USAID. MISSION TO LIBERIA
Agriculture research and extension : project completion report 1980-1985
Presents final Mission report on a Phase I (1/80-9/85) of a project to develop a Liberian agricultural research (AR) system capable of conducting adaptive and applied research on food and cash crops, cooperating with extension service and other agencies in developing food production technology, and establishing linkages with regional and international AR institutions.
Flynn, John B. · 1986
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Abstract
Despite a late start due to the 1980 coup (which led to two project extensions) and associated difficulties in recruiting the Louisiana State University (LSU) TA team, the project succeeded in transforming the moribund Central Agricultural Experiment Station into a semi-autonomous Central AR Institute (CARI) conducting research in crop, animal, and soil science. LSU provided roughly the planned level of TA (mostly long-term) and 70% of planned participant training was provided; shortfall in the latter was due to the unavailability of qualified candidates for long-term training and lack of Government of Liberia travel funds for short-term trainees, although the level of counterpart funding exceeded that anticipated. Training included M.Sc. and Ph.D. training for 11 CARI staff, 7 of whom will complete their studies under Phase II. The project also equipped CARI laboratories and a field service unit, greatly expanded the research library, developed CARI administrative systems, and helped CARI develop working relationships with AR institutes. On the negative side, the project remains very weak in getting research results to the field. While CARI staff participated as resource people for extensionist training programs, the planned formal training program and extension publication series did not materialize. The extension advisor was not replaced after the original extensionist"s tour expired, counterparts were in overseas training during most of the project, and a draft extension plan was not implemented due to a change of the Minister of Agriculture. Important progress has been made in many project areas, although the conditions expected for end-of-project are more applicable to the full 15-year project than to this initial 5-year phase. Efforts during Phase II (the first year of which overlapped with the last year of Phase I) will focus on continued recruitment and training of high quality research scientists, focusing on rice, cassava, and legume research.
