U-307 REPORT - UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA CONTRACT NO AID/AFR-469; PIO/T 664-237-3-70066

EVAL IS BASED ON PERSONAL KNOWLEDGE OF THE MISSION PROJECT MANAGER. UM TEAM MEMBERS ARE ALL WELL-QUALIFIED TECHNICALLY AND HAVE A CLEAR UNDERSTANDING OF THE SCOPE & NATURE OF CONTRACT OBJECTIVES. WORK UNDERTAKEN HAS BEEN DESIGNED TO MEET PROJ OBJECTIVES. ALL REPORTS HAVE BEEN COMPREHENSIVE & SUMBITTED ON SCHEDULE. CHIEF OF PARTY HAS PROVIDED EFFECTIVE STAFF LEADERSHIP. TEAM HAS MAINTAINED GOOD WORKING RELATIONSHIPS WITH USAID,GOT,AND LOCAL CITINTS CONCERNING THE ORGANIZATN OF AGR CULTURAL MRKTG SYS,AND NTS CONCERNING THE ORGANIZATN OF AGR CULTURAL MRKTG SYS,AND MRKT EFFICIENCY & COSTS RESEARCH. FURTHER, VISITING UM PROFS WHO CAME TO TUNISIA TO PRESENT SEMINARS AT THE FACULTY OF ECONOMICS PERFORMED WELL & DISCUSSED WITH DEAN & FACULTY MEMBERS THE LATEST TRENDS IN ECON CURRICULUM & TEACHING PATTERNS. UM HAS ASSISTED GOT TO PREPARE A NEW 5 YEAR PLAN,THE 1969-72 AGR DEVEL PLAN (ADP). ADP DISCUSSES THE AGR SECTOR, PLANNING, OBJECTIVES, AND THE DEMAND,SUPPLY & EXPORT PROJECTNS. ADP ANALYSIS HAS PROVIDED GOT WITH USEFUL CONCEPTNS OF SKILL & ANALYTICAL TOOLS USED BY AGR ECONOMISTS. UM'S CEREAL REPORT INDICATES THAT PROJECTED CEREAL YIELDS FOR 1972 CANNOT BE MET DUE TO POP INCREASES & EXPANDED LIVESTOCK PRODUCTN. AN OLIVE OIL PRICING & MRKTG POLICY STUDY INDICATES THAT GOT'S RATIONALE FOR CONTROLLING OIL MRKTG NEEDS FURTHER STUDY. THE OLIVE INDUSTRY ALSO NEEDS TECH IMPROVEMT TO DEVEL NEW VARIETIES,MAKE PRICE CHANGES,AND MORE EFFICIENTLY PROCESS & HANDLE OPERATNS. STUDY OF THE LIVESTOCK SECTOR IS UNDERWAY. FORTY AGR INVESTMENT PROJECTS HAVE BEEN ANALYZED FOR THE AGR DEVEL DEPT (ADD). A RESEARCH PAPER DEALING WITH EMPLOYMT & RURAL LABOR FORCES WILL BE SUBMITTED TO ADD NEXT MONTH. GOT HAS MET TRNG GOALS BY PROVIDING 4 TRAINEES FOR US GRADUATE STUDY. COMMODITIES & SUPPLIES HAVE ARRIVED ON SCHEDULE. ALSO, UM'S BACKSTOPPING TO ITS TUNISIAN TEAM HAS BEEN SATISFACTORY.