Benin - Forestry Project

Document of The World Bank FOR OFFICIAI USE ONLY Report No. 10806 PROJECT (OMPLETION REPORT BENIN FORESTRY PROJECT (CREDIT 1505-BEN/SF 024-BEN) JUNE 30, 1992 Ac:iculture Operations Division Occidental and Central Africa Department Africa Regional Office This document has a restricted distribution and mas be used by recipients only in the performance of their official duties. Its contents may not otherwise be disclosed without World Bank authorization.  CURRENCY EQUIVALENTS Currency: CFAF 1/ AVERAGE EXCHANGE RATE i984 US$1.00 = CFAF 480 1985 US$1.u0 = CFAF 378 1986 US$1.00 = 323 1987 US$1.00 = 267 1988 US$1.00 = 303 1989 US$1.00 = 289 1990 US$1.00 - 280 GOVERNMENT FISCAL YEAR January 1 - December 31 PROJECT YEAR October 1 - September 30 WEIGHTS AND MEASURES Metric System ABBREVIATIONS AND ACRONYMS AfDB African Development Bank AID Agency for International Development CAA Caisse autonome d'amortissement CARDER Centre d'action regional pour le developpement rural (Regional Rural Development Agency) DEFC Direction des eaux, forets et chasses (Department of Water, Forestry and Hunting) DRA Direction de recherche agronomique (Department of Agricultural Research) FAO-CP Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations/ Cooperation Programme FRG Federal Republic of Germany GDP Gross Domestic Product GTZ Geselischaft fur Technische Zusammerarbeit IDA International Development Association KFW Kreditanstalt fur Wiederaufbau MDR Ministere du developpement rural (Ministry of Rural Development) MESRS Minist6re de l'enseignement superieur et de la recherche scientifique (Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research) NRMP Natural Resource Management Project ONAB Office national du bcis (State Wood Company) PCR Project Completion Report SNAFOR Soci6t6 nationale pour le developpement forestier (National Forestry Development Company) URF Unit6 de recherche forestiere 1/ The parity of the CFAF with the French Franc is fixed at 50/1.  FOR OFFICAL USE ONLY THE WORLD BANKC Washington, D.C. 20433 U.S.A. ffice of Director-General Operations Evaluation June 30, 1992 MEMORANDUM TO THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTORS AND THE PRESIDENT SUBJECT: Project Completion Report on BENIN Forestry Proiect (Cr. 1505-BEN/SF 024-BEN) Attached, for information, is a copy of a report entitled "Project Completion Report on BENIN - Forestry Project (Cr. 1505-BEN;SF 024-BEN)" prepared by the Africa Regional Office. 2 Attachment This document has a restricted distribution and may be used by recipients only In the performance of their official duties. Its contents may not otherwise be disclosed without World Bank authorization.  FOR OFFICIALUSE ONLY PROJECT COMPLETION REPORT BENIN FORESTRY PROJECT (C1EDIT 1505-BEN/S- 024-BENI msTBLE OF CONTENTS PaneNo. PREFACE ...................... i EVALUATION SUMMARY ........ ...... ................ iii PARTI: PROJECT REVIEW FROM BANK'S PERSPECTIVE 1....... A. Project Identity ................................. 1 B. Background . .................................. 1 C. Project Objectives and Description ..................... 2 D. Project Design and Organization ....................... 3 E. Project Implementation ............................. 4 F. Project Results .................................. 6 G. Project Sustainability .................... 7 H. Bank's Performance .............................. 8 I. Borrower's Performance ............................ 9 J. Project Relationship .............................. 10 K. Consulting Services .............................. 10 L. Project Documentation and Data .......... ............. 10 PART 1: PROJECT REVIEW FROM BORROWER'S PERSPECTIVE 11 PART mI: STATISTICAL INFORMATION ...... .............. 25 1. Related Bank Credits ............................. 25 2. Project Timetable ............................. 26 3. Credit Disbursement .......................... 27 A. Cumulative Estimated and Actual Disbursemeit .... ....... 27 B. SDR-US$ Exchange Rate .......................* 25 4. Project Implementation . ............................. 29 5. Project Costs and Financing .......................... 30 A. Project Costs ................................ 30 B. Project Financing ..............................- 31 _AP - IBI, Mo. 1.7325 This document has a restricted distribution and may be used by recipients only in the performance of their official duties. Its contents may not otherwise be disclosed without World Bank authorization.  PROJECT COMPLE 1'ON REPORT BENIN FORESTRY PROJECT (CREDIT 1505-BEN/SF 024-BEN) PREFACE This is the Project Completion Report (PCR) for the Forestry Project, for which Credit 1505-BEN and Special Fund 024-BEN in the amount of SDR 2.5 and 2.6 millions respectively were approved on June 21, 1984. Both the Credit and the Special Fund closed in December 1990, six months behind schedule. The Credit and Special Fund were fully disbursed in June 1991. Parts I and III were prepared by a consultant and revised by staff of the Agriculture Operations Division of the Occidental and Central Africa Department. The Studies Unit of the implementing agency prapared Part II before Parts I and III were prepared. Preparation of the PCR was done about 12 months after the Credit was closed. It is based, inter alia, on the Staff Appraisal Report, the Special Fund Credit Agreement, the Development Credit Agreement, the GTZ Loan Agree- ment, supervision reports, correspondence between the Bank, the Borrower and the implementing agency, internal Bank memoranda, reports prepared by the implementing agency and disc'issions with representatives of the Borrower and the Bank. A more exhaustive list of the documents consulted is given in Annex 1.  - iii - PgOJECI COMPLETION REPORT BENIN FORESTRY PROJECT (Credit 1505 - BEN) (SF 024 - BEN) Evaluation Summary Project Obiectives (Part I, para. 1.07) 1. The principal objectives of the Project were (i) to reorganize and increase hth technical capacity and the effectiveness of the Government's Water, Forestry and Hunting Department (DEFC); and (ii) to execute an industrial plantation program. The main components were: the establishment of a permanent unit within DEFC responsible for strategic planning and programming, and administration and control of sector finances; the establishment and maintenance of a 3,800 ha teak sawlog plantation in the Lama Forest Reserve; the establishment and maintenance of 410 ha of pilot plantations within Toui and Lama Reserves; and the execution of studies. Project Desion (Part I, para. 1.09) 2. The project was well designed, based on good preparation work and close coordination between the Bank, the Government, and bilateral and multilateral aid agencies, already involved in the sector. Consistent with the identified weaknesses of local institutions, the number of components was kept to a minimum, geographical coverage focused, the need for interagency coordination virtually eliminated and physical implementation targets kept at a realistic level. 3. The project concept, however, displayed a number of shortcomings concerning the design and provision of technical assistance, the annual work plans, the problem of illegal settlers, monitoring and evaluation and the coordination of the management of the different project components. Imolemeittation Exoerience (Part I, para. 1.13) 4. The Credit became effective eight months later than the originally planned date while the original closing date was extended by six months. Technical assistance was put in place in a timely fashion. 5. Quality and effectiveness of implementation were good for the main (plantation) component, and inadequate for most other components for reasons reviewed below. 6. Procurement was done according to guidelines except for a minor problem in the first year of implementation. Project costs were only 3% over CFA estimates and virtually all funds were disbursed. The project as a whole faced no unusual risk, technical or otherwise and this was reflected in the implementation experience.  - iv - Results (