Evaluation of the Rural Agroindustry Development Programme (PRODAR)
Total Page：16
File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb
Evaluation of the Rural Agroindustry Development Programme (PRODAR) Ed ~eber' Bernard ~ridie? Raul ~iorentino~ 1. International Development Research Centre (IDRC) 2. Centre de cooperation de recherche agronornique pour le developpement; Departement des systemes agroalimentaires et ruraux (CIRAD-SAR) 3. International Fund for Agricultural Development For additional copies or hrther information about this document, please contact the authors at the following address: International Development Research Centre P.O. Box 8500, Ottawa, ON Kl G 3H9 January, 1997 TABLE OF CONTENTS Acknowledgements ..................................................... iv Executive Summary .....................................................vi Recommendations .......................................................x SECTION I: BACKGROUND. CONTEXT AND ISSUES ....................... 1 A Historical Development ................................................1 B The Context for PRODAR ............................................. 2 1 . The political and economic context ...................................2 2 . The supporting agency context ......................................3 C Mission and Objectives ................................................ 4 1 . PRODAR's mission ...............................................4 2 . PRODAR objectives ................................. .......5 3 . Support agency objectives ..........................................5 4 . Evolution of focus ................................................6 D Working Structure ...................................................6 1 . Organizational concept ............................................6 2 . TheREDARs ...................................................6 3 . Coordination levels ...............................................7 4 . PRODAR as an information system .................................. 7 5 . The research fund - FIAR .......................................... 8 6 . Training and techcal assistance activities ............................. 8 E ImportantIssues ......................................................9 1 . Competition. marketing and scale of operations ......................... 9 2 . Political and policy role of PRODAR .................................9 3 . Institutionalization of AIR ........................................ 10 SECTION II: COUNTRY AND REGIONAL EXPERIENCES ................. 12 A The Andean Su b-region ............................................... 12 1. REDAR-Colombia ..............................................12 2 . REDAR-Ecuador ...............................................15 3 . REDAR-Peru .................................................. 18 4 . REDAR-Venezuela ............................................21 B Central America and Caribbean Region .................................. 25 1. REDAR-Panama ...............................................25 2 . REDAR-Nicaragua .............................................. 28 3 . REDAR-CostaRica .............................................31 4 . REDAR-Guatemala ............................................. 32 C Southerncone ...................................................... 35 1 . REDAR-Chile ................................................. 35 2 . REDAR-Argentina .............................................. 39 3 . REDAR-Uruguay ............................................. 42 SECTION ID: OBSERVATIONS AND CONCLUSIONS .....................45 A PRODAR Activity Impact and Outcomes ................................ 45 1 . Identification of constraints to rural agroindustrial growth ................. 45 2 . Improved network capacity ........................................45 3 . Information availability and sharing .................................. 46 4 . Research and the. FIAR hnd ....................................... 46 5 . Training and technical assistance activities............................ 47 6 . AIR components and marketable products in rural development .......... 48 7 . Improvement of the socioeconomic situation of the rural poorest ........... 48 8 . Genderissues ............................................. 49 9 . Preservation of natural resources ...................................49 B Resources invested in PRODAR ........................................ 50 C PRODAR Structure. Institutional Relationships and Activities ............... 51 1. Institutional framework. ..........................................51 2 . Planning and Follow-up ...........................................53 3 . Information and knowledge dissemination systems ..................... 53 4 . Research support ...........................................53 D DonorExpectations ................................................. 54 E Lessons Learned and Future Roles ...................................... 54 1 . Structure and relationships ........................................ 54 2 . Services and actions .............................................55 3 . Financing ................................................56 APPENDICES I Case studies ...................................................... 5% 1 . Business Management: Situation of Cassava Starch and Panela Plants in ...... 59 North Cauca (Colombia) 2 . Utilization of Cassava Flours and Starches in the Elaboration of Processed .... 63 Meats (Ecuador) 3 . Improvement of the Sanitary Quality of Artisanal Cheese in Guatemala ....... 65 4 . The productive Management of traditional Water Powered Systems in Rural ... 67 Areas of the Andes: The Development and Diffusion of Improved Mills (Peru) 5. Evaluation and Adaptation of Technology and Administrative Packages for the 69 Production of Cassava and Plantain flours in the Peruvian Amazon II Funding .........................................................71 1. PRODAR Support from donors 1991 .1996 ......................... 72 2 . Activities Financed by FIAR ...................................... 74 ILI Publications ......................................................75 IV Training .........................................................85 V Consultancies .....................................................89 VI PRODAREvents ..................................................92 VII Commercialization Courses in the Southern Cone ........................ 96 VIU PeopleMet ....................................................... 98 IX Itineraries .................................................... 104 X PRODAR and REDAR Survey Report .Executive Summary ............. 112 XI Glossary ........................................................116 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS In keeping with the conceptual and operational structure of PRODAR, this evaluation exercise has been a collaborative effort throughout. From the first stages of planning to final report preparation many people representing hundreds of institutions and producer associations throughout Latin America and the Caribbean have shared their experiences and knowledge. The first .step in the evaluation involved a questionnaire sent to members of all REDARS and interviews with REDAR leaders at a hemispheric planning and reporting meeting held in Bogota, Colombia in March, 1996. This work was organized and funded by IDRC and carried out by Edward J. Weber under an IDRC consultancy. Information fiom this exercise was used in the design of the present evaluation and the Executive Summary of the survey report is included here in Appendix X. Resources for this second stage of the evaluation were provided and the evaluators chosen through consultation among four key institutional supporters of the Network including: the International Development Research Centre of Canada (IDRC), the Centre de Cooperation Internationale en Recherche Agronomique pour le Developpement of France (CIRAD), the Interamerican Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA) and the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD). IDRC took on the main organizing role and provided the services ofthe Mission Coordinator, Mr Edward J. Weber, a private consultant with many years experience in research management, rural development and rural agroindustry (AIR). IFAD contracted Dr. Raul Fiorentino of Argentina, an economist and business consultant also with many years experience in rural development programmes. CIRAD provided the services of a senior staff member, Mr. Bernard Bridier, fiom its Department of Rural and Agrifood Systems. IICA gave logistical support in most of the countries visited and key officials contributed their assessments and vision for PRODAR in the future. Independently, the evaluators visited 11 of the 15 countries where AIR Networks (REDARs), have been created. The ha1 week of the evaluation was spent at IICA headquarters in San Jose, Costa Rica, where discussions took place with a wide range of IICA officials including the Regional Representatives who were at headquarters for a meeting at the time. The evaluators wish to acknowledge and thank the many individuals at all levels who willingly shared their time and ideas with us. They are far too many to mention separately but a list of the persons we met is included by country and region in Appendix VIII. Nevertheless, it is appropriate to mention a few ofthe individuals who were particularly helpfil and provided us with indispensable insights into the evolution and fiture potential of PRODAR and the REDARs. First, Francois Boucher, PRODAR Executive Director and Coordinator for the Central America Region, who has played an energetic leadership and conceptual role from the beginning and was always available to assist us.