Evaluation FW – Synthesis Evaluation of SUFORD-SU and SNGS (-EP)
This evaluation is focused on the Technical Assistance Scaling-up Participatory Sustainable Forest Management Project (SUFORD-SU) and Strengthening National Geographic Services in Lao PDR (SNGS) and its extension phase (SNGS-EP), implemented in Lao PDR.
The purpose of this synthesis evaluation is to provide independent and objective evidence to the Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Finland on the achieved results in the two projects and their sustainability. In addition, this evaluation is expected to provide recommendations and lessons learnt to guide the planning and implementation of projects in similar contexts funded by the MFA, especially where substantive TA inputs for capacity building to government institutions are included. In the case of 'Scaling-up Participatory Sustainable Forest Management' (SUFORD), the evaluation is also expected to assess the parallel financing set-up with financing from the Government of Finland, the World Bank and the Government of Lao PDR.
During 1995-2017 Government of Finland financed four forestry projects that were implemented in partnership with the World Bank and Government of Lao PDR. The first project, Forest Management and Conservation Project (FOMACOP, 1995-2001), piloted an approach to participatory management of production forests called ‘Village Forestry’. Sustainable Forestry for Rural Development (SUFORD) Project was implemented in three phases from 2003 until 2019 to assist the Government of Laos in achieving sustainable management of production forests with community participation (covering 13 provinces) and to support the forest sector reform. The total expenditure of the four projects is estimated as USD 99.1 million, with GoF accounting 40% of the budget allocated to Technical Assistance, the WB financing accounting 59% allocated to operational costs, and GoL accounting 1%.
The evaluation also covered the projects Strengthening National Geographic Services (SNGS 2010-2014) and its extension phase (SNGS-EP 2014-2015), with the objective to cover Lao PDR with nation-wide geospatial data and to establish a National Spatial Data Infrastructure, composed of technologies, data, regulations and institutional arrangements and budget of EUR 7 Million. Environmental Management Support Programme (EMSP, 2010-2015) was included in the evaluation’s assessment of coordination, complementarity and coherence of the GoF funded sector projects in Lao PDR.