IN-DEPTH EVALUATION OF THE CENTRAL HELMAND DRAINAGE PROJECT (PHASE I); (PROJECT NO. 306-11-120-146)

THE PROJECT PLANNING CONCEPTS AND OBJECTIVES REMAIN SOUND. INCREASINGLY CLOSE COMMUNICATIONS AND A DEVELOPING TEAM SPIRIT NOW CHARACTERIZE THE WORKING RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN HELMAND-ARGHANDAB VALLEY AUTHORITY (HAVA) AND USAID. REASONABLE AGREEMENT EXISTS ON OBJECTIVES, ALTHOUGH PRIORITIES SEEM TO DIFFER. GENERAL PROJECT IMPLEMENTATION WAS DELAYED BY LACK OF FORCEFUL, CONTINUOUS, FULL-TIME MANAGEMENT OF THE PART OF USAID. DRAIN CONSTRUCTION COMPLETED TO DATE HAS BEEN OF ACCEPTABLE STANDARDS AND ACCORDING TO SPECIFICATIONS,BUT TARGETS HAVE NOT BEEN MET. MASTER PLANNING FOR PHASE II HAS BEEN OVERSHADOWED BY THE HEAVY PRESSURES ON HAVA AND THE SOIL CONSERVATION SERVICE TO DEMONSTRATE PROGRESS ON PHYSICAL CONSTRUCTION. THE EVALUATORS MAKE SPECIFIC RECOMMENDATIONS ABOUT USAID PROJECT MANAGEMENT, HAVA PROJECT MANAGEMENT, DESIGN PRODUCTION, FIELD DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS, FARM DRAIN CONSTRUCTION, MAIN DRAIN CONSTRUCTION, AND PLANNING FOR PHASE II. THEIR PRIMARY CONCLUSION IS THAT THERE IS INSUFFICIENT BASIS TO RECOMMEND A GO-AHEAD DECISION ON PHASE II UNITL THERE IS CLEAR EVIDENCE THAT EXPANDED PHYSICAL OUTPUT IS LIKELY AND PLANNING HAS CLEARLY DELINEATED IMPLEMENTABLE PROJECT CONTENT.