Documentof The World Bank FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY ReportNo 47284-GM THE GAMBIA Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper Annual Progress Report and Joint IDA-IMF Staff Advisory Note January 15,2009 This document has a restricteddistributionand maybe usedby recipientsonly in the performanceof their officialduties.Its contents may nototherwisebe disclosed withoutWorld Bankauthorization. FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY INTERNATIONAL MONETARY FUND AND INTERNATIONALDEVELOPMENT ASSOCIATION THEGAMBIA JOINT STAFFADVISORY NOTE THE ON POVERTY REDUCTION STRATEGY PAPERANNUALPROGRESS REPORT Prepared by the Staffs o f the International Monetary Fund andthe InternationalDevelopment Association Approved by Emilio Sacerdori and Dominique Desruelle (IMF) andObiageli K.Ezekwesili (IDA) January 15,2009 I.OVERVIEW 1. The Gambianauthoritiescompletedthe 2007 PRSPAnnualProgress Report (APR) in October 2008. This is the first APR for the country's second Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper (PRSP), which covers the years 2007 to 2011 .' Theoverall strategic priorities o f the PRSP are: (i)macroeconomic stability and effective public resource management; (ii)promotion o f pro-poor growth and employment through private sector development; (iii) improved basic social services; (iv) strengthened local communities and civil society organizations (CSOs); and (v) mainstreamed multisectoral programs on gender, environment, nutrition, and population. The PRSP incorporates programs focused on the Millenium Development Goals (MDGs). The APR i s complemented by a 2008 report on progress towards the MDGs and a report which analyzes poverty related public expenditures in2007. The APR analyzes key elements o f the PRSP implementation, including macroeconomic performance, public sector reform, real sector performance such as agriculture and tourism, the social sectors and cross- cutting issues such as HIV/AIDS and gender. 2. The 2007 APR was prepared in a participatory and consultative manner. The National Planning Commission (NPC) was created to strengthenthe government's capacity to plan and coordinate government policies, consolidate limited government resources and implement the Paris Declaration on Aid Effectiveness. In particular, the NPC has assumed overall responsibility for the PRSP process and coordinated the preparation o f the APR. Consultative workshops and focus group discussions were held on the PRSP APR with representatives of the public and private sectors and civil society. ' The PRSP was presented to the Boards of the International Development Association and the International Monetary FundinJuly 2007. This document has a restricted distribution and may be used by recipients only in the performance o f their official duties. Its contents may not be otherwise disclosed without World Bank authorization. The NPC i s a relatively new organization and therefore would benefit from further strengthening o f its capacity. The staffs recommend continued institutionalization o f multisectoral and participatory monitoring arrangements. 3. The country's poverty rates are high and the poor remainhighlyvulnerable to exogenous shocks. Fifty eight percent of the households are poor, according to the 2003 household expenditure survey which is the latest information available. The authorities are currently preparing to conduct a small scale survey to update the poverty profile. The poor are often rural households with larger families, headed by females and working in the agriculture and fishing industries. Although the economy has enjoyed robust growth in the past few years, there are concerns that this growth was concentrated insectors such as telecommunication and tourism which could have had limitedimpact on the poor. The issue i s being further analyzed through an ongoing Poverty Assessment exercise . 11. STRATEGIC PRIORITIES, RISKSAND CHALLENGES 4. The APR correctly points out that macroeconomic performance has been strong in the recentpast, exemplifiedby robust growth and relativelylow inflation. However, the current global economic slowdown i s likely to adversely affect growth in The Gambia and widen the external current account deficit by slowing down tourism and remittances. In addition to the impact o f the global economic slowdown, re-export trade appears to be contracting as the country's regional comparative advantages deteriorate and foreign direct investment i s projected to level off after rising sharply in recent years. As a result, real GDP growth is projected to decline to 4.6 percent in 2009 from 5.9 percent in 2008. Given the expected slowdown in economic activity and indications o f weakening government revenues, staffs encourage the government to continue prudent macroeconomic policies and provide a growth-friendly environment. The staffs support the government's policy o f limiting domestic borrowing in order to reduce the large domestic public debt. 5. The staffs recommendthat future APRs focus on externaldebt sustainability issues. Specifically, the authorities are encouraged to focus on improving the management o f external debt in light o f the recent Debt Sustainability Analysis (DSA) which indicates continued high risk o f debt distress. This would include the preparation o f a medium-term debt management strategy (to include the debt o f public enterprises and contingent liabilities), and continuous reliance on a combination o f grants and highly concessional borrowing in the composition o f external financing and restraint in contracting new loans. Export diversification and finding new sources o f growth will also be critical given the decline o fthe country as a regional trading hub. 6. The staffs support government efforts to increase budgetary resources for poverty reducing expenditures. Preliminary budget outturn data indicate that PRSP related expenditures as a share o f total Government Local Funds (excluding interest payments) declined from 2002 to 2005, in particular due to sharply increasing debt service payments. Recognizing this to be an important fiscal challenge, the authorities reduced domestic borrowing and received substantial external debt relief when the country reached HIPC completion point inDecember 2007. As a result, preliminary data indicate that the share o f PRSP related expenditures in the budget outturn has been gradually increasing. Moreover, the share o f PRSP expenditures in budget allocations have increased in 2009 compared to 2008. It will be critical that the budget outturns reflect the increased budgetary allocations. 7. After having had some success with public expenditure management reforms, ensuringtheir sustainabilityis the next criticalchallenge. There have been steady improvements o f the budgeting process, including by revising the budget classification, integrating the recurrent and development expenditures, developing sectoral policies and expenditure reviews and reducing the backlog in public accounts. The APR notes the impact that the introduction o f the Integrated Financial Management Information System (IFMIS) has had on improving public expenditure management and monitoring o f PRSP related expenditures. IFMIS currently processes all central government transactions and produces public accounts and fiscal reports in a relatively timely manner. In order to ensure its sustainability, the staffs recommend that the authorities adequately fund the recurrent costs o f the system, identified in the government's IFMIS Sustainability Plan, and build local capacity by carrying out recruitment and training o f Treasury staffs within a government-wide manpower plan. 8. Strengtheninghuman resource managementwill be criticalto the success of the ongoing civil service reforms. The ongoing civil service reforms are critical to building public sector capacity. The APR highlights the need to increase civil service compensation inorder to improve recruitment and retention o f qualified personnel. While addressing low salaries will be important, it will not by itself necessarily result in improved performance and public service delivery. Thus, staffs recommend that the authorities also focus on complementary reforms to strengthen staff assessment, performance management and overall manpower planning. The latter is critical given that there is evidence that the civil service significantly expanded in recent years and its rate o f expansion was not immediately apparent due to shortcomings in centralized management and monitoring. Sustained political commitment for the implementation o f the civil service reformprogram will be essentialto the success o fthe reforms. 9. The APR highlightsthe importanceof the agriculturalsector butthe analysis i s hamperedby a lack of specificity in the sector strategy and priority policies. The agriculture sector, where most o f the poor are engaged, has been performing relatively poorly in recent years, although crop productions rebounded in 2008 due to comparatively good rainfalls. A major constraint has been the lack o f policy clarity, continuity and predictability. Therefore, the staffs recommend refining the policies and programs in the agriculture sector through the development of a comprehensive and cohesive agriculture sector strategy which identifies priority interventions and emphasizes export diversification and private sector development. Staffs also recommend that the impact of existing investment projects be comprehensively assessed in order to provide a basis for determining priority interventions and that the sector's institutional environment be stabilized as frequent changes o f policies, personnel and institutions have - 4 - undermined performance. Improved performance will likely require greater allocation o f resources for recurrent expenditures. 10. Implementationof the government'sgroundnutsector reformRoadmapwill be a priority pro-poor agenda. The APR does not provide a comprehensive analysis of the status o f reform implementation in this critical sector which has traditionally accounted for over 70 percent o f domestically produced exports. Groundnut farmers are the largest group among the poor. However, the groundnut sector has been undermined by a dysfunctional marketingarrangement in recent years. Unlike the agriculture sector as a whole, the groundnut sector benefits from having a sector reform strategy, the Roadmap prepared in 2007. The Roadmap emphasizes open competition based on a minimum producer price, divesting the Government-owned Gambia Groundnut Corporation (GGC) which i s the main formal marketing and processing channel, improving access to agricultural production inputs and establishing a quality control system. Timely implementation o fthe Roadmap is expected to significantly contribute to alleviating poverty among the groundnut farmers by revitalizing the sector and providing a reliable and timely market for groundnuts. It will be critical to promote private investments in the sector, in particular by providing a level playing field in which no investor i s given preferential treatment. The staffs recommend that implementation o f the Roadmap be accelerated and be further developed with respect to improving access to inputs and extension services and strengthening institutional capacity o f key public and private stakeholders, including producer associations. Any adverse social distributional impact o fthe reforms shouldbemonitored and adequately addressed. 11. The staffs believe that stronger efforts are needed to ensure a greater focus on improving economic governance so as to promote private sector-led growth. Reforms o f economic governance would enhance the country's competitiveness, help attract foreign investments and makethe country more resilient to external shocks such as the current global economic slowdown. In this context, o f particular importance are: (i) greater protection o f contractual rights and respect for legal due process; (ii) use o f the open and competitive bidding process for divestiture o f public enterprises and sale o f major licenses, such as for telecommunication; and (iii)strengthening o f the Public Utilities Regulatory Authority (PURA) through the provision o f adequate resources and enhancement o f its independence and mandate. Building on improved economic governance, the authorities could address the poor availability and high cost o f finance, lack of access to land and the multiplicity o f taxes and government fees which aggregate to a significant burden. Finally, the staffs recommend consolidating the investment laws andoverhauling the discretionary duty exemption system. 12. Although the MDG goal of halving poverty is unlikely to be met, the APR notes the relatively good progress made in indicators on universal primary educationand gender parity.Major government initiatives have benefited from support from donors and the EFA-FTI. With relative improvements in access, the next key challenges are to improve the quality o f school instructions and educational outcomes given the high failure rates in standardized tests. For the health sector, the staffs recommend that public resources be focused on primary services and preventive care. - 5 - Improving health outcomes will depend on the ability o f the government to provide adequate recurrent resources to the health facilities, particularly health professionals and drugs. For boththe healthandeducation sectors, the use o fmandatoryrotations as well as the current incentive programs could be considered for rural placement o f staffs. The staffs also recommend that the expansion o f school and health facilities be on a sustainable basis by taking into account the capacity o f the government to provide for the recurrent costs. 13. The APR highlights the importance of addressing HIV/AIDS, malaria and tuberculosis. Malaria remains the leading cause o f morbidity and mortality and is particularly a problem for pregnant women and children under five years. The staffs recommend a comprehensive assessment o f malaria as well as tuberculosis and strengthening o f disease surveillance and response capacity at all levels. The latest sero- surveillance data indicate that HIV-1 prevalence doubled from 1.4 percent in 2002 to 2.8 percent in 2006. The prevalence o f HIV among young women and men aged 15-24 has tripled from 0.8 percent to 2.4 percent during the same period, and only 8.8 percent o f people with advanced HIV infection and 14.1 percent o f HIV positive pregnant women receive antiretroviral therapy. Therefore, it will be critical to use the recently approved Global Fund to expand the availability o f HIV/AIDS programs, including educational outreach to reduce firther infections. The government could also consider reestablishing the posts o f divisional coordinators o f the National HIV/AIDS Secretariat (NAS) inorder to strengthenits regionalpresence. 14. The main risks to achievingPRSP objectives include the impact of external shocks, insufficientprioritizationand weak capacity. The global economic slowdown is expected to reduce the country's economic growth and government revenues. Declining government revenues could put pressure on resources allocated to PRSP related expenditures. Given reduced overall resources, it will be critical to reallocate funds to PRSP priority activities, prioritize within PRSP priority activities as necessary, and ensure that these funds are used efficiently and effectively. In this context, as mentioned above the impact o f existing and plannedprojects could be comprehensively assessed. Continued public sector capacity buildingreforms, particularly the civil service reforms, are critical to mitigating the risks o f low capacity. Furthermore, a credible, transparent and predictable policy environment which supports private investments will be critical to buildingthe country's capacity to withstand external shocks. 111. KEYIMPLEMENTATIONISSUES 15. Improvingthe monitoringand evaluation of the PRSP programremains an important challenge. Relatively little information is provided in the APR's results matrix on achievement o f the 2007 targets apart from the macroeconomic indicators. However, the 2007 MDG Status Report and the 2007 Poverty Reducing Expenditure Report provided complementary information for the monitoring o f PRSP objectives. The staffs recommend that these reports be prepared annually and that their main findings be reflected in the APR. The staffs also recommend refining the PRSP policies and target output and outcome indicators in order to make them more specific and concrete. In - 6 - particular, agriculture, governance and cross-cutting issues, such as gender and environment, appear to lack cohesive and well defined policies and target indicators. The refinement o f policies would provide an opportunity to review government priorities, critical given the sizable funding gap identified in the PRSP. Prioritizing will be even more critical in light o f the projected decline in government revenues as a result o f the impact o fthe global economic slowdown. 16. Improvingthe quality andtimelinessof data, particularlyeconomic statistics, i s needed to improve program monitoring. Once survey field works are conducted, there are often significant lags until the data become available. Archiving and dissemination o f data remain relatively weak. The authorities have made major efforts to build institutional capacity through the enactment of the Statistics Act (2005) and the subsequent establishment o f the Statistic Council and the Gambia Bureau o f Statistics (GBOS). The staffs recommend prioritizing the implementation o f the government's "Strategic Plan for the Development o f Statistics in The Gambia: 2008-11," which focuses on continued structural reforms and capacity buildingo f GBOS. Inparticular, the staffs support the Strategic Plan's proposal for a "performance contract" for GBOS which would be used to holdit accountable for improved data quality and availability. 17. The PRSP highlights the Medium Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF) as a means to further deepen the integration of PRSP priorities with the budget. However, its adoption would be feasible only if there can be a credible commitment to hture sectoral budgetary allocations. As the initial steps towards eventually adopting a MTEF, the staffs recommendthat major sectors improve their annual budget submissions by incorporating target output and outcome indicators linked to their proposed expenditures. Departments o f State (ministries) which already have sectoral policies and public expenditure reviews could use these to derive their PRSP performance indicators. Sectoral policies and expenditure reviews could be gradually expanded to the remaining Departments. As the sectoral policies are refined, the budget codes which identify PRSP related expenditures can be revisedto ensure that they reflect the new policies. 18. Strengthenedgovernance remains a priority for the PRSP implementation. International observers generally agree that the country's oversight institutions and the media are weak. Strengthened governance would enhance the transparency and accountability o f the public sector and reduce the risk o f policy slippages. The PRSP has been prepared in an open, transparent and participatory manner in order to promote country ownership and a government that i s responsive to the needs o f the poor. Free dissemination o f information and an independent media would support such an approach. 19. Implementation of the recommendations of the previous JSAN has been mixed. As recommended, the authorities maintained prudent macroeconomic policies, achieved the completion point triggers for the HIPC program, prepared a groundnut sector reform strategy, strengthenedthe governance o f the Central Bank and developed a civil service reform strategy focused on pay and human management reforms. Some o f the recommendations are being implemented on an ongoing basis, including for education and health. Regarding the recommendation on the investment climate, the - 7 - authorities currently are collaborating with IDA on an ongoing Investment Climate Assessment (ICA) and preparing a new Growth and Competitiveness Project for addressing some o f the identified shortcomings. Although recommended, there has been less success in developing an agriculture sector strategy beyond the groundnut sector, preparing an implementation and sensitization program for decentralization, improving the management o f the electricity utility and Public Utilities Regulatory Authority (PURA), and further prioritizing the PRSP andrefiningthe performance indicators. IV. CONCLUSION 20. The staffs believethat the progress reportprovides an adequate assessment of PRSPimplementationfor 2007. As detailed inthe report, progress was made inthe implementation o f the PRSP. Macroeconomic stability and real growth was maintained, public financial management was strengthened and progress was made in the key social sectors. By contrast, progress has been relatively slow with regards to agricultural reforms and decentralization, and there could be a greater emphasis on governance, including economic governance, and the groundnuts sector reforms. PRSP monitoring improved with the complementary reports on MDGs and poverty related public expenditures but the PRSP target outcome and output indicators would benefit from W h e r refinement. Recently, the country has had to deal with sharply increasing import prices and the impact o f the ongoing global economic slowdown. It is critical that the country maintains its commitment to the PRSP program in the midst o f these new challenges. 21. Priorityareas identifiedby staffs for strengtheningthe implementationof the PRSP include: (i)developing a comprehensive agricultural sector strategy; (ii) prioritizing improvement o f governance; and (iii) PRSP performance indicators. refining REPUBLICOF THE GAMBIA NationalPlanningCommission Office of the President May 2008 Table of Contents Page Table o f Contents 2 Foreword 5 Acronyms andAbbreviations 6 CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION 9 1.1, Coordinationo f PRSP 11implementation 1.2. Operationalisingthe Paris Declaration 1.3. Development o f SWAPS 1.4. Resource Mobilization for PRSP I1 1.5. Monitoring andEvaluation 1.6. Advocacy andCapacity Building CHAPTER 2: CREATING AND ENABLINGENVIRONMENT FOR RAPIDAND SUSTAINABLEECONOMIC GROWTH 12 2.1 Macroeconomic Performance Review: 2007 12 0 Fiscal Policy Performance 0 Monetary Policy Performance 0 Poverty Focus o f Public Expenditure 2.2. Financial Governance and Public Sector Reform 14 0 Public Financial Management Reforms 0 Preparation and Audit o f fiscal accounts 0 Reform o fthe National Statistical System 0 Privatization and Divestiture Judicial Reforms 0 Civil Service Reforms CHAPTER 3: ENHANCINGTHE CAPACITY AND OUTPUT OF PRODUCTIVE SECTORS 20 3.1. Agriculture, 20 3.2. Fisheries and Marine Resources, 23 3.3. Energy, 23 3.4. Tourism, 25 3.5. Road and Infrastructure 26 3.6. Trade 28 3.7. Industry 30 3.8. Enterprise Development 31 3.9. Employment, HumanResources andDevelopment and Labour 31 National Planning Commission:PRSPI1APR 2007 Page 2 CHAPTER4: IMPROVE COVERAGE OF THE BASIC SOCIAL SERVICESAND SOCIAL PROTECTIONNEEDS OFTHE POOR& VULNERABLE 32 4.1, Education 32 4.2. Health 41 4.3. Water 44 4.4. Climate Change 46 4.5. Sanitation 46 4.6. Social Protection and Social Welfare 46 4.7. Forster Care Scheme 47 CHAPTER5: ENHANCEGOVERNANCE SYSTEMS AND BUILD THE CAPACITY OFLOCAL COMMUNITIES AND CIVIL SOCIETY ORGANIZATIONS (CSOS) TO PLAY AN ACTIVE ROLE IN ECONOMIC GROWTHAND POVERTYREDUCTION 48 5.1 Decentralization andReformof Local Governments 48 5.2 Community Development 48 5.3 Civic Education 49 5.4.The National Assembly 50 5.5 .NGOs inPovertyReduction 51 CHAPTER 6: MAINSTREAMING CROSS-CUTTINGISSUES 53 6.1. Gender 53 6.2. Forestry andthe Environment 54 6.3. HIV/AIDS 58 6.4. Nutrition 61 6.5. Population 63 6.6. Youths 64 CHAPTER7: CONSTFWINTSAND LESSONSLEARNT 66 7.1. Creating an EnablingPolicyEnvironment 66 7.2. ImprovingProduction andProductivity 68 7.3. Basic Social Services 72 7.4. Enhancing Governanceand Participation of Civil Society 75 7.5. Cross Cutting issues 77 CHAPTER 8: CONCLUSIONSAND RECOMMENDATIONS 80 8.1, Creating an EnablingPolicyEnvironment 80 8.2. ImprovingProduction andProductivity 81 83. Increaseaccess to and Coverage of Basic Services 84 8.4. Enhancing Governance and Participation of Civil Society 87 8.5. Cross Cutting Issues 88 ~~ NationalPlanningCommission:PRSPI1APR 2007 Page 3 Appendixes Appendix 1 PRSP I1results Matrix 90 Appendix 2 GDP at CurrentPrices 127 Appendix 3 GDP at ConstantMarketPrices 129 Appendix 4 National Consumer PriceIndex 2007 130 Appendix 5 Paddy(Upland & Swamp Rice) 132 Listof Tables and Figures 1. Table 1: Macro-economictargets & outturns 2006-2007 12 2. Table 2 ResourceAllocation by PRSP Initiatives 13 3. Table3.1. RenewableEnergyPlan 24 4. Table 4.1 Lower Basic Enrolment2005/06-2006/07 34 5. Table4.2 Hardship Allowance by RegionandNumberof TeachersBenefiting 39 List o fFigures 1. Figure2.1 Area Cultivated2005 -2007 21 2. Figure2.2 Groundnut Production2005 -2007 22 3. Figure2.3 Groundnut Yields 2005 -2007 22 4. Figure4.1 Gross EnrollmentRates inECDbyRegion 34 5. Figure 6.1 Trend ofWasting 1991to 2006 62 National Planning Commission:PRSP11APR 2007 Page 4 Foreword This is the first progress report covering the period o f PRSP I1 implementation; January to December 2007. The report provides information and analysis regarding the achievements and shortfalls experienced between January and December 2007 with respect to the poverty targets, priority public actions, and the monitoring andevaluation systems put inplace for the PRSP 11.It further highlights recommendations on important changes necessary in the strategy as appropriate in light of implementation experience to date, and data needs to enhance analysis and measurement o f progress made inreducing poverty and its dimensions. As the main government report on the status o f implementation o f the national development agenda, the progress report informed and involved domestic stakeholders and partners on all issues regarding implementationinorder to build support for smooth implementation o fPRSP 11. The report has brought to the fore, the daunting task o f transforming policy ideas inPRSP I1into action though there a number o f constraints being encountered but despite these constraints significant progress was registered. The information in this report will further contribute to focusing our budgetary allocations and pro-poor policies on key issues in fighting poverty and makingPRSP I1areality. It is hoped that the report will help both government and partners to become responsive and focused on our promises and anticipated actions as evident in the PRSP I1priority areas as well as rally all development partners around PRSP I1inthe spirit o fthe Paris Declarationprinciples. ALIEUNGUM CHAIRMANNATIONAL PLANNINGCOMISSION NationalPlanningCommission: PRSPI1APR 2007 Page 5 List of Acronyms and Abbreviations ADB African Development Bank ANR Agriculture and Natural Resources BADEA Bank for Economic Development inAfrica CBEMP Capacity Buildingfor Economic Management CBO Community Based organization CDD Community DrivenDevelopment CFAA Country Financial Accountability Assessment CPI Consumer Price Index CSD Central Statistics Department CSIP Community Skills improvement Programme cso Civil Society organization DFID Department For InternationalDevelopment DOP Department of Planning DOSE Department of State for Education DOSFEA Department o f State For Finance and Economic Affairs DOSLG Department o f State for Local Government and Lands EMCBP Economic Management Capacity BuildingProject EMPU Economic Management and PlanningUnit EPI ExpandedProgramme on Immunization EU European Union FASE FightAgainst Socialand Economic Exclusion GCCI Gambia Chamber o f Commerce and Industry GDP Gross Domestic Product GGC Gambia Groundnut Council HILEC HighlevelEconomic Committee HIPC HighlyIndebtedPoor Countries IDSC Inter-Departmental Steering Committee National PlanningCommission: PRSP I1APR 2007 Page 6 IFMIS Integrated Financial Management Information System ILO InternationalLabour organization IMR Infant MortalityRate LGA Local Government Authority MMR MaternalMortality Rate M O U Memorandum OfUnderstanding MTEF MediumTermExpenditure Framework MTEP Mediumterm ExpenditurePlan NACP National AIDS control Programme NEA NationalEnvironment Agency NEFCOM National Emergency FiscalCommittee NGO Non Government organization NPC National PlanningCommission NPCS National PopulationSecretariat PEMU Programme Evaluation andMonitoring Unit PER Public Expenditure Review PHC Primary Health Care PRGF Poverty ReductionGrowth Facility PRSP Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper RDS Rural Development Strategy SDF Social Development Fund SPA Strategy For poverty Alleviation SPACO Strategy for Poverty Alleviation Co-ordination Office SPP Strategy PlanningProcess TVET Technical, Vocational Education and Training USMR Under-fiveMortalityRate UNAIDS UnitedNations AIDS Programme UNDP United Nations Development Programme UNICEF UnitedNations children's Fund National PlanningCommission:PRSP I1APR 2007 Page 7 VDC Village DevelopmentCommittee WDC Ward Development Committee PMO Personnel Management Office PURA Public Utility RegulationAuthority SSHFC Social Security and HousingFinance Association DOSTIE Department o f State for Trade Industryand Employment GABECE Gambia Basic EducationCertification Examination ECD Early ChildhoodDevelopment AGOA Africa Growthand Opportunity Act NAYAFS National Youth Association for Food Security AFET Association o f Farmers Entrepreneurs and Traders IBAS Indigenous Business Advisory Service IMF International Monitory Fund KMC KanifingMunicipal Council MDG MillenniumDevelop Goals PPA Participatory Poverty Assessment MA&D Market Analysis and Development JFMP Joint Forest Management Programme CF Community Forest RP Reproductive Health NationalPlanningCommission:PRSPI1APR 2007 Page 8 CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION 1.1. Overview This report provides information and analysis regarding the achievements and shortfalls experienced between January and December 2007 with respect to the poverty targets, priority public actions, and the monitoring and evaluation systems put in place for the PRSP 11. The report firther highlights important changes necessary in the strategy as appropriate in light o f implementation experience to date, changes in exogenous factors, and new data and analysis regarding poverty and its dimensions. As the main government document on the status of implementation, the progress report informed and/or involved domestic stakeholders and partners on all issues regarding implementation in order to build support for smooth implementation o f PRSP 11. This report takes stock o f the twelve months o f implementation, outlines constraints and highlights necessary measures (policy reforms and programmatic actions) required for effective implementation and subsequently to achieve the objectives and targets set inPRSP 11. 1.1. Coordinationof PRSPI1implementation PRSP I1 implementation i s being overseen by the National Planning Commission (NPC), established by an Act o f parliamentin2006 andput inplace in2007. A Secretariat to coordinate implementation and reporting on PRSP I1 implementation is being established and made finctional in2008. The PRSP I1 is a framework that defines principles for Government planning and budget execution for achieving meaningful poverty reduction. The priorities articulated are implemented through sector plans and financed through the annual budget. The implementation o f PRSP I1i s therefore not a separate exercise but primarily operates through the actions o f each sector and the annual budgeting exercise. The Planning Commission is working on organizing a donor's conference to solicit finding o f the resource gap for PRSR I1as well as share with donor partners the national development objectives and strategies for the country. The implementation process continued with the existing structures that were constituted to oversee the implementation o f PRSP I.Thematic groups are being re-vitalised and will meet regularly on implementation issues relevant to their respective mandates. The Inter-Departmental Steering Committee (IDSC), comprising o f Permanent Secretaries o f key Department o f States will be strengthened with representation o f NGOs and Civil Society Organisation. Their main responsibilities will be to ensure adequate flow o f information between government departments and other stakeholders on key issues emanating from the implementation process to enhance effective and timely decision-making at policy level. Extensive consultations with partners to further familiarise them with the PRSPI1and also allow for anupdate o f issues, particularly the cross-cutting issues and how these will be mainstreamed were undertaken duringthe period. NationalPlanningCommission:PRSPI1APR 2007 Page 9 1.2. Aid Coordination A new aid coordination mechanism has been put in place with the setting up and operationalisation o f the Aid Coordination and Central Project Management Unit in the Departmento f State for Finance and Economic Affairs. Also as part o f the PRSP process, The National Planning Commission i s developing an Aid Effectiveness Action Plan for the country. The Aid Effectiveness Action Plan sets out country specific objectives and targets based on the Paris Declaration and are being discussed with development partners for adoption and operationalisation. Also an in-country donor consultation and coordination mechanism has been established and schedules o f consultation and coordination meetings are being developed. Mean while the Aid Coordination unit o f the Department o f State for Finance and Economic Affairs i s undertaking a profiling o f donor activities and resources which will enhance tracking o fresource flows inthe various Departmentso f State. 1.3. Developmentof SWAPS A first step in the promotion of the new Aid Co-ordination mechanism has been the collective identification o f key poverty priorities within the social sectors. This has been achieved mainly through information sharing with stakeholders and supporting them to develop sector programmes. Already, a SWAP exists for the education sector and the health sector has developed a five year investment programme with the support o f the NPC, and there are plans to support the Agriculture and Infrastructure sectors to do likewise. The next critical step o f committing resources to address the poverty issues identified will be based on consultations on the PRSP as well as the conduct o f sector specific Round Table Conferences envisaged to be undertaken in2008. 1.4. Resource mobilizationfor PRSPI1 A series o f consultations with development partners were undertaken during the year; first in June with resident donors in Dakar Senegal, then in October consultations were held with partners in Brussels, UK, South Korea, Malaysia and Japan and in November an in-country donor consultation was held to brief development partners on the Round table Conference. A donor round table for PRSP I1is scheduled to be heldinLondon UKinearly 2008. New donor financing during the year included an Enterprise Development programme by the African Development Bank (AfDB), a Community Driven Development project by the World Bank, and aParticipatory Watershed Management project also byAfDB. However there is still a fbndinggap o f about US$350 million for PRSP I1andresource mobilization will continue during and after the donor Roundtable. NationalPlanningCommission:PRSP I1APR 2007 Page 10 1.5. MonitoringandEvaluation Monitoring o f PRSP implementation is based on development outcomes as outlined in the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and the targets set at sector level inthe PRSP Results Matrix developed alongside the PRSP to guide monitoring o f achievements. The results matrix sets out the policy objectives, strategies and anticipated targets for the period. As part o f the preparation o f this report, information on achievements realised was collected and updated for 2007 and i s attached as annex 1.However there were quite a number o f constraints regarding the availability o f data for the updates. The latest poverty data dates back to 2003 and data for most o f the other indicators are three to four years old. The National Planning Commission thus plans to update the poverty profile o f the country; including an update o f the MDG indicators in2008 incollaboration with the GambiaBureauo fStatistics The Poverty Monitoring strategy developed for PRSP I1 will be revised and updated to incorporate the results matrix andmechanisms for monitoring and assessing the MDGindicators andwill be the framework for monitoring PRSP I1implementation. The revised monitoring and evaluation strategy for PRSP I1will incorporate the development and operationalisation o f a local version o f DevInfo; GamInfo, a national development data base that will be updated on a half yearly basis. Already a framework for the data base has been developed and agreed upon and sectors are, in consultation with the National Planning Commission and the Bureau o f Statistics, currently finalising the respective sectoral indicators to be includedinthe data base A major challenge faced inmonitoring andevaluation of PRSP I1is the availability o f data. The latest poverty data dates back to 2003 and as such it i s almost impossible determining effects o f PRSP implementation on poverty as the baseline information uses 2003 data and there has not been any updates to permit measurements o f changes realised. This weakness in availability o f data i s not for poverty indicators alone but applies to many o f the other indicators for health, education, water etc. being tracked inthe Results Matrix. One o f the main issues to be tackled in 2008 therefore will be to update information for the country makingdata available for evaluating PRSP I1progress as well as puttinginto place the Gaminfo data base. 1.6. Advocacy and CapacityBuilding Lack o f ownership o f the PRSP as well as understanding o f the PRSP concept and principles were among the lessons learnt during PRSP Iimplementation. As a result, the NPC places a lot o f emphasis on advocacy and capacity buildingon PRSP andthe MDGs. With Support from the UNDP and incollaboration with the pro-Poor Advocacy group (Pro-PAG), a series o f advocacy and capacity building activities were carried out for various groups o f stakeholders including the national Assembly, at national andregional levels. These consultations will continue during2008 and will include dissemination o f the 2007 Annual progress report, sensitization on the mandate and functions o f the National Planning Commission as well as assessment o f the continued relevance o fPRSP I1objectives and priorities to the needs o fthe people. NationalPlanningCommission:PRSP I1APR 2007 Page 11 CHAPTER 2: CREATING AN ENABLING POLICY ENVIRONMENT FOR RAPID AND SUSTAINABLE ECONOMIC GROWTHAND POVERTY REDUCTION 2.1 MacroeconomicPerformanceReview: 2007 In 2007, macroeconomic performance was very strong as the economy grew by 6.3%. Growth has been broad base, led by the Construction, telecommunication, and Tourism Sectors but the agriculture sector, where most o f the poor people are engaged in, registered only a 4% increase. Inflation has returnedto single Digit level o f 5.4% (end May 2007). a) Fiscal Policy Performance In the fiscal sector, performance was driven mainly by higher than expected revenues and lower than expected expenditures. The country registered a fiscal surplus for the first time after many years. This has enabled Government to substantially reduce the stock o f domestic arrears that were due to contractors, consultants and suppliers and at the same liquidate all the loans owed to the Parastatals. The Dalasi appreciated by 32% in the later part o f the third quarter o f 2007 and this had helped to reduce the dalasi payments against debt service obligations and other international payments obligation. However, the appreciation had created some risk to revenue performance particularly inthe fourth quarter of the year. The Status o f the key macro-indicators and targets for PRSPI1are shown below. Macro-economic Indicators 2006 2007 Target Outturn Target Outturn Real GDP growth (%) 4.5 6.5 4.5 6.3 Inflation (period average) 4.0 2.1 5.0 5.4 Fiscal deficit (including grants) as % o f GDP -3.2 -7.8 -2.5 0.5 I Domestic Debtstock (% o fGDP) I 30.5 I 32.2 I 28.5 I 28.4 I Current Account deficit (excluding grants) as % o f GDP -17.9 -14.7 -18.4 -11.2 Current Account deficit (including grants) as % o f GDP -11.8 -11.5 -6.8 -10.0 Gross Official reserves as months o f imports C.1.F 4.5 5.5 4.6 5.5 ~~ NationalPlanningCommission:PRSPI1APR 2007 Page 12 b) Monetary Policy Performance Monetary policy in 2007 was totally concentrated on sustaining the disinflation process, maintaining exchange rate stability, and a viable external position. All this was made possible because o f the enabling domestic environment o f subdued inflation and stable exchange rate. Money supply grew by 20.7% in 2007 in contrast to 20.1% in 2005. Broad money increased by 14% in 2007 compared to end December 2005; the growth in money caused by the increase in net foreign assets and net domestic assets o f the banking system. The external current account deficit as a percentage o f GDP narrowed significantly in 2007, attributed to the strong performances o f exports, tourism and private transfers. Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) and concessional loans financedthe current account deficit. c) Poverty Focus of Public Expenditure Table 2: Resource Allocation bv PRSP Initiatives IPRSP Initiatives / 2005 )shares/ 2006 lshares) 2007 /shares/ I Discretionary I 718,592 56.0% I I 1,175,81 63.4% 1,305,692 54.6% o i l I 1 Poverty Program 1 InfrastructureProgram I 31,9471 5.7Yd 56,582 I 8.3" d 100,921 9.3" I ! Social Fundfor Poverty Reduction 6,165 1.1% 11,139 1.6% 14,902 1.4% Implementation& Monitoringo f PRSPI1 55,213 9.8% 53,342 7.8% 261,800 24.1% Support to Cross-CuttingPrograms 1,632 0.3" 4,691 0.7% 48,685 4.5% Grand Total 1,282,805 1,855,436 2,392,351 National PlanningCommission:PRSPI1APR 2007 Page 13 PRSP I1targets that 25% o f Government's own generated resources (GLF) should be allocated to poverty reducing activities. However, debt service obligations continue to pose a burden on resource allocations to PRSP-related expenditures. Though external debt ratios declined from 52% in2005 to 45.9% in2007, overall poverty reducing expenditure ratio improved from 17.4% to 20.8% but still fall short o fthe 25% target as shown intable 2. The Overall share o f Discretionary expenditures to total departmental expenditures excluding debt service shows fluctuations in the share o f allocations between the periods 2005-2007. The share o f the priority sectors o f Agriculture andNatural Resources, Education and Health to total poverty allocations declined between 2006-2007 due largely to the huge investments in infrastructureprograms in2007. The distribution o fresources in2005 and 2006 was fairly evenbetween the wage bill (from 49% to 48.4%) and other categories o f expenditures combined. This implies that nearly half o f the poverty budget was allocated for the payment o f wages, salaries and other personnel expenditures in 2005 and 2006, but declined to 37.7% in 2007. It is important to note that the personnel under the Department o f State for Basic Education constitute about 60% o f the civil service, most o fwhom are teachersproviding basic education services. 2.2. FinancialGovernanceand PublicSector Reforms A series o f structural reforms were executed by the government o f the Gambia and these involved the creation o f the new Gambia Revenue Authority (GRA), the Gambia Bureau o f Statistics (GBOs), National Road Authority (NRA), National Agricultural Development Agency (NADA), and the Central Project Management and the Aid Coordination Directorate (CPM&ACD) under the auspices o f Department o f State for Finance and Economic Affairs to coordinate the flow o f aid and grants into the country. a) PublicFinancialManagementReforms The implementation o f the Integrated Financial Management Information System (IFMIS), which went into operation in January 2007, i s one o f the steps that government i s taking to reshape Public Finance Management (PFM). Public Expenditure Management improved drastically since the introduction o f the IFMIS in 2007 as financial discipline and prudence has been an integral part o f IFMIS and is aimed at strengthening the overall public financial management system. This has helped government to reach its program targets and ensured that wages and other charges stayed within budget appropriations as well as prevented the accumulation o f government arrears. With IFMIS, aggregates and categorization o f public expenditures can be easily done and figures are available on a monthly basis. b) Preparationand Audit of fiscalaccounts The backlog o f financial accounts has been reduced and the accounts for 2000-2004 have been submitted to the National Audit Office by end December 2007. It i s expected that the audit of these accounts will be fully finalized by end July 2008 and submitted to the Public Accounts Committee. Furthermore, the financial accounts for 2005 and2006 were submitted to the auditor NationalPlanningCommission:PRSPI1APR 2007 Page 14 General before December 2007. The audit o f the two accounts is scheduled to be completed by July o f 2009. This implies that Government i s no longer in arrears given that 2007 figures i s expected to be finalised and submitted before the end o f the third quarter o f 2008. As a result, this has helped to improve financial governance and donor confidence in the management o f public finance. c) Reformof the National Statistical System The reform o f the National Statistics System (NSS) i s a process which started in 2005 with World Bank support under the Capacity Building for Economic Management Project (CBEMP). The objective i s to strengthenthe statistical reporting system o f the Gambia and reinforce timely and reliable statistical information. The reform is to take six years (2005 - 2011) and it is expected that by the end o f the reform cycle, The Gambia would have in place a modern NSS that could respond to the growing demand for statistical information. Key in the reform is the restructuring o f the Central Statistics Department (CSD) into an autonomous statistical agency. To facilitate the reform, the statistics act of 1972 has been revised to meet the requirements o f an autonomous statistical institution. The transformation requires the name o f CSD to be changed to reflect the status o f autonomy and hence the Gambia Bureau o f Statistics (GBoS). For GBoS to meet the standards o f a modem statistical agency, the World Bankunder the CBEMP constructed a new office complex with new furniture andequipment for the Bureau. A seven member Statistics Council has been set up to manage the affairs o f GBoS and oversee the process o f recruitment. By July 2006, the Statistician General has been appointed by H i s Excellency the President o f the Republic to head GBoS. Several months later, council has advertised the Directoratepositions and to date the Deputy Statistician General and six Directors have been appointed. Other senior positions notably principals, seniors and statistician or equivalents have been put on adverts and applications received are to be reviewed by council for short listing and subsequent interviews. Achievements 0 Revised Statistics Act: The 1972 statistics act has been revised accordingly and the revised act has already been endorsed by the head o f state. 0 A new office complex completed and now houses GBoS and the National Planning Commission. 0 A seven member statistics council with members drawn from government andthe private sector established. 0 A comprehensive 5 year strategic plan for the development o f the National Statistics System(NSS) developed 0 Statistician General, Deputy StatisticianGeneral and six Directors appointed National PlanningCommission:PRSPIIAPR 2007 Page 15 d) Privatizationand Divestiture The privitation and divestiture programme focused mainly on strengthening the operation o f the multi sector utility regulatory; PURA. Regulatory frameworks aimed to evaluate the overall professional market competency gap in the country and tailor the realities to the Authority's capacity needs as well as establish Organizational Framework to Increase Regulatory Capacity in order to establish competencies required for effective utility regulations in Engineering, law, economics and financial management, Humanresources, Policy Strategy and Consumer Affairs continued to be built in2007. The year witnessed the entry into the telecommunications market, a new operator, COMIUM, which brings the number o f mobile operators to three. This development led to interconnection disputesamong Telecom operators mainly on interconnectionrate and lease line provisioning for network interoperability, and consequently warranted the interventions o f PURA to resolve the interconnectionissues inthe country. Since May 2007 all telecommunication service providers - GAMTEL, GAMCEL, AFRICELL and COMlUM have signed interconnectionagreements with each other, facilitated by PURA. As a result o f the constant network congestion, call drops, interference and other network related problems experienced in the telecommunication sector at the beginning o f 2007, PURA in collaboration with International Telecommunication Union (ITU) commissioned a Technical Audit to look into the matter. The report highlightedsome o fthe technical issuesresponsiblefor congestion, call drops, interference and other network related problems. Following the technical audit o f the telecommunicationnetworks, PURA has been ensuring that the recommendations o f the audit in terms o f improving connectivity and quality o f service are being implemented. Since the beginning o f the implementation o f the report the above problems have improved considerably. One notable achievement i s the improvement in connectivity between GAMTEL and AFRICELL and GAMCEL and AFRICELL. Inanother development, the Emergency numbers for the Police, Fire Brigade, Hospital and the Child Helpline were only accessible from the networks o f GAMTEL and GAMCEL. Subscribers on AFRICELL and COMIUM could not access these numbers because o f issues relating to interconnection charges between AFRICELL, COMIUM and GAMTEL, on which network subscriber calls terminate. All operators are assigned the same emergency numbers and therefore, subscribers o f all networks inthe Greater Banjul areas can dial the same emergency numbers to access emergency services. However, the Authority is still grabbling with routing issues in the other parts o f the country, but there i s ongoing work to address the issues. A nationwide frequency databaseis being set up for proper management of the frequencies inthe country. All institutions using spectrum have been requested to send in the frequencies they are currently usingfor the development o f a database o f all the frequencies inthe country. This will ensure security o f the frequency plan and less interference within the various networks in the country. NationalPlanningCommission: PRSPI1APR 2007 Page 16 Numbers are scarce and finite resources, which if not managed will lead to poor allocation and wastage. The implication i s that new licensees in the telecommunications market that require numbers will be limited in their service provision by the numbers they are allocated. The optimization o f the National NumberingPlan i s therefore beingdeveloped to ensure that the plan stands the test oftime within the context o f a dynamic telecommunications environment. Tariff approval guidelines for the telecommunications market are also being developed. These guidelines will ensure that tariff changes are made transparentlyon the basis o f the principles o f cost recovery and causation as well as ensure that consumers are given prior notice before effecting tariff changes. In the electricity and water sector, a study to develop a tariff model for electricity and water services to ensure that the tariff setting process i s robust and parameters for determining the tariffs more transparent, is underway. Following the expiry o f NAWEC's two-year interim license in July 2007, a draft license has been prepared and i s presently being studiedby the Department o f State for Energy, prior to the signature o f the Secretary o f State for Energy. Recommendation to the Department o f State on licence fees to be charged to NAWEC and the Independent Power Producer, Global Electric Group (GEG) has already been approved by Secretary o f State. In a bid to consolidate on the gains to safeguard the interest of consumers of public utility services a national survey o f all Customer Care Centres of service providers in the regulated utility services around the country is being undertaken. Based on the feedback, consumer codes to establish minimum acceptable standards o f service provision to customers will be developed. Inaddition, Quality of Service Indicators and targets are being developed to ensure that service providers adhere to standards based on international best practice in the telecommunications, water and electricity sectors e) Legal andJudicialReforms The Government o f the Gambia (GOTG) has identified the need to create an enabling legal environment as key to the success o f national policy objectives aimed at improving good governance and accelerated private sector led growth. In 2000 the Government with assistance from the World Bank Commissioneda legal sector study which appraised and examined all legal sector institutions including the judiciary, the Attorney General's Chambers (AGC), and Department o f state for Justice (DOSJ), Law Reform Commission (LRC), National Council for law Reporting (NCLR), Gambia Law Foundation (GLF), and the Bar Association. The study revealed a general neglect o f all sector institutions, resulting in major deficiencies, constraints and obstacles inthejudicial system andthe delivery oflegal services. Thus in2007, it aimed to review and strengthen the administrative and management capacity o f the Department o f state for Justice to ensure management commitment to service quality and improved service delivery. The strategies identifiedwere: 0 Develop alternative disputeresolution system(mediators, adjudicators) 0 Restructuring/ strengthening o f institutions in the legal sector including curator o f interstate Estates operations National Planning Commission:PRSPIIAPR 2007 Page 17 e Decentralization o f the administration and management o f AGC, strengthening the autonomy o f units and enhancing coordination on legal issues affecting government. e Improvement o f advocacy and litigation skills o f counsel e Strengthen, upgrade and reinforce criminal justice functions o f the AGC to ensure effective coordination and supervision o f a unified criminaljustice system. e Restructure, upgrade and improve the capacity o f the RGD to deliver specialist legal services. e Restructure companies division e Improve capacity for research and the efficient dissemination o f legal information e Revitalisation and strengthening o f the capacity o f the Law Reform Commission to deliver its mandate e Strengthen the institutional capacity o f the National Council for Law Reporting. e Improve the registration, recording and management o f legal instruments. e Develop and implement human resource plans and policies and improve the capacity o f legal profession for self regulation e Introduce ICT to support decision makingresearch and service delivery e Improve capacity for legal research and dissemination o f legal information ( law reports andpublications) e Develop and improve infrastructure and facilities (buildings, equipment etc.) e Promote non-adversarial DisputeResolutionprocesses A legal sector strategy, a comprehensive framework for reforming the legal sector is being developed. The strategy i s expected to serve as an integrated guide for all providers o f services within the sector for a period o f five years from 2005-2010. The main thrust o f the strategy is to enhance efficiency, effectiveness, and accessibility o f all legal sector institutions and services in order to create a governance environment that enables the emergence o f a liberal economic system, improves access to justice, and also reinforces the rule o f law. It will also focus on developing and strengtheningpartnerships between service providers inter se inorder to improve communication and cohesion inthe implementation o f this strategy. Development o f the strategy for the legal sector startedin2007 but implementation o f strategies, policies and action plan had suffered major setbacks though a consultancy was undertaken to enable the department take ownership andprovide the opportunity to achieve the targets outlined inthe strategy. f ) Civil Service Reforms The Civil service reform is aimed at strengtheninginstitutional capacity for policy formulation, human resources development, and programme coordination and monitoring. It i s also meant to improve governance and management o f the Civil Service to ensure transparency and accountability and promote ethical values and standards. In2007 the Personnel Management Office (PMO), incollaboration with development partners; the World Bank, DFID, UNDP and AfDB, collected information through workshops, focus group discussions, civil service survey and interviews with key Heads o f Department. Consequently, two draft reports on civil service reform and pension reform were produced. The draft report on Civil Service Reform provides recommendations on developing a civil service National PlanningCommission:PRSPI1APR 2007 Page 18 reform strategy and will help further develop the "Public Sector Reform Sector Strategy Paper 2007-2011. The draft report on pension reforms proposes a series o f parametric adjustments to the Public Service Pension Scheme (PSPS) employing actuarial modeling techniques to project the financial impact o f different reform options. It also proposes a combined set o f reforms to improve the predictability, fairness and sustainability o fpensionbenefits as well as support labor mobility betweenthe PSPS and the FederatedPension Scheme (FPS). With respect to Salary reforms, comparison of salaries indicate that salaries outside the Civil Service are 6 to 20 times salaries o f civil servants, the difference larger for higher grades; thus justifying the need for further salary increase inorder to retainprofessional andmanagerial staff. Inthis regard, two pay reform proposals were made; one proposing salary increase of 68 to 83 %, with a larger increase for the lower grades and the other proposing even larger increase for Grades 7 and above. The latter proposal i s aimed at the high attrition rate among professional staff in government. It i s envisaged that recommendations emanating from the two reports will constitute the body o f civil service reforms that government will start implementing in2008. National PlanningCommission: PRSPI1APR 2007 Page 19 CHAPTER3 ENHANCINGTHE CAPACITY AND OUTPUT OF PRODUCTIVE SECTORS 3.1Agriculture The agricultural sector employs 68 percent o f the labour force, and accounts for 33.0 percent o f GDP o f The Gambia, the second largest sector in the economy. It employs 75 percent o f the labour force and also the sole means o f income generation for the majority o f rural households below the poverty line. About 91 percent o f the extremely poor and 72 percent o f the poor inThe Gambia are inthe agriculture sector. The agricultural sector i s the prime sector for investments to raise income, improve food security and reduce poverty and, therefore, meet the Vision 2020 objectives andthe MDG"to halve the proportion o fpoor andthose who suffer from hunger." There i s therefore need to transform Agriculture from subsistence to a commercially-oriented agriculture but this i s constrained by the absence o f an appropriate sector policy framework; insufficient human and social capital development; limited capacity andinefficiency o f extension services, weak research; farmer extension linkages, poor agricultural practices, declining soil fertility and soil erosion, low farmer productivity and major challenges to natural resources from steadily rising urban populations; inefficient agricultural marketing systems, especially for groundnuts and food products; lack o f access to short and long term financial capital; low agricultural investment, and inappropriate landtenure arrangements that do not give women full rights. 3.1.2 PolicyObjectivesfor the AgricultureSector The agriculture sector no potential to enable the country achieve the long-term development goal o f food self sufficiency and reducing poverty for a large segment o f the population but a number o f constraints need to be overcome. The objectives and strategies to address constraints faced are: e Implement a programme o f rehabilitation o f the groundnut sector involving privatization and complementary institutionalmeasures. e Revisit the role o fthe public sector inagriculture e Increase the quality and reach o f agricultural extension services e Develop and multiplynew and improved seeds andplantingmaterials o f selected crops e Strengthen pest anddisease surveillance, reporting and control system. e Introduce Sector Wide Approach (SWAP)inthe agriculture sector e Improve agricultural data collection and analysis for effective policy formulation and sector planning e Establishing a medium term Master Plan for livestock production e Review and update legislations (Disease Control Act, Veterinary Practice Act; Livestock MarketingAct; Public HealthAct e Iinitiate participatory review o f livestock delivery services, and public private partnerships ~ National Planning Commission:PRSPI1APR 2007 Page 20 Improve animal husbandry practices Encourage Financial Services groups to allocate a % o f VISACA loan products to livestock feed. Programme o f research on improvement o f livestock genetic resources through pure breedingand cross breeding Establishment o fmanagement system Facilitate investment & access to land for commercial farms Promotion o f sustainable diversilied food productionprogram lncrease overall sector's output especially o f domestic food and export products in order to facilitate the production o f a wide range o f food and export crops Strengthen cashew nut and sesame producer associations Develop rural infrastructureincluding storage depots and roads. Promote private sector input supply andmarketing. Transform cotton growers into specialised seedproducers. Crop Production Figure 2.1: Area Cultivated 2005- 2007 350,005 y * ~00,000 250,065 250,000 150,000 100,0130 50,000 0 2005 2006 2.507 The performance o f the field crop sub-sector from 2004/05 to 2006/2007 has been mixed, with cultivated area, production and productivity (yields) fluctuating. Out o f a total arable land o f 558,000 ha, an average o f 300,000 ha are cultivated annually, thus accounting for about 54 percent o f total area. Cereals as a group constitute the largest area and account for about 56 percent o f total area followed by groundnuts. A shown in figure 2.1 above, groundnuts command the largest area under production. National PlanningCommission:PRSPI1APR 2007 Page 2 1 Figure2.2 Groundnutproduction2005 2007 - Given the low yields obtained, most increases in output can be largely attributed to area expansion, with variable rainfall, changes in the crop mix, a rise in the cost o f production (particularly for fertilizers) accounting for fluctuations. Other important structural changes include the wider adoption o f animal traction, the diversification into sesameproduction, and the availability o f short-cycled varieties o f rice; New Rice Initiative for Africa (NERICA), groundnut and millet. Clearly, the agriculture policy needs to target the problem o f low yields, which calls for improved inputs and extension. Figure2.3 Groundnutyields 2005 2007 - 2005 2006 w 2007 Generally there i s a down trend inthe area allocated to coarse grain cultivation in all the LGAs. For instance inBrikama 10198 hectares were cultivated in2005; this decreased to 7326 hectares NationalPlanning Commission: PRSP I1APR 2007 Page 22 in2006 and only a marginal increase in2007 to 8908 hectares. Similar trends were observed in all the LGAs. 3.2 FisheriesandMarineResources The strategic objectives o fthe sector are: 1 Increase the productivity o f the sub-sector through the use o f improved and sustainable fishing equipment methods and techniques for increased domestic supply and export; 2 Increase Gambian participation in the sub-sector, targeting unemployed youths through the FishermanTraining Program; 3 Develop community fisheries centers and provide managerial, financial and technical advice to their management committees and 4 Create opportunities inaquaculture by assisting inthe establishment o f fishponds intidal rice fields. Achievements The Fisheries Department continues to undertake activities aimed at poverty reduction in fisheries communities. This i s done through identification, planning and implementation o f development projects and programs through bilateral and regional cooperation programs and through GLF funds.. All such activities are participatory with the involvement o f stakeholders. Community projects were implemented with the involvement o f fisher-folk along the marine coast and inland with facilities for fish processing and storage. Youths were trained in fishing and Fish ponds were constructed in CRD. Training workshops were held for fishermen, fish processors, fish mongers and Extension staff and credit facilities provided to fisher-folk through micro finance institutions. The above interventions had a positive impact on the livelihoods o f fisher-folk communities in strengthening their management capacities and the introduction o f improved fish processing techniques improving quality o f products and reduction o f post harvest losses in the fisheries sector. The activities were carried out with the participation o f stakeholders and partner institutions. This approach effectively established a robust communication and feedback mechanismbetween all the stakeholders. 3.3 Energy In 2006 and 2007 great improvement was registered in the electricity sub sector, with the commissioning o f the Brikama Power station and the six power stations in the rural areas. However, the energy demands still far out weight supply and energy being the pivot for any sustainable development, the need to increase its supply to meet the demand at affordable price cannot be over emphasis. National PlanningCommission:PRSPI1APR 2007 Page 23 a. Electricity The generation capacity at the Kotu Power Station is 28MW and is concentrated inthe Greater Banjul Area but there is currently an independent power producer located in Brikama with a generating capacity o f 22MW. This brings the total generating capacity inGBA to 50MW, which i s far below the existing demand. There are still significant areas in GBA that do not have access to electricity. In2007, six isolated stand-alone systems at various locations were commissionedfollowing the completion of the first phase o f the Rural Electrification Project. The total generating electric capacity i s 4MW. The installation o f the Bijilo sub-station is at an advanced stage o f construction. It is envisaged that upon completion, the electricity network will be expanded as this will enhance electric power from Kotu andBrikama Power Stations, thus increasing electricity supply b. RenewableEnergy Solar Energy During 2007, 37.255kw of solar energy was installed (lighting 9.545kwYPumping 15.69Okwy cooling 10.320 Kw and Heating 1.7kw). More than 50% o f all the solar panels installed during the year under review were privately sponsor. With the aim of providing access to modern forms of energyto the rural dwellers, The Gambia Government with the support o f African Development Bank (AfDB) has concluded a renewable energy feasibility study in2007. The projected capacities proposed inthe feasibility energy study on the identified four project areas are shown below. Implementationwill commence as soon as the required hnds are available. Table 3.1. Renewable Energy SupplyPlan I Project Target Schools 259.2 I l8 I ICT Centres I 50.4 10200 Households 40.6 Bio-fuels Bio-fuel i s at its initial stage inThe Gambia and is being used by very few people inthe country. There are many local trees from which bio-fuel can extracted; Jatropha being one o f them but it National Planning Commission:PRSPIIAPR 2007 Page 24 i s usedby many as life fence instead. The potential o f bio-fuel is very high but in 2007 only 80 litres o fbio-fuel were consumed. EnergySaving Inthe domestic energy sub-sector, the over-reliance on fuel wood and charcoal is continuously affecting the country's forest resources and national vegetation cover at an alarming rate, causing general environmental degradation and hence low productivity. In order to cut down the fuel wood consumption, the Gambia Government introduced improved cooking stoves to reduced fuel consumption and also reduce COz emission. During the year under review 1000 units o f cooking stove were produced. LPG Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) i s no commonly used as domestic fuel inThe Gambia due to its high cost and irregular supply. It is used for cooking, boiling and lighting and mainly imported from Senegal. Duringthe year under review 2760 Metric tons of LPGwas imported. PetroleumProducts During2007, 140,451-81metric tons o fpetroleumproducts (excluding LPG) were imported into the country. 3.4 Tourism The tourist industry in the Gambia, although small in international terms, is at present a major contributor to the national economy contributing 16 % o f GDP, supporting over 10,000 direct and indirect jobs, earning $39 million in foreign exchange, using agricultural produce and generating taxes for the national budget. It also helps to provide the necessary air cargo infrastructure to support the development o f some o f the Gambia's other airfreight requirements inthe seafood sector such as shellfish, horticulture andother internationalbusiness activities. The priority strategic objectives o f the sector for 2007 were to create awareness o f the Gambia and build positive brand image (destination market), diversify tourism product range, put in place regulations governing conduct o f all tourism establishments, classify all tourism establishments and meet the manpower needs o f the industry. The sector also aimed to establish a tourism policy and planning unit and implement the Tourism Master Plan, increase local entrepreneur's participation in the Tourism industry, and intensify linkages: tourism, agriculture and fisheries Destination marketing and promotion o f The Gambia tourism attractions continue to occupy centre stage with a view to projecting and showcasing the rich tourist endowments to the global audience. Inthis regard, an advertisement slot was placed in CNN; Sights and Sounds which was a major milestone inthe efforts to put The Gambia on the world map. Product development continues to occupy center stage in our drive to remain competitive in a dynamic global tourism environment. More hotels were refurbished and/or upgraded to internationally acceptable standards, while new facilities added new dimensions to our product in terms o f bed capacity and quality o f service. Infact, the new policy direction i s to attract high spending tourists. NationalPlanningCommission: PRSPIIAPR 2007 Page 25 To hrther add value to our existing facilities, a number o f new hotels and tourist attractions including amusement parks started operations, adding quality to the industry. This i s more evidently shown by the entry o f the OMAKAN Hotel in February, 2007 and Sheraton Gambia Resort and Spa in May, 2007 raising the standards, increasing market access and above all creating more employment opportunities. In line with the vision to transform The Gambia into a major tourism destination, efforts have been accelerated to mainstream quality into the heart o f the hospitality industry. Incollaboration with the Gambimetherlands Foundation, the hotel classification criteria have been developed and the classification programme will start in earnest before the beginning o f the next winter season. Pre-classification inspections started inOctober 2007. Inlinewith sustainable tourism development and cognizant ofthe need to improve the rangeof tourism products and attractions, ecotourism development i s key inour efforts to create a people centered tourism. Major community driven projects have been launched in Kartong in conjunction with the UNWTO Step Foundation (Sustainable Tourism for Eliminating Poverty), to bring tourism closer to the doorsteps o f communities. The expected outcome o f the project will be geared towards poverty reduction, empowerment and awareness creation, building capacities and self-confidence as well as the involvement o f youth and women in decision making. These projects will bereplicatedinother parts o fthe country with the support o fdonors such as the PRO-INVEST and the European Union. Gains were registered in almost all the areas; apart from the Tourism share o f the GDP, which remains at 16% even though there i s an increase in the arrival figures for 2007, this may have been caused by growth in other areas o f the economy. The GIG (Gambia I s Good) farm i s a supplier to hotels and other horticultural enterprises needs to be encouraged to improve the quality o f their produce to be able to supply the industry. A survey was conducted in2007 to ascertain the number ofjobs inthe tourism industrybut out o f 410 tourism businesses, only 102 (about 25%) responded to the survey. It must also be acknowledged that it i s very difficult ifnot impossible to capture all those who are employed in the informal sector. From the survey results (25% response rate), a total o f 8591 are directly employed by the tourism sector. However, it is anticipated that the number o fjobs created inthe industry will be over 15,000 ifall businesses filled intheir returns. Over twelve (12) training programs were conducted by the GTA in2007 for boththe formal and informal sector workers. The courses were based on Customer Care, and Health and Hygiene. Training was also provided for the Tourist Security Unit with the help o f The Gambimetherlands Foundation. The sector has also seen an increase inthe number o f International Tour Operators and number o f beds with two new hotels, Bars and restaurants, Ground Tour Operators and number o f employees. Interms o f creating awareness, this is an on-going process as The Gambia Tourism Authority's primary mandate i s to promote The Gambia and regulate the tourism industry. 3.5. RoadandInfrastructure By early 2006, the need to review and update the National Transport Policy 1998 -2006 became necessary in view o f the fact that the policy was running close to the end of its life and also NationalPlanningCommission:PRSPI1APR 2007 Page 26 because o f the increasing incompatibility with the objectives o f the PRSP, the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and the results and recommendations o f the Public Expenditure Review o f 2004. Similarly, the enactment o f the Gambia Roads and Technical Services Act 2003 paved the way for the setting up o f the Gambia Roads and Technical Services Authority. By 2006, it was realized that in order to enable the Authority to function more effectively, the enabling legislation had to be amended to separate the core fimctions from the periphery i.e. to make the Authority a roads only entity so that the other technical activities such as designing could revert back to the Department o f State. In 2007 therefore, the enabling legislation was amended thus allowing for a name and functional change to the National Roads Authority with the responsibility for all roads inthe country. Through a subvention, a Road Fundwas created to ensure adequate financing o f roadmaintenance operations. 3.5.1. Achievements In 2007, government embarked on major road construction and rehabilitation projects in the country. The 65 Kilometer Kerewan-Faraffenni road was completed and work on the 180 kilometer Mandinaba-Soma road re-started. A major road rehabilitation programme was started in 2007 and includes the 200 kilometer Soma Basse road, and short stretches such as the Amdallai Barra, Soma-Senoba and Faraffeni-Ker Ayib roads. These roads link the country to the northern and souther partso f Senegal and east wards to Guinea and Mali. Also, following the amendment to its enabling legislation, the National Roads Authority, conducted a condition survey o f the national road network in order to devise a classification o f the roads as well as an interim maintenance programme, covering roads in the Greater Banjul Area. Inthe maritime transport sub- sector, there has been much concern about transforming the Port o f Banjul into a maritime hub in line with the 2003 Port Master Plan. The Fourth Port Project entailed the creation o f an open space to enable the authority solve the problem o f congestion as well as handle effectively the steady increase incargo volumes so as to improve ship turnaround time. The Project also envisages an increase in container yard capacity and also a reduction in flooding at the Northern terminal. The deepening o f the channel entrance to allow port access to larger vessels, the acquisition o f properties in the Half - Die area, the rehabilitation o f the north and south terminals and the purchase o f a tugboat are components o fthe Project. Inline with the port improvement project, the Authority has unveiled plans to improve the country's ferry services. These include the construction o f the Barra Ferry Terminal building, development o f Essau Weighbridge Station, the procurement and installation o f berthing bridges for Banjul and Barra terminals, the rehabilitation o f Bereto Camp and crossing points across the river. Jetties and fresh water and fire fightingpipelines are also earmarked for rehabilitation. Inorder to embark on the implementation o fthe projects under the FourthPort Project, the GPA sought fimding from various donor agencies and private international finance organizations. Presently, the funding arrangements are being put inplace. Fundingfor the Airport Development Project i s beingprovided by the Kuwaiti Development Fundandthe civil works are progressing. The expansion and development o f Banjul International Airport is central to the Gambia Civil Aviation's plans to transform the airport into a regional hub. The original project cost for the National PlanningCommission: PRSP I1APR 2007 Page 27 development o f Banjul International airport was $M54.0 (fifty - four million US Dollars) but given the huge capital outlay required, the dearth o f capital and other constraints, the proposed works had to be scaled down to $21.4 million. The implementation o f the project was in two phases - phase 1 comprised the fast track component which addressed the civil works( runway repairs, construction o fthe dual carriageway o f the main access to the airport, presidential lounge and road, pavements and civil works on airside). Phase 2 entailed the procurement and installation o f an additional 640 KVA standby generator and street lights for the main access road and presidentialway and navigational aids - aeronautical communicational facilities as well as air navigation systems such as DVOR, DME and NDB. The completion o f the project would ensure the complete overlay and resurfacing o f the 3,600 meters long runway, the expansion o f the aircraft parking apron with the construction o f additional exit ways, constructionof a modem fire station and airfield ground lightingsystems. 3.6. Trade Inpursuingthe objectives of both its Mission Statement and the Nation's overall development strategy as enshrined in Vision 2020, the Department of State for Trade, Industry and Employment continues to formulate and implement support policy measures that facilitate the creation o f an efficient and effective economic environment for private sector led development. Inthis regard, the future structure of the economy is prefiguredby government's current policy thrust that allow market forces reasonable degree of free play in the presence o f persuasive structure o f incentives for domestic and foreign investment, facilitate trade as an instrument o f development and create gainful employment for the growing population o f the working age to ultimately eradicate poverty. Since the introduction o f the Economic Recovery Programme, the Government continued to pursue a more liberal trade regime as reflected inits commitment to WTO, ECOWAS, EU/ACP relationship and signing o fbilateral trade agreements with a number o f countries. This has led to gradual and progressive reduction o f tariffs and continued improvement o f its infrastructure to enhance its competitiveness inthe region. To facilitate the development o f trade as well as integrating the national economy to the global economy, there i s a need to have a comprehensive national trade policy. Consequently, DOSTIE i s engaged in a series o f consultations with various stakeholders including non-state actors in a bid to formulate a national trade policy. The process, which was supported by UNDP through EMCBP I11could not finalise the policy formulation process. The completion o f the process will make the Gambia, for the first time, have a national trade policy and will assist in integrating trade into national development. The CompetitionPolicyandLaw To ensure good trade practices as well as to protect consumers requires the existence o f a competition policy and law. Inview o f this, DOSTIE with the assistance o f the Commonwealth Secretariat completed the drafting o fthe legislationon the competitionpolicy and law which was subsequently endorsed by the Cabinet and enacted into law by the National Assembly in September 2007. Consequently, the Department sought and obtained technical assistance from Commonwealth Secretariat to establish a Competition Commission. Already the Department received two missions from the Secretariat in preparation for the establishment o f the National PlanningCommission:PRSP I1APR 2007 Page 28 Commission. They held discussions with public and private sector during the visits. The implementationo f the bill will enhance the investor's confidence inthe economy. Integrated Framework (IF) The Integrated Framework is a trade-focused programme designed to accelerate poverty reduction and improve economic performance in the least developed countries (LDCs). The Diagnostic Trade Integration Study, which i s the entry point in the IF implementation programme, was conducted and validated in July 2007, and subsequently endorsed by Cabinet. The study identifiedpriority sectors with exports potential and growth, and designed policies and strategies for intervention. This formed the bases for the implementation o f the Integrated Framework Programme. The programme intends to assist the Gambia in addressing its limitations inorder to take advantage o f the benefits o fthe multilateral trading system and also to integrate trade policy into the overall national development programme. The ECOWAS Common ExternalTariff (CET) The government o fThe Gambia has committed itselfto the fillimplementation o fthe ECOWAS Common External Tariff (CET) to facilitate intra-regional trade as a means o f regional integration. The Government, through DOSTIE, has constituted a national committee, whose membership includes key Departments o f State, private sector and civil society, to advice on the implementation o f CET. As a first step towards the implementation o f the scheme, the national committee has been engaged ina series o f sensitization campaigns, including the use o fprint and electronic media, TV, and a visit to all the growth centres inthe country to sensitize the business community, customs officials, immigration and the police on CET and its impact on the national economy. A cabinet paper was prepared for cabinet to discuss the findings o f the study as well as to endorse the implementation of the protocol. The full implementation o f the ECOWAS CET i s expected to lead to the establishment o f a Customs Union within the sub-region and eventual integration o fthe region into the global economy. As a small country, ease access to the regional market will enable The Gambianto promote investment and possible industrialization. Additionally, The Gambia has submitted its list o f type B exceptions to the ECOWAS Commission for tariff negotiations with other member states for eventual tariff harmonization. Currently, negations are ongoing and the second round o f national CET sensitization would commence upon the completion o fthe negotiations and the consolidation o fthe regional list. ECOWAS Trade Liberalization Scheme (ETLS) Since The Gambia started the implementation o f the ETLS, seven (7) companies have qualified as ETLS certified companies though only two are currently exporting their products to the regional market. Inter-State Road Transit trade (ISRT) Substantial progress has been made in the implementation o f the ISRT. The Government o f The Gambia has provided the Gambia Chamber o f Commerce and Industry (GCCI), as a national surety, D1million to kick start the implementation, and preparations have already been made in that regard. National PlanningCommission:PRSPI1APR 2007 Page 29 West African Quality Programme Within the framework o f the EPA, the West African region has negotiated a quality programme to enable the region to enhance its export potential by creating the culture o f quality in our industries and upgrade the existing infrastructure to improve quality. This programme will be launched in The Gambia in March 2008 but will be preceded by the setting up o f the operation secretariat by recruiting the National Technical Coordinator and the steering committee. 3.7. Industry In the area of industrial development, government continues to aim to stimulate growth o f the sector by encouraging increased private sector participation in industrial production. It i s in this context that DOSTIE identified the review andupdate o f the National Industrial Policy 1996 as a priority activity under the Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper I1(PRSP 11). This programme, which i s supposed to include the technical review of the industrial sector and the subsequent development o f an industrial master plan, would inform the necessary adjustments needed in investmentpolicy and its incentive structure as well as the SME policyprogrammes. To this end, assistance has been sought from the United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO) to undertake the assignment on behalf o f the Department. Although UNIDO has accepted inprinciple to field ina team o f technical experts to carry out the review and update the current policy, the department is yet to receive the team. InvestmentPolicy The Gambia's investment policy comes under a broad liberal macroeconomic policy framework that sets out government's economic and financial policy. Government's policy on investment and private sector development has beenconsistent from the time o f the ERP to the Programme for Sustainable Development and i s reflected in Vision 2020. In all the policy frameworks o f these programmes, Government considers private sector investment as the engine o f economic growth. To translate its desire for increased investment, the Government formulated a National Investment Policy in June 1999, which defined certain priority areas for investment promotion, scope o f investment activities, and established eligibility criteria for the award o f specific investment incentives in various sectors o f the economy. This policy was subsequently enacted into the Investment Act o f 2001 and supported by the Free Zones Act o f 2001, both o f which established GIPFZA. Since 2006, discussions on the review andupdate o f the Investment Policy 1999 and Investment and Free Zones Acts 2001 have been on-going but no substantial progress has beenmade so far. Currently, these instruments are not adequately addressing challenges in the investment environment and related development issues. This has the tendency to frustrate the investment promotion efforts o f GIPFZA and also affect the ability o f the economy to create wealth. Although GIPFZA was able to develop an investment promotion strategy, without the review andupdate o fthese instruments, such strategy wouldhave little impact. National PlanningCommission:PRSPI1APR 2007 Page 30 3.8. EnterpriseDevelopment As a strategy to enhance industrial development and its contribution to the poverty reduction programme o f government, a small enterprise development programme was conceived to enhance the development o f the small scale industries. Within this context, the Department o f State has been working on a comprehensive policy called Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) policy to facilitate the development of such enterprises so as to enhance their contribution to national development. Since it i s the Department's desire to have a comprehensive and all inclusive policy, a requested was made to Social Development Fund (SDF) through its Entrepreneurship and Micro-Finance Development project for assistance to finalize the policy and also the institutional arrangement for its implementation. This request was accepted and Sahel Invest International, a consultancy firm, is being engaged to come up with the M S M EPolicy and Action Plan. 3.9. Employment,HumanResourcesDevelopmentandLabour The consequences o f economic growth and trends in social development have brought about the need for rethinking o f development strategies in the interest o f poverty reduction and empowerment. The challenge The Gambia faces is therefore the pursuance o f a growth strategy that i s employment intensive and poverty reducing. As a result, the Government felt the need to formulate the National Employment Policy and Action Plan as a way o f redistributing the benefits o f growth, reduce poverty andraise living standards. In this respect, the Department of State for Trade, Industry and Employment put in place appropriate policy strategies and institutional mechanisms for the implementation o f the Employment Policy Action Plan as part o f the PRSP. This i s to ensure that national goals and objectives on reducing unemployment, underemployment and poverty are achieved. The aim o f the policy i s to promote access to employment for all, enhance employment, prevent social exclusion and foster participatory development. However, the implementation o f the action plan suffered the same problems as other policies above. Progress registered in the implementation o f the action plan includes the Labour Bill which has been enacted into law during the National Assembly's third meeting in September 2007. In another development, the GAMJOBS Project, a project developed to implement the priority programmes o f the Action plan, has received funds from the Gambia Government and the UNDP, and some funding is expected from the Spanish Government. Currently, both the operations manager and project coordinator have been recruited. GAMJOBS has the expected potential to create ten thousandjobs annually for five years. National PlanningCommission: PRSP I1APR 2007 Page 31 CHAPTER4: IMPROVE COVERAGEOF THE BASICSOCIAL SERVICESAND SOCIAL PROTECTIONNEEDSOFTHE POORAND VULNERABLE 4.1. Education Until 2007, the Department of State for Education (DOSE) was responsible for the provision of general education, rangingfrom early childhooddevelopment to higher education. However, during the period under review, a new Department o f State was created for Tertiary & Higher Education, Research and Scientific Technology, while the portfolio o f Basic and Secondary Education was renamed Department o fState for Basic & Secondary Education (DoSBSE). The strategic objectives o f the Basic education sub-sector are effective financial planning and management o f the sector and improving school infrastructures (Quality and Quantity), quality o f teaching and learning, and the school environment to make it conducive for teaching and learning. Strategies include providing scholarships for girls, provision o f adequate teaching and learning materials, development o f a relevant and up to date Curriculum, ensuring effective and efficient school management and supporting literacy providers. The sector also aims to improve access to secondary education, conditions o f teachers and quality and quantity infrastructures in schools, increase access to quality schooling, enhance education information and knowledge management as well as develop an effective monitoring and evaluation framework. The sector also aimed to develop a comprehensive a policy agenda and framework, and ensure effective application and use o f resources as well as ensure planning andmanagement o fhuman resources. For the higher education sub-sector, the strategic objectives are ensure effective and improved Financial Planning and management o f Higher Education, infrastructural development in Tertiary institutions, and access to relevant and quality tertiary Education. The strategies include supporting the process o f integration o f tertiary education (MDIGTTI, GC, UTG), development o f infrastructure for UTG campus, expansion o f infrastructure for UTG Kanifing Campus, PTC extension programme at Gambia College, developing academic facilities including laboratories and counseling centre at Gambia College, establishing functional and coherent quality assurance framework for the integrated Tertiary education system and scholarship scheme for the needy; in particular girls, increasing access to and improve coverage o f TVET particularly in the rural areas, improving quality and quantity o f teachers at HTC level as well as communication and information management ,andreducingthe Gender Gap inaccess to Tertiary Education 4.1.1 BasicandSecondary Education The overall basic education programme consists of the Early Childhood Development , Basic Education (Grades 1-9), and Adult andNon-Formal Education. NationalPlanningCommission:PRSP I1APR 2007 Page 32 a. Early ChildhoodEducation Early Childhood Development has become part o f the basic education cycle, given the importance o f the early years o f development for children. The Education Policy (2004 - 2015) acknowledges the importance o f enhancing access to ECD services, particularly in deprived communities to ensure children's readiness for formal schooling. Guided by the above, the DoSBSE has the national mandate to co-ordinate the promotion o f an integrated approach to ECD provision through a Multi-Sectoral Working Group (MSWG), which has been established to interface with government departments,NGOS, and local authorities and local committees, civil society organizations (CSO) and international agencies. Since ECD i s largely provided by the private sector, affordability becomes an issue and poses a major constraint for poorer households. This problem i s more pronounced in the rural areas, where poverty i s more acute and where the tradition o f leaving children inthe care o f siblings or grandparents, or having children accompanying their mothers to the farms or other work places, still remains the dominant practice for early childhood care. Given these challenges, the following strategic interventions are beingimplementedwith support from UNICEF: e Provision o f facilities and services for ECD e Articulation o f guidelines for the training o fpolyvalent ECD teachers e Designo f strategies for the mobilisation o fresources e Monitoring, assessment and development o f early childhood education programmes Provision o f guidelines for the establishment and management o f ECD services e Buildingand strengthening o fpartnerships for the promotion o fintegrated services e Mobilisation, sensitisation and motivation o f communities to participate inECD e Enhancement o f access through a parenting education program e Review o f community based ECD b. Basic Education(Grades 1-9) The Gambia's National Education Policy (2004 - 2015) provides for a unified basic education system, covering years 1-9, through an automatic transition with no transition examination at the end o f the lower basic cycle. Thus there i s rapid expansion taking place at the upper basic level, and a policy o f integrating basic education facilities where possible. Thus in practice, it i s difficult to draw a line between the lower and the upper basic cycles. However gross enrolment continues to increase as shown infigure 4.1. As shown in Table 4.1, at the level o f the lower basic, enrolments for the period 2005/2006 - 2006/ registered a 1% increase in GER from 91% to 92% including Madrassas. A variety o f interventions ranging from school feeding to classroom construction might have made some impact on enrolment at this level. NationalPlanningCommission: PRSP I1APR 2007 Page 33 Figure 4.1 Gross Enrolment Rates in ECD by Region 1999/2000 - 2006/2007 Table 4.1 Lower Basic Enrolment 2005/06 -2006/07 Sex ~ 2005/2006 88,616 94,011 182,627 I2006/2007 I 108,540 1 111,883 1220,423 Inthe areaofupperbasic education, there hasbeenrapidexpansionbetween2002 and2006 with enrolments increasing from 42,094 to 66,025 translating into a GER growing from 43% to 65%. This growth in enrolment represents an average annual growth rate o f 15%, which exceeds the target o f 12.7%. However, the period under review witnessed a drop in the GER. from 65% to 61% with the enrolment for girls dropping slightly from 32,592 in2005/06 to 32,047 in2006107 while that o fthe boys increased from 33,433 to 34,442. Madrassa Education The Madrassa (Islamic/Arabic school) i s a formal education delivery institution with Arabic as a medium o f instruction and a strong Islamic orientation in content and practice. The system offers instruction at different levels. Based on the current memorandum o f understanding between the General Secretariat o f Arabic and Islamic Education and the DoSBSE, the Secretariat currently benefits D70, 000 per month fiom the DoSBSE as subvention to facilitate the recruitment and retention o f competent Englishteachers who implement the harmonised syllabus inthe Madrassas. Inaddition, qualifiedMadrassasarealsoprovidedwithfoodbythe WFP through the school feeding programme. NationalPlanning Commission: PRSP I1APR 2007 Page 34 In 2007, DOSBE conducted orientation meetings with Madrassa proprietors and teachers to highlight the importance of the use o f the synchronised materials in promoting quality and relevant education. A consultative meeting was also convened with WAEC and CREDIT to explore the possibility o f unifying the Madrassa examinations at the national level. Also there was a review o f curriculum materials for Grades 1-9 in Arabic and Islamic Studies to ensure content flow from the syllabus to the textbooks. SpecialNeedsEducation Inorder to pursue the EFA goal o fproviding universalprimary education, children with special needs must be catered for by the education system. In recognition o f this fact, the DoSBSE continues to apply a two-pronged approach to the provision o f quality and relevant education to children with special needs. While the sector continues to support the special schools (blind, deaf and learning difficulties) for severe cases, mainstreaming of less severe cases is gaining momentum. Given the role o f the Special Needs Unit in the implementation o f the above strategies, the following activities were undertaken duringthe period under review: 0 Identification, registration and referral o f children with special needs in mainstream schools 0 Training o f cluster monitors on the management o f children with hearing and visual impairment 0 Launching o f the Hearing Assessment Research Centre (HARK) 0 Training o f ECD teachers at Gambia College on Special Needs Monitoring o f IEPprogrammes and special schools 0 Validation o f advocacy strategy for special needs children Under the Integrated Education Programme (IEP) supported by Sight Savers International, mainstreaming o f blind and children with low vision has successfblly been piloted in Region 3 where the lessons learnt guidedthe expansion ofthe programme inRegions 1& 2 in2007. The expansion o f the Integrated Education Programme was launched in Regions 1 and 2, the purpose of which was to create awareness about IEP among key stakeholders within these regions. Inconsonance with the IEP's model o f implementation, ten (10) qualified teachers were identified and trained at the Gambia College to become competent iterant teachers to serve in Regions 1 and 2. O f the ten, the best eight were recruited andposted accordingly. Blind and visually impaired children were identified through screening exercises conducted by the community ophthalmic nurses. Following these exercises, a total o f two hundred and twenty- seven (227) children from Regions 1 and 2 were referred to Sheikh Zayed Regional Eye Care Centre for fbrther medical assessmentby the ophthalmologist and the optometrist. Fifty-five (55) o f these children had refractive errors and were provided with spectacles while sixty-two (28 males & 34 females) who were diagnosed as having low vision were registered with the IEP for support. NationalPlanningCommission:PRSPI1APR 2007 Page 35 ClassroomConstruction The construction o f classrooms across the country has been intensified to respond to the growing demand to meet the policy target o f universal basic education. Under the EFNFTI, construction works were executed through a Framework Agreement with Future In Our Hands (FIOH), a renowned NGO specialized in civil works and in-service training o f teachers, while the rehabilitation works were executed through a decentralized mode o f identifying suitable contractors but guidedby standard procurement procedures. Inaddition to the above, thirty-eight blocks of three classrooms each are being provided under BADEA inRegions 1and 2 coupledwith the fencing o ftwenty schools across the country while the construction o f one hundred blocks o f three classrooms each under the ADB project distributedall over the country is inprogress. School Feeding A Food for Education (FFE) programme aimed at increasing enrolment in targeted regions, maintaining regular attendance intargeted regions, reducing drop-out rates by gender, increasing lower basic completion rates, and promoting ECD in deprived communities i s being implemented. One hundred and eighteen thousand (118,000) students in lower basic schools, eighteen (18) Madrassas with harmonised curricula and seventy-two ECD centres annexed to existing lower basic schools from Regions 2 to 6 benefit inthe form o f food (daily school lunch), QualityInterventionsinBasicEducation While the focus o f access at the basic level has witnessed tremendous achievement, it has not beenmatched by increased learning outcomes. The evidence o f this can be traced to the fact that only 10% o f Grades 3 and 5 students reached the mastery level o f 73% in Mathematics, English and Science. This i s hrther corroborated by the results obtained from UNESCO's Monitoring Learning Achievements (MLA, 2000) which demonstrates that 46% o f students reached the minimumpassmark (40%) inthe same core subjects. Guidedbythis situation, arange o fquality inputshave beenprovided to enhancethe quality o fteaching and learning. Teacher Training The Gambia Teacher Training College significantly enhanced its intake o f Primary Teachers' Certificate (PTC) and Higher Teachers' Certificate (HTC) students over the past five years, resultinginan increase o f 1,024 qualified PTC teachers and 1,034 HTC inthe system.However, an area of concern i s the poor academic standing o f new PTC recruits, many o f whom fall inthe 30-40 percent achievement range in the entrance exam that tests core subjects (English, Mathematics and General Knowledge). The College training institution attracts primarily low- performing high school graduates with low content knowledge, Le. those with few or no alternative careers. Consistent with the EFA/FTI's overall objective to help accelerate the improvement o f access and quality o f universal primary education, the School for Education, Gambia College received support from the EFA/FTI. National PlanningCommission: PRSP I1APR 2007 Page 36 Teacher trainee observation i s geared towards improving the quality o f delivery o f content and support to the trainee. Fundingfrom the EFA/FTIprovided opportunity for college staff to visit and interact with trainees in the schools more often than was previously possible. This has improved the turn-around time for feedback from lecturers to get to the students and consequently improvedthe quality o fthe support system for students. Under the distance education programme, each teacher trainee in the Primary Teachers' Certificate (PTC) course received 5 modules in each o f the four core subjects namely, Science, Maths, English and SES, within a two-year period while on teaching practice. Fundingprovided by the FTIunder this category was used to print these modules andto distribute them to students inthe schools. Inaddition, the students areprovidedwith stipends for subsistence. In order to enhance teacher quality, a mechanism to upgrade the skills of four hundred (400) unqualified teachers in Region 5 through a PTC extension programme (both pedagogic and academic) with an inbuilt mentoring system has been initiated by BESPOR. It should be noted that the students in the PTC Extension Programme continue to demonstrate high levels o f commitment, responsibility and dedication to their studies. In terms o f performance, there i s marked improvement duringthe period under review compared to last year when the programme started. The pilot o f this initiative is currently on in Region 5 but plans are afoot to roll it out to all the regions through a gradual phase-in programme. The funding o f this activity i s jointly provided by BESPOR and the FTI. Inan attempt to address some of the problems associated with the quality of instruction at the Gambia College, the teacher training programme has been reviewed to recognise both academic and pedagogic issues. The provision o f laboratory equipment under the first phase o f the Third Education Sector programme will greatly improve the teaching o f the sciences at the School o f Education. Furthermore, the support under the French Technical Cooperation to strengthen the training o f French teachers to Higher Teachers' Certificate level will not only increase the supply o f teachers o fFrenchat the upper basic level but also enhance its teaching. In-Service Training Within the framework o fproviding school-level pedagogic support, a major activity to curb early grade reading disabilities was conducted through the training o f trainers and training o f all teachers in Grades 1, 2 and 3. The training also included head teachers, senior teachers and cluster monitors. This was found necessary based on the findings o f a survey conducted with support from the World Bank and the Research Triangular Institute to assess the levels o f early grade reading competencies. One thousand two hundred (1200) students in Grades 1, 2 and 3 from forty (40) schools were sampled, representing 10% o f the total number o f lower basic and basic cycle schools. The results o f the survey indicated that reading poses a significant challenge to students inthe early grades. Following the training o f trainers conducted by the Curriculum Directorate, three thousand teachers o f Grades 1- 3 from all the regions were trained for a period o f six days during which National Planning Commission:PRSPI1APR 2007 Page 37 period they were exposed to recommended strategies for the teaching o f reading for early graders. CurriculumImprovement Further to the availability o fnew core textbooks inall lower basic schools for Grades 1,2, 3 & 4 to meet the pupil textbook ratio o f 1:l for English, Mathematics & Integrated Studies, the materials for Grades 5 & 6 have been successfully reviewed, revised, validated and piloted and the fully edited copies submitted for procurement in 2006. Duringthe period under review, the materials for Grades 5 and 6 in English, Mathematics, Science and Social & Environmental Studies have been successfully procured with the contract awarded to Macmillan, who executed the assignment and deliveredthematerials inatimely manner. GirYChildFriendlySchoolInitiative Under the Girl/Child Friendly School Initiative (GFSI) which is funded by both UNICEF and EFA/FTI, the cost burden on parents has been greatly minimized through the purchase o f uniforms, shoes, schoolbags, pencils, exercise books and a variety o f teaching and learning materials. Inaddition, mothers' clubs have already been set up with the provision o f seed money to each club, the proceeds o f which are ploughed back to support the education o f their children, particularly girls. Evidence o f this i s the engagement o f the clubs mainly in communal farming and gardening whose cascading effects generate substantial income sufficient for investment in loan schemes for the benefit o fthe entire membership. Inaddition, labour-saving devices inthe form of milling machines have beenpurchased under the EFA/FTI for ten mothers' clubs identified during the second phase o f the Child-friendly School Initiative inRegions 2 and 3. Enrolment for both boys and girls in these schools continues to increase steadily. However, sustaining the gains will require capacity strengthening o f the mothers' clubs to fully utilize their potential income-generating schemes as i s the case in the UNICEF supported interventions in URR.Further support is therefore anticipated inthe area o f literacy for these mothers to enhance their understanding o fentrepreneurship. Teaching& LearningMaterials Further to the introduction of the Essential Learning Package (ELP) in the education system, which aims among other things, to significantly improve the conditions of teaching and learning inschools, the relevant elements ofthe package havebeenintegrated into the EFNFTIproposal for 2007 and subsequently purchased and distributed to schools. ScholarshipSchemes During 2007, gains for girls in basic education have been overwhelming but the worrisome decline in the enrolment o f boys in lower basic schools has been an issue. The strategy responsible for the reverse inthe enrolment trend has been the Scholarship Trust Fundinstituted to provide support for girls in Regions 3 - 6 at the upper basic and senior secondary levels for NationalPlanningCommission:PRSPI1APR 2007 Page 38 the payment o f fees for tuition, textbooks and examinations. This fund, which is administered by a Trust Fund Administrator, receives support from Government and Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) such as Action Aid International The Gambia (AAITG). However, recognising the drop in enrolment for boys, the Angel Trust Fundestablished by the Department but fundedthrough areplenishment arrangementhasbeenusedto provide boys with similar fees. Other scholarship schemes include the President's Empowerment for Girls' Education Project (PEGEP), which provides tuition andtextbook rentalfees to girls inU B S and SSS. Teachers' Quarters The provision o f teachers' quarters in schools located in deprived communities, especially for female teachers, continues to attract the attention of the education sector. While a change of design i s anticipated for the construction o f these quarters in deprived communities under the EFA/FTIfrom the 7-unit design to something more appropriate, BADEA andADB are currently constructing quarters in 10 and 20 schools respectively. This change o f design i s necessitated by the fact that the targeted deprived communities have more than five teachers due to the employment of multi-grade teaching as a strategy that i s prevalent in schools with low enrolments. HardshipAllowances In a bidto attract teachers to, andretain them in, very difficult areas, an incentive package has been designed for those teachers serving inthe difficult areas inRegions 3, 4, 5 & 6. Regions 3 & 4 (30% oftheir salaries) and5 & 6 (35% and40 %) respectively. Given the success registered in attracting qualified teachers from non-deprived locations and regions to voluntarily take up postings in hardship zones, teacher incentives in the form o f hardshipallowances continueto beprovided to teachers insuch designated areas. From the table below, it is discernible that the majority o f the teachers in all the regions except Region 6 serve in non-hardship zones. However, it has been observed that those teachers who serve in these zones put a lot o f pressure on their directorates to be redeployed to hardship zones where their salaries will be topped up by the above percentages. Table 4.2: Hardshipallowanceby region andnumber of teachers benefiting Results from the monitoring o f this initiative indicate that 13% o f the teachers in non-hardship zones in Region 3 opted to move to the designated hardship areas while Regions 4, 5 and 6 reported 20%, 34% and 26% o fteachers opting to move to hardship zones. National Planning Commission: PRSP I1APR 2007 Page 39 All the regions but Region 4 recorded no cases of teachers serving in hardship zones opting to move to non-hardship zones. However, Region 4 recorded 2% o f teachers whose wish was to move from hardship to non-hardship areas. Thus the package has attracted a good number o f teachers from non-hardship to hardshipareas within regions. Adult andNon-FormalEducation The adult and non-formal education sub-sector seeks to work within the framework o f the current National Education Policy (2004-2015), the ESSP (2006-2015), the EFA and MDGgoals and apply the agreed partnership strategies with the private and informal sector to promote the creation o f a literate environment with a view to reducing adult illiteracy levels by 50% by 2015. Inthe longterm to eradicate adult illiteracy through anintegrated approach that promotes both technical skills and functional knowledge to enable adult learners adequately respond to changing circumstances and to contribute to self, community and national development. Adult andNonFormalandSkills Education 13, 450 Women and out o f school youth in 309 communities are literate in the local languages (Mandinka, Pular, Wolof, Jola and Sarahulleh). 21,928 women and youths were trained on various skills (Tie & Dye, soap making, weaving, pottery, press brick making, pomade making, food processing and preservation skills and macramk). 318 skills trainers were trained on various skills and21 Multi-Purpose Centres constructed and equipped them with solar andIEC gadgets. 2.1.2 HigherEducation ImprovedAccess to Tertiary Education There were significant increases in enrolment at The Gambia College and the University o f The Gambia (UTG) between 2005 and 2007 representing 69.8% and 61.3% respectively. The Remedial Initiatives for Female Teachers (RIFT) access programme at the Gambia College which discontinued due to lack o f donor hnding at the end o f the project and the access programme at the UTG both in favour o f girls greatly contributed to improving access in these institutions. Also, the Open and Distance Learning Programme (ODL) contributed to this improvement at the Gambia College. Duringthe same periodMDIandGTTIexperienced significant drops inenrolment by 34.3% and 13% respectively. These were due to the high rate o f competition for programme options with newly established institution offering either cheaper or better programmes o f the same kind especially the International Commercial Management (ICM) course. The disparity between male and female student (gender gap) improved greatly inMDI, Gambia College and UTG; by 61.5%, 41.3% and 41.3% respectively in 2007 while GTTI experienced set back o f 32.5% gender gap duringthe same period. An integrated tertiary education system will have implications for tertiary education including among others improvement o f opportunities for students, improved efficiency and effectiveness o fuse o fresources, increase enrolment andimprove delivery o f quality programmes. National PlanningCommission: PRSP I1APR 2007 Page 40 ImprovedRelevantand QualityTertiary Education Achievements in improved relevant education include the revision and broadening o f the Primary Teachers' Certificate (PTC) and Higher Teachers' Certificate (HTC) programmes o f The Gambia College to satisfy the needs o f students and those o f the Department o f State for Basic and Secondary Education. Other achievements registeredwere: e Training o f PTC teachers to qualified status through the PTC extension programme funded byDFIDand F T Ito the tune o f GMD 15.5 million e Ongoing construction o f a computer laboratory at the University o f The Gambia through philanthropic funding from Norway. e Construction and infrastructural development o f a Science Laboratory and counselling centre at the Gambia College funded by the African Development Bank to the tune of GMD23.7 million. TechnicalVocationalEducationandTraining(TVET) Enrolment increased by 15% from 2005 to 2007 which implies that a corresponding increase in the numbero f skill centres will be requiredinthe future. Also a committed funding o f US$ 4.2 million was made by the Republic o f China to build a skill centre at Sifoe to enhance access to TVET; a quality part-time mode of training allowed by employers to employees has been established. This continuous lifelong learning has helped to boost productivity o f workers to keep up with the change o f technology, and a National Skills Qualification Framework (NSQF) or Gambia Skills Qualification Framework (GSQF) was developed in 2006 and implementation began in2007. The NSQF emphasises qualifications and standards to be delivered by registered and accredited training providers to enhance quality improvement in the TVET system. In 2007 some training institutions were closed for failure to meet standards and so far 53 training institutions have been registered and accredited. A lead body established in 2007 i s responsible for the registration and accreditation o f training providers, trainers and assessors based on set standards and bench marks.A training levywhich forms the main financial base o fthe National Training Authority is being collected. Registered training institutions participated in a validation workshop to set quality assurance standards and benchmarks including an HIV/AIDS programme as part o f their curriculum. Institutional management capacity i s being provided for the NTA by government which enabled it to play its role inthe implementation o f the TVET policy and the implementation o fthe TVET reform was also effected in2007. 4.2 Health The Gambia public health service delivery system is composed o f three tiers, based on the primary health care strategy, i.e. Primary, Secondary and Tertiary levels. Services are provided by 4 hospitals, 42 health facilities at the secondary level and 492 health posts at the primary National PlanningCommission:PRSP I1APR 2007 Page 41 level. The construction o f an additional hospital has been completed and a Regional Eye Care Centre opened. Inaddition, 65 private, Non-Governmental Organization, complement the public health systemand community managed clinics. 4.3.1 Policy Objectives The goal o f the Health Policy is to reduce morbidity and mortality in the population thereby significantly improving quality o f life. To achieve this, the following objectives are considered essential for the development o f a healthy human capital for The Gambia and Government i s committed to their attainment as a pathway to the MDGs and Vision 2020 goals: Enhance commitment to reduction o f disease burden inthe population Reduce childhood morbidity and mortality attributed to vaccine preventable diseases Increase immunization coverage to at least 80% for all districts and 90% at the national level for all antigens. Improve surveillance mechanism for early detection and response to vaccine preventable disease outbreaks Improvement inthe quality o freproductive life o f all persons living inThe Gambia Ensure access to quality basic clinical care package for all Gambians and puttinginplace a mechanism that would assurethe quality o f service Ensuringappropriate andadequatehumanresources for the healthsector Ensuringdrugs, vaccines, other medical supplies security and their safety Access to health Access to health services continued to improve in the Gambia during the year 2007. The upgrading of two major health centres (Kuntaur and Basse) into district hospitals is near completion. Four new health centres (Sarakunda, Albreda, Foday kunda and Kafuta) have been opened and are fully operational. There are about thirty eight village clinics in the country and are being staffed with expatriate medical personnel and Gambiannurses. This has increased the geographical access and reduced the distance to the nearest health facility. This is inline with the recommendation that all communities should be within 5km to the nearest health facility. However, the required fknctions o f these facilities has been greatly reduced by andnot limited to lack o f trained, skilled and motivated personnel. The cost o f health care services has been maintained at the same level for the past years. Reproduction and Child Health Services including family planning are free o f charge. At the Out-patient departments o f all public health facilities, an amount o f D5.00 i s charged for consultation and treatment, whilst diagnostic investigations (lab, x -ray, ultra sound) are charged separately. The Reproductive and Child Health Programme (RCH) is gradually expanding its services to include men, adolescents/youths in addition to the usual targets o f women and children under five years. The RCH services which continue to deliver antenatal, delivery and family planning care through integration have gradually incorporated such services as postpartum care, STI management, PPTCT, IPT, the integration o f birth registration o f under-fives and the I M N C I strategy. These highly decentralized and integrated R C H Services are being delivered through a network o f Major Health Centres, Minor Health Centres, RCH Clinics, R C H OutreacWTrekking Stations and Primary Health Care (PHC) Villages in the 6 Health Regions o f the country. This National PlanningCommission:PRSP11APR 2007 Page 42 mode o f service delivery i s a major factor inthe success o f the programme. R C H services forms an integral part o f essential Health Care Package designed on a cost-effective basis as a priority intervention for reducing poverty. A pilot project on Emergency Maternal and Newborn Child Health (EMNCH) i s being implementedinBrikama Health Centre andplans are underway for its possible expansion to other regions depending on the outcome o f evaluation. In the health sector, the delivery of services is highly dependent on a reliable and well- maintained transport fleet. Ambulances continue to be prioritized with fuel allocations and maintenance services. A number o f second hand vehicles were received from donors to support service delivery. In a bid to retain health workers especially in the rural areas, staff incentive packages such as hardship allowances, risk allowances, etc, have been created. As a measure to improve output from the health training institutions, the institutions have increased their annual intake to 40 students per year. The University o f The Gambia, Faculty o f Medicine and Allied Health Sciences has started producing medical graduates and the first batch o f Medical Doctors graduated and are near completing their practical training at the Royal Victoria Teaching Hospital. The Department o f State for Health continues to offer free treatment for Leprosy and Tuberculosis andthe Directly Observed Treatment short course (DOTS)has been expanded to 22 centres. The Tuberculosis treatment success rate increased from 73% in2004 to 75% in2005 and to 88% in 2006. There has been no reported stock out o f TB drugs in 2007. Failure and multi- drug resistance have been maintained below 1%. The Tuberculosis case detection rate in 2006 was 78%. Village Health Workers have been trained to supervise TB treatment at the community level. Malaria still continues to be a major disease in the Gambia. The aim o f the malaria control strategy i s to reduce human malaria vector contact with the objective of preventing people from getting malaria particularly children under five and pregnant women. The incidence o f malaria has been reduced by 2.8% in2005 This has been associated with the distribution o f Long Lasting Nets (LLINs), the mass treatment o f nets with insecticide and improved environmental sanitation. In2007, the implementation o f the GFATM round 6 to the rest o f the 5 healthregions started and LLINs were distributed to children under five years, pregnant women and the most vulnerable. Intermittent Preventive Treatment (IPT) has beenimplemented inWestern Region; Over 50% o f the pregnant women targeted inthe above region were given sulphadoxine Pyremethamine (SP) or Fansidar as preventive treatment for malaria during Pregnancy. The same program (IPT) has started inthe rest o f the regions and all the public Health facilities and some private facilities in the country are implementing this strategy. Nurses and Doctors were trained on malaria case management. On the availability o f drugs, most o f the essential drugs are available especially anti-malarial. Antimalarial drugs were provided for effective case management for Banjul, K M C and Brikama administrative areas courtesy o f Global FundRound Three Grant. National Planning Commission: PRSP 11APR 2007 Page 43 However availability o f drugs and other medical supplies still remains a major challenge; the Global Fund provided anti-malarial drugs for effective case management for Banjul, Kanifing Municipal Council and Brikama administrative areas only. Plans are under way to introduce a new anti-malarial drugArtemisinin CombinationTherapy (ACT) as a substitute for chloroquine. Procurement o f Drugs: There exists a bilateral agreement between the government o f The Gambia and Egypt in which the Department State for Health and Social Welfare (DOSH) procures all drugs from Egyptian firms unless they are unable to supply. Normally, this i s less than 5% o f supplies requiredand so about 95% o f drug suppliesover sometimes come from Egypt. Achievements e The Health Policy and Health Master Plan 2008- 2020, which is the basis o f this document has beenelevated to the status o fthe strategic document o f the health sector. a Relevant policy documents were also developed in recent years to improve program implementation. These include Mental Healthpolicy and HealthResearch policy. e The Gambia has made considerable achievements inthe control o fcommunicable disease like poliomyelitis, Guinea worm, measles, lymphatic filariasis and leprosy some o f which are eliminated or inthe final stage o f elimination. e Considerable progress has been made in the areas o f EPI Coverage with 90% for childhood immunization. e Physical access has also been greatly improved by the expansion o f health facilities and the recruitment o f trained health personnel. Over 85% and 97% o f the Population are within 3 kmand 5 kmo fabasic healthfacility andprimary health care post respectively. e Through the proper use o f Multi Drug Therapy (MDT) and other measures, The Gambia has succeeded inelimination leprosy since 1998. e With the introduction o f mass bed nets re-treatment campaigns, coverage has reached 85% and this has contributed together with other interventions to the reduction o f malaria prevalence inthe country. e The Gambia Government has agreed to change from chloroquinebased malariatreatment to an Artinisiumcombination therapy (ACT) with the support o fthe Global Fund. e Harmonized and integrated data collection tools have beendeveloped. e A National measles campaign was conducted with coverage of 95% o f children 9 to 59 months. e The first ever-National HealthAccount study (2002- 2004) has been completed. e A RegionalPolio campaign was conducted inwestern healthregionwith 95% coverage. 4.3 Water The Strategic objectives o f the sector are to increase the provision of potable water supplies in a sustainable, and equitable manner; conserving water supplies and meeting the needs o f Agriculture in the short term, and making provision for long-term demands and in an efficient manner; and accommodating the water needs o f fisheries, navigation, industry, tourism, recreation and hydropower in an efficient and cost effective way. The sector also aims to provide and train technical personnel for NationalPlanning Commission: PRSP I1APR 2007 Page 44 water resources services of the Gambia; prepare plans for investigating the rational management, use control, protection, monitor and safeguard the quality o f water resources; execute and enforce the laws and regulation affecting water, and advise and instruct any person or Authority concerning the investigation, use control, protection, management or administrationo fwater. The Department o f Water Resources continues to undertake activities aimed at poverty eradication in rural Gambia. This i s done through identification, planning and implementation o f national development projects and programs as well as bilateral and regional cooperation programs. The GOTG/Japan Rural Water supply project Phase I1is divided into 3 stages. Inthe First Stage of the JICA funded Rural Water Supply Project (Phase 11), 10 communities were provided with reticulation system using solar pumping system in mid 2006 at a cost o f U S $ 1, 714,529. Under Second Stage, drilling o f 7 boreholes were completed and the construction o f over-head tanks and pipe distribution network is complete in Sami Pachonki, NianiSukuta, Jailan Bakardaji and Saruja. Overhead tanks have also been constructed at Jahally and Galleh Manda but the distribution network i s yet to be completed. The total cost for stage 2 i s US $1,626,000. A team o f Japanese consultants from Japan Techno concluded a detailed design study in August for Stage 3 o f the project to provide 7 communities with borehole, tank and reticulation system with solar pumping system at a cost o f US $1,605,570. The consultant i s finalizing the technical specification for the tender and contract will be awarded in Tokyo inearly 2007. A project fundedbyUNDP at a cost o fU S $1,335,000 aims at providing support to rural communities intheir fight against poverty throughthe integration ofwater andenergy resources usingmarket-based mechanism and decentralized participatory management structures. The project aims at expanding the existing water supply and energy systems to generate surplus water and energy to promote economic development. Under the Water and Environmental Sanitation component o f Integrated Basic Service Programme o f UNICEF Country Programme, the Department chlorinated 1000 wells in Ebo Town, Tallinding and Faji Kunda to prevent the outbreak of cholera. UNICEF also provided D2, 000,000 towards the extension o f pipe water and connection o f 19 community standpipes in Ebo Town (which was the cholera hot spot in 2005). DWR also chlorinated wells in communities hosting Cassamance refugees in the Foni. Currently the Department o f Community Development is constructing improved pit latrines in selected host communities to improve the hygiene situation o f the refugees. The objectives are to complement Government effort in the developments activities; improve the living standard o f Women and Children; increase access and availability o f clean water supply for communities; reduce the incidence o f water borne diseases; improve the sanitation situation o f the communities; and meet MDGgoals andvision 2020 objectives The 6.8 Million Euro EDF-9 Rural Water supply Sector Support Programme (WRSSSP) was signed in March 2003 but only launched in 2006. the project aims at focusing on poverty reduction by enhancing the capacity o f delivery o f sustainable water supply, accompanied by health awareness campaigns., introduction o f basic sanitations and strengthening o f sector policies and institutional reforms. The communities o f Badibou Kerewan, Farafenni, Soma, Bwiam, Farato, Gunjur, Old Yundum, the Sinchus (Alhagie, Baliya, Sorrie), Wellingara, and Brufut are identified to benefit from the peri-urban component o fRWSSS. NationalPlanningCommission:PRSP11APR 2007 Page 45 An IDB funded project signed in June will provide 90-drilled wells with hand pumps and 10 reticulation systems with borehole, tank and pipe distribution network to 10 communities. The project will cost US$4.875 Millionandwill be implementedinWD, LRD,NBDand CRD. 4.4. Climate Change With funding from UNEP National Climate Committee summarized the initial national communication o f the Gambia into a booklet form to enable all stakeholders to have access to most relevant information. Also with hnding from GEF/UNEP the National Climate Committee has started developing the Second National Communications o f The Gambia to the COP o f the UNFCCC. The project will last for three years. The Climate Committee i s currently finalizing the National Adaptation Programme o f Action (NAPA), which all Least Developed Countries (LDCs) are required to develop and implement. 4.5 Sanitation 20 institutional pit latrines constructed in communities and 20 youths trained on the pit latrine construction. Communities have benefited from 20 improve pit latrines which are currently being used at house hold level. In the same vein, masons also acquired skills to produce pit latrines at community level which have been a source o f income for them. 4.6. Social Protection and Social Welfare The Social Welfare system operates as a service provider andan enabler. To improve access to quality social welfare service at local, institutional and national level, the department recognises and accepts the challenges that currently confront the DSW and cognizant o f the vision, mission and guiding principles o f its policy, the following areas have beenidentified as priority areas inthe Social Welfare Development Policy. These are Management and Administration, Child Care, Adult Care and care o f the Disabled. Within families there are different categories o f adults and children who need various forms o f some service and support. These are: The disabled adults and elderly The destitute The poor and needy Victims o fcriminality Adults livingwith HIV/AIDS andtheir families Victims o fnatural and social calamities-fires flood andso on Orphans andvulnerable children Child victim o f abuse and trafficking Social Welfare Service continues to improve during the year 2007. The child rights and protection service i s gradually expanding with the setting up o f child protection committees inEbo Town, K M C Region and six committees in URR. This i s in line with our focus on Community participation to protect children in difficult circumstances. Education sponsorship was provided to needy children country wide for total number o f 1500 children in various levels o f the school system and 20 out-of school youths are also being provided with auto mechanic skills at the GTTI. NationalPlanningCommission:PRSPI1APR 2007 Page 46 4.7. Foster Care Scheme The number o f children in need o f a caring family environment continue to increase especially for those that are abandoned as babies with over 30 babies put under care and 55 babies provided with support for feeding and care due to maternal death and family not in a position to provide the basic needs o f the babies such as supplementary feeding and clothing needs. Case o f triplet births was recorded high among needy families requesting for support to supplement the feeding and care needs o fbabies. The Department continues to offer training inthe area o f child protection for some o f its partners such as the police, teachers and health workers to improve their skills in child protection issues. As a measure to improve Social Welfare Services, the Department o f Social Welfare has introduced a certificate and Diploma Programme at the SOS Mother Training Centre and at the University o f The Gambia. In service training programme continue to be provided for the staff o f the Department especially the out-of-hours emergency duty team and its partners. These are measures to maintain quality and update perfonnance o f the social workers. Residentialcare needfor vulnerable children and adults continues to increase about 100children were provided with temporally residential care rangingbetween 3 days to three month. These categories o f children are referred to the shelter by the police or Department o f Social Welfare for various reason o f abuse, neglect or illegal migration. 14 elderly persons were provided with residential care needs in addition to out-reach services provided for nonresidential elderly persons. The issue o f street children (Almudo) continues to be o f concern and drop-in service provided for 400 children at the child centre in Tallinding where social workers assist the children with life skill and 4 training programmes conducted for the police, Marabous and car Parker owners on child abuse, exploitation and protection issues and sharing skill with the Marabous on effective parenting. The issue o f orphans currently remains challenging with over 63,000 orphan requiring protection most o f them are in URR. The Department o f Social Welfare has set up another SOS Children's Village in Basse for the protection o f orphans inthe rural areas. Inthe drive to ensurethat local Government develop initiatives whichpromotecare and well being of children and other vulnerable members o f society and to also provide them with better and adequate Social Services, Senior Officials o f the Banjul City Council, Kanifing Municipal Council and Brikama Area Council were trained in child rights and child protection, child friendly budgetingand the children's Act 2005. The local authorities were encouraged to establish committees for the promotion o f the child and the family. 600 destitute family, ex-prisoners and refugee families were provided with relief assistance for their immediate basic needs. Support continues to be provided for the mentally ill after hospital discharge to avoid relapse. HIV/AIDS patients seeking nutritional support were provided with feeding and temporal residential care. 500 Disable clients received support services and rehabilitation, mobility aids supply as well as revolving loans which assisted them to generate income thus reducing beggingamong Gambia disabled person. NationalPlanning Commission:PRSPI1APR 2007 Page 47 CHAPTER 5: BUILD CAPACITY OF LOCAL COMMUNITIES AND CIVIL SOCIETY ORGANIZATIONS TO PLAY A GREATER ROLE INPOVERTY REDUCTION 5.1 Decentralizationand Reformof Local Governments The strategic objectives for the decentralization and reform o f local government programme are to implement the provisions inthe laws for local government reform and Decentralization as well as adopt and implement the local government and decentralization policy and its related instruments. Strategies include consolidating and reinforcing constitutional democracy by strengthening institutional capacity for protecting and implementing constitutional provisions and creating greater public awareness o f constitutional rights and responsibilities, strengthening capacity for election administration, and creating a conducive working environment (basic infrastructure) including finalizing the service scheme for Local Government Associations (LGAs) andthe constitution o f Local Government Service Commissions. In order to operationalise the reform process, planning departments are being establishedstrengthened in all the LGAs. A policy for sustenance o f VDC/WDC/MDFTs (multidisciplinary Facilitation Teams) will be established, and capacity for Financial Management, Administration Procedures are being built to enhance fiscal decentralization. Implementation/Achievements 5.2 CommunityCapacityBuilding/CommunityDevelopment Institutional strengthening and capacity building i s one o f the key elements in the work o f the Department o f Community Development. This involves providing technical, material and or financial support to decentralised structures at various levels such as VDCs, WDCs, TACs, MDTFs, CBOs, Youth groups, Women groups, LocalandinternationalNGOs. Goals/ Objectives The objectives are buildingCapacity for Local community/LGA structures and enabling People- centered Development through Decentralized participatory development processes. Strategies include capacity building training, advocacy and networking, Right Base approaches, Participatory planning, awareness creation and structuralreforms. Implementation A programme to support implementation o f projects formulated and managed by communities started in2007 inthe 6 rural local governments. About 600 Communities are being supported to develop programmes to improve their livelihoods and the capacities of extension workers as well as local government officials to support this community driven development process i s being built. National PlanningCommission: PRSP 11APR 2007 Page48 5.3 CivicEducation The Strategic objective for 2007 was to ensure effective implementation o f the national civic education programme for the parliamentary and local government elections held in 2007. The objectives o f the new civic education strategic plan are consistent with the broad objectives o f the Good Governance Programme and that o f Vision 2020. It also provides a comprehensive strategic context o f creating and sustaining within society, awareness o f the principles and objectives o f the constitution as a fbndamental law. The National Council for Civic Education was created as an independent non-partisan Council under the Constitution to design, implementand coordinate Civic Educationprogrammes and to serve as an advocacy component o f the National Good Governance Programme. The Act places special responsibility on the Council for sensitization, information and education o f the citizenry especially at the grassroots levels o f the rights and responsibilities o f the citizenry under the Constitution. Achievements: The NCCE conducted a series o f training programmes for key stakeholder groups and institutions inthe democratization process. The main beneficiaries o f these trainings includedthe MultiDisciplinary Facilitation Team (MDFTs), Law Enforcement Agencies, Local Government Authorities, Folklore Drama Groups as well as Non-Governmental Organisations. These groups were exposed to the provisions o f the Constitution and other laws o f The Gambia as it relates to their respective disciplines: In September 2006, training was organised for members of the Law Enforcement Agencies on their respective roles in the 2006 Presidential and 2007 Parliamentary elections. The media fraternity and political parties were also invited for this training on the premise that they equally had a crucial role to play inthe runup to a peacefbl and violence free election. The Multi Disciplinary Facilitation Teams (MDFTs) were trained to reinforce the efforts o f NCCE's technical staff in its quest to deliver Civic Education messages to the doorsteps o f all Gambians. Since the goal o f decentralization i s to move away from a hi hly centralized governance system to a more participatory local governance, from November 28 - December 7th 8 2005 under the assistance o f UNDP a total o f 144 councilors including nominated members, chairpersons and mayors were trained on the distribution o f power, responsibility and resources to local councils and organizations; development o f capacity at the local levels for realization o f the potentials roles and responsibilities o f Councils and the rest o f civil society; and redefinition o fthe division o f labour and responsibilities between the centre and the local levels. The National Council for Civic Education embarked on a sensitization campaign on specific theme(s) for staff and Facilitators to come together to scrutinize the message to be delivered and developed itineraries or work plans for the sensitisation and/or campaign period. Sensitization programmes were also held for communities (grassroots) to understand the development o f civic rights, skills andtheir values and for the successhl conduct o fparliamentary elections inJanuary 2007. National Planning Commission: PRSP I1APR 2007 Page 49 The council got approval from Department o f State for Education to introduce Human Rights Education in schools, and also to develop curriculum materials for the teachinglearning o f civic and human rights education in upper and Lower basic schools. The curriculum developers were drawn from specialized units such as the Gambia Teachers' Union, Gambia College School o f Education. Approval was also granted to develop syllabii for grades 1to 9 and teaching modules for grades 7 to 9. These materials were validated and Head teachers and senior teachers drawn from 12 schools, 2 from each of the six regions across the country were oriented on their use in readiness for piloting. Radio and television programmes on Civic education were carried out in the form o f panel discussions on public, private and community radio stations across the country. The NCCE had programmes with all the community radios, State Radio and Television, folklore and drama groups. Thus Gambians are increasingly becoming aware o f their Rights and Responsibilities as well as the roles o f the various arms o f Government. Similarly, there are indications that the provisions o f the Constitution, the Local Government Reform Act, the Principles o f Democracy and The Decentralisationprocess are being internalized. Gambians are also becoming more tolerant and also accepting the inherent diversity amongst them. More importantly, Gambians are becoming more patriotic and women are now more assertive and able to articulate their views publicly. It i s also worth noting that, since 2000, at every governance review meeting, the National Council for Civic education gets the highestratinginterms o fperformance. The council i s therefore, reasonably satisfied that in accordance with its mandate and the objectives o f civic education, the programme i s creating awareness o f rights and responsibilities and also enablingpeople to interpret issues which is enablingthem inturnto face challenges and take advantage o f the opportunities available. Since civic education i s not time bound and elections specific the programme will continue to narrow the gap between the governed and the governing through sustained participation o f the citizenry in governance issues. Inso doing, this will strengthen institutional and individual capacities for broader participation; at all levels and inamoretransparent manner, thuspromotingtransparency andaccountability. 5.4. The NationalAssembly The strategic objective for 2007 was to strengthen the capacities of the national assembly in scrutinizing the laws and particularly the functioning o f the public accounts committee in order to ensure accountability inpublic financial management. The National Assembly is currently composed o f fifty-three members, forty-eight elected and five nominatedby the President o f the Republic. Currently it comprises o f five female members (two o f whom are elected) and forty-eight male members, including two nominated members. The term o f Parliament is five years and the current term expires in January 2011. There are forty-two elected members o f the majority party (APRC), five nominated members, and six Oppositionmembers(UDP4, NADDl and Independent 1). There are ten Standing Committees, fifteen Select Committees and three Parliamentary Friendship Associations. The National Assembly o f The Gambia i s a member o f the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA) and the Inter-ParliamentaryUnion (IPU). It i s National Planning Commission: PRSP I1APR 2007 Page 50 also a constituent o f the Economic Community o f West African States (ECOWAS) Parliament in Abuja, the Pan-African Parliament (PAP) in Midrand, South African and i s soon taking up its place inthe African, Caribbean and Pacific Group o f States (ACP) - European Union (EU) Joint Parliamentary Assembly. The Assembly meets at least once every quarter in ordinary session but there i s provision for emergency and/or extraordinary sessions as may be required by the President o f the Republic. The various committees are always and continuously at work as their business may require. The work o f the National Assembly i s enhanced and supported by an Assembly Service o f forty-eight staff members headedby the Clerk. The National Assembly Service is part o f the Public Service but autonomous from the Public Service Commission and from the control o f the Personnel Management Office. It i s supervised by a Board o fDirectors calledthe National Assembly Authority. Implementation The National Assembly attaches great importance to capacity building thus for the past years trained most o f its staff inboth management and IT. Presently, two staff are undergoingcourses at the University o f The Gambia andthe Management Development Institute. To achieve people centered and sustainable development in order to meet the PRSP objectives, MDGs andthe goals o fvision 2020, the NationalAssembly, with support from the UNDP (Good Governance) is implementing a capacity building project for National Assembly Members and staff to enhance the capacity o f National Assembly members through addressing most pressing capacity gaps and to formulate a long-term assistance project to support sustainable capacity development o f the National Assembly. The Project will also support the development o f a partnership and resource mobilization strategy to secure adequate resources for the implementation of the long-term assistance project. The Project seeks to enhance National Assembly staff capacity through recruitment, sensitization and training in socio-economic issues and IT computer literacy for National Assembly Members and staff o f the Office o f the Clerk. It will also increase awareness o f the general public o f the National Assembly mandate and activities through establishment and training o f press corps o f parliamentaryjournalists. It will also support Web-casting andtelecasting o fNational Assembly proceedings andmeetings. The National Assembly in partnership with Pro-PAG has conducted a series o f workshops to sensitize National Assembly Members on Budget analysis, expenditure tracking as well as the MDGs. These workshops aimed at ensuringthat the national budget i s pro-poor. In2007,28 old National Assembly Members, (34% o f the 53) were trained and can now perform budget tracking for public resources protection. It is expected that the rest o f the NAMs will undergo training in2008. 5.5 NGOsinPovertyReduction The Association o f Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs), established in 1996, under the umbrellao f NGO-Affairs Agency in the country comprise o f local and international members. Being a national coordinating body, it ensures that all NGOs register with her. In 2004, NGO- Affairs had 104 members and in2007 it increased to120. The NGO-Affairs adopted Article 13 o f the NGO protocol to monitor and coordinate all NGOs in the country. In order for an NGO to NationalPlanningCommission:PRSP I1APR 2007 Page 5 1 qualify to as member o f NGO-Affairs, it has to submit Annual Progress Report (APR) with an Audited Financial Accounts but in2007, only 55% o fthe memberscomplied with the protocol. TANGO has a registered membershipo f 10 InternationalNGOs and 64 National NGOs. out o f a total o f 104 local and international NGOs registered with the NGO Affairs Agency at the Department o f State for Local Government and Lands. This represents 81% o f total NGOs operating in The Gambia. TANGO from its inception to date has all her members complying with Article 13 o fthe NGOprotocol. NGOs/CSOs are now an integral part o f the development landscape and have entrench themselves inthe economic and social fabric o f the country. They play a very prominent role in the country's drive to achieve sustainable development. Both the national and international NGOs are driving forces working with communities indifferent parts o f the country particularly inthe rural areas. Their work includes poverty reduction and promoting social development by reaching out to those on the edge; the poor, the sick, the vulnerable and the marginalized. Some o fthe achievements registered over the reviewedperiod, 2007 were: Support to a large number o f farmers who experienced crop failure with early maturing and less labour intensive cereals. Contribution o f 50% o fresources committed to fighting locust by Agriculture Partnership on the Appropriate Technologies in garden schemes for vegetable production (Smile technology) with mechanizationinAgricultural production Provision o f agricultural training to farmers and communities Provision o f scholarships and skill centers to student inthe Educationsector Managing healthclinics including medical facilities under the Health sector Supporting child support centers (Kaur village has 250 children) and Supporting reforestation intwenty six communities covering 46.5 hectares Some o f the constraints of the NGOs are the non-compliance to Article 13 o f the NGO Policy, limited resources (Mobility andhuman) and inadequate funds to implement programme plans. In order to address these constrains, capacity buildingwith adequate funding i s required for NGOs to exist as viable institutions. NationalPlanningCommission: PRSPI1APR 2007 Page 52 CHAPTER 6: CROSS-CUTTINGISSUES The crosscutting issues in the PRSP are Gender, Forestry and the Environment, Nutrition, HIV/AIDS, Population affairs and Youth development. 6.1. Gender The principal goal for women's empowerment is based on an amalgam o fthe NationalPolicy for the Advancement o f Gambian Women, the views articulated by grassroots women and their leaders during a recent mid-termreview o f the National Women's Policy (2006) as well as the stated aims and plans o fthe National Women's Council and Bureau, for 2006/2007. The gender component o f the PRSP is the development and implementation o f mastedstrategic plan for women's empowerment. Strategies to achieve this include the production o f gender- disaggregated data in the national and institutional budgets, expansion o f gender analysis in the policy formulation and gender-sensitive policy management systems and strengthening monitoring and evaluation o f gender issues. Other strategies include promoting awareness o f and compliance with laws on women's rights, strengthening institutions and civil society organization dealing with women and children, increased advocacy on women's rights, enactment and popularization o f the women's bill and increase awareness on gender based violence. With respect to mainstreaming gender in sectors, strategies include promoting increased enrolment, quality and survival at all levels o f education (primary, secondary, tertiary), as well as boosting adult literacy campaigns, strengthening capacity for women and girls inentrepreneurial skills and developing community infrastructure to facilitate women's agricultural activity and improved female access to credit & land ownership. Gender over the years has been seen as a cross cutting development concern and as such needs to be addressed using a cross-sectoral approach. Thus there has been a paradigm shift from implementation to coordination in the empowering process o f Gambian Women. . Achievements A lot o f improvements have been realized in achieving gender equality and equity and basic human rights, through the intervention of national and international stakeholders and donor agencies. Inthe area o f women's rights, the Female Lawyers Association The Gambia (FLAG) had made significant effort inproviding legal aid to women seeking redress, The United Nations Development Program (UNDP) i s providing support for women inthe area o f awareness raising and training in decision making particularly at the local governance level. There are numerous efforts made over the years to promote gender mainstreaming at all levels o f development. However, there i s empirical evidence that despite the numerous efforts to mainstream gender into the national development process, the overall level o f gender responsiveness still remains to be desired. National Planning Commission:PRSPI1APR 2007 Page 53 The sum o f GMD1.3 million was provided as credit to the Gambia Women Self Help Cooperative through a private citizen, a Taiwanese Embassy Grant and The Gambia Government Revolving Fund for Women o f GMD100,000.00. The bureau is implementing a literacy education for women; TOSTAN Gambia Government joint project for 8,000 beneficiaries and Community Skills Improvement Project (CSIP) for 80,000 Women in 250 communities. The Bureau has also been collaborating with other literacy providers such as BAFROW, AFET, NAWFA and ADWAC for literacy materials production and conduct of writers' workshops. Support i s being provided to 50 National Women's Council in Capacity Building Training, monitoring , council meetings and Study tour to The Republic o f Senegal funded by UNESCONATCOM and there i s also capacity enhancement o f women in decision making and training of women and youth on leadership, advocacy, policy development entrepreneurship, and management skills funded by UNDP /UNICEF/ UNFPArespectively. A communication strategy for empowering women has been developed and the Bureau is undertaking a National Study on Capacity Assessment o f women in decision making funded by UNDP. LnformationCentres for Women were established inall regions and a National Survey on Women's Empowerment funded by UNFPA was also conducted. The Drafting and validation o f the Women's Bill 2007 was undertaken and members o f the National Women's Council were engaged in the monitoring o f the implementation o f the NPAGW funded by UNESCONATCOM. As a result, partnership with stakeholders has been strengthened, awareness o f gender related issues and empowerment o f women in decision making processes increased, women's participation in political and public life increased, sector policy reviews enhanced to ensure gender considerations, Women's Bill 2007 drafted and Validated, CEDAW report drafted and validated by stakeholders, and women's access to credit increased. 6.2. Forestry and the Environment 6.2.1 Forestry In 2007 a review o f the 1995-2005 forest policy was undertakento move forest management away from the conventional policing o f forest to more participative and socially oriented approaches. More specifically the policy review was aimed at reviewing the overall policy environment; within the national context; focusing on poverty reduction and sustainable forest management re-examining the goals and targets; evaluating the achievements and the institutional framework for policy implementation, and identifying the bottle necks in implementing the policy. The review will help in re-orienting the policy to incorporate recent developments both within and outside the department as well as elaborating the second forest policy with redefinedtargets and orientations. The new Forest Policy, 2006 - 2016 will ensure the sustainable management o f forest reserves, the establishment and consolidation ofcommunity forests management, co-management of forest parks and private forestry. The implementation o f these issues, even though records have not NationalPlanningCommission:PRSP I1APR 2007 Page 54 been formally analyzed, has shown that the earning capacities o f communities and individuals over the year have improved. The Forestry Department continues to implement and observe protocols under the United Nations; inparticular biodiversity, Climate Change and UNCCD. Under the above conventions, the ForestryDepartmentremained the focal office for the coordination ofUNCCD. CommunityForestManagement From 1990 to 2007, Community Forestry (CF) management nationwide transferred ownership o f forest lands covering over 28,508.4 ha to 319 communities; area per CF i s 89.36ha. In three regions inthe country (Western Region 11,Lower River Region 5, and Central River Region 6) community forests enterprise committees continue on their enterprise development through forest Market Analysis and Development (MAD)through production and service delivery. From these activities, over D986, 000 (Nine hundred and eighty six thousand Dalasi) were realized. ForestplantationandAforestation The Department o f Forestry in collaboration with Department o f State Agriculture (DOSA) started to implement the Participatory Integrated Watershed Management Project (PIWAMP) which targets both low and the uplands. In 2007, 40 villages were supported and in Kabafita forest over 300,000 plants (Gmelina, Cashew, Mangoes, eucalyptus, mahogany etc.) were planted. It is anticipated that after 3 to 4 years, the trees will provide fuel wood and cash to the community at the same time improve soil fertility and control erosion. Currently agro forestry practises in some o f the plantation sites provide limited fodder to livestock and cash from the sale o f agricultural crops. From January to December 2007, PIWAMP main activities were on community sensitisation, silvicultural activities mainly on afforestation and enrichment covering land tenure arrangement with surveying, fencing of identifiedafforestation sites, nursery management, and planting stock supply including planting themout inthe field. FireManagement Forest fire protection and management were done according to fire management principles and practices. These activities increased incomes o f communities through harvesting and selling o f forest resources (fire wood, timber and grasses), use for domestic purposes and prevention o f socio economic-losses on community farms and forest resources from animal and uncontrolled bushor forest fires. Mangrovemanagement Inthe past years, the area ofhighmangroves decreased considerably from 30,000 ha to 15,000 ha. However, the total mangrove area remains constant as the low mangroves have increased by 15, 000 ha (Brent 1959). These changes o f mangrove types with changes o f the edaphic conditions are attributed to many factors such as hyper salinity, acidity, temperature fluctuations or climate change. National Planning Commission:PRSPI1APR 2007 Page 55 The coastal forests including the mangrove forest (250 km) upstream provides local communities, migratory birds and other organisms a life support system. The oysters attached to the roots o f the mangroves are harvested mostly by women and sold inthe urban areas (Banjul, Serekunda and Bakauto name a few to enhance their income. Also, the effective management o f the mangroves in 2007 is expected to increase the fish turnover in The Gambia River and its tributaries. Social impact The implementation o f the various concepts and projects positively transformed the lives o f the participating communities. Such improvement include increased consideration o f gender aspects, realization o f the benefit o f working together, promoting synergy o f efforts, and reduced friction between stakeholders Target communities conducted market surveys, and collected and exchanged required business information. Enterprise Development Plans (EDP) were developedestablished by interest group (IG) and Enterprise, learning and skills centers have been established for the benefit o f communities. Also Economic Grouping (JATIFIF) as platform for information exchange have been created, economic incentives for local forest users derived and employment opportunities likehandicraft, logs andtimber marketing created. EcologicalImpact Training of participating communities contributed to better forest management which resulted to increased resolve o f the local communities to protect their local forest by preventing and fighting fires, consciousness about forest utilization methods, and increased environment knowledge and awareness. Also there i s reduction inillegal forest utilization and forest extraction rates are now linked to the scale o f the resources. There has been a shift o f focus to lesser known forest product e.g. palm fronds in CRD and presently a total o f over 30,000 ha o f forest cover i s under sustainable management. Institutionalimpact The current forest methodology and process used cannot be undertaken or managed by individuals, makingit necessary to establish linkages with institutions that have influence on the process. As a result, additional strength i s provided for participatory forest management including capacity building for technical field staff on management and organizational issues. Material inputs e.g. motor cycles and computers have enhanced the capacity o f the Forestry Departmentfor effective service delivery. Diversification o f implementation structures through collaborating with N A C O and other NGOs like St. Joseph Family Farm and National Bee Keepers Association enhanced implementation. The introduction o f MA&D into the cumculum o f Schools helped in extension work and the formation o f federations provided useful insights into community mobilization and sensitization, thus complementingthe ForestryDepartment's role inforest management. NationalPlanningCommission:PRSPI1APR 2007 Page 56 6.2.2. Environment The main policy frameworks for programme interventions are the Gambia Environment Action Plan (GEAP), Vision 2020, MDGs and the PRSP. The NEA i s mainly a coordinating institution but implements the GEAP, controls pollution and conducts Environmental Impact Assessment. This i s done in the form o f networking through Working Groups and Taskforces with representation from different stakeholders. Coordination and implementation i s done through the ten programme units o f the Agency to address environmental challenges through the following implementation tools; Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA), Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA), Public Awareness and Sensitisation, International Cooperation and Programme Coordinationandimplementation The goal o f the national environmental Program (GEM 11) is to ensure sound environmental management and sustainable development. To accomplish this goal, there i s the need to develop an effective and financially self-sustaining environmental management system for The Gambia. While increased action i s needed in all sectors o f the economy, environmental program efforts will be geared primarily towards abroadbased sustainable natural resource management, energy and environmentalhealth. This includes improved and strengthenedinstitutional framework for environmentalmanagement inplace, including environmental considerations inpolicy andplanningprocesses at all levels, strengthened regulatory framework and enforcement o f the regulatory codes, and environmental regulations fully enforceable and respected by all sectors as well as strengthened advocacy and sensitisation for sound environmentalmanagement and sustainable development. Also functioning institutional and legal framework need to be in place for sustainable management and protection o f the coastal zone and its resources and the private sector and parastatals engaged in dialogue for sustainable resource use. There will be need to support for Decentralisation and Local Government Reform for Community based Natural Resource Management and Sustainable Development Planning and improvements in the Performance o f Implementing Institutions in Environmental Quality Monitoring and Enforcement and in Solid Waste Management Achievements The Gambia Environmental Action Plan, GEAP, seeks primarily to improve economic performance and quality o fhuman life in a sustainable way; andto restore, maintain and enhance ecological processes, natural resources andcultural andnatural heritage. By the end o f the first phase of implementation o f the GEM, a large number of specific environmental problems were addressed and the capacity for environmental management enhanced. Among the most notable achievements o f GEAP Phase Iwere the establishment of a functional institutional framework for natural resources and environmental management and planning, and o f a legal and regulatory policy framework for the environment. Working Groups representing the key actors ineach sector were established in all program areas, and the network o f these groups has served as a permanent mechanism for continuous consultations and dialogue National Planning Commission:PRSPIIAPR 2007 Page 57 among the various stakeholders. The public at large was made much more aware o f environmental issues, while outputs generated bythe program have helped improve the decision- makingprocess. Duringthe year 2007, the Agency continued to do Environmental Impact Assessment (EN) for Government institutions, the private sector and NGOs as a key requirement for investment and implementationo f development projects. The NEA Environment Open Days quiz competition among schools and press releases are annual events o f the National Environment Week. There are media programmes and the publication of the Gambia Environmental Newsletter for public sensitisation. There i s also free three-digit environment complaint telephone hotline (167) established to report environmental complaints. These are on-going activities o f the Agency's public awareness and sensitisation programme. In collaboration with other institutions, the NEA has been implementing some Multilateral Environment Agreements (MEAs) over the period to address some o f the global environmental issues. These include the Montreal Protocol on ODs, UNConvention to Combat Desertification (CCD), UN Convention on the Conservation o f Biological Diversity (CBD), the Protocol to phase out Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs), UNFramework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC),Basel convention, Abidjan convention among others. Some activities carried out in the implementationof the MEAs and other environmental activities include: 0 Continuing the training of customs officers and refrigeration technicians with the banning of R12 and R11in all regions o f the country and formation o f Refrigeration Technician Associations inURR,NBR, LRR and WRYinconnection with the control and banningo f ozone depleting substances (ODs); a The banningof the 12 POPs and implementation o f a POPs Phase Out Plan; a Inline with the National Environment Management Act, the NEA incollaboration with various stakeholders has prepared the draft second state o f Environment Report a The drafting o f the waste management bill i s being pursued and the anti littering regulations have been enacted, and identification o f waste disposal sites has been completed. A monthly cleaning exercise is also being coordinated by the NEA; a Updating o f the landuse/land cover map o f the Gambia and production of data directories i s ongoing; 0 The Agency has setup divisional environmental offices in NBR, LRR, CRR and URR respectively as part ofthe decentralisation of environmentalmanagement activities. 6.3. HIVIAIDS NationalHIV/AIDSPolicy Since the first case o f HIV/AIDSwas diagnosed in The Gambia in 1986 and the creation o f the National AIDS Control Program under the then Ministry o f Health, the 1995 AIDS policy has been guiding overall program implementation and reporting. In collaboration with the UN ~ ~ National Planning Commission:PRSP I1APR 2007 Page 58 Agencies in the Gambia such as WHO, UNICEF, UNDP and UNAIDS and other partners, the National AIDS Policy has beenreviewed and updated. The new policy 2007-2011 i s based on the premises that there will be no HIV test without counseling; no discrimination because o f HIV status; no dismissal from work because o f HIV status; and no travel restrictions for PLWHA. The cornerstone o f policy i s Information, Education and Communication to enhancebehaviour changes This new policy which covers many areas and takes into account emerging human right and other ethical issues, will serve as guide to policy makers and implementing agencies in their efforts to provide quality preventive, treatment, care and support services in response to HIV/AIDSepidemic inThe Gambia. Inits efforts to guide the implementation of a well coordinated national response, the National AIDS Secretariat is currently implementing a strategic plan whose objective is to guide a well coordinated and effective national response based on the cardinal principles of efficient management o f available resources to fight the HIV/AIDS epidemic. The strategic direction i s to establish and enforce the Three Ones Principles in The Gambia. The national monitoring and evaluation framework which i s based on the strategic planprovides the enabling environment for an effective and integrated monitoring o f the national response. The Global Fundagainst HIV/AIDSprovided a grant o fover $14m to complement government's effort and consolidate the gains o f the HARRP project. It i s providing the highest standard o f available treatment, care and support to PLWHA, in an accessible and affordable manner, for them to live in dignity and maintain a positive and productive life free from discrimination and stigma. This in turn will lead to a favourable environment that will empower people living with HIV/AIDS to contribute to development and ensure appropriate prevention o f HIV infection". A second phase o f implementation o f the Global Fund grant, 2006-2009, is now being implemented. Epidemiology The Gambia has a population o f about 1.4 million people with a relatively low HIV prevalence rate o f 2.8% and 0.9% for HIV-1& HIV-2 respectively. It i s estimated that about 28,000 people are living with either HIV-1 or HIV-2 and surveillance data indicates that HIV i s more prevalent inrural than urban areas and young people, especially female youths are at the greatest risk of infection. It has been documented that some o f the factors contributing to the transmission o f HIV are poverty, gender imbalance, a high illiteracy especially among women, and socio- cultural factors. Evidence from PTCT routine data indicate that prevalence o f HIV may have increased inThe Gambia because o f increasingnew infections o f the epidemic, improved quality and prolongationo f life ofthe infected as a result o f the intervention on treatment as well as care and support programs. The third Multiple Indicator Surveys (MICS 111) carried out in 2005/2006 provided data on a number of indicators related to HIV among women aged 15-49 years. Compared to data obtained a few years before; MICS 11, there i s improvement in the level o f knowledge o f HIV among National PlanningCommission:PRSPI1APR 2007 Page 59 women (from 16% to 39%), knowledge o f place where the test can be done increased from 20 to 55%; and the proportion o fwomen who have done an HIV test increased from 7% to 14%. ProgrammeImplementation Currently, 29 Health facilities are providing free Voluntary Counselling and Testing (VCT) and Preventiono f Parent to Child Transmission (PPTCT) services are offered in 26 health facilitates. However though there are still gaps in coverage o f PPTCT services which i s limiting many pregnantwomen from accessing the services. Antiretroviral Therapy (ART) i s being provided in order to reduce mortality rates amongst PLWHA. This i s expected to increase survival rates amongst PLWHA and help create an atmosphere o f increasing acceptance o f Voluntary counselling and Testing (VCT) and better control o f the epidemic to ensure that PLWHA have productive life styles free from stigma and discrimination. Four institutions are actively involved in provision o f clinical care including prophylaxis o f 01s. These are Hands on Care (HOC), Medical Research Council (MRC), Royal Victoria Teaching Hospital (RVTH), and Department o f State for Health (DoSH). Community home based care programmes are beingprovided based not only on a professional basis but as includes integration o f community volunteers at household level for it to be more acceptable andparticipatory. Home care volunteers also include family careers who work mainly as volunteers in the provision o f care to family members. Existing societies o f PLWHA, in collaboration with NGO's and CBOs interested in such programmes, were actively involved in the development and implementation o f such care programs. The nine societies for PLWHA were instrumentalinthis collaboration and religious organizations (WEC mission) were involved in facilitating such support. The range of community support provided for PLWHA included financial support, nutritional support, psychosocial and medical/ nursing care. Community care was also provided to orphans o fPLWHA. The procurement o f supplies was instrumentalto the success o f Home Based Care (HBC). Inthe Orphans and Vulnerable Children (OVC) program, 1637 orphans and vulnerable children were registered and the Community Care Officer in close collaboration with the Christian Children Fundoffered support interms o f school fees, books, anduniforms, access to health care andfood supplements to orphans and vulnerable children. The program covers Orphans, Vulnerable Children (OVC) and the chronically illclients inthe Home Base Care Program. Remarkable results have been achieved duringthe year under review. However, some challenges still remain. The humanresource constraints inthe health sector remain a major challenge inthe implementation o f the National Response programme. The implementation arrangements o f phase Io f the Global Fundprovided transition into phase I1but not all the implementingpartners had the same pace and strong institutional capacity to meet all their targets which has compromised the implementation process. It i s worth noting that actual infection rates in The Gambia have been rising over time and unless addressed in a concerted, systematic and timely effort, there i s a risk o f the epidemic having serious consequences on society. National Planning Commission: PRSP I1APR 2007 Page 60 6.4. Nutrition PolicyObjectives The key nutrition policy objectives are improving the nutritional status o f the Gambian population, particularly women and children, and nutrition service delivery at central, divisional and community levels and ensuring the incorporation o f nutrition objectives into national development policies and programs, and that there i s reliable and uninterrupted supply and proper utilization o f adequate, highquality, safe and affordable nutritious foods. Strategies are to establish an effective and efficient Nutrition Information System (NIS) for policy and programming and strengthen and building institutional capacity o f nutrition personnel o f NaNA and other stakeholders Achievements With support from the International Baby Food Action Network (IBFAN) Africa Regional Office, a training programme was organized for eighteen members of IBFAN- Gambia Chapter to increase capacities on Strategic Planning and P C M and also to strengthen the development and implementation o f programmes by the network within the country. Also training, aimed at increasing the knowledge and skills o f the nurses and midwives in the area o f nutrition so as to enable them provide adequate nutrition information and services to women and the general population and also to come up with right nutrition intervention at the right time to manage and prevent malnutrition usingthe lifecycle approach was done for 67 nurses and midwives. Ten additional Baby Friendly Community Initiatives (BFCIs) were identified inthe Upper River Region and a five days sensitization conducted in these communities to introduce the BFCI concept. The training also covered Community and Public Health workers in the Region. This bringsthe nationalcoverage o fthe BFCIto 283 communities. The three micronutrients o f public health importance being addressedby the National Nutrition Agency (NaNA) and its partners are vitamin A deficiency, Iodine deficiency disorders and Iron deficiency anaemia. Iodine Deficiency Disorders (IDD) i s one o f the 3 micronutrient deficiencies o f public health importance around the world including The Gambia and NaNA i s committed to the elimination o f IDD through achieving Universal Salt Iodization, where 90% o f households would consume iodized salt. In a bid to achieve the objective o f USI, the Agency continued to support efforts towards increasing local salt production and iodization. Through a mobile salt iodization plant, a total o f one hundred and forty five (145) metric tons o f salt was iodized countrywide in2007. Iodisation plants were installed in three (3) extra communities during the year. To ensure sustainability o f the process, community representatives were trained during the year to address quality issues in salt production, iodisation and packaging. Law enforcement officers were also trained during the same period and supplied with iodine test kits to make spot checks on imported salt at boarder points. A comprehensive strategic plan for IDD prevention and control was developed in August 2007 to ensure that the Salt Iodization Programme has a strategic direction inaddressing IDDinthe country. NationalPlanning Commission: PRSP I1APR 2007 Page 61 Finre 6.1: Trend ofwasting 1991to 2006 National Prevalence of MalnutritionIn ChlldrenUnder 5 Years by Season - +Dry Season t Rainy Season Iron deficiency anaemia i s a micronutrient deficiency o f great public health importance and significantly contributes to the already unacceptably high maternal mortality and under five mortality rates inThe Gambia. The most vulnerable groups are women o f child bearing age (15 - 49 years) and children. The Agency has been working with its partners (government, NGOs and bilateral donors) in combating this deficiency through different strategies. A pilot project on Integrated Community Based Anaemia Control Project focused on providing food supplement but combined with components o fnutrition, health and sanitation inaddressing anaemia ended in 2007. It covered Early Childhood Development Centres targeting 2 - 6 years old children. The findings o f the evaluation show that there is a hugepotential inreducing anaemia using such an approach. In order to strengthen the gains made in the control o f anaemia in the 10 pilot communities, support was obtained from UNICEF to re-train eighty nine (89) people including men and women from the communities in the URR on how to prevent and control anaemia. The communities were also supported with equipment, seeds and fertilizer to sustain or strengthen their communal gardens. Vitamin A Deficiency (VAD) is another micronutrient deficiency o f public health importance and the Agency has been implementing strategies to both control and prevent deficiency. The interventions put inplace include public awareness creation, supplementation o f children with a highdose VitaminA capsule andthe promotion o fthe production and consumptiono f foods rich in the micronutrient. During 2007, the Agency conducted two (2) rounds o f national vitamin A supplementation and de-worming campaigns for children from the age o f 6 to 59 months. Inthe first round all children aged 6 to 59 months (289, 028) were targeted the national coverage was 82% for Vitamin A and 80% for the de-worming. The second round was a joint campaign organized by NaNA and DOSH. Children inthe age cohort o f 6 to 59 months were supplemented with Vitamin A, 9 to 59 months received a measles vaccine and those 12 - 59 months were de- ~~ National PlanningCommission:PRSPI1APR 2007 Page 62 wormed with Mebendazole. The national coverage for Vitamin A was 93%, 92% for De- worming and 96% for measles. The vitamin A Supplementation, de-worming o f children, the increase in the household consumption o f iodized salt, promotion o f optimal infant and young child feeding practices including the promotion o f exclusive breastfeeding for six months and the introduction o f complementary foods at six months made a significant contribution towards the reduction o f infantandyoung childmorbidity andmortality inthe country. Empowering stakeholders through capacity building to get a better understanding o f nutrition problems so that they can plan and implement their own nutrition intervention strategy too i s very important. These nutrition interventions together with other interventions like child immunization, provision o f potable water and environmental sanitation should be integrated and scaled up in order to meet most o f the MillenniumDevelopmentGoals. 6.5. Population 2007 constituted the first phase in the implementation o f the sixth programme o f cooperation between UNFPA and the government o f The Gambia. Programme implementation experienced a considerable delay and as a result, the programme activities started only in the third (3'd) quarter. However, mechanisms have been put in place for periodic assessment o f performance based on the ResultsBased Management (RBM)Approach. Policy Goals and Objectives The overall goal o f the programme i s to contribute to the improvement o f the quality o f life and standard o f living o f the people o f The Gambia and focuses on maternal health, reproductive health information and services, with a focus on young people and HIV prevention, and the collection and utilization o f gender- disaggregated data for development, planning and poverty reduction. The programme supports policy dialogue and advocacy on population, gender and reproductive health and adopts a rights-based approach to programming at national and decentralized levels. During 2007, UNFPA assisted in advancing the implementation o f the programme o f Action o f the International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD). As agreed in the country programme action plan (CPAD), assistance focused on three programme priority areas: Reproductive Health (RH) including Sexual health and family planning, population and development (P and D) and Gender. Key themes or priority areas that featured in the implementation o f the current Country Programme (CP) in 2007 included addressing the reproductive health needs o f young people, promoting reproductive rights, strengtheningnational capacity, increasing the range o f and access to quality reproductive health services, and ' encouraging partnerships with Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) and other groups in civil Society. Achievements Inadditionto efforts made inthe creation ofamore efficient database for various development endeavours, data produced by key stakeholders countrywide have been collected to help in the provision o f a reliable population databank. With the assistance o f a UNV (stationed 80% o f his National Planning Commission: PRSP I1APR 2007 Page 63 time at the NPCS), the compilation o f data has started and validation, distribution and dissemination o f the data would be done during2008. In response to the need to update population and family life instructional materials, the programme supported the review o f materials that were developed in 1996 for it to commensurate with the current socio-economic condition o f the country. In addition to other achievements made in sensitization, the programme provided support to the networks o f Technical Committees (TCs), Youths and NGOs, in the country to undertake a variety o f advocacy activities in 2007. The main aim is to eradicate harmful traditional practices (including- female genital mutilation (FGM), early marriage, promoting reproductive health and reproductive rights, andpromoting adolescent reproductive health). The programme supports the TCs in conducting community sensitizations and the network o f journalists to publish a newsletter and other media materials to seek the support and lessen the opposition o f religious and traditional leaders and males to reproductive health programmes. The programme also funded series o f youth media campaigns on SRH issues. These drew audience from a wide range o fpeople from all walks o f life. There was intensification o f M & E activities at both national and regional levels though the resources allocated for M & E activitie were inadequate facilitated but increased coverage. The monitoring activities carried-out included field visits to project sites and attending meetings and workshops organized by implementing partners. One key M&E activity undertaken by the NPCS was the inauguration and conduct o f the Technical Working Group (TWG) meetings that served as a platform where implementing partners shared information on the status o f their individual involvement in programme implementation and also found solutions to problems hinderingprogress inthe programme. 6.6. Youths The National Youth and Sports policies are designed to respond to and be reflective o f the objectives, strategies andregulatory mechanism designedto ensure the progressive development andpromotion o f youth and sports ina co-ordinated andcoherent manner. The policy also seeks to mainstream youth development within the National Development framework and create opportunities for skills development and other gender related issues. The National Youth Service Scheme (NYSS) aims to provide requisite skills for self employment or increased employment opportunities, and facilitate the socio-economic development o f the young people. It will also help the youths to appreciate the dignity o f learning skills so as to earn a decent living and channel their creative energies to productive enterprise. The priority areas are General Agriculture, Auto Mechanics, Carpentry, Electrical and Electronic Engineering, Hair dressing, Plumbing,Tailoring, Welding and fabrication. The strategies include reinforcing the already existing N Y S S structures, which are the orientation camp, the Sapu and Nyanibere farms, the Tailoring centre and the Sapu field office, formulation o f information, communication mechanisms to increase knowledge and awareness on the benefits o f acquiring skills, mobilizing more corps for the Orientation camp, and decentralization o f skills training facilities to reach communities. National Planning Commission:PRSPI1APR 2007 Page 64 Achievements 160 young people were selected for a six week Orientation course after which they were deployed to training institutions for a twenty two month skills acquisition programme. Also The department issued out loans to prospective corps members upon completion o f their training to strengthen their capacity. D80, 243.00 was disbursed to four corps members engaged indifferent business ventures. Five corps members have successfully secured employment. The okra that was planted on the farms performed well and D23, 950.00 was realized from sales and D3, 500.00 worth o f produce used in support o f the six weeks orientation programme. At the end o f the rainy season, the groundnut crop performed well and about one ton was harvested and the hay was used as feed in the Tabasco RamFatteningProgramme. 650Kg o f clean rice was harvested and 50Kg o f the rice from this produce was given to four corps members on practical training on the farm as a way o f encouragement. The National Enterprise Development Initiative (NEDI) i s a pragmatic enterprise development initiative under the auspices o f the Office o f the Vice President in partnership with the Department o f State for Youth and Sports. Its main objective is making basic commodities accessible (cost and availability) to all, through the strategy o f encouraging the active participation o f Gambian youths and women in retail business. The initiative seeks to create employment opportunities, empowerment for youth / women and have a positive impact on the stability o fprices o fbasic commodities. The priorities o f NEDIare to create opportunities for unemployed youth and women willing to participate in retail business across the country. The strategy i s to provide basic commodities and loans to vendors, for retail business at reasonable prices for repayment over a period of two years. Other activities undertakenduring the year include training o f 100 young people and women in entrepreneurship, securing funds for loan disbursement to 17 young people to operate their retail business, setting up o f a Monitoring and Evaluation team to monitor the implementation o f the terms and conditions o f the loans and countrywide treks to make qualitative assessment o f vendor performance and get acquainted with the constraints they face to jointly find solutions to them. ~~ ~ ~ NationalPlanningCommission:PRSPI1APR 2007 Page 65 CHAPTER7: CONSTRAINTSAND LESSONSLEARNT The year 2007 represented the first year o f implementation o f PRSP I1and invariably, quite a number o fconstraints and challenges were encountered. There still remains abigfundinggap for PRSP I1and therefore programmes were funded mainly from government resources and existing development partner commitments. A donor roundtable i s expected inearly 2008 which, together with the implementation o f the aid effectiveness action plan, will hopefully pave the way for increased availability o f resources. 7.1. Creatingan EnablingPolicyEnvironment Persistent efforts are being made by government to ensure prudent fiscal and macro-economic management. Economic growth has been steadily increasing but there are challenges posed by the looming world economic slowdown, the appreciation o f the local currency against all major foreign currencies pose challenges and the backlog o f un-audited accounts are being cleared but there are still constraints. Constraints encountered in the reform o f the National Statistical system include delays in the recruitment process as well as inadequate funding to implement the strategy. In the divestiture programme constraints encountered during 2007 include insufficient funding for regulatory activities and the lack o f sector specific laws for the telecommunications and the water sectors. Funding continues to be a major constraint for the implementation o f some o f our regulatory activities. Regulatory fees were identified as one o f the major sources o f funding for PURA but over the years the institution has been experiencing non-compliance from operators, especially the incumbent in the telecommunication and the electricity and water sectors, i.e. Gamtel and NAWEC. Both owed the Authority tens of millions o f Dalasis and recently GamteVGamcel's own, running into several millions, were written off by the Government. The lack o f sector specific (telecommunications and the water) laws continues to inhibit regulatory effectiveness in those sectors. These legislations are required to supplement the Act by giving it the specific mandate within the sectors and delineate the complementary policy and regulatory roles and responsibilities. Inthe legal sector, management and staff o f the sector are committed to the implementation of the strategic plan with special emphasis on the key focus areas (KFAs) for each strategy identified. Therefore one critical success factor i s the allocation o f resources (human, financial, materials) in a consistent and systemic manner, to ensure sustainability. Furthermore, the plan will be monitored, controlled and periodically up dated, by the planning unit with support from top management. The strategic plan calls for institutional restructuring, which i s to impact on the major divisionshnits. Both the Judiciary and DOSJ agree to create the structures indicated to ensure that the institutional requirements to drive the overall strategies are inplace as the sector develops and are implemented inline with the programmes identified inthe plan. National PlanningCommission:PRSPI1APR 2007 Page 66 The legal sector management system must be poised to anticipate and react to existing and new challenges in the legal and judicial service delivery system. Since the legal sector i s one o f the major bedrock on which a modem and thriving economy should grow, it must be aware o f the continuously dynamic and changing environment inwhich it operates. The institutions under the legal sector must be prepared to the extent possible, to undertake any necessary measure inorder to proactively meet these challenges. This also calls for the commitment o f top management and staff o f the sector. Towards this direction, a well developed and articulated communications systemmust be put inplace to apprise staff o f developments within the sector so that the change processes are well managed and understoodby all stakeholders. The successful implementation o f strategies and programmes must be anchored on sound enabling policy regimes. The sector will streamline processes and develop new procedures that will enhance the realisation o f sector goals. In addition, the units will be encouraged to work harmoniously and encourage cooperation within and across the departments. Also the legal sector is committed to the creation o f internal service quality standards that will help in the development o f quality working life, where staff are motivated and committed to delivering the plan. The sector is also committed to train its staff both internally, locally and overseas, enhance internal skills, direct efforts and give responsibilities bearing in mind individual capacities. However there will be need to introduce performance management system that will recognise individual output, provide training and also link to an effective reward and incentives system, taking into consideration financial and non-financial rewards. The sector will also need to exploit the opportunities presented by ICT in the management of, and delivery o f legal and judicial services. The departments/divisions/unitswill need to be equipped with the right technology to helpthem deliver efficient and effective services to the public. With respect to civil service reform, parametric reforms have been proposed for the designo fthe PSPS in order to strengthen the predictability and fairness o f benefits, improve labor mobility and ensure sustainability o f the proposed funding arrangements. The challenges include introducing employer and employee contributions, possibly 15 percent o f the applicable wage base, with a division between the employer and employee contributions, working out modalities for the inclusion o f allowances inthe wage base for calculating contributions and benefits (as is the case inthe FSPS) and topping-up of current retirees to a benefit level to be determined (such as the current poverty line), indexing the topped-upbenefit during future years, and establishing a minimum pension guarantee which provides a level o f minimum subsistence yet does not distort the labor market incentives to work inthe public service. Also, introducing automatic benefit indexation up to a maximum percentage per year to be determined as well as an actuarial reduction inbenefit levels for retirement prior to age 60 (as i s practiced in the FPS) and potentially increasing the minimum retirement age are challenges. There will be need to change the commutation (gratuity) factor according to the findings o f periodic actuarial valuations, introduce deferred pension benefits and improved portability o f acquired rights both to and from the FPS, remove the current limit o f 400 months for benefit accruals in order to accommodate the longer work life facilitated through the 2005 increase in the retirement age, and increase the accrual rate for Level 1 employees to 2.0 percent from the current 1.5 percent so that all employees accrue the same benefits. National PlanningCommission: PRSP I1APR 2007 Page 67 In addition establishing a voluntary framework for benefit accrual for non-pensionable employees, strengthening disability and survivorship provisions and reviewing the governing legislation and regulations for the FPS and introducing amendments to both which would establish parametric alignment with the PSPS as a means o f supporting the portability o f rights betweenthe two schemes are some o f the other issues that will need to be addressed. 7.2. ImprovingProductionandProductivity a. Agriculture The agriculture sector has been generally hampered by the lack o f a sector policy and clear definition of roles and responsibilities. This situation has resulted in duplication o f efforts, inadequate provision o f many o f these services in quantity and quality and low productivity among most institutions providing support services to the ANR sector, contributing to the declining performance o f the sector. The Government is the major source o f essential services to the sector but declining budgetary allocations have reduced significantly the public sector's ability to continue providing such services, let alone meet increasing demands for them. The recipients o f such services have been and will be subsistence economic agents, whose capacities to obtain the same services at market costs were and still are negligible, creating a further need for improved performance from institutions. Other factors that have affected the agriculture sector are the relatively highcost o fproduction o f particularly poultry products and animal feeds; inadequate and traditionally low input and output husbandry practices especially in cattle; inadequate access to affordable credit, and low management o f what i s available and inadequate marketingstrategies and systems; infrastructure for product development, and competitive products; non functioning grading and pricing policy, poor organization o f markets, distortion o f prices by livestock dealers and middlemen. Others are frequent outbreaks of diseases; poor and inadequate husbandry practices; scarcity o f feed, fodder and drinking water especially during the long dry season; inadequate infrastructure such as marketing and processing facilities and the current state o f existing infrastructure for livestock development ranges from underutilization and poor management to complete absence o f modern structures in the key areas o f the value chain: production, processing and marketing o f livestock products. Access to markets; especially for small holders in the ANR sector, and effective marketing system are major determinants o f the productivity and competitiveness o f the ANR sector inthe country, and a function o f the level o f commercialization and modernization o f the sector. These determinants are in turn affected by lack of, or improper use o f available credit; affordable appropriate agro-processing and storage facilities, and value-added opportunities, proper handling for quality produce, and all weather market roads. Other constraints include the fact that mechanization has been mainly controlled by the public sector on a promotional basis, without muchparticipation o f the beneficiaries inthe planning, procurement and management of the operations; as such sustainability o f achievements was very low. Use o f tractors i s isolated, and on individual basis. Support Service Units operate without regulation or proper training, NationalPlanning Commission: PRSP I1APR 2007 Page 68 making services expensive to the small holder farmers or not available even if payments have beenmade because of frequent breakdowns or over booking; advice o f the adjustments and type o f implements used are generally inappropriate,; the continued use o f these machines have negative effects on the fragile soils, increasing their degradation; Available machinery i s not standardised, spare parts are not easily available, and the machinery not easily affordable for small holders or their groups; hire services are not regulated and are expensive to the small holders. In addition, holdings are very small in size and uneconomic for operation by the relatively large mechanical equipment available in the markets; only a few large-scale industries exist in the sector; two in crops, (one for groundnuts, the other for beer); two medium-scale units do process fruits and vegetables as raw materials; one meat-processing unit, one Feedmilland atannery, whichispresently not operational. Processing agricultural commodities i s largely through low input technologies, such as manual threshers, dehullers, grinding machines, manual mills, solar dryers improved smoking stoves, raised fish dryingplatforms and traditional mortar andpestle. Nearly all o f these technologies are low involume and produce less competitive products. There i s a chronic shortage o f expertise in food technology/agro-processing, both in the private sector and in the extension services. Furthermore, apart from the groundnut sub sector, there i s a complete lack o f expertise inQuality Management Research i s not filly realised by small holders inthe sector, as a tool to raise their enterprises to sustainable commercial levels, mainly because the service i s supply driven, few and far between, and not seen to directly respond to the small holders problems o f pre and post production activities. The activity has been Government led and focusing mainly on rain fed farming. The capacities o f the users o f research results for commercialising agriculture are not clearly in a financial position to request such services; there i s an inadequate critical mass o f human resources and low capacity building for research scientists. In addition, research activities and results are not correspondingly responsive to farmers increasing needs, constraints and challenges; nor do results and recommendations reach the farmers on time for quick adoption; and the mobilization, allocation and utilization of resources for research are negligible; research budgetisjust about 4 per cent o fthe total budget for the DOSA. The current cost o f ground water pumpingor lifting is high, and human powered water lifting devices particularly treadle pumps are laborious and difficult to operate by women; there i s an inadequacy o f qualified and skilled nationals inirrigation activities to provide technical advice in appropriate irrigation technologies by resources situation and supervise its installation and monitoring its management; and farmers organisations such as water users associations exist but would need to be more effective insecuring better services at affordable costs. Present structures and practices o f storing horticulture produce are very limited in quality and volume, and do not ensure retention o f quality, and consequently competitiveness and value o f the produce. Refrigerated storage spaces are very few and at best expensive to secure, and are a relatively high inputs cost to the many small holder farmers in the sub sector; containers generally used to store horticulture produce for short or long term periods are neither technically appropriate nor safe medically or commercially; and cold storage facilities for fish are few and National Planning Commission: PRSP I1APR 2007 Page 69 rare, and mostly dependent on short term ice supported devices. The facilities required to maintain quality and volume are relatively expensive for the small-scale enterprises that dominate the sub sector. Women producers are limited in capacity for management and access to other essential inputs such as farm mechanization, a key factor in improving agricultural productivity. Although their right to land is recognizedinprinciple, inpractice this right is hardly exercised since traditional laws favour communal rights to land over individual rights. Extension services and agricultural research are very largely oriented towards male-dominated agricultural activities such as production o f cash and export crops. Women farmers therefore have limited access to information on new technologies directly relevant to their vocations, or influence the decisions for research in agriculture. Inadequate human and infiastructural capacities, very low awareness by public and private sectors on the importance o f biotechnology to enhance cost effective achievement o f food, agriculture and nutrition objectives and negligible institutional framework for research, extension and investment inbiotechnology are other constraints. b. Fisheries and Marine Resources Gender trainings carried during program implementation addressed the gender and social exclusion dimension at micro, meso and macro levels but extension staff o f the Fisheries Department needto be involved in such activities to ensure continuity and capacity building on an on-going process as working with fisher-folks requires a lot o fnegotiation time. c. Energy In the electricity sub-sector, high electricity losses due to poor transmission and distribution network, estimated at 30% is a major constraint. This represents bothtechnical and non technical (commercial) loses. Also high demand due to low generation capacity; transmission and distribution capacities as well as the highcosts o f electricity are constraints NAWEC i s currently developing strategies to expand electricity services to new green field areas as a corporate plan i s being developed to identify priority areas for immediate electrification. A loss reduction strategy has been adopted and execution shall commence as soon as the required funds are available. The reduction of losses will provide an additional 15MW o f electricity without increasing generating capacity. Private investment needs to be encouraged inthe area o f generation and upgradingthe transmission and distribution network but there i s need to explore alternative sources o f electricity especially inthe area o frenewable energy. With regardto solar energy, constraints include lack o frenewable energy legislation, highinitial cost; thefi o f solar panels; wrong sizing of solar panels, poor quality o f products and low quality o f education o f most technicians. Also lack o f awareness, in appropriate regulatory and institutional framework, and lack o f enough research are constraints. National PlanningCommission: PRSP 11APR 2007 Page 70 Constraints in renewable energy include lack o f standarisation o f various improved cooking stoves, lack of awareness, the fact that cooking stoves are expensive, the high price o f refilling LPGbottles as well as lack o f Legislationand frequent shortage o f cooking gas inthe country. The present obstacles with petroleum products include lack o f bulk storage facilities, lack of legislation to regulate the importation and marketing o f petroleum products, lack o f security o f supplyandthe highprice ofpetroleumproducts. d. Tourism Air access continues to be a constraint, as The Gambia does not have a carrier of its own. The American market seems to elude us due to the small number o f people going the opposite direction; a case inpoint beingthe ceasing o f operations byNorth American Airline in2007. The UnitedKingdom is the largest source o f tourists to The Gambia accounting for 41% o f arrivals followed by Holland, Spain, Scandinavia and Germany. Seventy percent o f arrivals are in six months - November to April, a pattern that has remained fairly constant over the years. These four market areas account for a total o f 87% o f all arrivals with 65% coming from two o f them and such over-concentration on a limited number o f source markets could however lead to problems. e. RoadInfrastructure The main problem in the sector is the ability o f the newly created national Road Authority to carry out its mandate as funding is inadequate. Actual revenue collected from the Government for the 2005, 2006 and 2007 fiscal years fell far short o f requirements as road maintenance i s quite expensive. There are plansto introduce a road levy which will help generate funds for road maintenance but the strategy i s yet to be made operational. f. Trade Although the Integrated Framework has provided the basis for the formulation of the trade policy, the process i s yet to be completed because of budgetary constraint. The Department did not also have the capacity to do it on its own. The implementation o f the policy, if formulated, will pose serious challenge to the Department considering its current capacity limitation and the fact that since there i s no baseline information on the activities identifiedinthe PRSP, measuring targets i s almost impossible. Although the Commonwealth Secretariat i s assisting in the setting up of a Competition Commission for the implementation o f the Competition Bill, the sustainability o f the Commission would be a challenge for the Department both interms o f human and financial resources. Also the Integrated Framework action matrix i s yet to be incorporated into the PRSP and therefore preventingthe full integration o f trade inthe PRSP and hence national development strategy and funding i s affecting the implementation of the Integrated Framework. The slow progress in the implementation o f ISRT due to inadequate financing i s affecting the transit and re-exports trade inThe Gambia. g. Industry One o f the main challenges in the industry sector is to engage an institution with the right competence to review and update the industrial policy i s remains a difficulty for this Department o f State because o f budgetary constraint. Getting a technical cooperation programme with National PlanningCommission:PRSP I1APR 2007 Page 71 UNIDO is proofing very difficult and without an industrial policy and master plan, most o f the industrial activities outline in the PRSP I1would be difficult to implement and monitor their progress because the baseline data should come from such programme. Thus there i s a need for capacity building within DOSTIE for such policy implementation. The slow implementation o f the SDF Entrepreneurship Development Project i s affecting the Department's enterprise development programme. Although the DOSTIE is a beneficiary institution o f the project, it i s experiencing an unprecedented delay in the project implementation. The delay in the finalization o f the MSME policy process i s affecting the implementation o f the related activities identified in the PRSP 11, andhence the whole small enterprise development, the review o fthe Investment and Free Zones Acts i s still experiencing delay and the absent o f baseline data makes it difficult to measure targets. Although the public-private sector dialogue i s gradually being institutionalized, it yet to be recognized at the level o f the executive and therefore getting it recognized at that level and legislated remains a challenge for the Department. h. Employment The slow progress at the Integrated Framework secretariat at the World Trade Organization in Geneva, Switzerland in securing a fund manager has slowed down the implementation o f the IF programme inthe member states including The Gambia. Securing the total project fund for five years o f the project life has not being easy for the Department and the Department is not able to secure data on the current level o f employment and other data requiredto assess the indicators identifiedinthe PRSP 11.This also has the same problem ofbaseline data. Capacity inboth this Department o f State and Labour Department needs improvement to support the implementation o f the programme and to get the project infull force. 7.3. Basic Social Services a) Education:Basic andSecondary Education: The ECD unit has seen marked development in the area o f programming which has become more qualitative and vision guided. There has also been growth in terms o f enrolment in all the regions. However, in order to achieve the ESSP targets for ECD by 2015, key challenges will have to be addressed, and these include the fact that annexing process has taken off but with a series o f emerging issues o f quality relating to teachers, other resources and facilities and curriculum practices, there i s ineffective coordination o f service delivery and over dependence on centre based provision for ensuring access Despite the interventions in support o f quality improvement, quality remains a major challenge, as low mastery, coupled with limited supply and uneven distribution o f qualified teachers, and weak monitoring o f learning achievement compound the problem. The necessary technical and humanresource capacities need to be built; increased finding for basic education also needs to be mobilised andprovided. In terms of reaching the remaining percentage (8%) of school-age population (out-of-school) particularly for the age cohort for the lower basic school, there are major challenges to attracting this percentage to both conventional and Madrassa education. Consequently, appropriate National PlanningCommission:PRSP I1APR 2007 Page 72 strategies will have to be employed to attract every child to some form o f education. Furthermore, unequal attainment o f educational standards between the Madrassa and conventional institutions poses a great challenge inensuring that the education that i s provided to both product types o f educational institutions is o f equal quality. Also the issue o f poor quality intake into Gambia College, particularly for the female stock, continues to affect the learning outcomes o f students at the basic level. b) Adult andNon-FormalEducation: Domestic chores on women leading to women having little time for literacy are major constraints. Inaddition, there are problems o f inadequate mobility for field workers to effectively monitor and effectively monitor literacy classes. Also the unwillingness of some husbands to allow their wives to participateinnight classes and the low capacities o f communities to hire and sustained trained and committed facilitators are constraints. Thus there is need to provide higher training for facilitators and increase their monthly remuneration, develop training curriculum for facilitator training and literacy in general for adoption by all stakeholders as well as develop post literacy reading materials on issues that can enhance the building o f capacities o f the poor to fight poverty, provision o f skills, training materials and gadgets to skill centres and workshop, training o f community structures to manage facilities for sustenance and provision o f adequate resources for effective monitoring o f field activities. c) Higher & Tertiary Education: Failure to meet minimum entry requirements for enrolment in degree and professional courses reduces enrolment rates in tertiary institutions. Also the lack o f adequate scholarship provision prevents some qualified candidates to enroll for course programmes in tertiary institutions and the fact that adequate plans are not done before the end o f donor funded projects to enhance continuity at the end o f the project are constraints. There are delays in the integration process due to non completion o f the integration o f programmes, time taken in consulting the remaining stakeholders to preparea final policy paper, and unavailability o f hnds for the construction o f the University o f The Gambia (UTG) Faraba Banta Campus though funding i s still beingnegotiated. The main challenges associated with the delivery o f relevant and quality tertiary education include shortage o f lecturers due to low incentives, insufficient resources and capacity building opportunities, inadequate effective supervision and support for student teachers on teaching practice, inadequate library facilities, lecture and administrative spaces and research materials at the GambiaCollege and UTG, overcrowded classes at Gambia College leading to non-conducive learning environment and inadequate financial incentives, insufficient training opportunities and poor working environment leading to high staff attrition rate; thus undermining institutional effectiveness. National Planning Commission: PRSP I1APR 2007 Page 73 d) TechnicalVocationalEducationandTraining(TVET):. The quality o f training intraining institutions i s suffering due to lack o f properly trained human resource. Most o f those trained are foreigners who may finally return to their places o f origin, and hence interested and qualified Gambians needto be encouraged to be engaged with activities related to training institutions. TVET programmes are currently not cheap makingit inaccessible to others and there are difficulties in recruiting a curriculum expert resulting in delays in the preparation and co-ordination o f subject curricula in line with the Gambia skills qualification Framework (GSQF). There are delays indeveloping assessment standards for student's practical work bywest African Examination Council (WAEC) and other professionals as an additional requirement o f the GSOF. Introducing new standards in the TVET system quality is likely to be achieved if only those training providers that meet the new standard requirements are registered and accredited. In the same vein trainers and assessors are also required to meet set standards. There i s inadequate mobility due to shortage o f vehicles attributed to the slow rate of supervision o f training institutions and the delay in the collection and updating o f the LMIS data and there i s also acute shortage o fresources seriously under miningmanagement effectiveness. e) Health Some o f the constraints beingencountered inthe health sector are the need to sustaining the high immunization rate with focus on managing childhood illnesses, reducing the unacceptably high maternal mortality rate, controlling communicable diseases (malaria, TB,HIV/AIDs)responsible for highmortality and morbidity and strengtheningthe health management information system to buildand sustain capacity indata collection, storage, analysis andreporting. The increasing high attrition rate, inadequate production and inequitable distribution of staff as well as low staff morale to allow for scaling up healthprograms and for efficient management o f health service delivery are major issues that the sector has to deal with. As a result, there i s inadequate capacity for health service delivery in terms o f equipment, drugs and other medical supplies, rehabilitation o f health infrastructure, management competence, and transport availability and other logistics as well as improved referral system at all levels. Inadequate financial resources and uncoordinated donor support to service delivery at times leading to and cancellationo f Reproductive and ChildHealth outreach treks due to lack o f fuel, vehicles or staff are also constraints. f ) Water Currently the communications and operational procedures within DWR are inadequate and dysfunctional. Supervisory oversight by senior staff i s poor andjunior staff i s unable to perform to their full potential. In addition, there i s inadequate management capacity o f communities who are the beneficiaries o f water facilities. There is need for a more pro-active ground water planning capability within the DWR to achieve a well structured water policy. Other constraints are poor dialogue and information exchange betweenvarious stakeholders; inadequate number o f National Planning Commission:PRSPI1APR 2007 Page 74 qualified personnel particularly hydrologist and civil engineers and small budgetaryallocation to DWRfor monitoring andmaintenance o fthe water facilities on aregularbasis. g) Sanitation: Constraints in the sub-sector include inadequate resource for the construction and training, monitoring and evaluation o f sanitation structures across the entire country as well as inadequate field staff to effectively supervise the activities o f these structures at community, district and regional levels. Also the poor state o fmobility o f extension workers, the lack o f baseline data on the state o f improve latrine in communities and low capacity level o f stakeholders on improve waste management concept are constraints h) Social Welfare Reducing the unacceptable high rate o f orphanage due to maternal mortality and HIV/AIDS remains a critical issue in URR and Western Division. There i s need to reduce the unacceptable highincident of Road Traffic accident and diabetics illness which remains a critical issue inour fight against disability and improve capacity for rehabilitation in terms of equipment and material for rehabilitation o f the disable, mobility aid supply, production o f artificial limbs and shoes for the disable. Other constraints in the sector are the need to improve capacity for social service delivery in terms o f rehabilitation services for abused children, care services for the age and rehabilitation o f residential facility such as Shelter for Children, Home for the Elderly and Social Welfare Office structure, transport and fuel availability and other logistics Fundingfor runningcost o fresidential facility, capacity buildingo fstaffis importantto response to the ever increasing demand in child protection case and decentralization o f the Department activities still remains a challenge, the Department i s we are only present in Banjul, K M C and URRdue to limited resources andhighattritionrate still remaina challenge 7.4. EnhancingGovernance and Participation of Civil Society a. Decentralisation The policy framework for decentralization andreform o f local governments has been inplace for some years now but there exists constraints in municipal and local government administration. The financial Management capacity o f LGAs i s weak thus preventing fiscal decentralization from taking place, and regulatory frameworks, weak financial administration Procedures, IT support and personnel do not guarantee autonomy The absence o f downward accountability, inadequate office equipment and space, lack o f adequate infrastructure due to absence o f good roads, electricity, water and transport, non- Establishment o f sector departments in council and inadequate resources for the training, monitoring and evaluation o f decentralised structures across the entire country are all issues affecting the effective implementation o f the decentralization programme. NationalPlanningCommission: PRSP I1APR 2007 Page 75 Local government field staff are inadequate to effectively supervise the activities o f these structures at community, district and regional levels, there i s inadequate mobility o f extension workers, baseline data on the state o f decentralise structures i s lacking and there exists low capacity to implementthe decentralization concept b. CivicEducation The constraints facing the Civic Education programme include the lack o f reliable vehicles as well as the complete absence o f trekking vehicles i s greatly hindering Council's untiringefforts to bringing Civic education to the door step o f every Gambian. The low level o f fimding; subvention from government, resulting in the inability o f Council to have adequate computer equipment are also constraints. This institution is still in its teething stage and i s very thin on staffng . Council's access to public media (Gambia Radio& Television) i s greatly constrained by limited budgetary allocation for Airtime. GRTS has a Tariff which i s unaffordable by NCCE. As a result o f there i s lack o f access to national radio and television which has casted a lot o f doubt on the efforts o f Council. This is the main reason why many people especially those in Banjul and Kombo tend to assume that the National Council for Civic Education i s not doing enough, because council is not seen and heard often on television and radio as expected. The council also lacks office space. c. The NationalAssembly The Legislature like other arms o f government i s not without problems or constraints. Current constraints range from limited resource allocation, capacity o f National Assembly membershpport staff, to the challenges of Information and Communications Technology. Regionalisation and globalisation o f the National AssembliesParliaments to participate in ECOWAS, PAP, CPA, IPU and FAAPAD present challenges o f increasing the scrutiny/oversight role of Parliamentinthe National Governance Programme. Enhancingthe role o f the National Assembly in the implementation o f the Gambia Incorporated Vision 2020, the Poverty Reduction Strategy Papers; PRSP I1and the collective resolve to attain the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), are amongst others, some o fthe greatest challenges. The new dispensation at Parliament has set for itself standards andtargets that are unprecedented in the legislative history of the country and would require the support and good will of all development partners. Thus prominent among the priorities i s the emphasis on noble values, challenges and limitations o f the institution and on its honourable members in the discharge o f their duties as public servants and elective representative o f the people o f The Gambia. The second priority i s to bring Parliament closer to the people, increase the democratic space proactively; and make parliament and parliamentarians more socially accountable to the electorates and civil society, through greater and wider interactions and interfacing at regular and scheduled intervals. The National Assembly also intends to web cast, telecast and broadcast all its proceedings on the internet, radio and television but is constrained by the availability o f resources. ~~ ~~ NationalPlanningCommission:PRSP11APR 2007 Page 76 d. NGOs One limitation or weakness o fthe NGO community inThe Gambia is their inability to influence policy formulation. However, inadequate capacity, in terms o f knowledge and skills, to implement the MDGs, limited fundinghesources, and insufficient disaggregated local information and public awareness about the MDGs as well as insufficient capacity to undertake integrated and participatoryplanning (horizontal coordination) are also constraints. Other constraints include limited skills in introducing performance budgeting for effecting implementation, limited capacity for creating a framework o f MDG indicators and monitoring mechanisms, inadequate fiscal decentralization, such as weak local capacity to adopt pro-poor budgeting, or a lack o f training in budgeting and public expenditure tracking tools and inadequate local procurement capacity which act as an impediment for high quality and the efficient delivery o fpublic services. Also an enabling environment for effective local development (e.g. legal and regulatory framework that supports decentralization, financial resources, organisational systems and mechanisms, values, norms and social practices that influence people's decision and behaviour) exists but its operationalisation i s a major problem. Inadequate vertical coordination with poor alignment o f local priorities to national planand policies, inconsistent support from international agencies and donors to promote local governance and local poverty reduction activities, late submission o f reports (annual, audit and work plans and budgets) by NGOs, and dependency on crash programmes by some NGOs are some o f the other problems. Bigger NGOs like Action aid, VSO, CCF and CRS are changing their global strategy and are now working through partners as opposed to being practically involved inthe implementation o f programmes. They are now reaching out to the poor through their wide network o f partners. They provide the funding and their partners implement projects and/or local NGO/CBO/CSO programmes in their respective thematic areas. Local NGOs/CSOs and especially NGOs are being encouraged to form coalitions like the National Women Farmers Association (NAWFA), Pro-PAG Advocacy Group (Pro-PAG) and the Education For All (EFA) Campaign Network with an aim o fcreating impact intheir respective programmes areas. This calls for transparency, upward and downward accountability and strategic partnerships depending on the focus o f the programmes they want to implement and the tasks at hand. 7.5. Cross-cuttingissues Constraints encountered in the crosscutting issues are varied and complex in nature. However, most of the challenges identified relate to capacity constraints, fhding and weak coordinating mechanisms as programs can only be effectively implemented through multi-sectoral approaches that require effective coordination, broad based participation and strong stakeholder commitment. a. Gender The major challenge to the implementation o f the Gender priorities inPRSP I1among others was lack o f a gender policy mainstreamed programme activities, and lack o f gender budgets in National Planning Commission:PRSPIIAPR 2007 Page 77 government sectors and stakeholder institutions for mainstreaming women's empowerment interventions. Gender activist, policy makers, planners and managers, the National Women's Council, Women's Bureau, government department heads and the Gender Focal Point Network have received some gender mainstreaming training, but the Mid Term review o f the National Women's Policy showed that there i s a persistent need to mount continual capacity-building programmes on the specificities o f gender budgeting and empowerment for them as well as for any new personnel, when they are recruited or identified to serve the interest o f Gambian Women. The lack o f legal mechanisms to provide education on, protection and monitoring o f the application o f the rights o f women i s a major constraint that needs to be addressed. As well as humanresource constraints to address the critical implementation of gender and poverty related programmes and unclear linkages between sector policies are also major challenges for the realisation o f the MDGs. Also the absence o f reliable indicators or data sets for qualitative measurements o f intra household assets distribution and women's control o f income, sexuality, fertility, and freedom from violence as well as women's contribution in non market activities such as subsistence farming, child bearing and rearing and care for the sick and elderly are challenges to effectively mainstreaming gender inthe development planningprocess. b. Forestryand Environment. The constraints encountered inmanaging the forestry programmes are mainly the availability o f funding for grassroots operation and delays in contract performance. Constraints on Environmental management on the other hand are associated with weak capacity and challenges in waste management due to indiscriminate dumping and the inability o f municipalities and councils to ensure proper waste collection and disposal. Limited funding has also been identified as a key constraint resulting in the agencies failure to successhlly revise the Gambia Environmental Action Plan as planned during the year under review. Limited capacity and funding has also hampered effective coordination o f multi-sectoral programmes and implementationo f environmental laws inthe country. c. HIVIAIDS Sustaining the national response i s a major priority area for the country based on the fact that The Gambia has never been endowed with adequate resources to scale up an accelerated multi- sectoral response to HIVIAIDS. The challenges however remain on the tracking o f priority interventions. Humanresource constraints inthe health sector remain a challenge inthe implementationo fthe National Response programme. The implementation arrangements o f phase Io f the Global Fund was a good transition o f the program into the phase I1but not all the implementingpartners have the same pace and strong institutional capacity to meet all their targets which resultedsetbacks in the implementationprocess. d. Nutrition Constraints encountered centred around sustaining the achievements made as both human and financial resources have dwindledto low level thereby affecting effective implementation o f the NationalPlanningCommission: PRSP I1APR 2007 Page 78 nutrition programme. Sustenance o f the inter-sectoral collaboration and coordination of activities o f the programme has, also pose challenges due to inadequate funding and logistics for community level activities. e. Population The year under review coincided with the commencement o f the renewed UNFPA and Gambia Government programme on population and so the usual delays in logistics, disbursements and payments were the main challenges faced in implementingthe National Population programme. The programme budget execution was also affected by the sudden surge o f the Dalasi against major foreign currencies resulting in low implementation rates e.g. inadequate supply o f contraceptives andother necessary equipment for the smooth operation o fprogrammes. f. Youth The constraints encountered in the implementation o f the National Youth Empowerment Programme include insufficient funding resultingin low intakes for the National Youth Service Scheme Programme and the inability o f the scheme to continue its Apprenticeship Training Programme. The absence o f adequate and necessary resources, and status and recognition o f the youth corps programme, also impacted adversely on the progress o f National Enterprise Development Initiatives particularly interms o f scaling it up to reach a wider target of the youth population 2007. National PlanningCommission:PRSPI1APR 2007 Page 79 CHAPTER8: CONCLUSIONSAND RECOMMENDATIONS The first year o f implementation o f PRSP IIhad beenvery challenging to both government and its development partners. Resource mobilisation is still ongoing and structural reforms, including the setting up and operationalisation o f a National Planning Commission, to coordinate implementation, and enhance prudent financial management are yet to take full effect. However, it is hoped that with the country reaching HIPC completion point at the end o f 2007, additional resources will be available for scaling up o fprogramme implementation from 2008 onwards. 8.1. Creatingan EnablingPolicyEnvironment The reform o fthe NSS is paramount for the effective development planningand implementation, thus all stakeholders need to be committedto the reform process. Advocacy and sensitisation on the value o f statistics need to be undertaken and donor support and funding o f statistical activities o fthe NSS be solicited. Inthe legal sector, both the Judiciary and DOSJ will need to develop monitoring and tracking systems to be able to measure results and take corrective actions and also to ensure that there is a strategic fit between the key objectives and strategies with developments in the external environment. This calls for the establishment o f a unit that should be responsible for the monitoring, measurement and reporting on the achievements and shortcomings o f the plan in timely and proactive manner. To assist in the monitoring and control of the implementation o f the strategy by the implementation unit, the department will need to set up standards o f performance, measure actual performance, identify deviations from the set standards and initiate corrective actions. With regard to the proposed civil service reform, Government should immediately establish a full-time taskforce that would prepare the civil service reform and capacity building strategy so as to curb the growing attrition rate inthe civil service. There i s also need to further develop the "Public Sector Reform Sector Strategy Paper 2007-201 1," drawing on the analytical findings o f the reports "Improving 'Civil Service Performance." The strategy should include a medium term pay and pensionreform plan. Donor missions had suggested several measures to move the reform process forward, and implementation o f these recommendations should begin in immediately. Recommendations included: (i) reconstitution o f the PSPS Task Force with more focused terms o f reference and a mapping o f its expected outputs and decisions for reforming the PSPS and FSP; (ii) contracting o f additional diagnostic work as determined bythe Task Force, including an actuarial assessment o f the PSPS; (iii)reconciliation o f contribution and benefit parameters and qualifying conditions between the PSPS and FPS with a view towards a unified framework which supports pension rights portability and labor mobility; (iv) careful consideration o f the institutional arrangements suggested for the management and governance o f the proposed schemes, including weighing the merits o f the operational policy issues above; (v) reconciliation o f the governing legislation and National Planning Commission:PRSPI1APR 2007 Page 80 regulations for the PSPS, FPS and NPF, respectively. It i s important to point out the importance o f a review o f Part 4, para. 176 o f the Constitution as applied to the existing schemes and proposed reforms; and (vi) establishment o f a sequencing o f reforms to the PSPS, FPS, SSHFC and implementingregulations for each. 8.2. Improvingproductionandproductivity a. Agriculture There is need to transform the current status o f the sector for agriculture to be the back bone o f the nation's economy. The key areas o f focus for action inANR policy shouldbe the following: 1. Sustainable systems o f extending the information outreach on the availability o f economic resources, especially inputs/outputs markets; opportunities and possibilities to invest or be involved in the sector, at all levels, particularly small holders, medium and large scale investors. 2. Availability o f affordable water supplies year round for production in crops and livestock, and promoting decentralized management operations 3. Sustainable levels o f improved soil fertility and land use management through participatory, people-centred approaches promoting security o f property rights and broad access and control over land and natural resources 4. Universal and affordable access to essential inputs/resources: a. including credit and other financial services; ensuring efficient use o f existing capacities and those to be built up to strengthen further the supply-side o f the sector; underpin the sustainability o f technologies transferred to small holders to enable them move to and operate within a modem commercialised agriculture; maximise appropriate use o f available credit to small holders. b. Agro-chemicals; particularly fertilizers, c. Undertake a comprehensive programme o f transfer o f improved skills and knowledge intheir use andmanagement, intandem with relevant technologies such as Integrated Pest Management, technical standards in food products, and management o f credit facilities. d. Making mechanised power affordable and accessible particularly for crops and fisheries to underpinproductivity, enhance competitiveness and attract investment in the sector, andthe resulting increased opportunity costs ofmanualproduction labour e. The sustainable availability o f high quality and yielding crops and livestock germ plasm 5. Much greater focus on the use o f Research and Extension structures and services on a continuous basis, primarily to meet requirements o f small holders to increase their National Planning Commission:PRSPI1APR 2007 Page81 productivity and margins, from knowledge transfer, andto existing commercial enterprises to increase their competitiveness and optimize opportunities 6. Much greater attention to, promotion and adoption o f value chain approaches, including institutional and organizational aspects, essentially to increase productivity and competitiveness o f targeted staple food, export and industrial commodities, with greater emphasis on improving agro-processing 7. Improving the demand side for agricultural products, particularly, creating markets, expanding the growth o f existing ones, enhancing inter-relationships between the agriculture sector and high value markets, especially local Tourist industry, exporters, and for diversifying the diet or food basket base o f the population 8. Establishing a critical mass o f skilled service providers and users o f knowledge for increased productivity and competitiveness. The action will extend to all economic agents o f the ANR sector; producers, marketers, processors; trade information systems. 9. Strengthening selected institutions and capacities for policy analysis, monitoring and formulation, advice, coordination, delivery, regulation and resource mobilization. 10. Strengthened CBOs, farmers groups and organizations and their Apex bodies for enhancing sustainable investment activities, including participation in the development o f appropriate support and extension services to promote improved technologies such as mechanization, adopting economies o f scale in farm enterprises, particularly the supply side activities; marketingand processing; enhanced information networks, communications and broadening linkages and partnerships; taking advantages o f investment opportunities o f diverse markets, niche marketsand other employment opportunities; strengthening civil society empowerment and engagement in policy dialogue and decision making concerning ANR and rural development; local governance, and involvement inthe monitoring and evaluation o f policy implementation. 11.Strengthened selected Inputs/Outputs Market enterprises for availability and distribution of, and access to essential inputsby Small and Mediumscale enterprises. 12. Supportingthe Livestock sub sector for productivity, competitiveness, income generation and exports, with greater promotion o fthe value chain approach. b. Fisheries and Marine resources Partnerships need to be forged between the fisheries administration, and other government departments, existing projects/programmes and NGOs/ Micro Finance Institutions (MFIs) to address poverty in fisheries communities. Also, marketing organisations and structures are strengthened and supported with information services to facilitate distribution and movement o f their fishproducts to and from the community. Actions to stimulatewomen's participation inthe planningand decisionmakingprocess should take cultural and local customs into account, so as to avoid conflicts and that non fisheries related income generating activities should be included in integrated fisheries projects/programs to offer alternative income possibilities in situations were fishresources seem to diminish. National PlanningCommission:PRSPI1APR 2007 Page 82 c. Energy The Department o f state for Energyinpartnership with local solar companies and local financial institutions needs to move ahead with the proposed pilot solarizing o f villages or a cluster o f villages in the peri-urban area through a pre-finance system whereby solar systems can be installed and the beneficiaries pay for the cost by installment. Also the Gambia Technical Training Institute (GTTI) and the EnergyDivision capacities should be enhanced to enable them conduct training courses in solar installation and Maintenance. Use o f solar water heaters should bepromotedthrough awareness campaigns especially inthe hotels industry.There is need for the formulation o f renewable energy legislation as well as need for more adoptive research and development o frenewable energy devices Interms of the bio-fuel sub-sector moving forward, there will be need to raise awareness on benefits o f growing energy plants, have a pilot project on Jatropha, formulate renewable energy legislation and initiate more adoptive research inthe area o fbio-fuel. More Gambiansneed to be trained on how to make improve cooking stoves and awareness campaigns be organized on the use andbenefits o f using improved cooking stoves The development downstream petroleum legislation is in progress but there i s need for the construction o f LPGbulk storage facility. Construction o f LPGbulk storage facility has already commenced. However, there i s need to subsidize the price o f LPG at least for five years, so as to increase its demand and thus reduce use o f fuel wood and ensure sustainability o f supply. The Department o f State for Energy i s developing a Petroleum Downstream Legislation to regulate the sub sector and with the availability of necessary funds, will explore alternative fuel in the form o frenewable energy through research and development. d. Tourism Sourcing new markets is o f paramount importance and the tourist season needs to be extended beyond the winter season. The Green Season, which is equally important as the winter season, will focus more on the West African sub-region. In view of this a memorandum of understanding has been signed between the Ghana Tourism Board and The Gambia Tourism Authority as well as the tour operators o f both countries to jointly promote their tourism products. The agreement also allows for the Ghanaian Tour operators to bringAmerican tourists to The Gambia. As part o fthe new policy strategy for the sector, government needs to continue to ensure that adequate infrastructure facilities (water, sewage disposal, electricity and access roads) are provided indesignated tourist development areas. e. Road Infrastructure The country spends a lot o f money on infrastructure development but maintenance o f these infrastructures is lacking. Thus there i s need to raise funds for the road authority, in particular, the implementation o f the proposed road levy to ensure availability o f funds for road maintenance. There is also need for strict monitoring o f contracts to ensure that contractual terms are being adhered to inorder to avoid the settlement o f claims. National PlanningCommission:PRSPIIAPR 2007 Page83 f. Trade There is need to finalise the formulation o f the National Trade Policy and carryout a baseline survey to determine the current level o f the trade activities identified in the PRSP e.g. exporthmport ratio, export in non-tradition commodities, the level o f the Gambia trade vis-a-vis the ECOWAS region etc. The training needs o f the trade division o f DOSTIE need to be assessed and there i s also need to include the operation cost o f the Competition Commission inthe national budget and seek more donor support for the Commission. Also there is need to include the priority activities o f the Integrated Framework in the PRSP and the overall national development strategy, develop an export strategy to enhance export o f non-traditional export, and provide additional financial support to GCCI for the implementation o fthe ISRT. g. Industry Seeking funding for the review and updating o f the industrial policy and subsequent development o f the industrial master plan i s an urgent need so also i s the need to settle the Gambia's contribution to UNIDO to enable the Department to have technical cooperation with them. Government should review the SDF project agreement with the ADB to determine what is causing the delay in the implementation and the review o f the Investment and Free Zones Acts. There i s also need to continue to pursue the idea o f institutionalization o f public-private sector dialogue at all levels o f the government and its legislation, as well as strengthen the capacities o f bothDOSTIE and GPFZA to better articulate investmentpolicy and strategies. h. Employment Government needs to secure adequate fhding for GAMJOBS, and there is urgent need to conduct the baseline study to ensure availability o f data on the current level o f unemployment and employment in addition to develop a labour market information system for monitoring developments inthe labour market. The capacity o fDOSTIE and Labour Department needs to be developed for effective formulation, implementation and coordination o f labour policy and related matters and institutional arrangements for employment generation enhanced. 8.3. Increase access to and coverage of Basic Social Services a. Education In the basic education sub-sector, there is need to revitalise and institutionalise the access programme at the Gambia College and give support to that o f the UTG, ,as well as the need for Government to improve the scholarship package to enhance better access to tertiary education, and improvement in the Open and Distance Learning (ODL) is required to effectively increase enrolment and quality o f delivery as well as in marketing strategies through information and communicationmanagement to enhance access to tertiary education. Intertiary education, raising funds for the infrastructural development o fthe UTGFaraba Banta Campus, which requires huge financial investments, must start immediately and improvements in the quality and quantity o f trainee PTC and HTC teachers and university graduates with academic degrees made. Also there i s need for the establishment and sustainability o f a functional quality assurance framework, monitoring and evaluation mechanism for tertiary ~ ~ NationalPlanningCommission:PRSPI1APR 2007 Page 84 education programmes, expansion o f structures, increase training opportunities and recruitment o f additional lecturers in tertiary institutions, and sensitization o f the public to encourage the private sector and individuals to participate inthe funding o f tertiary education to enhance access to quality tertiary education. Qualified trainers, assessors and training providers need to be registered and accredited, a scholarship scheme for girls and the needy to enhance access to quality TVET established and also at least one public TVET institution be establised in each region in the country. The NTA needs to recruit a curriculum expert, assessment standard' for student's practical works as part o f the GSQF to enhance its full implantation be developed and mobility support to enhance supervision o f training institutions, and ease data collection by LMIS Unit for analysis necessary for management decision making be available. b. Health The long-term objective o fthe health sector inVision 2020 is to provide adequate, effective and affordable health care for all Gambians. The objectives are to improve the administration and management o f health services, provide better infrastructure for referral hospitals and health facilities and extend the primary healthcare (PHC) services to all communities. The achievement o f these objectives requires the availability o fwell trained and motivatedhealth personnel; establishment o f efficient supply and logistics systemto ensure effective and efficient health services for all; and improvement in ancillary services for the management o f health data and enhancement o fresearchinto paramedical services such as traditional healingmethods. Similarly, the management of Basic Health Services will be strengthened with emphasis on the regulatory fwnction o f Department o f State for Health and Social Welfare (DoSH & SW) with a view to improving the mechanism for effective governance o f the health sector. Community structures will be strengthened to support health interventions such as the Primary Health Care, Bamako Initiative, Community Integrated management o f new Born and Childhood Illnesses (IMNCI), and other health initiatives: Other issues that need to be urgently addressed in the health sector are improving access to services and Essential Care Package, particularly in poorly served areas; providing basic equipment for all levels o f the health delivery system, ensuring effective and efficient referral system for the timely and safe evacuation o f patients from one level o f the health system to another especially duringobstetric andneonatal emergencies and efficient and sustainable Health Management Information System (HMIS). There are changes from Chloroquine-based malaria treatment to an Artemisinin combination therapy (ACT) for which strategies to ensure availability o f supplies, when donor funding ceases must be put inplace. There i s also need for the intensification o f the fight against malariaby givingpriority and emphasis to prevention, and environmental sanitation will need to be given continued emphasis over preventive, promotion andcurative approaches. The availability of a well trained andmotivated healthpersonnel should be urgently addressed, an efficient supply o f pharmaceuticals, vaccines and other medical suppliesto ensure effective and efficient health service delivery is established, vehicles, fuel and logistics for RCH, out Reach Services be provided and accelerated training o f health workers be pursued. ~ NationalPlanningCommission:PRSPI1APR 2007 Page 85 c. Water Resources There i s a needto develop a water strategy that will provide guidance on policy implementation guidance, technical direction and the momentum to move forward. The institution needs to establish a sound technical rational to managing water resources under-pinned by verifiable information, and sound quantifiable hydrometeorological and hydrogeological data, a set o f Integrated Water Resource Management (IWRM) instruments for assessing and quantifying the available river basin yield (surface and sub surface) for a range o f climatic scenarios be made available, people be involved and placed at the center o f the process, consult widely with stakeholders to achieve the policy objectives and build consensus, and overall existence o f a long-term humanitarian vision for water resources management anddevelopment. d. Sanitation The increase in the price o f cement has increased the cost o f constructing latrines and this have to some extent reduced the spillover effect as most poor households could not easily afford the cost. The promotion o fbest hygienepractices inthe communities has lead to the establishment o f theatre groups, which are engaged, on continuous IEC intheir respective communities andthese and other interventions such as "set setal" in communities have led more hygiene conditiodconditions. However, more studies on appropriate technologies in the area o f environmental sanitation need to be undertaken, recycling techniques o f major waste products such as paper, nylon, bottles and metals, and the establishment o f environment friendly organisation at local level i s promoted, and the horizontal and vertical linkages and coordination between institutions be strengthened. e. Social Welfare To enhance social protection o f the poor and vulnerable, it is necessary to work with partners in addressing the complex issues surrounding, vulnerability among the elderly, adults and children as it i s only through this approach that positive and enabling policy and social environment for vulnerable families can be achieved. Therefore there i s need for quality functional equipment for the production artificial limbs for the disable which i s still inadequate, availability o f material and inadequate funding remains a concern, Improvements in access to care services for the poor inrural areas, andintensificationofthe fight against childabuseabandonment andexploitation A child protection data base has been developed and needs to be operationalised, efficient implementation o f the national plan o f action on orphans and vulnerable children be ensured as well as adequate transport and other logistic support for proper delivery o f services, and basic equipment and material at all level o f social service delivery system be provided. There is also need to increase human resources for the Department and encourage flexi time working hours o f staff in other to respond to emergency cases outside working hours, and expansion o f coverage areas otherwise interventions will continue to be on a pilot basis without any significant impact, though such scaling up will require additional funding. ~~ ~~~ ~~~ ~ ~~ ~~ ~ National PlanningCommission:PRSPI1APR 2007 Page 86 8.4. Enhancing Governance and Participation of Civil Society a. Decentralisation The way forward for the effective operationalization o f the decentralized structures include increase budgetary allocation to the Department o f state for Local government and Lands for the continuous training o f VDCs, WDCs andTechnical Advisory committees. There i s also need for Local Government authorities to allocate a percentage o f their budget as direct support to the training, planning and funding implementation o f development activities o f decentralised structures. There i s also need to conduct baseline studies on the state o f decentralize structures and to support the establishment o f Village Development Committees and to provide them with required support such as group management techniques, participatory research and planning techniques has been expressed by most MDFTs, VDCs and WDCs across the regions. There i s also the urgent need to implement the Community Driven Development programme to ensure that community development needs are addressed. b. Civic Education Giventhe importance o f Council, the is need for the availability o f reliable roadworthy vehicles to enhance closer and informed participation o f individuals and communities in the continual identification o f and implementation o f activities that have direct and immediate relevance to positively impact their lives and livelihoods. To ensure continuity in the delivery o f Civic Education to the public, there is also need for secured and sustainable sources o f funding. A thorough review o f the Council's annual subvention with the aim o f increasing its operational funds to commensurate with the realities i s therefore needed to complement funding from partner agencies. The National Council for Civic Education need to have at least weekly one hour programme on both the national radio and television to deliver Civic Education to the public so as to enlighten the citizenry. Also adequate and conducive office space that can fully accommodate the council and its technical staff should beprovided for them to carry out their work. Other government departments needs to engage the National Council for Civic Education in conducting public education activities as and when required, which will not only add professionalism and save cost by makinguse o f available expertise o f the NCCE, but it will also reduce the duplication o f efforts and waste o f valuable time and scarce resources. The apparent lack o f organic linkages between the governance components i s a cause for concern. For instance, while NCCE has been unanimously adapted by the Governance Taskforce as its IEC Arm Sensitisation Activities in the governance domain continue to be contracted out to private bodies. Also, bearing in mind the need for a specialised human resource for long term efficiency, effectiveness and impact, the NCCE needs to be supported to attract, employ, train and/or reorient, adequately remunerate and retain both the current and additional competent administrative, technical and support staff, National Planning Commission:PRSPI1APR 2007 Page 87 C. NGOs There i s need to build the capacities o f NGOs and the NGO coordinating Agency, TANGO for effective involvement o f NGOs in PRSP I1implementation. Also there is need to expedite the promulgation o f Decree 81 into the bill, develop a strategy o f how to track NGOs income and expenditure and embark on institutional strengthening o f the Agency (human, material and finance) 8.5. Cross-cuttingissues a. Gender Although a lot o f obstacles were encountered in implementing the priorities o f the Gender programme in PRSP 11, collective efforts with support from stakeholders and partners will help to enhanced progress. Sector contributions, participation and commitment to the development o f the Gender priority programme inPRSP I1need to be strengthened. Joint programming, funding review and assessment o f actions within the social sector will need to be undertaken to address issues relating to per capita income o f female headedhouseholds. Also it is necessary to compare policies to determine whether there are gaps e.g. the NPAGW and the Health Policy. There i s also need to facilitate effective policy dialogue for the enactment o f the Draft Women's Bill 2007 and to have a general coordination o fdata to avoid inconsistency o f the available o f data. b. Forestryandthe Environment The Environmental sector seeks to harness more resources to ensure the availability o f better skills and institutional capacity for a wide range o f sensitization activities. The National Environment Agency shall needs to continue to pursue and widen its consultative forum for greater mainstreaming o f environmental issues into the economic decision makingprocess and the sector also needs to review its partnership with key stakeholders to ensure strengthening o f the regulatory framework and enforcement o fthe regulatory codes particularly with regardto the sustainable management andprotection o f the coast and its resources. b. HIVIAIDS Inorder to meet the programtargets, the PR andSRs needto accelerate the implementation rates taking into consideration the PPTCT, ART IECBCC and OVC o f the National Response. Achieving the goals o f the National Response program requires renewed commitment and dedication by all implementing partners; more so, the sustainability o f the Secretariat may need special consideration interms o f strategic planningandresource mobilization to enable a broader sector-wide approach in the fight against HN/AIDS in The Gambia. Consequently future plans include enhancing human resource capacity and staff retention in Public Health Facilities as the country deals with insufficient numbers o f health care providers and the introduction o f in- service training for midwives and support to lay counselors for providing VCT/PTCT/ART services as well as the inclusion o f HIV/AIDS into the curriculum o f the pre-service health training schools as a proactive measure inbuildingcapacity. ~~ ~ ~~~ ~~ ~ ~ ~ NationalPlanningCommission:PRSP I1APR 2007 Page 88 c. Nutrition The intervention in the area o f Nutrition can only be sustained with wide stakeholder participation through multi-sectoral structures. Therefore fundingneeds to be secured to maintain and strengthenthe structures built.The sector also needsto ensure wideningandstrengtheningo f the Integrated Community Based Programmes as these are more sustainable and cost effective. Better finding is also needed to ensure successful implementation o f the National Nutrition programmewith particular reference to scaling up o fthe proven successes. d. Population The need to enhance partnership and collaboration among partners, on capacity building i s needed especially further training o fprogrammepersonnel as well as more advocacy e. Youth Empowerment The Youth empowerment programme requires more fundingparticularly for the strengthening o f the Apprenticeship Training Programme and for buildingthe capacity o f the staff to enable them better deliver quality services. Also, the National Enterprise Development Initiatives needto be formalised and integrated with other relevantprogrammes such as the Social Development Fund andthe Community DrivenDevelopment Programme. NationalPlanningCommission:PRSP11APR 2007 Page 89 2 8 M . -? 2 . . .. . . D O 0 Y e N I P g N N ;P Y m 3 v) E Pi a N 0 . 0 0 0 0 . 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I P 2 3 3 a 2 a Y* Ij CI 3 0 ~ * e I c 0 APPENDIX 2: GDP at CURRENT PRICES (Thousand Dalasi Manufacturing 973,364 1,024,155 1,040,338 1,I12,050 Electricity, gas and water supply 134,484 141,501 143,737 153,644 + Construction 982,179 1,I24,013 1,605,946 1,525,869 Totalproductionindustries 7,023,538 7,463,753 8,105,792 8,473,835 Wholesale and retail trade 4,380,418 4,608,991 4,681,819 5,004,550 Hotels and restaurants 438,580 461,464 Transport and storage 588,897 610,686 Communications and postal services 1,334,581 1,428,001 Business services 1,702,295 1,762,668 1,765,707 I1,887,423 I Financialintermediation 1,105,022 1,135,965 1,136,853 I1,215,221 Real estate, renting and business activities 597,273 626,703 628,854 672,202 Market services 51,225 53,898 54,750 58,524 Imputedrent 546,048 572,805 574,104 I 613,678 Public administration 376,386 382,032 382,118 408,441 Other services 426,077 433,549 433,696 463,575 Education 172,493 175,080 175,120 187,183 Health and social work 170,423 172,979 173,019 184,937 Other community, social and personal services 83,161 85,490 85,557 91,455 Totalservice industries 9,247,234 9,687,391 10,041,279 10,733,421 127 FISIM (692,848) (726,799) (728,446) (778,659) Total all industries 15,577,923 16,424,345 17,418,625 18,428,597 Taxes less subsidiesonproducts 239,781 1,562,518 1,965,700 2,031,750 GDP at market prices I15,817,705 17,986,864 I I19,384,325 I20,460,347 Annual growthrate 13.8 13.7 7.8 5.6 Per CapitaGDP 11,228 12,332 12,838 13,091 Population 1,408,763 1,458,542 1,509,928 1,562,894 128 Agriculture, huntingand forestry I4,364,988 I 4,335,151I 4,495,407 I 4,674,845 I 4.0 25.54 Crops I2,820,497 I 2,744,344I 2,856,862 I 2,979,707I 4.3 II 16.28 Livestock 1,439,041 1,482,215 1,526,686 1,587,754 4.0 8.67 Forestry 105,450 108,592 111,859 107,384 -4.0 0.59 Fishing 301,585 296,335 317,875 328,053 3.2 1.79 Miningandquarrying 266,938 I 278,485 1 300,066 320,738I 6.9 I 1.75 Manufacturing 973,364 I 996,357I 991,720 II 1,005,816I 1.4 I 5.49 Electricity, gas and water supply 134,484 135,829 143,975 168,451 17.0 0.92 Construction 982,179 1,093,505 1,530,896 1,380,103 -9.8 7.54 Total productionindustries 7,023,538 7,135,662 7,779,940 7,878,005 1.3 43.04 business activities 597,273 I 612,772 654,787 674,814 3.1 3.69 Market services 51,225 53,073II 54,134 II 55,596 II 2.7 1I 0.30 Imputedrent 546,048 I 559,699I 600,653 I 619,218 I 3.1 3.38 Public administration 376,386 I 371,493I 371,493 I 401,227 I 8.0II 2.19 Other services 426,077 387,303 430,382 449,797 4.5 2.46 Education 172,493 152,874 185,709 185,709 0.0 1.01 Health and social work 170,423 148,268 156,789 173,831 10.9 0.95 Other community, social and personal services 83,161 86,161 87,884 90,257 2.7I 0.49 ITotal service industries 9,247,234 9,540,461 10,081,827 11,I33,314 10.4 60.82 FISIM I -692,848 I -782,918I -921,488 I -1,039,272I 12.8II -5.68I Total all industries I15,577,923 15,893,205 16,940,279 17,972,048 I I 6.1 98.18 Taxes less subsidies on products I 239,781 II 257,533I 286,759 I 332,341 II 15.9II 1.82 GDP at market prices 15,817,705 16350,738 17,227,038 18,304,389 6.3 100.00 Annual growth rate 2004 prices - 1.7 2.1 6.7 6.3 Per Capita GDP 11,228 11,073 11,409 11,712 Population 1,408,763 1,458,542 1,509,928 1,562,894 129 0 m 4 5 5 m rl rl ANNEX 5: Paddy (Upland & Swamp Rice) Area, Yield, & Productionbv LGA2005-2007 Region I 2005 2006 2007 Yield Production Area Yield Production Kg Tons H a Kg Tons 887 2,283 2,870 874 2,508 2,628 900 2,364 5,186 635 3,294 1,42 8 I 2.937 I2.551 I 379 I 967 I 1,29 3 2,260 1,366 717 980 876 2,313 1,987 647 1,285 1,07 3 2,639 2,765 692 1,900 1,04 16,58 2 15,832 8 687 11,397, Source: National Agricultural SampleSurvey, Area (ha) allocatedto Coarse Grains, Paddy and Ground Nut 2005- 2007 by LGA I I I I 1 Coarse Ground Grains Paddy Nut 8,908 2,870 14059 15,621 2,628 10156 52,253 5,186 40935 20,342 2,551 14976 17.610 11.366 120524 1 Basse 27,361 2,330 19425 24,869 2,640 14658 33,140 1,987 16940 Average 25,762 2,637 22,458 25,409 2,533 18,397 24.646 2.765 19.598 znning 132