5340783273

- 35 -

agricultural research ln Niger to attend the meetings of the Donor Consultative Group to diecuea and agree on INRAN⁹ s propoaed research programs, annual budgets and financing piane. The organisation of the meetings muld be the responsibility of the Head of Study, Programs, Monitoring and Evaluation, and Training Division assisted by the Yalorlzation Uni*. The participation of eztension Staff and farming community r'^resentatives in these annual meetings and in the implementation of the research program muld assist with its reorientation to priority field problems•

C. Implementation Schedule

4.24    During the first 6 months of the project, organicetional and staffing arrangements proposed under the project muld be put into effect; technical assistance staff, including those reąuired for short-term consultancies <e.g. laboratory and scientific eąuipment inwentory, accounting and financial management) ₉ whose terms of reference muld have been approved by IDA₉ muld be hired and a detailed first-year staff training program muld be prepared by INRAN* s Personnel Officer (para. 3.29) assisted* if necessary, by a short-term consultant. Also, with the assistance of the Senior Project Engineer Consultant and a local Architect (para. 3.35)₉ designs of civil mrks muld be completed and upon their approval by IDA, the construction program muld be initiated during the first year of the project. Yehicle and eąuipment purchase program muld be plann%*d and ezpedited in the same manner. During the first years of the project, emphasis muld be on staff training -• both in-8ervice and formal — and on upgrading and rehabilitating ezisting facilities and inf ras truć turę at Niamey, Kolio, Tama, Konni, Bengou, Agadez. Initial development of new locations (Tahoua, Zinder) muld take place during the second half of the project implementation period.

4.25    Annual reviev and research planning meetings (para. 4.10) muld play an import ant roj* in the monitoring and evaluation jf research programs and muld provide an ezcellent opportunity for research and eztension staff, farming community representatives and the donors to ezchange views and coordinate activities and mrkprograms, including those of the national research system, with those of International research institutes. Assurances were obtained at negotiations (para. 6.01) that not later than May 31, 1993 together with the Donor Consultative Group, a mid-term review of the National Agricultural Research Program muld be held. This muld be an ezteroal review conducted with the assistance of International research specialists invited to make specific obsenrations and recommendations on Niger⁹s agricultural (including livestock and forestry) research programs in the light of the project⁹8 objective8 and targets as well as long-term goals. This mf.d-term review muld also ezamine organizational and institutional arrangements for agricultural, livestock and forestry research, comment upon the appropriateness of the ezisting arrangements and prepare specific alternative propo6als if necessary.

D. Financial Control, Audit and Reportlng

4.26 In order to better eąuip INRAN to handle its increased responsibility, the project muld strengthen INRAN⁹s Administration and