Evaluation of project 631-0013 : national cereals research and extension

Special evaluation covers the period 8/79-10/83 and is based on document review, site visits, and interviews with USAID/C, IRA, TA, and GOC staff. Although the project has only been underway for less than 2 years, both the extent and quality of research has been excellent. A highly-qualified TA staff of 10 (cereal breeders, agronomists, and administrators), 8 with Ph.D.'s, has been assembled and 10 Cameroonian counterparts have been recruited (5 are attending U.S. undergraduate/graduate training programs, 2 have recently returned and been assigned, and 2 are set to go). Also, the project is collaborating with an impressive number of Cameroonian and international institutions. Due to there being only one testing and liaison unit (TLU) (at Bambui), the relative newness of the project, and the lack of TLU staff agricultural training, there has been only limited progress in facilitating research extension to farmers. However, the TLU has conducted field tests of IRA research results on parastatal, tribal, and traditional farms; an agro- and socio-economic survey of farmers in the northwest province (another is underway); and 3 well-received courses for Ministry of Agriculture (MOA) extension personnel; they also have provided MOA village agents with mini-kits for establishing demonstration farm plots. The project has been hampered by a lack of qualified counterparts, inadequate IRA facilities (e.g., office/work space, seed houses), and, most seriously, insufficient research field and lab equipment (the latter partly due to GOC customs delays). Cameroonian farmers/agriculturalists are very receptive to research results; thus the project must ensure that the potential of new agronomic practices and plant varieties to increase crop yield has been fully validated. Also, the TLU's must be careful not to usurp the extension function of the MOA. Recommendations include to: add 2 TLU's at Ekona and Nkolbisson; provide adequate facilities and equipment; and hire additional TA staff.