AGRICULTURAL SYSTEMS SUPPORT PROJECT

MULTI-FACETED PROJECT CONSISTS OF 5 INTERRELATED COMPONENTS: AGRICULTURAL MANPOWER, CREDIT, COOPERATIVES, RANGE RESEARCH, AND STORAGE -- WITH EACH COMPONENT INCLUDING A SIGNIFICANT TRAINING ELEMENT. AGRICULTURAL MANPOWER COMPONENT ENTAILS EXPANSION OF FACILITIES AND STAFF AT EGERTON COLLEGE TO ALLOW AN INCREASE IN ENROLLMENT FROM 686 TO 1632. IN ADDITION, FEASIBILITY STUDIES WILL BE CONDUCTED LEADING TO SKETCH PLANS FOR A NEW AGRICULTURAL INSTITUTE LOCATED IN COAST PROVINCE, AND A FEASIBILITY STUDY WILL BE CONDUCTED CONCERNING FACULTY EXPANSION AT THE UNIV OF NAIROBI. 100 PARTICIPANTS FROM THE MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE WILL ALSO BE TRAINED IN THE US. THE CREDIT COMPONENT WILL CONSIST OF LONG-TERM TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE TO UPGRADE THE MANAGEMENT SKILLS OF THE AGRICULTURE FINANCE CORP (AFC) & ON-SITE TRNG. PARTICIPANT TRAINING WILL ALSO BE PROVIDED IN THE US FOR AFC PERSONNEL. IN THE COOPERATIVE COMPONENT, 3 STUDIES WILL BE CONDUCTED CONCERNING THE MINSTYR OF COOPERATIVE DEVELOPMENT. STUDIES WILL INCLUDE AN EVALUATION LEADING TO RECOMMENDATIONS FOR IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MINISTRY"S COOPERATIVE EDUCATION AND TRAINING SYSTEM, A STUDY CONCERNING MANPOWER NEEDS IN THE COOPERATIVE SECTOR, AND A REVIEW OF CURRICULUM AND FACILITIES AND OTHER ASPECTS OF THE FEASIBILITY OF IMPROVING AND EXPANDING THE COOPERATIVE COLLEGE. RANGE RESEARCH COMPONENT WILL INCLUDE DEVELOPMENT OF THE CAPACITY FOR IDENTIFYING PROBLEMS WHICH LIMIT RANGE PRODUCTIVITY AND FOR CONDUCTING RESEARCH CONCERNING THESE PROBLEMS AT THE NATIONAL RANGE RESEARCH STATION, KIBOKO. RESEARCH WILL FOCUS ON THE FOLLOWING AREAS: PLANT AND ECOLOGY STUDIES. ANIMAL STUDIES, AND ENVIRONMENTAL STIDIES. THE STORAGE COMPONENT WILL INCLUDE A STUDY TO EXAMINE THE FEASIBILITY OF PROJECTS AIMED AT IMPROVING ON-FARM STORAGE AND COOPERATIVE STORAGE FOR THE BENEFIT PRIMARILY OF SMALLHOLDERS. IN ADDITION, PARTICIPANTS SELECTED ROM MOA EXTENSION NATL AGRICULTURAL LABORATORIES, AND FARMER TRAINING CENTERS WILL BE TRAINED IN THE US.