PL-480 Title II program and outreach grant : CRS/Sudan

480, Title II food assistance to the Sudan through Catholic Relief Services (CRS). PES covers the period 6/80-3/82 and is based on document review and site visits. The project is on track. Issues raised in the 6/80 evaluation have been or are being resolved and Bellmon Amendment requirements that food be adequately stored and not interfere with domestic production/marketing and are being met. Findings on issues identified in the evaluation scope of work are: (1) CRS-Ministry of Health (MOH) working arrangements to allow CRS"s maternal/child health program to continue are still being negotiated. USAID/S recommends withholding further funding if no agreement is reached by 4/22/82. (2) Due to MOH reluctance to resolve the problem of recipient contributions by applying a levy to each ration to cover administrative and inland transportation costs, CRS had suspended distributions in Khartoum province in 7/81, reducing the overall volume of commodity distributions by 50-60% during FY 82. The MOH now endorces recipient contributions. (3) High transportation costs have precluded expansion into Darfur and Kordofan provinces. CRS, as is reasonable, will extend services only to provinces where program infrastructure already exists. (4) A review of operations and records systems at one public and one private clinic found that the CRS growth surveillance system was used, weights were recorded and charted, and commodities correctly distributed and stored at both; operations at the private center were outstanding. (5) The nutrition/health education component has only had marginal success and high costs have prevented highly nutritive rations from being distributed. However, the MOH/CRS food program has helped the MOH to serve the lower economic strata in Khartoum province and CRS"s education program has helped advance MOH objectives. (The evaluation scope of work did not include a study of the program"s nutritional impact.) (6) CRS has given priority to commodity receipt, transport, and distribution systems, including accounting for recipient contributions. Account ledgers are scrupulously monitored by the CRS Commodity Management Officer and food distribution is being duly monitored.