Special constraints research

research institutions and International Agricultural Research Centers (IARC"s) in order to resolve specific technological problems faced by the IARC"s. External evaluation covered the period FY85-5/89. Although project funds were cut in half due to A.I.D. budget reductions and increased project overhead rates, activities are of high quality and appear very useful to both the IARC"s and U.S. institutions. The individual subprojects (SP"s) appear relevant to IARC programs and developing country needs, and project benefits have extended beyond these through the development of new and the enhancement of existing linkages between the U.S. agricultural science system and the IARC"s. Collaboration has extended both horizontally and vertically at U.S. institutions and IARC"s. In addition, participating IARC"s and U.S. institutions have made substantial technical inputs beyond those funded by the project. Project management by the U.S. Department of Agriculture"s Cooperative State Research Service (USDA/CSRS) has been competent and of good technical quality. However, the rigorous SP selection process has resulted in high transactional costs (i.e., time and money), and it is recommended that the process be simplified if, as also recommended, the project is expanded substantially (at least to the level of funding originally projected) in order to capture more fully the opportunities provided by the project. USDA/CSRS suggestions for reducing the anticipated increase in project overhead costs are included. An action decision extends the project for 5 years.