Quarterly Performance Report #06: October – December 2012

The project was reaffirmed in 2009 as part of the Feed the Future (FTF) Initiative, which seeks to reduce global hunger and poverty. The project is organized into three key components: Irrigation Infrastructure, Rural Roads Infrastructure, and Institutional Capacity Building. The Irrigation Infrastructure component involves the rehabilitation and development of functioning irrigation schemes at Dakawa and Mgongola, covering an approximate total of 3,120 ha. The Rural Roads Infrastructure component involves the rehabilitation and upgrade of approximately 100 km of rural roads linking production areas with markets. The Institutional Capacity Building component involves the initial review of existing capacity building and training plans prepared by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) and others, with recommendations for further development and implementation. Since inception, project activities have been adjusted to reflect current available data and to better meet the FTF objectives. The task order and budget have been modified to accommodate these changes to the shift in scope of work. The overall duration of the task order has been increased, and requisite resourcing and funding have been provided to include for the planning, design, procurement support, and construction supervision of the 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. Implementation progress during the reporting period (October-December 2012) focused on several key areas. Task Order Management and Reporting activities were completed, and the Irrigation Infrastructure component made significant progress, with the Dakawa Rehabilitation and Dakawa Expansion projects advancing according to plan. The Mgongola Development project also made progress, with the completion of the preliminary engineering report and the initiation of the design criteria report. Institutional Capacity Building activities involved the review of existing capacity building and training plans, with recommendations for further development and implementation. Cross-cutting themes during the reporting period included environmental considerations, monitoring and evaluation, and stakeholder participation in project activities. Environmental concerns were addressed through the completion of environmental impact assessments and the development of environmental management plans. Monitoring and evaluation activities were conducted to track progress against project indicators and targets. Stakeholder participation was facilitated through regular meetings and consultations with local communities, government officials, and other project stakeholders. Challenges and constraints identified during the reporting period included issues related to procurement, contract administration, and project implementation. These challenges were addressed through the implementation of corrective actions, including the revision of procurement procedures and the provision of additional training to project staff. Management and staffing activities during the reporting period focused on ensuring the effective management and supervision of project activities. Financial expenditure information for the reporting period is presented in Table 7-1, which summarizes the quarter's invoicing and financial status. Implementation schedule and work programme details are presented in Annex A, while results framework information is presented in Annex B. Indicator results and targets are presented in Table 3-1, and staff travel/mobilization to Tanzania is presented in Table 6-1. Local staff engaged on the project are listed in Table 6-2.