PL-480 TITLE II PROGRAM SPECIAL EVALUATION

This onsite evaluation covers the period 5/78-11/79 and is based primarily on individual interviews. Evaluation emphasis is on operations during the last four years of the 25-year project, which distributed food through Government of Costa Rica (GOCR) primary/pre-school and maternal feeding programs. A major failing was the inadequate inspection by CARE of GOCR redistribution at the feeding center level -- only the school feeding programs in one province were visited in the last year and a half and actions were rarely taken on problems noted in inspection visits. Many ineligible adults in old-age homes received the commodities for five or more years. Lack of CARE program planning inhibited adaptation to Costa Rican needs; for example, the high-protein, low-calorie foods supplied prevented the attainment of a balanced diet for recipients. Lastly, the project failed to reach children in the 0-3 age group despite the finding that 80% of all deaths due to malnutrition occur to this group. Project-supported nutrition centers neglected isolated rural areas and reached only 10% of the targeted age group. However, during the life of the project, the number of malnourished children dropped from 54% to 44% and permanent, indigenous-supported child feeding programs were established. Specific recommendations are: (1) CARE's inspection should be geographically broadened, include all feeding programs, and prevent redistribution of food to old age homes; (2) the justification for primary school feeding programs should be re-examined and a new emphasis placed on take-home food programs to target the greater needs of the 0-3 year old child and the pregnant or lactating mother; (3) the composition of Title II foods should be altered to supply more high calorie foods; (4) more functional and acceptable foods for household use should be developed. CARE should develop annual schedules of inspections, an improved beneficiary reporting system, and a new program description if it is to continue administering PL-480 in Costa Rica.