IFAD Peer Review Check-up: Note to Management

Publication Date: 2005
Published by: Consultative Group to Assist the Poor (CGAP)
Document Type: Paper

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The note summarizes the 2002 peer review situation, analyzes current situation and proposes recommendations for moving forward.

IFAD’s peer review took place in June 2002, and subsequently, recommendations were made to the management (see full text of the letter published in 2002 at www.cgap.org/docs/PeerReview_IFAD.pdf).

At the request of IFAD management, a CGAP team conducted a peer review check-up in October 2005. This note states that the peer review check-up that CGAP conducted in October 2005 aimed to:

• Gauge progress achieved since the peer review in 2002;
• Make additional recommendations for improving IFAD’s effectiveness in microfinance/ rural finance;
• Inject renewed momentum into IFAD’s ongoing efforts to work more effectively.

The note makes the following points:

• In 2002, IFAD faced technical challenges as well as internal systems challenges.
• In response to the recommendations, IFAD undertook actions in the following three areas:
  • Project performance tracking;
  • Staff technical development;
  • Learning/ innovation agenda.
• In 2005, the review team noticed, across IFAD, a better understanding of good practice and a real awareness of the need to improve operations.

The note concludes that:

• IFAD’s recent commitment to good practice is positive;
• The challenge is to translate these good intentions into improved practices and better performance in operations;
• For this to happen, some of IFAD’s systems will require revision.