INERA support project

Special PES covers the period through 10/82 and is based on document review, site visits, and interviews with project and INERA personnel. The project"s primary achievement has been to increase the research capacity of Zairian scientists at INERA"s Mulungu Research Station through overseas and on-the-job training. The legume program, which has produced quantitative and qualitative improvements in germplasm stocks, has been more successful than the soils program, which has suffered from personnel shortages, failure to identify a participant trainee in soil classification, the limited ability of Zairian personnel to design experiments, inadequate supplies of chemicals, and frequent electrical outages. Only one of three planned soil divisions is operational. Other problems affecting both research programs and endangering the ultimate sustainability of project activities have included: lack of planning; inadequate logistics support; limited laboratory equipment and vehicles; inadequate planning and follow-up of off-station research trials; poor working relationships among expatriate, Mulungu, INERA, and other GOZ personnel; and INERA"s failure to make long-term plans and its limited involvement in project management. The most serious obstacles to project sustainability, however, are limited funding on the part of the Government of Zaire and the project"s failure to develop the management capabilities of Zairian personnel. To increase the chances of sustainability, it is recommended that the project be extended until 12/31/84, and that legume and soil research be phased into a follow-on project thereafter. The follow-on project should emphasize: inclusion of Zairian counterparts in initial activities; cooperation by responsible organizations in agricultural research planning; adequate salaries and benefits for counterparts; integration of logistics; and provision of an equipment consultant to supervise parts reordering and provide operation and maintenance instruction.