CCARDESA undertakes virtual backstopping mission to APPSA Angola

The Centre for Coordination of Agricultural Research and Development for Southern Africa (CCARDESA) is conducting a virtual backstopping mission for the Agricultural Productivity Program for Southern Africa (APPSA) in Angola, from September 27 to October 1, 2021. The mission, which started with fiduciary issues, will include other critical project implementation components such as Monitoring & Evaluation, Information, Communication & Knowledge Management, and Research & Development. 

APPSA is a World Bank-funded initiative currently under implementation in Angola and Lesotho with regional coordination by CCARDESA. As a regional coordination body, CCARDESA is also supporting implementing countries to comply with World Bank financial procedures. 

The fiduciary backstopping was essentially focused on procurement and financial management as well as reporting, with the aim of providing the Project Implementation Unit (PIU) in Angola, with relevant technical support and guidance to effectively perform fiduciary related activities. Finance issues were discussed in the morning while the afternoon session was reserved for procurement related issues.

The finance session, among others, reviewed the current financial performance and status of the Regional Project. Discussions and experience were shared on the Angola’s Project financial reports, financial management systems as well as audits and related reports. (Status and timelines). The engagement was a high success with critical knowledge and experience sharing between APPSA CCARDESA and Angola teams. Similar engagements will be made in the near future as the project continues to strengthen information sharing amongst partners as well as develop the annual work plan and budget for the following year.

Procurement Management functions focused mainly on two broad topics. First it looked at the administrative issues which may either have a positive or negative impact on the implementation of the procurement plan. Second, technical issues which may also have a bearing on the implementation of the procurement Plan. It was gathered that, Angola PIU like any other PIUs elsewhere, has similar challenges. The delays of the management in making decisions have impacted the project negatively however, that hence since improved. On the other side, the support that they get from the same management has been a backbone in reaching progress in some of the activities in the procurement plan. 

Technically, the Procurement Management function has been affected by unfiled positions at the PIU. However, other colleagues from other sister projects in the country have been handholding the implementation and leading procurement activities. With this support, the recruitment of key positions in the PIU are at an advanced stage. The procurement of other equipment like vehicles was also completed. The procurement plan in STEP was reviewed and ideas shared on how to fast track the delayed activities. The meeting concluded by setting a way forward where prioritising the tasks in the procurement plan as well as on the ISM reports was suggested. The frequent fortnightly meetings were also suggested to keep the momentum of implementation up. 

The first phase of CCARDESA’s backstopping mission started in the Mountain Kingdom of Lesotho from September 13 to 17, 2021.