Agricultural production and marketing project

The evaluation covered the period through 1/89. Efforts towards effective operation and institutional development have made slow, but measurable progress. Administrative policies, regulations, procedures, and forms have been developed, but should be tested and validated for at least one complete agricultural cycle in the Southwest Coast before the project is expanded to other regions. Credit policies, regulations, procedures, and forms have also been developed, but to date have not been formally authorized or uniformly applied. There is also a lack of written legal marketing contracts. Organizational and some training activities were carried out generally on schedule. Educational efforts are focused almost exclusively on union aspects. TA provided to farmers in the areas of agronomy, credit, and marketing, has been weak due to insufficient CUSG logistical support and moral backing: field coordinators are without vehicles and face problems obtaining travel authorization. The role of the American Institute for Free Labor Development (AIFLD) in the project needs to be reinforced. The AIFLD Rural Development Officer from has kept too low a profile to implement and monitor the project effectively, and the CUSG has set up barriers preventing him from providing the necessary TA. The project director position is vacant and staff members are confused about who holds authority over the project. Funds are sufficient to expand the project to the western highlands and the eastern countryside if expansion is postponed until 1990, but not if it is authorized for 1989. A major lesson learned is that projects involving AIFLD must emphasize the priority of technical aspects over union development.