CAMPESINO PARATECHNICIAN TRAINING

PREPARATION OF THIS FINAL REPORT INCLUDED WEEK-LONG SITE VISITS TO 2 TRNG CENTERS & INTERVIEWS WITH THE PARATECHNICIAN TRAINEES. USAID CONSULTANTS ASSISTED CENCIRA IN ORGANIZING 2 NEW TRNG CENTERS WHICH PROVIDE INSTRUCTION IN MANAGEMENT, BOOKKEEPING/ACCTG & AGRONOMIC SKILLS. ONE CENTER WAS ESTABLISHED AT CAJAMARCA & THUS FAR HAS PROVIDED TRNG TO 54 CAMPESINOS FROM 6 AREA COOPERATIVES. 80% COMPLETED THE PROG. ALTHOUGH PIURA WAS ORIGINALLY DESIGNATED AS THE 2ND TRNG SITE, THE AREA"S SEVERE ECONOMIC SITUATION CAUSED THE SITE TO BE CHANGED TO TUMBES. TRNG BEGAN 10/77 AT TUMBRES FOR 43 CAMPESINOS FROM 9 COOPERATIVES. THE CONSULTANTS WERE ORIGINALLY REQUIRED ONLY TO DESIGN & IMPLEMENT A PROJ EVAL SYSTEM. HOWEVER, IT BECAME NECESSARY FOR THEM TO ACT AS PROJ ADVISORS OVERSEEING PRACTICALLY ALL AREAS OF IMPLEMENTATION. IN APPROX AN 18-MONTH PERIOD,CENCIRA ADDED 18 NEW PARATECHNICAL PROJS IN 12 REGIONS. THE PRINCIPAL PROJ IMPEDIMENT HAS BEEN A LACK OF CAPITAL FOR AGRICULTURE & LIVESTOCK PRODUCTION INVESTMENTS AT THE CO-OP LEVEL. THIS RESULTED FROM UNREASONABLE COLLECTION POLICIES IMPOSED BY THE PERUVIAN AGRICULTURAL BANK AS WELL AS RECENT DROUGHT CONDITIONS & MARKETING CONSTRAINTS. REPORT RECOMMENDS THAT CENCIRA SEEK FINANCING FROM EXTERNAL SOURCES TO CREATE ROTATING FUNDS FOR SMALL INVESTMENT PROJS IN CO-OPS WHERE PARATECHNICIANS HAVE BEEN TRND. ANOTHER MAJOR DIFFICULTY WAS THE WEAK BACKGROUND OF CENCIRA TRNG STAFF IN BUSINESS ADMIN & ACCTG. AUTHORS RECOMMEND CONTRACTING ACCOUNTANTS TO TRAIN THE PROG STAFF IN BUSINESS MGMT. TRAINEE FOLLOW-UP WAS HAMPERED BY LACK OF VEHICLES & FUNDS FOR GASOLINE. ALSO COMMUNICATIONS BETWEEN USAID & CENCIRA AS WELL AS GENERAL OVERSIGHT BY BOTH AGENCIES WAS DEFICIENT. USAID ASSIGNED 4 PROJ MANAGERS IN LESS THAN 2 YRS & CENCIRA ASSIGNED 3 PROJ DIRECTORS DURING THE SAME PERIOD. PRESENTLY,CENCIRA HAS 4 DIRECTORS. COORDINATION AMONG THEM IS POOR & IT IS RECOMMENDED THAT 1 BE GIVEN PRIMARY AUTHORITY FOR THE ENTIRE PROJECT.