PL-480 TITLE II, FOOD FOR PEACE

480 Title II program in Indonesia. Evaluation covers the period 7/77-7/80 and is based on onsite visits and interviews with Government of Indonesia (GOI) and project personnel, and with program beneficiaries. Three types of programs received allocations -- Mother Child Health (MCH), Food for Work (FFW), and Transmigration. In addition, commodities were provided to GOI disaster and emergency relief efforts. The FFW and MCH programs were occasionally interrupted by diversion of commodities to disaster areas or by late arrivals of commodities. Nonetheless, in FY 79, 100% of the targeted recipients were reached and 100% of the commodities utilized. A total of 20,587 metric tons (mt"s) of food were distributed to 307,000 recipients, and another 5,305 mt"s were authorized for emergency relief. MCH program rations have encouraged mothers to bring their children for weight checks, and to enroll in health and nutrition classes. The completed FFW projects appear to have increased economic and social benefits in the local community. Assistance to GOI transmigration efforts helped resettle the poor from Java to less densely populated islands. Support to disaster and emergency relief was successful in alleviating famine in drought-prone areas. Due to insufficient GOI budget support, funds for inland handling and transportation costs were difficult to obtain. The GOI, however, has now agreed to provide funds for specific projects, times, and commodities. Another crucial problem is the depletion of each ration"s nutritive and protein value, due to the inclusion of rice in the FY 80 program. A.I.D. plans to eliminate rice from MCH programs in FY 81 and from all Title II programs by FY 83. A basic weakness in all three programs is the failure to keep precise records of achievement. USAID will work with the PVO"s to develop improved information-gathering procedures. A final problem is the difficulty PVO"s have in retaining trained personnel because of low salaries. One unplanned effect of the program has been the development of a cadre of trained local nationals with useful technical and managerial skills.