Print media for farm families

PES covers the period 8/83-8/84 and is based on site visits and discussions with USAID/H, grantee, and subcontractor personnel. The project is developing as planned. The grantee, Simon Bolivar Foundation (SBF), a Colombian PVO, has provided a solid institutional base upon which to develop the publication by establishing a private, nonprofit Honduran organization called AVANCE. It is hoped that the carefully-balanced AVANCE Board of Directors will insulate the newspaper from excessive political influence. The rural newspaper concept has sparked strong interest and enthusiasm at high levels in the Honduran public and private sectors as well as at the U.S. Embassy and USAID/H. Professional and technical staff for the paper have been recruited in Honduras and sent to Bogota for training by Accion Cultural Popular (ACPO) - the Colombian affiliate of SBF"s U.S. subcontractor. The training, which combines classroom discussion with hands-on experience in newspaper planning, writing, production, and distribution, is apparently first-rate. The rural newspaper will soon begin test marketing, with full-scale publication and sales expected in late 1984. The newspaper must be astute in its understanding of the changing political environment if the project objective of eventual financial self-sufficiency is to be met. Project expenses have been higher than expected and it appears likely that newspaper activities planned for a second (and possible third) country will not be undertaken. Some reprogramming of funds in Honduras will also be needed. An unplanned effect has been a decision (independent of the project) by members of the AVANCE Board of Directors to finance training for two groups of Honduran campesino leaders at ACPO"s rural leadership training institute in Colombia. Finally, the project"s Colombian leadership has been unexpectedly cautious, sensitive, and effective, indicating that use of competent third-country organizations may prove a useful tactic in politically sensitive Central America. An action decision to transfer project management from LAC/DR to USAID/H is made.