SEED MULTIPLICATION

Phase-in of Tanzanian mgmt for Msimba & Arusha farms proceeded satisfactorily. Production & acreage targets for the 2 farms are being met. Participants trnd in farm mgmt, agronomics & other tech specialities are serving in key roles. The contractor, Experience Inc, provided excellent farm mgmt & agro-mechanic personnel. Other consultants, spare parts, & farm equip were also of great value. A major concern was lack of trnd mechanics, welders & shopmen to replace foreign agro-mechanics. Consultants recommended devlpmnt of a spare parts inventory & order syst for the 4 proj farms. To date, no action has been taken by GOT. Seed testing, certification & inspection lagged behind schedule. Ministry of Agriculture did not adequately coordinate various factors from production of foundation seed to use of seed by small farmers. In the rush to keep pace with proj schedules, the develpmnt of Arusha, Msimba & Kibaha was initiated w/out adequate testing of soil, rainfall patterns & crop suitability. Msimba & Arusha have proven adequate. However, it remains to be seen whether Kibaha will be even marginally useful for the crops originally intended. Although outside its scope, research has had a substantial impact upon the proj. At least 3 maize varieties were developed & distributed to seed farms under an early release prog. One showed an unusually adverse reaction to streak virus -- highlighting the risk of an early release prog. PES cautions against over-investment in heavy equip, machinery & processing facilities. Pointed out difficulty of a govt such as Tanzania in coping with spare parts & replacement as well as mgmt and maintenance of machinery & highly technical physical plants. Recommends that all USAID projs involving machinery emphasize trng of mechanics & maintenance of machinery. Also recommends that projs not require any targets for 1st yr other than completion of actions necessary for implementation. Also, proj & host-country mgmt should be monitored even after completion of US tech assist. Emphasized necessity of thorough technical & economic surveys prior to investment in seed farms.