DEVELOPMENT PILOT PROJECTS

Beneficiaries inspecting saplings to learn more about nursery raising tenchniquies under AARDO-assisted project on "Achieving Sustainable Livelihood through Improved Agricutlrual Practices for Better Yield and Post-harvest Technologies", in Parbhani district of Maharashtra state of India.

Financing of development pilot projects is one of the major activities undertaken by AARDO in its member countries. AARDO lays emphasis on encouraging the member countries to undertake such projects which would make significant contribution in the development of their rural areas and contribute effectively in alleviation of poverty, providing good living conditions, income and employment generation, etc. Under this programme, AARDO provides financial assistance up to a maximum of US$ 50,000 (US Dollars fifty thousand) per project as approved by the Fourteen (14th) General Session of AARDO Conference held at Cairo, Egypt during 16-17 September 2002. Although, the projects are undertaken on a limited scale, they help the member countries to introduce new technologies, replicate proven technologies, develop infrastructure, promote micro-enterprises, skill enhancement and generate employment for the rural people to alleviate poverty.


During the triennium 2009-2011, AARDO will give priority to the financing of development projects focusing on the following areas:
 

i)          Capacity building of and poverty alleviation.
ii)         Capital formation by landless, agricultural labour and artisans,
iii)        Protection of bio-diversity; and
iv)        Any other innovative action research based project.

AARDO will also consider the project proposals on the following areas:
 

i)         Agricultural and rural development to increase productivity and improve environment through:

-             Transfer of technology;
-             Farm mechanization;
-             Prevention and control of pre-and post-harvest losses;
-             Irrigation facilities;
-             Warehousing and transportation;
-             Land reclamation and agricultural development;
-             Conservation of water resources; and
-             Range and pasture management.

ii)             Development of physical and social infrastructure:
 

-             Rural roads and transport;
-             Communication system;
-             Electricity generation especially from renewable sources of energy such as
              solar, wind and biogas; and
-             Schools and health centres.

iii)           Promotion of off-farm micro-enterprise through:

-             Value addition in agricultural produce;
-             Employment and income generating activities;
-             Micro-credit enterprises;
-             Handicraft and cottage industry.

iv)            Social Development: -

-             Health: Sanitation and immunization against diseases;
-             Family welfare;
-             Education including non-formal and adult education; and
-             Safe drinking water supply.
 

An important feature of the development pilot projects to be financed during triennium 2009-2011 will be the allocation of suitable amount for the monitoring and evaluation of the projects. Further, the development pilot projects would be based on partnership basis among AARDO, concerned government, community/the beneficiaries and the financial institutions. Considering the increasing interest of the member countries, it is proposed to take up a maximum of eighteen (18) development pilot projects in the member countries during the triennium 2009-2011.
 

AARDO has so far provided financial assistance for 49 development projects in 19 member countries since 1991 as per following details :
 

Development Pilot Projects Financed by AARDO Since 1991

Sl.No.

Name of the project

Country

1

Productive Employment and Development Programme for Rural Women (2003)

Bangladesh

2

Productive Employment & Awareness Raising Programme for Rural Women (2007)

Bangladesh

3

Milk Collection and Milk Products (1991)

Egypt

4

Canning Factory of  Juices,  Fruits and Agricultural Products (1992)

Egypt

5

Training Centre and Production of Readymade Clothes (1994)

Egypt

6

Carpentry Training and Production Centre (1997)

Egypt

7

Processing of Rice Straw and Turning it into Use Full Highly Nutritious Low Cost Forage (2004)

Egypt

8

Palm Oil Processing and Soap Making (1993)

Ghana

9

Women's Fish Smoking (1996)

Ghana

10

Construction of Day Care Centre (2002)

Ghana

11

Cottage Industry & Small/Medium Enterprise Support Programme (2003)

Ghana

12

Grameen Mahila Vikas Nidhi (1993)

India

13

Achieving Sustainable Livelihood through Improves Agricultural Practises for better Yield and Post-harvesting Technology (2006)

India

14

Water Harvesting (1993)

Jordan

15

Medicinal Herbs Agri-Enterprises, Phase II & III (1999)

Jordan

16

Home Gardens (1999)

Jordan

17

Poultry Raising (2002)

Jordan

18

Revolving Micro-Credit  to Enhance Productivity of Rural Women and Integrating them in Sustainable Development  (2007)

Jordan

19

Nkiito Water Harvesting (1992)

Kenya

20

Improvement of Irrigation Water Use Efficiency (2007)

Lebanon

21

Poultry Production for Rural Female Headed Households (2008)

Malawi

22

Coffee Processing Centre (1997)

Malaysia

23

Upgrading Tissue Culture Laboratory at Crop Production Centre to Accommodate AARDO Participants  (2001)

Malaysia

24

Micro-credit Component of Poverty Alleviation in Rodrigues (2002)

Mauritius

25

Women Entrepreneruship Development (2007) :  i) Empowerment of Rural Women... ii) Setting-up of a Food Processing Unit; iii) Child Day Care Centre (2007)

Mauritius

26

Supply of Potable Water (1994)

Morocco

27

Water Resource Rehabilitation for Livestock Watering  (1996)

Morocco

28

Strengthening of Textile Cooperative in Ain-Alloh  (2001)

Morocco

29

Procurement of Cows for Milk Production (2006)

Morocco

30

Setting-up of of three farmers for training and Information Dissemination an Grass cutter Rearing (2007)

Nigeria

31

Production of Farm Yard Manure (1994)

Oman

32

Bee-keeping and Honey Production (2001)

Oman

33

Poultry Production for Rural Families (2005)

Oman

34

Capacity Building Programme for Women on Textile Colours and Design Development (2007)

Oman

35

Provision of Micro-credit Facility and Enhancement of Local  Level Savings for Poverty Alleviation (1999)

Pakistan

36

Barangay Solar Electrification (1994)

Philippines

37

Feedlot Cattle Fattening and Dispersal (2001)

Philippines

38

Lembema Farm (1992)

Sierra Leone

39

Solar and other Renewable Energy Sources (1998)

Sudan

40

Water and Energy Needs : Solar Electrification for Water Pumping and Lighting Facilities (2003)

Sudan

41

Renewable Energy for Nomads (2006)

Sudan

42

Artificial Insemination  for Goats (2007)

Sudan

43

Water Network of Elsireef Town (2008)

Sudan

44

Farm Mushroom Production (2002)

Syria

45

Bee-keeping and Honey Production (2002)

Syria

46

Enabling Female Agricultural Guides to Work in the Integrated Rural Development (2007)

Syria

47

Improvement of Kawambwa Mulwe Gravel Road (1999)

Zambia

48

Empower Youth with Entrepreneurship Skills (2005)

Zambia

49

Construction of Basic School at Kalenga Village, Shangombo District Western Province (2007)

Zambia



GUIDELINES FOR FORMULATING A PROJECT PROPOSAL

 

JORDAN

The instructor explaining the cloth-cutting method to women beneficiaries of AARDO-assisted project on "Training Centre and Production of Readymade Clothes", Egypt.

The project proposal should be designed as per the following guidelines given below and forwarded to the AARDO Secretariat through the respective Nodal Ministries which deal with AARDO affairs. The technical and financial viabilities of the project proposal are examined by the AARDO's Technical Committee prior to its approval.
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

TECHNICAL VIABILITY


a)        Background of the project
b)        Justification for taking up the project
c)        Location
d)        Available resources : human and material
e)        Aims and Goal, Vision, and Mission
f )        Methodology
g)        Duration : date of commencement and completion
h)        Implementing agency : organisational set-up and experience of the project

           personnel in the relevant field
i)        Sponsoring agency

FINANCIAL VIABILITY


A)    Financial Outlay (Yearwise break-up)

i)     Non-recurring (fixed assets) expenditure

a)        Plant and machinery
b)        Equipments and accessories
c)        Installation charges
d)        Land and building
e)        Cost of civil construction
f )        Cost of inputs
g)        Other costs, if any

ii)        Recurring expenditure

a)        Salaries and wages of project personnel
b)        Travelling expenses
c)        Raw material
d)        Operation and maintenance cost

Total (i + ii)

B        Financial Liability (US $)

Source Capital Maintenance
 

Cost Cost
 

i)        Local contribution
ii)        AARDO's contribution

C        Expected Benefits to be accrued :
 

a)        Economical
b)        Social

D        Name of Agency/Organisation responsible for implementation of the project.

REVOLVING FUND SCHEME FOR AARDO-ASSISTED PROJECTS
 

AARDO had introduced the concept of "AARDO Micro-Credit Model". AARDO's development projects are divided into two broad categories: i) infrastructure development; and ii) development of micro-enterprise. As per the guidelines provided for AARDO's financial assistance for the development projects scheme, recipient countries are expected to replicate the projects in other parts of the country if found beneficial and successful. Often, due to paucity of funds, this has not been possible. At present, beneficiaries of micro-enterprise projects are given capital on gratis basis by AARDO through the implementing agencies in the respective member countries. Considering that micro-entrepreneurship is meant to generate income for the beneficiaries, it is proposed to treat the investment as a loan. Thus, the beneficiaries will now be asked to repay the amount of interest-free loan back to the implementing agency over a period of time. This sum will be treated as a revolving fund and placed in a bank. On receipt of repayment from the beneficiaries, the nodal ministry will identify another group of entrepreneurs and will provide them with interest-free loan. In this way, the implementing agency will get an opportunity to replicate the project in other parts of the country without any financial burden.


Financial Provision for Triennium, 2009-2011


 

A Beneficiaries participating in the training programme to know more about the use of bio-fertilizers and bio-pesticides under AARDO-assisted project on “Achieving Sustainable Livelihood through Improved Agricultural Practices for Better Yield and Post-harvest Technologies”, in Parbhani district of Maharashtra state of India.
 

The development projects implemented in member countries have yielded good results. The income generating micro-enterprises helped in improving the socio-economic conditions of the beneficiaries. Similarly, the project on infrastructure development accelerated the economic activities in the region. Considering the increasing interest of the member countries, 16th General Session of AARDO Conference has allocated US $457,200 for financing of development projects during the triennium 2009-2011, with each project outlay being maximum up to US$ 50,000.