FINAL REPORT; USAID/EMBRAPA AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH PROJECT; AID LOAN 512-L-077

THO LOAN"S OBJECTIVE WAS TO IMPROVE THE EFFECTIVENESS OF AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH IN BRAZIL. IN SPITE OF INITIAL DELAYS DUE TO REORGANIZATIONS OF THE MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE AND THE SLOW PROCESS OF ESTABLISHING NEW RESEARCH INSTITUTIONS, THE END RESULTS ARE SATISFACTORY. EMBRAPA, THE BRAZILIAN AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH COMPANY, WAS ESTABLISHED BY THE GOB IN 4/73. IT INTEGRATED VARIOUS RESEARCH FUNCIONS FORMERLY WITHIN THE MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE. WITH THE HELP OF "OUTSTANDING" TECHNICIANS FROM US UNIVERSITIES, EMBRAPA ESTABLISHED 4 NATIONAL RESEARCH CENTERS BETWEEN 10/74 AND 4/75: THE NATIONAL RESEARCH CENTER/BEEF CATTLE IN CAMPO GRANDE, MATO GROSSO; THE NATIONAL RESEARCH CENTER/RICE AND BEAN IN THE MUNICIPALITY OF GOIANIA, GOIAS; THE NATIONAL RESEARCH CENTER/SOYBEAN AT THE AGRONOMIC FOUNDATION INSTITUTE OF PARANA IN LONDRINA, PARANA; AND THE NATIONAL RESEARCH CENTER/CORN AND SORGHUM AT SETE LAGOAS, MINAS GERAIS. THESE CENTERS EXECUTE RESEARCH PROJECTS AND COORDINATE THE ACTIVITIES OF STATE AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH COMPANIES AND UNIVERSITIES. EMPRABA DEVELOPED A TECHNOLOGY DISSEMINATION PROGRAM WHEREIN RESEARCHERS, EXTENSION AGENTS, AND PRODUCERS MEET TOGETHER TO CHOOSE OPTIMUM PRODUCTION SYSTEMS. RESEARCHERS REVIEW THE SYSTEMS AND THEN PUBLISH THEM AS "TECHNOLOGICAL PACKAGES" FOR THE REGION CONCERNED. THESE INFORMAL CONTACTS BETWEEN RESEARCHERS, PRODUCERS, AND EXTENSION AGENTS HAS ALLOWED FOR BENEFICIAL INTERACTION BETWEEN THESE GROUPS. FROM 1974 THROUGH 1977, 289 SUCH MEETINGS HAVE BEEN HELD, ELABORATING 707 PRODUCTION SYSTEMS, WITH 9,013 PARTICIPANTS (3,426 PRODUCERS, 2,222 RESEARCHERS, AND 3,365 EXTENSION AGENTS). IN 5/72, LOAN WAS EXPANDED TO INCLUDE RESEARCH PROGRAMS FOR THE NORTHEAST. THE TRAINING COMPONENT OF THE LOAN FINANCED GRADUATE TRAINING IN THE US FOR 154 TECHNICIANS (90 MASTERS AND 64 PHD"S) AND SHORT-TERM TRAINING IN THE US AND THIRD COUNTRIES FOR 108. IN BRAZIL, THE LOAN ENABLED 2,962 EMBRAPA TECHNICIANS TO PARTICIPATE IN TECHNICAL CONCLAVES, MEETINGS, ENGLSH COURSES, ETC.