South Pacific development support training

A.I.D."s South Pacific Regional Development Office (SPRDO) will implement the project. Training will be of two types. Long-term academic training will be provided to 43 middle-/senior-level personnel in government ministries, national or regional planning offices, and other public and private organizations, regional universities, and technical institutes. Twenty-five will receive U.S. (19) or third-country (6) graduate training, while 18 others will receive undergraduate and graduate training at 3 South Pacific regional universities. Short-term training tailored to local management/technical needs and utilizing ongoing programs in regional institutions will be funded for 779 individuals. Some 109 will be trained in the United States (85) or third countries (24), while 670 will receive 1-week courses in-country. Project training will generally be in three areas: (1) agriculture (production and diversification, subsistence and cash crop marketing, livestock and marine life, research and extension); (2) health (oral rehydration therapy, maternal/child health, primary health care, village health delivery systems, nutrition and family planning); and (3) development administration. Training for the private sector will focus on managing local businesses, the economic importance of the private sector, and U.S. ability to provide relevant training. In response to local requests for a counterbalance to other donors" influence, the project will provide salary supplements to allow two senior U.S. experts to serve at institutions in the region. Being considered for these positions are a senior educational planner/head for the University of the South Pacific"s Business School and a deputy principal/head for the Fiji Institute of Technology. The project will also inventory all donor-supported training in the region and systematically evaluate all development support training.