Report of the external evaluation team on water harvesting/aquaculture

Evaluation covers the period 7/84-5/87. Some progress has been made despite confusion between A.I.D and participating PVO's over the purpose of the project. Originally the project was to (1) develop a collaborative management methodology involving PVO's and U.S. universities; (2) implement and evaluate a strategy for using WH/AC as a key development strategy; and (3) conduct nine field projects at 26 sites, directed toward moving villages toward self-sufficiency in water. Good progress has been made on implementing a system through which PVO's can obtain TA from university experts for WH/AC field operations and on fostering cooperation among participating PVO's. Unfortunately, almost all project assistance to date has focused on fish production and been provided by the International Center for Aquaculture (ICA) at Auburn University; there has not yet been any evidence that the project's collaborative methodology will work with broader issues or achieve the cooperation of other universities. In fact, most PVO and A.I.D. field personnel did not know about other assistance available under the project. ICA's training and TA have been uniformly praised by project participants, but it does not seem likely that the field activities supported by the project will achieve the project's purposes in promoting water self-sufficiency. It does not even seem that the PVO's agree about what these purposes are, nor did the methods used to select the project's field activities particularly emphasize these purposes. Evaluation instruments developed to monitor the project have similarly been ignored. Project activities might have more impact if PVO's were required to fund more of the project's operating expenses. In view demand for ICA assistance, A.I.D. funding should continue for another 2 years, as originally contemplated, but it is strongly recommended that A.I.D and the PVO's clarify the purposes of the project.