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Report Of The Externa! Advisory Committee 
GL0/91/013 ECOLO,GICALL Y SUSTAINABLE CASSAVA 
PLANT PROTECTION IN SOUTH AMERICA AND AFRICA 
(PROFISMA) 
Bahia, Brazil 
29 August - 3 September, 1994 
John H. Borden, O!air 
Donald W. Roberts 
Dewa M. Tantera 
Alexander Davidson, Resource Person 
26 September, 1994 
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UNICA~· L: iO.:'.:.·,c,Ul Y 
0\.JLUMt.N 1 I'.CilH¡ 
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Acknowledgement 
The members of the EAC wish to thank the members of PROFlSMA and 
EMBRAP A for their warm hospitality during the course of the mission. In particular the 
EAC is grateful for the open and friendly manner in which PROFlSMA staff discussed 
their work with the EAC. While sometimes loud, the interactions were always positive, 
and contributed greatly to a successful review. 
List of Abbreviations 
This report contains the following abbreviations: 
CGM,Cassava Green Mi te 
CIAT, Centro Internacional de Agricultura Tropica, Columbia 
CNPMF, Centro Nacional de Pecquisa de Mandioca e Fruticultura, Crus das 
Almas, Brazil 
CVMV, Cassava Vein Mosaic Virus 
EAC, Externa! Advisory Committee 
EMBRAPA, Empresa Brasileira de Pesquisa Agropecuária, Brazil 
ESCAPP, Environmentally Sensitive Cassava Plant Protection, Africa 
llCA, Inter-American Institute for Tropical Agriculture, Costa Rica 
nTA, International Institute for Tropical Agriculture, Africa 
IPM, Integrated Pest Management 
PROFlSMA, Protecao Fitossanitaria Sustentavel da Mandioca (Sustainable 
Cassava Plant Protection) 
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L INTRODUcnON 
There is a great need for environmentally sound crop protection for cassava, a 
staple food for millions of people, panicular! y the poor, in South America and Africa. 
Accordingly, UNDP approved in January 1993 a project to be executed by CIAT and 
llTA "to develop, test and implement sustainable cassava protection technology for the 
most damaging insect (sic) pests found in nonheast Brazil and in the African countries". 
(p.3. ofUNDP Recommendation to the Administrator appended to the PROJEcr 
DOCUMENT for GL0/91/013). (Ibis project is not restricted to insect pests, but also 
includes plant pathogens and weeds). The project, with a budget ofjust over $10 mili. 
(U.S.), aims to achieve by the end of its four year duration (p.20 of PROJEcr 
DOCUMENT): 
1) enhanced national research capability, 
2) farmer knowledge through training, 
3) technology adoption, and 
4) improved yield and quality of cassava. 
These aims are to be attained through three "interrelated and panially concurren! phases" 
dealing with (p.18 of PROJEcr DOCUMENT): 
1) refining the e.xisting knowledge base through diagnostic surveys, 
·z) farrner panicipation in research and development of relevant crop 
protection methods, with concomitan! training of farmers, extension 
workers and researchers, and 
3) evaluation of progress in achieving training and technology 
implementation. 
The South American pan of the project (PROFISMA) is administered pan! y by 
CIAT and pan! y by the Brazilian federal government's agricultura! research station 
(EMBRAP A) at whose research station (CNPMF) the project's principal activities are 
based. IICA is also involved insofar as the PROFISMA staff in Brazil are officially IICA 
staff. The African component of the project (ESCaPP) is administered separately by 
llTA and four panicipating governments. 
Although the project was approved retroactive to 1 January, 1993, the South 
American component was not initiated un ti! the Iast quaner of 1993. Thus this review 
occurred approximately one year after the project's inception. 
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The terms of reference of the EAC included: 
1) reviewing the quality, focus and progress ofthe project, with particular 
reference to research, training and collaboration, 
2) evaluating the management and administration of the project, 
3) providing suggestions to improve the probability that the project will have 
an importan! impact on cassava production, and 
4) providing other relevant comments and suggestions. 
Because the EAC concurred strongly with the farrner-centered nature of the 
' project document, it adopted as its principal criterion for examining project activities the 
implicit question "what does this do for the small farmer?" Although the project 
document does not use the term "integrated pest management" (IPM), the objectives are 
consistent with the principies of IPM. Hence during two days of field visits and three 
subsequent days of discussions with project personnel, the EAC conducted its review 
with these principies in mind. 
In the following review the EACs impressions of the key aspects of various 
components of the project are described. Specific suggestions are formulated in bold 
face· as 21 recommendations, although other suggestions may be embodied in the text. 
The report may contain sorne factual or interpretive errors. In large part any inaccuracy 
probably. was caused by the excessive amount of time required for Portuguese/English 
translations (and vice versa) of all discussions, allovting the EAC little opportunity to 
verify all of the contents of this re port. 
ll. FIELD VISITS 
The EAC welcomed the program of field visits as proposed by PROFlSMA. 
These visits allowed first-hand observation of the efficacy of the project's farmer-
centered approach and the agro-ecological context in which PROFlSMA opera tes. 
On Monday, 29 August the EAC visited farms in the vicinity ofPiritiba, 300 km 
west of Cruz das Almas in the "Agreste" agro-ecological zone, intermediate between the 
humid coastal zone and the semi-arid "Sertáo" ofthe interior. The EAC observed severa! 
on-farrn trials and witnessed the explanation of these trials by PROFlSMA staff to 
farmers on whose fields they were conducted. Four pertinent points arose from this 
experience. 
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1) The growers were attentive and interacted in a free and frank manner with 
the PROF1SMA team. They did not appear to be overawed by any of their 
visitors. 
2) The PROF1SMA professionals used plain, straight-forward Portuguese or 
even the growers' own idiom, and refrained complete! y from baffling 
"techno-talk". 
3) The growers evideñtly appreciated the chance to observe t1le experiments 
in progress and the invitation to be present when the experiments are 
evaluated after three years. A clever enticement was provided by the 
PROF1SMA team in that the growers will be welcome to obtain planting 
material at will from the plants after the experiments are completed. 
4) The local "prefeito" (approximately equivalen! to Mayor) attended !he 
field visit. Despite an impending election, he confined bis well-informed 
public remarks to agricultura! tapies, rather than electioneering, apparently 
reflecting his respect for agricultura! science and the PROF1SMA project. 
On Tuesday, 30 August, the EAC visited the "Colonia de Roberto Santos", a 
small-farmer settlementlocated in the coastal zone about 200 km northeast of Cruz das 
Almas. The growers in this community are part of the participating extension, training 
and survey components of the PROF1SMA program. In the field the EAC noted an 
interesting contras! in the altitudes of growers towards the extension staff. On being 
asked why they accepted the recommendation of the extensionists, sorne growers 
conveyed the impression that it would be unthinkable to do otherwise. This attitude 
possibly survives from previous authoritarian top-down relationships. On the other hand, 
one young grower was bold enough to state "we believe the 'tecnicos' beca use they have 
done their experiments here with us". This is the sort of reaction that the project is 
expected to generatel 
The EAC also observed two "cottage-industry", cassava-processing factories, 
where cassava roots are peeled, pulverized, pressed, dried/toasted, sized and bagged for 
sale as "farinha" (cassava flour). These factories are a mix of prívate enterprise 
capitalism and family-communallabor. The unit is owned by its constructor, who 
supervises the operations by each grower's family and friends, mainly women and 
children, in manual peeling and subsequent semi-mechanized steps. The owner receives 
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payment as 20% of the product, which is currently worth ca. 20 Centavos of a Real per 
kg. There is great potential for improving the welfare of communities with such factories 
by improving tbe yield and quality of the raw product. 
Recommendation l. To recogníze their achievement, growers who complete a 
training program and participate with PROFISMA and extension staff in research 
and diagnostics should be presented witb a physical symbol oC recognition, 
perceptible to other members of their community, such as a T -shirt or cap bearing 
the PROFISMA logo. Growers who have become adept in training programs at 
diagnosing pest incidence and damage should be given a personal hand-lens as a 
working diagnostic tool that can be used in caringfor their crop. 
Recommendation 2. When scheduling permits, field visits for the EAC team should 
be planned before and arter formal discussions. The latter visit will aUow the EAC 
to reconfirm or amend its early perceptions prior to rmalizing lis report. Such visits 
need not be to the same areas. 
m REVIEW OF RESEARCH 
A. Participating Training Methods and Diagnostic Surveys 
In the first ofthe formal discussion sessions on Wednesday, 31 August the EAC 
found the proposed training program for research and extension workers, who will work 
with growers in diagnostics and participatory research, to be well underway. To date it 
involves 50 trainees from six states and 45 communities. Fifteen of the trainees are 
women. Three are PROFISMA staff. 
Farmers have not yet been formally trained, and participatory IPM research has 
not been attempted .. Rather, initial work has been to survey and rank the growers' 
perceptions of the causes and consequences of their horticultural and pest problems. This 
will result in a group of growers familiar with PROFISMA staff and collaborating 
extension workers. Moreover, the scientifically-based socioeconomic study will provide 
background data as a basis for comparison when participatory research on the 
implementation of IPM is evaluated. 
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Rec:ommendation 3. Because ot the importance ot the lnitial dlagnostic work with 
growers, a concerted efrort should be made to accelerate the scientitlc valldation ot 
the grower dlagnoses and to complete the statistical analysls oC the results ot the 
. diagnostic study. 
The EAC again noted that in the second phase of the project "farmers will 
participate in the development and testing of a range of crop protection technology 
components" (p.l8 of PROJECf DOCUMENT). However, the entire project is projected 
to last only four years and there is relatively little time to initiate and develop the 
participatory research program. Moreover, although many of the researchers who 
appeared befare the EAC were working active! y with growers, none had any training in 
participatory research and none had yet been involved in such research as part of this 
project. 
Recommendation 4. In order to ensure that the participatory research efrort is 
successful, a smaU group of researchers, growers and extension workers should be 
brought together immediately to begin participatory research in a pilot p~oject 
involving an IPM component tbat is clearly ready for practic:al application. 
A. Cassava Green Mi te (CGM) 
CGM is a subject of critica! importance to the PROF!SMA effort, because its 
control is needed in the ]PM program, and the chances of its regulation by classical 
biological control are excellent. The two principal aspects of ongoing biological control 
work: are: 
1) selection and release of predaceous, phytoseiid mites adapted to dry and 
humid cassava-growing regions, and 
2) characterization, conservation, and perhaps importation into Africa, of 
Neozygites sp., a fungus which occurs naturally at epizootic levels in 
some cassava-growing regions of Brazil. 
Emphasis at present is on three species of phytoseiid mites currently in rearing at 
CNPMF, but releases of small numbers of these mi tes in fields heavily infested with 
CGM have apparently not resulted in their successful establishment. 
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Reconunendation 5. Since there may be etrective and easUy reared predatory mites 
as yet undiscovered, survey lor other species and biotypes should be continued 
throughout the natural range of CGM, particularly In dry areas where NeozygiJes is 
not very effective. 
Thc rearing of largc numbers of predaceous phytoseiid mi tes for rclease in 
classical biological control is a critica! componen! of this projcct. Because this effort is 
limited at present by the inability lo rear largc numbcrs of cassava green miles in Brazil, 
thc EAC met separately with a small group of scienlists concemcd wilh Ibis problem. 
Thc scienlists' opinion lhal rearing of lhese miles sho11ld takc place at EMBRAP A in 
Cruz das Almas was supported by lhe EAC. In touring lhe station, thc EAC confirmed 
thal adequate facilities for rearing of predalors were available, that lhe principal scientists 
involved were highly compeleni, and lhal limited production of the cassava grcen mite 
was indeed a majar impedimenl 
The impedimenl would be relieved if a a dedicaled scrcen-house for rearing CGM 
were conslrucled. The enlarged prey and predalor rearing program would rcq~ire a full 
time Research Assistanl (not a degree-holding professional). A good phasc-contracl 
compound microscope is rcquired for confirmalion of the idenlity of predaceous 
phyloseiids in rearing, and for identifying new specimens from field colleclions. Such a 
microscope has been budgcled for, bul is nol yet purchased. Finally therc will be a need 
for ongoing malerials and supplies. 
The approximate costs (SUS) for lhese items are as follows: 
Capital Expendilures 
Screcn-house 
Phase contrast microscope 
Total 
Annual Operating Expenditures 
Research Assistant, 
$20,000 
10,000 
$30,000 
salary and benefits $10,000 
Materials and supplies 6,000 
Total $16,000 
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Recommendatlon 6. Purchase of the budgeted phase-contrast microscope should 
proceed immediately, the 1994 budget should be revised to provide runds ror rapid 
construction of a dedicated screen-house, and future budgets should include 
provision for a Research Assistant in mite rearing, and for associated materiais and 
supplies. 
Recommendation 7. Provision should be made for the key researcher involved in 
phytoseiid production to visit the liTA mite-rearing facility in Africa, and if possible 
to visit European facilities while in transit, to assist her in optimizing her own mass-
production schemes. 
The EAC noted that nucleic acid or antibody-based identification of predator 
mites is possible. However, it felt that development ofsuch techniques is not 
immediately necessary if adequate microscopic capability is provided. 
Neozygires sp. is apparently already important in controlling CGM populations in 
humid to semi-humid regions of Brazil. This is a very interesting and importan! (hot) 
area of study. It m ay be of central importance in the overall UNDP project in that 
Brazilian strains may succeed in protecting cassava ftom CGM in Africa follo~ing 
widespread, classical biological control introductions. Considerably more information is 
needed on the biology and taxonomy of the fungus. Also practica! studies need to be 
carried out on schemes to mass produce and release this fungus into the field in an 
effective manner. These studies would include speed of spore germination as well as 
spore numbers and rate of spore production. The EAC noted that sorne of the research 
reported was directed toward sophisticated in vitro culture techniques that were beyond 
the province of the current PROFISMA project. 
Recommendation 8. Research on N eozygites sp. in PROFISMA should be llmited 
only to those propagation and re le ase techniques that ha ve immediate practica! 
potentiaL The PRQFISMA project may be used as a magnet to attract ancillary 
runding for more baslc, strategic research. 
C. Cassava Mealybug, Homworm and Whitefly 
The biological control of these three pests offers sorne unique opportunitics for 
PROFISMA. For example, the mealybug, Phenacoccus he"eni, presents an opportunity 
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to utilize classical biological control techniques developed in Africa for P. manihoti. 
Exploration in the probable site of origin has yielded a number of parasites and predators, 
plus a fungus. Three of these parasites have been selected for further study, including 
their interactions in caged environments at CIAT. The EAC especially approves of the 
recently initiated studies to track parasite spread following release in Brazil, and to make 
assessments of the environmental impact of these releases. 
Recommendatlon 9. Based on.the outstanding results otthe Atrlean projeet with 
parasites oC P. nuznihoti, PROFISMA should engage in an expanded release 
program of the parasites of P. he"eni in Brazil. Coneurrently, the seareh should 
continue ror additional natural enemies. 
The biological control of cassava hornworm involves the use of a naturally 
occurring baculovirus, a group of insect-specific viruses of virtually no threat to non-
target organisms. This virus presents an excellent opportunity for participatory research 
and development with farmers. For example, grower cooperatives could produce and 
store virus preparations for use when needed by member farmers. 
Studies on whitefly control by PROFISMA emphasize the use of a fungus, 
Cladosporium sp. There is virtually nothing known outside of Brazil on this fungus. and 
studies on its biology,- production and applied use are encouraged by the EAC. 
D. Environmental Assessment 
The EAC commends PROFISMA for planning to conduct studies on the effect of 
their pest control efforts on non-target organisms. However, the proposed research 
appeared to be solely on negative effects, and also included laboratory tests on 
vertebrales. 
Recommendation 10. Be cause of the strong likelihood tbat none or the biological 
control agents under consideration will ha ve any adverse environmental impact, 
studies should concentrate on potential beneficia! impacts, as well as adverse ones, 
and should be structured so that the data collected are uselul to the overall 
biological control endeavor. 
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Recommendation 11. Beca use of the requirements for registration or blological 
pesticides, any testlng of microbial or viral pestlcides on vertebrates, lt required, 
should be done In a laboratory certified by the appropriate registratlon agency. 
E. Crop Loss Assessment 
Extensive studies are underway by PROF1SMA in which pesticides (microbial 
and chemical) are used experimentally to kili ene or more pests selectively and to leave 
others on the test plants. These experiments require different treatments in different 
regions with different pest complexes. By selectively removing cenain pests, the impact 
of others can be determined. The EAC considers this. research to be importan! in 
providing area-wide baseline data on the impact of cassava pests. When analyzed 
statistically the voluminous data being collected can be used to justify research emphasis 
on the most importan! pests. They can also provide reference points against which new 
pest control treatments can be measured accurately, and they can be used as a basis for 
determining benefit/cost ratiosfor the IPM program. 
Recommendation 12. Statistical analysis of the data on pest-caused crop losses 
should be expedited. 
F. Root Rots 
Root rots in the genera Phytophthora and Fusariam are predominan! among the 
plethora of organisms inhabiting diseased cassava roots, and are judged to be the cause of 
substantiallosses in certain circumstances. A long-standing research program at CNPMF 
has yielded a number of management methods that could readily be applied in growers' 
fields. These methods include: the use of toleran! varieties; compatible interplantings; 
treatments of cuttings with antagonistic microorganisms, mycorrhyzal fungi and 
endophytes; planting on furrowed ridges; and rotation with other crops to reduce inocula. 
Recommendation 13. Consideration should be given by PROFISMA to the rapid 
lncorporation of these methods into the IPM program In conjunctlon with methods 
to be used against other pests. 
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E. Witches Broom Mycoplasma 
This disease has caused a majar problem in the state oí Ceara, and could spread to 
other areas. Research to determine its vector(s), including ribosomal-based PCR analysis 
is well underway. In addition, a commendable project is field-testing five resistan! 
varietics with 70 farmers in 10 crimmunitics. Research is also continuing on disease 
distribution and yield loss asscssment. 
H. Cassava Vein Mosaic Virus (CVMV) 
The most serious foliar disease in the project region is CVMV. It differs 
substantially from the cassava mosaic virus in Africa," India and Sri Lanka in that it 
causes substantialleaf-vein clearing and stunting. The disease has been succcssfully 
transmitted experimentally only through infected stem cuttings and by top grafting. A 
recently-developed PCR-based detection technique will be useful in detecting virus in 
imported or exported cuttings, and may be used succcssfully in determining the vector(s). 
While crop losses due to CVMV have not yet been determined, they are hypothcsized to 
be substantial. Disease symptoms can be greatly reduced by the use of high-quality 
planting material. 
Rccommendation 14. Becausc apparcntly diseasc-Crce plants can be produced Crom 
high-quality planting material, tralning or growers in good propagatlon techniques 
should be lncorporated immediately in the participatory IPM program. The 
production oC vigorous plants may also reduce the impact or other pests. 
L Agronomic Practices and Weed Control 
The objectivcs of weed management in cassava are to reduce production costs, 
increase productivity and preserve soil fertility. Additional outcomes are the prevention 
of water loss and soil erosion and the provision of reservo ir plants for beneficia! insects. 
Because the complex of weed species differs even between local arcas, continuing 
research into management systems will be needed. 
Recommendation 15. Because the potential galns are great and management 
techniques tor weeds are well advanced, weed management should be incorporated 
rapidly into grower participation IPM. 
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Recommendation 16. In addition to assessing the acceptability oC weeds for 
beneficia) insects occurring naturally in the tteld, collaborative research should be 
done which assesses the acceptability o{ various weed species as reservoirbosts for 
the phytoseüd mites being considered for classical biological control of the CGM. 
Because of the vigorous, ongoing research on agronomic practices, an 
E.\4BRAPA plan! physiologist, who was not previously in PROFISMA, has been 
attracted to work in the proj ect. His work on the effect of various weed management 
regimes on the growth and water relations of cassava will assist in selecting the best 
cover crop treatment for improving the hydric conditions for the cassava crop. 
In the field and in formal discussion the effect of cassava in depleting soil 
nutrients, particular) y nitro gen, phosphorus, potassium, calcium and magnesium, was 
emphasized. Converse) y, great gains in productivity can be achieved by such techniques 
as mulching. The EAC was intrigued by the very positive results of an ambitious project 
involving many growers in Ceara, in which cassava crops are mulched with debris from 
camauba palm fronds harvested for their wax. It appears that such techniques-would b.e 
useful in other arid areas. 
J. Experimental Design 
In general, the EAC found that in a cursory examination the experiments being 
conducted by PROFISMA were of sound design. Yet virtually all biological scientists, 
including members of the EAC, ha ve encountered situations in which experiments that 
appeared to be of sound design, were rightly criticized for deficiencies found after the 
fact by externa) rcviewers. In most cases there was insufficient time for the EAC to 
examine experimental design dosel y. It might ha ve been useful had further discussion 
taken place when the EAC had concems about such factors as adequate replication, size 
of field plots, buffer zones, testing more than ene hypothesis in the same experiment, and 
the statistical analysis of data. The EAC noted that in most research groups, scientists 
discuss their proposed experiments with others (often heatedly), and in most govemment 
research stations in North America, the station statistician must approve the experimental 
design and the proposed altematives for statistical analysis of the data prior to initiating 
an experiment. 
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Recommendatlon 17. PROFISMA should selecta small group o!scientists wbo are 
experfenced in experimental design and analysfs o! data to serve as a consulting 
group Cor other scientists. The objectives o!the consulting group would be to ensure 
that there is confidence in the expected results and that statistical analysis can be 
done rapidly and routinely after the experiment. 
IV. PROJECf MANAGEMENT 
Throughout its mission, the EAC was aware that it was evaluating both CIAT and 
CNPMF activities. This was not easy for two reasons: 1) lack of physical presence of 
the EAC in Columbia for first-hand observations of GIAT operations, and 2) the 
apparently harmonious integration of the activiiies of both institutions, so that it was 
difficult at times to tell where the efforts by one institution stopped and those of the other 
staned. In pan the integration of activities has been facilitated by the fact that one of the 
two Scientific Coordinators and the Training Coordinator of PROFISMA are CIA T 
employees seconded to CNPMF. The successful integration has been further facilitated 
by the efforts of CIAT and CNPMF personnelto make their work truly intemational in its 
scope. However, future EACs would be well advised to compare progress, workplans 
and budgets to determine just how integrated the South American work really is. 
The EAC met for the moming of 2 September with a group of administrators 
including the two Scientific Coordinators and the Training Coordinator of PROFISMA, a 
representative of CIAT, the Director and Heads of Finance and Technical Services of 
CNPMF, and the project Bookkeeper/Accountant. 
The project monies are necessarily administered in a tortuous fashion involving 
initial disbursement of funds to CIAT, and secondary disbursement of the Brazilian 
componen! toan account in Brasilia from which EMBRAPA can draw. CIAT charges 
14% overhead on its ponion of the project budget and 4% of the EMBRAPA componeilt. 
Initially there was no overhead retumed to EMBRAPA, a 5% charge is now levied, and 
this may have to be increased in the future. 
Severe limitations in the progress of the PROFISMA effort have occurred in the 
inability of the EMBRAP A bureaucracy to respond to the PROFISMA need for rapid 
purchases of equipment, e.g. the phase-<:ontrast microscope needed for the predaceous 
mi te work ora rotary evaporator required in the weed science project. Various solutions 
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to this dilemma were explored, e.g. procurement through UNDP, or having CIAT make 
purchases and donating the items te EMBRAPA, with a corresponding reduction in the 
EMBRAPA componen! of the budget. 
Recommendation 18. EMBRAP A/CNPMF should do its utmost to streamline its 
procurement procedures so that PROFISMA activities are not delayed. lfthis is not 
possible, PROFISMA, with the assistance ofUNDP, shciuld flnd a way to bypass 
EMBRAPA. 
A review of the 1993 and 1994 budgets disciosed a substantial surplus from 1993 
and projected under expenditures for 1994. These ha ve resulted from such factors as late 
start of the project (even though payment was made ri:troactive te 1 January 1993) as 
weil as delays in hiring personnel or retaining consultants for whom salaries had been 
budgeted, and correspondingly reduced needs for iogistic and material support. It was 
noted that UNDP permits the carry-over of budget surpiuses into succeeding years, and 
that the developing PROF1SMA program wiil easily absorb these surpluscs with cssential 
expenditures, e.g. the screen-house for mite rearing, and extra vehicles needed because of 
the huge geographic arca covered by this ambitious project. 
The degree of flexibility that PROF1SMA has with respect to reailocation of 
budget items was also explored. It was noted by the EAC that UNDP will tolerate 
approximately :!:5% leeway en expenditures for most budgeted items. However, further 
deviations, e.g. using money originaily aiiocated for consultants to purchase a vehicie, 
would require a revised budget, and if necessary a revised workplan, to be approved by 
UNDP befare any expenditures were made. 
The members of the EAC, who are al! scientists with experience managing very 
large research projects, felt that UNDP budgetary procedures were very restrictive. Most 
research granting agencies allow the researcher full budget flexibility. They "audit" 
projects primarily en whether or not the scientific and technological output is of the 
highest quality, in sufficient amount, and more or less en target. (Targets are often met 
incompletely because scientific research, unlike engineering, always has unanticipated 
uncertainties that redirect the course of an investigation). However, the EAC felt that in 
this case, it would be unwise to allow such flexibility in budget administration unless 
there was very rigorous examination by future EAC's to ensure that expenditures had 
been made en items that were truiy consisten! with PROF1SMA's objectives. 
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Sorne problems associated with personnel were noted by the EAC. The delay in 
appointing a National Training Coordinator has impeded progress of the work by the 
PROFISMA Training Coordinator in grower-related projects. EMBRAPA hadan 
appointee selected who opted for another opportunity, anda renewed recruitment process 
is well underway. 
There is a particular problem with health care benefits for PROFISMA 
employees, who are administratively classed as employees of llCA, rather than 
EMBRAP A, and thus are ineligible for benefits. The altematives explored to date are 
prohibitively expensive, leaving most PROFISMA staff without coverage. 
Recommendation 19. PROFIS!'rWEMBRAPA should continue to search diligently 
for a solution to the health care plan dilemma for PROFISMA employees. One 
possible solution would be for the arrangement oC a special contract with 
EMBRAPA to cover beneflts only Cor the duration ofPROFISMA. 
During the hearings, the EA- witnessed two projects by collaborating scientists, a 
plant physiologist and a virologist, who had been attracted to work in the project by the 
opportunities for collaborative work in retum for minar supporting budgets, but not 
salaries. A large project like this can be a magnet for such collaborations, which in tum 
can provide useful retums to the project. 
Recommendation 20. As opportunities are disclosed during the course ofresearch, 
PROFISMA should seek further collaboration with extemal scientists in areas that 
would contribute to meeting the project's objectives. 'lbere should be sufficient 
budget flexibility anticipated by UND P to acconunodate provision oC funds Cor su eh 
collaborations. 
During the entire week of review, the EAC heard much of impacts caused by 
various practices and pests, and gains that could be achieved through a multitude of 
horticultura! and pest management tactics. However, almost never were there monetary 
values placed on such impacts. If available, such values would provide strong supporting 
evidence of the true value of the PROFISMA effort and would allow benefit/cost analysis 
to begin immediately. 
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Recommendation 21. PROFISMA should consider hiriDg a pracdcaUy-orienud 
economist, perhaps as a consultant, to place monetary values on lmpacts and 
benefits associaud with the IPM program, and to i.D.itiau benefit/cost studles that 
can predict the future pay-off' oC the program. 
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