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Supporting Integrated and Comprehensive Approaches to Climate Change and Adaptation in Africa - Republic of Mauritius
Commissioning Unit: Mauritius
Evaluation Plan: 2009-2011
Evaluation Type: Project
Completion Date: 12/2012
Unit Responsible for providing Management Response: Mauritius
Documents Related to overall Management Response:
 
1. Recommendation: 1.1. Technical Knowledge Transfer/Capacity Building: The prime expectation from Technical Assistance in a less developed or developing country is technical knowledge transfer while specific technical services are received on fee basis. Therefore, it is paramount important that when consultancy services are rendered in particular international consultancies to structure implementation mode in a such way that national technical capacities are improved including domestic consulting capacity. Therefore, recommended measures include making International Consulting Firms to tie up systematically with a local collaborator, either domestic consulting firm or NGO, keeping International Consultants within the country for a reasonably long time and creating an environment, within recipient stakeholder agency, where Consultants work with local counterpart staffs on a day-to-day basis rather than serving on short in-country missions.
Management Response: [Added: 2013/01/31]

Partnership between international and local companies was organized for the consultancy on Disaster Risk Reduction. For other activities, the consultant teams always came to Mauritius and strongly linked with relevant stakeholders during preparation of work, presentation of findings and incorporation of feedbacks.

Key Actions:

2. Recommendation: 1.2. Capacity Building/Training Evaluation: Besides, it is useful to know return on investment on capacity building and training under the project. What is worthy of knowing is to what extent such improved knowledge and skills gained were useful in performing duties at respective work places and whether time and funds spent on training and capacity building are worthwhile. As expressed by stakeholder, in many instances, the knowledge gained is superficial and not deep enough to be applied to improve outputs. As climate change is a specialized area and continuous training is required in order to understand its implications and intricacies. Therefore, it is recommended that a training evaluation be conducted covering all major capacity building and training workshops that were carried out under AAP.
Management Response: [Added: 2013/01/31]

Time and budget constraints did not allow this kind of evaluation exercise during the AAP. Moreover, evaluation of training impacts might be a challenge due to regular staff transfers within public bodies. Advocacy will be conducted by UNDP CO on the importance of evaluation of activities? impacts, for next projects.

Key Actions:

3. Recommendation: 1.3. Database of Climate Change Capacity Building: It is very likely that element of capacity building will be included in proposed followed-up project. It is necessary to have a stock of trained staffs in vivid technical areas in order to avoid repetitive training in the future for such staffs resulting in unproductive use of funds. This will enable utilizing such improved knowledge and skills in endeavors in climate change and adaptation in the future appropriate within respective sectors. Therefore, it is recommended that the format given in Annex 5 of End of Project Evaluation Report be followed and a database be established in Climate Change Division of the Ministry of Environment and Sustainable Development ideally before commencing the proposed follow-up project.
Management Response: [Added: 2013/01/31]

Agreed. Attendance sheets will be compiled by the Project Team after project closure to create the database.

Key Actions:

4. Recommendation: 1.4. Sensitization/Awareness: It is useful to know what has been achieved by the project by undertaking various forms of sensitization and awareness programmes for general public and schools. Therefore, it is recommended that an assessment be carried out in the form of social survey to find out coverage and effectiveness of all sensitization /awareness programmes covering sample of target groups.
Management Response: [Added: 2013/01/31]

Time and budget constraints did not allow this kind of evaluation exercise during the AAP. Advocacy will be conducted by UNDP CO on the importance of evaluation of activities? impacts, for next projects.

Key Actions:

5. Recommendation: 1.5. Data Management, Accessibility & Availability: It is understood that the MOESD would be taking the initiative to establish a Committee comprising data users from public and private sectors, data providers and NGOs to ensure sustainability of the data service. A Data Committee should be established as soon as possible to plan and provide guidance on the modalities for data transfer and access. It is proposed that a Environmental Data and Information Management Section is established at the MOESD as a clearing house to collect all environmental data from various sources and verify, control quality, validate and collate the data before it is uploaded in the system for access. It should also establish a meta-database to assist users to locate reliable sources of research quality data. Ministries/Institutions generating climate data should be identified and proper arrangement made.
Management Response: [Added: 2013/01/31]

Although the activity has been delayed due to procurement issues with UNOPS, this recommendation will be addressed by the final setting up of the Climate Change Information Center, in January 2013.

Key Actions:

6. Recommendation: 1.6. Sale of data to Private and Public Sector Agencies from Mauritius Meteorological Services is the current policy of the Ministry of Finance and Economic Development for operational as well as research purposes. For any research to be conducted within a funded project requiring climate data, an amount is earmarked for data mining cost. The consultants note that it could hinder further research of national interest, especially on Climate Change adaptation. The issue should further be discussed by the Data Committee to be established as proposed under paragraph 67. Further, the sale of data is an unnecessary administrative burden on Mauritius Meteorological Services as well as all other Public Sector Agencies, and same quantum of funds is in circulation from the Treasury and vice versa. Therefore, arrangement should be made with the Mauritius Meteorological Service so that climate data is made free for certain specific and predetermined purposes such as research of local and national benefit to sustainable development.
Management Response: [Added: 2013/01/31]

This issue will have to be discussed by the Government of Mauritius, based on the needs of various ministries, especially in relation to Climate Change.

Key Actions:

7. Recommendation: 1.7. Integrate CC Education in School Curriculum: The system of education in ROM is exam- oriented. In order to promote the teaching of climate change in primary and secondary schools, climate change should be integrated in the school curriculum both at the primary and school levels and become examinable
Management Response: [Added: 2013/01/31]

This issue will have to be discussed by the Government of Mauritius, especially with Ministry of Environment and Sustainable Development and Ministry of Education.

Key Actions:

8. Recommendation: 1.8. Another type of adaptation is the dissemination of knowledge through education and public information campaigns, leading to behavioral change. Such activities have been little recognized and have received low priority in the past, but are likely to assume increased importance as the need to involve more communities, sectors and regions in adaptation becomes apparent.
Management Response: [Added: 2013/01/31]

Awareness week, Climate Change Knowledge Fair, mobile exhibition all address the need for dissemination of knowledge. In addition, although delays were experienced, Information, Education and Communication campaign has been organized in December-January 2013.

Key Actions:

9. Recommendation: 1.9. Climate Change Impact Modeling: The T21 has been proposed as a long term tool to develop scenario in the key sectors. The (T21) model can, indeed, be uniquely customized for the long-term integrated development planning as well as carrying out scenario analyses of adaptation options under uncertainty in Mauritius. The model allows the cost of adaptation to be quantified, which is a pre-requirement for attracting much needed financing for adaptation. It is crucial that Mauritius invests in a dynamic system to develop a customized system to understand and analyze the multi-sectoral impacts of climate change, develop institutional and systemic capacity to manage climate change risks, and facilitate development of adaptation and mitigation policies. T21 or an alternative modeling tool should be explored.
Management Response: [Added: 2013/01/31]

T21 was not considered a priority by the Government during AAP. This model has proven itself very useful in other AAP countries such as Kenya and development of such a model (T21 or equivalent) for Mauritius will be advocated by UNDP CO.

Key Actions:

10. Recommendation: 1.10. Coral Farming near Hotel Resorts: Following the successful completion of demo project on coral farming, it is recommended that, preceding large scale coral farming, small to medium scale coral farming programme in front of hotels be implemented in collaboration with hotel owners under a Public-Private-Civil Society partnership. The region in front of hotels, where the coral farming culture would be established, could be declared as MPAs in consultation with all stakeholders including fishermen.
Management Response: [Added: 2013/01/31]

This recommendation will have to be studied by Ministry of Fisheries and Marine Resources, together with the private sector.

Key Actions:

11. Recommendation: 1.11. Institutional Strengthening: In climate change adaptation and mitigation process in Mauritius, the most important public sector agency is Mauritius Meteorological Services, which is mandated to deliver weather forecasts as well as record all climate related data on day-to-day basis. As owing to severe staff shortages, envisaged role on the AAP by Mauritius Meteorological Services was limited and, therefore, in the proposed follow-up project, as a priority and preliminary activity, institutional strengthening of Mauritius Meteorological Services should be seriously looked into in terms of staff cadres, equipment and capacity building etc. This should be applied to all agencies as well and this should become a component encompassing all stakeholder organizations.
Management Response: [Added: 2013/01/31]

This issue will have to be discussed by the Government of Mauritius, especially with the Met Services and other ministries dealing with Climate Change adaptation. Already identified, this issue is also partly answered by the new UNDP-supported Climate Change adaptation project for the coastal zones of Mauritius (AFB), which includes an ?early-warning? component. Dialogue with the Met Services is already open to assess training and equipment needs.

Key Actions:

12. Recommendation: 1.12. Input for Follow-up Project: Among consultancies, a very important is ?Mainstreaming Climate Change Adaptation in the Development Process of the Tourism, Fisheries and Agricultural Sectors and Rodrigues Island?. What is important is how best four stakeholders including Rodrigues are incorporating analytical work and recommendations of the consultancy in mainstreaming Climate Change Adaptation and long term planning within specific sectors. Apart from this consultancy, all stakeholders should consider all other consultancy inputs as well and propose the way forward for sustaining project accomplishments within respective agencies and sectors. This will become part of work plan of the follow-up project and, as the final evaluation of AAP is to be done through a participatory process, an input was expected on their initiatives based on technical recommendations of Consultants when comments are made for incorporating in the Final Report of End of Project Evaluation of AAP. Even though this question was to be raised with concerned parties, it was not possible due to limited time availability and as finalization of recommendations was pending.
Management Response: [Added: 2013/01/31]

Agreed. UNDP CO will monitor the sustainability of AAP achievements and work with the Government, and especially Ministry of Environment and Sustainable Development to identify further needs in the area of Climate Change adaptation. This has already been partly done through the mobilization of a 9,000,000 USD grant from the Adaptation Fund Board, allowing a follow up on many AAP activities.

Key Actions:

13. Recommendation: 1.13. Inundation Map for Agalega: Agalega, an island with area 2,600 hectares and 350 inhabitants, is barely a couple of meters above MSL. It is most vulnerable to climate change and Accelerated Sea Level Rise (ASLR). Agaleans are likely to have the same fate as some islands in the Pacific and become the first climate refugees in the Indian Ocean. It is crucial that some in depth studies be conducted on the socio-economic environment impacts as a consequence of climate change and sea level Rise. As a prerequisite, an inundation map at 50 Cm and 1 M contour intervals should be prepared initially for Agalega.
Management Response: [Added: 2013/01/31]

This issue will have to be addressed by the Government of Mauritius. Advocacy will be conducted by UNDP CO to support the organization of this discussion and of this study, securing funds if possible.

Key Actions:

14. Recommendation: 2.1. Design of Project/Project Formulation: If a follow-up project is to be designed in the area of Climate Change Adaptation and Mitigation, it is strongly recommended that a rigorous consultative process be undertaken with all stakeholders and an ownership to the project be established right at the beginning itself. Besides, the Executing Agency should become responsible for ensuring stakeholder contribution and interest before the project documents is accepted and entering into agreement with the funding agency.
Management Response: [Added: 2013/01/31]

Agreed. In the case of the AAP, the design was made at regional level, with little possibility of tailoring to national contexts. This will be took into account for next projects as far as possible.

Key Actions:

15. Recommendation: 2.2. Project Results Framework/Logical Framework: It is recommended that Project Results Framework/Logical Framework be re-visited at the inception of the follow-up project preferably at a workshop by all stakeholders as a team and agree on deliverables at goal/impact, outcome and outputs levels and respective measurable indicators and precisely identifying milestones. This should become the basis for preparing Implementation Plan/Work Plan and Budget.
Management Response: [Added: 2013/01/31]

Agreed. Stakeholders? involvement during project development and drafting also allows increased relevancy and ownership of logframes.

Key Actions:

16. Recommendation: 2.3. Project Steering Committee & Progress Review Committee: It is very important that Heads of Ministries (Permanent Secretaries), Department Heads and Heads of other stakeholder agencies be brought to the Steering Committee to ensure effective inter agency communication among stakeholder agencies. The Steering Committee should function at policy level giving directions to project implementation while overlooking the whole process of project implementation from a very high perspective. The project implementers should not serve at the Steering Project Committee.
Management Response: [Added: 2013/01/31]

Partially agreed. The strategic dimension of the PSC is very important but it is crucial that committed persons attend the PSC, which is not always the case for high-level policy-makers. The AAP PSC worked efficiently during the project. Policy dialogue was also made at Cabinet when main AAP results were transmitted.

Key Actions:

17. Recommendation: 2.4. Project review meetings should be held at regular intervals, preferably on a quarterly basis with active project implementers (technical staffs & scientists) from stakeholder agencies and, the forum to be chaired by Project Manager, who should function at the Project Steering Committee as well.
Management Response: [Added: 2013/01/31]

Agreed. Such meetings were held internally at the Ministry of Environment at the end of the project and proved themselves to be very efficient. The process should be made systematic with main stakeholders for next projects.

Key Actions:

18. Recommendation: 2.5. If Rodrigues Island comes within the project area, more importantly, a senior public sector representative from Rodrigues should serve at the project Steering Committee as it was major concerned expressed by stakeholders in Rodrigues and the Evaluation team is fully supportive of this move.
Management Response: [Added: 2013/01/31]

Partially agreed. A representative of Rodrigues attended the PSC as often as possible, but the logistic sometimes prevented him to do so. The question of representativity in Rodrigues is also very political.

Key Actions:

19. Recommendation: 2.6. Project M&E System: It is imperative that a project M&E System be designed & established at the beginning of the project. In an ideal scenario, this should begin on set on inception of the follow-up project. As mentioned above, a set of performance indicators should be identified and all baseline information which was served as accomplishments of AAP should be well documented in digital and paper forms.
Management Response: [Added: 2013/01/31]

Agreed. The M&E activities were often disregarded in favor of implementation due to delays, but this should not be the case for future projects as M&E allows being more efficient in the long term.

Key Actions:

20. Recommendation: 2.7. The progress of the project should be reported in respect of such performance indicators and respective budget lines. When such basic elements related to M&E are in place undertaking an evaluation at any stage of the project is pretty straight forward and project implementers themselves will have a good understating on their own performance. While Steering Committee is functioning at policy level as decision direction making and monitoring body, at project level, a progress review mechanism as explained under para 34 should be established preferably on a quarterly basis with the participating of stakeholders at a common forum ideally led by Project Manager.
Management Response: [Added: 2013/01/31]

Agreed. Refer to 1.2, 1.4 and 2.6.

Key Actions:

21. Recommendation: 2.8. Procurement of Consulting Firms: In order to attract credible and proven consultancy firms, at the expression of interest, advertising in commercial International Development Sites (e.g. Devex.Com, Dev-Net-Jobs) should be exploited. Besides, a system to verify the information as detailed in the bidding document is necessary and qualifications, experience in projects implementation in other countries and past performance should not be accepted without verification.
Management Response: [Added: 2013/01/31]

Agreed. This has already started for new project.

Key Actions:

22. Recommendation: 2.9. Technical Assistance: The Evaluation Team is of the opinion that MOESD should realistically understand and estimate level of support received from UNDP in relation to providing technical assistance and other related management support and look into the possibility of receiving UNDP support for projects to be implemented in the future as well. In addition to technical and execution support, the fortnight financial reporting and quarterly physical and progress reporting required by UNDP in assisting project implementation has immensely helped reporting to be kept in order and execution deadlines to be respected. Therefore, while appreciating positive contributions, importance of such continued partnerships in the future should be apprehended while increasing transparency of financial expenditure incurred by UNDP.
Management Response: [Added: 2013/01/31]

Agreed.

Key Actions:

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