About the ASDU
The Agriculture Sector Development Unit (ASDU) was created by the Government of The Cooperative Republic of Guyana with input from the IDB, to manage multiple donor-funded projects within the Agriculture Sector. A number of donor funded programmes have been successfully implemented and completed in accordance with the financial and procurement procedures, priorities, policies and requirements of both the donor agencies and the Government of The Cooperative Republic of Guyana. The unit was created in 2007 with a core group of specialists and managers appointed to coordinate, manage and implement all major capital projects and newly initiated donor funded projects /programmes in the Ministry of Agriculture. The unit is located at the Main Office at the Ministry of Agriculture. Some of the Development Partners are:
a) The Inter-American Development Bank
b) The World Bank
c) Guyana Redd+ Investment Fund
d) The CARICOM Development Fund
e) The International Fund for Agriculture Development,
f) The Food and Agriculture Organisation at the United Nations, etc. In addition to this, there are a number of engineers housed within the Unit that assist the MOA in the planning, development and execution of capital projects for the sector.
Accountability
The ASDU financial management functions through the collection of resources from various projects which are allocated for the daily operations (fiduciary, procurement, monitoring and evaluation and administrative aspects) of the unit. Additionally, the Unit is required to submit a standard monthly financial report to the Ministry of Finance, a semester reports, procurement plans, report on the reconciliation of the Funds on the execution of the various projects in accordance with the requirements agreed to with the various lending institutions and developmental partners.
Our Success Stories
Using this model of collective resources from various projects, to date the ASDU have successfully implemented and completed a number of donor and GRCG funded projects:
1. Agricultural Support Services Programme (ASSP)
2. Agricultural Export Diversification Programme (ADP)
3. Conservancy Adaptation Project (CAP)
4. Rural Enterprise and Agricultural Development Project (READP) -
5. Expanding Bioenergy Opportunities in Guyana
6. ALBA Food Project
7. Food Safety for the Indigenous Communities of the Rupununi Savannah, Establishment of Rice and Peas Cultivation, Guyana
8. Access Roads Development Project in Region 3,4 and 5
Implementation and History
The formation of the ASDU was stemmed from the Government of the Cooperative Republic of Guyana (GCRG) acknowledging the importance of improving both the overall program administration, financial and its capacity to manage and coordinate donor funded project which has a number of similarities in their execution with ongoing governmental initiatives. The ASDU was design to have several parallel project running simultaneously to help reduce the inefficiency in project management and scarce human and financial resource. Additionally it seeks to:
1. Reduce delays in project startup, implementation and execution of projects
2. Increase management capacity within the sector and with the ability to transfer the experience from one project to the next
3. Prevent duplications of efforts in production of reporting requirements at both the technical and financial levels
4. Reduce the use of resources in the areas of staffing, salaries, office space, equipment and vehicles.
Present
Currently there are five projects being implemented under the ASDU, three of which the financing agreements were signed within the last 2 years:
1) Flood Risk Management Project (FRMP): World Bank funded - US$11.89 million: 4 kilometre of the EDWC dam and the Construction of drainage Pump stations at Lusignan, Friendship/Vigilance and Hope/Enmore, East Coast Demerara.
2) Cunha Canal Rehabilitation Project: The total cost of the project is a Grant of US$3 Million. The objective of the Project is to increase the capacity of the Cunha Canal to drain the East Demerara Water Conservancy and local agricultural areas in the Recipient’s territory. Major works consist of re-routing drainage channel, rehabilitating 2 sluices and constructing a bridge.
3) Rural Agricultural Infrastructure Development Project: CARICOM Development Fund (CDF) Funded :US$12.89 million; improve the agricultural infrastructure D&I systems, access dams, production, land clearing and cultivation in Ithaca, Buxton, Triumph, Mocha and President’s College. Counterpart funding under this project is used for Programme Management.
4) Sustainable Agricultural Development Program: IDB Funded US$15 Million: Implementation of an agricultural census for the entire country, the rehabilitation of the Ebini Agriculture Station, Construction of an abattoir and numerous research programmes to be conducted.
5) Hinterland Environmentally Sustainable Agricultural Development Project: IFAD Funded, US$11 Million: development of agro processing and marketing opportunities for communities of sub – regions of Mabaruma and Moruca in Barima Waini Region No. 1 and the communities of Region No. 9