The Value Chains, Agricultural and Rural Entrepreneurship Support Project (PACVEAR) operates in three regions, namely Bafata, Oio and Gabu, in northern and eastern Guinea-Bissau. The project aims to improve the rice and market gardening subsector production environment, and promote enterprises in all targeted subsector value chain links to create sustainable jobs and increase rural income. The project will increase irrigated areas by developing additional 660 hectares of land, half of which will be equipped for full irrigation water control with the availability of detailed designs and bidding documents for 720 hectares. PACVEAR, which will be implemented over a five-year period (November 2019 to October 2024), comprises three main components: (i) Improve the Competitiveness of Agricultural Value Chains (rice and market gardening); (ii) Promote Agricultural and Rural Entrepreneurship; and (iii) Project Coordination and Management. The Bank will help to consolidate the gains of previous operations and promote rural entrepreneurship, with a view to boosting growth and the professionalisation of the agricultural sector. By supporting the development of agricultural infrastructure, the Bank will create factors conducive to the development of agricultural and rural enterprises in all targeted subsector value chain links, thus creating employment particularly for youths and women (production, processing and marketing). The total project cost, exclusive of taxes and customs duties, is UA 10.62 million (XOF 8.607 billion).

PACVEAR's overall objective is to contribute to enhancing the competitiveness of subsector value chains (rice and market gardening) to boost inclusive and sustainable growth in the agricultural sector. Its specific objective is to improve the rice and market gardening subsector production environment, and promote enterprises in all targeted subsector value chain links, with a view to creating sustainable jobs and increasing rural income.

Specifically, PACVEAR will benefit many rural producers who would have easier access to facilities, inputs and equipment, and probably sell their produce more easily and at reduced cost. Project activities will focus on two highly vulnerable target groups in rural areas - women and youths. The project will directly benefit 4 400 households/farmers, or 35 000 people, at least 13 000 of them women. It will indirectly benefit all households in the three regions concerned through the outcomes of its activities and transformational investments. From the institutional viewpoint, the project will involve some 110 FOs, unions, EIGs and management committees. The implementation of project activities will create 2 800 decent jobs (for men, women and youths).

BICABA Aimé

a.bicaba@afdb.org

ACCOUNTABILITY MECHANISM OF AfDB

The Independent Review Mechanism (IRM), which is administered by the Compliance Review and Mediation Unit (CRMU), is the independent complaint mechanism and fact-finding body for people who have been or are likely to be adversely affected by an African Development Bank (AfDB)-financed project. If you submit a complaint to the IRM, it may assist you by either seeking to address your problems by facilitating a dispute resolution dialogue between you and those implementing the project and/or investigating whether the AfDB complied with its policies to prevent environmental and social harms. You can submit a complaint electronically by emailing crmuinfo@afdb.org, b.kargougou@afdb.org, b.fall@afdb.org, and/or s.toure@afdb.org. You can learn more about the IRM and how to file a complaint at https://www.afdb.org/en/independent-review-mechanism/.