KOREAN AGRICULTURAL PLANNING PROJECT - FINAL REPORT, 1974-1977

Evaluation covers the period 1/74-12/77 and consists of the MSU Project Director"s final report. The author expressly avoids output statistics since they are not indicative of project success in this case and MAF may take years to implement some of MSU"s suggestions. The assumption that MAF was ready to overcome its organizational problems was proven wrong. MSU filled three, and later four, long-term positions under the project. Two consecutive policy analysts had difficulty putting their recommendations through to the appropriate MAF personnel. However, some suggestions, such as a 1976 suggestion that MAF broaden research and development beyond rice to accommodate the growing demand for a greater variety of foods, were adopted. Another consultant, the agricultural outlook analyst, was assigned no MAF counterparts with which to work and was later assigned by the MAF to work with the National Agricultural Economic Research Institute (NAERI), which had no qualified staff in his field. Two program and project evaluation analysts assigned to the Agricultural Development Corporation (ADC), though, were relatively succesful in meeting the major objectives stated in the contract with the ADC. They supervised on-the-job training, workshops, and seminars relating to economic analysis, engineering, and agronomic input into water and land development projects, but they had little opportunity to influence MAF policy. Another consultant, the agricultural statistics analyst, received an extension of his contract to complete a software package, but the package was not viewed favorably or utilized by MAF. The evaluator recommends that in future projects of this type, commitments regarding host country provision of logistical support and counterpart personnel should be obtained in advance and that such projects should be loan-financed to encourage greater host government participation. A list of Korean Agricultural Planning Project publications is appended.