CENTRAL AFRICAN EMPIRE SEED MULTIPLICATION PROJECT

PROJECT PURPOSE IS TO ESTABLISH AND INSTITUTIONALIZE A SEED PRODUCTION AND MULTIPLICATION CAPACITY AT THE GRIMARI AGRICULTURAL CENTER. EVALUATION, PREPARED BY AN OUTSIDE TEAM, IS BASED ON PROJECT DOCUMENTS, INFORMATION PROVIDED BY PROJECT AND GOCAE PERSONNEL, AND PERSONAL OBSERVATION. THE STATION AND FACILITIES AT GRIMARI ARE ALMOST COMPLETE. RICE SEED PRODUCTION (30 TONS) WAS ON TARGET IN 1978, BUT PEANUT SEED PRODUCTION (10 TONS) WAS ONLY 25% OFF TARGET. LATTER WILL BE INCREASED TO 20 TONS THIS YEAR. TRAINING OF CAE PERSONNEL IN SEED PRODUCTION PRACTICES HAS BEEN UNSTRUCTURED AND OF NEGLIGIBLE IMPACT. AID'S FARM MACHINERY SPECIALIST HAS BEEN ON SITE ONLY SINCE 5/78 DUE TO DIFFICULTY IN OBTAINING CAE OPERATIONS AND MAINTENANCE (O&M) PERSONNEL. HE HAS PERFORMED WELL, BUT IS OVEREXTENDED AND LACKS ADEQUATE TOOLS AND EQUIPMENT (NOW ON ORDER). HIS TRAINING OF O&M PERSONNEL HAS BEEN UNSTRUCTURED AND VERY LIMITED. SOME KEY PROJECT PAPER ASSUMPTIONS -- GOCAE SUPPORT FR PROJECT, AND RECOGNIZED CONSTRANTS TO AGRICULTURAL PROUDUCTION -- ARE INVALID OR HIGHLY QUESTIONABLE. THESE DOUBTS AFFECT PROJECT GOAL AND PURPOSE. IF PHASE II OF THE PROJECT IS TO BE SUCCESSFUL, THERE WILL HAVE TO BE SUBSTANTIAL INCREASES IN MARKETING AND DISTRIBUTION, AGRICULTURAL EXTENSION, AND IN EDUCATION OF FARMERS IN IMPROVED AGRONOMIC PRACTICES. IN ADDITION, GOCAE WILL HAVE TO PROVIDE SOLID SUPPORT TO THE PROJECT. UNDER PRESENT CONDITIONS, THE PROJECT HAS LITTLE CHANCE OF SUCCEEDING ON TIME AND EQUIPMENT AND THE CENTER ITSELF WILL MOST PROBABLY DETERIORATE AFTER EXPATRIATE PERSONNEL WITHDRAW. IT IS RECOMMENDED THAT: (1) AID'S TECHNICIANS REMAIN FOR A YEAR, RESTRICTING HIS ACTIVITIES TO DEVELOPING AN ADEQUATE O&M CAPABILITY, ESPECIALLY IN REGARD TO US MACHINERY, AND TO MONITORING, ASSESSING, AND ADVISING ON LOCAL USE OF MACHINERY; AND (2) AID DISCONTINUE FUNDING AFTER FY 79-80 UNLESS SUBSTANTIAL CHANGES ARE MADE IN THE CONCEPTION AND DESIGN OF PHASE II OF THE PROJECT.