AGRICULTURAL MARKETING DEVELOPMENT IN TANZANIA -- FINAL EVALUATION (6/78 TO 5/79).

PROJ PURPOSE WAS REVISED TO THAT OF DEVELOPING TANZANIAN AGR MKTING INSTITUTIONS IN PURCHASE, PROCESSING, DISTRIBUTION OF STAPLE FOODS. EVAL FOCUSSED ON DISCUSSIONS WITH ECON ANALYSIS ADVISOR, INCLUDED MEETINGS WITH REPS OF NATL MILLING CORP (NMC) AND IBRD, REVIEW OF REVISED PP, PROJ CORRESP, 2 PREVIOUS EVALS, IBRD TANZANIAN REPORT, ADVISOR"S PAPERS. BOTH ORIGINAL, REVISED LOGFRAME PURPOSE WERE INADEQUATE, IGNORING INTERACTION OF GOT AND NMC AND CONSEQUENT PROBLEMS. AFTER DROUGHTS OF 1973/5, GOT RAISED PRODUCER PRICES, CAUSING OVERPRODUCTION. NMC, LEGALLY BOUND TO PURCHASE SURPLUS, WAS FINANCIALLY HURT DUE TO LOW CONSUMER PRICES AND NOW NEEDS AID BEYOND PRESENT POLICY LEVEL. PROJ SHOULD HAVE STRESSED HELPING NMC OVERCOME PROBLEMS IN MANAGEMENT RECRUITMENT, MILLING, STORAGE. PROJ SUCCESS WAS ALSO HINDERED BY MISSION MANAGEMENT PROBLEMS (LACK OF EXPERTISE, HIGH TURNOVER RATE), LATE RECRUITMENT AND TOO-INCLUSIVE JOB DESCRIPTION FOR ADVISOR AND HIS INEXPERIENCE, LACK OF PRIOR NMC PLANNING UNIT. RECENT SUCCESSES INCLUDE ESTABLISHMENT, FUNDING, PARTIAL STAFFING OF PLANNING UNIT, WITH 5 TANZANIANS RECEIVING TRAINING, AND AID BY ADVISOR TO NMC MANAGEMENT, ESP IN BABY FOOD PROJECT. PROGRESS ON REVISED EOPS IS AS FOLLOWS: FACILITIES FOR PURCHASING, PROCESSING ARE GENERALLY ADEQUATE, BUT STORAGE IS INADEQUATE AND THERE IS A MAJOR PROBLEM WITH DISTRIBUTION DUE TO POOR NATL ROAD SYSTEM. THERE HAS BEEN GREAT IMPROVEMENT IN FINANCING, ACCOUNTING (WORK OF PREVIOUS ADVISOR), BUT LITTLE IN ATTAINING INFORMATION ON CROP ESTIMATES, PRICES, STOCKS NEEDED FOR MANAGEMENT CONTROL. LESSONS LEARNED INCLUDE NEED FOR BETTER DESIGN FOR PLANNING UNIT, WITH STRESS ON ESTABLISHMENT, USE OF RELIABLE DATA BASE AND ON ESTABLISHING, MONITORING NMC TARGETS, AND FOR MORE EXPERIENCED ADVISOR. BECAUSE ORIGINAL LOGFRAME DID NOT ENVISAGE OVERPRODUCTION, SELF-SUFFICIENCY IN STAPLES WAS AN UNPLANNED EFFECT. EVAL RECOMMENDS THAT USAID CONDUCT IN-DEPTH AGR FEASIBILITY STUDY PRIOR TO FUTURE INVOLVEMENT, WITH EMPHASIS ON ACTUAL MARKETING ACTIVITIES AT THE REGIONAL LEVEL.