Although ALCOM has been undertaking far too many activities unrelated to its objectives and peripheral to the capabilities and capacity of its staff, the Programme has had significant results, especially with its extension methodology development and application in Eastern Zambia. Recently Zambia has been identified as the country with the highest poverty rate in Africa.7 It is significant from the development standpoint that we have had tangible results in one of the world's poorest countries. There are good prospects for replicating this in Mozambique and Tanzania. In essence, the ALCOM Programme has developed a practical extension methodology for use in Eastern Zambia; it has successfully trained extension agents, and it has successfully raised the awareness of aquaculture among small-scale farmers. These are all positive results.
There are good prospects in the development of methodologies for community-based (managed) fisheries enhancement. The early results from the Zimbabwe work are heartening in particular with respect to the effective application of Rapid Rural Appraisal to obtain community consensus on management procedures. However, these successful results need consolidation. The required bio-technical data should be collected and processed at the earliest possible moment in order to maintain the momentum of current developments in Zimbabwe's selected dams.
Unfortunately, the immediate objectives and target populations of ALCOM were never precisely defined; in consequence, it is premature to assess impacts. The impact from current results will become clearly visible only after many years. The extension methodology developed in Eastern Zambia works well there. It can be known only much later if it can be effectively transferred and adapted for application in Mozambique, Tanzania and other countries.
7 Cited in: “Lost decade drains Africa's vitality”. NYT, June 19, 1994.
(i) Programme Design
The Programme set out to tackle a relevant development problem. Unfortunately, the design was less than satisfactory. The objectives, though relevant to the development problem, required more precise definition. Beneficiaries could have been more clearly identified.
There were far too many activities: 27 in total within a set 7 target areas. The scheduling and duration of nearly half of these activities had to be determined during implementation. But those activities already defined, the outputs were described with clarity. Most of the 7 target areas either overlapped or were conceptually incompatible. No joint effect could be expected.
The work plan described planned activities logically. Its actualization diminished considerably because nearly half of the activities lacked scheduling and duration. In consequence, the overall logic suffered from weak linkages among inputs, activities, outputs and objectives.
The managerial structure was inappropriate. A core staff, headquartered in Harare, was expected to conduct testing on innovative techniques, in collaboration with national organizations, throughout the region. Even frequent visits were not a substitute for the required close monitoring of activities undergoing testing.
(ii) Implementation Process
The donor's uncertain pattern of financing disrupted severely the timeliness, quantity and quality of outputs. The Programme ended up being financed in periods of 1 or 2 years. After each short financial period, the Programme was under pressure to execute activities with seemingly quick results. Long term deliberate planning was not possible under the circumstances.
Relative to the large number of activities within 7 broad target areas, the number of senior personnel was insufficient. Possibly due to this fact, an unusual large number of APO's were recruited indiscriminately. Irrespective of the uneven performance of APO's, their donors cut down their commitments during execution--disrupting again timeliness, quantity and quality of outputs. Future use of APOs will require better planning and supervision.
Although Programme implementation reporting was adequate, internal management was weak. Accurate and focused execution leading to practical results was needed. Instead management overreached itself by focusing on the promotion of the Programme and executing activities with little relevance to central objectives.
Donors, recipients and Programme management met regularly through the Steering Committee. With the exception of the 7th meeting, where SC exercised its responsibilities by discussing possible ways in which the Programme should proceed, the rest of the meetings did not seem to correct any actions. On the contrary, they seemed to be opportunities to place requests. Management could not take the pressure of these requests, and to that extent Programme resources were distracted.
(iii) Executing Agency
The effective operational and administrative support of FAO Representatives to the Programme greatly facilitated the logistics of implementation. This could not have been replicated by other means.
The provision of a TCP during the period of the financial crisis undoubtedly saved ALCOM from premature termination.
(iv) Beyond the Control of ALCOM
The Programme activities have been affected by the severe and prolonged periods of recurrent drought throughout Southern Africa.
The devaluation of the Swedish currency greatly hampered the timeliness, quantity and quality of Programme outputs.
(v) Donors
It cannot be overstated that a development Programme such as ALCOM must be assured of adequate long term funding in order to function properly, therefore donors must commit themselves to providing funds for a long and appropriate time period. Uncertain funding has greatly handicapped the functioning of ALCOM.
(i) Beneficiaries
In the Eastern Province of Zambia, small-scale aquaculture integrated with farming is well on its way to become sustainable. This is because small-scale aquaculture has been perceived as fulfilling household and community needs; it fits readily within existing farming systems and labour relationships, and is transmitted inter-generational within the family. The pilot project located there, which was effectively conducted, appears to have contributed significantly to this process.
(ii) Institutions
(a) SADC (Programme level)
In the absence of the SADC's inputs in terms of personnel and financing, ALCOM as a coordinating and information-diffusion institution is not sustainable as it exists now. It would be highly desirable if SADC explores sources of funding so that in the next phase, it assumes the information-diffusion function of ALCOM.
Specifically, it would befit the occasion if SADC examines with its new member, the Republic of South Africa, ways and means so that it can effectively participate in the future phase of ALCOM.
(b) National (Sub-Project level)
In the various countries of the SADC Region, aquaculture falls within different ministries; sometimes in the Ministry of Agriculture, sometimes within Fisheries, in other countries in Natural Resources. One experience from this Programme is that, as far as the small-holder is concerned, fish is an additional farm crop. Indeed, the adoption of small-scale aquaculture appears to be a by-product of crop diversification. In consequence, aquaculture should be administered by an agricultural organization, particularly for extension activities. This will greatly aid the delivery of the technological package and its future sustainability.
Legislation on fisheries in most of the SADC countries must be updated or even introduced, including tenure legislation on the ownership of natural resources. This is a major factor for the sustainability of community-based management of small water bodies.
There should be a greater share of ownership, direction and control of projects by national governments. Governments may want to use implementing agencies for the procurement and delivery of project inputs and their conversion into project outputs. But the priorities, achievement of objectives and the sustainability of the results produced must be the responsibility of the government.
(iii) Environmental
Conservation and management of watersheds and soils is a major factor affecting the long term sustainability of aquaculture and fisheries in small water bodies. This is the biggest environmental problem in Lesotho, for example. Thus aquaculture must be linked with agroforestry and soil conservation practices, as in Eastern Zambia. The management of small water bodies must be linked with watershed management and agroforestry. Unfortunately, these activities, though planned for the current phase, were not executed.
Otherwise, small-scale aquaculture integrated with small-holder agriculture is enviromentally friendly and sustainable.
(i) The potential Participation of the Republic of South Africa in ALCOM
The Mission, unfortunately, did not have any formal contact with the Government of the Republic of South Africa. So the following comments are based on general informal discussions held with different international and national officials. Undoubtedly, the RSA by joining SADC has changed the institutional setting of the region. It is known that the new government of the RSA is eager to find out how to proceed with matters such as rural development. The Mission learned, for instance, that one of the FAOR from the region will be travelling soon to Pretoria to officially hold discussions about rural development concepts and procedures. The capabilities of the RSA need no elaboration in the fields of agriculture, aquaculture and other related fields.
It will be befitting to the occasion, that SADC submits to the consideration of the RSA options, in the form of projects/programmes, such as Phase III of the current Programme, for the active participation in rural development of the region.
(ii) Imported Cheap Marine Fish and Aquaculture
As shown in Annex 2, the Mission's heavy travel schedule was almost exclusively centred in the rural areas of the five countries visited. During these field inspections every effort was made to contact actual and potential beneficiaries. Ample dialogue was carried out with rural populations in Lesotho, Mozambique,Zimbabwe and Zambia. Dietary habits were discussed to assess the relevance of fish culture.
There were no indications of any supplier reaching these rural areas with marine fish at any price. In the capital cities (Maseru, Lusaka, Harare, Lilongwe) where the Mission sojourned, there were no indications either that fish supplies were becoming abundant or their price competitive. In fact, the only hotel where fish was somewhat readily available was in Lilongwe and it was tilapia.
