The Rural Capacity Building Project (RCBP) held a mid-term review (MTR) meeting on 14^th July 2010 at the headquarters of Ethiopian Institute of Agricultural Research (EIAR).  The meeting dealt with presentation of progress and achievements of RCBP from 2007 to 2010, findings of the MTR mission and work budget plan. The meeting was opened by Dr Solomon Asefa, Director General of EIAR. The progress report was delivered by Dr Taye Tessema, Director of RCBP-EAAP

As disclosed in the meeting, according to the initial design and project development of objectives and other initiatives within the RCBP, the Project continues to go satisfactorily. However, there are certain signs of slowness in its implementations; the progress was uneven across the Components and Subcomponents, it was also properly stated that there were differences in the speed of progress among the Components or implementing entities of RCBP. Nevertheless, to date, according to the Task Team Leader Dr Achim Fock, it was recognized that the World Bank is satisfied with the remarkable progresses made so far.

The MTR mission also advised participants to have enough thinking on how to better strengthen the Project Components to handle enhanced services for their clients after the Project is phased out. These calls for an exit strategy that can move based on demand-driven systems for all agricultural occupations in the country and grab the desired impacts on cost-effective and sustainable bases.

Based on the reflection of the meeting, one cannot deny the need to have a well-functioning system of reporting on the progress of the Project. A responsive communica­tion is also felt as vital between the Project Monitoring Unit (PMU) of RCBP and all implementing Components and Sub­components.

For documentation purposes, a decent procurement plan and activities at PMU level of the Project and a stringent controlling system of procurement were also mentioned to constitute ongoing efforts of the Project. More to these when presenting progress reports it was suggested that achievements should be compared with planned activities.

As regards to reporting achievements in research, it was felt necessary to include outputs from research as a result of the intervention of RCBP. The efforts of EIAR in scaling up improves agricultural technologies to emerging regional states were appreciated by the MTR mission. It was also noted that, EIAR is proving its competence in this respect.

As a final remark by the DG of EIAR, all comments and suggestions forwarded by participants were noted by the project.