PALWECO programme aims at reducing poverty and improving livelihoods in communities of Busia county, Western Kenya. The objective of the assignment is to conduct Mid-Term review to assess the progress of the programme, its potential to achieve its targets and to make recommendations on corrective measures to improve programme implementation. PALWECO is a multi-sectoral, area-based rural development programme supporting agriculture and livelihood development and the devolved government process in a limited geographic area covering Busia County.

The overall objective of the programme is “Decreased poverty, improved livelihoods and living standards of the rural population in Busia County”. The programme purpose is two-fold, to have “Strengthened capacity of the poor population in Busia County to influence structures and processes affecting them; and increased wealth from farming and non-farming activities in a sustainable way”. The programme has three components: (i) Household Economy Component; (ii) Agricultural Value Chains Component; and (iii) Support Functions Component (revised to Environment and Capacity Building in May 2013).

The MTR required us to review the relevance of the programme towards meeting the intended objectives; its impact and whether it was sustainable; effectiveness towards household economies and food security, agriculture value chain and the support function on environment and capacity building. Further we had to review the program effectiveness and value for money in its implementation; and finally the programme design and its implementation.