Audit of the sustainability of USAID/Morocco - financed activities

In general, the intended benefits of the completed projects continued after USAID funding ceased, at least at the purpose level. Continuance of benefits at the goal level could only be determined in the Renewable Energy Project. The Agronomic Institute is functioning at about the same level as when USAID funding ceased. The Institute employs 350 professors, has over 2,000 students enrolled in Masters programs in 35 departments, and continues to be funded by the Government of Morocco (GOM) and to receive research and development grants from national and international sources. Additionally, an in-house doctoral program was recently developed, and Institute graduates continue to work in the public and private sectors in a wide variety of fields. Factors contributing to sustainability included: GOM and U.S. contractor commitment to project objectives; USAID"s provision of long-term (20 years) funding; and the requirement that Institute faculty conduct their research and doctoral theses in Morocco. The Sector Support Project has also achieved its objectives at the purpose level, more than meeting its target by training 1,009 Moroccans (247 long-term, 762 short-term) in fields such as computer science, civil engineering, economics, and public administration, with the vast majority of trainees returning to and currently working in Morocco. The project had the important benefit of increasing Moroccan awareness of U.S. education. Nonetheless, lack of a follow-up system to determine how efficiently trainees are using their training makes it difficult to measure the project"s impact at the goal level. Additionally, no system was established to verify whether the scholarships awarded responded to clear organizational needs. Benefits of the Renewable Energy Project are also continuing. The Center for Renewable Energy Development (CER) at Larakech continues to conduct experiments on renewable energy and now possesses a documentation center. CER also continues to be funded by the Ministry of Energy and Mines and to receive international financing, including financing from the German Cooperation Agency for construction of two 2.5 MW pilot plants in Tetouan and Tangier and a grant from the European Economic Community to provide basic electricity to 180 villages from 1995 to 2000; CER is also working with the World Bank and the Government of Germany to obtain financing for a solar thermal plant in the region of Ouarzazate. There has also been progress in attaining sustainability at the goal level of increasing the use of renewable energy resources throughout Morocco through increased manufacture and sales by the private sector. However, there has been as yet no significant reduction in Morocco"s dependence on imported fuels. Factors contributing to sustainability include the GOM"s continued financial support of CER, CER"s active cooperation with the private sector in promoting renewable energy use and reforming energy policy, and CER"s ability to present promising projects for international financing. The audit also reviewed the design of two recently initiated projects -- Family Planning and Maternal Child Health (FP/MCH) and Morocco Agribusiness Promotion (MAP) -- and found that both addressed sustainability, FP/MCH by addressing legal, policy, and reform issues, MAP by adopting a demand-driven approach. Sustainability was also taken into account in the monitoring of the two new projects and in the interim and final evaluations of the three completed projects. However, the Mission did not maintain a follow-up system ensuring timely implementation of evaluation recommendations that address sustainability, nor did it prepare Project Assistance Completion Reports (PACRs) for any of the three completed projects.