Zambia agricultural training, planning and institutional development

PES covers the period 9/82-2/84 and is based on document review and interviews with project personnel. Despite depays caused by U.S.-Zambian policy differences during 1980-83, good progress has been made toward meeting project targets. On the institution-building level, the greatest improvement has been in the Planning Division (PD) of the Ministry of Agriculture and Water Development (MAWD), which has reorganized its operations in accordance with a 1982 World Bank plan and has been the only agency to prepare a staff development training plan which considers the skills needed by each section. Still needed are better linkages between the PD and other MAWD units, and indeed among all participating entities; fuller participation by the Ministry of Finance; expanded inservice training of MAWD staff by the contractor (Iowa State University - ISU); a study of the causes of the high attrition rate among trained GRZ personnel; and more emphasis on data collection and utilization of computers. The training component has made good progress; long-term training has been provided to 15 participants, 42 person-months of short-term training has been given to 14 others, and in-country seminars and short courses have been attended by 129 persons. Unexpected institutional outputs have been the strengthened links among MAWD, the University of Zambia (UNZA), and ISU, and a high degree of donor coordination and cooperation. Seven major policy studies on agricultural development (of 15 planned) and a number of short studies have been completed. Studies in recurrent costs of agricultural sector investment projects and other areas are planned for 1984. Policy analysis selection and design procedures have been improved, and while dissemination and discussion of the studies has been slow and unsystematic, recently approved procedures should increase GRZ utilization of the studies. It is recommended that the project be continued as planned, with emphasis on funding the proper balance and complementarity between policy studies and institution building activities.