15 have benefited. - Voluntary Services Overseas (vso) provided international volunteers supporting capacity building in disability, education and secure livelihoods. - Pro-poor advocacy group (Pro-PAG) is the only NGO involved in budgetary exercise; in 2008 they built capacity of NGO partners and the National Assembly in budget analysis and budget advocacy. - In 2009, National Assembly members were trained in policy and budget analysis and social accountability. - Lobbying and Advocacy: - NGOs and CBOs active in lobbying and advocating for pro-poor policies, projects and programmes across health, education, environment, community participation and disability issues. - Food Security: - 2008 food crisis prompted NGO engagement with government to develop an action plan; national NGOs and CBOs supported horticultural gardens and cereal production at community level. --- ### Challenges and Gaps - Community skills improvement project implemented programs including youth production workshops, construction of multipurpose centres and procurement of equipment for these centres. - Skills and income generating schemes faced problems of coordination and integration at all levels and lack of clarity on content and implementation strategies. - Most Civil Society Organisations have serious governance issues, including lack of accountability mechanisms, transparency and focus. - Lack of capacity among some civil society organizations makes it difficult for them to fufill their mandates. - Donor driven activities have made Civil organisations react to donor priorities rather than their own priorities, leaving them unfocused. *Source: _cr1127 - 1. Education has benefited from extensive program support both from government and* ### 6. Few civil society organisations have the capacity to advocate to government on behalf of ### _cr1127 - 6. Few civil society organisations have the capacity to advocate to government on behalf of ### Pillar 5: Cross-cutting Issues — Findings - The Gambia PRSPII identifies crosscutting issues to be mainstreamed within implementation: Gender and women empowerment, Forestry, environment, parks and wildlife, HIV and AIDS, Nutrition, Population management,Youths and unemployment. - Increased enrolment and retention of girls at primary, secondary and tertiary levels of education. - Gender parity between girls and boys at primary level. - Expansion of the girls education scholarship to all education regions. - Introduction of special university access program for girls at the University of The Gambia. - Introduction of Adult Literacy programs in Upper River Region targeting 500 women. - Strengthening interventions such as FAWEGAM Girls Friendly School initiatives. - Improving women and girls entrepreneurial skills: Training of 1250 women in vegetable production, marketing, food preservation techniques and pest control. - Construction and improvement of 26 women gardens with the provisions of farm inputs and implements. - Providing laws and enabling environment that will effectively protect women’s rights and ensure participation: The National Women Policy of 1999 to 2009 has been revised and the National Women’s Bill has been sent to Cabinet. - Establishment of CMCs in several communities for the promotion of the welfare of women and girls. and election of 18 women as ward councillors in the various Local Government Councils. - Development of communication strategies and gender outreach programs and women leaders trained on advocacy and networking skills. - Mobilize resources for gender and women empowerment interventions: Renewal of the UNFPA Gender country program; Proposing and receiving grant for training of women leaders through the UNDP; Proposing and receiving a grant from the Spanish NEPAD program for improvement of women entrepreneurial skills. - Proper coordination and monitoring and evaluation of the women and gender related programmes: Training of 3 Women’s Bureau staff to Diploma level; Development of advocacy and communication strategy in consultation with various sectors. Expansion of staffing norms and human resource based of the Women’s Bureau. ### Environment and Multilateral Agreements — Findings - Environmental program efforts geared primarily towards sustainable natural resources management, energy and environmental health. - NEA implementing Multilateral Environment Agreements (MEAs) including: the montreal protocol on ODS, UN convention to combat desertification (CCD,), UN convention on the conservation of Biological Diversity (CBD) the protocol to phase out Persistent Organic Pollution (POPs), UN Framework convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) Basel convention, Abidjan convention among others. - The Gambia environmental Action Plan (GEAP) Phase II has been developed and being subjected to validation by stakeholders. - State of the environment Report has been completed. - Green house gas inventory for the Gambia was developed has been updated. - A Second national communication to the UNFCCC developed. - Enforcement of anti-littering regulation commenced in 2008. ### MDG 6 / HIV, AIDS, Clinical Care and Capacity Building — Findings - With regards to MDG 6; Combat HIV/AIDS, Malaria and other diseases, prevalence rate in the Gambia is relatively low. - A total of 30 VCT sites exist in the country and a total of 45, 547 persons took VCT, whilst the figure represents 82% of the project target, it is a very small percentage of the 15-49 age group population of the country. - HIV/AIDS: Prevention of parents to child transmission (PPTCT) — services package extended to all health facilities and is available countrywide to all pregnant women found to be HIV positive. - Anti-Retroviral therapy (ART): 8 fully functional ART centres exist in the country located in the various regions. 9 sub-ART centres have also been established in the country to increase access to ART. - Clinical care including prophylaxis and treatment of opportunistic infections: Training of workers in HIV care and ensuring an uninterrupted supply of drugs for opportunistic infections and related clinical conditions; Maintaining continuous availability of HIV laboratory supplies; Closer supervision of services delivery. - Capacity Building of stakeholders: Training of 32 health workers on the WHO integrated infant feeding counselling modules. - Development of training modules on the management of severe nutrition. - Training of Village Health Support Groups and the introduction of the Baby Friendly Community Initiatives to 293 communities countrywide. ### Nutrition, Food Security and Reproductive Health — Findings - Studies/assessments and surveillance of nutritional status of vulnerable groups: Conduct of food vulnerability mapping in Banjul and KMC in which 60% of households are found to be food insecure. - Nutritional surveillance of children of 0-5years in which 10% were found to be wasting. - Micronutrient deficiency control: Local salt iodization program targeting 108 tons of locally produced salt country wide; 86% of children age 6 – 59 months covered for vitamin A supplementation and 82% of the same age category covered for de-worming; expansion of the comprehensive anaemia control program to 10 communities in the Upper River Region. - Food safety and quality: Implementation of a biosecurity support project. - Development of Five Year Strategic Plan on the Food Control Sanitary and Phytosanitary Systems. - Preparation and production of a standard edible fats and oils. - Reproductive health: Support to networks of Traditional Communicators (TCs), Youths and NGOs to undertake advocacy in 2008 to eradicate harmful traditional practice (including –female genital cutting), early marriage, promote reproductive health and reproductive rights and adolescent reproductive health service provision. - Programme supports TCs in community sensitizations and network of journalists to publish a newsletter and other media materials; funded series of youth media campaigns on Sexual Reproductive Health issues. ### Challenges and Gaps - Institutional transformations have been ongoing during PRSP II implementation from 2007 to date, but institutional support to complement government service delivery remains insufficient. - The research found competent of these institution fall short of (capacity gaps and limitations in institutional effectiveness). ### 3.0 Key Lessons Learnt - 1. Need for participation by all stakeholders in the reforms to improve the implementation and mechanism for accountability, and to ensure ownership and commitment to the reforms - 2. Need to promote attitudinal change within implementing institutions to complement the technical changes introduced by the PFM programs. For example, early emphasis on need for attitudinal change within the government accounting cadre paid dividends and helped reduce resistance to the introduction of computerized accounting systems within government - 3. MOFEA has faced difficulty coordinating the various reform programs in an effective manner. It is therefore important to create synergies where possible to ensure effective program governance arrangements for the agreed upon PFM interventions and also to ensure adequate stakeholder involvement in the implementation of the reforms. The establishment of the Public Financial Management Committee is expected to go a long way in facilitating the needed synergies while maintaining clear accountabilities for implementation. - 4. Human resources capacity constraints in The Gambia are a reality. For instance, the IFMIS project found it difficult to secure resources that possessed the needed qualifications and sufficient skills to implement an IFMIS. ISPEFG also suffered from a limited availability of specialized manpower resources to undertake institutional development activities as programmed. Implementation of the MTEF has also been delayed by lack of capacity to undertake basic/credible planning and budgeting processes. This has resulted in strong reliance on external resources and delays in implementation of the reform programs. Addressing HRM issues in the Gambia is therefore necessary especially to provide a strong foundation for successful implementation of the targeted reforms as well as ensuring long term sustainability of the reforms being implemented. - 5. Basic social services for the poor in the Gambia cannot leave out food shelter, employment and basic clothing. With surging food prices and high cost of land affordability has become an issue for the poor. - 6. Employment is becoming a major problem with the youthful population making up 22% of the 6% unemployment figures. Rural-urban migration has left migrants without the necessary skills to earn a living. - 7. Improving the effectiveness of education and training programs is important in helping migrants meet the skills demanded in the urban sectors, strengthening linkages between education and work to increase the relevance of training opportunities and improve employability. - 8. Focus on interventions in agricultural productivity rather than the current emphasis on expansion of agricultural land and increase attention to the promotion of nonfarm activities in the country’s agricultural development strategy would have provided better food security ### 4.0 Recommendations — General - 1. Lack of capacity and capacity gaps are a concern for all sectors in the implementation of the PRSP. An assessment of capacity needs is therefore recommended. - 2. Resources for PRSP II implementation are limited making achieving results difficult, A Resource mobilisation strategy needs to be developed as well as identify new funding partners. - 3. There is lack of clarity on reporting responsibility or exactly how to report because of the numerous indicators. There should be clarity about who has the mandate to implement what. - 4. The need to take into account emerging issues such the global economic crisis, climate change and political and economic developments in the sub-region-- in order to mitigate the impact of these on the achievement of the PRSP goal. ### 4.0 Recommendations — Specific (selected Pillar recommendations) Pillar 1: Macro-economic situation - 5. Ministries/sectors should give preference to PRSP programs in allocating resources for spending and identify more poverty reducing programs at the expense of discretionary programs. - 6. Government should expand and strengthen bilateral cooperation to secure additional resources, particularly grants, to finance PRSP programs. - 7. Improved marketing of agricultural produce, with emphasis on the quality of exports, processing of groundnuts into oil products, and other value added products. - 8. Priority to ensure greater resources allocated to build the capacities of local communities and civil society organisations to strengthen delivery of goods and services to the poor. - 9. Agriculture continues to receive below 5% of overall government departmental budget whilst Health and Education receives 8% and 16% respectively. This ranking for Agriculture should be reversed to be in line with the PRSP priorities; both the growth and the shares of budget allocations for Agriculture should increase to the desired level during the period of the PRSP implementation. - 10. Promote commercial Agriculture, irrigation and mechanised systems to enable the farmers produce higher yields. - 11. Government to pursue more prudent fiscal discipline to reduce its domestic borrowing requirements. - 12. Strengthen the Alternative Disputes Secretariat (ADRS) to reduce the backlog of cases in the courts and increase coverage beyond the Greater Banjul Area. - 13. Increase the capacity of legal sector in terms trained legal practitioners especially Judges, Magistrates and Lawyers; improve Library infrastructure and facilities; encourage more research. Pillar II: Agriculture and Rural Development (selected) - 14. Timely provision of certified quality seeds and planting materials, focusing on cereals and selected horticultural production. - 15. Strengthen and expand the existing Integrated Pest Management activities into a national programme with biological and chemical technologies such as herbicides in crop production to improve land productivity and alleviate labour bottlenecks especially at weeding. - 16. Promote and strengthen financial intermediation to increase access of small holders to credit and savings. - 17. Strategies for food and horticulture crops: availability of water, access to inputs and outputs markets, post harvest handling and storage, transportation and processing. - 18. Develop a special programme for research and extension for staple food crops, drawing on the existing Research Master Plan, in priority areas including seeds and planting materials, mechanization and soil fertility. - 19. Intensify advocacy for and support to the organization and strengthening of small holder producers groups for economies of scale particularly for infrastructure, financial services and mechanization. - 20. Strengthen and extend the use and improved management of user managed mechanization devices particularly tractors and draught animal power. - 21. Establish and manage effectively selected water availability technologies and mechanisms such as irrigation; establish a special programme elaborating options, targets, requirements and costs; support Water users Associations. - 22. Government should, in consultations with the private sector and development partners and external investors, provide improved transport, handling facilities and storage infrastructure, including pursuing Warehouse scheme under private sector management; facilitate the establishment and growth of packaging industry. - 23. Encourage and facilitate public and private sector partnerships in research and cost-recovery extension services; investment in value chain activities; establishment of market information systems and services; contract farming and/or out-grower schemes. - 24. Promote sustainable linkages between organised groups of producers from the sub sector and operators from the high value markets, including hotels associations, tourist and entertainment association’s marketers and exporters. - 25. Machines should be compact, light, low-powered, and multi-purpose. Locally-available materials must be incorporated in fabricating machines to reduce the manufacturing costs. 3- Small-size tractors, mini-power tillers, and small farm equipment must meet the needs of small farmers. - 26. Highly trained staff is recommended immediately for farm machinery production and modification. Training local craftsmen in manufacturing technology, operation, repair and maintenance would promote local manufacture of agricultural machinery. - 27. Provide safeguards for the poultry sector against unfair competition from imports. - 28. Government and private sector complementation are vital in promoting farm mechanization. Service centers could be established in rural and remote areas; and financial assistance, loans, and subsidies must continue to provide machinery owners and users of continued farm production operations. - 29. Farmers' organizations or cooperatives can be tapped, particularly in setting up joint use of farm machineries and other modem farm facilities. - 30. Strengthen and retain the capacity of NARI undertake more selective research to improve production and productive of farmers. *Source: _cr1127 - 6. Few civil society organisations have the capacity to advocate to government on behalf of (PDF).* ### 31. Strengthening capacities of farmer organizations and cooperatives ### 31. Strengthening capacities of farmer organizations and cooperatives ### Fisheries and aquaculture measures - Institutional stability is essential for policy direction and effective programme implementation. - Provide an enabling environment for diversification into the harvesting of unexploited and under exploited stocks. - Regulate estuarine shrimp fishery (increase net mesh size) and introduce closed fishing areas/fishing seasons; limit entry (especially foreign fishermen). - Provide infrastructural facilities and promote sensitization campaigns to increase Gambian participation in marine artisanal fisheries. - Maintain ban on beach seine net, the use of dumo and destructive nets. - Support and facilitate skills development and improved knowledge of young men and women in the fisheries sector. - Facilitate the access to finance and appropriate technologies for use by young men and women fisheries operators and investors. - Encourage the formation of fisheries associations within the artisanal fisheries sub-sector. - Sensitize fishing communities on gender related issues and encourage participation of women in co-management systems. - Promote the development of aquaculture (commercial and small-scale, and oyster culture). - Facilitate the establishment of mariculture production systems of high value, exportable species (e.g. Crustaceans). - Maintain the biodiversity of inland fisheries ecosystem. - Promote fish production, preservation, processing and marketing of capture and cultured fish. - Promote and support capacity building in the industrial fisheries sub-sector, particularly with regard to improving products quality hygiene and sanitation in fish processing establishments. - Facilitate the conduct of adaptive fisheries research within appropriate institutions in the country. - Conduct resources surveys on all categories of fish stocks. - Conduct catches and stock assessment surveys. - Strengthen the fisheries database with proper equipment, capacity building and funding to attain applicable results in the analysis of such data. - Enhance collaborative research and information exchange with national and international research institutions. - Disseminate research findings to all stakeholders to enable them collaborate in formulating and implementing. - Undertake periodic surveys to establish the potentials and biomass levels of the target fisheries (marine and inland). - Undertake cultural and socio-economic research studies in fisheries. ### Tourism, energy, and industry recommendations - More aggressive marketing is required to encourage more flights to the Gambia from the major tourists markets. During off-season chartered flights should be given special fiscal incentives to make their flights to the Gambia more economically viable. - Consider an affordable energy rate for the industry especially during the off season, when most of the hotels operate far below capacity. - Encourage exploration of other efficient sources of energy by the industry and deliberate policy to encourage their uptake. - Expatriate tax on technical personnel in the industry would not be helpful; players who can demonstrate that certain competencies are not locally available should be allowed to source them from outside without paying expatriate tax. - Consultation among players in the industry concerning the excursion rate with a view to reducing it to encourage repeaters. - Provide resources to the Gambia Tourism Authority for destination marketing and explore other efficient means of destination marketing. - Urgent need to strengthen the human resource capacity of the Ministry so as to better articulate policies; current capacity mainly comprises young graduates with around two to five years work experience. - The Ministry is seriously under resourced and needs adequate resources to implement its programmes particularly the ones aligned with PRSP. - Update all the outdated policies to reflect current development challenges to aid attainment of PRSP objectives and MDGs. The Trade Policy has recently been validated and should be finalised and resourced for implementation. ### Human resources, MSME, standards, and industrial cooperation - Assist the Ministry to establish a baseline data for the quantitative targets/indicators that has been submitted for PRSP II. - Urgent need to establish a labour information system to improve labour information and sharing for policy making; assist both the Ministry and the Labour Department to build capacities in analysing labour data/information. - Fill all the vacancies in the Employment Division to restore its functionality. - Finalise urgently the institutional arrangement envisaged for the implementation of the MSME policy to provide needed support services for MSME development; MSME development should be central in development strategy to fight poverty. - The plan to establish a functional Standard Bureau in 2011 should fail (sic) and everything should be done to keep the deadline as such institution is critical in promoting exports. - Pursue the Country Cooperation Programme signed with UNIDO to ensure its implementation; full implementation would greatly improve the productive capacity of the economy and thus improve the country poverty situation. ### Energy, ports, transport and private sector engagement - Urgent need to modernise transmission and distribution as well as increase the capacity of generation to meet the growing demand of electricity to improve NAWEC efficiency and reduce energy cost. - Encourage more private sector involvement in the production of LPG to improve supply and reduce cost. - Make resources available for promotion of renewable energy particularly for implementation of the results of the renewable energy feasibility study. - Promote the use of Bio-mass as a renewable energy source by subsidising its construction and deliberate policy to encourage private investment in this area as a commercial venture. - Lift restrictions in petroleum business to allow free competition in the petroleum product market for the benefit of consumers. - Government should encourage private sector involvement in provision of energy to utilise untapped investment potential. - Assist Gambia Ports Authority to implement its Master Plan to achieve the vision of the Gambia being an entry port in the sub-region. - Develop a privatisation plan to privatise ferry services so as to improve ferry services and hence enhance trade. - Government should withdraw its participation in the cellular phones operation to improve competition in the sector and review the legal framework to allow the private sector to use their own technology to improve connectivity without relying on GAMTEL. - Encourage private sector investment in coastal shipping. ### Education, staff retention, and health sector needs - Create an attractive market to cut down on high staff attrition. - Mobilise more funds and target funds to address issues of quality, capacity development, inadequate training, and insufficient learning materials. - Health sector: access and health status improved greatly during the review period. However, additional resources are needed to cater for better infrastructure, poor management structures, inadequate supply of drugs and health facilities with limited numbers of doctors and trained personnel particularly in rural care centres. ### Institutional transformation, gaps, and Monitoring & Evaluation (PRSP II) - From 2007 to date institutional transformation activities have been undertaken; institutional support to other institutions complementing government efforts have dramatically helped to improve service delivery and macroeconomic growth; however, income inequality and poverty level remain high. - Identified gaps that need to be addressed: Funding gap, Infrastructural gap, Lack of adequate policy, poor and unrealistic strategic interventions. Emerging issues identified by the independent desk review of PRSP II: - A governance framework that is supportive of poverty eradication efforts. - A capacity needs assessment for effective implementation of the PRSP. - Resource mobilisation that targets new financing. - The need for a sound monitoring and evaluation mechanism based on outputs and outcomes rather than activities. - An institutional Support system that takes into cognisance emerging issues such as: public sector reforms, economic management reforms, new policies (health, gender, disaster), and the creation of the Ministry of Planning, Finance and Industry which now subsumes the NPC as the monitoring office for the PRSP. Governance - Inadequate attention to governance issues is one of the major gaps of the PRSP. Governance defined as both economic and political governance. - The Gambia is ranked high in financial governance by IMF and ranked 19th out of all African countries under the Mo Ibrahim index for governance. - The Gambia’s poor governance perception in some quarters within the international community has a potential adverse effect in resource mobilization; there is a need for a well-thought out strategy of communication and advocacy to address these perceptions. PRSP and Capacity Development - PRSP recognizes that strong public institutions are critical to implement the PRSP and realize macro and sector reforms; civil service reform (CSR) is a key priority. - Actions envisaged include: - Garner political will to support CSR - Improve remuneration package for civil servants - Design and formulate an overall training plan and policy - Develop and implement a training master plan - Promote strategic management in training programmes - Review and disseminate civil service codes, regulations, etc - Additional elements: HR policy and action plan; attractive working conditions; security of tenure; creating an environment for highly motivated personnel. - Achievements: CSR Strategy developed and presented at the Donor Round Table Conference on the PRSP; UNDP project (Public Service Reform and Capacity Building Project) has made a good start; WB and ADB support; some improvements in salary levels. - Major strategic gaps remain: unclear political will translation to concrete actions; no overall effort to identify capacity gaps for implementing the PRSP and develop/implement a strategy to address them; capacity mapping shows some line ministries in productive sectors are poorly served; more effort directed at public sector than private sector capacity building. Resource mobilisation (figures preserved) - The current resource situation: $480 million was identified as the funding gap for the 5 year PRSP, of which the government was to contribute 33% (25% has been given so far). - Donors pledged 67% but only 22% have been received so far. - Some donors (EC/WB/ADB) have reached agreement with government to establish a general budget support mechanism in addition to other projects being currently supported. - Key gap: lack of sufficient information on resource flows from non-traditional donors and poor integration into established aid coordination. New resource mobilisation targets should be set and non-traditional donors and partners such as foundations should be sought. Institutional Support System - Need for an institutional support system that recognizes emerging issues of public sector reform, new policies and the new Ministry of Planning, Economic Affairs and Industry which has subsumed NPC as the monitoring office of the PRSP. Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) - The PRSP is conceived as embodiment of the New Aid Paradigm and is designed around six core principles: - Country ownership - Participation - Comprehensiveness - Result orientation - Partnership - Long term perspective - Key players: government, donors and civil society. Ownership, effectiveness and accountability are important. - Poverty reduction strategy monitoring systems foster accountability, support decision making and promote dialogue; they track overall progress in poverty reduction, monitor and evaluate PRSP policies and programmes and monitor budgets and expenditures; focus on input, output and impact chain. - Tools developed during PRSP II preparatory phase were found inadequate; tools developed separately and not integral to PRSP formulation, problematic for implementation. Gaps / Challenges (verbatim) - There is no clear cut framework for monitoring the implementation of PRSPII. - The APR focuses more on process indicators than results. - The results of the APR are hardly used as a feedback for subsequent planning by sectors. Major challenges facing the monitoring systems of the PRSPII: - Every sector is now considered as a PRSP priority and all sector policies, programmes and projects are considered as PRSP priorities. It is therefore critical to select core PRSP outputs from sector priorities. - The current results matrix consists of over 200 indicators, it cost time and money to monitor and report on all of them. There is therefore need to manage the outputs to a level that will allow effective monitoring of the indicators. - Harmonizing monitoring among sectors and decentralized levels could be a challenge as most sectors do not have efficient M&E systems or the required capacity to develop and maintain these systems. - Low levels of demand for monitoring information also tend to impact the supply of adequate information. Conclusions on M&E - The PRSP M&E system should build on existing strategies. - It needs gradual improvement. - It evolves based on building flexible arrangements. - The system must focus on functional relations, incentives and activities to be effective. - The system must be able to stimulate demand for monitoring information. - Users of National M&E systems differ and need different formats and content. Recommendations for Improving PRSPII M&E Systems - Managing development effectiveness requires measuring policy effectiveness: “if you can’t measure it you can’t manage it”. - Develop a system to track implementation of PRSPII to generate reliable data on progress indicators. - Harmonize existing tools and fill gaps to lead to a country PRSP M&E framework. - Concentrate on the following: - An Annual Progress Report - A Results Matrix - A Resource matrix Proposed M & E Framework – National Level (institutional responsibilities, selected points) - HILEC / National Assembly M&E Committee: - Provide policy direction. - Compare national and sectoral performances against national policy objectives. - Undertake verification missions to selected sites. - Agree reporting formats with Departments of State. - Compile sectoral progress reports into six-monthly national reports, for HILEC / National Assembly. Reports prepared two months after the six-month period. - National Planning Authority: - Provide technical support to HILEC. - Commission evaluations, and ensure conduct of mid- (text truncated in source). - Planning Units agree on reporting formats with sectoral projects / programs. - Planning Units prepare sectoral reports from sectoral project / program reports every six months. - Planning Units host sectoral database. - Review and discuss sectoral report before submission to NPA, six weeks after six month period. - Discuss feedback from HILEC / National Assembly. - Undertake verification missions of sectoral projects. - Sectoral Projects / Technical Line Departments: - Prepare quarterly progress reports. - Project M&E Units undertake verification missions. - Steering Committees review and discuss progress reports before submission to Dept. of State Planning Unit. - Steering Committees undertake verification. *Source: _cr1127 - 31. Strengthening capacities of farmer organizations and cooperatives* --- _Source: https://www.imf.org/-/media/websites/imf/imported-full-text-pdf/external/pubs/ft/scr/2011/_cr1127.pdf_