PWB CHAPTER 4: TECHNICAL COOPERATION PROGRAMME

Major Programme 4.1: Technical Cooperation Programme (TCP)

Achievements

495. The Major Programme responds to urgent and unforeseen requests for assistance from member countries, in close association with other components of the Regular Programme. It aims at providing a rapid response to requests that fill a critical gap and are specific and practical in nature. Emphasis is given to increasing production in agriculture, fisheries and forestry and increasing income for small producers. TCP-supported projects typically:

• are of short duration, with limited budget
• require follow-up action by governments
• are designed to have a catalytic effect
• complement other sources of assistance.

496. TCP assistance is provided in the areas of:

• emergencies
• investment
• training
• project and programme formulation
• advisory services
• assistance to development
• intercountry cooperation.

497. All projects funded from TCP resources must satisfy the criteria established by the Governing Bodies and stated in the Programme of Work and Budget 2000-2001 (C 99/3, paragraph 720). The achievements of TCP assistance are reviewed through a system of theme-oriented evaluations of a sample of projects in the same field, which are reported to the Programme Committee through the arrangements for handling evaluation reports.

498. During the biennium, the Organization received 806 requests, of which 36 percent were approved during 2000-01. The review of the requests found that 15 percent did not qualify for support by the TCP. The remaining 49 percent were undergoing further review and development and will be considered for approval in 2002-03. On average, about 57 percent of requests led to eventual approval of technical cooperation support, although not necessarily in the biennium during which they were submitted.

499. The number and value of new TCP projects approved is shown in Table 4.1-1. During any biennium the resources available for new project approvals include both the TCP appropriation concerned and the return-flow - the total of unspent balances of approved projects, consisting of the difference between approved project budgets and actual delivery of projects during the preceding biennium. Thus, in 2000-01, US$110.4 million were available for approval, composed of the Regular Programme appropriation of US$89.0 million, the return-flow of US$13.8 million and US$7.6 million uncommitted funds carried forward from the 1998-99 appropriation. TCP project approvals during the 2000-01 period totalled US$100.1 million.

500. The provisional carryover of uncommitted funds from the 2000-01 appropriation of US$10.3 million will be added to the 2002-03 appropriation and be committed for projects.

TABLE 4.1-1. NUMBER AND VALUE OF TCP PROJECT APPROVALS AND REVISIONS

501. Resources for the TCP remained constant, apart from adjustments for cost increases, from 1992-93 through 2000-01. During 2000-01, the decline that had been evident in the number of approved projects since 1992-93 was reversed. The increase in the number of projects in 2000-01 was partially influenced by a new TCP facility introduced in 2001 for providing expert assistance through the recruitment of national consultants to resolve particular technical problems, identify and formulate project ideas and conduct small-scale sectoral or basic studies requested by governments. Under this facility 15 projects of US$13,000 each were approved in 2001.

502. The structure of TCP assistance has undergone significant changes over the last four biennia, as shown in Table 4.1-2. There has been a steady increase in the share of overall approvals for emergency assistance from 15 percent in 1994-95 to 27 percent in 2000-01. Advisory services, after increasing to 62 percent in 1996-97, declined to 50 percent in 1998-99 and 45 percent in 2000-01. Other areas of increase in 2000-01 were formulation missions and training.

TABLE 4.1-2. PERCENTAGE OF APPROVED TCP ASSISTANCE BY PROJECT CATEGORY

503. The composition of expert inputs in approved TCP project budgets changed dramatically in 1998-99, when the decision was taken to utilize more cost-effective means of providing expertise to TCP projects, including national consultants, TCDC/TCCT experts and FAO staff (see Table 4.1-3). In 1996-97, the share of international expertise was about 72 percent of the total expert services cost; in 2000-01 this was reduced to 22 percent. Over the same period, the share of national consultants increased from 14 to 25 percent and the share of TCDC/TCCT expertise increased from 8 percent in 1996-97 to 29 percent in 2000-01. There was increasing involvement of FAO staff in TCP projects, indicated by the 24 percent staff share of total expert services in 2000-01, compared with 6 percent in 1996-97.

504. Total expenditure on TCP projects, including direct operating costs, is presented in Figure 4.1-1. Although TCP resources approved in the PWB have remained constant, the rate of expenditure dipped in 1998-99 due to two factors:

• a temporary slowdown in delivery arising from the short-term disruption associated with the decentralization of operational responsibility; and
• the substitution of international consultants with TCDC/TCCT experts and national consultants which are more difficult modalities to implement while resulting in lower net cost per working month of expertise delivered (see further below).

505. The partial recovery from these two factors is clearly evidenced in the figure which shows 2000-01 with an expenditure level that is 4 percent higher than 1998-99. Further acceleration of these spending rates is anticipated in 2002-03.

TABLE 4.1-3. COMPOSITION OF EXPERT SERVICES IN TCP PROJECTS

506. Values of TCP project approvals by region are shown in Table 4.1-4. A noteworthy development is the increased proportion of resources for Asia and the Pacific, which reached 25 percent in 2000-01. For Africa and Europe, the percentage of approved resources declined in 2000-01, while the share for Latin America and the Caribbean remained stable. However, fluctuations from one biennium to another are to be expected, as approvals are dependent on the submission of eligible requests.

TABLE 4.1-4. SHARE OF APPROVED TCP PROJECT RESOURCES BY REGION (PERCENTAGE)

Major Programme 4.2: TCP Unit

Achievements

507. The TCP Unit is in charge of management and coordination of the Technical Cooperation Programme. It continued to ensure that approved projects adhered to TCP criteria and to coordinate appraisal and processing of requests for TCP assistance. The decentralized structures were increasingly involved in the appraisal and formulation of TCP project proposals, in cooperation with the operating services in the Regional Offices and technical units at headquarters. Performance monitoring during project implementation was carried out by field offices with the support of Regional Offices and headquarters. Contact with governments to coordinate and prioritize requests for TCP support was maintained, particularly with the assistance of FAORs. The monitoring of follow-up action and evaluation of the impact of TCP projects continued to be an important component of programme management; two theme-oriented evaluations dealing with development of national policies in agriculture and animal health were carried out by the Evaluation Service (PBEE).

508. In April 2001, revised TCP guidelines were issued to guide the work and management of the Technical Cooperation Programme.