Evidence-based evaluation of RIPAT approach towards execution of national development programmes and plans: a case of RIPAT-SUA Project in Morogoro, Tanzania
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Date
2023
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
AJOL, SUA
Abstract
Successful implementation of a project, among others, relies on the approach employed
towards the execution of such a project. Non-adherence to national programmes, and local
specific economic and social aspects in connection to a project has been reported among the
factors leading to the failure of innumerable projects, agriculture-related projects inclusive.
Cognizant of that, the Rural Initiatives for Participatory Agricultural Transformation (RIPAT)
approach was initiated as one of the extension approaches for reinforcing agricultural
extension services in Tanzania. While this approach has been considered to be useful, there is a
lack of adequate basis for evidence-based advocacy of the approach. It is against this
background that this article documents an evaluation of the RIPAT approach to justify its
validity as an extension approach which unleashes national development plans while
addressing local specific economic and social aspects in connection to a project. Field visits
involving a team of 20 staff from SUA and RECODA were conducted in Morogoro Municipal
Council and Mvomero District in Morogoro Region with the intention of further testing and
validating the RIPAT approach to generate a sound basis for evidence-based advocacy of the
approach. Participatory approaches enabled the participants to observe, discuss and learn from
existing RIPAT projects and stakeholders (including project beneficiaries, lead farmers and
extension officers). Household surveys, field visits, brainstorming, group discussions, key
informant interviews with RIPAT project staff and beneficiaries, presentations and plenary
discussions were employed to generate information to test and validate the RIPAT approach. It
was found that RIPAT projects, from their design, consider national programmes and specific
economic and social aspects of the community where a particular project is implemented. An
evaluation of the RIPAT-SUA project showed that the project contributed to improvement in
households’ food security, nutrition and income. These findings demonstrate a clear alignment
and contribution to the attainment of the Agricultural Sector Development Programme (ASDP)
and accordingly the Tanzania Development Vision (TDV) 2025. It was further observed from the
Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats (SWOT) analysis that projects employing the
RIPAT approach have higher chances of sustainability and that the benefits accruing from or
promised by the RIPAT approach outweigh the weaknesses and threats. It is concluded that the
RIPAT approach has the potential to unleash national programmes/plans and guarantee project success, given the presence of other factors. Up-scaling of the RIPAT approach and
incorporation of the same in the government extension system is crucial.
Description
PROCEEDINGS OF THE TANZANIA SOCIETY OF AGRICULTURAL EDUCATION AND EXTENSION (TSAEE) HELD AT THE VIJANA HALL, DODOMA 07 - 08 DECEMBER, 2020
Keywords
Evaluation, National Programmes, RIPAT, SWOT, RECODA, SUA