WEANING FOOD DEVELOPMENT - GUYANA

NEW WEANING FOOD PRODUCT (MADE FROM CORN, SOY FLOUR AND OIL, MILK POWDER, VITAMIN/MINERAL PREMIX, SUGAR AND RICE) WILL REPLACE LESS NUTRITIVE DIET SUPPLEMENTS OF THIN GRUELS AND PORRIDGE COMMONLY GIVEN TO YOUNG PRE-SCHOOLERS IN THE HOME. PRODUCT IS DESIGNED TO BE EQUALLY NUTRITIOUS BUT LESS EXPENSIVE THAN IMPORTED FORMULAS, AND TO RELY TO MAX POSSIBLE EXTENT ON LOCALLY GROWN CROPS. LOW-COST EXTRUSION COOKING, AN INTERMEDIATE SCALE TECHNOLOGY DEVELOPED UNDER AID SPONSORSHIP, WILL BE USED IN FACTORY PRODUCTION OF WEANING FOOD. PROJECT IS PLANNED IN 3 PHASES. PHASE I, A 3-YEAR PILOT PROJECT, WILL INVOLVE CONSTRUCTION OF THE FACTORY AND MANUFACTURE AND DIS- TRIBUTION OF PRODUCT TO RETAIL OUTLETS AND MATERNAL CHILD HEALTH (MCH) CLINICS, WHERE PRODUCT WILL BE DISTRIBUTED FREE OF CHARGE TO NEEDIEST FAMILIES. ADVERTISEMENT, PROMOTION AND AN INITIAL EVALUATION ARE ALSO PLANNED. PROJECT EXTENSION, MODIFICATION OR TERMINATION WILL FOLLOW. PHASE II WILL CENTER ON EXPANSION OF DISTRIBUTION ACTIVITIES TO MEET FULL MARKET POTENTIAL. EVALUATION OF THIS 3-YEAR ACTIVITY WILL ALSO BE CONDUCTED. PHASE III WILL CONTINUE PHASE II ACTIVITIES OF FULLY OPERATIONAL WEANING FOOD PROGRAM, WITH GOG PROVIDING 100% OF INPUTS. A VITAL PROJECT INPUT IS PL 480 TITLE II COMMODITY ASSISTANCE, CONSISTING OF ALL FOOD MATERIALS OTHER THAN RICE & SUGAR, WHICH ARE PRESENTLY PRODUCED IN-CNTRY AT SUFFIC LEVELS. COMMODITY IN- PUTS WILL BE CONCENTRATED IN 1ST & 2ND PROJ PHASES TO ALLOW GOG TIME TO BUILD UP IN-CNTRY FOOD PRODUCTN THRU AGE DEVELOPMT PROGS TO ATTAIN SELF-SUFFIC STATUS BY PHASE III. IMPLEMENTING AGENCY IN GUYANA PHARMACEUTICAL CORP (GPC), A PUBLIC SECTOR ORG. GPC WILL PROVIDE PRODUCTN FACILS & FACTORY MANAGER. EXTENSIVE TECH ASSIST WILL BE PROVIDED BY US DEPT OF AGR & COLO STATE U. USAID PUBLIC HLTH ADVISOR WILL OVERSEE HLTH/NUTR PROJ COMPONENTS, WHILE RURAL DEVEL OFFICER WILL BE RESPONSIBLEFOR AGRIBUSINESS PROJ ASPECTS. MISSION PROG OFFICER WILL COORD PL 480 INPUTS & ASSIST IN PROJ IMPLEMENTATN AND EVAL. Project Paper Amendment No. 1 of 8/27/82 authorizes Phase II and increases P.L. 480 Title II assistance (1,220 MT of commodities) for production of the infant weaning food CEREX. Phase II will focus on improving marketing and distribution of CEREX and strengthening GOG capability to supply inputs to the CEREX pro- duction plant. The feasibility of local production of corn and soybeans will be assessed. (PD-AAL-655)