Niamey department development project : second interim evaluation

Second interim evaluation covers the period 1983-2/85 and is based on document review, interviews with project personnel, and field visits. Although the recommendation of the 1983 evaluation that the project stress institution building rather than quantitative outputs has led to the improvements noted below, the TA team has generally adopted its own, rather than the project's priorities. As a result, the project as a whole suffers from lack of support services and poor communication and flow of information and evinces a mixed record. While the technical package extended through the farmer training centers (CPT's) has improved, graduates of the CPT program - which only began in 1983 and was hindered by lack of rain in 1984 - have been slow to adopt the package. Project staff and CPT trainers need to better understand the various elements of the package and to support trainee efforts to apply what they have learned. A systematic program to adapt the package to the different growing conditions in the project area should be developed. In regard to strengthening local organizations, the project has improved the credit management system notably; past accounts and loan records have been reconciled and brought up to date, and a computerized management information system is being established for the National Agricultural Credit Fund (CNCA). The project has also established a sound input distribution and inventory management system and made progress in training cooperative managers. Steps are being taken in both of these components to transfer management responsibility to local organizations. Both have suffered, however, from inadequate follow-up and logistical support. The project's most obvious impact on strengthening government technical services has been the addition of the CPT's to the agricultural extension program. The CNCA program in Niamey Department has also been strengthened considerably. There has been no impact at all, however, on two very important institutions - the Animation Service and the National Union of Cooperatives, which has replaced the National Credit and Cooperative Union (UNCC). Numerous recommendations address these issues as the project moves into Phase III.