COMPREHENSIVE RESOURCE INVENTORY EVALUATION SYSTEM (CRIES) - 12/177-3/10/78)

PROJ DESIGNED TO (1)PROVIDE IN-COUNTRY ASSISTANCE TO DVLPG CNTRIES IN ANALYZING EXTENT, QUALITY & USE OPTIONS OF AGRIC RESOURCES, & (2)TO DEVELOP COORDINATED ADAPTABLE DATA CONCEPT & ANALYTICAL FRAMEWORK TO PROMOTE FORECASTING & INFO TRANSFERS. AID, US DEPT OF AGRIC, NATL SPACE AERONAUTICS ADMIN(NASA) & MICHIGAN ST UNIV ARE PROJ SPONSORS. PROJ FOCUSES ON DOMINICAN REPUBLIC(DR) WITH PLANNED EXTENSION TO NICARAGUA & COSTA RICA. INDEPENDENT REVIEW TEAM MET WITH CRIES STAFF & SPONS AGENCY REPS IN EAST LANSING & WASHINGTON; CONTACT NOT ESTABLISHED WITH DR COUNTERPARTS. TEAM ASSESSES PROJ'S TECH AND INSTIT ARRANGEMENTS AS WELL AS DATA COLLECTION METHODS & ANALYTICAL MODEL. CRIES STAFF JUDGED COMPETENT & COMMITTED. THE MANY TECH PROBLEMS OBSERVED DEEMED EASIER TO SOLVE THAN UNDERLYING ADMIN ISSUES THAT CLOUD PROJ'S FUTURE. PROJ'S SHORT-TERM HORIZON COUPLED WITH UNCERTAIN STAFFING & FUNDING SUPPORT & COMPETING PRIORITIES IN SPONSORING AGENCIES DO NOT AUGUR WELL FOR LONG-RANGE SUCCESS. TEAM RECOMMENDS US GOVT & UNIVERSITIES DEVELOP NEW WORKING RELATIONSHIP FOR LONG-TERM PROJ. NASA'S INVOLVEMENT,IN PARTICULAR,TERMED DISAPPOINTMENT AS NO EFFORT MADE TO DATE TO EXTEND VAST TECH CAPABILITIES(IN PARTICULAR,REMOTE SENSING) TO PROJ. TEAM QUESTIONS APPLICABILITY OF US-GENERATED PROXY MODEL TO DR SITUATION,AND EXPRESSES LACK OF CONFIDENCE IN ACCURACY/QUALITY OF DATA USED IN TESTING OF MODEL & INFO SYSTEM(ABSENCE OF REMOTE SENSING DATA). LINKAGES BETWEEN AGR SECTOR & OTHER ALLIED SECTORS NOT TAKEN INTO ACCOUNT IN MODEL,NOR IS THERE CLEAR DELINEATION,ACCORDING TO REVIEW TEAM,OF CONJOINT RELATIONSHIP EXISTING BETWEEN MODEL & INFO SYSTEM. CRIES STAFF FOUND TO BE UNFAMILIAR WITH ACCUMULATED KNOWLEDGE OF PREVIOUS ANALYTICAL MODELS USED IN COUNTRY AGRIC SECTOR ANALYSES. TEAM QUESTIONS WHY SEAT OF OPERATIONS IS NOT IN DR TO ALLOW INDIGENOUS MODEL/INFO SYSTEM DVLP BENEFITTING FROM FULL DR PARTICIPATION & THEREBY INSURE PROJ INTEGRATION/CONTINUATION UPON WITHDRAWAL OF US INPUTS. TEAM RECOMMENDS PROJ EXTENSION ELSEWHERE ONLY AFTER DR EXPERIENCE APPRAISAL.