Member's Documents
Synthesis Report on the Validation of 2018 Project Completion Reports
Published by: Independent Development Evaluation, African Development Bank
The 2018 PCR synthesis report validated findings from 65 PCRs, and summarizes:
- The key results of the 2018 PCRENs, focusing on PCR quality and the performance of the projects, Bank and borrowers; and
- The key lessons for improving the quality of PCRs and project results performance.
The report does not include recommendations, as the recommendations made in the 2016 and 2017 PCREN synthesis reports are still valid and being implemented.
Findings
- Quality of the Bank’s 2018 PCRs: Satisfactory quality, with a scope for improvement. 78% (51) of the 65 PCRs are considered satisfactory and the remainder (22%) unsatisfactory. The overall PCR quality score averaged 2.8 out of a maximum of 4. Certain aspects require improvement, including PCR ratings, lessons, recommendations, M&E, and compliance with the PCR guidance. The overall PCR quality improved over the period 2016-2018.
- Performance of the 2018 PCR projects: Overall project performance was satisfactory for the combined criteria of the relevance of project development objectives and design, effectiveness, efficiency, and sustainability. It, however, slightly decreased from 77% in 2015 to 74% in 2018.
Lessons
From the 2018 PCRs and their validation, multiple lessons have been identified, reformulated, and validated. Lessons in the PCRs generally focus on project-specific details rather than strategic or program issues. These lessons point to the following aspects that matter for quality: (i) project preparation and design; (ii) implementation arrangements and implementation; and (iii) sustainability in different dimensions (institution and capacity building, and ownership). The common lessons by theme are available in the full report. Some of them are as follows:
Project preparation and design:
- Ensuring wider stakeholder consultations is important to effectively capture the views of local communities during the design and formulation stage of projects.
- Integrating operations and maintenance and associated budget into project design is important for successful project implementation and results.
Implementation arrangements and performance:
- Continuity of the same implementing Task Manager and team is a significant factor in a project’s success.
- Inadequate implementation of a project’s M&E framework can critically limit the available project information for evaluating performance and for learning from experience.
- Development of knowledge products and their effective dissemination are necessary to facilitate behavioral change and to guide the design and successful execution of future projects.
Institution and capacity building, and ownership:
- Involvement of relevant government agencies and national civil society organizations early in the project cycle is critical for improving the sustainability of project outcomes.
- Effective community participation (in design and implementation) is essential for sustaining project benefits, particularly in highly challenging operating environments.
