Operation mils mopti (OMM)

THE EVALUATION COVERS THE PERIOD 6/30/76 - 1/1/79. AID PROGRAMMED $8,875,000 AND THE GRM (GOVERNMENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF MALI) HAS PROGRAMMED $1,522,000 TO THE PROJECT. THE MILLET-SORGHUM PRODUCTION COMPONENT OF THE PROJECT HAS RECEIVED THE HIGHEST PRIORITY. OTHER COMPONENTS INCLUDED MARKET GARDENING, WELL CONSTRUCTION, ROAD CONSTRUCTION, AND BLACKSMITHING. THE EVALUATORS CONCLUDE THAT TOO MUCH EMPHASIS WAS PLACED ON GRAIN PRODUCTION AND MARKETING, AND NOT ENOUGH EMPHASIS WAS GIVEN TO THE OVERALL WELFARE OF THE RURAL POOR. GRM POLICIES HAVE MAINTAINED ARTIFICIALLY LOW PRICES AND DISCOURAGED THE PRODUCTION OF ALTERNATIVE CROPS. EVALUATORS NOTE THAT THE EXISTENCE OF A PARALLEL MARKET, WHICH OFFERS HIGHER PRICES, HAS STIMULATED PRODUCTION AND ENCOURAGED THE USE OF FERTILIZERS. HOWEVER, FOR THE MOST PART, IT HAS ONLY BEEN THE LARGER FARMERS WHO HAVE BEEN ABLE TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THIS PARALLEL MARKET. (SMALLER FARMERS MUST SELL MOST OF THEIR SURPLUS TO THE GOVERNMENT BECAUSE OF MARKET CROP QUOTAS.) THE INITIAL MILLET TECHNICAL PACKAGE WAS BASED ON THE M2D2 VARIETY, THOUGHT TO BE SUPERIOR TO LOCAL VARIETIES. THIS SUPPOSITION DID NOT PROVE ACCURATE, AND FARMERS HAVE CONTINUED TO USE LOCAL VARIETIES. THE OMM (OPERATION MILS MOPTI) EXTENSION DIVISION ADOPTED A "PILOT FARMER APPROACH" WHICH HAS BEEN CRITICISED BECAUSE IT REACHES ONLY A SMALL SAMPLE OF THE POPULATION, AND BECAUSE THE "PILOT FARMERS" HAVE BEEN WEALTHIER THAN MOST. THE MAJOR WEAKNESSES OF THE CREDIT SYSTEM HAS BEEN INADEQUATE INFORMATION ON THE AVAILABILITY AND CONDITIONS OF CREDIT, LIMITED FLEXIBILITY OF TERMS, AND THE LACK OF CREDIT FOR THE PURCHASE OF DRAFT ANIMALS. EVALUATORS CONCLUDE THAT MUCH GREATER ATTENTION SHOULD BE GIVEN TO ALTERNATIVE CROPS, CROP ROTATION, INTERCROPPING, INTEGRATION OF LIVESTOCK INTO THE FARMING SYSTEM, MANAGED FALLOW SYSTEMS,ETC. THE FREQUENT TURN-OVER OF HIGH-LEVEL PERSONNEL (4 DIRECTORS IN THE PAST 2 YEARS) ALSO HURT PROJECT PERFORMANCE. THIS REPORT IS ATTACHED TO PES DATED 7/12/79 (DOCID B6880202001501).