Colombia - Agricultural Research and Extension Project

The World Bank FOR OMRCIL USE OnLY Rqpu No. 12540 PROJECT COMPLEION REPORT COL0OMBIA AGRICULTURIL RESEARCH AND EXTENSION PROJECT I (LOAN 2303-CO) NSOVsdER 29, 1993 MICROGRAPHICS Report No: 12540 Type: PCR Agriculture Sector Operations Divisiox Country Department III Latin America and the Caribbean Regional Office This document has a restricted distibudon and may be used by recipients only in the performua of dek official duties. Its contents may not Otherwise be didosed withbo World Bunk authorzation.  CURRENCY EQUIVALENTS (At the time of appraisal and used in this Report unless otherwise stated) Currency Unit Colombian Peso, Col$ Col$ 10 US$0.14 Col$ 00 - US$1.44 Col$ 1,000 US$14.36 Col$ 1,000,000 US$14,367.82 Col$ 69.6 US$1.00 WEIGHTS AND MEASURES Metric System GLOSSARY OF ABBREVIATIONS CIAT Centro Internacional de Agricultura Tropical International Center for Tropical Agriculture CTIMMYT Centro Internacional de Mejoramiento de Maiz y Trigo International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center CIP Ccltro Internacional de la Papa Taternational Potato Center ICA Instituto Colombiano Agropecuario Colombian Agricultural Institute IICA Instituto Interamericano de Cooperacion para la Agricultura Interamerican Institute of Cooperation for Agriculture IRDP Integrated Rural Development Program FFAP Fondo Financiero Agropecuario Agricultural Financing Fund PLANIA Plan Nacional de Investigacion Agropecuaria del ICA National Plan for Agricultural Research of ICA PLANTRA Plan Nacional de Transferencia de Tecnologia para la Agricultura National Plan for the Transference of Technology for Agriculture COLOMBIAN AGRICULTURAL INSTITUTE FISCAL YEAR January 1 - December 31  FOR OFMCAL USE ONLY THE WORLD BANK Wahdfntos% D.C. 20433 U.S.A. Offlo. of OirOti-awr OpMa-o Evauaon November 29. 1993 MEMORANDUM TO THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTORS AND THE PRESIDENT SUBJECT: Project Completion Report on Colombia Aaricultural Research gnd Extension Proiect (Loan 230-CQ) Attached is the Project Completion Report on Colombia -Agricultural Research and Extension Project (Loan 2303-CO) prepared by tie Latin America and the Caribbean Regional Office. Part 11 of the report is a summary of a project completion report prepared by the Borrower. The project achieved its physical objectives, after substantial delays. It made a significant contribution to strengthening the major Colombian research institution (ICA) and increasing its production orientation. Its outcome is rated as satisfactory and its benefits as sustainable, but there is uncertainty regarding future funding of ICA's operational costs. The Project Completion Report Is barely satisfactory. It should have elaborated on the private and public financing of the national research system and outlined the follow-up steps needed to furthet enhance the quality and relevance of applied research in Colombia. No audit is planned. Attachment This docmret has a ratdlc dtrbuttn and m be usd by recipnts ony the pefanne of tir ofii dutis. ks cont ma not othewis be diosed wout Wold 8ak eauoriat.  FOR OmCL USE ONLY Emma=I OF C:OO,AMB - PROJECT REVIEWARCOM AND ERSPON C OIE LOAN 2303 - JQQ Pocdnt of * *.t.n.. No. PREFACE ... .......................... * .i EVALUATION SUMMARY ....... . .................... .2ii PAT -PROJECr REVW FROM BANkWS PESPECIE ProjectiDesity In . ................. Secor Delopment Objecive ...............1 Yblic Contex ....................2 EtWect Cigtsnand .. .. --........... *2* 2 ProedObjectve ...................2 Eaw mpeenato .........**S S ..... * ..... . 4 Ion Effectveness and Project Stat- . . . . . . . . ..... 4 Project Risk 4..*...... Unforseen Factors AffecXtg P-'-ect Inipleinentation .................. 4 MNIa Resultsof theFrogje ..4... .............. 4 ProjectObjective. .... .............. 4 PhysicReslts . ............ .... .5 HwmanResourcesDevelopment,TrAing andTA ................5 ProjectIinpactandBenefits .................. .... ... .. . 5 ProjectALd.i...str..ion... 6 PrjetCos 6.............. . 6 Disburements . ... ... Loan Allocation .6 Procurement6 AuditingandR .i.g.... 6 This document has a restricted distribution and may be used by recipients only in the performance of their official duties. Its contents may not otherwise be disclosed without World Bank authorization.  ftwectSuagnabfty ................ o*. .... o* ***7 Bmk ad Bonower P .formance . . *.. . .. .7 ........ .7 Bank Performiance ... .. ....... .. .. .. .. ...... * . *** .7 Borrower Pafornance ...................... ..... 8 Leomns Leanmed .................... 8 PART -PROJECT REVIEW FROM BORROWER'S PERSPECTIVE ..... PART M - STATSTICAL NFORMAIION Related Bank Loans and /or Credits ....................... 14 Projec TmetbL . .............. o ... ... 17 Loan Disbursements .............. ... ........ . 18 PIrojectn . 119 ProjectCosts .2.... 20 PaaProecFnancng ................2 PrqjectResults ................ . . * . ......... 21 Status of Covenants. ..................... 22 AP-issk ...... 25 MiAP - IBRD 16816R  -i- COLDOMB AGRICU]LTURAL RELEA1,| AMI J1ENS,SO PRO.lECT I (LOAN 2303-CO) PROJECT COMPREnON REPR 1. Tis is fte Completion Report on the Agricultur and Extension Project I in Colombia (Loan 2303-CO) for which a loan of US$63.4 million was approved on June 7, 1983. The legal documents were signed on September 19, 1983 and the proect became effective on January 9, 1984. The original Closing Date for the Loan was June '3., 1990. Two extensions were ganted, and the final Closing was June 30, 1992. Howevc, disbursements were authorized through October 31, 1992. 2. The project is the 14th loan for arculture in Colonbia since 1966. Although none of the previous projects prvides eperience of direct relevance to this project, they enabled the Bank to learn about the legal and aminisve ms operating in this sector. 3. This report was prepared by Country Department III, Agriculture, of the Lafin America and the Caribbean Regional Office on the bads of a PCR prepared by ICA, the Colombian Agricultural Institute, dated October 30, 1992. Other sources of finfmation for the Completion Report were: the Appraisal Report No. 4384-CO; the Prtect Loan Agreement and Project Agreement both No. 2303-CO and dated September 19, 1983; superviion reports, correspondence with the Borrower, and internal Bank memoranda as contained in relevant Bank files; and discussions with Bank staff assocated with the prqect.  - iii - EYALUflANM ISMMARY Introduction and Objctiv 1. This project was the 14th agriculhual project anced by the Bank in Colomnbia. The project aimed at inceasing the capacity of dhe Colombian AgricItera Insdttute (ICA) to improve and expand its research and technology transfer activities so as to assist the country in raising its agricultural output at competitive costs by: (a) intensfying agricultural research for the most inportant commodites; (b) promoting the dissemination and application of results of agricultural resech and carrying out studies to improve technology transfer; and (c) training scientfic and technological personnel for sevice within ICA and the agriculturl sector as a whole. Implementation Eperience 2. In general, the proect was iplemented in a sadsfacity manner. However, due mainly to difficulties in counrpart financing and hiring feezes, both implementaton and disbursements were far behind SAR projections and the completion and closing dates of the project had to be extended by two years. Moreover, ICA, the implementing agency had great difflculty adapting its cumbersome procedures so as to improve the speed of implementation. Nevertheless, the overall project did succeed in meeting most of its targets, did contrbute to the development of useful technology, and will, as a result, impove productivity and incase production. Results 3. In spite of difficulties and delays during ilemenion, the madority of physical tarpts were met or exceeded; (a) construction of a research, station and support facilities at seventeen expeimental stations and two labtories; (b) equipment, materials and furnishings for the new facilities built under the project, as wel as the replacement of worn out equipment for the seventeen ICA staions; (c) purchase of means of t ortation for improving the efficiency of the research progams, their admiistration and the disation of research results through regional tWials and field days. The objectives for irs high level staff have been met, but not those for support staff. This was mainly due to rsing costs (infton) and budgets restrictions. As a result, the ratio esearchsupport staff was not adequat and has led to an ineffectve use of time of resrcher. The objecdves for consultant serices have been fully achieved and indeed, surpassed with an increased hiring of locally recruitd consultants. The results of a review done by ICA on consultant sevices provided indicated overal satisfactory performance. Sustainability 4. Most of the project achievements are liklly to be sustained for the foreseeable future as integral part of the Colombia reseach system. Thus, the quesfion is not whether they will be sustained, but at what level they wil be sustained. The principal challenges for the level of their sustainability are pardy administativ and pardy financial; namely, wbether the Government will successfully implement an effective maintnce system for resrch services in term of  - iv - facilities, operating means, training, stamng, as wel as adequacy and quality of the technical recommendations provided to the majority of farmers by the research and extension services. If these challenges are not met and are coupled with shortages in operating means, sustainability is unlikely to be at a high level. 5. For future projects the fbllowing lessons leamed .rom implementation of this project may be of value: (a) the farming community as the ultimate users of the generated and disseminated technologies should be involved at the early stages of preparation of the project and later during its implementation to ensure the relevance and the adequacy of the proposed research and extension programs. Rapid paricipatory assessments, regular training sessions and regional workshops would be useful to ensure participation of the farming community; (b) an agricultural research project should be focussed on improving the relevance and quality of generated technologies. Even if the financing is proposed for hardware components (namely civil works, equipment, vehicles) and/or training of research personnel, it should spell out in its objectives some priority research issues to be solved or at least addressed in a given timeframe and monitored in a clear and measurable manner; (c) given the budgetary dependance on often unstable and uncertain public funds, and few available mechanisms to engage the private sector, the single national insdtute model for agricultural research should evolve into a more comprehensive National Research System, including public institutes, universities, and private firms; (d) the Research Institution(s) involved in a research prqect should devise legal means for their financing, to strengthen the ability of producers' associations andlor private firms to contract research programs responsive to their needs; (e) since three intemational agriculural reseach centers exist in the Latin America region, namely CIAT in Colombia, CIMMT in Mexico, and CIP in Peru, the National Research System in general and ICA in particular should be more closely linked with them to take advantage of their results and to avoid dispersion of efforts and possible overlaps; (f) given the increasing problems of sustainable agriculture and environmental issues, agncultural research projects should also work on environmentally sound technologies towards a sustnable eco-agriculture, which implies specific training and skills to develop a "green* sensitivity throughout all research progms.  PAT II- Projec Reviw from Bank's Perspectve 1.1 oectJ n Project Name: Agricultral Research and Extension Project I Loan No: 2303-CO RVP Unit: Latin Ametica and the Canbbean Country: Colombia Sector: Agriculture Subsectr. Research & Extension 2. Proect Batkground 2.1 5= D IlpenLD Oective. At the time the project was appraised in 1982 the Goverment of Colombia accorded high priority to policies for agricultural and rural development, recognizing that ample untapped potential existed for such development. More rapid agricultural exnion was mtended to meet the goals of acdieving a fast rate of economic growth, grea price stability, export promotion, import substitution and more employment generation. Such emphasis, however, recognized the sectoral and macroeconomic constraints that had been emeging in the 1980s: low international prices for major exports, depressed domestic economy, lagging yields and profitability in the sector.  -2 - 2.2 Esicy Context In order to help realize the sector's potential and to restore its competit.r4ness in intenional markets, the Government had reviewed policy options, especially trade policies and policies in input and output pncing. In addition, incentives were povided for production to check the rapid incrases In food prices. Towards these goals, the Government sought to: (a) improve the technical and managerial efficiency of agricultul producers; (b) strengthen the institutions and industries which supply technical knowledge, inputs, and credit; and (c) increase the allocation of public resources in carefully selected areas, such as generation and diffusion of agricultural technology, irrigation development, watershed management, crop and livetock development, marketing, credit and provision of inputs. The Colombian Agricultural Institute (ICA) and the National Planning Department analyzed the shortcomings of agricultural resh, with particular regard to food crops, and presented recommendations on how to improve the existing situation with the National Plan for Agricultural Research of ICA (PLANIA) which formed the basis of this project. Furthermore, a similar comprehensive review was undertaken under the project for the transfer and adoption of agricultural technology, in order to lead to a substantial shortening of the time-lag between the development of agricultural technology and its adoption. 3. EVirn O*jcc.sd iPtown 3.1 aWeit oeys. The project aimed at increasing the capacity of the Colombian Agriculua Institute (ICA) to improve and expand its research and technology transfer acivities so as to assist the country in raising its agricultural output at competitive costs by: (a) intensifying agricultural research for the most important commodities; (b) promoting the dissemination and application of results of agricultural research and carrying out studies to improve technology tansfer, and (c) taining scienific and technological personnel for service within ICA and the agriculturl sector as a whole. 3.2 Project lZess;riptiQn. The proect comprised the following components to be carried out by ICA over six years: (a) Resr Sttions: (i) the rehabilitation, development and equipping of 15 existing agriltural research stations and two veterinary laboratones; (ii) the establishment of one new agricultural and livestock research station. (b) Training-for about 270 staff at the post-graduate level over six years and providig short courses for about 250 resrch and support staff over five years.  -3 - (c) Csultant and inteational consultant services totalling 14.5 man-years for scientific, technical, buWlding design and management support. (d) Increment aQp C-salaries and operating costs for five years for about 300 new research staff and about 1,000 technical supoort staff, and a salary premium for about 190 existing and about 230 new researh workers with PhD and MS qualifications to attract and retain high-level staff. (e) Moitrng ad Evaluation-actvties to review and asses periodically the research and technology transfer activities of ICA. (f) Technology Transfer-review of the rational fann extension systems and the prepaation of a plan and policy document (PLANTRA) as a basis for frther improvement to the farm advisory services of ICA and other public and private institutions. 4. Petj n aig5n ization 4.1 Based on the information available to the appraisal mission, the concepual foundation for the project was appropriate and clear. The project's central thrust was to support biological, physical, economic and social research on commodities of national - .nportance and, at the same time promote the dissemination and application of agriculhtu research to raise the output of the agriculturl sector. This project was in line with OED's recommendations concerning the Bank's epiene with the strengthening of ag- 'dturl research and extension. 4.2 The project's timing and scope was appropriate in that it responded to clearly arficulated national needs. The project was designed and appraised at a time of declinng agncultural prodoctivity and economic growth. The Government's analysis of policy options had concluded that investment in the rural sector was critical to reverse the declining rate of economic growth, and that in particular it was necessary to improve the effectiveess of the national resarch and extension services. 4.3 The project was carefully defined in the feasbility study prepared by ICA with assistance from Bank missions that visited Colombia in April, June and September 1982. The appraisal mission, comprsing seven persons, took plce in November/December 1982. The project organization was straightforward with ICA as the implementing agency through its established administrative and techimcal Divisions, coordinated by a Project Coordination Unit formed for that purpose within the Office of Planning.  -4- S. Project Lmplementao 5.1 Loan Efe_ns and Pojc . The loan was approved on June 7, 1983, signed on September 19, 1983, and declared effective on January 9, 1984. 5.2 in general, the project was implemented in a satisfactory manner. However, due mnainly to difficulties in counterpart financing and hiring feezes, both implementation and disbursements were far behind SAR projections and the compledon and closing dates of the project had to be extended by two years. Moreover, administtive procedures in ICA, the implementng agency, proved more cumbersome than anticpated and ICA had great difficulty adapting them so as to improve the speed of implementation. Nevertheless, the overall project did succeed in meeting most of its targets, did contribute to the developmet of useful technology, and will, as a result, improve productivity and increase production. 5.3 rWct Risks. Of the potential risks identified by the appraisal mission, only the timely availability of counterpa funds and the delay in the rehabilitation of the national network of extension services, despite the preparation of PLANTRA, were of significant importance and contributed to lower adoption rates of gtr rated technologies than anticipated. 5.4 Untlreseen FactorsA ffecting Project ImplemenWtaion. Ihe new national policy towards dehentrallzation had some delaying effects in implementing PLANTRA which, however, has been used as the basis for fte proposed Techbiology Transfer project under prparation to be financed by the Bank. 6. Major Results of the Project. 6.1 Project Objcgi. Overall, the project was successful in meefing its principal objective of improving and expanding ICA's research and technology transfer activities so as to assist the country iLn raising its agricultural output at competitive costs. ICA has now an enlarged cadre of trained research pesonnel at both the professional and support level (see Annex m. paragraph 4). It has also an improved physical plant and is adequately equipped to fulfill its mandate. Studies have been completed to improve the orientation and prioritization of research activities, as well as to pave the way to a new national xtension program. According to the 1991 exral review, the project had a major impact in strengthening the organzation and producton orientation of Colombia's agricultural research. ICA's research program has already generated much useful technology which has been adopted by some farmers and, as a result, has improved productivity and increased production. There is every reason to believe this process will continue provided that ICA budget financing is adequate.  -5 - 6.2 P-hysica Results. In spite of difficulties and delays during implementation, the majority of physical targets were met or exceeded: (a) construction of adequate reseach, administration and support facilities at seventeen experimental stations and two laboratories; (b) provision of equipment, materials and funishings for the new facilities built under the project, as well as the replacement of worn out inefficient equipment for the seventeen ICA stations; (c) purchase of means of transportation for improving the efficiency of the research programs, their administration and the ssemination of research results through regional trials and field days. 6.3 Human Resource Deyvlopment. Training and Technical Assistance. Human resource increments have beeni less than planned at appraisal. This reduction in hiring incremental staff was mainly due to rising costs (inflation) and budget restrictions. In retrospect, it was a wise decision to prefer an "under' staffing, to keep a ratio of no more than 70% salary costs and 30% for other operational costs. However, although the objectives for increasing high level staff have been met, and sometimes surpassed (i.e., for the B.S. category), the global reduction in hiring staff has been made at the expense of the hiring of support staff. It has led to a ratio Researcher/Support Staff higher than 1, thus resulting in an ineffective use of time of researcher. In spite of difficulties to send abroad suitable candidates for PhD or MS, the targets for postgraduate mtining of ICA scientists have been mostly met. The objectives for consultant services have been fully achieved and indeed, surpassed with an increased hiring of locally recruited consultants. The results of a review done by ICA on the Technical Assistance indicated overall satisfactory performance. 6.4 Project Impact and Benefits. Although it is not possible to esdmate the benefits of a research project of this type in a sufficiently reliable manner to compute E am a meaningful rate of return, according to the 1991 external review the project had a major impact in strengthening the organization and production orientation of Colombia's agricultural research. It also assisted ICA to consolidate its research efforts and helped ensure continuity in the improvement of research planning and execution, and to strengthen the linkages between research and extension services to cover sectorwide requirements for technological improvements. In retrospect, overall research programs seem to have been unbalanced, in favor of basic and strategic applied research rather than adaptive and on-fam research. The research programs were based on a commodity approach which should bave been complemented with Farming Systems research programs. Moreover, the evaluation of the research programs and of their adequacy with the needs and constraints of the farming community was weak and insufficient. The cost/benefit analyses of research programs and the socio-economic analysis effects of the application of new technologies were not undertaken in a systematic manner. If the overall evaluation of research programs had been more producer-oriented and if implementation of the PLANTRA had started earlier, if only as a pilot undertaking, the impact of the project and its benefits to farmers, especially small- scale farmers, would have been most likely greater.  -6- 6.SPrect Administrtion. (a) Prject Costs, The estimated cost of the project at apprisal was about US$206.6 million. The final project cost is estimated at about US$173 milion. (b) DijmrmXnIa. The estimated and act6al disbursements of the Loan 2303-CO are given in Table 3 in Part m. The disbursements were slow due to delays in implementation of the project. The original closing date was June "1, 1990; but the loan was closed only on June 30, 1992, after two extensiias of the closing date of the loan. Disbursement agains commitments up to June 30, 1992 were made untl October 31, 1992 and an outstanding balance of US$870,164.41 was canceled. (c) Loan Alloaio. The odginal and revised allocations and actual disbursements for Loan 2303-CO are shown in Table 5 in Part IIL. The original allocations were revised in November 1987, in January 1989, and in June 1991, to reflect chges in financing for civil works, incremental operating costs and trining (the fill cost of the the Civil Works and Station Development components in particular, as calculated in the SAR, was largely undrestimated in Schedule I of the Loan Agreement). (d) Prrment. Procurement of equipment and vehicles was slow due to the Government's cumbersome administrafive regulations for procrement. I geneal, the procurement action followed Bank guidelines. (e) Auditing and porting. At the end of each fiscal year, ICA was to send to the Bank audits of the project accounts and related basic financial statements, prepared by independent auditors, satisfactory to the Bank. ICA fulfilled this requirement although with consstent delays. ICA was to establish and maintain a system of monitoring the progress of the project and evaluating research results for each progam and staion, and their levance to the needs of the farming community. ICA fufilled the task and has produced valuable information through half-yearly progress reports. However, the evaluation of the reserch programs and of their adequacy with the needs and constraints of the farning community was weak and insufficient. The cost/benefit analyses of research progams and the socio-economic analysis effects of the application of new technologies were not undertaken in a systematic manner.  -7- 7. Sustaiailt 7.1 Most of the project achievements are likely to be sustained for the foreseeable fuure as integral parts of the Colombia research technology transfer system. Thus, the question is not whether they will be sustained, but at what level they will be sustained. The principal challenges for the level of their sustainability are partly administrative and partly financial; namely, whether the Government will successfully implement an effective maintenance system for research services in terms of facilies, operating means, training, staffing, as well as adequacy and quality of the technical recommendations provided to the majority of farmers by the research and extension smices. If these challenges are not met and arm coupled with shortages in operating means, sustinability is unikely to be at a high level. 7.2 To ensure that these efforts will be sustained in Colombia, the farming community should be more involved in the planning and budgetary process of research prograns. The 1990 revision in law allowed the public institutes, including ICA, to mae legal contracts with other public or pnvate economic agents. With prvate, Government and external financing, some sort of Research Foundation should be set up to allow the farming community to participate in the selecdon of research projects. The exerience learned through the on-going Bank financed Rural Development Investment project (Lo. 3250-CO) would help. Also, better lnkages between ICA and the international agricultural research centers (IARCs) should be sought to take advantage of the IARCs results and to avoid dispersion of efforts and possible overlaps. Moreover, the proposed Technology Transfer project would be an opportunity to consolidate the achievements of this project 8. Bank and Borrowr Peromne 8.1 Bank PerfQrnmar1. ITe Bank's performance was satisfctory throughout project implementation. Relations between the Bank and ICA were cordial at all times and the Bank acted supportively and flexibly to resolve project problems or to respond to changing circumstances in Colombia. The following actions contributed to icoessful project implementation: (a) reallocation of funds between categories on January 31, 1989, on June 14, 1991 and on June 24, 1992; (b) agreement to abandon the Scientific Premia component and reallocation of the funds for training consistent with the objective of the Scientific Premia of providing the incentives needed to attract and retain quad research staff; (c) two one-year extensions of the loan closing date which allowed ICA to complete the civil works program and the post graduate taining program. Bank supervion missions were well-timed, however the supervision missions could have benefitted from stronger participation of research specialists. The quality and elevarce of ICA's research programs should have been more closely monitored, which might have helped strengthen the applied aspects of research.  - 8 8.2 Borrower Performance. All major loan covenants were complied with Crable 7), although some were met with slight delays on occasion and one (Scientific Premia LA #3.06 Annex 1, Part 4c) was waived in agreement with the Bank. In spite of the changes in senior management, overall ICA perfomed well. Delays in the execution of the civil worls program were mainly due to lack of experienced staff in this area. As in the preceding Bank-assisted agricultural projects, the project encountered difficulties in obtaining counterpart funds on a timely basis. This was the most notable exception to an otherwise very satisfactory Borrower performance. 8.3 Lessons aI d. For future projects the following lessons leamed from implementation of this project may be of value: (a) the farming community as the ultimate users of the generated and disseminated technologies should be involved at the early stages of preparation of the project and later during its implementation to ensure the relevance and the adequacy of the proposed research and extension programs; (b) an agricultural research project should be focussed on improving the relevance and quality of generated technologies. Even if financing is pruposed for hardware components (namely civil works, equipment, vehicles) and/or training of research personnel, research projects should spell out among their objectives some priority research issues to be solved or at least addressed in a given timeframe. Moreover, these priority research issues should be defined so that they can be monitored in a clear and measurable manner (prionty-setting and monitoring methods such as: checklists, congruence, scoring, domestic resource cost ratios, beneWitlcost analyss, mathematical programming, systems analysis and simulation models, etc...); (c) given the budgetary dependance on often unstable and uncertain public funds, and the few available mechanisms to engage the private sector, the single national institute model for agricultural research should evolve into a more comprehensive National Research System, including public institutes, universities and private firms; (d) the Research Institution(s) involved in a research project should devise legal means, to strengthen the ability of producers' associations and/or private firms to participate in the financing of research programs and to contract research programs responsive to their needs; (e) since three international agricultural research centers exist in the Latin America region, namely CIAT in Colombia, CIMMYT in Mexico, and CIP in Peru, the National Research Systems should be more closely linked with  - 9 - them to take advantage of their results and to avoid dispersion of efforts and possible overlaps; (I) given the increasing problems of susinable agriculture and envimrmental issues, agricultural resarch projects should also work on environmentally sound technologies towards a sustainahle eco-agriculture, which implies specific training and sildls to develop a wgreenw sensitivity thoghout all research programs. 9. Pject Relationship 9.1 Bank staff and officials of the Borrower involved in the implementation of the project enjoyed an amiable and highly professional worlkng relationship. These factors contributed to the success of the project. 10. Consulting Services 10.1 Objectives in this area have been fully achieved and, indeed, surpassed with an increased hiring of locally recruited consultants. Their sustained contribution depends greatly on the depth of knowledge and training imparted to their counterpart(s) during the consultancy period. However, some shortls did occur due to lack of adequate facilities, ambiguous terms of reference, and/or vague contal arrangements.  -ll- Ptt IL a" ecRfv*x *em ftxwowers lvom The Boower has preared a fAl evaluation of the project in the document entitled: Prestamo 2303-CO. Proyecto I de Investgation y Extension Agnicola - INFORME FINAL DEL PROYECTO". This document is available in ]LAC Files. For purposes of t1he PCR, we have included, as Part II, the unedited summary from the Borrower's full report  -12- SUMMARY In 1981 the DNF prepared a document called 'Basis for the National Research Plan in the Agriculture, Cattle, Forestry and Fishery Sectors," incorporating a wide content of PLANIA. The Plan was approved by CONPES in November 1981. It demonstrated the government's deternmnation to rehabilitate the national agricultural and cattle research capacity and to establish administrative and financial systems to support long-term investigation with the participation of the private and public sectors. At that time, the Colombian Government requested the World Bank to finance the first phase of a program to stengthen the national agriculture and catde research capacity, and the extension services through a loan to ICA. The project was submitted to the World Bank for negotiations in October 1982, after three World Bank missions to Colombia on April, June and September. The Loan Agreement 2303-CO between ICA and the World Bank, Project I - Agiculture and Catte Research and Extension, was signed as scheduled on September 19, 1983 for an amount of US$63.4 million and was declared effective as of January 19, 1984 for a period of 8 1/2 years, with a closing date of June 30, 1992 as agreed with the Bank. The project contributed to the modernization of ICA's infrastructure and the training of its staff. ICA's capability to generate technology was also enhanced through the construction and upgrading of new buildings in different regions of the country, together with new machinery, equipment and vehicles. Among the construction carried out, it is worth mentioning the Biosecurity Laboratories, the Health and Animal Production Research Center, and the Animal Science, Biotechnology and Health Research Center (CEISA). To support the agricultural research and the new developments in special and biotechnology projects, two modern agricultural laboratories were built in Tibaitata -Region 1- and Palmira -Region 5- and the agricultural laboratory in the Libertad, Vilavicencio. The construction of a printing shop (TaUler de Medios de Impresi6n) is underway in Tibaitata. In addition, land improvements, drainage, irrigation, roads, and services such as sewerage, electricity, and communication systems were built. Research equipment was purchased: two high technology electronic microscopes, and X-ray difactometers, spectrophotometers, and a phytotron. Also, modern data processing equipment was purchased to substantally upgrade the processing of technical information. One hundred nine (109) Tractors, 50 light transportation vehicles and 53 heavy transportation vehicles were distributed among the different regions.  -13- Fifty eight (58) staff received PhD degrees, 132 Master degrees, 9 Sabbaticals, 65 short courses abroad, and 488 courses in the country. One hundred seventy four (174) man/months consultancy services were provided by local and foreign professionals in technical, administrative and managerial areas. Through the loan, the Agriculture and Cattle Library in Tibaitata purchased 1,500 periodicals and about 12,000 books, making it possible to modernize the data available to ICA professionals, and to substantially improve the informafion services provided to outside users.  -14- Part JH. StatticalInformaion 1. Related Bank Lown 1. Second Atlantico Irrigtion 1972 Closed At closing, the project Development (Ln. intenl rate of return 849-CO) was minus five. The conclusion was that the project could have been implemented as a flood control project instead of a sprinkler __________ irrigation project. Caqueta Rural Rural 1975 Closed Works execution was Setdement IH Project Development adequate but very slow (Ln. 1118-CO) due to thepepmanent INCORA liquidity p.-oblems. Cordoba 2 Rura 1975 Closed Land use did not Agricultural Development change and extensive Development livestock production Project (Ln. 1163- continued in spite of CO) the fact that improvements we introduced by the project.  -15- .~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~s _ I ''- 'oT~1 Itp -- ''k~*1 '-a~s . _ . _ Integrated Rural Rural 1976 Closed Project excution was Development Development extrmely complex Project (Ln. 1352- with 12 national CO) executing agencies but results were positive since farmers increased their _______ incomes. Bank disbursement process and Bank fimds delivery to the executing agencies were exceedingly slow due to complex admnsraive prcdures. Second Agricultual Agriculturd 1976 Closed The FFAP credit Credit Project (La. Credit sysm was iequae 1357-CO) for smal famers' i___________ __________ _________ needs Lack of counterpart fiuds especially resered for small farmers. Third Agricultural Agricltural 1979 Closed The Government Credit Project Credit budget policy limited the bridge financng responsibility of the I__________ _________ _______ executing agenc. Administratve and technical problems due ________ _______ ______ to INCORA weakmess. Irrigtion Irriga_o 1981 Closed Inadequate O&M cost Rehabilitation I recuperadon in the ______________ ._________ .__ _ _irrgation districts.  -16- The rehabilitated districts did not achieve their administrative indepedence nor did they orgnize their own irrigation ass.ciaions. Accounting procedures at HIMAT's headquarters did not ______ ________ _ ________ improve. Upper Magdalena Watershed 1981 Closed INDERENA, the Pilot Watershed Protection executing agency, had (Ln. 2069-CO) serious administradve problems, weak management and lack of counterpart funds. Integrated Rural Rural 1982 Closed Project implementation Development Development encountered a lot of Project Phase II difficulties, but most (Ln. 2174-CO) of the physical targets were met. Standard of living in the rml i______________ ___________ _______ _ .areas has improved.  -17- 2_ T I . . .