Annual Performance Report - Year 6: October 2015 - September 2016

The project's scope initially included the planning, design, procurement support, and construction supervision of rehabilitation works on the 2,000-ha Dakawa irrigation and drainage (I&D) system, the potential 500-ha Dakawa expansion, and the new 620-ha Mgongola scheme. However, a final Environmental Assessment submitted to USAID in September 2015 recommended against a basin irrigation scheme at Mgongola, and the 500-ha Dakawa Expansion was also not pursued due to water abstraction concerns. As a result, the project currently focuses on the rehabilitation of the 2,000-ha Dakawa irrigation scheme. The project's goals and objectives are aligned with the Feed the Future (FTF) Initiative, which aims to reduce global hunger and poverty. The project's purpose is to enhance agricultural productivity on irrigated land and increase rural employment and farm income through the rehabilitation of irrigation infrastructure. The project's scope includes upgrades to the pump station, improvements to the existing I&D infrastructure, including main canals, secondary canals/drains, on-farm roads and access links, perimeter drainage and flood protection, and office facilities and accommodations. The project is implemented through three construction contracts at the Dakawa irrigation scheme, with IRRIP1 functioning as the Engineer in the contracts, providing construction supervision services on behalf of USAID or the Ministry of Agriculture, Food Security and Cooperatives (MAFC). IRRIP1 also assists USAID in monitoring MAFC's implementation of the work to review compliance with terms of the fixed amount reimbursement implementation letters (FARILs). During Year 6 (FY2016: October 2015 – September 2016), the project made significant progress on the rehabilitation of the Dakawa irrigation scheme. The project's activities included the planning, design, procurement support, and construction supervision of the rehabilitation works. The project also conducted monitoring and evaluation activities to assess progress and identify challenges and constraints. The project's financial expenditure for Year 6 was $X, with a total of $Y allocated for the project. The project's financial projections for Year 7 indicate a total expenditure of $Z, with a projected completion date of April 2017. The project's implementation schedule is outlined in the project's Annual Work Plan, which includes the following key milestones: * Completion of the pump station upgrades * Completion of the improvements to the existing I&D infrastructure * Completion of the rehabilitation works on the Dakawa irrigation scheme The project's monitoring and evaluation activities included the collection of data on the project's progress, challenges, and constraints. The project's monitoring and evaluation framework is outlined in the project's Performance Management Plan, which includes the following key indicators: * Progress completion by time for the Dakawa construction contracts * Financial status of the Dakawa construction contracts * Required indicator results and targets The project's challenges and constraints during Year 6 included the need for additional funding to complete the project, the need for more effective coordination with the Ministry of Agriculture, Food Security and Cooperatives (MAFC), and the need for more effective monitoring and evaluation of the project's progress. The project's implementation schedule is outlined in the project's Annual Work Plan, which includes the following key milestones: