• Bridge critical gaps in local infrastructure and other development requirements that are not being adequately met through existing inflows.
• Strengthen, to this end Panchayats and Municipality level governance with more appropriate capacity building to facilitate participatory Planning, decision making, implementation and monitoring to reflect local felt need.
• Provide professional support to local bodies for planning implementation and monitoring their plans.
• Improve the performance and delivery of critical functions assigned to Panchayats and counter possible efficiency and equity losses on account of inadequate local capacity.

With a view to assisting the district administration in the preparation of district plans and facilitate the participatory process, the Planning Commission and Ministry of Panchayati Raj have prepared a panel of Technical Support Institution (TSIs) i.e. National level Institutions and NGOs, for joining hands with the State planning authorities and the District Planning Committee /Zila Parishad . AFCL has been entrusted with the task of preparation of district perspective plan in 6 districts of Uttar Pradesh namely Lalitpur, Mahoba, Hamirpur, Jalon, Banda and Chitrakoot.

Assessment of Venture Capital Assistance Programme (SFAC)

SFAC is implementing Venture Capital Scheme to promote investments in agri-business projects with the participation of nationalized banks, SBI and subsidiaries/IDBI. AFC has been recently assigned the task of assessment of VCA programme. The purpose of this thematic assessment is to assess the past and potential performance and leverage of SFAC’s Agribusiness Development through Venture Capital Assistance (VCA) Programme through a focused assessment of 15 selected investments from the Programme’s portfolio. AFCL has taken up the task of evaluation through an averaging performing enterprises, a mix of above average performing enterprises; below average performers; mature projects on their “way out” of the programme and newer investments. In general the assessment will review and analyze the overall performance and bring out recommendations for improvement of VCA Scheme.

Project Management:

1. Management Support Group for National Vegetable Initiative for Urban Clusters

The Dept. of Agriculture and Cooperation (DAC) has issued guidelines for a program under Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojna (RKVY) for implementation of “The Vegetable Initiative for Urban Clusters” during 2011-12 with an outlay of Rs. 300 crore. The program aims at enhancing production, productivity and profitability of vegetables in the country through off-season production under protected cultivation for generating income round the year and offering at competitive price to the consumers. The task of management, including end-to-end solutions to plan, monitor, support and report on the programme, has been entrusted to Small Farmers’ Agribusiness Consortium (SFAC), a specialized agency promoted by the Department of Agriculture and Cooperation, Ministry of Agriculture, Government of India. The agency will address all concerns related to both the demand and supply side of the vegetable sector in one city of each states, which is either the state capital or any other city with a population of over one million and enhance vegetable production and productivity, nutritional security and income support to vegetable farmers.

SFAC has engaged AFCL to deliver a range of technical and management services through the creation of a Management Support Group (MSG), comprising experienced professionals with expertise in project management, horticulture, monitoring and evaluation and statistics to support the NHM Division in DAC in the roll out and monitoring of the program. AFCL will provide the technical manpower in coordination, supervision, technical backstopping and reporting inputs.

2. Asian Development Bank assisted North Karnataka urban Sector Improvement Programme for Government of Karnataka

AFCL has been appointed as Apex Nodal NGO for implementation of poverty alleviation of Asian Development Bank assisted North Karnataka Urban Sector Improvement Programme for Government of Karnataka.

The project aims enhancing the delivery efficiencies of the ULBs in terms of affording better facilities to the people on a sustainable basis so as to ensure better living conditions. It also proposes to strengthen the ULBs with better and effective mechanism of administration particularly improved management of levy and collection of taxes and cesses with a view to generating revenues for themselves and become self supporting on a long term basis so that better services could be planned. The third and more important objective is to ensure maintenance of the assets created so far and also to be created in future, through an efficient system of asset management. In the context of transparency in the management of the public finances and utilities the project lays emphasis on the need for introduction of better financial management practices. The community development component of the project involves wide ranging socially relevant interventions through a series of actions such as health and environmental sanitation, education, women development and empowerment, community organization skill training, R and R and similar others.

3. Quality and Quantity Audit of Karnataka Rural Infrastructure Development Ltd. Phase II

AFCL has bagged the quality and quantity audit of Karnataka Rural Infrastructure Development Ltd (KRIDL) from Government of Karnataka. The main objective behind the audit is 3rd Party Inspection of works to achieve quality and sound structures by using tested materials and adopting specifications as approved by KRIDL. AFCL would identify the NABL accreted Laboratory and engage for testing of construction materials having sufficient numbers of trained, and skilled technical staff, and having equipment to conduct both field test and Laboratory tests and Non destructive tests which are required to be tested at different stages of work as per BIS standards as required by KRIDL.

In addition, important concrete works like Foundation, Plinth, Super structure, Roof finishing will also be witnessed by AFCL Engineers, and technical guidance for fabrication of structures, construction and finishing work will be recorded in the inspection report and will be handed over to designated Engineers of KRIDL duly obtaining their signatures.

Monitoring and Evaluation

Mid-term evaluation of Centrally Sponsored Scheme National Bamboo Mission

The Department of Agriculture & Cooperation, Ministry of Agriculture has awarded AFCL, the mid term evaluation study of Centrally Sponsored Scheme of “National Bamboo Mission”. The Mission’s objectives are to promote the growth of the bamboo sector through an area based regionally differentiated strategy; to increase the coverage of area under bamboo in potential areas, with suitable species to enhance yields; to promote marketing of bamboo and bamboo based handicrafts; to establish convergence and synergy among stakeholders for the development of bamboo; to promote, develop and disseminate technologies through a seamless blend of traditional wisdom and modern scientific knowledge; to generate employment opportunities for skilled and unskilled persons, especially unemployed youths. The study would evaluate physical and financial progress, and determine the qualitative and quantitative impact of various interventions taken up during three years of the Mission in respect of following components:

Planting material

• Nursery
• Tissue Culture Lab/Unit
• Area Expansion
• Improvement of Existing Stock
• Technology Transfer & Human Resource Development
• Technology Dissemination through Front Line Demonstrations
• Pest and disease management
• Post harvest storage and treatment facilities