ORGANIZING AND MANAGING TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE : LESSONS FROM THE MAASAI RANGE MANAGEMENT PROJECT

DEVELOPMENT ALTERNATIVES, INC PROVIDED 6 MAN-WEEKS OF TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE TO THE EVALUATION, WHICH WAS UNDERTAKEN IN MAY 1979. USAID HAS PROVIDED US $5 MILLION TO THE PROJECT, RESULTING IN A WIDE VARIETY OF OUTPUTS INCLUDING DEEP AND SHALLOW WELLS, DAMS, CATTLE DIPS, A RURAL TRAINING CENTER, PARTICIPANT TRAINING, VETERINARY SERVICES, STOCK IMPROVEMENT PROGRAMS, AND RANGE MANAGEMENT PLANS. THE NEAR EAST FOUNDATION HAS PROVIDED PROJECT TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE. LESSONS LEARNED DURING THIS PROJECT WERE NUMEROUS AND INCLUDE THE FOLLOWING: (1) CHIEFS OF PARTY SHOULD HAVE PLANNING/MANAGEMENT/ADMINISTRATIVE CAPABILITIES AS WELL AS TECHNICAL EXPERTISE: (2) AUTHORITY SHOULD BE CONCENTRATED WITHIN THE PROJECT AREA WITH THE CHEIF OF PARTY AND HIS COUNTERPART AS CENTRAL ACTORS; (3) OVERALL A FLEXIBLE IMPLEMENTATION APPROACH MUST BE TAKEN, ESPECIALLY IN A 10-YEAR PROJECT; (4) A LIAISON OFFICE SHOULD BE ESTABLISHED IN THE PORT CITY TO FREE THE CHIEF OF PARTY FROM EXCESSIVE CONCENTRATION ON PROCUREMENTS; (5) PARTICIPANT TRAINING SHOULD BE AN INTEGRAL PART OF THE PROJECT ACTIVITIES; AND (6) RIGID MAINTENANCE AND INVENTORY OF VEHICLES ARE CRITICAL TO PROJECT SUCCESS. EVALUATORS ALSO NOTE THAT AN EXTENDED START-UP PERIOD IS NEEDED TO FOCUS ON LANGUAGE PROFICIENCY, KNOWLEDGE OF THE LOCALITY, AND DEVELOPMENT OF REPORTING PROCEDURES. IN ADDITION EXPATRIATE TECHNICIANS MUST BE WILLING TO WORK TOWARD THE DEVELOPMENT OF PROBLEM SOLUTIONS WHICH ARE FEASIBLE FOR TANZANIA RATHER THAN IMPORTING THE MOST ADVANCED TECHNIQUES OF THEIR PROFESSION.