EVALUATION OF THE EASTERN ORD - INTEGRATED RURAL DEVELOPMENT PROJECT

AT PRESENT THIS REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT UNIT IS RECEIVING TECHNICAL AND FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE FROM AID, THE UN, AND IBRD. THE ORD'S EFFORTS HAS FOCUSED PRIMARILY ON INCREASED AGRICULTURAL EXTENSION. THERE ARE CURRENTLY 140 EXTENSION AGENTS COVERING 650 VILLAGES IN THE EASTERN ORD. THE PROGRAM REMAINS QUITE SMALL -- ORD ESTIMATES THAT 16,000HA OUT OF A TOTAL CULTIVATED AREA OF 204,000HA HAVE BEEN REACHED BY ITS EXTENSION PROGRAM AND THAT LESS THAN 1,000 FARMERS USE ANIMAL TRACTION. AID PROJECT INPUTS HAVE INCLUDED TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE UNDER A MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY CONTRACT, COMMODITIES AND EQUIPMENT, TRAINING, CONSTRUCTION, REVOLVING CREDIT FUNDS, BUDGET SUPPORT, RESEARCH BY LOCAL ORGANIZATIONS, AND A PROJECT MANAGER. VIRTUALLY ALL OF THE PROJECT ACTIVITIES ARE BEHIND SCHEDULE. CONSTRUCTION OF THE ORD COMPLEX IN FADA N'GOURMA,SCHEDULED FOR COMPLETION IN 12/76,WILL NOT BE COMPLETED UNTIL 6/78. APPLIED RESEARCH ACTIVITIES ARE 18 MONTHS BEHIND SCHEDULE BECAUSE OF THE LATE ARRIVAL OF THE MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY TEAM. ANOTHER SERIOUS PROBLEM HAS BEEN THE LACK OF ORD STAFF TRAINING. HOWEVER, VEHICLES. EQUIPMENT, AND COMMODITIES WERE DELIVERED MORE OR LESS ON SCHEDULE AND HAVE BEEN IN USE FOR SOME TIME. ANOTHER PROBLEM HAS BEEN ORD'S LACK OF COMMITMENT TO THE INTENSIVE ZONE CONCEPT OF IMPLEMENTATION. THERE IS NO EVIDENCE THAT THE ORD HAS MADE ANY EFFORTS TO ACHIEVE THE PLANNED LEVEL OF 1 EXTENSION AGENT PER 75-100 FARMS IN THE INTENSIVE ZONE. EVALUATORS RECOMMEND THAT THIS ISSUE BE RESOLVED. OVERALL, THEEVALUATION TEAM CONCLUDED THE PROJECT OBJECTIVES WERE OVER- AMBITIOUS. UNREALISTIC ASSUMPTIONS WERE MADE REGARDING THE EFFECTIVENESS OF ORD, THE AVAILABILITY OF IMPROVED TECHNICAL PACKAGES, AND CONTRIBUTIONS FROM OTHER DONORS. AN ORIGINAL AND A REVISED LOGICAL FRAMEWORK ARE ATTACHED.