ASSISTANCE TO AGRICULTURE PROJECT

THE EVALUATION COVERS THE PERIOD 10/1/74 TO 9/30/79, AND IS BASED ON A REVIEW OF MISSION FILES AND DISCUSSIONS WITH MISSION OFFICIALS. OF $2.683 MILLION OBLIGATED FUNDS ($100,000 HAS BEEN DEOBLIGATED), $2.646 HAS BEEN EXPENDED AND THE REST COMMITTED. AN EARLIER PROJECT PURPOSE TO ASSIST THE GOI"S PROJECT BIMBINGAN MASSAL (BIMAS) WAS DROPPED IN 1975 IN A PROJECT REVISION. THE EMPHASIS ON NEW AGRICULTURAL PROGRAMS AND POLICIES WAS ADDED IN A 1977 PROJECT REVISION. THESE REVISIONS NECESSITATED EXTENSION OF THE PROJECT COMPLETION DATE UNTIL 2/81. DURING THE EVALUATION PERIOD, A TOTAL OF 11 POTENTIAL AGRICULTURAL ASSISTANCE PROJECTS WERE IDENTIFIED. OF THESE, NINE WERE APPROVED AND FUNDED, ONE IS IN THE APPROVAL PROCESS, AND THE OTHER WAS CONSIDERED TO LACK VIABILITY. A WIDE VARIETY OF TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE ACTIVITIES WAS FINANCED; VARIOUS COMMODITIES FOR SUB-PROJECT ACTIVITIES WERE PURCHASED; SEVERAL ACTIVITIES ONLY INDIRECTLY RELATED TO THE PROJECT"S STATED PURPOSE WERE FUNDED; AND 36 PARTICIPANTS WERE SENT FOR SHORT TERM, 8 FOR LONG TERM/DEGREE TRAINING IN THE UNITED STATES. THE AUDITORS MADE FIVE RECOMMENDATIONS FOR IMPROVING THE PROJECT; (1)PROJECT INPUTS SHOULD BE DIRECTLY LINKED TO THE APPROVED PROJECT PURPOSE, OR THE PURPOSE SHOULD BE REVISED TO INCORPORATE DESIRED SUB-PROJECTS; (2) CLOSER ATTENTION SHOULD BE PAID TO REVIEWING FORMALLY AND EXTENDING OR TERMINATING SUB-PROJECT ACTIVITIES WHEN GRANT FUNDS ARE NOT FULLY UTILIZED ON THE SCHEDULED COMPLETION DATE; (3) A PROCEDURE SHOULD BE ESTABLISHED TO ACCOUNT FOR SUB-PROJECT ADVANCES; (4) THE FUNDING OF SUCCESSIVE DEGREES FOR ANY GIVEN PARTICIPANT TRAINEE SHOULD ONLY BE UNDERTAKEN AFTER WRITTEN MISSION JUSTIFICATION; AND (5) CLARIFICATION IS NEEDED ON PAYING AMENITY SERVICE CHARGES ON CONTRACTOR-ADMINISTERED PROGRAMS. ON THE WHOLE, THE GRANT HAS BEEN USED EFFECTIVELY, SERVING AS A "CATCH ALL" FOR THE GOI DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE.