AID contract no. AID/PHA-G-1167 to International Institute of Rural Reconstruction to strengthen its institutional capacity to plan, design and evaluate its international and integrated rural reconstruction program

PROJECT CONSISTS OF THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A CENTRAL MECHANISM TO REVISE AND UPGRADE MAJOR COMPONENTS OF IIRR"S PROGRAM. A NEW PROGRAM AND EVALUATION UNIT (PEU) WILL BE ESTABLISHED AT IIRR"S PHILIPPINE-BASED HEADQUARTERS. THE PEU WILL CONSIST OF CURRENT IIRR STAFF MEMBERS (WHO WILL RECEIVE IN-SERVICE TRAINING FOR THIS PURPOSE) AND 3 EXPERIENCED PROFESSIONALS WITH ADVANCED DEGREES IN PROGRAMMING, EVALUATION, AND RESEARCH WHO WILL BE ADDED TO IIRR STAFF. WITH SHORT-TERM CONSULTANT HELP, THE NEW UNIT WILL REVIEW AND DEVELOP NEW PROCEDURES FOR THE 3 MAJOR COMPONENTS OF IIRR"S PROGRAM, EXTENSION, LEADERSHIP TRAINING, AND FIELD OPERATIONS. THE NATIONAL MOVEMENTS OF IIRR"S INTERNATIONAL EXTENSION PROGRAM WILL BE ASSESSED AND WILL BE HELPED IN PROGRAM PLANNING, DESIGN, AND EVALUATION. UNDER THE AEGIS OF IIRR"S PRESIDENT (OR VICE-PRESIDENT), TWO NEW NATIONAL EXTENSION MOVEMENTS WILL BE INITIATED, IN LATIN AMERICA AND AFRICA. PAST TRAINING SESSIONS OF IIRR"S INTERNATIONAL LEADERSHIP TRAINING PROGRAM WILL BE REVIEWED AND ITS CURRICULUM WILL BE UPGRADED BY IDENTIFYING EMERGING NEEDS IN INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT-ORIENTED TRAINING. APPROXIMATELY 40 LDC LEADERS WILL BE TRAINED ANNUALLY IN THE EXPANDED PROGRAM. A SYSTEM OF PROGRAM PLANNING, DESIGN, AND EVALUATION WILL BE DEVELOPED AND INSTITUTIONALIZED IN EACH OF THE 4 TECHNICAL GROUPS OF IIRR"S FIELD OPERATIONS PROGRAM. NEW AND APPROPRIATE CURRICULA WILL BE DESIGNED AND DEVELOPED FOR THE "PEOPLE"S SCHOOL" PROJECT. A NEW OPERATIONS AND EVALUATION MANUAL WILL BE PRODUCED AND DISTRIBUTED TO ALL IIRR STAFF MEMBERS, AFFILIATES, AND TO OTHER INTERESTED AGENCIES. CLOSER LINKAGES WILL BE PROMOTED WITH OTHER PUBLIC AND PRIVATE RURAL RECONSTRUCTION AGENCIES AND CONFERENCES AND SEMINARS WILL BE HELD FOR DISCUSSION AND COLLABORATION PURPOSES.