Siliana rural development

Evaluation covers the period 7/76-9/79 and consists of a Government of Tunisia (GOT)/USAID/T review of an evaluation by Practical Concepts, Inc. After phase I of the project failed to determine a long-term IRD strategy for the area and revealed the lack of an in-country capability for IRD activities, the Central Tunisian Rural Development Project replaced phase II of the project. Specific phase I activities were as follows. No systematized data on agricultural crops and practices suitable to the area were gathered due to the failure to recruit a steppe-zone agronomist; data on the social setting were gathered only for the Hababsa micro-region. In addition, a Georgia Tech study identified some possibilities for new or expanded processing, manufacturing, and service enterprises; demonstrations were begun in pasture improvement and apiculture, and a fruit tree nursery established; and AID-funded programs by CARE and Save the Children Foundation provided improved access, respectively, to potable water and related health education and community-based pilot activities/skills training. A serious drainage problem in the Rohia Plain, discovered during an irrigation study, discouraged A.I.D. financing, but led to a GOT-financed drainage program. The key lesson learned was the need for a concerted effort to develop the GOT"s regional and local capacities for a regionally-based IRD program. Key recommendations among the 24 made in eight areas are to: (1) develop a more integrated approach when presenting pasture and livestock improvement programs to farmers and increase efforts on forage demonstrations and local forage production; continue the cereal/medicago rotation trials and research; develop more effective sheep dipping programs, especially to eradicate scabies; strengthen extension programs in apiculture and fruit tree nurseries; develop and maintain the penetration road into the area; and complete the transfer of project equipment to the Central Tunisia Development Authority (CTDA), have CTDA/Mecico collaborate more closely with Genie Rural, and have CTDA plan and coordinate the entire Central Tunisia potable water program.