Summary of Evaluation Results
1. Outline of the ProjectCountry: Kingdom of Bhutan

Project Title: Horticulture Research and Development
Project (HRDP)

Issue/Sector: Agriculture and Rural
Development

Cooperation Scheme: Technical Cooperation

Division in Charge: Team 3, Agriculture
and Rural Development Group 2,
Rural Development Department, JICA
Headquarters

Total Cost: 337 million yen at the time of the Terminal
Evaluation Study

Period of
Cooperation

Partner Country’s Implementing Organization:
Renewable Natural Resources Research and Development
Center (RNRRDC) Wengkhar, the Department ofAgriculture (DoA) of the Ministry of Agriculture andForests (MoAF)
Cooperating Organization:
Dzongkhag (District) Agriculture Office {District
Agriculture Officers, Gewog (County) Extension Agents},
National Seed Center (NSC), Regional AgriculturalMarketing and Cooperatives Office (RAMCO)(R/D): March 16, 2010
March 21, 2010 – March 20,
2015 (five years)

Related Cooperation:
Dispatch of individual experts (2000–2004);
Agriculture Research and Extension Support Project in
Lhuntse and Mongar (AREP, 2004–2009)
1-1 Background of the Project
In Bhutan, about 70% of the population lives in rural areas, and most of the rural population is dependent
on the agriculture sector accounting for 17% of GDP (2010), which is regarded as the principal source of
livelihood in the 10th five-year plan (2008–2013). Because of the nature of subsistence farming with low
productivity and small land holding, the food production in Bhutan does not meet the entire food demand of
the country and the income of rural farming households remains at a low level. Under those circumstances,promotion of commercial agriculture plays an important role in agricultural development.
JICA supported the Renewable Natural Resource Research Center East (subsequently renamed RNRRDC
Wengkhar) through the dispatch of an individual expert from 2000 to 2004, focusing on the development of its
organizational and technical capacities. Then JICA has carried out the AREP in cooperation with the RNRRCEast to improve the agricultural extension mechanism through strengthening the linkage between researchand extension in Mongar Dzongkhag and Lhuntse Dzongkhag. The AREP has brought about the extension of
improved varieties of horticulture crops and the improvement of their productivity and quality. In the AREP,
farmers in the selected Gewogs of two Dzongkhags have been gradually motivated to take up cultivation of
cash crops. However, the commercialization of agriculture has yet to be extended in the whole eastern region.
Based on the above, the Royal Government of Bhutan (RGoB) requested the Government of Japan (GoJ)
to implement the technical cooperation project for demonstrating outputs of the AREP in other easternxiDzongkhags and promoting commercialization of horticulture to alleviate poverty in the eastern region.
1-2 Project Overview
The Horticulture Research and Development Project (hereinafter the “Project”) has provided the RNRRDC
Wengkhar with technical cooperation for identification of suitable crops and appropriate technologies,
strengthening the training and extension system, and improving the provision mechanism of seeds andseedlings to enable farmers to practice appropriate technologies for commercialization of horticulture in theeastern region. The support for farmers’ groups for marketing was also added to the Project Design Matrix(PDM) at the time of the Mid-Term Review Study in October 2012.
The expected outcomes of the Project are presented below.
(1) Overall Goal: Horticulture becomes more popular as a source of income in the target area.
(2) Project Purpose:	The trained and extended farmers practice appropriate technologies forcommercialization of horticulture.
(3) Outputs
Output 1

Horticulture farming practices and crops in the target area are identified according to production
and market potential.

Output 2

Technical training system on horticulture is strengthened in RNRRDC Wengkhar.

Output 3

The structure for providing seeds and seedlings is established in RNRRDC Wengkhar, nursery
farmers, seed growers and NSC Yangtse farm.

Output 4

Group for marketing is mobilized and/or formed in collaboration with RAMCO, Mongar.

(4) Inputs【Japanese Side】●
Total cost: 337 million at the time of the Terminal Evaluation Study●	Long-term Expert: One expert for Chief Advisor/Horticulture and two (2) experts for Coordination/
Farmers Organizations were dispatched. The total man-months were 107 at the time of the Terminal
Evaluation Study.
●	
Short-term Expert: One expert for Training and Extension, one expert for Pest Control, and two (2)experts for Promotion of Horticulture Cultivation were dispatched. The total man-months were 27 as thetime of the Terminal Evaluation Study.
●	Cost of the operation in Bhutan: 30.2 million yen including salaries of drivers and seasonal farm laborers
in the RNRRDC Wengkhar, training costs including training in the third countries, and other expenses.
●	Equipment: 46.7 million yen for two (2) vehicles, one excavator, and equipment and materials required
for research and development and extension activities.
●	
Number of trainees received: 53 (14 for Training in Japan and 39 for the Third Country Training in
Nepal)【Bhutanese Side】●	Counterparts (C/Ps): 21 people at the time of the Terminal Evaluation. Eleven (11) C/Ps were transferredor resigned from civil service.
●	Cost borne by the Bhutanese Side: Nu. 64.4 million including the salaries of the C/Ps and farm laborers,xii

allowance and travel expenses of the C/Ps, training costs, equipment and tools for activities.
●	Land and facilities: The office building and research farm provided by the RNRRDC Wengkhar.
2. Evaluation Team
Membersof
Evaluation
Team

Evaluation
PeriodLeader

Ms. Ayumu OHSHIMA

Director, South Asian Region, Rural
Development Department, JICA

Horticultural Researchand Development

Dr. Azusa FUJIIE

Applied Entomologist (Former Director
General, Chiba Prefectural Agriculture
and Forestry Research Center)

Cooperation and
Planning

Mr. Hiroyuki IKEDA

Deputy Assistant Director, South
Asian Region, Rural Development
Department, JICA

Evaluation Analysis

Ms. Toshiko SHIMADA

Consultant, IC Net Limited

November 6–27, 2014

Type of Evaluation: Terminal Evaluation Study

3. Results of Evaluation
3-1 Confirmation of Results(1) Achievement of Outputs
Output 1 has been on track, and is expected to be achieved by the end of the Project.
Most of the activities under the Output 1 have made sound progress. The Project has already developed 12
extension and training manuals, and materials for extension agents and farmers, which are necessary for the
implementation of activities, although the concrete target value of the Indicator 1-1 had not been set. The
final version of the Project working document on crop suitability areas in the Project sites is expected to be
published by the end of the Project. Considering the above, the Output 1 has been on track at the time of the
Terminal Evaluation, and is expected to be completely achieved by the end of the Project.
The Project conducted on-station and on-farm evaluation of vegetables and fruits for technology development
based on the review of the experiences of the AREP and other relevant documents. The major research outputs
are as follows: 1) Introduced three fruit varieties and 38 vegetable varieties; 2) Released two varieties ofpear and one variety of plum for cultivation in mid-temperate regions; 3) Developed two lines of pummelo
by selection from Thai varieties; 4) Identified that pummelo for tolerance to citrus greening disease basedon the on-farm evaluation in the affected sites; and 5) Proposed one variety each of local mandarin line andpersimmon for release.
Damages to fruits, particularly citrus and pear caused by fruit flies, have been a major problem for farmers in
the eastern region. Since the research and study on fruit fly problems had not been undertaken because of thelack of human resources and the technical difficulties in Bhutan, the Project took initiative in undertaking thebasic studies on fruit flies with the technical support of the short-term expert on pest control.
Output 2 has been already achieved because all the three indicators have been achieved.
The activities of the Output 2 have been undertaken as planned. The Project developed the technical training
and extension system on horticulture for various types of farmers, namely 1) mixed orchard farmers, 2)
focused village farmers for citrus, pear/persimmon and onion, 3) private nursery growers, and 4) vegetable
seed growers.

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The Project has so far trained 508 farmers. According to the Impact Assessment conducted by the Project,
99% of the trained farmers (158 out of 159 respondents) noted that they applied key training contents in theirfields. This exceeded 90% of the target value of the Indicator 2-1. Thus the Indicator 2-1 has been alreadyachieved. The Project has organized the three-day technical training for extension agents in the six target
Dzongkhags every year to enhance their technical capacity on horticulture. Sixty (60) extension agents fromthe eastern region and other regions have so far been trained. Overall, 96.8% (30 out of 31 respondents) of the
trained extension agents replied in the Impact Assessment that they applied skills acquired during the training,which exceeded 90% of the target value of the Indicator 2-2. Therefore, the Indicator 2-2 has been alreadyachieved. Regarding the Indicator 2-3, 167 farmers in the Impact Assessment highly assessed the content,
practical exercise and overall coordination. As a whole, 99.4% of them described that the training was very
good or good. Because this exceeded the target value, i.e., 80% stated in the PDM, the Indicator 2-3 has beenachieved. Based on the assessment above, the Output 2 has been already achieved.
Output 3 has been on track, and already achieved.
The activities of the Output 3 have been implemented as scheduled. The Project has trained 10 private nursery
growers and 14 vegetable seed growers. The RNRRDC Wengkhar has produced seeds and seedlings for
implementing the research and outreach activities including training and extension with the technical supportof the Project. On average, 7,877 fruit plants are produced by the RNRRDC Wengkhar and 307 kg of vegetableseeds are produced by the RNRRDC Wengkhar and seed growers. Thus the Project has already exceeded thetarget value of the Indicator 3-1, i.e., 4,500 fruit plants and 200 kg of vegetable seeds. To ensure the quality ofthese fruit plants and seeds, the seed growers and the private nursery growers were registered with the Bhutan
Agriculture and Food Regulatory Authority (BAFRA). The Project provided seeds, seedlings and tools andequipment for trained farmers when the training was completed. The vegetable seed growers were provided
with basic seeds, bird nets, watering cans, irrigation pipes, polythene sheets, fertilizers and pesticides and seedpackaging materials. The fruit orchard farmers and private nursery growers were provided with secateurs,
pruning saws, seeds, seedlings and scions. The Indicator 3-2 of distribution of basic materials has been
already achieved. The Project has provided various types of assistance for Regional NSC Yangtse to revive
its functions including development of farmland, construction of internal farm road and irrigation facilities,
provision of training for its staff members and laborers, and provision of seeds, seedlings and materials.
After its revival, the NSC Yangtse produced 362 kg of released varieties of vegetables and 10,000 passion
fruit plants by the time of the Terminal Evaluation. Thus the Indicator 3-3 has been achieved. Considering theabove, the Output 3 has been already achieved.
Output 4 has been already achieved because the indicator exceeded its target value.
The Project encouraged the trained farmers to cultivate various vegetables as intercrops by providing seeds
because fruit plants usually take four to five years to start commercial fruiting. The Project has supported
famers’ groups in marketing intercropped vegetables to schools in cooperation with the RAMCO. The Impact
Assessment shows that 96.3% of the trained farmers who belong to farmers’ groups started to engage in group
marketing. Because this exceeded 50% of the target value of the Indicator 4-1, the Output 4 has been achievedat the time of the Terminal Evaluation Study. Related to the support for group marketing, the Project has helped
construction of a roadside market outlet as One Stop Farmers Shop on the Trashigang-Samdrupjongkhar
Highway for the vegetable production group of Orong. At the time of the Terminal Evaluation, the trained
farmers have sold their vegetables as a group or an individual to nearby or distant markets, and local andxivoutside vegetable vendors who come to their villages to buy them.
(2) Achievement of the Project Purpose: The Project Purpose has been mostly achieved.
As for the Indicator 1, a total of 2,166 acres was estimated to be under horticulture fruits and vegetables
based on the results of the Impact Assessment. Regarding 5,000 acres set as the target value of the Indicator
1, the calculation seemed to be made based on the unfeasible scenario. Because setting the target value of the
Indicator 1 was found unrealistic, the Evaluation Team was unable to assess the achievement of the Indicator
1. In general, 86.2% of the trained farmers have extended their knowledge to other farmers. On average,
each trained farmer has shared his or her knowledge with 6.4 other farmers. Because this exceeded 75% of
the target value of the Indicator 2, the Indicator 2 has been already achieved. According to the results of the
Impact Assessment, the overall percentage of the trained and extended farmers who started to sell horticulture
produce was 63.9, which exceeded 50% of the target value of the Indicator 3. The overall level of farmers'
technical capacity is not very high. However, the training and extension approaches developed by the Project
enabled and ensured the farmers to apply the acquired knowledge and skills on horticulture cultivation. The
remaining training and extension activities are expected to be completed by the end of the Project. Given theabove, the Project Purpose has been mostly achieved.
3-2 Summary of Evaluation Results(1) Relevance: Very HighThe MoAF has accelerated horticulture development and cash crop production as effective means ofcontributing to rural development and poverty alleviation in the 10th FYP (2008–2013). In the 11th FYP(2013–2018), the MoAF has focused on transition from subsistence to commercial agriculture, and targeted
and commodity focused approach such as “one Gewog, three products” as key strategies for enhancing
agricultural productivity and income from agriculture. The Project is consistent with these two FYPs because
it has identified and promoted crop suitability areas and appropriate technologies for commercialization ofhorticulture.
The RNRRDC Wengkhar has played a key role in research and development of technologies in horticulture,and has had to promote outreach activities for farmers in the eastern region especially after development was
included into their mandate in 2009. The Project has responded to such needs of the RNRRDC Wengkhar
by establishing the effective training and extension system and identifying and extending the appropriatetechnologies to farmers. Most of the C/Ps and extension agents had had fewer opportunities to gain practicalknowledge and skills because the conventional education and training system has focused more on theory
than practice. In spite of a number of projects and programs supported by the donor agencies, the numberof technical cooperation projects is still limited. In this respect, the Project has met the needs of C/Ps andextension agents by providing adequate opportunities to obtain and upgrade practical knowledge and skills
through hands-on training and technical transfer from the Japanese experts. In the eastern region, farmers’
demands for introduction of cash crops have been gradually increasing in accordance with improvement ofaccessibility to markets by farm road construction. The Project meets such needs of farmers by introducing
and expanding the appropriate technologies to produce horticulture crops.
According to the Rolling Plan for Bhutan (2011) developed by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan,
agriculture and rural development is one of the five priority areas for assistance. In the agriculture and ruraldevelopment sector, the plan highlights the necessity of assistance for agricultural technology development
and extension programs particularly in the eastern and southern regions to minimize disparities and alleviate

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poverty in the country. The Project, therefore, is consistent with these Japanese aid policies. JICA has
consistently provided technical support for horticulture development in the eastern region since 2000 with thedispatch of experts on horticulture and the implementation of the AREP. Thus the Project is consistent withthe past assistance in this field, and has been fully utilizing various experiences and lessons learned from thepast assistance. The training and extension approaches developed by the Project were proper and effectivewith regard to promoting the adoption of technologies among farmers. It is thus fair to say that the Project asa whole has a very high degree of relevance.
(2) Effectiveness: HighThe Project has brought about the following notably positive outcomes:1) the mixed orchard farmers applied
the knowledge and skills acquired to establish the orchards and practice fruit and vegetable production throughthe systematic training and extension package; 2) the focused village approach encouraged the trained farmers
to share their knowledge and skills with other farmers, and formed producing villages for group shipping;3) 14 seed growers and 10 private nursery growers were trained and the NSC Yangtse farm was revived; 4)
the farmers’ group marketing of vegetables to schools was promoted in coordination with the RAMCO; 5)
the technical capacities, and coordination and cooperation among the Project stakeholders were improved
through the hands-on training and the Project activities. All the accomplishments above have helped enhancethe overall effectiveness of the Project.
At the time of the Terminal Evaluation, three out of the four outputs have been already achieved and the rest
has been on track for achievement. Accordingly, the Project Purpose has been mostly achieved. Thus theeffectiveness of the Project was assessed as high.
(3) Efficiency: HighIn spite of the large size of the area covered and the low accessibility because of geographical conditions andscattered households in villages in the eastern region, most of the inputs from the RGoB side and the Japaneseside were provided as scheduled, and most of the Project activities were conducted as planned. Although thetraining and extension approaches were process-oriented and time-consuming, the Project has so far covered
53 out of 70 (76%) Gewog in the eastern region, and trained 508 farmers in total.
The contributing factors for enhancing efficiency included the following: 1) assignment of the main C/Ps
who had worked in the AREP; 2) active involvement of many staff members of the RNRRDC Wengkhar
as C/Ps because the Project activities are consistent with its main task; 3) appointment of focal persons ineach Dzongkhag; 4) appropriate overall management of the Project by the two long-term experts who haverich working experiences in Bhutan; and 5) good team work between the C/Ps and the Japanese experts andtheir strong sense of responsibility and ownership. The personnel transfer and study leave among C/Ps in thesecond year of the Project have slightly affected the smooth implementation of activities. However, thesefactors have not affected the achievement of the Outputs of the Project. It is thus fair to say that the Project has
a high degree of efficiency as a whole.
(4) Impact: Many positive impacts have been already confirmed.
The Impact Assessment indicated that the overall average income of trained farmers stood at Nu. 16,671,
which has already surpassed the target of Nu. 15,120 (80% increase from the Baseline Survey of Nu. 8,400)of the target value of the Indicator 1 at the time of the Terminal Evaluation Study. The farmers produced andconsumed a variety of vegetables at the household level. Therefore, positive impacts toward the achievementxvi

of the Overall Goal have been observed. The following ripple effects of the Project have also been observed:1) the MoAF has included persimmon and pear as focused crops in the eastern region in 11th FYP (2013–2018), which have been promoted by the AREP and the Project; 2) other RNRRDCs such as Bajo and Bhur
have begun to adopt the training and extension approaches developed and promoted by the Project; 3) theMarket Access and Growth Intensification Project (MAGIP) financed by the IFAD has also adopted someof the training and extension approaches; 4) His Majesty the 5th King awarded the National Order of Merit(Gold) to the Chief Advisor of the Project and the Program Director of the RNRRDC Wengkhar for the
Project’s contribution to improving the lives of farmers in the eastern region; and 5) the Project has received
considerable publicity through much media coverage and various visitors.
(5)	Sustainability: If the financial sustainability is secured, the Project’s overall sustainability is rated
relatively high.
Policy aspect: In the 11th FYP (2013–2018), the MoAF has focused on transition from subsistence tocommercial agriculture, promotion of import substitution, and targeted and commodity focused approachas key strategies for enhancing agricultural productivity and income from agriculture, following the 10th
FYP (2008–2013) which emphasized the acceleration of horticulture development for rural development
and poverty reduction. The current policy of horticulture development and extension will likely to remainunchanged even after the completion of the Project. Thus it is fair to say that the sustainability from the policy
aspect is high.
Financial aspect: The RNRRDC Wengkhar has made a proposal for the five-year follow-up project with theestimated cost of nearly Nu. 12 million per year to ensure the sustainability of the Project. At the time of the
Terminal Evaluation, such resources were not assured except for the regular annual budget allocated to the
RNRRDC Wengkhar, NSCs and Dzongkhags. According to the C/Ps, they will propose the estimated budget
at the time of annual budget planning exercise of the RGoB. In addition, they will strive to secure the budget
resources by coordinating with other donor-assisted programs in the eastern region and by sharing resourcesamong the relevant agencies such as Dzongkhags, the RAMCO and the NSC. If the financial resources are
confirmed, then the sustainability of the Project from the financial aspect can be evaluated as high.
Institutional aspect: The training and extension approaches have been institutionalized in the RNRRDC
Wengkhar, and adopted by other RNRRDCs and the MAGIP. The group marketing system of vegetables toschools and the mechanism in which Dzongkhag Agriculture Offices purchase seeds from the seed growers
trained by the Project are expected to be sustained although follow-up activities need to be undertaken. The
sustainability in the institutional aspect is thus relatively high.
Organizational aspect: The RNRRDC Wengkhar has played a leading role in conducting research anddevelopment of technologies as well as proving technical support to farmers and other related agencies after
its change of mandate in 2009. It is expected to keep taking overall responsibility in implementing the followup project and other regular work. The Chief Advisor has been fully involved in overall management of farmsof the RNRRDC Wengkhar. Regarding the personnel transfer, four researchers are likely to be transferred or
take study leave in the near future. Because more staff members who have less experience will be in chargeof farm management, the RNRRDC Wengkhar needs to ensure the division of responsibilities to maintain thequality of farm after the completion of the Project. Given the above, the sustainability from the organizationalxvii

aspect is relatively high.
Technical aspect: The trained farmers have adopted new knowledge and skills steadily. They are likely tokeep doing what they learned and experienced from the Project in the short- and mid-terms if extension
agents and the RNRRDC Wengkhar keep conducting monitoring and follow-up activities. However, whencommercialization is promoted and consumers are more conscious about the quality and costs of vegetables
and fruits, the technical capacities of farmers will be tested. In the long term, it is necessary to upgrade theircapacities. The C/Ps and the extension agents are expected to apply their knowledge and skills at work because
they were fully involved in the Project activities and had enough confidence to do so. Fruit flies and other pests
and diseases have become serious problems for citrus and pear in the mid to low elevation. The MoAF shouldtake concrete measures to address the problems from the policy to farmer levels. Thus the sustainability fromthe technical aspect is assessed as relatively high.
3-3 Contributing Factors for Generating Effects(1) Factors Concerning Planning
The following aspects of the Inputs of the Project have contributed to generating positive outcomes: 1) the
Chief Advisor has 14 years of extensive work experiences in the RNRRDC Wengkhar and sub-centers in
the east region, substantial knowledge of horticulture, and abundant acquaintances; 2) the current expert on
Coordination/Farmers Organization has long work experiences as coordinator of various projects and offices
in developing countries including Bhutan; 3) the major C/Ps have had worked in the AREP, and playeda leading role in implementing the Project activities with a strong sense of ownership; and 4) most of thehorticulture sector members of the RNRRDC Wengkhar have been assigned as the C/Ps and actively taken
part in the Project. Furthermore, various outputs of the AREP are contributing to generating the Project’s
effects. They include identification of the crop suitability areas, production of adequate seedlings and seeds,
improvement of quality, and organization and institutional strengthening of the RNRRDC Wengkhar and subcenters in the east region.
(2) Factors Concerning the Implementation Process
After the commencement of the Project, the focal persons for each six Dzongkhags were assigned from theC/Ps, which has contributed to effective coordination and cooperation with one another. The training andextension approaches in which the C/Ps and the extension agents worked together for monitoring and followup activities have brought about stronger coordination with one another and the promotion of horticulture
among the selected farmers. This helped enhance the effectiveness and a part of the sustainability of the Project.
The new mandate of RNRRDC in 2009 has enabled the RNRRDC Wengkhar to take the lead in conducting
training and extension activities. The Working Group Meeting, which was held annually by the Project in eachDzongkhag, has worked well as a forum for the stakeholders to share the progress of the Project’s activities
and discuss issues. It has also promoted effective coordination among the RNRRDC Wengkhar, Dzongkhag
Agriculture Offices, extension agents, and the RAMCO, and has resulted in enhancing the effectiveness,
efficiency, and the sustainability in the organizational and institutional aspects of the Project.
3-4 Inhibiting Factors(1) Factors Concerning Planning
No factors were identified.

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(2) Factors Concerning the Implementation Process
The personnel transfer and study leave among C/Ps in the second year of the Project have slightly affected thesmooth implementation of activities. However, these factors have not affected the achievement of the Outputsof the Project because the number of staff members in charge of horticulture has been increased.
3-5 Conclusion
Most of the Outputs have been already achieved. The Project has a very high degree of relevance, and a highdegree of effectiveness and efficiency. At the time of the Terminal Evaluation, many positive impacts haveemerged. The results of the Terminal Evaluation confirmed that the Project Purpose was mostly achieved.
Thus the Project is going to be terminated in March 2015 as scheduled.
To make the Project sustainable, it is recommended that the Bhutanese side duly take into account therecommendations as listed below.
3-6 Recommendations(1) Recommendations to be implemented during the Project period
1. Disseminating the training and extension approaches
The Evaluation Team confirmed that the training and extension approaches developed by the Project werehighly effective in having farmers apply practical knowledge and skills to implement fruit and vegetable
cultivation in orchards or produce vegetable seeds and fruit plants at farms. Based on the experiences, it isrecommended that the Project keep disseminating such approaches by emphasizing the effectiveness of theseapproaches in contrast with the conventional ones.
2. Securing the financial resources for the post-Project activities
The RNRRDC Wengkhar has already planned the post-Project activities and estimated its costs to expand
the Project’s effects. It is strongly recommended that the RNRRDC Wengkhar immediately discuss how it
can secure such budget with the DoA, the MoAF, the Ministry of Finance, donor agencies and other relevant
stakeholders.
3. Taking over the overall management of farm from the Japanese expert
The RNRRDC Wengkhar has been supported by JICA since 2000, in which the Chief Advisor of the Project
has been fully involved in overall management of its farm. For the RNRRDC Wengkhar to take over suchoverall management of the research farm, it needs to assign an overall farm manager and enhance researchers’
active commitment to daily field management.
(2) Recommendations to be implemented after the termination of the Project
1. Implementing the post-Project follow-up activities
It is recommended that the RNRRDC Wengkhar carry out the post-Project follow-up activities as per the planin coordination with the Dzongkhag Agriculture Offices, extension agents and the relevant organizations in
the eastern region. To encourage such initiative, strong support from the central government, especially the
MoAF, is desired, in relation to developing strategies for promoting horticulture at the national and regional
level, as well as securing budget as mentioned above.

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2. Supporting enhancement of the linkage between the trained farmers and markets
The majority of the farmers trained in the Project have started selling their produce. With group sales ofvegetables to schools initiated and facilitated by the RAMCO, schools are currently the major consumers ofthe vegetables produced by the beneficiary farmers of the Project. However, the farmers might need some more
external support to ensure the sustainability of their linkage with markets in such cases as negotiations forcontract extension. Thus the concerned agencies such as the Dzongkhag Agriculture Offices, the Dzongkhag
Education Offices, the RNRRDC Wengkhar and the RAMCO should keep coordinating with one anotherwhenever necessary.
Likewise, the trained seed growers are still in the initial stage in producing and marketing vegetable seeds. To
encourage them to keep producing and marketing high-quality seeds, the RNRRDC Wengkhar, in collaboration
with the Dzongkhag Agriculture Offices and the RAMCO, needs to help strengthen the link between the
trained seed growers and buyers such as the NSC and private seed growers so that the latter will purchase theseeds in a stable manner.
3. Taking necessary measures to study and control pests and disease, especially fruit flies
Damages caused by pests and disease, especially fruit flies, are a major concern among farmers, the RNRRDC
Wengkhar and the Dzongkhag Agriculture Offices during the implementation of the Project. Thus it isrecommended that the RNRRDC Wengkhar continue to study and monitor the issue, as well as raise awarenessamong farmers on it. At the same time, the MoAF is recommended to consider practical measures for pest anddisease control that suit the organic agriculture policy of Bhutan.
4. Exploring ways to disseminate horticulture to more marginalized farmers
The Project has selected and trained motivated farmers in relatively accessible villages through the training
and extension approaches. These approaches were found to be effective in enabling such selected farmers tostart engaging in vegetable and fruit production. As horticulture becomes more popular in the eastern region,
the RNRRDC Wengkhar needs to examine how it can be effectively disseminated to more marginalized
farmers in remote areas.
3-7 Lessons Learned(1) Long-term cooperation can generate synergy effects.
JICA has supported horticulture research, development, and promotion continuously since 2000 in the easternregion and achieved various outcomes. The staff members of the RNRRDC Wengkhar who had been trainedin the previous project were assigned as the main C/Ps and actively participated in the Project’s activities.
The organizational and institutional capacities of the RNRRDC Wengkhar had improved remarkably throughthe previous cooperation. This has served as a solid foundation for horticulture research and development oftechnologies, and extension in the Project. The Chief Advisor of the Project has provided technical support
for all the activities since 2000 and built up good relationships with the Bhutanese C/Ps. This mutual trust
has contributed to implementing the overall activities smoothly and generating various effects and positive
impacts of the Project. Such long-term cooperation can produce synergy effects because the establishedresources can be effectively utilized in a project.
(2) Coordination and cooperation with relevant organizations can produce synergy effects.
The Project has supported the capacity improvement of Dzongkhag Agriculture Offices and extension agents,xxand involved them in extension, monitoring and follow-up activities in villages. This has helped farmers adopt
the technology for production of horticulture crops.
The Project has also worked with the RAMCO that supported group marketing in the Vegetable Value Chain
Programme under the MAGIP supported by the IFAD and Schweizerische Normen-Vereinigung (SNV: Swiss
Association for Standardization). The Project trained the farmers to produce fruit and intercropping vegetables
while the RAMCO helped these farmers start group marketing of vegetables to schools. This has created awin-win situation in which farmers earned stable income and schools purchased various fresh vegetables. The
Project’s extension approaches have also been adopted by the MAGIP, involving the farmers and extension
agents who were trained by the Project.
These experiences of the Project indicate that effective coordination and cooperation with relevant organizations
can produce synergy effects.
(3) Intensive training and outreach can be a key to ensure application of skills.
A conventional horticulture extension approach, i.e., distributing seeds/seedlings with simple training, hasbeen done in many countries, under which most farmers are unable to apply what they have learned tohorticulture production. To address this issue, the Project has developed more intensive training and extension
approaches. Among these approaches, the systematic training and orchard development program including
the hands-on practice was proven highly effective in imparting the practical knowledge and skills to farmers,
which have boasted the high application rate over 90%. In extension of horticulture techniques which requires
more careful attention by growers, such an approach can be a key to successful extension of horticulture insimilar projects.
(4)	The cropping area which is easily affected by external factors is not always a relevant indicator forthe horticulture extension.
The Indicator of the cropping area was set to measure the achievement of the Project Purpose based on therecommendations from the MoAF during the Mid-Term Review Study. However, it is hard to increase andmeasure the cropping areas precisely in the steep topography of the eastern region of Bhutan. At the timeof the Terminal Evaluation, it was confirmed that the target value of such an indicator was not realistic. The
DoA suggested that the cropping area affected by other external factors such as land use development is not
appropriate to measure the extent of horticulture extension.

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