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117437 1 (1982-02-03)

handle is hein.gao/gaobacxua0001 and id is 1 raw text is: UNITED STATES GENERAL ACCOUNTING OFFICE WASHINGTON, D.C. 20548 3 FEB 1982 INTERNATtONAL. DIVISION The Honorable M. Peter McPherson Administrator, Agency for International Development 117437 117437 Dear Mr. McPherson: We have completed our survey of AID's agricultural research activities. Our survey shows that many problems relating to agri- cultural research, identified in several studies and reports by GAO and others, continue to exist. (See attachment for a list of studies and reports which comment on AID research.) We understand that AID is studying these problems through a research task force that is headed by the Bureau for Science and Technology. We endorse this action. Nevertheless, because most of these problems have been raised repeatedly over a number of years, and the Agency has yet to deal effectively with them, we would appreciate more specific information on AID actions or planned actions to address them. This letter highlights problems relating to the need --for an integrated research strategy; --to identify and classify research; --to place greater attention to research relevance, quality, and use; and --for more agriculturally-trained staff members. It also raises other questions about the direction of AID research efforts. INTEGRATED STRATEGY In our report, AID and Universities Have Yet to Forge an Effective Partnership to Combat World Food Problems, (October 16, 1981, ID-82-3), we recommended that AID establish an integrated agricultural research plan. Similar recommendations were made by GAO in January 1978, by BIFAD in October 1978, and by the Techni- cal Program Committee for Agriculture in January 1981. The AID response to our report indicated that a recently formed food- sector council, composed of senior agriculturalists from central and regional bureaus, was establishing a new set of research project development and review mechanisms. No further elabora- tion was provided. Related to this issue is the apparent need for an up-to-date policy statement on research. The Inspector General recently j2~~2cY>3½ 47

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