Economics & Development

Ratings for Second Agricultural Growth Project for Ethiopia were as follows: outcomes were moderately satisfactory, the Bank's performance was satisfactory, and the monitoring and evaluation quality was substantial. Some lessons learned included: AGP2’s success was mainly due to its comprehensive strategy that addressed various aspects of agricultural development, including research, production, marketing, infrastructure, and value chains, while also building links between them that previously did not exist. This integrated approach proved to be more effective than focusing on isolated interventions, ensuring a more sustainable and impactful outcome. AGP2 demonstrated valuable adaptability in addressing unexpected challenges arising from conflicts and pandemics. It became the first agricultural sector project to pilot GEMS-supported supervision, enabling effective remote monitoring and supervision when physical field visits were not feasible due to active conflicts in Amhara, Oromia, and Tigray, as well as during the COVID-19 pandemic. Through virtual missions, the project maintained its momentum. It continued critical activities, such as updating infrastructure data for already mapped subprojects and completing the mapping of remaining subprojects, ensuring progress despite challenging circumstances. The project provided a strategic platform for the World Bank to continuously support agriculture in Ethiopia while also assisting, refining, and strengthening the Government’s long-term development approach for a more significant impact.