The document discusses issues with implementing the World Bank-funded North East Irrigated Agriculture Project (NEIAP) in Sri Lanka at the community level. Key issues include a lack of capacity among community-based organizations and implementing agencies. World Bank policies like requiring projects to be completed within one year and hiring NGOs to mobilize communities have made implementation difficult. Suggested solutions include providing extensive training to CBOs, removing the mandatory role of NGOs, increasing local capacity building, and developing joint management between CBOs and NGOs. The discussion focuses on adapting World Bank policies and procedures to better support community-based development projects.

1. Community Based Resource ManagementCommunity Based Resource Management
MIRCO LEVEL ISSUES – EXTERNAL ROLEMIRCO LEVEL ISSUES – EXTERNAL ROLE
Coady International InstituteCoady International Institute
Group PresentationGroup Presentation
November 27,2003November 27,2003

11. Border Districts Districts in NEIAP

12. TopicTopic
In some instances the World Bank policies make implementation ofIn some instances the World Bank policies make implementation of
Funding programs difficult at the community level. What policiesFunding programs difficult at the community level. What policies
need to be changed in order to create adaptable procedures toneed to be changed in order to create adaptable procedures to
ensure success of community based projects?ensure success of community based projects?
Case Study: North East Irrigated Agriculture Project, Sri LankaCase Study: North East Irrigated Agriculture Project, Sri Lanka

13. Objective
The NEIAP website, www.neiap.org explains that “the objective
of NEIAP is to help the conflict affected communities in the
North-East province and adjoining areas to re-establish at least
a subsistence level of production and basic community services,
through assistance with jump starting agricultural and Livelihood
Support Activities, and to build their capacity for sustainable
social and economic reintegration

14. Who Will Benefit?
The Project design is to reach about 24,000 families living in
about 400 focal villages, which are centred around 400 small
irrigation schemes, with a combined command area of 16,000
ha.

15. The project covers eight districts of the North-East province, namely
Ampara, Batticaloa, Trincomalee, Vavunia, Mannar, Mullaitivu,
Killinochchi and Jaffna and neighbouring villages of the four districts
in the adjoining three provinces, namely; Monaragala, (Uva),
Puttlam (North West), and Anuradhapura and Polonnaruwa, North
Central). The Jaffna district in the North was not covered in the
original plan due to restricted access to the area, but later included
in 2002.

16. Background
This presentation relates directly to concerns about
implementation of the World Bank funded program, North East
Irrigated Agriculture Project, (NEIAP) in Sri Lanka.

17. The World Bank funded the NEIAP project with the main
activities consisting of:
•400 minor (less than 80 ha) and some medium (between
80 and 200 ha) projects related to the rehabilitation of
irrigation tanks.
•Rehabilitation of 1200km of rural roads
•Construction of 1200 drinking water wells

18. •Construction of 400 community buildings (42 x 20 feet = 840 sq. ft)
•Promotion of Livelihood Support Activities (LSA) comprised of:
Small business development
Poultry, goat and cattle farming
Metal quarries
Crop cultivation (home gardening)
Brick making
Grinding mills
Etc…
LSA’s operate on a Rs 20,000 repayable loan system.
Total funding for the project is 32.4 million U.S. dollars

19. NEIAP identifies the expected outcome to be:
“(a) Increased irrigated farming area and agricultural
production;
(b) Sustained improvement in basic living conditions
generated by increased agriculture production and other
project supported reconstruction activities;
(c) Enhanced access to safe drinking water facilities;
(d) Improvement in service capacity of, and access to
basic village level physical infrastructure and social services.
(e) Improved food security;
(f) Self employment & income generation”

20. World Bank Selection Criteria
•war affected area;
•50% of people must be resident in the area or agree to resettle into
the area;
•50% of people are below the poverty level Rs1500 (approximately
$22.00 Cdn.);
•the irrigation tank must irrigate at least 10 ha but less than 200 ha;
•there must be at least 10 families in the focal village

21. Common Conditions
1. The community that is benefiting from the project in the focal
village is required to contribute a portion of the funding
related to the civil engineering costs. For instance the community
is to provide:
•10% of estimated total for irrigation channel system
•7% of civil costs for roads, buildings and wells.

22. 2. After rehabilitation there is a requirement that 25 years of
maintenance will be provided by the CBOs or by whomever
is benefiting from the work. i.e. farmers have to maintain
irrigation schemes, RDS has to maintain roads / buildings.

23. 3. Operation and Maintenance for the minor tanks which
includes head works and irrigation systems has to be done by the
Farmers Organization of the scheme.
For the medium tank operation and maintenance for the
head works and main channels is the responsibility of the
Irrigation Department. In this case the CBO is responsible
for the operation and maintenance of the field channel
system only.

24. Role of NGO
The Project Management Unit (PMU) is the main office that controls
the funds and overall administration of the project. Each district has a
District Project Office managed by a Deputy Project Director.

25. Social mobilization activities are done by the NGO who normally are
selected by competitive bidding procedures. The specific tasks of the
NGO is to employ a social mobilizer for each focal village.

26. It is the social mobilizer that has to induce the CBO to be
involved in the project and to mobilize them in the focal village.
Examples of the CBO include:
Farm Organization (FO). Rural Development Society
(RDS); Women Rural Development Society (WRDS). The social
mobilizer is required to arrange the initial meeting with the
villagers to prepare the village social profile (VSP) and
the village development plan (VDP). The VSP and VDP
are developed by using participatory rural appraisal and
participatory needs approaches. Once the project has been
identified the CBO is then trained to take on the project
management activities which include the financial accounting
for the rehabilitation activities and any necessary technical
guidance.

27. Implementation of the Project
The project proposals go to the Deputy Project Director
NEIAP for approval. All the cost estimates for the project are
prepared by the implementing agency (Government) for
approval and sanction. Normally the Irrigation Department
Central, Provincial and Agrarian Services Department are the
implementing agencies responsible for the rehabilitation of
irrigation tanks.

28. Rehabilitation of the roads is normally identified for each
focal village. (Each village is eligible for a maximum of 4
km of roads). These projects are implemented by the
Road Development Department, Provincial Irrigation
Department and the Commissioner of the Local
Government.

29. Construction of community buildings and wells are being
implemented by the Commissioner of Local Government
and Divisional Secretaries, Irrigation Department. (each
focal village receives 3 wells, 1 building)
For each focal village Rs 900,000 is allocated for LSA.
Implementation of LSA activities is being implemented
by the Divisional Secretaries.

30. Issues
Capacity
As noted the mobilizing CBOs is the duty of the NGO selected for
each focal village. The problem is that the NGO is not doing their
duties properly. Therefore the CBOs are inactive. As well there is
a condition placed on the NGO to select a qualified mobilization
officer for each focal village who is located in or near the village.
The problem is that young people are being selected who,
although educated, do not have the skills required to implement
the program (limited capacity). Also within government there are
capacity issues related to a shortage of staff with the specific
experience and skills.

31. There are LSA problems related to the selection of the projects. The
implementing officers decide by themselves what the priority projects
will be and give their support accordingly. (The problem is that the
people (villages) should be making the decision according to the
criteria. The criteria is not being followed)

32. Some people are not willing to contribute the beneficiary
contribution. In some focal villages some people are not
willing to repay the LSA loans. Therefore the revolving fund
cannot be supported.
After the rehabilitation of the project maintenance of the
scheme is the responsibility of the people but maintenance is
not being done because the CBO is unable to organize the
people; (no volunteers)

33. Environmental Problems
The people implementing the rehabilitation of the
tanks they are not cooperating with technical officers.
They cut the channels in their own way and do not
follow the design.

34. Water Management
World Bank has requested the rehabilitation work to be
completed within one year, however the CBO’s do not have
the capacity to execute the project within that period.

35. Other
World Bank policy states that NGOs must be hired to
mobilize CBOs., however NGOs are not doing the job very
well.
Shortage of vehicles makes implementation difficult. Quality
Control officers require transportation to conduct technical
audits.
Limited number of NGOs leads to corruption

36. The project is related to cultivation but there are no tools or
equipment to manage and monitor water. As well, because of
a lack of funding full rehabilitation of the irrigation systems is
not occurring and as a result some channels are being
abandoned.
How can we expect the CBO to maintain the system for 25
years if only a part of the channels are rehabilitated?

37. Relationship to Learning CBRM
Culture, values and beliefs
The values and beliefs of the World Bank, related to the region
and how the project is to be implemented are different with the
values and beliefs of the Government and those people
responsible for implementation of the NEIAP.

38. Environment and Ecology
Workshops are held on the environment in an attempt to raise the
level of capacity at the community level

39. Knowledge and Research
Public research is conducted at the outset of the project.
Local knowledge is used in order to identify the community
level problems.
Technical training on construction methods is an important
aspect of introducing science based knowledge into the
construction and maintenance program.
This community consultation process provides a forum to
share knowledge and values of the stakeholders.

40. Sustainable Livelihoods
Raising the capacity of the communities through the LSA programs
which were mentioned earlier to include activities such as:
• Small business development
• Poultry, goat and cattle farming
• Metal quarries
• Crop cultivation (home gardening)

41. Governance
Rules and regulations need to be followed in order to ensure
success of the project. Success of course depends on the
area where the project is occurring and the education and
capacity levels of the residents in the area.

42. Group DiscussionGroup Discussion

43. Solutions / Options
CBOs must be educated before providing contracts (the skills
needed do not exist and the ability to understand the
technical training is also non-existent). Therefore, awareness
training about the operation, maintenance, execution of the
projects has to be completed prior to the start of the project.
Effective training plans could be developed and trainees paid
to take the training program. The focus should be on 50%
youth.

44. World Bank needs to realize that execution is difficult
without proper transportation.
Flexibility is required so that selection of a NGO is not
mandatory. In place of the NGO unemployed graduate
students could be hired and trained by the Deputy
Project Director, NEIAP.

45. If a NGO is employed as the social mobilizer there is a need to
have a detailed monitoring program to ensure it is functioning
appropriately. If NGOs are not executing their duties
appropriately there should be a surcharge system introduced so
that financial penalties may be applied.

46. Suggestions Resulting from Group DiscussionSuggestions Resulting from Group Discussion
• Provide funding for extensive training directly to the CBOProvide funding for extensive training directly to the CBO
• Finalize discussions with the World Bank related to removal of the NGO roleFinalize discussions with the World Bank related to removal of the NGO role
• Build relationships with international NGOs to provide a policing service to theBuild relationships with international NGOs to provide a policing service to the
National NGOs.National NGOs.
• Continue to train locally in hopes of increasing capacity in the villagesContinue to train locally in hopes of increasing capacity in the villages
• Develop a consortia where joint management and decision-making on theDevelop a consortia where joint management and decision-making on the
projects is shared between the CBO and NGO.projects is shared between the CBO and NGO.
• Look to decentralization of payments to the NGO. For instance a voucher could beLook to decentralization of payments to the NGO. For instance a voucher could be
provided to the CBO for payment to the NGO as a progress payment managed by theprovided to the CBO for payment to the NGO as a progress payment managed by the
CBO.CBO.

47. Thank youThank you