FISH CULTURE EXTENSION PROJECT - CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC

This terminal evaluation covers the period from 1975 to 9/79 and is based on project documentation, data from past monitoring activities, and a short on-site inspection. The project is being managed by the Peace Corps (PC). Under trying political and economic circumstances, which resulted in minimal contributions to the project by the Government of the Central African Republic (GOCAR), the project basically succeeded in meeting production and beneficiary targets. Over the life of the project, 1,835 ponds were in production, and yielded a total of 29,391 kg of fish to 1,451 participating farmers. The latter figure, although below the planned target of 2,800 farmers, is considered highly acceptable within the aforementioned constraints. A total of 163,700 fingerlings were stocked over the past five years. While production has not reached 10,000 per month, many farmers are now producing their own fingerling supply. In addition, GOCAR staff benefitted from on-the-job training and material support and some employment generation resulted from station construction and from improved management practices. M"Baiki station is reasonably well managed and should be able to continue without PC assistance, but extension services are limited by lack of adequate transportation, a situation that will worsen if the mobylette is not replaced. Project experience indicates that logistic problems are extremely difficult in CAR. Future activities should be planned with this in mind. Further, since economic conditions are likely to keep GOCAR support minimal for several years, AID projects should either relate to areas of top GOCAR priority, e.g., infrastructure, or should be self-sustaining or manageable independently by the PC or other PVO. Evaluators recommend that AID continue to finance the program through the AID/AFR/RA Improved Rural Technology Project.