EVALUATION OF NATIONAL MARKET INTEGRATION PROJECT (598-15-260-440) : EVALUATION OF PROJECT PROP AND REVIEW OF PRIOR PERFORMANCE OF LATIN AMERICA MARKET PLANNING CENTER (LAMP)

PROPOSED PROJECT WOULD PROVIDE LAMP/USDA TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE DIRECTLY AND THROUGH THE CENTRO INTERAMERICANO DE COMERCIALIZACION (CICOM) TO DEVELOP,IMPROVE THE INTERNAL MARKETING SYSTEMS OF LATIN AMERICAN NATIONS. EVALUATORS UNDERTOOK INTENSIVE EXAMINATION OF LAMP RESEARCH EFFORTS & INTERVIEWED AVAILABLE LAMP/USAID/LOCAL NATIONAL PROFESSIONALS IN PREVIOUS LAMP OPERATIONAL AREAS. LAMP COMPETENCE,RESEARCH SKILL AND LATIN AMERICAN EXPERIENCE ARE UNEQUIVOCALLY RECOGNIZED IN CONDUCTING SURVEY RESEARCH & DESIGNING APPLICABLE MODELS IN ITS RESEARCH OF LA PAZ/RECIFE/CALI AREA FOOD MARKETING SYSTEMS. EVALUATORS ACKNOWLEDGE APPARENT PLAUSIBILITY OF LAMP MODEL,BUT URGE DEVELOPMENT & CRITICAL REVIEW OF MORE RIGOROUS,PRECISE MODEL TO OFFER GUIDANCE IN SELECTION OF ALTERNATIVE REFORMS AND INVESTMENTS ON BASES OTHER THAN MARKET EFFICIENCY. WHILE RESEARCH EFFORTS WERE WELL-COORDINATED WITH LOCAL PROFESSIONALS,THEIR AD HOC NATURE AND LACK OF PLANNED INSTITUTIONALIZED FOLLOW-THROUGH HAMPERED IMPLEMENTATION OF VALUABLE RECOMMENDATIONS,ESPECIALLY IN BOLIVIA,BRAZIL WHERE 1 1/2 YEAR LAG IN LAMP REPORT SUBMISSION FURTHER LESSENED IMPLEMENTATION CHANCES. COLOMBIAN GOVT"S CREATION OF MARKETING AGENCY WITH CONTINUING LAMP ASSISTNCE DEMONSTRATES SUCCESSFUL FOLLOW-THROUGH. APPLYING LAMP EXPERIENCE TO PROPOSED PROP,EVALUATORS FIND CONCEPT SOUND, BUT URGE DEVELOPMENT OF CRITICALLY-TESTED CONCEPTUAL DEVELOPMENT MODEL. EXCLUSIVELY-MULTILATERAL FUNDING IS RECOMMENDED(USAID TO SUPPORT BILATERAL EFFORTS), WITH CICOM AS IMPLEMENTATION AGENCY CHARGED TO DIVERSIFY ITS RESEARCH PROGRAM TO MORE EFFECTIVELY STIMULATE DEVELOPMENT OF NATIONAL MARKETING INSTITUTIONS.