An evaluation of the development communities through intensive agriculture (DOCIA)/dezenvolve agricultura comunitaria (DAC) project

(DAI) and hereafter referred to as DOCIA/DAC project. The intention of the project is to complete implementation of a development model that improves the economic and social livelihood of members of households in a poor community in a way that distributes benefits fairly between people of different genders. The DOCIA/DAC project will achieve this by combining two things: (1) the introduction of technology, plant and equipment to a community of poor households; and (2) focused technical and management training of community members. It is anticipated that the community can increase its income and the value of its assets by serving a demanding market that pays premium prices for selected products, and, through increased material wellbeing, will enable the community to improve its social and environmental status. The project was to run for three years from August 30th 2010 through August 31st of 2013, but was recently extended to accommodate a Global Development Alliance (GDA) contribution from ConocoPhillips with matching support from USAID. The completion date is now expected to be August 31st of 2014. After nearly 21 months of implementation, evaluators reviewed the project in three areas: (1) project performance against plan; (2) project results and impacts; and (3) sustainability. Overall, the project is on track to meet or exceed its goals, even while facing many challenges. The technical training by the project of farmers has helped overcome some of these challenges. With regard to sustainability, it appears that the project has capacity building initiatives in place to insure the present approach of "linking farmers to markets" is able to be maintained. Evaluators also make 12 recommendations in the report to help with weaknesses and gaps within the project. (Excerpt, modified)