NUTRITION IMPROVEMENT (8/6/79)

EVAL COVERS THE PERIOD 9/78 TO 7/79. THIS INTERNAL EVAL CONSISTED OF A REVIEW OF PROJ DOCUMENTS & REPORTS &DISCUSSIONS WITH PROJ PRINCIPALS. CONSIDERABLE PROGRESS WAS ACHEIVED DESPITE THE USE OF MULTI-MINISTERIAL COMMITTEES IN A COUNTRY UNACCUSTOMED TO SUCH COOPERATIVE FORMATS. THREE OF THE FOUR PLANNED INTER-MINISTERIAL WORKING GROUPS (CONCERNING NUTRITION PLANNING,NUTRITION EDUCATION,AND SUPPLEMENTARY FEEDING) HAVE BEEN MEETING & DEVELOPING PLANS. THE PROJ SUFFERED FROM RECRUITMENT & CONTRACTING DIFFICULTIES -- SPECIFICALLY IN REPLACING A NUTRITION ADVISOR & AN INTERMEDIATE NUTRITION PLANNER. IN ADDITION,THE INABILITY OF THE MINISTRY OF PLANNING TO ADVANCE FUNDS FOR THE PROJ & DIFFICULTIES IN ESTABLISHING A ROTATING FUND WITH AN ADVANCE FROM AID GAVE A STUMBLING IMAGE TO THE PROJ. RECENT GUIDELINES REQUIRING PIO/P"S FOR OBSERVATION TRAVEL THREATEN TO FURTHER DELAY PROJ IMPLEMENTATION. OUTPUTS INCLUDE INITIATION OF ACTION TO DEVELOP A NATL FOOD & NUTRITION INFORMATION SYSTEM; PRESENTATION OF A REPORT BY THE NUTRITION EDUCATION TECHNICAL COMMITTEE TO SERVE AS THE BASIS FOR FUTURE NUTRITION INTERVENTIONS; AND PRESENTATION OF A REPORT ON EXISTING SUPPLEMENTARY FEEDING PROGS BY THE TECHNICAL SUB-COMMITTEE. THE COMMITTEE ALSO DEVELOPED PLANS FOR A RURAL COMMUNITY FEEDING PROG,WHICH IS TO BE SUPPORTED WITH DOMESTIC FOOD STUFFS. INDUSTRIALIZATION OF TORTILLA FLOUR PRODUCTION LAGGED DUE TO THE STOP-AND-GO NATURE OF THE ASSISTANCE OFFERED BY THE GOVT OF MEXICO. OVERALL,FOOD AND NUTRITION ARE RECIEVING INCREASED ATTENTION AT ALL LEVELS OF THE GOES. THUS FAR,THE PROJ HAS HAD NO UNPLANNED EFFECTS. PROJ EXPERIENCE DEMONSTRATES THAT WITH THE CURRENTLY REDUCED AVAILABILITY OF AID BACKSTOPPING AND INCREASED REGULATION OF ALL FORMS AND ASPECTS OF PROCUREMENT, PROJ DESIGNS SHOULD BE SIMPLIFIED TO THE MAXIMUM.