Guidelines for Understanding and Using the Sub-Sector Intervention Element Matrices (Siems)

Guidelines for understanding and using the Sub-sector Intervention Element Matrices (SIEMs)

1. Definitions

1. Seed: Interventions that involve access to quality seed by rice farmers at all levels at affordable prices.

Parameters include:

• Genebanks
• Breeding
• Multiplication
• Seed conditioning
• Distribution and storage

1. Fertilizer: Interventions that involve access to fertilizers by all rice farmers at affordable prices.

Parameters include:

• Production of fertilizers
• Importation of fertilizers (from region, Africa and globally)
• Distribution and storage (working with agrodealers in rural areas)

3.Irrigation / water management

• Various systems of water conveyance
• Water management systems
• Infrastructure of water management (access roads, dikes)
• Institutions for operating and maintaining irrigation systems (e.g. water-use associations)

1. Mechanization: Interventions for wide adoption of appropriate equipment and machinery for on-farm use

• Deployment of mechanized farm equipment and machinery
• Maintenance

1. Quality improvement: Interventions occurring off-farm to enhance grain quality

• Processing: milling of grain
• Storage: various systems for storing grain

1. Access to market: Promotion of local produce

• Facilitating movement of produce from farmgate to market (including the provision of market information)
• Creating demand from consumers for locally produced rice, including branding and packaging and/or posters and audio-visual aids (i.e. advertising)

1. Access to credit: Schemes involving micro credit and agricultural loan strategies for individuals and cooperatives

• Supporting strategies for ensuring that rice farmers maintain a positive economic balance
• Providing various opportunities for accessing and maintaining lines of credit for rice farmers of all types (particularly small-scale farmers)

1. Overall policy tools

• Government policy decisions that cut across the abovementioned sub-sectors (e.g. gender, public-private partnerships, environmental issues)

• Economic measures to promote local rice production (incentives, tariffs)
• Overarching national and sector strategies (PRSP, CAADP)

1. Unclassified: When the intent or nature of the interventions are unclear (i.e. the areas for intervention are not specified)
   

1. Procedure

1. Log onto
2. Choose a country.
3. Click the code of the project you wish to analyze.
4. Analyze the project by examining the numbered items in the column on the left. The key items for filling in the matrix are item 5 (which lists the various fields of support for each project) and item 11 (which lists the project components). If you need more information, item 9 (Goal and objectives), item 12 (Expected results) and even item 2 (Title of the project) may be useful.
5. Map each component onto the matrix. In so doing, enter the country code followed by the project number and the component number. (For example, for component 3 of project 2 in Uganda, enter UG-2-3. For component 3 of project 26 in Senegal, enter SN-26-3.)

1. Additional points

1. Although no specific category for land management appears in the matrix, such issues can be addressed by the on-farm technology dissemination or infrastructure categories.
2. The guiding principal in differentiating between ‘On-farm technology dissemination’ and ‘Quality improvement’ is location. Interventions in the former (as the name suggests) occur on farm. Interventions in the latter occur off farm.
3. Transboundary issues are outside the scope of this exercise but may be of significance in some countries. These can probably be dealt with within the ‘Overall policy tools’ category.
4. Modifications to the matrix are acceptable provided they consist of additions of columns or rows. Please do not change or delete the original structure.
5. Gaps in the matrix can be interpreted in at least three ways:

• There are projects that are unaccounted for.
• There are no projects because there is no need (if it isn’t broken, don’t fix it!).
• Gaps exist because there are no projects in this area.

1. Country example: Senegal