Executive summary : collaborative evaluation and process consultation services to the non-traditional agricultural export support project (PROEXAG) in Central America

External evaluation is based primarily on surveys and follow-up interviews with the Agricultural Federation, growers/shippers, Missions, the Regional Office for Central American Programs (ROCAP), and project staff. It covers the period 12/85-12/88. The project is well-regarded by federations and growers and is meeting perceived assistance needs. It is a principal source of practical, high-level, and timely consulting advice available to growers in the region. The project staff has had a highly visible impact on planned and active agricultural export ventures throughout the region. These successes are largely due to the new Chief of Party, who has reorganized a problem-ridden and leaderless project into an increasingly well-directed and effective one. Most problems related to project strategy emerged during the first 18 months and were inherited by the current Chief of Party. These include: (1) concern on the part of federations that the project's emphasis on dealing with individual growers detracts from federation-strengthening activities and (2) ROCAP's objection to the project's focus on established rather than marginal or small growers. Through the new leadership's efforts, the federations have become increasingly supportive of project assistance to growers and ROCAP now understands that established growers are more able to take major business risks involved in the development of new export crops. Nonetheless, there is unresolved concern among Mission staff that successful technologies may not be transferred to smaller growers, and within each country and each crop group there is a tendency for users to think the project should be spending more time and energy with them. Implementation problems are manageable and are already being addressed by both the project and ROCAP. The major problem has been unpredictability of project response, which reflects the need for work plans, time for new leaders to address past problems, and increased user awareness of the project's service limitations. Many respondents recommended that a specific list of services and lead time requirements be distributed to federations and growers.