USAID SCALE PROJECT SELECTION PROCESS FAMILIARITY

The wharf is also the last port for ships traveling back to Honiara, making it one of the busiest ports in the Southern Region. As a secondary port in Malaita, Afio provides an essential link between Auki and remote communities, and it is the administrative center for the region where all government ministries and agencies are located. The project aims to improve transport connectivity of agricultural and aquaculture products by providing linkages to other markets, advancing inter and intra island trade, and lowering travel time and costs for exported goods. The existing wharf requires repair due to its state of disrepair, and the project seeks to unlock the full commercial potential of Afio as an economic hub. The investments will focus on onshore business opportunities and facilities, rather than the wharf itself. Afio Wharf is vital for offloading and loading of goods to and from Honiara, and it hosts banking, retail, and other commercial services. The wharf also used to host a fisheries center that supported training and technical support for the local community. The project concept note was sourced by SCALE A&E based on engagement with the Malaita Provincial Government, national government line ministries, and local stakeholders. The implementation model for the project involves drawing on funding support to oversee and manage facility construction. The commercial attractiveness of the wharf appears limited without more detailed information on demand forecasts and revenue potential. However, based on the early-stage assessment, it is likely that the wharf will be publicly managed unless there is a strong commercial case due to revenue from wharf usage by private vessels. The estimated capital expenditure for the project is not yet known, and operational expenditures are also unknown. Institutional stakeholders, including MAL, MPG, communities in Afio, industry associations, and farming cooperatives, will need to be consulted to influence project design and implementation approaches. The project also requires careful consideration of potential technical implementation approaches and potential need for wharf expansion based on demand forecasting. Afio Wharf met the minimum threshold cutoff score in the Screening and Prioritization Assessment conducted by the SCALE A&E Project Team, with a final score of 72.0% (5.04 / 7). The project performed well in both stages of the assessment, with a strong overall result that is well within the 'green zone'. Based on this result, it appears justified to engage stakeholders and consider further development of this facility as a pilot project.