AGRICULTURAL SECTOR I

Final regular evaluation covers the period 4/75-12/80 and is based on document review, site visits, and interviews with project personnel. Improved crop and insect control technologies and farm management practices were developed, partly due to upgrading the research capacity of the Instituto de Tecnologia Agropecuaria (40 thesis projects and 59 research, 10 joint, and three new curriculum studies conducted). The scholarship program of the Consortium for International Development (CID) disposed the faculty to using new research methods. Political unrest kept the Universities of San Simon and Gabriel Rene Moreno from participating. Research stations at San Benito, Saavedra, and Chinoli are complete, but Toralapa station is only 82% built. Seventy-five Bolivians received in-service (IS) training, 23 M.S. training, and 7 short-term (ST) training in technology development. Ministry of Campesino Affairs and Agriculture (MACA) building designs were incomplete due to a lack of engineering assistance. Improved technologies have been disseminated to 11,865 farmers (55% of the target) through 30 field demonstrations, 160 short courses, and 60 research bulletins. Distribution of improved seed, while increasing 1,859% in the last 2 years, is still hampered by farmer distrust and inadequate marketing. ST, IS, and M.S. training in technology extension was given to 10, 12, and 4 Bolivians respectively. The Santa Cruz service center and the Warnes Seed Processing Plant are complete, but the Cochabamba and Sucre centers are only 80% and 35% complete, respectively, due to high foundation costs caused by inadequate test boring. While personnel turnover and financial problems prevented the upgrading of MACA"s management capability, eight MACA personnel received M.S. training, 45 IS training, and six ST training -- as planned. The Bolivian Agricultural Bank credit fund reached 164% more farmers than projected. The project has taught the need to give host agencies engineering assistance for large construction works and to develop an organized and staffed extension program.