India - Uttar Pradesh Sodic Lands Reclamation Project (英语)

This assessment rates the project outcome moderately satisfactory. The project exceeded expectations in carrying out large-scale reclamation of sodic soils. Over 68,400 hectares were reclaimed with farmer participation. The project also contributed to... 更多显示 This assessment rates the project outcome moderately satisfactory. The project exceeded expectations in carrying out large-scale reclamation of sodic soils. Over 68,400 hectares were reclaimed with farmer participation. The project also contributed to poverty alleviation by helping increase returns to many small and marginal farmers. But this success is tempered by several significant weaknesses. First, though the project objectives were relevant for poverty reduction and consistent with Bank assistance strategy for India, it gave inadequate attention to several critical systemic issues, among others economic incentives for use and management of water, resources for operation and maintenance of drainage, that are essential to developing a long-term program for improving agricultural productivity in areas with high concentration of sodic lands and deteriorating environment conditions. Second, since the improvement in the quality of soil has been marginal in several areas, and drainage and institutional issues related to soil fertility management have not received enough attention, there is considerable risk that the reclaimed land will revert to it s former state. Third, monitoring of environmental impact has not been adequate. Fourth, the implementation of the participatory process was given inadequate attention and, hence, instead of putting the communities in a position of decision-making and control, the process appears to have created a sense of dependency. Finally, the project efficiency was rated modest after adjusting downwards the unduly optimistic assumptions in the ICR about future crop yields and maintenance of drainage, which had not appropriately accounted for the risk that the reclaimed land could revert to it s former state. The assessment rates sustainability as unlikely for several reasons, among them-and the most serious-- is continuing inadequate attention to drainage issues. Moreover, institutional constraints related to soil fertility management have not been addressed. On balance, the assessment rates Bank performance as satisfactory. Borrower performance is rated satisfactory.  更少显示