Agricultural cooperative development

PES covers the period 5/78-4/79 and is based on document review, visits to co-op"s in Monrovia, and interviews with two co-op managers, USAID/L, Government of Liberia (GOL), and other project personnel. Solid progress has been made. Good working relationships have been established with the Ministry of Agriculture (MOA), the Agricultural Cooperatives Development Bank (ACDB), the Liberia Produce and Marketing Corporation, and the Liberian Credit Union National Association (LCUNA). The facilities, equipment, and transportation of the MOA"s Cooperative Division (CD) have been upgraded and a CD Field Support Unit organized, and training programs begun for counterparts and key field staff in co-op theory, organization, and management, and for field staff in methods to improve produce quality, purchasing, handling, and storage. The CD Financial Section has provided a variety of financial management services to co-op managers and the ACDB, made 10 surprise visits to examine co-op operations, audited LCUNA funds, and is developing a uniform bookkeeping, accounting, and audit system and training auditors. Because of the scope of this Section"s activities (which is greater than its staff can handle), the financial advisor has expanded his role to provide a wide range of on-the-job training and is making efforts to ensure that all Section members receive training. Other outputs include providing funds, a vehicle, and back-up training to LCUNA - which has made significant progress in establishing 10-12 credit unions - and conducting three marketing surveys. The MOA"s failure to increase the CD budget has resulted in a shortage of qualified personnel and transportation (e.g., motor bikes for field staff). A potential problem is the proposed GOL turnover of eight rundown Agricultural Mechanical Corporation projects to the CD for further development; the action would greatly increase CD"s workload and threaten provision of services to existing co-ops. Recommendations include, inter alia, possibly shifting responsibility for co-op technical services from the MOA to a more flexible co-op federation; increasing field TA by expatriate advisors; adding two or more PCV"s; and appointing a co-op registrar.