Training for rural development project

Evaluation covers the period 8/79-2/81 and is based on document review and field research. Considerable progress has been made. Long-term U.S. training at the B.S., M.S., and Ph.D. levels is being provided for 62 of a planned 66 Tanzanians, and 13 of a planned eight Tanzanians received short-term U.S. training in project implementation and evaluation and in regional planning. Shortly after project authorization, the host government shifted the focus of short-term in-country training from the regional/district level to the village level. Approximately 240 council members and other leaders from eight villages have received leadership and problem-solving training. Although there is no mechanism for meeasuring its impact, village training seems to be high-quality and has excellent potential for helping small farmers. Efforts to integrate women into the training effort met with success -- 25% of in-country and 12% of long-term training participants are women. Other project components have been less successful. An interministerial committee which was to coordinate rural development training and planning was established behind schedule and has met only twice. The committee--which seems uncertain about its role--is probably not the right mechanism for advising on project implementation. Regarding the development of a a systematic national agricultural and rural development manpower training plan, the general feeling is that this should not be a project responsibility. The Ministry of Manpower Development has taken over this role. Project experience showed the need to be flexible, and to change approaches, organizational vehicles, and training modes until solutions are found. It is recommended that: (1) in-country training, the ministerial committee, and the national training plan be reviewed and their future status under Phase II of the project be made clear; (2) a data collection mechanism for measuring training impacts be developed; (3) host country placement of returned long-term trainees in agricultural and rural development implementation roles be monitored; and (4) plans for making in-country training self-sustaining be formulated.