'Chemba Serviços de Irrigação Lda – Irrigation Infrastructure for Organic Sugarcane' was funded by the Development Related Infrastructure Investment Vehicle (DRIVE) of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Netherlands. The project was located in the Chemba district of Mozambique and aimed to put an agricultural infrastructure in place for small-scale farmers (members of cooperatives) to sustainably grow high-quality organic sugarcane and food crops, which should ultimately enhance the income and food security of farmers and their communities.
The infrastructural outputs of the project, all operated by a utility company through a public-private partnership, included: (i) a bulk water supply infrastructure for irrigation, (ii) an electricity island for power supply to the irrigation system, (iii) a road grader and (iv) a weighbridge for the sugar cane delivered by cooperative members.
The purposes of the evaluation were accountability and learning (for continuous improvement) through insight into the nature and magnitude of effects (direct and indirect, positive and negative, intended or unintended) that could be attributed to the Chemba project. The evaluation determined whether the project contributed to private sector and human development as the overall objectives of the DRIVE facility. It also sought to contribute to the assessment of the feasibility of financing of other irrigation projects through DRIVE.
The evaluation used a mixed-methods contribution analysis that triangulated primary and secondary data. Specifically, it was based on a literature review, a household survey of members of beneficiary cooperatives, and qualitative stakeholder consultations (key informant interviews, focus group discussions, participatory workshop).