This country strategy and programme evaluation covers the IFAD-Government partnership under the two country strategies of 1999 and 2009. IFAD's portfolio in the Philippines has been a mix of area-based projects with multi-sectoral components based on a participatory approach, and those with a sectoral focus (such as microenterprise development, irrigation and natural resources management) and with wider geographical coverage. The main target group has included upland farmers, indigenous peoples, agrarian reform beneficiaries and fishers.

The evaluation finds that IFAD and the Government have a fostered close and effective partnership in their efforts to address rural poverty issues, and project and programmes have made notable achievements – for example, in gender equality and women’s empowerment, and in increased crop yields through irrigated agriculture. The prospect of sustainability of benefits is generally favourable, and beyond the lending portfolio good practices have been noted in knowledge management and effective partnerships, in particular with diverse government agencies and civil society organizations.

On the other hand, more can be done to improve performance and upgrade non-lending activities and there is room to improve the evidence from monitoring and evaluation across the portfolio so that good practices can be scaled up.