Consultancy
Solar power. Domestic energy N/A
Terminal evaluation of the project entitled: Building Sustainable Commercial Dissemination Networks for Household PV systems in Eastern Africa
| Country : | Ethiopia. Eritrea. Uganda. Tanzania. |
| Client : | UNEP - United Nations Environnement Program . GEF |
| Start Date : | May 2005 |
| Completion Date : | July 2008 |
| Value of services : | 22 000$ |
| Funder : | UNEP (United Nations Environnement Program) - World Bank (GEF - Global Environment Fund) |
| Associate/Partner : | N/A |
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| Description : |
The 26 months UNEP project aimed to support the establishment of commercial dissemination networks of household PV systems in 4 Eastern African countries and was very challenging as it was the first solar photovoltaic project implemented by UNEP and first large project to support commercial approach in the region based on Kenyan experience. The project budget has been used mainly to increase local awareness and to help actors of the supply chain to set up or strengthen their solar business in a sustainable way. Terminal evaluation of such project after its end was found rewarding and worthwhile as each country faced specific difficulties (financial, socio-economical and political barriers) and project coordination was poorly addressed. The specific objective of this Evaluation consultancy was to verify the degree of achievement by each country and to check performances and impacts of the project. Despite clear evidence of positive outcomes, the UNEP project was found Moderately Satisfactory due mainly to 4 shortcomings: (i) long gestation period, (ii) lack of co-financing (also linked to the long gestation period), (iii) weakness in management, (iv) poor monitoring and evaluation (M&E). The endless problem of low financial capacity of rural households has not been overcome within the project period as the mobilization of local MFIs is an arduous and long-drawn-out job. |
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| Description of the Actual Services Provided | • Collection of information and evidences from interviews with key stakeholders and from field inspections in each country. • Detailed evaluation country by country and highlight of relevant findings and lessons learnt. • Evaluation of the coordination (Nairobi-based consultant) and of the supervision (UNEP). • Global evaluation according to specific UNEP criteria and methodology. |