Stocktake of Value Chain Projects of IFAD's Global Portfolio

Client: IFAD

March 2022

IFAD-supported projects with a value chain (VC) component have increased significantly over the past 20 years. In 2019, out of the complete portfolio of 302 on-going and completed projects, 218 (72%) projects encompassed a value chain component. IFAD developed a stocktake of a selected sample of IFAD projects that follow a value chain approach covering the period 2016-2020. This was done using by analysing IFAD projects with VC components(s) covering the period 2016-2020, using both the PMI VC database as well as ORMS and OBI databases; reviewing other relevant IFAD VC-related documents like the IOE report, impact assessments reports, how to do notes, operational guidelines, etc.; and organising interviews/meetings with relevant SKD and PMD staff, including with Country Directors (CDs) and Project Management Unit (PMU) staff. The finale deliverables consisted of:

• A dense slide deck (long version + short version) with the findings: - the main issues/critical bottlenecks in designing and implementing IFAD VC projects; success factors and best practices; the impacts and lessons learned from implemented projects; implementable/practical recommendations /solutions for designing and/or implementing IFAD VC projects. 
• The extensive database of value chain projects of the global portfolio was consolidated, cleaned, analyzed and usefule insights were derived in the form of graphical representation of the data to help the IFAD HQ team to assess the performance of its projects across the globe.