Zimbabwe agricultural sector assistance program

PES covers 4/84-6/85 and is based on document review, discussions with project and GOZ personnel, and visits to farming areas. The project is successfully supporting activities in 7 areas of smallholder production constraints. Since the 3/84 evaluation, satisfactory progress has been made in the following: allocation of GOZ resources to smallholders; reduction of commodity subsidies; land resettlement policies; commercial interest rates for smallholder lending; increased research on smallholder crop and livestock systems; extension of price stimuli to present and new small farm crops; innovative measures to extend technical information to smallholders; GOZ support of rural savings clubs (this aspect is no longer significant since other sources of credit are available); increased cooperation and linkages between research, extension, and university education; and reduction in costs of essential inputs. Although basically sound, the implementation of activities and allocation of funds by the project"s working group should be improved by reviewing the operational/administrative capacity of the secretariat; developing guidelines for preparation, submission, and approval of subproject proposals; ensuring that ministry representatives on the working group are fully briefed on all proposals from their organization; establishing a fund to allow ministries to hire private sector consultants for subproject design and development; and concentrating on more comprehensive subprojects (to reduce workload created by many small projects). Other recommendations are to continue the project and, if agreed to by GOZ and USAID, undertake Phase II; make use of local agribusiness and agriculture-related organizations in manpower development and technology transfer; continue work in the 7 constraint areas; and undertake a thorough re-examination of commercial farming needs for Phase II budgeting. The University of Zimbabwe, the project"s major beneficiary to date, should clearly define its goals for use of project funds in line with local manpower needs and demands for graduates from various disciplines.