REMOTE SENSING FOR RESOURCE ASSESSMENT

EVALUATION BASICALLY AGREES WITH A CONTRACTED EVALUATION BASED ON REVIEW OF PROJECT DESIGN, COUNTRY VISITS, AND INTERVIEWS WITH PROJECT PERSONNEL. INSTITUTIONAL CHANGES IN THE PHILIPPINES PREVENTED BUILDING OF A REMOTE SENSING INSTITUTION THERE. CLOUDS PREVENTED OBTAINING OF LANDSAT IMAGERY IN THAILAND. POOR LINKAGES BETWEEN THE ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH INSTITUTE OF MICHIGAN (ERIM) AND THE GEOLOGICAL SURVEY OF BOLIVIA (GEOBOL) LED TO DELAYS IN OBTAINING TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE IN BOLIVIA. ALL FUNDING HAS BEEN COMPLETED AND THE FOLLOWING TASKS HAVE BEEN COMPLETED: THE BOLIVIAN COMPUTER/PROGRAM TRAINING COMPONENT; THE EROS WORKSHOP IN ARGENTINA; 6 DEMONSTRATIONS OF LANDSAT APPLICATIONS IN MOROCCO; DESERT MONITORING IN THE SAHEL; INITIAL DEVELOPMENT OF THE EAST AFRICAN REGIONAL CENTER; SPECIALIZED APPLICATIONS OF MAPPING AREAS IN BANGLADESH, PERU, SRI LANKA, AND MINDORO; AND INTERNATIONAL SYMPOSIUM IN MANILA. TRAINING HAS BEEN PROVIDED TO RESOURCE MANAGERS FROM NEPAL AND MAURITANIA. WORKSHOPS IN NEPAL AND PERU AND A SEMINAR IN ECUADOR (WITH SLIDES, BROCHURES, AND ENHANCED IMAGES) HAVE BEEN HELD. FUTURE ACTIVITIES INCLUDE THE ERIM-ADMINISTERED GRANTS CONTRACT; THE EROS IMAGERY ACCOUNT; A PASA WITH USDA FOR A CROP REPORTING SYSTEM IN 12 LDC"S; ANALYSIS OF SEASAT RADAR IMAGERY; TRAINING OF SUDANESE, SENGALESE, AND OTHER PERSONNEL. TRAINING, DELAYED DUE TO LOGISTICAL PROBLEMS, WILL NOW BE COMPLETED BY LATE 1980. LDC"S HAVE NOT ATTAINED AN INDEPENDENT REMOTE SENSING CAPABILITY. FURTHER HELP IN THIS REGARD MUST NOW COME FROM THE MISSIONS. GOAL OF IMPROVING LDC RESOURCE MANAGEMENT HAS NOT BEEN ATTAINED, DUE TO LDC NON-USE OF DATA IN DECISION MAKING. AID"S CREDIBILITY HAS BEEN HURT BY ITS NON-RESPONSE TO INCREASED LDC DEMANDS FOR REMOTE SENSING ASSISTANCE. AID SHOULD NOW FOREGO GLOBAL REMOTE SENSING PROJECTS IN FAVOR OF APPLICATIONS OF DIRECT BENEFIT TO THE POOR. AN INTENSIVE TEAM EVALUATION OF THE AGRICULTURE SUB-PROJECT IS SCHEDULED FOR FALL 1980.