Tarrafal water resources, Cape Verde : final project evaluation

Although work plans at times had to be made more realistic and the contract period extended, many project goals were realized, (but not always to the degree targeted). With CID help, the GOCV drilled 42 wells; tested the feasibility of groundwater exploitation by galleries (generally unsuccessful); and performed core drilling at 5 dam sites, developing preliminary plans for 2 dams. The Ministry of Rural Development implemented a CID plan for a pilot watershed project, and soil and conservation works - dikes and terraces, contour furrows, and tree plantings - are widespread in the project area, mostly on public land. The contract was essentially fulfilled. CID assisted the GOCV in project management and supervision, and 12 CID technicians made a total of 21 trips to Cape Verde, providing assistance in a wide variety of areas. CID honored all GOCV requests, at times expanding the scope of work to do so. CID also provided 14 person-years of long-term training at the B.S. or M.S. level, 2.75 years of short-term U.S. training and 60 person-weeks of short-term in-country training, along with on-the-job training for GOCV counterparts. The CID also recruited women and minorities for the project. Problems included design shortcomings (omission of the requisite preliminaries of a thorough hydrologic evaluation and of a geologic study), specification of inappropriate well drilling equipment, an overly optimistic preliminary evaluation of water resources, and failure to provide for a continuous in-country CID presence during the project"s first 2 years. Other problems were a vague project administrative structure; a shortage of GOCV counterparts, potential trainees, and other GOCV personnel; the frequent turnover of USAID/CV staff; inadequate logistics support; poor living conditions; and the project"s small size. The project - which should be continued within a more comprehensive program - provided a model for future project-type activities in the Tarrafal area.