Panama watershed management evaluation report

Special evaluation covers the period 1979-83 and is based on interviews, document review, and a site visit. Progress has been impressive, especially in developing RENARE's institutional capablities by the addition of 84 professionals and 203 subprofessionals, although contrary to project design more were placed in the central office than in the field. Earlier problems of financial management and procedure are no longer major impediments. However, budget uncertainties and frequent leadership changes within RENARE still hinder project implementation. The benefits of TA to RENARE have been limited due to contracting delays, lack of contractor qualifications, and the way the TA was used; a new long-term TA contractor is recommended and future consultants should work with RENARE's top leadership in the area of natural resource planning and administration. Participant training of 45 people (42 of whom have returned) in 16 different courses has strengthened RENARE's technical competence and esprit de corps, especially within the Department of National Parks and Wildlife, while on-the-job training has improved financial management of the A.I.D. loan. Due to resource constraints, little progress has been made in the education and research component; a large-scale natural resource education program and acquisition of aerial photography or remote sensing data are recommended. RENARE has taken a strong step toward introducing integrated WM to local farmers and herders in programs in the La Villa and Caldera watersheds. Community participation has been strong in both programs, but weak in the Canal watershed, even though the latter has received the lion's share of loan support. Coordination of WM activities with other public and private entities is recommended, as is the protection of parks and streams rather than reforestation, which in the Canal watershed has not been cost-effective. USAID/P project management neglected overall managerial and programmatic support and its attempts to hasten implementation were counterproductive. Recommendations to improve USAID/P management during an extension of the project, also recommended, are made.