An evaluation of the development and utilization of an analytical modeling capacity in the Division of Agricultural Economics, Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives, Thailand

IT APPEARS THAT THE MODELS BEING DEVELOPED ARE APPROPRIATE FOR POLICY, PROGRAM AND PROJECT ANALYSIS. THE DATA BEING COLLECTED FOR THE SECTOR ANALYSIS ARE APPROPRIATE AND ARE BEING TREATED WITH DUE REGARD FOR RELIABILITY AND CONSISTENCY WITH OTHER AVAILABLE DATA. IT IS THE TEAM"S IMPRESSION THAT THE ANALYTICAL CAPABILITY IN THE DIVISION OF AGRICULTURAL ECONOMICS (DAE) IS CURRENTLY BEING USED FOR AGRICULTURAL POLICY AND PLANNING PURPOSES, IN THE PREPARATION OF THE FOURTH FIVE-YEAR PLAN AND AT THE NATIONAL CABINET LEVEL ON POLICY ISSUES INVOLVING AGRICULTURE, AND FOR POLICY ISSUES POSED BY OTHER AGENCIES. THE TEAM IS IMPRESSED WITH THE DEGREE OF EFFECTIVENESS OF THE LINKAGES THAT ALREADY EXIST BETWEEN THE ANALYTICAL MODELING CAPABILITY AND IMPORTANT DECISION-MAKING BODIES. THE TEAM BELIEVES THAT THE ANALYTICAL MODELING CAPABILITY BEING DEVELOPED BY THIS JOINT PROJECT IS BEING INSTITUTIONALIZED IN THE DAE TO A TRULY REMARKABLE EXTENT. THEY REGARD THIS AS ONE OF THE MOST SUCCESSFUL CHARACTERISTICS OF THIS PROJECT AND CONCLUDE THAT THE EFFECTS OF THIS JOINT EFFORT ARE LIKELY TO BE LONG-TERM IN NATURE. THEY MADE 9 RECOMMENDATIONS, THE PRIMARY ONE BEING THAT THE ANALYTICAL MODELING PROJECT CONTINUE TO BE SUPPORTED BY THE THAI AND US GOVERNMENTS.