Evaluation of OFDA and FFP grants to CARE International in Mozambique

This evaluation assesses two grants to support CARE's efforts (1984-present) to assist in creating a Logistics Support Unit (LSU) in Mozambique's Department of the Prevention and Combat of Natural Calamities (DPCCN). LSU's mandate is to manage and transport emergency food and non-food commodities throughout the nation to at-risk populations. Food aid is provided to Mozambique by over 40 NGO's, UN agencies, and multilateral and bilateral donors; in 1987 alone more than $325 million dollars of emergency assistance was provided. Donor commodities managed by DPCCN/LSU rose from 61,550 tons in 1985 to 153,253 tons in 1987. However, the 98,000 tons of the 1987 contribution that was cereals represents adequate rations for only 800,000 of Mozambique's 3.3 million at-risk persons; absolute availability of food is thus still a constraint. Given the growth of widespread terrorist activities and concomitant difficulties with internal transport, LSU/CARE relies on 18 points of entry for commodities around the country; this compounds problems with accountability and increases costs, but has a high degree of effectiveness in reaching at risk populations. In 1984, emergency assistance was delivered to 3 of Mozambique's 10 provinces; Phase I of a CARE Master Plan of Operations tracking commodities from donors to the provincial level was installed, and accountability for some 70% of commodities was achieved. In 1987, 9 provinces were receiving emergency aid and Phase II of the Master Plan was initiated with the training of delegates in 50 accessible districts, with another 20 to be trained in 1988; thus, all accessible districts will be fully accounting for commodities in the near future. Overall, CARE has made a strong contribution to developing an effective, well-equipped disaster relief structure, of which LSU is but one part. This has been accomplished by establishing LSU as a vertically integrated logistics unit, covering planning, collection of baseline information, and emphasis on developing in-house transport capacity. CARE's careful attention to a systems approach will have a very high payoff in the medium and long term; CARE has been less concerned with operational efficiencies in the short term, given the massive needs. As CARE has done well in establishing an effective system, so it now must turn to fine-tuning to enable Mozambique to maintain the system in the future. Several recommendations are made for redefining LSU's modue operandi. and lessons learned for similar efforts outside Mozambique are identified. (Author abstract, modified)