Publications
The Sustainable Development Investment Portfolio (SDIP) supports climate resilient livelihoods and inclusive economic growth in South Asia by addressing growing water, food and energy insecurity. The investment focuses on three major transboundary Himalayan river basins — the Indus, Ganges and Brahmaputra — covering parts of India, Pakistan, Nepal, Bangladesh, Bhutan and Afghanistan.
SDIP is now in the second 4-year phase (2016-2020) of a 12-year investment strategy. SDIP Phase 1 (SDIP1) was an investment of AUD45 million. SDIP Phase 2 (SDIP2) is currently valued at AUD47.6 million. This Office of Development Effectiveness (ODE) commissioned this evaluation of the SDIP Program to assess the effectiveness and relevance of the approach and mechanisms employed by SDIP and identify practical lessons to inform future programming. The evaluation found that Australia has achieved significant impact through a wide number of activities across South Asia, with particularly strong achievements in mainstreaming climate change across investments. It found implementing Partners contributed significantly to the knowledge base in the region that will enable the integrated management of water, food and energy resources. The evaluation found weaknesses with the Program Logic and Performance Assessment Framework, and a lack of adequate resourcing for the complexity and breadth of the program. A range of suggestions and options for future programming were provided that will inform the design of a smaller, and more targeted regional water security investment.