Fertility impacts of development programs in Asia

PES covers the stated period 10/78-8/80 (but includes updated infomation through 9/81) and is based mainly on an attached 8/80 special evaluation (PD-AAL-246). Due to vigorous and competent leadership by the Population Council (PC), the grantee, good progress is being made. Demand for TA has risen dramatically since the 8/80 evaluation and both Mission and LDC personnel regard PC staff highly. Frequent informal contact betwen PC staff and its LDC and Mission counterparts has enabled PC to be responsive rather than directive in its approach to TA. As of mid-1981, 7 workshops have been held on country-specific fertility determinants and sector-specific factors influencing demand for family planning services; these have proven extremely effective in advancing the project"s objectives. During the project"s first year, few quality research proposals were received; however, PC then began more active efforts to attract research and all study funds have now been allocated to technically sound research activities. Altogether, 50 proposals have been received, of which 3 have been approved and 8 remain in active review. Information dissemination to researchers and policymakers was initially weak, but improved during 1981. A brochure on funding resources for fertility research, workshop reports on rural development and development planning, and four other publications on fertility topics have been published and distributed. It is expected that information dissemination will take on increasing importance during the final months of the grant. Lessons learned: PC has demonstrated its capacity to learn from experience; and, in TA projects, attempts should be made to utilize organizations that work directly from LDC locations, rather than out of a U.S. headquarters. Action decisions are to: arrange for continued monitoring of research subgrants and dissemination of findings; and possibly fund ongoing TA and information dissemination activities if initiatives in the latter area continue to develop, with funding to be channeled through other PC programs or through specific project-oriented case studies.