Review of the food technology for development (RSSA #BST-0831-R-AG-4207-00)

The evaluation covers the period FY83-FY88. Most project activities were centered around three general areas: (1) the development and manufacture of cereal-based weaning foods; (2) the design of new processes to fortify food products with vitamins and minerals; and (3) development of technological methods of food fortification. For example, the project assisted in the development of low-cost extrusion cookers which were adopted in a number of countries (Sri Lanka, Guyana, Guatemala, Tanzania, Mexico, and India) for the production of weaning foods. These foods are being marketed and distributed through private and public sector outlets (dependent on the particular country). The addition of vitamins and minerals to processed foods has been accomplished through iron and nutrient supplementation of wheat flour in Bangladesh, and through vitamin fortification of food products (particularly monosodium glutamate) in Indonesia. TA provided was generally of high quality. Project staff were competent, and appropriate private sector companies, individuals, and educational institutions were selected as consultants. Although there was a pattern of seeking advice from the same educational institutions for several projects, these institutions were responsive, productive, and produced good results. The impact of TA, however, is not easy to quantify. Some activities were clearly successful, such as the Thriposha project, which resulted in the availability of a high-quality, low-cost, nutritious food product for numerous young children and poor mothers in Sri Lanka. In other cases, success is probable but not yet assured. For example, a white vitamin A pre-mix was formulated to be blended with monosodium glutamate to reduce vitamin A deficiency in Indonesia. This product was difficult to develop and required years of persistence by project staff, but it is now being test-marketed in three provinces, and the chance for full success is very good. Other activities were constrained by a high level of technical complexity or nontechnical factors related to the political, economic, marketing, and managerial environment. The project's loose management structure caused some problems, including minimal communications and strained working relations between project staff and the S&T Bureau. The project also lacked an independent advisory committee, regular planning meetings between the grantee and the grantor, and external reviews. At times the project's approach to problem-solving was too single-minded and unyielding.