PROJECT COMPLETION REPORT. SCHOOL LUNCH PROJECT, PERU

CARE CNTRCT PURPOSE WAS TO IMPR NUTR OF CHILDREN IN PROGRAMA DE ALIMENTATION ESCOLAR (PAE). SOME EXTRA-CONTRACT FUNDS PROVIDED SOME TRNG, SEMINARS, DEMNSTRATNS, AND TCHG MATRLS. REMAINING BALANCE OF $20, 000 WILL BE USED FOR NATL SCHL LUNCH SEMINAR AND COMPRHNSV PROGRAM EVAL. FULL-TIME SCHL LUNCH PROGRAM SPECIALIST WAS PROVIDED FOR 2-YRS,AS WELL AS PERUVIAN EXPERTS IN ADMIN & BKKPING,AND PART-TIME NUTRNISTS & EDUCATORS. TRNG WAS PROVIDED TO 2,082 PERSONS IN 16 NUTR EDUC COURSES AND TO 2,834 REGIONAL SUPRVSRS THUU 51 COURSES. TRNG WAS COMPLEMENTED BY 1-WK SEMINAR FOR ALL VOLNTRY AGENCIES IN FEEDG PROGRAMS. A NEW PROCEDRS MANUAL AND FEEDG GUIDE FOR SCHL PRSNEL WERE DVLPD. CARE HAS PROVIDED REORG PLAN FOR PAE CENTRAL COORDNTG OFFICE,HAS RCMNDED ANOTHER REGIONAL COORDNTR POSITION,AND HAS EVALD PRESENT COORDNTRS. CONSOLIDATN OF REGIONAL AND AREA BUDGETS WAS RCMNDED; AS WAS MORE REALISTIC BUDGET PREP. MINISTRY OF HLTH HAS PROVIDED MORE FUNDS FOR PER DIEM FOR PAE SUPERVISORS,MORE NATL BUDGET FUNDS HAVE BEEN REQUESTED TO SUPPL TITLE 2 DONATNS,AND NATL PAE SUPERVISORY STAFF WILL BE INCREASED. INTEGRATN OF APPLIED NUTR PROGRAM AND HIRING OF FULL-TIME AGRONOMIST WILL INCCREASE AVAILABILTY OF LOCALLY PRODUCED FRESH FOODS FOR PAE. TEN ADDITNL NUTRITIONISTS WILL AUGMENT NUTR TRNG AND OVERALL PROGRAM SUPRVSN. MAJOR CONSTRAINTS INCLUDE INADEQUATE GOP FINANCIAL RESOURCES,LACK OF CONTINUITY OF WELL-QUALIFIED PROJECT ADMINISTRATORS,AND DIFFICULTIES DUE TO MULTITUDE OF GOP AGENCIES,MINISTRIES,AND PERSONNEL. SINCE TERMINATION OF CONTRACT AND DEPARTURE OF CARE PERSONNEL,THERE HAS BEEN ACCELERATED GOP INTEREST IN RESOLVING PROBLEMS IN PAE. SINCE 3 YRS REMAIN BEFORE GOP ASSUMES FULL RESPONSIBILITY FOR SCHOOL LUNCH PROBLEM,CONTINUED CLOSE MONITORING BY USAID WILL PROVIDE BASIS FOR DECISIONS CONCERNING CONTINUATION OF PL480,TITLE 2 INPUTS.