Ex-Post Monitoring of Japanese ODA Loan Project

Tunisia
Irrigation Perimeters Improvement Project in Oasis
External Monitoring Consultants: Eiko Nakamoto / Toyo Tanaka, Nakamoto&Associates Co., Ltd.

1. Project Description

Project Location

Concrete canal and old canal (Gabes)

1.1 Project Objective

The objective of this project is to provide stable supply of irrigation water and conserve
groundwater through the renovation of terminal earth canals and development of drainage
systems in the oases of Tunisia’s four southern governorates – Gabes, Gafsa, Kebili and Tozeur– thereby contributing to the stability of agricultural productivity and development of the local
economy.
1.2 Outline of the Loan Agreement
Approved Amount / Disbursed Amount

8,106 million yen / 6,417milllion yen

Loan Agreement Signing Date / Final

December 1996 / December 2005

Disbursement Date
Ex-post Evaluation

2007-2008

Executing Agency

Ministry of Agriculture (MOA)

Main Contractor-

Main Consultant-

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1.3 Background of Ex-Post Monitoring
In Tunisia, the agricultural sector is extremely important, as 35% of the population live in rural
areas; agriculture accounts for 11% of its GDP; and agricultural products comprise 9.3% of allexports. Date palms, an important export product, are a major agricultural product in the southernoases. The southern oases are, however, in an arid region that receives only 100–200 mm of rainfall
per year; consequently, groundwater has been used to irrigate the land in this area since ancient times.
However, in the oases, due to a lack of adequate terminal channels, the irrigation systems are often
beset with water leakage, resulting in a low usability level. From the fact of lowering of thegroundwater level, and since the development of new water resources is not dependable,
improvement in the effective use of irrigation systems through water conservation was urgently
needed. In order to address this situation, this project has implemented the renovation of terminal
earth canals and development of drainage systems in the oases of Tunisia’s four southerngovernorates – Gabes, Gafsa, Kebili and Tozeur.
At the time of ex-post evaluation report (2007), the number of beneficiary rural households of thisproject were 18% less compared to the initial plan due to insufficient funds. In addition, the areas
under cultivation in three regions covered by the project were 40% to 60% less than the areas thatwere originally planned in the project. From the financial aspect, some Agricultural Development
Groups (GDA) in Tozeur and Kebili were in deficit in 2006. Due to the government proposal toreduce the budget, the ratio of maintenance cost (CRDA3:GDA7) borne by the GDA was rising.
Since 2005, the ratio of GDA’s funds to the operation and maintenance cost was exceeding 100%.
Also, in the ex-post evaluation report, deterioration of concrete canals was indicated. The cause forthe deterioration was under research at the time. From these situations, concern was shown over thesustainability of the project.
Therefore, this project was selected for ex-post monitoring and reviewed under each criterion withthe findings from the field survey and other research activities with a final conclusion being drawn.

2. Outline of the Monitoring Study
2.1 External Monitoring Consultants
Eiko Nakamoto (Nakamoto & Associates Co., Ltd.)
Toyo Tanaka (Nakamoto & Associates Co., Ltd.)

2.2 Duration of Monitoring Study
Duration of the Study: September 2012 – June 2013
Duration of the Field Study: November 26, 2012 – December 14, 20124-2

2.3 Constraints of the Monitoring Study
Obtaining all of the detailed data for each region was impossible due to the limitation of thesurvey period. The missing data were supplemented by national statistical data and by interviews to
relevant authorities.

3. Monitoring Results
3.1 Effectiveness3.1.1 Quantitative Effects
3.1.1.1 Results from Operation and Effect Indicators
3.1.1.1.1 Beneficiary Rural Households
Compared to the time of ex-post evaluation, the number of beneficiary rural households hasleveled after a slight increase; the efficacy of the project continues to take effect (Table 1). Numbers
in Tozeur and Gabes are lower than the planned value; however, this is due to the fact that theplanned value includes the regions excluded from this project. The increase in the number ofbeneficiary rural households in 2008 is from the homecoming of rural households, and not from newentry of outside farmers. Because of the cultural background of the Southern Oasis Region to think it
is a shame to sell the land inherited from ancestors, sale of agricultural land is uncommon, resulting
in limited new entrants. Land within the oasis is inherited from generation to generation, andtherefore, acceptance of new entrants from outside farmers is rare.
At the time of ex-post evaluation, due to the increase in the number of land-owners interested inparticipating in the project, the CRDA had partially expanded the project components. However, thefact that the CRDA expanded the project's concrete canals could not be verified in this study.

Table 1: Number of Beneficiary Rural Households
Planned
Gafsa
Tozeur

2006*

5,620
7,060

6,212
5,855

Kebili

9,020

Gabes

17,900

2007

2008

2009

(Unit: households)
2010
2011

7,055

7,055

7,070

7,070

7,080

10,122

4,652
10,886

4,652
10,886

4,652
10,886

4,652
10,886

4,652
10,886

10,171

10,171

10,618

10,626

10,626

10,676

Total
39,60032,36032,76433,211
Source: CRDA *value from ex-post evaluation report

33,23433,23433,2943.1.1.1.2 Beneficiary Area
In comparison to the time of ex-post evaluation, beneficiary area by this project shows a slightincrease in all regions (Table 2). In regards to the beneficiary area of the oases in which the project
was implemented, Gafsa exceeds the initial plan; beneficiary areas of Gabes and Kebili are below
the planned area, but have stabilized. The project continues to produce positive effects.

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Table 2 Beneficiary Area
Planned

2006*

2007

2008

2009

(Unit: ha)
2011

2010

Number of Oases
Benefitted Area
Number of Oases

8
3,467
30

8
3,467
20

Benefitted Area
Number of Oases
Benefitted Area
Number of Oases
Benefitted Area

5,622
67
7,213
48
7,133

3,143
30
3,700
30
4,115

Number of Oases

153

88

87

91

91

91

91

Benefitted Area
23,435
14,425
Source: CRDA *value from ex-post evaluation

15,02815,03915,047

15,047

15,047

Gafsa
TozeurKebili
Gabes
Total

9
3,584
18
3,285
30
3,735
30
4,424

9
3,584
18
3,285
30
3,735
34
4,435

9
3,584
18
3,285
30
3,735
34
4,443

9
3,584
18
3,285
30
3,735
34
4,443

9
3,584
18
3,285
30
3,735
34
4,443

According to the interview with the CRDA of Gabes, 4 oases in Gabes were divided because ofinheritance and, as a result, the number of oases increased. The increase in area is due to the change
in the calculation method; there was no substantial increase. In Tozeur, number of oases decreasedby two. However, according to the Ministry of Agriculture, this decrease can be explained by thepossibility that several oases or GDAs were merged.
Furthermore, with the following ODA loan project, “Water Saving Agriculture Project in Southern
Oasis Area”, irrigation facilities will be installed in the 19 oasis which were excluded from thisproject. The new project had not initiated its implementation at the time of this study.

3.1.1.1.3 Cultivated Area and Cropping Ratio
Cultivated areas in Gafsa, Kebili and Gabes have increased compared to the time of ex-post
evaluation (Table 3). According to the interview with Ministry of Agriculture, this is due to theincreased efficiency of land usage resulting from three-layer polyculture. The farmers generally plant
palm trees on the upper level, olive trees on the lower level and cultivate vegetables on the groundlevel in order to optimize land usage. Increased volume of distributed water from the rise in water
efficiency by this project has enabled the farmers to actively engage in three-layer polyculture. The
CRDA calculates cultivated area by multiplying benefitted area with cropping ratio resulting incropping ratio exceeding 100%.

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Table 3 Cultivated Area and Cropping Ratio

Cultivated Area

Planned
5,359

2007*
3,046

2008
3,154

2009
3,226

Cropping Ratio
Cultivated Area
Cropping Ratio

155%
6,501
116%

85%

88%

90%

Kebili

Cultivated Area
Cropping Ratio

Gabes

Cultivated Area
Cropping Ratio

Gafsa(Unit: ha)
2010
2011
3,226
3,226

90%

90%

3,700

3,722

3,708

3,580

3,548

12,130
168%

113%
5,528
148%

113%
5,602
150%

113%
5,789
155%

109%
5,976
160%

108%
6,125
164%

10,690
150%

6,575
149%

7,220
163%

7,238
163%

7,323
165%

7,330
165%

Total
Cultivated Area
34,68010,275
Source: CRDA *value from ex-post evaluation

10,942

10,946

10,903

10,878

TozeurOn the other hand, abandoned plots of farmland also exist within the oasis. Ex-post evaluation
reported the problem of abandoned farmlands due to property rights disputes resulting frominheritance. This problem is caused by a tradition to divide the land into the number of male heirs
upon inheritance. This leads to fragmentation of land after a few generations and complication ofland boundary and property rights, and ultimately, dispute over land ownership. At present, morethan 60% of farmland in Gabés is fragmented land, under 0.5 hectare. Concerning this problem, theMinistry of Agriculture issued a law in 2011 (decree No.4115.5) which prohibits land division andendowment. As a result, land fragmentation deterred and cases of dispute over land ownership havetranquilized. During the field study in Gabés, abandoned lots of farmland were identified; however,according to the CRDA, the situation is improving.

3.1.1.1.4 Crop Yields
Data for 2007 obtained during this study and those reported in the ex-post evaluation (2007) differ
significantly. In the inquiry made to the CRDA of Gabes, the source of the data in the ex-post
evaluation report could not be verified. Therefore, this analysis was done with the available annual
data since 2007, which were newly obtained by this study. Based upon these premises, crop yield has
shown a steady increase since 2007. For example, crop yields of summer and winter vegetables ofGafsa have continually risen, as seen in Table 4. In addition, crop yield of fodder has shown
substantial increase since 2007. This is due to the government's policy to raise the self-sufficiency ofmilk to 100%, which led to the increased demand and rise in price of dairy cows, resulting inenhancement of breeding of dairy cows. Consequently, the rising demand for fodder led to theincrease in price; fodder has become a highly attractive crop to the farmers.

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Table 4 Crop Yield
PlannedFruit Trees

2007

2008

2009

(Unit: tons/ha)
2010
2011

11.7

10.6

10.6

10.7

10.6

10.7

Summer Vegetables

18

4.3

4.4

4.5

4.6

4.6

Winter Vegetables

23.6

6.5

6.6

6.8

6.8

6.8

Fodder

59.3

65.8

65.7

65.9

66.0

66.1

Fruit Trees

2.5

525.0

533.0

582.0

582.0

611.0

Summer Vegetables

9.6
1,350.0

1,724.0

1,596.0

1,336.0

1,269.0

Winter Vegetables

12.5

Fodder

79.9

5,612.0

6,543.0

7,764.0 11,832.0 10,420.0

Fruit Trees

2.8

539.6

541.0

566.0

576.0

576.0

Summer Vegetables

10.1

50.0

58.0

59.0

48.0

6.0

Winter Vegetables

12.8

165.0

240.0

230.0

253.0

157.0

Fodder20.1

1353.01443.01402.01370.01085.0

Fruit Trees

11.8

32.3

34.6

34.6

31.6

35.1

Summer Vegetables

15.2

11.1

11.7

12.3

13.4

13.4

Winter Vegetables

28.1

27.0

27.3

27.3

28.7

28.7

Fodder

59.4

59.0

71.3

75.4

77.6

81.7

Gafsa

TozeurKebili

Gabes

Source: CRDA

According to the CRDA of Gabés, as described above, stable production as a result of increased
irrigation water supply has enabled the farmers to engage in three-layer polyculture. In addition,
irrigation water enabled the farmers to cultivate in the dry season, and the resulting increase in thecultivation period has led to the rise in the crop yield. Crop yields of olives and pomegranates haveparticularly increased. In addition, the drop in crop yields of fruit trees seen in 2010 is due to heavy
rainfall.

3.1.1.2 Results of Calculations of Internal Rates of Return (IRR)
In the ex-post evaluation report, Internal Rate of Return (IRR) was calculated to be 9.0%.
However, since the basis of this calculation used in the ex-post evaluation report could not be
obtained, IRR will not be calculated in this report.

3.1.2 Qualitative Effects
From the interview with the CRDA of Gabés, and from the responses to the questionnaires sent to
the CRDAs, positive quantitative effects of the project reported in the ex-post evaluation report were

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confirmed. The installation of concrete irrigation canals has reduced water leakages and increased
water efficiency. The effects produced from this effect are as follows: First, salt damage has
decreased. Since irrigation water is periodically drawn into the farmland, salinity in the soil is
washed away, and salt damage was decreased from depressed salt concentration in the soil. However,scientific research has not been performed on the salinity or the conservation of ground water
resources. Second, since the irrigation canals used before the projects were simple ditches dug in the
ground, there was substantial water loss. Concrete canals enabled efficient water use, and water
distribution to farmers farther downstream became possible. Third, with the stable volume of watersupply, accurate calculation of water distribution became possible, and as a result, water outages
decreased and led to the increase in crop yields. The distribution of water to farmers is done
according to a rotation system between users. The rotation system consists of deciding on the orderin which irrigation water is used by each farmer as well as the allocated time which is counted byhours per user, in order to optimize the efficient use of irrigation water. The installation of concretewater pipes has allowed for improved precision in terms of time and volume of water distributed toeach parcel. This has helped reduce water outages and led to increased production. Furthermore, theimprovement in water efficiency increased the volume of water distributed per hour, and reduced thetime for water distribution to each parcel. Fourth, diversification of crops resulting from more
farmers engaging in three-layer polyculture has led to a reduction in the fallow periods. The fallow
periods, in which the farmlands were unused, were between 20 to 50 days before the implementationof the project. After the project, periods were reduced to 17 to 35 days. In addition, the qualities of
harvested products have improved compared to those before the project.

The above mentioned items confirm that the positive effects at the time of ex-post evaluation
continue to be produced. Although the problem of aforementioned abandoned farmlands resulting
from dispute over land ownership has not been solved, the problem is showing signs of steady
improvement from the efforts made by the Ministry of Agriculture.

3.2 Impact
3.2.1 Intended Impacts
Ex-post evaluation report indicated this project’s impact of younger generations’ return toagriculture. According to the interview to the CRDA, the recent years have witnessed a growing
tendency for younger generation, between 39 and 50 years old, to return to agricultural activities.
This is due to the fact that increased irrigation efficiency has made irrigated agriculture moreaccessible than before, and part-time agriculture, undertaking agricultural tasks as secondary
activities, became possible. There are also an increasing number of people returning to farming after
early retirement. It can be assured that the contribution of this project to the returning of those

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aforementioned to agricultural activities is continually significant, since the ex-post evaluation.
Ex-post evaluation reported the increase in employment opportunities of seasonal workers during
harvesting season, resulting from the increase in agricultural production brought about by thisproject. Currently, the increase in agricultural production continues to produce employment
opportunities for seasonal workers during the harvest season. However, the increase of agricultural
production in the oasis gave a rise to a new problem of insufficient seasonal labor. The olive harvest
season in the southern region requires a seasonal workforce of 120,000 workers, while in reality,
there only 20,000 workers are available. Seasonal workers receive low wages and do not have anysocial insurance; such conditions are not attractive to young people. The majority of seasonal
workers (more than 80%) are women. In recent years, women’s advance into society haveaccelerated in Tunisia, and women have better chances of finding work that offer better working
conditions compared to seasonal workers. This is also a factor in the shortage of seasonal workers. In
addition, political instability in neighboring country of Libya resulted in refugees flowing into
Tunisia. This has created a demand for vast quantities of food. While the farmers are increasing theirproductions, the seasonal workers immigrate to countries paying higher wages such as the Gulf and
Libya creating a shortage of seasonal workers in Tunisia. In case of serious shortage, the government
assists the harvest of olives by sending military troops to the region. This problem has not yet beensolved. The problem not only concerns the targeted area covered by this project, but is in fact acommon issue for the entire southern region.
The project’s impact of improvement in salt damage from saline soil, decrease in water outage,and increase in the diversity of crops continues to take effect. Decrease in the salt damage andincrease in the volume of distributed water have raised the precision of calculation for water
distribution, which led to diversification or crops and decreased water outage. Agricultural
production and household income increased as a result. This project’s positive impact on the
improvement of living standards of farmers in the target area continues to take effect. There are a
growing number of farmers that have purchased new cars or have built house extensions. In addition,owing to the positive effects observed in terms of water efficiency through the concrete canals
installed by this project, some farmers have installed in their own parcel, concrete canals similar tothe ones used in the project at their own cost. This is also another positive effect of the project.

3.2.2 Other Impacts
3.2.2.1 Environmental Impact
The negative impact of the project that was mentioned in the ex-post evaluation concerning thedecrease in the number of birds as well as the decrease of cooling effect inside the oasis was notbased on empirical and scientific data, but rather on the personal opinion of the interviewed persons.
According to the Ministry of Environment, there has been no scientific study conducted concerning

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the decrease in the number of birds or on the decrease in the cooling effect inside the oasis. The
Ministry of Agriculture, in collaboration with the Ministry of Environment and UNESCO, has
jointly proceeded to the starting of a project on the protection of the oasis, and the results of thestudy are expected from this project. As for the decrease of cooling effects of the oasis, the CRDA ofGabes is not aware of such impact.
The Ministry of Environment has stated that this project had a positive impact on the protection ofoases, protection of nonrenewable resources such as fossil water, protection of soil, and preventionof desertification. Continual effects of these impacts reported in the ex-post evaluation wereconfirmed.
According to the interview with the CRDA of Gabés, “water is rare in this region; carefully
attention is paid to maintain the balance between the production and the preservation of water
resources when using water for agriculture. Therefore, there are no negative changes concerning
water”.

3.2.2.2 Impact to Surrounding Regions
At the time of ex-post evaluation, it was confirmed that this project was contributing to theimprovement of economic and social life of the surrounding regions by reclamation of farmland in
the outer regions of the oasis using surplus water. According to the CRDA of Gabes, efficient water
distribution continues to be possible since the time of ex-post evaluation, and reclamation of oases’
outer region is also continually pursued; these impacts are continues to take effect. On the other hand,
the Ministry of Agriculture states that it is necessary to reinforce and enforce the law, since thepublic order has become unstable after the revolution and more people are using the water illegally.
This issue is not peculiar only to the oases targeted by this project, but a common problem in all of
the oases. Since the illegal users do not pay the water fee, it is possible that there could be negative
effects on the sustainable management of the oasis. However, the Ministry of Agriculture considers
the current condition of Tunisia to be temporary, and expects this situation of the illegal usage ofwater to improve in the future.

3.2.2.3 Land Acquisition, Relocation
There have been no land acquisitions or relocation since the time of ex-post evaluation.

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Concrete canals

Copied concrete canalDelamination from salt damage can be seen
(See 3.3.3.1 and 3.3.4)

The continued consistency of the impact of this project was confirmed. However, there were no
scientific studies on the impact of the environment; the scientific results are expected from the
UNESCO project on oasis preservation.

3.3 Sustainability
3.3.1 Structural Aspects of Operation and Maintenance3.3.1.1 CRDA
According to the Ministry of Agriculture, there were no notable changes in the maintenance andoperation system since the ex-post evaluation. The activities related to operation and maintenance ofthe facilities and the equipment is shared between the CRDA and the GDA. However, the shared
roles differ by region. Relations between the CRDA and the GDA are good.1 The system of task
sharing between the CRDA and the GDA in the region of Gabes, based on the interviews and the site
visit, will be presented below.
The organization of the CRDA has been enhanced by the increase in the number of staff comparedto the time of ex-post evaluation. According to the answers to the questionnaire sent to the CRDA,
the CRDA is responsible for repairs of large-scale facilities (irrigation facilities, main irrigation
channels, secondary irrigation channels) and maintenance requiring certain expertise. This has notchanged since the ex-post evaluation. The CRDA also provides for the GDA the necessary
1

Cultural background of the oasis: Since water is scarce in the southern oases region, management of oases water
has been carried out by communities since ancient times. Irrigation techniques were developed. Irrigational rotation
system and the volume of water according to the area and types of crop were calculated by engineers. In the 16th
century, an agricultural organization, a predecessor of the GDA, was established. This organization was carried overto the GDA, making a solid foundation. Therefore, after the revolution of 2011, while the GDAs in other regions weredissolved, those in the southern regions remained intact and have built a firm relationship with the CRDA.

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calculations for water rotation system.2 In the CRDA of Gabes, the Maintenance Unit and theDepartment of Operations of Irrigated Perimeters (DOIP) perform the operation and maintenance ofthe facilities. The Maintenance Unit and the DOIP, which is under the Division of Hydraulics andRural Equipment, conducts the maintenance of pumping stations and cooling facilities upon therequest from the GDA.
At the time of ex-post evaluation, there were 1 to 2 engineers, several technicians, and 10 to 20
skilled workers at each CRDA. Currently, each CRDA hires, as full-time employees, 1 to 24
engineers, 7 to 40 technicians, and 10 to 33 skilled workers.
The ex-post evaluation report mentioned that there was a growing tendency for the CRDA tooutsource its activities. This tendency continues to be present within the CRDA. However, thereason for outsourcing is not only the shortage of staff, but upon the expectation to stimulate thelocal economy through promotion of sound competition.

3.3.1.2 GDA
Since the last assessment, there have been no significant changes regarding the organizational
system of the GDA. The GDA is in charge of small-scale repairs and daily maintenance of irrigation
facilities. However, there are regions such as Gabes, where most of the maintenance activities are
entrusted to the GDA by the CRDA. In Gabes, all the maintenance activities of the facilities andequipment are performed by the GDA. The cost of the maintenance is borne by the GDA, andcollected from each rural household. Henceforth, the CRDA of Gabes is urging the GDA to directly
hire external subcontractors themselves for the repairs of the facilities and without the involvementof the CRDA. According to the interviewed with the CRDA of Gabes, the GDA is increasingly
resorting to outsourcing to external subcontractors. However, the GDA desires to return to the
traditional system of the CRDA managing the large-scale repairs, and the GDA managing thesmall-scale repairs. The cost of repair by the CRDA is considerably lower. On the other hand, theCRDA claims that the GDA has sufficient financial capacity to manage the operation andmaintenance of the facilities as the policy of the State also promotes the GDA participation incovering the operation and maintenance cost of water systems.

2

The frequency and duration of water distribution is determined by the area and the types of crop. Based on thesefactors, "calculation for rotation system" is the process of calculating frequency and time of irrigation usage.

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Table 5 Operation and Maintenance Structure of the GDA

Gafsa

TozeurKebili

2007

2008

2009

2010

2011

Irrigated Area (ha)

3,584

3,584

3,584

3,584

3,584

Number of GDA

9

9

9

9

9

GDA M embership
GDA Representatives

7,055
54

7,055
54

7,070
54

7,070
54

7,080
54

Irrigated Area (ha)

3,285

3,285

3,285

3,285

3,285

Number of GDA

31

31

31

31

31

GDA M embership
GDA Representatives

186

186

186

186

186

Irrigated Area (ha)

31
3,735

31
3,735

31
3,735

31
3,735

31
3,735

Number of GDA

30

30

30

30

30

GDA M embership
GDA Representatives

180
0

180
0

180
0

180
0

180
0

4,424

4,435

4,443

4,443

4,443

Irrigated Area (ha)Gabes

Number of GDA

GDA M embership
GDA Representatives
Source: CRDA

30

34

34

34

34

168
127

168
140

168
140

168
140

168
140

In the southern region, one or more GDA is established for each oasis. The numbers of GDAs
presented in the ex-post evaluation differ significantly from the numbers obtained by this study.
Therefore, comparison analysis is performed using the data for 2007 obtained by this study. Basedon these premises, the numbers of GDAs have not changed, other than the increase due to theaforementioned division of the GDA in Gabes in 2008 (Table 5). Moreover, in each CRDA there are
two workers in charge of each GDA and, concerning this point, there are no changes compared to the
ex-post evaluation.

3.3.2 Technical Aspects of Operation and Maintenance3.3.2.1 CRDA
The CRDA is continually providing technical assistance to the GDA since the ex-post evaluation.
According to the CRDA, it is providing training seminars and workshops upon request from theGDA. Workshop is held at the training center. In addition, outsourced training is held upon requestfrom farmers who wish to receive training on a specialized subject, and on-site trainings on the
farmland are also held. Regular topics of the workshops relate to water saving techniques, such as,
the methods of drip irrigation (method of irrigation by drips of water through emitters), and methods
for increasing the efficiency of gravity irrigation (irrigation method using the natural gravity of thegrounds); pomegranate cultivation; beekeeping; labeling management for exporting crops; andorganizational management such as, expense management and meeting facilitation. Data regarding
the number of trainees by age group could not be obtained.
In Gabes, the CRDA offers outsourced training sessions in order to provide farmers with a wide

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variety of expertise, in addition to the seminars given by its own engineers. Also, the CRDA holds
meetings semi-annually with representatives from each GDA to share the knowledge concerning
irrigation and water efficiency.

3.3.2.2 GDA
Technical assistance by the CRDA is continually being provided since the ex-post evaluation.
Through CRDA’s technical assistance, the GDA has become able to carry out the maintenance
operations by themselves. The training sessions offered by the CRDA are basically free of charge.
The GDA actively attend these training courses and apply the knowledge such as new irrigational
techniques and cultivation of various crops them in the agricultural lands they are managing, to theiragricultural activities.
According to the interview with the GDA, apart from the various free training courses offered by
the CRDA, they attend the CRDA’s outsourced training sessions such as pomegranate cultivationand labeling management for exporting pomegranates. The CRDA bears the cost of the training;
however, if the training topic benefits only some of the farmers, then the beneficiaries share the cost.
At the time of ex-post evaluation, GDAs were hiring technical experts, such as engineers. However,the number of technical experts could not be obtained. Currently, most GDAs hire a technicaldirector who manages the technical and financial affairs of the GDA.

3.3.2.3 Ministry of Agriculture
In the ex-post assessment of the project, it was mentioned that the Ministry of Agricultureorganizes orientation meetings for the farmers. Currently, these meetings are held by the CRDA andnot the Ministry of Agriculture as the CRDA is the regional office of the Ministry of Agriculture.
Actual implementation such as technical assistance to the GDA is done by the CRDA, and theMinistry of Agriculture is responsible for general affairs and overall management. Ministry ofAgriculture holds irregular sensitization sessions and training sessions for water-saving andirrigation techniques for the GDAs and the farmers. In addition, the Ministry of Agriculture holds a
meeting once a month with the representatives of all CRDAs to provide the necessary information.
According to the Ministry of Agriculture, the water efficiency is one of the national agenda. It is
cooperating with the Ministry of Environment to carry out water saving campaigns throughtelevision commercials and regional television programs. Annual “Water Day” was established tosend a variety of messages for the importance of water resource.

3.3.3 Financial Aspects of Operation and Maintenance3.3.3.1 CRDA
Water fee collection rate from the GDA continues to be close to 100% since the ex-post evaluation.

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According to the questionnaire to the CRDA, Gafsa, whose decline in the collection rate wasindicated in the ex-post evaluation report, has raised its collection rate to 100% since 2007.
Regarding the ratio of operation and maintenance cost borne by the CRDA and the GDA, the ratio is
CRDA 30% and GDA 70%. However in Gabes, almost all of the operation and maintenance cost isborne by the GDA.
Cost of daily operation and maintenance is borne by the GDA. Although the CRDA in Gabes islacking funds for a large-scale repair of pumping stations and cooling towers, there are no problems
concerning the current status of the maintenance of the facilities of this project.
In Gabes, there is no financial assistance given from the CRDA to the GDA. According to theinterview to the CRDA of Gabes, the deterioration of concrete indicated in the ex-post evaluation
report is only at the surface and there is no effect on the irrigation. On the other hand the GDA,
which is responsible for the maintenance, desires a large-scale repair of the deteriorated concrete
canals, and is negotiating with the CRDA to provide financial assistance for the repair of the canals.
According to the interview to the Ministry of Agriculture and the answers from the questionnaire to
the CRDA, ratio of concrete canals with surface damage is limited. CRDA of each region lacks thefunds to implement a large-scale repair of the irrigation facilities. Each CRDA has an annual budget
for maintenance of irrigation and drainage networks, and are implementing the necessary repairs
based on schedule of annual priority. However, financial statements to confirm the balance ofrevenue and costs of maintenance were not available.

3.3.3.2 GDA
The GDA collects the irrigation water fees directly from the users and, the necessary maintenancecosts are collected from each farmer according to the volume of utilized water. Farmers’ incomes
have increased overall; there are no problems regarding the finance of maintenance costs (Table 6).

Table 6 Balance of the GDA
2006****
Gafsa
TozeurKebili
Gabes

2007

2008

2009

2010

(Unit: TND)
2011

Revenue

620,060

734,634

761,658

753,979

669,187

702,647

Expense424,226

680,560

709,823

760,440

836,484

1,003,781

Revenue

2,601,124

112,000

111,000

112,200

125,600

125,600

Expense2,686,805

87,00068,00094,000113,000

113,000

Revenue

2,563,425

1,813,897

1,581,279

1,972,982

2,184,765

1,771,088

Expense2,626,415

181,054

125,085

225,244289,854

114,874

Revenue

N/A

708,546 1,065,917** 1,433,691*** 1,540,239***

1,471,791

ExpenseN/A
663,683* 1,039,623** 1,349,252*** 1,480,346***
1,402,124
Source: CRDA, GDA *data missing from 11GDAs **data missing from 5 GDAs ***data missing from 1 GDA****value from ex-post evaluation

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Ratio of funds to the cost of operation and maintenance has not changed, with the exception of
Kebili, compared to the ex-post evaluation, and generally speaking, collected water fee and costs
borne by the farmers cover the maintenance costs (Table 7). The reason for the low ratio in Kebili
could not be investigated due to the limited timeframe of the study.

Table 7 Ratio of the GDA funds to Cost of Operation and Maintenance
2006*

2007

2008

2009

(Unit: %)
2011

2010

All Oases(excluding Kebili)

-

92

94

96

104

110

Kebili

-

10

8

11

13

6

48

55

57

60

65

Total

118

Source: CRDA, GDA *value from ex-post evaluation

In Gabes, the neighboring markets have vitalized, and price of agricultural products have risen. In
addition, since increase in production was made possible by this project, farmers’ incomes are rising.
According to the CRDA of Gabes, because the financial capacity of the farmers increased, the costs
associated with maintenance of facilities are almost entirely born by the GDA. Although the GDA
cannot afford the aforementioned large-scale concrete canal repair, it is currently carrying out themaintenance of pumping station to tertiary canals. The collected fees of water utilization from thefarmers are maintained at affordable prices, and the remainder of the amount required for the cost of
maintenance is borne by the farmers based on the volume of used irrigation water. There is no
problem with the financial capacity of the farmers, since their income is increasing. Collection rateof the water fees is 75% to 100% in all GDAs, except Tozeur, and has continually maintained a highlevel since the ex-post evaluation (Table 8). The reason for the low collection rate in Tozeur could
not be ascertained due to the limited timeframe of the study.
According to the Ministry of Agriculture, the parity in terms of operation and maintenance costs
between the CRDA and the GDA is respectively of 30% and 70%. However, the reduction of statebudget and the rising incomes of the GDAs have created the tendency for the increase in the GDA’s
ratio of bearing the maintenance cost.

Table 8 Water Fee Collection Rate

Gafsa
TozeurKebili
Gabes
Source: CRDA, GDA

2007
100
30
80

2008
100
35
82

2009
100
24
79

2010
100
25
75

93

101

89

91

4-15

(Unit: %)
2011

100
14
75
80

3.3.3.3 Ministry of Agriculture
Ex-post evaluation reported that the Ministry of Agriculture was granting subsidy to the GDA.
However, the subsidy is currently not being given. The Ministry of Agriculture undertakes measuresthrough the CRDA, and no direct subsidy towards the GDA is being implemented. According to theinterview, large-scale repair is being undertaken by cooperation of the CRDA and the GDA, andsmall-scale repair and daily maintenance is undertaken by the GDA; granting subsidy is notnecessary.
Moreover, as additional information, from an interview with the Ministry of Agriculture, andinformation on the website of the Ministry of Planning and Regional Development, there is a fundcalled FOSDAP (Special Fund for Agriculture and Fisheries Development), intended for small-scale
farmers. The fund is managed by the BNA (National Agriculture Bank) and allocated indirectly tosmall farmers through the CRDAs in order to assist in financing of the costs associated withirrigation activities. The fund also assists the GDAs through financing the costs for the renovationand maintenance of the irrigational network. The allocated amounts are limited to 60% of the cost,and in 2012, 23.5million Dinars have been disbursed to the 24 CRDAs.

3.3.4 Current Status of Operation and MaintenanceThe deterioration of the concrete irrigation channels, mentioned in the ex-post evaluation, wasseen in certain facilities during the field survey at the CRDA of Gabes. According to the Ministry ofAgriculture, delamination of concrete is due to salt damage from the salinity of soil and salt
contained in the moisture. According to the CRDA of Gabes, it is due to salinity and sulfurizationfrom the soil, and also, the effect of the quality of concrete used for the project. At the time of
construction, the concrete with “high resistance to salinity” was selected. However, since theselection was made considering the balance between cost and quality, the selected concrete was notof highest quality, but one that can withstand the use for irrigation. Therefore, the concrete has
deteriorated with time. However, the deterioration is only on the surface, and there is no influence on
the capacity of irrigation. During the site visit, new concrete canals could not be seen, but the surfaceof the canals was repaired with additional layer of concrete. According to the answers to thequestionnaires, in Kebili and Tozeur, repair has not been undertaken since the deterioration is only
on the surface of the concrete, and is evident in only 3% of all canals. The repair of the concretesurface is being undertaken by the CRDA, but due to budget constraints, the repair work isundertaken according to priority. At the CRDA of Kebili, maintenance is thoroughly conducted
whereas all water pipes in the cooling facilities, descaling of the cooling tower, replacing of pipes
and wooden grids are done once every two years. In Tozeur, maintenance of cooling facilities
maintenance is jointly executed by the CRDA and the GDA. During the site visit in Gabes, the4-16

facilities were in order, and no problems could be detected.

Thus, the operation and maintenance has been properly carried out by the cooperation of theCRDA and the GDA. The study confirmed that there is no problem from the time of ex-post
evaluation.

4. Conclusion, Lessons Learned and Recommendations
4.1 Conclusion
The number of beneficiary rural households as well as that of the cultivated areas is increasing.
On the other hand, qualitative effects reported in the ex-post evaluation such as the increase in thenumber of the returned farmers, the reduction of soil salinity, the rise in the standard of living, haveonce again been confirmed. Deteriorations of concrete canals, indicated in the ex-post evaluation,
were also confirmed. However, the authorities noted that this deterioration was only on the surfaceof the concrete. Also, from the fact that the CRDA judged that there were no problems with thefunction of the canal, and although elementary efforts to repair the deteriorating surface were seen, it
can be concluded that there is no problem with the sustainability of the project. Taking into
consideration the above-mentioned findings, it is concluded that the positive effects of the projectcontinue to be seen after the ex-post evaluation.

4.2 Recommendations
None.

4.3 Lessons Learned
From ancient times, certain distinctive culture exists in the southern region of Tunisia which
stipulates that selling oasis lands inherited from the ancestors is perceived as a shame. This is thecause for limited sales of land, and few new entrants. Therefore, utilizing “the number of beneficiary
rural households” as an indicator to assess the effect of project is inappropriate. Rather, indicatorssuch as “irrigation usage rate”, “change in agricultural production” should have been analyzed.
Based on this, when selecting operation and effect indicators for this type of project, it is necessary
to take into account the regional cultural background and characteristics of the targeted region.

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Comparison of the Original and Actual Scope of the Project
Item
OutputBreakdown
Number of oases
Gafsa
TozeurKebili
Gabes

Original
8
30
67
48

As planned
20
30
30

Area of target sites (ha)Gafsa
TozeurKebili
Gabes

3467
5622
7213
7133

As planned
3,143
3,700
4,115

Construction of terminal
earth canals (meter)
Gafsa
TozeurKebiliGabes

483,242
494,454
1,080,683
1,033,188

325,124
157,971
870,240
370,791

37,465352,500
573,782649,681

31,888353,614347,095
193,730

Construction of drainage
canals (meter)
Gafsa
TozeurKebili
Gabes
Consulting Services
PeriodProject Cost
Foreign Currency
Local Currency
Total
ODA Loan
PortionExchange Rate

Dec. 1996 – Jun. 2003
(6 years and 7 months)
79 months
5,847 million yen
4,961 million yen(Local currency: 45,106,000 TD)
10,808 million yen
8,106 million yen
1TND = 110 yen(As of Dec. 1996)

15 There are no data on the breakdown.

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Actual

78 MM

87 MM

Dec. 1996 – Dec. 2005
(9 years and 1 month)
109 months*158,102 million yen
6,417 million yen
1TND = 95.45yen(Average Dec. 1996 – Dec.
2005)