Project Description

Contracted by Ecorys Nederland B.V., EPI CENTAR International is conducting the evaluation of EU IPA II assistance in the Agriculture and Rural Development sector in North Macedonia, covering both the 2015 and 2019 annual action programmes. This evaluation is part of the EU’s broader effort to assess the impact, sustainability, and added value of its financial support as North Macedonia moves closer to EU accession.

The project evaluates a portfolio of interventions totalling over EUR 27 million, focused on strengthening agricultural competitiveness, improving rural livelihoods, and aligning national systems with the EU Common Agricultural Policy and food safety standards. The work is carried out under the FWC SEA 2023 – Lot 16 Evaluation at Intervention Level, and commissioned by the European Union Delegation in Skopje.

Objectives and Strategic Focus

The evaluation has been designed to provide an independent, evidence-based assessment of how EU funds have contributed to reforming the agriculture and rural development sector. The analysis covers:

• Land Consolidation and Irrigation: Evaluating support to land restructuring and water-efficient irrigation systems.
• Agricultural Cooperatives and Advisory Services: Assessing the impact of EU-funded support for farmer organisations, knowledge transfer, and rural entrepreneurship.
• Food Safety, Veterinary and Phytosanitary Policy: Reviewing legislative alignment, institutional strengthening, and investments in infrastructure and equipment.
• Forestry and Climate Resilience: Evaluating progress in sustainable forestry management and adaptation to environmental challenges.
• Integrated Administrative and Control System (IACS): Reviewing support for building national capacity to implement EU-style agricultural payment systems.

EPI CENTAR leads key elements of the evaluation process, including:

• Field Research and Stakeholder Consultations: Direct engagement with public institutions, farmers, cooperatives, inspectors, and civil society.
• Thematic and Institutional Analysis: Focused assessment across eight core thematic areas, aligned with EU and national strategic priorities.
• Application of DAC and EU Evaluation Criteria: Including relevance, efficiency, effectiveness, sustainability, impact, and EU added value.

This work is grounded in the reconstructed Theory of Change and intervention logic for each thematic area. The evaluation incorporates both qualitative and quantitative data, triangulated through desk research, field visits, and interviews to ensure a balanced and credible outcome.

Anticipated Outcomes and Added Value

• Clear and comprehensive overview of how EU support has contributed to structural changes in the agriculture and rural development sector;
• Practical recommendations to improve strategic planning, implementation, and sustainability of future IPA and national programmes;
• Identification of bottlenecks, missed opportunities, and best practices across the evaluated interventions;
• Valuable input to EU programming for the 2027–2030 period, with relevance for both national policymakers and the wider stakeholder community.

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