FIRST QUARTERLY PROGRESS REPORT
 OF THE JOINT TECHNICAL WORKING GROUPS
For the Period:  December 2004- February 2005

This quarterly progress report from each Joint Technical Working Group is requested by the Secretariat of the Government-Donor Coordination Committee (GDCC) before 25 February 2005. It will be used to prepare a briefing note for the Second GDCC Meeting scheduled to be held on 7 March 2005. Please return the completed questionnaire to H.E. Chhieng Yanara at CDC in both soft and hard copy.

TECHNICAL WORKING GROUP (TWG):     Agriculture and Water
 

  1. Did the TWG prepare its Terms of Reference?   Yes

  2. Did the TWG prepare an Action Plan?  Yes

If Yes:  When was the Action Plan approved by the TWG?  (date / month / year) 25 / 2 / 2005.

  1. Since the 7th CG Meeting held in December 2004 how many times has the TWG met?   Once as a full TWGAW, but sub-working groups have met several times. The group met twice before the CG.

  2. Is the scheduling of activities in the Action Plan done by month/quarter?  Yes

If No, please go to Q8, but first please identify the methodology that is planned to be employed by the TWG to monitor and report on progress made: .............................................................................................
 .....................................................................................................................................................
 

  1. Please list below activities in the Action Plan that were scheduled to be implemented during the last quarter (December 2004 and February 2005).

  1. Establish and institutionalise the operation of the TWGAW

 

  1. Which of the activities listed in question 5 are being implemented as scheduled?

Activity (please use the same number as shown in Q5)

Comments, if any

  1. Establish and institutionalise the operation of the TWGAW

TWGAW is “up and running”, with workplan now agreed, and discussions underway regarding establishment of a secretariat. Activities in this quarter included considerable work in developing the workplan and setting up executive taskforces to take the workplan activities forward.

 

  1. Please list the activities that are behind schedule, reasons for delay, and the TWG's recommendations for solving the problems.

 Activity
(please use the same number as shown in Q5)

 Reasons for Delay TWG's Recommendation
     

Please use an extra sheet if you need more space.


If you answered "No" to Q4 then please complete Q8 below, otherwise please go to Q9.
 

  1. Please list below activities in the Action Plan that have been implemented during the last quarter (December 2004-February 2005).

Activity

 Comments, if any
   
Please use an extra sheet if you need more space.

 

  1. Is (are) there any Joint Monitoring Indicator(s) agreed at the 7th CG Meeting held in December 2004 that fall within the mandate of this TWG?  Yes

If Yes, please list the indicators below:
… Cross-cutting for Agriculture and Natural Resources Management:

  1. … Joint development of a medium term sector strategy for agriculture and water has been commenced by March 2005, with an overall policy and strategic framework completed by December 2005.

TWGAW will also contribute to other Agriculture and Natural Resources Management indicators (see attached)
 

 

  1. What progress has been made toward achieving the targets of the Joint Monitoring Indicator(s) listed in Q9 above?
Joint Monitoring Indicator Progress Constraints Recommendation
1. Medium term sector strategy for agriculture

Identified as a key priority in the TWGAW workplan. Planning for the strategy process has commenced.

 

 Timeframe is limited if the strategy is to contribute to the NSDP. Within the limited timeframe, it will be important to ensure government ownership and involve stakeholders. Develop plan which ensures government ownership and involvement of stakeholders, with coordinated donor support. Consider needs for capacity building and studies, including in reviewing public/private sector roles in new context of market economy.

 

  1. Please list below activities in the Action Plan that are planned for the next quarter (March 2005-May 2005).

  1. A1: Establish and institutionalise the operation of the TWGAW

  2. B1: Commence joint development of medium term sector strategy for agriculture and water.

  3. C1: Improve links between agricultural extension and irrigation activities

  4. C2: Promote sustainable management and development of irrigation activities.

  5. C3: Promote commercialisation of agriculture through strengthening of agro-processing and agribusiness.
 
       

Agriculture and Natural Resources Management CG Priority Monitoring Indicators
 

  1. Pass/enact key laws and sub decrees, governing natural resources management, including fisheries law and community fisheries sub decree (rollover), state land management and economic land concessions sub decrees and enforcement of Article 18 of Land Law, that private sales transactions on state lands are illegal and hence should not be validated by officials. Joint development of a medium term sector strategy for agriculture, including irrigated agriculture, has been commenced by March 2005, with an overall policy and strategic framework completed by December 2005

  2. Maintain suspension/moratorium on logging, transport of logs (except those which have been already inventoried and for which royalties have been paid in full), and new economic land concessions pending completion of applicable review processes and/or a legal framework.

  3. Increase transparency of state management of natural resources through immediate public disclosure of existing contracts and compliance status (royalties and other key provisions) of contracts governing economic land concessions, mining concessions, fishing lots and continued disclosure of status of review of forest

  4. Application of sustainable management planning, including ESIAs, investor evaluations, consultation with local communities, public disclosure and comment period prior to entering into new contracts for private use/management of state managed natural resources (land, fisheries, forestry, and mines)

  5. RGC disclose the location and legal status and process for termination of mining concessions, Military Development Zones, economic land concession and other development arrangements situated on forest land or in protected areas and inconsistent with law governing management of these areas

 

Other monitoring indicators requiring TWGAW engagement;

Agreement between government and donors on a strategy to phase out donor-funded salary supplements and redirect them in support of pay reforms in priority areas by June 2005. (Ref. to RGC’s Action Plan for Harmonization and Alignment, Section D.1.c and NPAR priorities section 2.1.3)

The Council of Ministers will approve an SME development framework, including a definition of SMEs to be used among all Government agencies, developed by the SME committee and in coordination and consultation with other line ministries and private sector representatives.

Implement—and monitor implementation progress on a six monthly basis—the Harmonization Action Plan and the Partnership Principles.

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