Ecuador Project Portfolio

In general, the range and performance of the projects in Ecuador have been adequate, relating to local and community organizations, carrying out a large number of activities and enhancing their capacity to use ICT for their development purposes and constituencies.

Impacts are still to come for the most part, as outputs have only recently been produced, and the projects still have between 2 - 2.5 yrs. left in their implementation cycle. It is furthermore not clear whether all the project will be able to attain the necessary financial support to complete their 5 yr. theoretical implementation cycle.

The main shortcomings observed had to do with relatively low operational efficiencies, limitations in project management capacity, and inadequate knowledge sharing (eg. within the Information Network)

Sustainable Mangrove Ecosystem Development (implemented by C-CONDEM)

• Purpose: Strengthen community production initiatives in Ecuadorian coastal mangrove ecosystems, through systematizing experiences, complementing-processing-socialization of research, strengthening capacity in communities, sharing of experiences, and the promotion/dissemination of the supported production initiatives
• Key Impacts: A handful of local communities are better prepared for sustainable livelihoods (whether for mollusks harvesting or community tourism) based on the mangrove ecosystem. C-CONDEM and local partners like FUNDECOL have produced good awareness-raising material, and possess more capacity (including now in ICT) to lead community work. However, given the dearth of economic opportunities, the main impact is reflected in higher community empowerment. – rather than in more tangible gains.
• Outcomes vs. expectations: In comparison with expectations, the outcome is appropriate, but project management has been inconsistent. The specific objectives of the project wee fuzzy to begin with, eg. a strengthened C-CONDEM and a handful of member organizations, also improvement of sustainable livelihood opportunities in communities.

Cocoa ICTs (implemented by MCCH)

• Purpose: Support the evolution and strengthening of the Associative Network of Cocoa Farmers of Ecuador on the basis of increased profitability and productivity.
• Key impacts: Concrete theoretical impact related to improving production and commercialisation of cocoa from small producers. Making the cocoa local Stocking Centers more operational through an Internet-based communications network, linking them to the central unit at MCCH should provide local producers with increased income. But the project has not advanced enough yet, and the network is not fully operational yet (see next point).
• Outcomes vs. expectations: The expectations were to be further advanced than they are at the time of the evaluation. The project is still in the testing phase of some of the major components of the system. In essence, it is presently an unconnected system with patches still to cover. But the underlying work continues, improving the Stocking Centers and forming capable working teams in them, and preparing the ICT components. The project seems to be on its way to achieve its objectives. The delays are mainly due to inappropriate project management and backstopping.

SERVIR (implemented by RFR/Fundación Sedal )

• Purpose: Improving the performance and reach of microfinance organizations in Ecuador (and indirectly to improve the profitability of its micro and small enterprise clients through better access to credit), by creating and making available a credit information system for small lender organisations around the country. 
• Key impacts: The project has set up an electronic credit information exchange service that local micro and small cooperative finance institutions (33 of them) use to function more effectively. It has resulted in a decrease of bad loans (by 300%) and increase in the provision of credit to less favored clients (up by 250%). The project has not worked directly with loan recipients (ability to pay, microenterprise counselling, etc.), the overall effect on them is not known.
• Outcomes vs. expectations: The project has achieved almost 100% of objectives, and gone beyond its targets in some of them (7-10 microfinance organizations were expected to join in, but 33 were involved at the time). Dynamic project management and appropriate ICT expertise are mainly responsible for the good results.

Impact of Free Trade on Agriculture (implemented by Acción Ecológica)

• Purpose: Generating awareness and spreading knowledge about the impacts of free trade (ie. the US-proposed Free Trade Agreement with Ecuador) on small and medium farmers as well as in agriculture overall in Ecuador, in order to develop resistance and pressure alternatives to protect national and subsistence agriculture.
• Key impacts: The project has made available significant amounts of information available, including through its web site. It has trained network participants to widely access information in many platforms. There were no true impact indicators, ie. on what will result from accessing information. The main effect is that AE is much better position to identify/provide information on its issues of concern.
• Outcomes vs. expectations : The project is in line with expectations. It´s a simple project, one to essentially use ICT to increase content provision to an assortment of users, and it has performed adequately. Many donors would not finance this project because the impacts are so intangible, and/or because it´s 90% institutional strengthening. At any rate, it is ideally suited for ICT applications.
  

Read more about evaluation findings in Ecuador