IFAD played a crucial role in designing OCISP and in providing close and appropriate
supervision. Supervision missions were conducted on an annual basis and each
resulted in recommendations that improved performance and/or gave clarity to
management and implementation details. IFAD also showed flexibility and common
sense by modifying the RFS component, as well as the loan agreement following the
MTR, and modifying ceilings and special accounts in order to improve financial
management of the project. However, IFAD could have played a stronger role in
providing technical assistance for case studies or to conducting in-depth studies of
particular project components. In addition, IFAD could have ensured a stronger focus
on ensuring that communities had the capacity and the space to more fully control
the systemic change that OCISP had promoted.