Final evaluation report of the Sokine University of Agriculture/Tuskegee University linkage project

The project was conducted as part of the regional Human Resources Development for Africa (HRDA) project. The project began slowly and should have been monitored more closely by the Mission. Serious progress did not occur until 1993, when new SUA personnel took over, informed the Faculty of Agriculture of the project, and held seminars to explain project functions and responsibilities. Unfortunately, the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine was informed too late to allow them to participate productively, and serious time constraints forced the shortening of research projects and lowered the number of proposals submitted. Nonetheless, Tuskegee did positively affect SUA"s teaching and outreach programs, by helping to develop a new applied problem-oriented curriculum and improve student practica, developing approaches for problem solving (e.g., applied research training, gender sensitization), and disseminating innovations (e.g., outreach programs, computer seminars). Extension workers and smallholders also benefited from training programs and applied research in such areas as ox-weeders, carts, and dairy goat production. In addition, six SUA personnel received advanced U.S. training. The project"s results, though limited, will be sustainable if funds are available for additional and duplicate research and technology transfer. USAID/T should continue its support of this project.