home > conference - November 24-25, 2003

Enterprise Development Impact Assessment Information Service (EDIAIS)

NEW DIRECTIONS IN IMPACT ASSESSMENT FOR DEVELOPMENT: METHODS AND PRACTICE

Judy Kamanyi, WISE Development

Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper, Development Assistance And Impact Assessment Of Enterprise Development: The Case Of Uganda

Link to full paper

ABSTRACT

Uganda's Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper (PRSP) which evolved from its Poverty Eradication Action Plan (PEAP) forms the basis for coordination of interventions and harmonization of resources for enterprise development. One of the core principles of the PEAP/PRSP is participation by all stakeholders and therefore impact assessments also have to be contextualised and operationalised within this framework.

The third pillar of the PRSP/PEAP, under which enterprise development falls, emphasizes increasing access to productive assets such as credit for the poor in order to enhance equity in the distribution of income and wealth. As a result there are many donors providing development assistance for medium, small and micro enterprise development. However, because of the multiplicity of donors the coordination and integration of impact assessments of enterprise development, at macro level, is necessary if poverty is to be reduced. Gender has not been mainstreamed in the PRSP/PEAP and therefore women's access to support services, are not reflected in the 2002 PRSP/PEAP priorities for small and micro enterprises. Consequently it will be difficult to assess the impact of enterprise development on women and men in the medium to long term. Nevertheless, women entrepreneurs, including potential entrepreneurs require access to advisory services and capacity building to meet the required performance and business standards in order to mobilize financing and improve their incomes, well-being and the well-being of their families.

If the objective of the impact assessment is for decision-informing on the environmental, social and economic impact of enterprise development then an engendered, comprehensive and inclusive beginning-of- programme and end-of-programme phase exercise has to be designed and conducted according to Uganda's institutional, social and cultural circumstances. The main challenges for any effective and purposeful impact assessment are gender concerns, human, technical and financial resources, timing, quality assurance, the competing priorities of the donors and the balancing of costs and benefits, given the levels of poverty.

to top of page

 

The Adobe Acrobat Reader can be downloaded by clicking here