Evaluation report : village livestock project no. 686-0203, livestock production section

Special evaluation covers the period 5/76-9/80 and is based on document review, site visits, and interviews with project personnel. Disagreements among USAID/UV, the Government of Upper Volta (GOUV), and Consortium for International Development (CID) project personnel over Phase I"s stress on experimentation rather than action hindered implementation. Resolution of these problems was complicated by lack of GOUV counterparts, shortages of USAID/UV clerical and translation support and of operating funds, and poor interpersonal relations (which were partially alleviated by replacing both the GOUV Project Director and the USAID/UV Project Manager). Some activities were changed to accomodate the 1.5 year delay in finding and installing a TA contractor. Achievements were to: train 12 GOUV encadreurs, 1 agricultural statistician, 2 range and animal management specialists, and a project administrator; collect baseline data; establish 6 village livestockmen"s associations; establish a highly beneficial vaccination and deparasitage program at each project site; dig 14 water wells; build 4 vaccination parks; provide vaccine cold storage at 2 sites; and complete 2 range resource surveys and 2 range management demonstrations. Salt/mineral feeding and poultry projects did not prove cost-effective. Phase I, which four PCV"s ably assisted, provided much useful data for future GOUV livestock and land use development, although only a partially proven management package was developed for Phase II and CID"s plan for that phase included too many research and/or test options and failed to use lessons learned from Phase I. A project management system is still needed and such areas as vehicle maintenance, fuel delivery, and inventory control need improvement. The project taught, inter alia, that: all parties should completely understand the project from the outset; project revisability should be stipulated in technical contracts; high-level counterparts are essential to implementation; and disinterested parties should be called upon to assess disputes. Specific recommendations for Phase II are made.