NIGER MARSHLANDS SURVEY PROJECT

EVALUATION COVERS THE PERIOD FROM 8/76 TO 10/79 AND WAS CONDUCTED BY A CONTRACTOR ON THE BASIS OF ONSITE VISITS TO FIVE PROJECT AREAS AND INTERVIEWS WITH PROJECT PERSONNEL. A SURVEY OF SMALL MARSHY LAKES (MARES) WAS ACCOMPLISHED IN THE SAY ARRONDISSEMENT OF NIAMEY DEPARTMENT. THE STUDY, ALTHOUGH LACKING IN QUANTITATIVE STYLE, WAS USEFUL. A GOOD TECHNICAL DOSSIER EXISTS ONLY FOR THE KOULBOU MARE. A SURVEY AND HYDROLOGIC WORK ON THE TELOUESS KORI MARE, WHILE USEFUL, LACKS THE SOIL INFORMATION REQUIRED IN A TECHNICAL DOSSIER. DATA ACQUISITION AND CATALOGING NECESSARY FOR AVOIDING REPETITION AND GUIDING FUTURE PROJECTS WERE NOT ACCOMPLISHED. THE LIMINIMETRIC WORK DONE IN THE TAHOUN AND ZINDER DEPARTMENTS WAS UNACCOMPANIED BY ANY DATA ON DRAINAGE BASIN AREA, WELL YIELDS, OR QUANTITATIVE ESTIMATIONS. TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE PROVIDED TO GENIE RURAL BY PEACE CORPS VOLUNTEERS (PCV'S) WAS OF VARYING QUALITY. THE ORIGINAL PCV'S WERE POOR TECHNICIANS AND TWO OF THEM LEFT THE PROJECT PREMATURELY, CAUSING PROJECT DELAYS. LATER, FIVE PCV'S PERFORMED WELL IN CONDUCTING TOPOGRAPHIC SURVEYS. THE MAJOR IMPACT OF THE PROJECT WAS USAID'S OUTFITTING OF THE FIVE SURVEY TEAMS WITH EQUIPMENT ADAPTED TO GENIE RURAL'S NEEDS. YET, GENIE RURAL DISPLAYED AN INDIFFERENT ATTITUDE THE PROJECT, PRESUMABLY BECAUSE THE PROJECT DID NOT MEET ITS NEEDS OF TECHNICAL SUPPORT AND BECAUSE IT LOST CONTROL OF THE PROJECT, WHICH BECAME A BURDEN TO ITS INFRASTRUCTURE. NONE OF THE TECHNICAL STUDIES FROM THIS PROJECT HAVE LED TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF SURFACE WATER PROJECTS. IN ANY CASE, THE NIGER GOVERNMENT'S NEED FOR SUCH STUDIES IS APPARENT. THE AVAILABILITY OF SKILLED MANPOWER IS ESSENTIAL IF THIS PROJECT IS TO ACCOMPLISH ITS GOALS.