LETTER AUDIT REPORT USAID/BRAZIL DEVELOPMENT OF HIGH QUALITY PROTEIN IN CORN PROJECT NO. 512-15-130-298.3

PROJECT HAS ACTED AS A CATALYST TO ACTIVATE RESEARCH AMONG 12 PUBLIC AND PRIVATE BRAZILIAN INSTITUTIONS. PURDUE RESEARCH FOUNDATION, THE CONTRACTOR, HAS SUPPLIED A FULL-TIME MAIZE GENETICIST AND 4 SHORT-TERM CONSULTANTS, SUBMITTED ALL SEMI-ANNUAL REPORTS IN A SATISFACTORY MANNER, AND SATISFACTORILY CONDUCTED ACADEMIC RESEARCH AND NUTRITIONAL TRIALS ON HIGH QUALITY PROTEIN CORN (OPAQUE-2). AID HAS PROVIDED LABORATORY EQUIPMENT REQUIRED FOR CORN BIOCHEMICAL ANALYSIS & PROVIDED FUNDS FOR 11 BRAZILIANS TO RECEIVE ACADEMIC (PLANT SCIENCE, PLANT & CORN GENETICS, BIOCHEMISTRY, NUTRITION, ETC) OR TECHNICAL TRAINING IN THE US AND BRAZIL.FEDERAL UNIVERSITY OF VICOSA (UFV) HAS DEVELOPED BOTH SYNTHETIC AND HYBRIDE VARIETIES OF CORN HIGH IN PROTEIN (LYSINE); AND ACCUMULATED CONSIDERABLE SUPPLIES FOR CORN BREEDING DUE TO AN ACTIVE EXCHANGE OF GERM PLASM WITH NUMEROUS PUBLIC AND PRIVATE INSTITUTIONS IN BRAZIL AND ABROAD. RESEARCH HAS REVEALED THAT OPAQUE-2 COULD BE USED ADVANTAGEOUSLY TO SUPPLEMENT THE DIET OF CHILDREN FROM AGES 1-6 YEARS,AND TO FATTEN HOGS MORE ECONOMICALLY THAN TRADITIONAL CORN VARIETIES. THESE RESEARCH RESULTS WERE DISSEMINATED BY TECHNICAL MEETINGS AND SEMINARS; INFORMAL CONTACTS WITH BREEDERS;AND BY PROFESSIONALS AND SMALL FARMERS ALIKE. ALTHOUGH CONTRACT TERMINATION HAS RESULTED IN A SHARP DECLINE IN RESEARCH DUE TO REDUCED FUNDING,7 PUBLIC AND 5 PRIVATE INSTITUTIONS IN BRAZIL ARE CURRENTLY CONDUCTING THEIR OWN HIGH LYSINE CORN BREEDING PROGRAMS. NEW LABORATORY FACILITIES AT UFV ARE CURRENTLY UNABLE TO MEET RESEARCH DEMANDS. NO RECOMMENDATIONS WERE MADE.