Strengthening rural credit services evaluation

Special evaluation covers the period to 9/83 and is based on document review and interviews with BCA, Institut de Developpement Agricole et Industriel, contractor, and USAID/H officials. Progress has been made in a number of areas and BCA has moved closer to becoming a viable institution. Its financial management capabilities (i.e., liquidity, interest, and repayment rates, reporting procedures, and bad debt accounts) have been bolstered. Voluntary savings have been increased and new services introduced to clients. A survey of staff attitudes has been conducted to help improve personnel management capabilities. Unfortunately, it does not provide for a mechanism for implementing change. Three other studies have been prepared to provide information on credit markets, two general and one specific. The general studies have been hampered by a lack of data and the specific survey has lacked sufficiently extensive questionnaires upon which to draw conclusions. Four seminars on financial management topics have been provided to BCA staff and computer training has been given to 7 persons in Haiti and 3 in the U.S. Some 38 persons have received loan coding training in Haiti and 2 participants have been given personnel and development management training in the U.S.. An ADP system has been put in place, but hardware problems have delayed its implementation. While construction of 8 buildings to house BCA offices suffered delays due to both BCA and contractor error, all were expected to be completed by 12/15/83. Recommendations are to: extend the team leader's services and expand his duties; push the Government of Haiti to meet its commitment to fund BCA's operating deficit; support BCA borrowing from private and public sources; finance a matching program to provide savers with ten cents for each dollar deposited; finance duplication of the studies to be distributed to all professional staff; have the team leader accept responsibility for insuring that study findings are reflected in planning and procedures; and provide short-term TA if needed.