REGIONAL REMOTE SENSING FACILITY

Evaluation covers the period 1/79-3/80 and is a reply by the Regional Economic Development Services Office (REDSO) to an attached special evaluation (PD-AAI-475-B1). Counterparts for the agricultural range specialist and Facility Director should be recruited by 6/80 and 11/80 respectively. The photolab should be fully operational by 8/80 and browse file updating completed by 3/81. Skylab photography will not be available. As to FY 81 targets, the Regional Symposium will be postponed pending further regional remote sensing activity. No current plans exist to move either the Facility or the Mapping Centre (MC). Regarding commodities, the budget for which has tentatively been reduced to $250,000, survey equipment will not be purchased. Outstation equipment may be considered for bi-lateral funding. Staff training and the training courses in English will continue as planned. The low-level technical course will be offered once at most, and a cost-sharing procedure will be implemented for short course participants. The 12-week to 6-month course will not be scheduled. Newsletters and user services will continue, with explicit policies and budget proposals being considered for the latter. Monthly reporting is too frequent for comprehensive monitoring and is a drain on staff time; it will be replaced by a quarterly report. The Facility, REDSO, and MC will increase coordination in searching for non-regional donors, promoting remote sensing activities, and requesting increased African financial commitment. Evaluators recommended that the Facility merge activities and operations directly into MC (a joint Facility/MC library is already being considered) if the project is extended and funding increased. REDSO will determine in the next 6-12 months whether to approve recommended funding increases. Planned evaluations have been re-scheduled for 3/81, 3/82, and 3/83. Demonstration projects will be limited to one per year and will be for institution-building purposes.