I I - part - usaid

C. Issues
I., Gener i issues
-2-
Issues lrl¢ the PID approval cable (State 305713 a
_'cncenfca ''i-i~ting~ the 'geographic -se
ne ) nIdi
area of impiementatiZAn Odes:,re to SimplIty the Project and
reduce initial r-ndirig level, need tor clearly articulating
the implem :ntatiZ.n responsibili.ties at each administrative
level, need to specify l.nkages to otner projects in the
Northeast, desiLe for area specitic development plans and
site selection crit'eia, concern for adequate monitoiing
arrangements and grant/loan pitb and need t.o focus on
negat.ive environment con2errns ,if any) Each of these
issues has been addressed in Parts iI-IV of the PP, One of
the most difficult issues, the Project's complexity, is
discussed below,
2. The ComplexityImplici t in the Area Based
MetEhodo&loy
The vaiue .i the area-based approach is that it
organizes complemen:taty inputs and services to overcome
interlocking constr'aints to development in a manner bestsuited
to local conditions and potential. it deliberately
avoids the oversimpIificatio, of. promoting one set of
cropping practices or one technical "formula" for the widely
varying agro-ecologicai conditions of Northeast Thailand.
Accordingly, by design, NERAD provides for, a wide variety of
possible intervent1c...',s
from which local dec.sion-makers can
select The Project is coriceLned with both the process of
local selection and adaptation ol agricultural technologies
and the development,-.application o[ technologifS that will
wok under a variety -,, rainfed ayicultutal situations.
this necessaLL divai'sity and
There is a price to pay ioL
flexibility, and that is added comphlety7.
During the design process, the design team was
well aware that. while a multi-component, flexible farming
systems type approach is perhaps the mcst appropriate way to
can be
address agricultu1.oi problems in rainted areas, it
taken to ameliorate
difficult to impleierit if measures are not
the inherent complexlty of the approach
to deal with the impications of
NERAD a.e:pt5
complexiry thrcuyh a vcir e,y 01 meichanrsmZ"
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