RURAL DEVELOPMENT PLANNING

MINISTRY OF PLANNING AND COORDINATION (MPC) AND DEVELOPMENT CORPORATIONS IN DEPTS OF PANDO, BENI, TARIJA, POTOSI, AND CHUQUISACA WILL PARTICIPATE. PROJECT WILL UPGRADE CAPABILITIES OF DEPT-LEVEL PERSONNEL AND ENCOURAGE GREATER COORDINATION OF DEPARTMENTAL & MPC PLANNING EFFORTS. 6 US TECHNICIANS WILL BE ASSIGNED TO DEPT LEVEL & 1 TO MPC. THIS TEAM WILL INCLUDE 3 REGIONAL PLANNERS,2 OPERATIONS MANAGEMENT SPECIALISTS (WITH EXPERTISE IN SYSTEMS ANALYSIS & PROJ DESIGN & IMPLEMENTATION),AN AGRICULTURAL SECTOR DEVELOPMENT PLANNER,AND A SPECIALIST IN INTEGRATED RURAL DEVELOPMENT. MINIMUM OF 30 COUNTERPART PERSONNEL WILL RECEIVE TRAINING OVER LIFE-OF-PROJ. TRNG WILL INTRODUCE CONCEPT OF PROJ PREPARATION BASED ON BENEFIT/COST ANALYSIS AS WELL AS ANALYSIS OF THE INTERNAL & SOCIAL RATE OF RETURN. TEAM WILL ALSO ASSIST NATL INSTITUTE OF PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION (ISAP- PART OF MPC) TO DEVELOP TRNG COURSES & MATERIALS IN DEVELOPMENT PLNNG AND IMPLEMENTATION. 5 SHORT COURSES ARE PLANNED COVERING HEALTH,EDUCATION,AGRICULTURE, AND AGRO-INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT PROJS AND PREPARATION OF SECTOR PLANS. TEAM SPECIALIST IN INTEGRATED RURAL DEVELOPMENT WILL CONDUCT A SERIES OF WORKSHOPS ON RURAL/URBAN APPROACHES IN DEVELOPMENT PLANNING. (FUNDING FROM DS/UD GRANT PROJ WILL SUPPORT THIS PROJ COMPONENT.) IN ADDITION, SHORT-TERM CONSULTANTS AND US PARTICIPANT TRNG FOR 1 STAFF MEMBER WILL BE PROVIDED TO DEVELOP PERMANENT ISCP TRNG CAPABILITY IN DEVELOPMENT PLANNING FIELD. PERSONNEL FROM REMAINING 4 DEPTS & OTHER MINISTRIES WILL HAVE OPPORTUNITY TO PARTICIPATE IN TRNG COURSES AND WILL RECEIVE TRNG MATERIALS. USAID WILL ALSO FINANCE MATERIALS,OFFICE EQUIPMENT & VEHICLES. HOST-COUNTRY WILL FINANCE SALARIES OF COUNTERPART PERSONNEL,OPERATING EXPENSES,SHORT-TERM TRNG COURSES,MATERIALS,STUDIES AND IN-COUNTRY TRAVEL & PER DIEM. DIRECT BENEFICIARIES ARE DEPARTMENTAL-LEVEL AND GOB RURAL DEVELOPMENT PLANNING PERSONNEL. AMENDMENT TO PROJECT AUTHORIZATION (PAF) FOR BOLIVIA RURAL DEVELOPMENT PROJECT REQUESTS 1 YEAR EXTENSION OF PROJECT FROM FY 1981 TO FY 1982 AT INCREASED FUNDING OF $800,000 FROM $2,250,000 TO $3,050,000. REQUEST IS MADE IN ORDER TO ALLOW EXPANSION OF GEOGRAPHICAL FOCUS OF PROJECT ACTIVITIES TO INCLUDE DEPARTMENTS OF LA PAZ,ORURO. LATTER WERE EXCLUDED FROM ORIGINAL PROJECT BECAUSE IT WAS MISTAKENLY BELIEVED THEY WERE BEING AIDED BY UNDP; BOTH DONORS" PARTICIPATION IMPORTANT TO PROJECT SUCCESS. PROJECT EXPANSION WILL REQUIRE MAJOR INPUT ADDITIONS OF 6 WORK-YEARS OF LONG-TERM TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE IN REGIONAL PLANNING AND IN PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION SYSTEMS; AND OF ONE WORK-YEAR OF SHORT-TERM TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE IN AREAS OF EMERGING NEED. OTHER NEW INPUTS INCLUDE A VEHICLE AND OFFICE EQUIPMENT.