REVIEW AND EVALUATION OF THE JORDAN VALLEY FARMER"S ASSOCIATION AGRICULTURAL CREDIT PLAN

PROJECT ASSISTS THE JORDAN VALLEY FARMER"S ASSOCIATN(JVFA) TO PROVIDE AGRICULTURAL CREDIT & TECHNOLOGICAL ASSISTANCE TO SMALL FARMERS IN THE JORDAN VALLEY. SECONDARY DATA WAS REVIEWED;GOVERMENT OFFICIALS,BUSINESSMEM & FARMERS WERE INTERVI EWED; & ON-SITE OBSERVATIONS WERE MADE. UNFORTUNATELY SOME OF THE CONCLUSIONS REACHED IN THE EVALUATION MAY NOT BE ACCURATE SINCE STATISTICAL DATA ARE CONFLICTING,PIECEMEAL,OUT OF DATE & SOMETIMES INACCURATE. JVFA"S START-UP HAS BEEN SLOW SINCE JVFA CREDIT HAS NOT STARTED,THE NECESSARY NUMBER OF TRAINED PERSONNEL HAVE NOT BEEN RECRUITED,LOAN POLICIES & PROCEDURES HAVE NOT BEEN DEVELOPED,BASE LINE DATA NECESSARY FOR PLANNING & DECISION MAKING HAS NOT BEEN COLLECTED,& JVFA HASNOT GAINED THE NECESSARY OPERATING EXPERIENCE. SINCE JVFA HAS FAILED TO PROVIDE MANY PROMISED SERVICES, FARMERS LACK CONFIDENCE & DO NOT OFTEN SUPPORT THE PROGRAM. INFORMATION SERVICES PROVIDED BY EXTENSION AGENTS ARE LITTLE USED DUE TO THEIR LACK OF LEADERSHIP,INCENTIVE,FUNDING,& ABILITY TO COMMUNICATE WITH FARMERS. THERE HAS BEEN NO DIRECTION FROM LONG TERM PLANNING,& EXTENSION AGENT POSITIONS ARE HARD TO FILL DUE TO LOW WAGES & THE NECESSITY OF MOST EMPLOYEES TO COMMUTE FROM OUTSIDE THE JORDAN VALLEY TO WORK. THE JORDAN COOPERATIVE ORGANIZATION (JCO) HAS BEEN PREFERRED BY FARMERS SINCE THEY FAVOR ITS CREDIT SYSTEM AND TRAINING PROGRAM. RECOMMENDATIONS ARE THAT JVFA SHOULD: APPROVE LAON POLICIES & PROCEDURES CONSUSIVE TO SMALL FARMERS; PREPARE A FIVE-YEAR PLAN OF PROPOSED CREDIT WITH THE GOVERNMENT OF JORDAN (GOJ) PROVIDING ASSURANCE THAT JVFA LOAN FUNDS WILL SUPPLEMENTED; DEFINE & COORDINATE ITS GOALS WITH JCO & THE AGRICULTURAL CREDIT ORGANIZATION; & PROVIDE FOLLOW-UP ON ITS EXTENSIONS. FARMING TECHNOLOGY NEEDS TO BE IMPROVED WITH EXTENSION AGENTS TEACHING FARMERS HOW TO RAISE NEW CROPS,USE PLASTIC IRRIGATION TUNNELS,& SPRINKLER & DRIP IRRIGATION. MARKETING SERVICES SUCH AS GRADING, PACKING,& STROAGE OF PRODUCE ALSO NEED IMPROVEMT SINCE ONE-FOURTH OF PRODUCE IS LOST IN POST-HARVEST HANDLING.