NCDC cooperative oilseed processing management; end of project evaluation

Final contractor report, attached to a PES (PD-AAL-694), covers the period 8/78-4/82 and is based on document review, interviews with project implementors, and site visits. Although achievement of targets appears minimal, innovations in production/planning/control, raw material grading/storage, and processing efficiency (three of 10 targeted areas of the management and operations system) substantially improved cottonseed, groundnut, and soybean processing at five model plants. Full adoption of all project innovations could double the industry"s current oil production, but such an eventuality presupposes a very complex technical, managerial, and training process. Training was limited, with only six of a targeted 32 plant managers trained (12 more trainees are anticipated). The training was not integrated into a system of needs analysis, technical support, and evaluation; no one was trained in the application of all the innovations developed. A three-volume draft operations manual was distributed, but does not yet include the training material envisioned. Centralized formal employment of trainers/consultants was not achieved, as a proposed National Association of Cooperative Oilseed Processors (NACOP) remained unformed. This contributed to the project"s lack of success in extending innovations to other processing plants. Other obstacles included the unforeseen need for financing of longer-term studies needed to assess the unique character and needs of each plant. To fully realize the project"s potential, it will be necessary to develop and test systems and procedures which have been targeted but not yet fully addressed, as well as three unanticipated systems (procurement planning/financing, planning/maintaining the integration of equipment capacities, and a management synthesis of production planning, technology, and financial planning/management). Further development and extension of project innovations by providing training and technical support to cooperative processing units will also be needed. Nine suggestions to improve the project are included.