EXPANDED PROGRAM IN ECONOMIC ANALYSIS - LATIN AMERICAN AND CARIBBEAN PLANNING NETWORK (LACPLAN)

UNDER THIS SUBPROJECT, THE INTER-AMERICAN INSTITUTE OF AGRICULTURAL SCIENCES (IICA) HAS BEEN CONTRACTED TO WORK IN CONJUNCTION WITH IOWA STATE UNIVERSITY (ISU) AND MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY (MSU) IN IMPROVING AND BUILDING INSTITUTIONAL CAPABILITIES FOR AGRICULTURAL AND RURAL SECTOR PLANNING AND POLICY ANALYSIS IN LATIN AMERICAN AND CARIBBEAN COUNTRIES. EVALUATION IS BASED ON REVIEW OF PROJECT DOCUMENTS, PRELIMINARY RESULTS OF 15 COUNTRY SURVEYS, AND MEETINGS WITH CONTRACTORS. INPUTS AND OUTPUTS ARE ON TARGET. COORDINATION AMONG THE THREE COOPERATING CONTRACTORS (IICA, ISU, AND MSU) HAS RESULTED IN MUTUAL UNDERSTANDING OF PROCEDURES AND METHODOLOGIES. ISU AND MSU HAVE CONTRIBUTED, THROUGH CONSULTATION AND WORKING PAPERS, TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF IICA"S CAPABILITY IN AGRICULTURAL DEVELOPMENT PLANNING. LACPLAN STAFF MEMBERS HAVE DEVELOPED QUESTIONNAIRES TO DETERMINE PLANNING CAPACITIES AND NEEDS IN LATIN AMERICAN AND CARIBBEAN COUNTRIES. QUESTIONNAIRES HAVE BEEN ADMINISTERED IN MORE THAN 15 COUNTRIES IN THE REGION. RESULTS ARE BEING ANALYZED IN PREPARATION FOR IN-DEPTH SURVEYS AND FOR THE TRAINING AND TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE ACTIVITIES SCHEDULED FOR PHASE II OF THE PROJECT. IICA HAS REORGAINZED FOR GREATER UTILIZATION OF THE LACPLAN PROJECT. IN VIEW OF IICA"S ACCELERATED ACTIVITIES AND INCREASED CAPAILITY, AUTHORS RECOMMEND REDESIGNING IMPLEMENTATION AND FINANCIAL PLANS. IN ADDITION TO DEVELOPING PLANNING CAPABILITIES WITHIN INDIVIDUAL COUNTRIES, THE REGIONAL NETWORK OF LACPLAN ENCOURAGES PROFESSIONAL INTERACTION AMONG PLANNERS IN VARIOUS COUNTRIES. THUS, THE LESS DEVELOPED INSTITUTIONS CAN BENEFIT FROM THEIR MORE EXPERIENCED NEIGHBORS.