EVALUATION OF AGRICULTURAL SERVICES PROJECT - SOMALI REPUBLIC; UNIVERSITY OF WYOMING CONTRACT (AUG 17-SEPT 12, 1969)

Proj designed to assist Ministry of Agric (MOA) develop effective research program & extension service to facilitate Somali agric dvlp. Eval by AID agric officer at request of USAID/SR & AID/W consists of document review, onsite observation, & discussions with principals & GSR officials. Evaluator notes evident, though slow, progress, more significant in research than in extension area. UWY staff judged well-qualified and capable in proj leadership; most serious shortfall was in lag in appointing chief extension advisor. Afgoi research station has provided useful data vital to crop dvlp of rice & edible safflower oil (major Somali import items), sorghum, peanuts, & of grapfruit (along with bananas the major foreign exchange earners). A soils lab is reasonably operative. Bonka Farmers Trng Center has provided modest, though important trng of 30 agric extension instructors (15 of these now assigned to villages) and 1000-1100 farmers, but has been plagued by lapses in GSR scheduled funding. 23 Somalis have been or are engaged in US partic trng: 14 short-term; 7 BS, & 2 MS. Proj hampered by extended delay in construction of National Agric Center (expected completion date is now mid-1970), & by lack of full GSR counterpart staffing & funding support. Key counterpart slots remain unfilled, or slated counterparts are still in US participant trng. GSR funding, erratic & incomplete in past, has been recommitted in 1969 ProAg. There is yet no plan for MOA manpower takover & assumption of operational costs. UWY team-proposed MOA extension organizational plan has not yet received MOA support. Evaluator deems continued AID assistance through 1973 vital to proj completion, but recommends extension of assistance be contingent upon improved GSR staffing and funding support; otherwise June 1971 phaseout upon completion of UWY tours is feasible, though proj gains would be jeopardized. UN or indirect AID assistance are possible funding alternatives.