NAT'L AGRICULTURAL S

closed

The National Agricultural Services Support Project will be the first phase of a five-year program designed to support, through improved research and extension, the generation, dissemination and adoption of environmentally sound technology required to sustain productivity gains in agriculture in the long run. The project will be implemented over a period of two years on a national scale. In line with the Government's overall civil service reforms, the project's strategy will be: (a) to assure the delivery of basic agricultural services through the establishment of a National Agricultural Services Agency (ANADER) which will be the Government's main sub-contractor for extension, adaptive research and support to farmers' organizations; and (b) to streamline and strengthen MINAGRA's regional directorate (DRAs) in each of the ten regions of the country. DRAs' role will be refocused on their public service mandate geared to establishment and implementation of agricultural policies and regulations. As part of this mandate, they will be given clear responsibilities and directions to assist in the development of private sector initiatives. In support of the above strategy, the project will include the following components: (a) restructuring process; (b) operating support to ANADER; and (c) institutional strengthening.