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Evaluating Country Programmes
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By 1963, when the agricultural servicio was folded into the Ministry of Agriculture,
many of the practices encouraged by USAID – experimentation, standardisation of
seed, use of fertilisers, contour farming – had become part of the normal features of
Costa Rican agriculture. Middle-class farmers prospered, and USAID subsequently
narrowed its attention to small farmers and targeted its assistance on raising their
productivity. From the late 1970s, when low prices for traditional exports were limiting
prospects for existing crops, USAID encouraged experimentation with nontraditional
agricultural export products. These were initially unsuccessful, but
improvements in Costa Rican policies, better understanding of technical requirements,
and support for export associations gradually produced results. During the
1980s, USAID also gave attention to environmental issues, financing much of the
early studies of the environmental problems facing Costa Rica, and encouraging
attention to the dangers posed by soil erosion and deforestation.
Population and family planning. Costa Rica had a long history of high fertility, averaging,
in 1950, seven children per woman. Alarm about the potential consequences
of continued rapid population growth led to the creation of private organisations
promoting family planning in Turrialba, San José, and in some rural areas. A national
association, established in 1966, provided information and, eventually, services
and delivery of contraceptives. In 1967, USAID began supporting this effort, both
directly and through the International Planned Parenthood Federation.
Over the next two decades, USAID undertook five bilateral projects, each supporting
some aspect of institutionalising family planning. The first project helped
establish an office of population in the Ministry of Health. A second project in 1970
pushed for universal coverage by including funding for the social security institute
and a programme of research at the University of Costa Rica. Subsequent projects
centred on disadvantaged rural women and on addressing weaknesses in availability
of services, counselling, and commodities. By the time USAID departed, there
was broad knowledge in the country of alternative fertility control technologies.
Means of fertility control were available within the public and private sectors.
It is not possible to draw firm conclusions about the contribution of USAID to
Costa Rican development from the sector analyses. What would have happened
without USAID? What one can say, however, is that USAID concentrated on pushing
the envelope of progress in each sector. USAID helped address problems for which
no institutional mechanism was in place. As an institutional framework grew up,
USAID projects pushed into new areas. Costa Rica is a different place as a result.
How different, it is not possible to say. Modernisation would have come to Costa
Rica without USAID. What can be said, however, is that USAID programmes for the
most part were pushing in the right direction; were promoting institutions that
eventually became well established; and were identified by knowledgeable Costa
Ricans as contributing to the country’s development.
OECD 1999