IMPROVED WATER AND LAND USE IN THE SIERRA

EVALUATION, PREPARED BY A LOCAL CONTRACTOR AND USAID PROJECT MANAGER, IS BASED ON REVIEW OF PROJECT DOCUMENTS AND ON-SITE INSPECTIONS BY USAID PERSONNEL. PROJECT TRANSFER TO THE DIRECCION GENERAL EJECUTIVA (DGE) AND CONSEQUENT STAFFING DELAYS HAVE CONSIDERABLY DELAYED IMPLEMENTATION. US TRAINING PROGRAM HAS BEEN TRANSFERRED TO MEXICO DUE TO LACK OF ENGLISH-SPEAKING CANDIDATES. FEASIBILITY STUDIES HAVE BEEN COMPLETED FOR ONLY 5 SUB-PROJECTS (WITH 12 MORE STUDIES UNDERWAY AND 14 PLANNED FOR 1980). ONLY 2 SUB-PROJECTS (CHICCHE AND LA HUAYCHA) HAVE BEEN COMPLETED. TOGETHER, THESE 2 PROVIDE 30 OF 650 PLANNED KMS OF NEW CANALS; 1 OF 8 PLANNED DAMS; DRAINAGE TO 140 OF 1,500 PLANNED HECTARES; NEW/IMPROVED IRRIGATION TO 1,224 IF 27,900 PLANNED HECTARES; AND BENEFIT 970 OF 16,677 TARGETED FAMILIES. DGE HAS ESTABLISHED/STAFFED 2 REGIONAL OFFICES TO MANAGE THESE SUB-PROJECTS AND HAS PROVIDED TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE. THE LATTER HAS BEEN LIMITED, ESPECIALLY IN AGRICULTURAL DEVELOPMENT, DUE TO LACK OF QUALIFIED DGE PERSONNEL. TRAINING PROGRAMS IN POTATO AND DAIRY PRODUCTION, PASTURE MANAGEMENT, AND IRRIGATION, AS WELL AS LIMITED EXTENSION SERVICES, HAVE BEEN PROVIDED TO FARMERS IN THE 2 AREAS. NO DATA ON CROP PRODUCTION ARE AVAILABLE. IT IS RECOMMENDED THAT: (1) PROJECT BE EXTENDED AND A FINANCIAL ANALYSIS BE CONDUCTED TO DETERMINE EXTENSION LENGTH; (2) SPECIFIC CONSTRUCTION PLANS BE DEVELOPED TO HASTEN FEASIBILITY STUDY PREPARATION; (3) DGE INCREASE EXTENSION SERVICES IN AGRICULTURAL DEVELOPMENT AND SUPPORT FOR RESEARCH, ADVISORY, AND EVALUATION SERVICES; (4) USAID CONSTRUCTION SUPERVISION ENGINEERS BE IN REGIONAL OFFICES AS SOON AS POSSIBLE; (5) REGIONAL OFFICES STRESS THE AVAILABILITY OF THE CREDIT FUND TO FARMERS AND ACCELERATE LOAN PROCESSING; (6) USAID CHECK WITH GOP TO ASSURE THAT SOCIO-ECONOMIC DATA FOR MEASURING PROJECT IMPACT ARE GATHERED; (7) AID REVIEW AFFORESTATION PLANS FOR THE 2 AREAS (NO TREES HAVE BEEN PLANTED YET).