National cereals research and extension project

PES covers the period 8/79-10/83 and is based on an attached special evaluation (XD-AAN-808). The project has been well-conceived and the quality/quantity of research conducted by the TA researchers and counterparts at the Bambui, Dschang, Maroua, Nkolbisson, Foumbot, and Ekona research stations has been excellent. USAID/C funding and leadership have been considerable; also, the GOC has been generally supportive, and Cameroonian farmers have been receptive to research results. Recommendations are made for several problem areas. (1) Additional testing and liaison units (TLU"s) should be added at Ekona and Nkolbisson (for a total of three); staffing at each TLU should be reduced from two to one. Rather than directly conducting extension programs, TLU"s should cooperate with existing extension services (e.g., primarily the Ministry of Agriculture) by providing technical information, planting materials, and research personnel for extension training. (2) USAID/C should hire three additional cereal agronomists, at Foumbot, Nkolbisson, and Maroua. (3) Two additional Cameroonian counterparts should be trained in rice agronomy, physiology, and entomology and all long-term trainees should receive Ph.D."s. (4) To measure future project impact on cereal productivity, baseline benchmarks should be established and data collection begun (e.g., on research accomplishments, varieties released, etc.). (5) The GOC should, inter alia: improve project research facilities and provide better equipment; improve counterpart recruitment practices; establish a national board to approve new cereal varieties for production and a full-scale seed program; develop and improve extension cooperation; and reassess the food-crop pricing/marketing system. Action decisions include to determine how many additional agronomists should be hired, how many TLU"s should be added and where, and how the TLU"s should be staffed.