AUDIT REPORT ON REVIEW OF FOOD AND NUTRITION SECTOR USAID/NEPAL AS OF SEPTEMBER 30, 1978

AUDIT COVERS THE PERIOD FROM THE INCEPTION OF EACH PROJECT THROUGH 9/30/78 AND WAS CONDUCTED BY AN EVALUATION TEAM FROM THE OFFICE OF THE AREA AUDITOR GENERAL/NEAR EAST. AUDIT REPORT CONTAINS EVALUATIONS OF PROJECTS 3670102, 3670114, 4980251, 9310209, AND 9310234. THIS DISCUSSION IS LIMITED TO AN AID/W FUNDED PROJECT (9310234) IN 4 COUNTRIES TO STUDY ENERGY NEEDS FOR THE PRODUCTION, DISTRIBUTION, AND PREPARATION OF BASIC FOODS. AFTER A PROJECT AGREEMENT WAS SIGNED BETWEEN USAID/NEPAL AND THE GOVERNMENT OF NEPAL, TWO RESEARCHERS, ONE FROM THE PEACE CORPS/NEPAL, THE OTHER FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE, BEGAN INVESTIGATING WAYS TO IMPROVE THE EFFICIENCY, REDUCE COSTS, AND INCREASE THE ACCEPTANCE OF METHANE GENERATORS. PROGRESS HAS BEEN SATISFACTORY. HOWEVER, LITTLE DOCUMENTATION EXISTS IN SUPPORT OF THIS. TWO SKETCHY PERIODIC REPORTS, COVERING PROGRESS THROUGH 4/77, CITE CONSTRUCTION WORK ON VARIOUS HOMESTEAD AND COMMUNITY BIO-GAS DIGESTORS, AND TRAINING AND RESEARCH EFFORTS. THE RESEARCHERS WERE TO CONDUCT AN INITIAL, BASELINE STUDY, A MIDPOINT EVALUATION, AND A FINAL, IN-DEPTH PROJECT ANALYSIS. THE PROAG REQUIRES THAT REPORTS ON ALL RESEARCH AND TESTING BE SUBMITTED THROUGH THE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE TO AID AND THE PEACE CORPS. NO REQUIREMENT EXISTS THAT USAID/NEPAL BE INFORMED OR ADVISED OF PROJECT ACTIVITIES AND PROGRESS. HOWEVER, THE MISSION ADVISED AUDITORS THAT PROJECT RESULTS ARE SUFFICIENT TO WARRANT FURTHER SUPPORT FROM AN INTERESTED PVO FOR ADDITIONAL WORK.