EVALUATION OF SCHOOL FEEDING IN PERU (NOVEMBER 28-DECEMBER 9, 1977)

CONSLTNT PROPOSES PILOT EVAL STUDY IN LIMA & 1 OTHER SCHL FEEDG REGION, INCLDG ANHROPOMETRY & FAMILY INTAKE MSRMNT TO IMPROVE FTR PROERMG & EXECUTN.PROPOSL IS BASED ON ASSUMPTN THAT FOOD DONATNS WILL CONTINUE FOR 3 YRS. PROBLEMS IN ASSESSG PAE'S NUTR IMPACT ARE DUE TO VAGUE INITL PROJECT HYPOTHESES,DEVIATN OF PROJECT PERFRMNCE FROM ORIG INTENT,& ECON CHANGES AFFECTS PERUVIAN FAMILY FOOD INTAKE (INFLTD FOOD PRICES). OBSTACLES TO MSRG PAE'S IMPACT INCL NEGLGBL COLLECTN OF BASELINE DATA,IRREGULRTY OF FEEDG DUE TO TRANSPORT BRKDOWNS,FEEDG SUSPNSN FOR VACATNS,& VARYG COMMUNITY CONTRIBUTNS. FIELD OBSRVATNS CONFIRM MUCH DILUTN OF RATIONS BY DISTR OF FIXED AMT OF FOOD TO INCR NO OF STUDENTS. NUTR EDUC IS SPORADIC OR UNAVLBL. PROGRAM EFCTNS IS AFFFECTED BY TIME OF DELIVERY (LUNCH VS BRKFST),POOR ABSORPTN,PREPRTN LOSS,& PLATE WASTE. IMPACT ASSESSMT IS ALSO AFCTD BY EARTHQUAKE,DROUGHT,DISEASE PATTERNS & PARASITE INFSTATN. EVALR CONSDRS EXTNSVE MSRMNT OF CHILDREN LESS USEFUL THAN MSRMNT OF FAMILY INTAKE & INTRAFAMILY FOOD DISTR. PAE LACKS STAFF TO MAINTAIN PROPER SUPRVSN & FUNDS TO SUPPORT PRESENT STAFF; ROUTINE DATA COLLECTN FOR FTR EVAL IS IMPOSSIBLE. EVALR SUGSTS THAT IMPACT EVAL BE REGARDED AS FTR STANDARD,& RCMNDS MSRMNT IN DEPTS & SCHLS WHERE QUALITY OF PROGR IMPLMNTATN OFFERS HIGH PROBABILITY OF MEASRBL NUTR IMPACT. PUNO REGION HAS WIDE & SERIOUS MALNUTR,BUT "BEST" SCHL PROG: REGULAR FEEDG,SCHL GARDENS,COMNTY SUPPORT,ADEQ ADMIN. HLTH MNSTRY STAFF PREFER LIMA STUDY,WITH PUNO AS SECONDARY PILOT AREA. EVALUATOR SUGGESTS MATCHNG COMPARISON GROUPS FROM NON-PARTICIPTNG & POOR PERFRMNG SCHLS & INELIG STUDENTS. LONGTDNL EVAL IS RCMNDED,BEGINNG 4/78,USING HT/WT MEASUREMENTS & FAMILY INTAKE FOR REVNG NUTR IMPACT & IMPACT ON PARTIC INTAKE,INTAKE OF OTHER FAMILY MEMBERS & PHASING-IN OF LOCAL FOODS. MSRMNTS SHOULD BE REPEATED IN (E.E.) 6 MOS. EXAM OF LOCAL INTAKE WOULD REINFORCE OF NEGATE PAE'S ROLE & WOULD CLARIFY EXOGENOUS EFFECTS. NO IMMEDIATE IMPRVMNT IN GOP OR LOCAL INPUTS