SEPAS REFORESTATION FOOD FOR WORK

Evaluation covers the period 3/1/79 to 3/31/80 and is based on the review of project documents, interviews with key individuals, and onsite visits. The project is generally progressing well. There were 189 salaried workers employed during the first year who received pay and food rations. Greenhouse workers and landless campesinos, numbering 1,032 and 7,264 respectively, received food rations for their participation in the project. During the first year of implementation, 616,013 pounds of FFW food commodities, or 65% of the targeted goal, were distributed. First year seedling production of 10,640,306 was 97% on target. Seedlings were planted on 9,003 hectares of land, against a target of 6,500 hectares. It is estimated that 10% of these trees were destroyed after initial planting for various reasons such as severe weather conditions, vengeful ex-hacendados, and continuing land disputes. Technical training is being accomplished by the Government of Peru (GOP) Forestry Directorate (DGFF) in reforestation and by the National Office of Food Support (ONAA) in nutrition. Coordination between SEPAS and the GOP agencies has developed slowly. It is recommended that USAID increase supervision of SEPAS accounting procedures and project implementation data collection procedures. It is also recommended that SEPAS provide reports to USAID on the number of direct food beneficiaries at each site, on the number of trees destroyed, and on planned use of Title II funds; that SEPAS provide assurance that vehicles assigned to DGFF are being used exclusively for the project; that DGFF increase the scope of technical training and study appropriate species for reforestation activities; and that ONAA provide nutritionists with visual material for use with campesino groups.