MULTIPLE CROPPING PROJECT, USAID/EL SALVADOR; AND THE CENTRO NACIONAL DE TECNOLOGIA AGRICOLA - TRIP REPORT

A SECONDARY PURPOSE IS AN ANALYSIS OF CENTA PER SE, SINCE THIS HAS SO MANY IMPLICATIONS FOR THE PROJECT. CENTA WAS ESTABLISHED IN 1942 AND IS A CONVENTIONAL RESEARCH AND EXTENSION ORGANIZATION. IT EMPHASIZES BASIC GRAINS AND GENETICS AND RELIES HEAVILY ON MODERN INPUTS SUCH AS CREDIT, FERTILIZER, HERBICIDES, PESTICIDES AND CERTIFIED HYBRID SEED. OPERATING STYLE CONSISTS IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF A COMMERCIAL TECHNOLOGY AND IN THE PERSUADING OF FARMERS TO ADAPT IT WITH WHATEVER MATERIAL ASSISTANCE THE PUBLIC SECTOR CAN PROVIDE. THE RESEARCH DIVISION IS DIVIDED INTO DEPARTMENTS INCLUDING AGRICULTURE, HOME ECONOMICS AND YOUTH WORK. MULTIPLE CROPPING (MC) HAS AN INTER-DISCIPLINARY GROUP ATTACHED TO IT, BUT PLACES ALMOST ALL OF ITS EMPHASIS ON CROPS AND CLOSELY RELATED DISCIPLINES. IT APPEARS THAT MC HAS NOT YET BEEN MADE RELEVANT TO SPECIFIC GROUPS OF SMALL FARMERS. THE MAJOR OBSTACLE IN MAKING MC RELEVANT IS THE STYLE OF OPERATION THAT EMPHASIZES COMMODITIES AND MODERN BIOLOGICAL AND CHEMICAL TECHNOLOGIES SURROUNDING THOSE COMMODITIES. INADEQUATE ATTENTION IS GIVEN TO THE FARMER AND TO ECONOMIC TECHNOLOGY AND PERHAPS OTHER SOCIAL FACTORS. SHORT-TERM ALTERNATIVES RECOMMENDED ARE: RE-DESIGNING THE PROJECT TO BETTER MEET THE NEEDS, CURRENT TECHNOLOGY AND RESOURCE ENDOWMENT OF THE FARMER AND FORMING A CENTER EXTENSION SERVICE WITHIN CENTA. IT IS ALSO NECESSARY TO ADDRESS THE PROBLEM OF MATERIAL SUPPORT TO THE FIELD EXTENSION WORKERS AND TO FORM LINKAGES WITH THOSE ENTITIES THAT GRANT AUTHORITY AND ALLOCATE RESOURCES. A LONG TERM EXPANSION PLAN IS RECOMMENDED FOR CENTA, WITH SPECIAL ATTENTION GIVEN TO LIVESTOCK AND MANPOWER DEVELOPMENT.