WATER AND LAND USE IN THE SIERRA

EVALUATION, INCLUDED IN AN AGRICULTURAL SECTOR REPORT, COVERS THE PERIOD 9/29/76 TO 3/31/79 AND IS BASED ON PROJECT FILES/FINANCIAL RECORDS; INTERVIEWS; AND ONSITE VISITS. CONSTRUCTION (WHOSE SUPERVISION USAID WILL FINANCE) AND IRRIGATION STUDIES HAVE JUST BEGUN. THUS, AS OF 12/31/78, ONLY $1,329,636 OF AUTHORIZED $11 MILLION HAS BEEN DISBURSED. GOP HAS CONTRIBUTED $787,400 OF PROPOSED $10 MILLION. FEASIBILITY STUDIES FOR 3 SUB-PROJECTS ARE COMPLETE, AND ARE IN PROGRESS FOR 6 MORE. ONE SUB-PROJECT, INCLUDING AN ON-FARM DEMONSTRATION PROGRAM, HAS BEEN CONSTRUCTED, AND 2 OTHERS, ALSO TO INCLUDE DEMONSTRATION PROGRAMS, ARE UNDER CONSTRUCTION. TWO REGIONAL OFFICES OF THE NATIONAL PROGRAM FOR SMALL AND MEDIUM IRRIGATIONS (PLAN MERIS) HAVE BEEN OPENED AND STAFFED. WATERSHED PLANNING ACTIVITIES HAVE BEEN PREPARED FOR THE 2 PROJECT AREAS. AS OF 3/31/79, A TOTAL OF $159,099 OF $900,000 AUTHORIZED FOR TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE HAS BEEN DISBURSED. TWO PERUVIAN FIRMS HAVE DEVELOPED FEASIBILITY STUDIES FOR 3 IRRIGATION SUB-PROJECTS, AND 6 MORE STUDIES ARE IN PROGRESS. USAID SHOULD REQUEST PLAN MERIS TO CONDUCT A FINANCIAL AUDIT OF BOTH FIRMS. LONG-TERM US CONSULTANTS HAVE DEVELOPED EXTENSION PROGRAMS AND HAVE CONDUCTED TRAINING AND IRRIGATION RESEARCH. PERFORMANCE OF 1 CONSULTANT, WHO HAD TO REPLACE US CHIEF OF PARTY (WHO WITHDREW BECAUSE OF SPANISH LANGUAGE DEFICIENCY) WAS MARGINAL. SHORT-TERM US CONSULTANTS CONDUCTED COURSES IN IRRIGATION, HYDROLOGY, AND WATER USE WITH TECHNICIANS FROM PLAN MERIS. A TOTAL OF 152 RECEIVED TRAINING. CREATION OF A PRODUCTION CREDIT FUND FOR FARMERS WAS DELAYED DUE TO THE LACK OF COMPLETION OF PLAN MERIS"S TRAINING MANUAL FOR TECHNICIANS HELPING FARMERS TO PREPARE LOAN APPLICATIONS. LOAN FUNDS WERE USED TO PURCHASE 32 VEHICLES. AN ADDITIONAL $1 MILLION WILL BE SPENT IN FY 79 TOPROCURE EQUIPMENT FOR PLAN MERIS"S 2 REGIONAL OFFICES. REFORESTATION WILL BEGIN 6/79.