College of Agriculture & Natural Resources Department of Agricultural, Food, and Resource Economics

Project Name:           Latin America Agricultural Sector Planning and Policy Network *
Donor:                        Agency for International Development
Contract No:              AID/ta-CA-1
Account No:               71-2013
Location:                    Costa Rica and 22 other Latin American and Caribbean countries
Duration:                    July 1977 - June 1980
Budget:                       $100,171

Key MSU FacuIty:       Harold Riley and Darrell Fienup (Agricultural Economics)

Documents:                (Click here to view)   

Project Goals:           To improve and build institutional capabilities for agricultural and rural sector planning and policy analysis in Latin American and Caribbean countries; to facilitate implementation of agricultural and rural sector planning and policy analysis in the appropriate ministries and planning institutions of AID and the Inter-American Institute of Agricultural Sciences (I1CA) target countries.

Project Plans/Objectives:

• To obtain benchmark data for determining present capacities in performing sector analysis and planning activities and in implementing public sector strategies for agricultural development.
• To develop procedures for increasing the capacities of countries to do their own agricultural sector analysis and planning work, including workshops, seminars, training courses, developing training materials, and backstopping countries for specific activities in sector planning and policy analysis.

 These plans and objectives were carried out in two phases.

 Phase One (approximately 24 months)       

• To assist IICA in the development of questionnaires for a general survey and an in-depth survey of planning and related institutions in member countries.
• To participate in a workshop with IICA, and other Cooperators, AID/A/AGR, LA/DR and selected country personnel to develop a detailed plan of work for the second phase, and to finalize the survey questionnaires.
• To assist in the general survey in member countries.
• To assist in the in-depth survey in four to six selected countries.
• To assist in the analysis of data from surveys for purposes of determining training and technical assistance needs.
• To participate in a seminar in Latin America to review results of surveys.
• To assist in the design of training materials and in the planning of training courses and additional seminars and workshops.

 Phase Two (approximately 12 months)

• To provide in-depth assistance to one or more countries undertaking specific sector planning and policy analysis activities.
• To provide short-term assistance to other countries on a request basis.
• To coordinate and manage the Latin American and Caribbean agricultural and rural sector planning and policy analysis network.

 Cooperating Institutions:      Inter-American Institute of Agricultural Sciences and Iowa State University

 Project Summary: MSU joined with Iowa State University to aid the Inter-American Institute of Agricultural Science in building and improving institutional capabilities in agricultural planning, policy development, and sector analysis in 23 Latin American and Caribbean countries. The effort involved an initial assessment of interests, needs, and capabilities in planning; development of training materials, workshops, and in-service programs for staffs of agricultural planning divisions; and promotion and implementation of networking activities among countries of the region.

 Documents From/About This Project:

•  Expanded Program of Economic Analysis for Agricultural and Rural Sector Planning: The Latin American Planning Network: Final Report to USAID. 1980. Darrell Fienup and Harold Riley. Department of Agricultural Economics, MSU.

* This description is adapted from work by Nancy E. Horn, an MSU alumnus from the Anthropology Department, published in 1985 “A Project History of Michigan State University’s Participation in International Development for the period 1951 – 1985”.  See AFRE Emeritus Faculty - Acknowledgements