Report of the external evaluation team on soil management support service (AID project no. 393-1229 [i.e. 9311229])

Department of Agriculture's Soil Conservation Service (SCS) to develop a soil taxonomy (ST) system to aid in the transfer of agrotechnology. External evaluation covers the period 10/79-10/86 and is based on a survey of participating Missions and institutions, document review, and interviews with project personnel. The project has succeeded in developing an ST which has become, de facto, the international soil classification system and in engendering wide awareness of the ST's potential uses. The support given to International Soil Classification Committees (ICOM's) in their work of revising and expanding the ST to adequately cover tropical and subtropical soils has been especially significant. Training forums, another important activity, have been well-received and included a high proportion of cost sharing. The project has also produced several important byproducts, including the provision of soil classification data for the World Benchmark Soil Project (WBSP) - a misnomer for a soil-crop yield data base - through which SCS's National Soil Survey Laboratory (NSSL) collects and analyzes soil samples. As a result, the project now has one of the most comprehensive collections of representative world soils which are, in turn, used by the International Benchmark Soils Network for Agrotechnology Transfer (IBSNAT). However, despite the overall high quality of NSSL work, the soil-crop yield data base needs further development - it contains very limited crop yield data and virtually no climatic data; it is not very user friendly; and it lacks spatial data. This should be the major priority for Phase III of the project, which will begin in FY88 and focus on the use of ST in soil management. The TA provided by SCS has been generally of high quality, timely, and well-targeted. The project has developed an impressive number of ties to international institutions, and International Agricultural Research Councils (IARC's) are increasingly using SCS services despite their general commodity orientation. A.I.D. Missions also have expressed general satisfaction. However, there are several areas of concern. Most notable is the less than expected level of demand for TA and its ad hoc nature. Other problematic areas include coordination with other soil and water activities, and timely and effective involvement in the planning and implementation stages of related bilateral country projects. In sum, the project has addressed important soil management problems in a very cost-effective manner. Much remains to be accomplished however, and its overall approach requires some adjustment. In this vein, recommendations are provided for Phase III and the remainder of Phase II.