Institutional development support for agricultural policy implementation : planning and evaluation

The reforms are grouped under the APC"s four major objectives: increasing food self-reliance, stimulating agricultural growth, promoting balanced economic growth and equity, and improving resource management and conservation. The priority reforms within each category are presented, as are the public and/or private sector institutions responsible for their implementation; the capacity of these institutions to implement such reforms is assessed. Reforms are identified at the sectoral and five subsectoral levels: irrigated agriculture; rainfed agriculture; low rainfall agriculture; integrated livestock reduction; and forestry. Four key ingredients needed to implement the Charter are examined: reform of the legal and regulatory framework, strengthening the statistical base underlying development decision making, undertaking research and extension to identify optimal choices, and monitoring and evaluation the reform process. Strengths and weaknesses are assessed and suggestions made for improving overall performance. The report concludes with an examination of the role that the Ministry of Agriculture is expected to play in supporting Jordan"s agricultural sector"s development. Building upon the APC"s vision of a reorganized and highly effective ministry spearheading change within the agricultural sector, a three-stage reorganization plan is proposed as a means of helping the ministry to realize such a role. Appended to the report are three companion studies that focus on the legal and regulatory reform requirements of the APC; environmental impact assessments within the agricultural sector; and quantitative policy analysis methods required to implement the Charter. (Author abstract, modified)