On-farm water management

Evaluation covers the period 12/77-7/79 and is based on site visits, document review, and interviews with USAID/P and Government of Peru (GOP) officials. The project is on course. The three planned research/demonstration farms in La Molina, Huancayo, and Canete have been constructed, although insufficient GOP funding has impeded their optimal operation. Only three of 18 irrigation field tests planned for the period have been conducted due to the Ministry of Agriculture"s failure to supply enough vehicles. All six water-fertilizer-production interaction studies scheduled to date are complete and 65 of 60 scheduled trials based on these studies were performed. Eight of 10 planned extension bulletins; a manual describing water requirements by crop, month, and soil type for major irrigation districts; and eight of 30 planned manuals on improved small farm irrigation management were prepared. The shortfall in the latter was due to a shortage of qualified GOP personnel. Instead of the targeted 250-300 people, 390 Peruvians have been trained. Seven students are preparing theses and others are performing laboratory exercises. No work has been done on developing alternative energy sources for moving water. Delays have been caused by the late establishment of the Canete research station; funding problems resulting from the as yet unformalized transfer of project authority within the GOP; the insufficient quality and quantity of GOP counterparts; and the lack of GOP funds and mobility for planning field trials. It is recommended that: (1) A.I.D. evaluate the performance of the contractor, Utah State University (USU), in order to restructure USU"s scope of work; (2) the USU engineer devote more time to activities under project 527-0156 and provide technical input to the FY80 Soil Conservation project; and (3) the GOP take immediate action to identify participants and training programs or risk deobligation of budgeted training funds.