IISEE-project 2021-2025, We Effect

This Conclusion of Performance (CoP) provides an overview of the project implementation processes and the results achieved during the period between October 2023 - October 2024. It provides a continuation of the performance reported in the previous CoP for 2023 and the developments until October 2024. For this CoP, multiple information sources have been utilized to document the achieved results, including: 1) the Narrative and Financial Report for 2023; 2) the Semi-Annual Narrative and Financial Report for January-April 2024; 3) Travel Reports; 4) the MSD Helpdesk review of the project; and 5) insights gathered from meetings with partners. Key results for the period include: a) Recruitment of two new partners: Center for Education and Development (CED) for Outcome 2, and Romalitico for Outcome 3 - which has accelerated the projects pace in delivering results; b) Significant progress toward cumulative project targets, with many indicators under Outcome 1, 2 and 3 already meeting targets, and several even surpassing expected targets thus showing clear progress according to plan. For example, under Outcome 1 income for targeted enterprises grew by 109.5%, surpassing the 50% target, for Outcome 2 regarding service usage 370 individuals used new services (which is 74% of the target) and Outcome 3 regarding skills training, 466 individuals received training, exceeding the target by 133%; and, c) Development of new interventions for all three Outcomes. For Outcome 1 one intervention: Establishing Producer Groups for Small-Scale Farmers; for Outcome 2, two interventions: Potato Harvesting Initiative in Shar Mountain Region and Shar Mountain Harvesting Hub for Wild Plant Collection; for Outcome 3, one intervention: Labor Market Inclusion for Roma. These results will be presented below as follows: Project implementation processes and other results During the project period We Effect partnered with three Project Partner Organizations (PPO): 1. National Federation of Farmers; 2. Center for Education and Development; and 3. Romalitico. Due to the termination of the agreement with RDN their previous PPO activities slowed-down under Outcome 2 between November 2022 and September 2023. On 1 November 2023, agreements were signed with two new PPOs: 1. LAG Agro Leader and 2. Cender for Education and Development. In February 2024, LAG Agro Lider, decided to withdraw from implementation. The rationale was their reluctance to adapt and adopt the MSD approach methodology, as well as their strong preference to keep implementing traditionally. We Effect had implementing responsiblity for Outcome 3, where activities continued mainly according to plan. We Effect sought other practical solutions, and based on actor mapping that they did in 2023 and beginning of 2024, they selected "Institute for Policy Research and Analysis - Romalitico" as a new partner for Outcome 3. We Effect and the project partner organizations revised and updated the three Market Sector Strategies for each project Outcome. This revision took place from October to December 2023 and involved updating data and information related to the projects target groups within the selected market systems. Main project results October 2023 - October 2024 Summary of Project Objective and Outcome Indicators By the end of 2023, the data collected indicate significant progress towards the projects goal of increasing growth, income, and employment for rural communities, with a focus on women, youth, and Roma. This data collection has been continuously carried out during 2024, for which results will be presented at the Final narrative report. Project Objective Indicators: Direct Beneficiaries: 1,903 rights-holders, including 47% women, benefited from interventions like school schemes and job-matching, achieving 95% of the target (2,000). Gross Income Increase: Cumulative income rose by 88.9%, exceeding the 30% target, reflecting substantial financial benefits for participants. Job Opportunities: 444 job opportunities were created, reaching 111% of the target. Outcome 1: Economic Growth for Rural Enterprises and Employment Enterprise Income: Income for targeted enterprises grew by 109.5%, surpassing the 50% target, especially through onion and pomegranate interventions. Employment Opportunities: 49 new opportunities were created (25% of the target) due to slowed activities. Market Linkages: 216 additional farmers accessed markets, reaching 334 total (84% of target). New Market Linkages: 15 new market connections established, achieving 150% of the target. Improved Products/Services: 153 enterprises offered new or improved services, surpassing the target by 306%. Outcome 2: Resilient and Sustainable Local Communities New Services for Farmers: 31 services provided (62% of the target). Service Usage: 370 individuals used new services (74% of the target). Capacitated Communities: 10 communities offering new services reached 143% of the target. Policy Influence: One policy measure influenced, achieving 20% of the five-policy target. Outcome 3: Employment for Roma and Vulnerable Groups Employment Opportunities: 480 individuals from the Roma community gained employment opportunities, reaching 107% of the target. Skills Training: 466 individuals received training, exceeding the target by 133%.Decent Jobs and Retention: 87 job or retention opportunities achieved 174% of the target. These results reflect substantial achievements in income growth and employment, with Outcome 2 indicators underachieving due to limited activity in specific areas. Continued adaptive management was implemented for optimizing future outcomes, particularly in job creation and community service expansion. New interventions developed As a result of the project implementation processes, four new interventions were developed, by 3 partners engaged in the project (1 intervention by NFF, 2 interventions by CED, and 1 intervention by Romalitico). Intervention 1. Producer Groups for Small-Scale Farmers - Objective: This intervention, focused on Outcome 1, aims to support small-scale farmers by establishing and facilitating producer groups. The goal is to address the lack of market access, knowledge, collaboration, and targeted support, thereby enhancing the economic organization and sustainability of small-scale agriculture. It started with implementation in April 2024. NFF developed this intervention in partnership with the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry, and Water Economy (MAFWE). This intervention is expected to engage 500 farmers (including 200 youth and 50% women), create four new market linkages, and boost gross income by at least 30% for participants. Intervention 2. Potato Harvesting Initiative in Shar Mountain Region- Objective: This intervention under Outcome 2 seeks to enhance potato production and distribution, addressing regional demand while stabilizing incomes for farmers in Vejce village, Shar Mountain. The initiative responds to migration trends threatening local agricultural viability by creating reliable market channels for the local high-quality mountain potatoes. It comenced with implementation in April 2024. Designed by Center for Education and Development (CED), in collaboration with the Sharri agricultural cooperative, which acts as the intervention partner. Targeting 50 small-scale farmers in Vejce village, this intervention focuses on improving rural incomes and encouraging youth to stay in the region by creating sustainable agricultural business models. Intervention 3. Shar Mountain Harvesting Hub for Wild Plant Collection - Objective: This Outcome 2 intervention focuses on sustainable foraging and regulated collection of wild plants and fruits in Shar Mountain National Park. It seeks to provide local communities with a steady income source while ensuring environmental sustainability and biodiversity preservation. Started implementation in April 2024. Designed by Center for Education and Development (CED), with hotel Scardus as the intervention partner. This intervention aims to license and train 50 local collectors (25 women), enhancing income and economic opportunity in rural Shar Mountain communities, with a focus on women who primarily handle foraging activities. Intervention 4. Labor Market Inclusion for Roma - Objective: Part of Outcome 3, this intervention aims to improve employment access and retention for Roma individuals through skill development, job matching, and entrepreneurial growth. The intervention tackles issues such as lack of education, skills, and entrenched stereotypes that impede Roma employment. It was designed by Romalitico and comenced implementation in April 2024 as well. This intervention aims to register 500 Roma job seekers (50% women), with 60 participants completing training. The objective is to secure employment for 24 individuals within three months of training and to facilitate job placements for 50 Roma individuals. Overall, Sida views the programs progress positively. Sida assesses that while there were delays in achieving certain outcomes initially, We Effect and their partners have demonstrated a commitment to addressing these setbacks. Recent efforts indicate an acceleration in activities, which suggests they are on track to meet the intended results. Given these recent improvements, Sida's general assessment is that the program is moving towards achieving the expected outcomes. Sida will continue monitoring this progress to ensure the momentum is maintained.

The project's overall objective is increased growth, income and employment for rural people, especially for youth, women and Roma in target markets.  The specific outcomes of the project are:  1. Rural enterprises, small farmers/producers grow and provide more income and employment opportunities for the people from the rural area, women and youth in particular.  2. Local communities are resilient and sustainable, providing support in rural development especially for poor members of the communities in the selected market systems. 3. More Roma people have the capacities and the access to the job market, to take up employment and business opportunities in the selected market systems. 4. Organisational development. Outcomes one to three are directly related to Marked System Development (MSD). Outcome four is not directly linked to the MSD approach, but is believed to be crucial for achieving the programme.  Moreover, the project will focus on three intervention areas: 1) The first outcome will be achieved by facilitating access to the market for companies that empower rural women and youth. 2) To achieve the second outcome, the project will focus on promoting supporting services and enabling environment (rules and regulation) for local communities. 3) The third outcome will be achieved by facilitating access to skills and access to finance for employment and self-employment of Roma people. While the areas are defined, specific interventions to be implemented within each area are not yet designed. Instead, and in line with a MSD-approach, interventions will be piloted during the inception phase with the potential to scale-up in the implementation phase. The inception phase for this programme is twelve months, April to March 2022. MSD is an approach to development that works through public and private actors to generate sustainable large-scale impact. It is analysis-led and does not prescribe or prohibit any particular instrument or tool of intervention. Instead, interventions are developed to respond to align with the capabilities and incentives of those public, private, and civil society actors, and adapted based on piloting and learning. Instead of focusing on what MSD programmes can "deliver", emphasis is placed on how systems can work better to deliver impacts for disadvantaged people.