SPECIAL PROJECTS-INPUTS : STATE-OF-THE-ART ON RURAL DEVELOPMENT INFORMATION SYSTEMS (PIO/T"S)

(DAI), TO ENHANCE AID CAPABILITY TO DESIGN AND IMPLEMENT RURAL DEVELOPMENT INFORMATION SYSTEMS BY PROVIDING AID WITH A STATE-OF-ART SURVEY ON SUCH SYSTEMS. DAI WILL ANALYZE REGIONAL (NATIONAL OR SUB-NATIONAL), PROJECT-SPECIFIC, AND AGRICULTURE SECTORAL (OR SUB-SECTORAL) INFORMATION SYSTEMS. FOR EACH, DAI WILL ADDRESS THE FOLLOWING CONSIDERATIONS: LEVELS AND TYPES OF RURAL DEVELOPMENT DECISION MAKING AND INFORMATION REQUIRED FOR THESE DECISIONS; TYPES OF DATA/INFORMATION; SAMPLING, DATA/INFORMATION ACQUISITION, AND ALTERNATIVE ANALYTICAL TECHNIQUES; DATA/INFORMTION PROCESSING, DISSEMINATION AND FEEDBACK; AND ORGANIZATIONAL AND INSTITUTIONAL IMPLICATIONS OF ALTERNATIVE INFORMATION SYSTEMS. SPECIFIC TASKS INCLUDE A LITERATURE AND AGENCY SURVEY IN THE US OF THE MOST RELEVANT THEORY ON AND PRACTICE OF RURAL DEVELOPMENT INFORMATION SYSTEMS. AID AND WORLD BANK EXPERIENCES WILL BE THE MOST THOROUGHLY COVERED IN THIS SURVEY, ALTHOUGH UN AND OTHER AGENCY EXPERIENCES LIKELY TO BE PERTINENT WILL ALSO BE INCLUDED. FIELD TRIPS TO PROJECTS AND/OR ORGANIZATIONS ENGAGED IN ALTERNATIVE TYPES OF INFORMATION SYSTEMS WILL ALSO BE CONDUCTED. A FINAL REPORT, CONTAINING THE STATE-OF-THE-ART SURVEY AND APPROPRIATE APPENDICES OR ANNEXES (LISTS OF SYSTEMS IN EXISTENCE, BIBLIOGRAPHIES, ETC.), WILL BE SUBMITTED. CONTRACT AMENDMENTS IN THE FORM OF THE PIO/T"S OF 2/8/77 AND 9/12/77 EXTEND, AT NO ADDITIONAL COST, THE FUNDING AND COMPLETION DATE FROM 4/15/77 TO 6/1/77 AND FROM 9/15/77 TO 1/15/78, RESPECTIVELY. THE PIO/T OF 12/12/77 EXTENDS THE COMPLETION DATE TO 4/25/78 WITH ADDITIONAL FUNDING OF $13,246 TO COVER ADDITIONAL TECHNICAL SERVICES IN THE FORM OF FINAL REPORT PREPARATION.