Ten Million Women and Counting: An Assessment of World Bank Support for Rural Livelihood Development in Andhra Pradesh, India

2.1 ENABLING ENVIRONMENT

2.1.4. Identification of relevant policy frameworks and development of appropriate actions

Recommendation: 8. Facilitate development of a supportive policy and institutional environment for women’s self-help group linkages with micro-finance and other agencies. Empower women’s groups to demand quality service delivery.

Reference: Independent Evaluation Group - IEG Public Sector Evaluation, 2015, Project Performance Assessment Report India Ten Million Women and Counting: An Assessment of World Bank Support for Rural Livelihood Development in Andhra Pradesh, India, Final evaluation, World Bank, Washington DC, Projects: Andhra Pradesh District Poverty Initiatives Project; Andhra Pradesh Rural Poverty Reduction Project.

Sample evidence: The evaluation determined that support for the establishment of women’s self-help groups with linkages to bank finance and within a supportive policy and institutional environment can lead to enhanced confidence and capacity of women both collectively and individually. The evidence from Andhra Pradesh suggests that collective empowerment can support greater accountability for service delivery that, in turn, can positively affect the livelihoods of the poor.

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2.1.8 Organising informal economy groups

Recommendation: 3. Be flexible in the determination of types of informal groups that will be strengthened and/or established. Recognise that there may be different needs and do not promote a single approach throughout all projects/activities. Consider that there may be groups with strong forms of full partnership among the group members or simpler options such as cooperating on a single aspect such as marketing or transportation.

Reference: Independent Evaluation Group - IEG Public Sector Evaluation, 2015, Project Performance Assessment Report India Ten Million Women and Counting: An Assessment of World Bank Support for Rural Livelihood Development in Andhra Pradesh, India, Final evaluation, World Bank, Washington DC, Projects: Andhra Pradesh District Poverty Initiatives Project; Andhra Pradesh Rural Poverty Reduction Project.

Sample evidence: The evaluation determined that a pursuit of a single group model, such as women’s self-help groups, to the exclusion of other approaches, limits the ability to learn from the user – about what works and why in different contexts – and to test alternatives in parallel rather than in sequence. Greater experimentation during the first phase, when the project was rolled out in the first six districts, could have laid the ground for more creative destruction, adaptation, and learning prior to scaling.

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2.1.8 Organising informal economy groups

Recommendation: 9. Consider promoting different types of group models depending on the context, the needs and purpose of the groups instead of using the same model throughout.  Test alternatives in parallel rather than in sequence.

Reference: Independent Evaluation Group - IEG Public Sector Evaluation, 2015, Project Performance Assessment Report India Ten Million Women and Counting: An Assessment of World Bank Support for Rural Livelihood Development in Andhra Pradesh, India, Final evaluation, World Bank, Washington DC, Projects: Andhra Pradesh District Poverty Initiatives Project; Andhra Pradesh Rural Poverty Reduction Project.

Sample evidence: the evaluation concluded that the pursuit of a single group model, such as women’s self-help groups, to the exclusion of other approaches, limits the ability to learn from the user – about what works and why in different contexts – and to Greater experimentation during the first phase, when the project was rolled out in the first six districts, could have laid the ground for more creative destruction, adaptation, and learning prior to scaling.

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2.1.11 Coordination and sustainability planning

Recommendation 7. Ensure that projects design an explicit exit strategy which is further elaborated during project inception period. The exit strategy should identify the major risks to sustaining the project outcome and impact as well as sequencing of the measures to be taken. (1.8.2/10) Thus, include in project design clear post project transition strategy to government (or other implementers). Such a transition strategy goes beyond the usual short statements on sustainability in project documents and should include a summary of:

• The underlying theory of change that is targeted for sustainability post project
• Expected roles and responsibilities for service delivery
• Expected types of training to be provided to acquire the needed capacities for transition (1.8.1/3).
• Reference: Independent Evaluation Group - IEG Public Sector Evaluation, 2015, Project Performance Assessment Report India Ten Million Women and Counting: An Assessment of World Bank Support for Rural Livelihood Development in Andhra Pradesh, India, Final evaluation, World Bank, Washington DC, Projects: Andhra Pradesh District Poverty Initiatives Project; Andhra Pradesh Rural Poverty Reduction Project.

Reference: Independent Evaluation Group - IEG Public Sector Evaluation, 2015, Project Performance Assessment Report India Ten Million Women and Counting: An Assessment of World Bank Support for Rural Livelihood Development in Andhra Pradesh, India, Final evaluation, World Bank, Washington DC, Projects: Andhra Pradesh District Poverty Initiatives Project; Andhra Pradesh Rural Poverty Reduction Project.

Sample evidence: the evaluation noted that in the early phases of rural development projects that support large-scale community as a means to leverage more equitable service delivery, including finance, there is a need to think long-term about the transition strategy for the chosen implementing agency. In the case of Andhra Pradesh, the implementing agency support became an essential pillar of the built system, undertaking roles and responsibilities for service delivery that overlapped with the line ministries. Without an effective transition strategy that integrates the philosophy, training and acquired skills into the broader administration, there is a risk that gains made under the project will be lost and efforts to reach the poorest of the poor may not be sustained.