Punjab Agri Marketing Programme: Discrepancies, data gaps hinder verification of outcomes
ISLAMABAD: Discrepancies between the technical assistance completion report (TCR) and the consultant reports, along with gaps in supporting data, limit the ability to fully verify the achievement of outcome and output targets of “Pakistan: Enhancing Technology-Based Agriculture and Marketing in Rural Punjab Program.”
The Technical Cooperation and Validation Report of the Independent Evaluation Department (IED) of the Asian Development Bank (ADB) noted that technical assistance of USD 2.5 million was approved in 2019, which was subsequently revised to USD 2.7 million.
The objective of the knowledge and support technical assistance (KSTA) was to facilitate the rapid adoption of advanced agricultural technologies in the Punjab province. The technical assistance (TA) was aimed at improving the productivity and profitability of the agriculture sector by increasing farmers’ access to new technologies and strengthening rural agricultural value chains.
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According to the TA completion report (TCR), nine output targets were achieved or exceeded, and one was partially achieved. Based on the reports provided, it appears that eight output targets were achieved or exceeded, and two were partially achieved. This indicates discrepancies between the data and stated findings provided in the TCR, reports, and the back-to-office reports (BTOR).
According to the consultant’s final report, the outcome was partially achieved. The report indicated 22–24 percent of rice growers in the treatment group used the advanced technology compared to the control group, while the adoption rate among farmers was lower after the demonstration: 4.23 percent of wheat farmers and 2.04 percent and 5.69 percent of autumn and spring maize growers, respectively.
However, the TCR stated that the outcome target of 25 percent farmer adoption was exceeded, reaching about 40 percent based on an end line survey conducted under the TA on Mainstreaming Impact Evaluation Methodologies, Approaches, and Capacities in Selected Development Member Countries, Subproject 1.
A total of 813 rice farmers participated in technology demonstration trials in late 2023. Of these, 358 rice farmers (44.03 percent of the sample) adopted the technology (based on data presented on pp. 33 and 35 of the survey report).
However, this data relates only to rice farmers, and the adoption rate of wheat and maize farmers’ technology had not been analyzed as of December 2024. Given that maize and wheat are the main crops in the province, providing larger shares (77–78 percent) compared to rice (52 percent), the outcome achievement of the 25 percent technology adoption target across all participating farmers cannot be verified. It should be noted that the outcome indicator referred to a minimum of 25 percent technology adoption by all farmers, not just rice producers.
Due to incomplete data provided, this validation cannot fully verify the extent of accomplishment of the TA objective.
The TA was relevant, given its alignment with the priorities of the Government of Punjab and ADB strategies and the appropriateness of its design.
The TA was effective, given the outputs that were largely met, four indicators were exceeded, and two were partially achieved. The incomplete data hindered accurate assessment and validation of the outcome achievements, with only partial data available.
The TA almost fully utilized its budget within a reasonable 14-month extension and thus was rated efficient. Overall, this validation assesses the TA successfully, the report noted.
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