Project Manual

Dependency on commodities

The livelihoods of millions of the world’s poorest people in Developing Countries, and in particular the Least Developed Countries, are heavily dependent on commodities. Commodities form the backbone of the economies and account for the bulk of the export earnings of these countries. The Common Fund, therefore, plays a catalytic role in promoting and supporting poverty alleviation through commodity-focused development. Thus, the Fund supports, inter alia, projects which promote productivity and diversification of production and commodity exports, create new end uses and/or commercial outlets for new products, improve marketing channels and processing of commodities. It will continue to play its role in these areas, giving special attention to the Least Developed Countries.

Assistance

The Manual offers guidelines and procedures that must be met in order for the Common Fund to consider proposals for project funding. It is intended to assist all institutions and persons involved in conceptualising and formulating commodity projects submitted to the Common Fund.
Fifth edition
The current fifth edition has recently updated contents related to procedures for project submission, review and approval; criteria for project appraisal and approval; and an added annex on the structure of the evaluation report. The first revision contained an extended list of commodities which can be supported by the Common Fund, following the adoption of additional commodities by Intergovernmental Groups of the FAO. The second revision clarifies further in Section 6.5 which measures would not be financed by the Common Fund.

Project Manual- Short Version and Required Forms

The Common Fund recently adopted a new Commodity Development Programme approach for 2008 to 2012. Please download the CDP Form that must be submitted with project proposals. The shortened version of the Project Manual provides excerpts of the full version, mainly concentrating on the criteria for project approval. Download the shortened English version of the Manual for the preparation and management of project to be financed by the Common Fund for Commodities (206 kb). French and Spanish versions can also be downloaded here.

You can also download the full version (423 kb)