This was Seventh Direct Supervision Mission undertaken by IFAD. Its main objectives were to review progress with the recommendations of the Sixth Direct Supervision Report, and in particular adopt the revised LogFrame and components in all planning, implementation, reporting and accounting activities effective 30 June 2004; revisit and as necessary revise all SHEMP contracts to ensure that deliverables are explicit, measurable and time-bound; and launch initiatives to measure and document the impact of programme investments in the field. In addition the Mission was to assess progress in implementing ongoing initiatives under the Agribusiness Development component; and the Enterprise Development component including arrangements to ensure that enterprises formed/strengthened under SHEMP will be able to sustain their activities after programme support has ended.

The purpose of the seventh supervision mission was to ensure compliance with the above recommendations. We were therefore contracted to review programme expenditures and make realistic estimates for the financial requirements to the completion of the project, review the progress of procurements and disbursements, verify terms of the contracts awarded and the commitments and disbursements made, and verify the statements of expenditures and review the external audit reports.