RURAL UNEMPLOYMENT AND UNDEREMPLOYMENT : PROJECT EVALUATION SUMMARY

DURING THE COURSE OF A 5-YEAR GRANT AND 10-MONTH AND 18-MONTH EXTENSIONS, THE GRANTEE HAS DEVELOPED ITS CAPACITY TO DEAL WITH RURAL UNEMPLOYMENT AND UNDEREMPLOYMENT PROBLEMS IN LDC"S. EVALUATION, CONDUCTED BY PROJECT MANAGER AND AID"S DS/AGR/ESP DIVISION CHIEF, IS BASED ON ANALYSIS OF GRANTEE"S PROGRESS REPORTS, ON-SITE VISITS, AND RELATED CORRESPONDENCE. RECOMMENDATIONS OF A MARCH 1976 EVALUATION TEAM THAT THE GRANT BE EXTENDED AND THAT THE GRANTEE DEVELOP A DETAILED SCOPE OF WORK PLAN HAVE BEEN INCORPORATED INTO A NEW 18-MONTH EXTENSION THROUGH SEPT 1979 THAT COMMITS AN ADDITIONAL $167,000 OF AID FUNDS. THE GRANTEE IS FOUND TO BE ADHERING TO THE APPROVED WORKPLAN AND IS MEETING SPECIFIED OUTPUTS. PLANS FOR A FIELD CASE STUDY OF COOPERATIVES HAVE BEEN FINALIZED, BUT APPROVAL HAS NOT YET BEEN RECEIVED FROM THE GOVERNMENT OF KENYA. USAID/KENYA IS CURRENTLY SEEKING TO EXPEDITE GOK APPROVAL. AS AN ALTERNATIVE, SHOULD GOK APPROVAL NOT BE FORTHCOMING, LINKAGES HAVE BEEN UNDERTAKEN TO DEVELOP ALTERNATIVE COOPERATIVE ACTIVITY IN LIBERIA THROUGH AGRICULTURAL COOPERATIVE DEVELOPMENT INTERNATIONAL. THE USDA/ECON ADVISOR HAS NOT YET BEEN FORMALLY INVOLVED IN THE PROJECT. THE PROJECT MANAGER WILL PRESS FOR GREATER INVOLVEMENT FROM SOUTHERN UNIVERSITY"S AGRICULTURAL ECONOMICS DEPARTMENT. PES RECOMMENDS TERMINAL EVALUATION BY DS/AGR.