How to leverage public funds for better development impact

Upgrade project staff skills. Bridge the skills gap. Ensure value for money. These are some of the most common challenges that international financial institutes (IFIs) face today.

It is important that project staff stay up to date on the latest trends in procurement. To do so, many IFIs allocate training funds in project budgets and rely on a network of training centres. But these training offers are usually generic, fragmented in terms of content, and do not consider participants’ previous experiences in procurement. Plus, the curricula are often not tailored to specific IFI contexts, procurement processes, and regulations.

That’s why IFAD launched a first-of-its-kind global initiative: the BUILDPROC project.

Bangladeshi women receive general training on operation and maintenance of the tube well

People-centred training

With the goal of building procurement management capacity for borrower and recipient countries in a sustainable and holistic way, IFAD entered in a long-term partnership with ITCILO to design and implement BUILDPROC. The project targets the entire IFAD portfolio of projects. At the time of writing, approximately 185 projects are active and 55 are in development – that’s a total of 240 projects in 98 countries and 5 regions.

People are at the centre of this holistic training package. Participants are guided and supported by a team of ITCILO experts and internationally renowned consultants. Together, they navigate a learning path that includes three certification programmes of progressively complex modules. At the end of the training, they earn a Diploma in Project Procurement Management for Agricultural and Rural Development.

In IFAD, approximately 85% of project funding is processed through procurement. That is why procurement is at the heart of every development project. It is a vehicle that supports good governance and sustainable growth. BUILDPROC is the first of its kind: a global training to build in-country procurement capacity with a focus on agricultural and rural development. We want to build lasting and local procurement expertise that strengthens country operations long after the IFAD project is completed. We are proud to empower our participants to become certified experts in procurement, which will result in less expenditure on technical assistance and in more knowledge within the country for upcoming projects.

Priscilla Torres

IFAD Lead Procurement Advisor

At a glance

BUILDPROC recent and upcoming activities include:

After the project started in February 2021, we carried out a needs analysis to tailor training curricula to the specific needs of future participants, following a human-centred approach.
In late 2021, we delivered the first online edition to the five regions that IFAD supports, reaching 135 participants. The M1 certification programme focused on Fundamentals, Principles and General Practices of Project Procurement.
In February 2022, we reached 140 more participants with the second wave of the M1 editions.
In April 2022, we started the roll out the first editions of the M2 certification programme: Effective Procurement Processes for Successful Project Implementation. All those who successfully completed the M1 programme have been invited to join.
In September 2022, the M3 certification programme will kick off with a global workshop event at the ITCILO campus in Turin, Italy. We hope to welcome 135 procurement staff from the five IFAD regions.
Moreover, in fall 2022 and in 2023 more editions of M1 and M2 will take place, allowing additional practitioners and officials of cooperating ministries to be trained.

Kenyan smallholder farmer loads leftover maize to be transported

In their words

But what impact does this initiative have on the beneficiaries’ knowledge and skills?

The best way to find out is to ask those directly involved. Read on to hear from our former participants of the M1 certification programme.

This certification programme inspires me to change my attitude in using procurement methods strategically, in contract management, procurement planning, priorities and proposal evaluation methodology. What inspires me the most is the desire to discover how far I can go, how good I can become in my field. BUILDPROC allows me to work on complex projects and make a real impact with my work.

Armine Gyokchyan, Republic of Armenia

Senior Procurement Specialist, Near East, North Africa, Europe and Central Asia

The most relevant piece of knowledge I acquired thanks to BUILDPROC was about Project Management and the Project Life Cycle. I have learned a lot about project management, and BUILDPROC help me to understand that project procurement is critical for the timely execution, implementation, and closure of projects.

Abbas Ali, Pakistan

Procurement Officer, Asia and Pacific Region

The M1 certification turned me into a more confident professional. Now, I know how to apply the IFAD procurement handbook and guidelines in our processes. I also appreciate the fact that the information acquired during the training complemented and added to the training sessions that we do with our support team.

Graziela Mota dos Santos, Brazil

Procurement Officer, Latin America and the Caribbean

Personally, I have been motivated by the quality and level of training. The trainers delivered courses with professionalism and appropriate learning tools. The case studies and weekly assignments pushed me to review the lessons learned. The exchange of experience with colleagues from other countries has also been very enriching.

Nephtali Niyibizi, Burundi

Procurement Officer, East and Southern Africa

My participation in the programme has helped me to become more efficient in my work, especially in terms of respecting the procedures. The most important thing I have acquired is the attitude to adopt during project implementation, which has given me an added value in my current position.

Philomène Ophira Razaorialisoa Voniarindresy, Madagascar

Procurement Officer, East and Southern Africa

What's next?

More editions of the BUILDPROC certification programmes are scheduled to take place in the months and years to come.

Keep an eye out for the BUILDPROC Community of Practice, to be launched soon. This will be a public space for all those who are passionate about project procurement and rural and agricultural development. If you want to learn and exchange with like-minded peers and expand your professional network, don’t miss it!

We are also planning to open our certification programmes to other organizations and development partners through a fee-based approach.

Stay tuned!

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