San Julian and Chane-Pirai colonization; project evaluation report

Evaluation covers an unspecified period ending 11/78 and is based on document review and interviews with officials of Bolivia"s Banco Agricola (BAB) and Instituto Nacional de Colonizacion (INC) and with colonists and technicians in the areas. A total of 1,392 families have been settled in San Julian, compared to a target of 4,000; some 800 will be settled in the next year. In Chane-Pirai, 7,000 families (118% of target) have been settled; when access roads and trails are complete Chane-Pirai will encompass about 1,000 more families. An orientation program provides new settlers with instruction in nutrition, cooperativism, sanitation, construction, and farming. Construction of a 77 km access road in the San Julian area is 68% complete and a 100 km access road in the Chane-Pirai area is 60% complete; dry weather access trails to small Chane-Pirai settlements are also being constructed. Work on Agricultural Service Centers in San Julian and Chane-Pirai is about 20% and 35% complete, respectively. Only 16% of a planned 200 wells have been constructed. The availability of credit for agricultural production constitutes a major problem. Only about 25% of the allotted monies have been loaned due primarily to strict BAB credit regulations and a very high default rate; the latter resulted from the low cost of corn and delays in distributing loans. Also, only a small part of the planned technical assistance in land surveying and preparation has been provided, a planne land resource study has not been completed, and colonists have not been given land titles as planned. It is recommended that: (1) BAB allow San Julian farmers to receive medium- and long-term loans; (2) loans in both settlements be closely monitored; (3) costs and delays in providing credit be reduced; and (4) A.I.D. subsidization of low-interest loans be considered. The following means of helping farmers should also be reviewed: allowing INC intervention in marketing; promoting production of soybeans and possibly of wheat, dairy products, cacao, and oranges; and encouraging the use of animal traction.