Small farmer marketing

Evaluation covers the period 1/79-6/80 and is based in part on evaluations by a contractor and IPHCADE. The project has not progressed satisfactorily. The Government of Haiti"s (GOH) support has been inadequate. The GOH spent 2 years in deciding that the project should be administered by DARNDR, thus breeding apathy in all ranks of project personnnel; and increased the project"s annual costs by inefficient supervisory and fiscal control. Cooperatives are still in a rudimentary stage of development, a situation furthered by the failure to establish CEPEC, which is responsible for providing a market for cooperatives. Project objectives have not been achieved: (1) The high tax on exported coffee (26% ad valorem) remains. (2) Cooperatives have not organized around the Coffee Cooperative. (3) Most cooperatives are plagued by administrative, accounting, and management deficiencies. In addition, equipment and facilities are run-down, and members are not consulted in decisionmaking. Although 23 individuals were trained in management, only six have been assigned to a cooperative. Under these conditions, it will be 10 years before cooperatives are functioning effectively. (4) The quality of coffee prepared by cooperatives has not greatly improved, although the distribution of hullers and depulpers has had some positive effect. Many planned installations were simply not completed. (5) A three-member Provisional Management Committee is in place, but is virtually inactive, due to members" lack of motivation. It is recommended that further USAID support be contingent on CEPEC becoming operational by 3/30/81; a joint evaluation be conducted 3 months after the pilot facility begins in order to determine if sufficient volume will be generated and if a permanent facility is practical; an implementation letter be prepared to notify IPHCADE of USAID"s position and the proposed deadlines.