EVALUATION OF THE SORGHUM PRODUCTION PROJECT #279018

SINCE MOST OF THESE VARIETIES HAVE BEEN TESTED ONLY IN UNREPLICATED SINGLE ROWS AT ONE LOCATION THE TEST RESULTS ARE NOT CONSIDERED CONCLUSIVE. OTHER INITIAL ACHIEVEMENTS INCLUDE TRAINING OF YEMEN ARAB REPUBLIC GOVT PERSONNEL AND DEVELOPMENT OF A RESEARCH STATION. 3 PARTICIPANTS WERE SENT TO A 7-MONTH SORGHUM PRODUCTION TRAINING PROGRAM AT ARID LANDS AGRICULTURAL DEVELOPMENT FACILITIES IN BEIRUT. OTHER STAFF RECEIVED INSERVICE TRAINING IN YEMEN. ON THE BER EL KHOUM FARM ABOUT 6 ACRES OF THE TOTAL 30-ACRE STATION WERE FENCED, LEVELED AND IRRIGATED. PROBLEMS INCLUDED WEAK ACADEMIC BACKGROUND OF PARTICIPANTS SENT FOR TRAINING AND DELAY IN DELIVERY OF COMMODITIES DUE TO THE INEPTNESS OF THE US PROCUREMENT AGENCY. IN ADDITION, TIME FOR SELECTING PARTICIPANTS WAS CONSIDERED EXTREMELY SHORT. REOMMENDATIONS INCLUDE: 1) PLACING PRIME EMPHASIS ON DEVELOPMENT OF A NATIONAL SORGHUM AND MILLET IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM AS OPPOSED TO THE CURRENT NARROWER EMPHASIS ON VARIETIES AND CULTURAL PRACTICES; 2) ALLOCATION OF MANPOWER RESOURCES BY YARG TO SORGHUM PROGRAM AND CONSIDERING IT A HIGH PRIORTIY PROGRAM.