INTERNATIONAL AGRICULTURAL ECONOMICS SEMINAR PROGRAM

EVALUATION COVERS THE PERIOD 6/77 TO 6/79, AND INCLUDED A SURVEY OF AID EMPLOYEES TO DETERMINE THEIR IMPRESSION OF THE PROGRAM AND A REVIEW OF PROJECT DATA. IN THE PAST TWO YEARS, 15 CONFERENCES WERE HELD ON POLICY AND PROBLEM AREAS -- SUCH AS TRAINING AND EDUCATION. EIGHT REPORTS WERE PRODUCED AND DISSEMINATED TO 11,800 INDIVIDUALS. THE RTN (RESEARCH TRAINING NETWORK) STAFF CONSISTS OF A DIRECTOR AND AN ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT. THE RTN PROGRAM HAS BEEN BROADENED SINCE ITS INCEPTION, WITH THE STAFF NOW RESPONSIBLE FOR ORGANIZING SEMINARS OF WIDELY DIVERSE SUBJECTS OVER A BROAD RANGE OF DISCIPLINES, INSTITUTIONAL AFFILIATIONS, AND LOCATIONS. EVALUATION TEAM RECOMMENDS THAT THE RTN STAFF BE EXPANDED AND RELOCATED OVERSEAS. ALSO, SOURCES OF ADDITIONAL FUNDING SHOULD BE SOUGHT OUT. FOR EXAMPLE, JOINT FUNDING WITH IIA, PPC OR THE PROPOSED INSTITUTE FOR SCIENTIFIC AND TECHNOLOGICAL COOPERATION COULD BE EXPLORED. PROJECT EXPERIENCE DEMONSTRATED THAT FORWARD FUNDING IS NECESSARY TO SUCCESSFULLY IMPLEMENT THE SEMINAR/WORKSHOPS. IN ADDITION, CONTINUED LINKAGES WITH AID/W REGIONAL BUREAUS AND USAID"S ARE CRITICAL TO INSURE THE RELEVANCY AND ACTUAL USE OF THE INFORMATION GENERATED BY THE RTN PROGRAM. THE EVALUATION COMMITTEE STRONGLY RECOMMENDS THAT THE RTN PROGRAM BE CONTINUED. PROJECT PAPER (EXTENDING THE PROJECT) IS ATTACHED.