AGRICULTURAL DEVELOPMENT - CROPS AND SOIL SUBACTIVITY

The evaluation included on-site inspections of facilities & major non-expendable commodity items as well as discussions with proj personnel. As of 6/30/71 one central experiment station was established at Vientiane & four regional stations were established at Vientiane, Sayaboury, Pakse & Sedone. Seven local seed/plant propagatn stations were also established. The 1st central plant protection & soil laboratory is being constructed at Salakhom station with funds provided by the United Kingdom & Northern Ireland. However, funding delays by UK caused proj time-tables to be upset. As a result, USAID-funded equipment had to be stored, and recently trained personnel reassigned. Proj goals included degree-trng for 66 candidates to be employed later by the Research Bureau. To date, 17 participants have been sent to Thailand for training. Two completed their training & are working for the RLG. Nine are still in training & six dropped out. No participants have been enrolled since 10/69. The Auditors recommend that USAID establish more realistic targets for participant trng, which would be monitored annually. Also, USAID should analyze the circumstances resulting in program drop-outs and justify on an individual basis those who are not employed, or re-employed, by the RLG. The Auditors observed that there were only scattered records on crop experimentation and in-service training and recommended prompt action to establish a comprehensive statistical record and reporting system. Also, property control records should be maintained and AID emblems affixed to equipment provided by USAID.