This document continues the "Study of Costs in Technical Assistance Services"worked in the Vice-Rectory for Research and Postgraduate Studies at UNAN-León. This new report reflects the results obtained from the Study of "Comparison of Costs between the Institutions that provide Technical Assistance Services in the agricultural sector in the region of Western Nicaragua".
The institutions taken as a sample were: INTA (visiting its facilities in León, Posoltega and Managua), Tropitécnia NITLAPAN (visiting Managua and Somotillo), Agro Alfa and SETAGRO (Chinandega), and the Integrated Pest Management Center (UNAN-LEON).
These institutions belong two of them, to the Private sector and the other three, to the State; They sought information on the costs of Technical Assistance (TA) services, to develop the following objectives of this study:
Compare the Costs of Technical Assistance Services of some Institutions that provide TA services to the agricultural sector in the western region of Nicaragua.
Differentiate the cost components incurred by the different Institutions for contracting TA services through a cost structure. To carry out this study, a field work was carried out with the participation authorized by the administrative directors of each one of the Institutionsand an additional analysis was carried out in the document indicated at the beginning (Cost Study among the Institutions that provide Technical Assistance Services), in addition the documentation of project planning and execution was consulted, in printed documents, and computerized databases that They are located in the FUNICA-León offices.
Methodologically, an interview with a duration of 1 to 2 hours maximum was applied for each director of the institutions taken as a reference by FUNICA-León. In the interview, questions were developed about the costs they incur in providing TA services, also about the provision of TA services with FUNICA financing. At the same time, a documentary analysis was carried out, taking up aspects of the previous work.
Based on the analysis applied in the indicated sources, the contributions of the cost components were characterized. These descriptions are related to the economic values of the costs of each Institution, which provided inputs in the comparative analysis of the SAT and especially with the scale of costs of the services financed by FUNICA.
Description of SAT Provider Institutions
First of all, it is necessary to make a review of the functional characteristics of the institutions taken as a reference to carry out this work.
- Agro Alfa
It is a private institution, with headquarters in Chinandega and branches in León, Sébaco, Malacatoya, Juigalpa, and Jinotega, it has more than 15 years providing technical assistance services, however these services complement its sales of agrochemicals to the productive sector. Its TA services are specialized in the fields of Peanuts with 90%, Sorghum, Rice and Sugar Cane, that is, they count among their clients large producers in the country. They quantify the value of technical assistance through a fixed value per apple that the producer pays for the entire production cycle. At the same time, they sell to the producers the agrochemicals that their technicians recommend.
Table No. 1. Payments made by apples to Agro Alfa
| Culture | Unit | Value to pay apple | by | |
| Peanut | Apple | $ 13 | ||
| Cane
Sugar |
of | Apple | $ 8 | |
| Rice | Apple | $ 6 | ||
| Sorghum | Apple | $ 6 |
Source: Survey carried out
In their cost structure, they use the policy of 10% contingencies and 20% profits in their executed projects. Its strength lies in specialized technical assistance in the aforementioned items for export and domestic consumption as well as training in agro-industrial production, marketing and commercialization, quality control, project administration, business organization, accompaniment by management technicians. of crops through producer by producer and mechanized labor services. This Institution is made up of a team of 4 field technicians with a vehicle appropriate to the field, assigned to each one, including fuel, as well as maintenance. The amount of the payment of fees to the field technicians is $ 1000, plus an incentive on sales.
- SETAGRO Agricultural Technical Assistance Services Company
At the time of the interview, this Institution was closing operations, because they decided to exit the market due to the fact that they were having losses due to the lack of project allocation (INTA, FUNICA and the World Bank financed them). Having a maximum coverage of 2,200 producers in León and Chinandega, of which they received a monthly income of $ 13 dollars per producer (the producers contributed a co-financing of $ 5 a month and INTA $ 8 per producer). Composed of a team of 32 field technicians, each with an assigned motorcycle and fuel, they were given an amount of money for their monthly maintenance, plus 5 people in the administrative area.
The methodology applied in technical assistance consisted of direct visits to the individual producer's farm, governed under formats established by INTA. Its potential was concentrated in diversified and specialized production (agricultural, livestock, forestry, commercialization, business organization and direct support to the producer in the production cycle).
They achieved the Onion Validation, adoption of technology, making producers more efficient on their farms (drip irrigation, theoretical and practical training in soybean, sorghum, onion, corn production and in business organization).
At that time there was no competition like today for what they lasted 10 years in the market, its strength was focused on the quality and experience that each of its workers had. In recent years, few projects have been implemented due to limited central government financing to the agricultural sector, on the one hand. The high operating and administrative costs gave guidelines for leaving the market.
- NITLAPAN dependency department
Tropitécnia, is a dependency of NITLAPAN-UCA with more than 15 years providing technical assistance to the productive sector of Nicaragua (Managua Norte, the Pacific zone, Madrid and the central part of the country). This Institution has a very particular and interesting methodology that consists of educating the producer, which is done in phases:
First phase: learning to learn, the producer is given direct technical advice, containing more theory than practice.
Second phase: learning by doing, training and consulting are more practical than theories.
Third and last phase: field school, the producer enters the competitive market, he has all the necessary tools to survive from the productive sector in which he specializes.
The main objective of this Institution is for the producer to capitalize on himself through the application of the knowledge acquired in the training provided, which is why a direct productive modality has been defined.
The costs charged to them are between $ 15 to $ 25 per producer, these revenues are to cover operational and administrative expenses. The types of technical assistance they provide are developed in the productive areas: agricultural, livestock, forestry, project management and organization of rural companies, being their strength in major and minor livestock, coffee, bananas, vegetables and basic grains, as well as plans of farms in diversified subjects, production, and processing. The fees paid by this Institution are $ 200 for inexperienced extensionists and $ 700 for those with more experience, plus other benefits for both. This unit has a staff of 15 field technicians plus 5 people in the administrative area.
- Integrated Pest Management Center (MIP) of UNAN-León
The Center for Integrated Pest Management of UNAN-Leon, is a unit of state character. Its main objective is to “Transmit to the agricultural sector the technologies in this area that this institution has”looking for medium and small producers to achieve a higher level of productivity. It is located in the agricultural field, made up of 10 people of which 3 are extensionists and 7 in the administrative area. The training they provide is for a maximum of 40 producers, at a cost of $ 20 to $ 25 per producer. With a duration of 6 hours in each activity. Most of the operating expenses are financed directly by the Institution that demands or contracts the service. Its strength is focused on consultancies on integrated pest management, biological control, organic fertilization in agricultural production, quality control and, as a secondary aspect, with regard to the areas of livestock, forestry, marketing and commercialization.In recent years, it has been proven that producers have increased their productivity and their costs have decreased through the implementation of agricultural technology in the productive activities of farms. In the event that a producer demands technical assistance services individually, the costs that the producer has to pay is $ 4.5 per apple assisted in agricultural products and $ 6 in the case of production of vegetables or non-traditional items.5 per apple assisted in agricultural products and $ 6 in the case of vegetable production or non-traditional items.5 per apple assisted in agricultural products and $ 6 in the case of vegetable production or non-traditional items.
- Nicaraguan Institute of Agricultural Technology INTA
In order to achieve its objectives, INTA provides the nation's small and medium producers with technical assistance services, research and development, training, advice on the installation of infrastructure to reduce post-harvest losses, production seed, animal production, diverse crops, soil conservation, water and agroforestry, integrated pest management, marketing and market development.
To provide these services to the producer family, INTA carries out its actions through: a central headquarters, located in Managua. Five zonal offices, located in Estelí, León, Masatepe, Matagalpa and Juigalpa. Thirty-four extension offices, located in the main municipalities of the country. Ten Technological Development Centers (CDT`s).
The extension offices are served by 180 extension technicians, who have the support of agricultural specialists, researchers, and professionals from other specialties (methodologists, socio-economists, administrators, managers), who work as a regional interdisciplinary team.
Beneficiaries
The goal of INTA at the conclusion of the first phase of the Agricultural Technology Project is to have directly reached 66,000 producers, through different agricultural research, validation and extension programs that promote technological change, allowing them to increase their income and improve their level of life.
The Extension Strategy in the new institutional context is based on: Guidelines of the Institutional Strategic Plan, Institutional Policies and Government Policies for the agricultural sector; and responds to the initiatives to increase the competitiveness and sustainability of the agricultural production systems managed by the client producer families, with the prospect of generating wealth considering key elements such as the deterioration of natural resources, food security, low productivity in production systems (basic grains, diverse crops), processing of agricultural products, poor management process and market development of the products.
The objective of INTA's agricultural extension is to establish an agricultural extension system with an emphasis on Protection, management, conservation of natural resources and food security; as well as the Productivity and Competitiveness of agricultural systems.
The branch of the West (Posoltega)It is integrated for the entire area by 75 administrative workers and 33 extension agents, 11 of whom are specialists, with the assignment of transportation each of them (one motorcycle and fuel per technician). The fees for an extensionist in Córdoba are C $ 5000, C $ 8500 and C $ 9000 ($ 274.73, $ 467.03 and $ 494.51) respectively, this difference depends on the profile, experience and individual benefits per technician, as well as food, among others.
- Foundation for the Technological Development of Agriculture and Forestry of Nicaragua FUNICA Technical Assistance Fund (FAT) -León
The main context of FUNICA is framed in:
to). Contribute to the development of technological policies, constituting a forum
of dialogue and agreement between the different actors that compose it.
b). Developing the mechanism of competitive funds from a point of view
conceptual and instrumental.
c). Launch and manage competitive funds.
The competitive funds were conceived as instruments to strengthen and promote private and public institutions to carry out agricultural research and technical assistance services that respond to the demand of clients (producers), stimulating the market for agricultural services. These funds are allocated to finance innovative projects presented by groups, associations and cooperatives of small and medium producers.
Through the FAT it is proposed to improve the income of families in the agricultural sector, being more productive.
The projects that FUNICA-FAT finance have a quarterly disbursement cycle, accompanied by countless requirements to make the financing effective. Because of this, many bidders complain about slow disbursements., reaching the case of not continuing to provide technical assistance services in the projects that producers present to FUNICA. The producers, for their part, express themselves in the same way, manifesting the case of replacing the bidder to provide them with the technical assistance presented in the milestone plan and on other occasions these are not carried out.
For Business Initiative projects the monthly payments per extensionist are
$ 300 minimum and $ 500 maximum, the highest values are specialized AT services with amounts of up to $ 700.00 per AT service provider (covering all activity expenses).
Results obtained
- Comparison of Costs between FUNICA and the SAT Offering Institutions
In the surveys carried out in each one of the institutions, it was possible to obtain the costs they pay as a fee to the extension agent who provide TA services to the agricultural sector of the West.
The following graph reflects the amount paid by the SAT offering institutions. the value of FUNICA, is the monthly cost paid to the base technicians in the PROJECTS OF BUSINESS INITIATIVES.
Graph 1. Distribution of the payments of fees to extension agents by Institution
Source: Table No. 3, 4, 5, 6, of the document, Cost Study in Services of
Technical Assistance and Survey carried out
To highlight the comparative aspects, a Pareto-type chart was prepared on the distribution of fee payments to extension agents in the agricultural sector, finding the payments of higher amounts for Agro Alfa (well above) followed by, INTA, SETAGRO and Tropitécnia de NITLAPAN. Among the institutions that pay lower amounts are FUNICA and the Center for Integrated Pest Management of the National Autonomous University of Nicaragua-León. In said Center, the personnel that provide or perform the AT services receive an incentive of remuneration for the services rendered.. The FUNICA, meanwhile, gives technicians a payment for the services of AT set in the budget of co - financing projects for small and medium producers who demand these services. The importance of the previous graph is given by the fact that it is the visual representation of the empirical criterion 80:20, which in this case implies, that in the field of SAT, the amounts for recognition of fees to professionals who work in such services are mostly defined by those conferred by the Agro Alfa, INTA, SETAGRO and Tropitécnia institutions, which according to criterion 80:20, would be the institutions that pay the highest salary contributions in this field, which accumulates around 80% of what is paid nationwide.
Among the Institutions under study offering technical assistance services to the Nicaraguan agricultural sector, Agro Alfa is the one that pays the highest technical fees monthly with the amount of $ 1000.00 and has a difference of $ 519.23 with INTA which is paying an average of $ 480.77 per extensionist.
In relation to the difference between INTA and SETAGRO, this amount is $ 30.77. Said difference is the same with Tropitécnia NITLAPAN, with respect to the difference between these two Institutions with Agro Alfa is $ 550.00 dollars, $ 600.00 and $ 650.00, with
FUNICA and with the Integrated Pest Management Center of UNAN-León, respectively.
FUNICA-FAT- Occidente, has the following differences: $ 650.00, $ 130.77, $ 100.00, $ 100.00 and $ 50.00 in relation to Agro Alfa, INTA, SETAGRO, NITLAPAN, Tropitécnia, NITLAPAN, and the Center for Integrated Pest Management, from UNAN-León
respectively.
Table 3. Comparison between FUNICA and the Institutions.
| Institution | Fee payments | Differences |
| Agro Alfa- FUNICA | $ 1,000.00 | $ 650.00 |
| INTA -FUNICA | $ 480.77 | $ 130.77 |
| SETAGRO- FUNICA | $ 450.00 | $ 100.00 |
| NITLAPAN Tropitecnia -FUNICA | $ 450.00 | $ 100.00 |
| Integrated Pest Management Center, UNAN-León-
FUNICA |
$ 350.00 | $ -50.00 |
| FUNICA (Business Initiatives projects) | $ 400.00 |
Source: Table No. 3, 4, 5, 6, of the document, Study of Costs in Technical Assistance Services and Survey carried out
- Benefits received by extension agents
The following table shows additional benefits that extension agents receive from the institutions where they work. Should the Center for Integrated Pest Management of UNAN-Leon is not receiving payment the extension, but rather is an incentive for the activity. At the time of signing the service contract between the terms of reference, it is agreed that the SAT requesting institution is the one that will directly cover the costs of food, transport, fuel and the unforeseen expenses in carrying out the activities.
For FUNICA, the extension agents receive only the monthly payment without any other benefit, therefore, all the expenses that the provider incurs in the provision of the AT services demanded by the producers are covered from that amount.
Table 4. Benefits received by the Institution
| Institution | Payments of
Fee |
Food allowances | Transport | Fuel | Job material | Total | INSS |
| Agro Alfa | $ 1,000.00 | $ 247.25 | $ 260.42 | $ 219.56 | $ 38.24 | $ 1,765.47 | YES |
| INTA | $ 480.77 | $ 131.87 | $ 65.93 | $ 198.20 | $ 50.78 | $ 927.55 | YES |
| SETAGRO | $ 450.00 | $ 75.50 | $ 70.00 | $ 169.24 | $ 75.50 | $ 840.24 | YES |
| Tropitécnia, NITLAPAN | $ 450.00 | $ 230.77 | $ 160.00 | $ 185.21 | $ 125.00 | $ 1,150.98 | YES |
| Integrated Pest Management Center, UNAN-León | $ 350.00 | $ 0.00 | $ 0.00 | $ 0.00 | $ 96.00 | $ 446.00 | YES |
| FUNICA | $ 400.00 | $ 0.00 | $ 0.00 | $ 0.00 | $ 0.00 | $ 400.00 | NO |
Source: Table No. 3, 4, 5, 6, of the document, Cost Study in Services of
Technical Assistance and Survey carried out
The table above quantifies the actual total costs of AT services per month by bidders in each of the Institutions under study. It should be noted that only FUNICA does not provide other benefits to technicians, therefore the monetary margin they receive is much lower due to the operating expenses incurred in the provision of AT services. Even the non-payment of INSS stands out, which is inadmissible according to the respective legislation.
These payments are through projects executed by Cooperatives and Associations of producers that request non-revolving financing from FUNICA. In the budget of each project, all payments for: training, workshops, consultancies and TA services to be executed in the project are quantified.
- Total costs incurred by the Institutions
The Pareto chart highlights the actual total costs incurred by institutions for each of the contracted SAT technicians, extensionists, or providers. At the same time, a comparative analysis is made between FUNICA and the institutions taken as samples in the study, so it was found that the total cost amounts are higher for
Agro Alfa (far above) followed by Tropitécnia, INTA, SETAGRO and the UNAN-León Integrated Pest Management Center. In said Center, the personnel who provide or perform the AT services receive an incentive of remuneration for the services rendered.. FUNICA, for its part, grants technicians a payment for TA services established in the budget for co-financing projects for small and medium producers who demand these services..
The institutions that are incurring higher total costs incurred by the institutions are visually represented by the empirical criterion 80:20, implying that in the field of SAT, the amounts for real costs of having hired a professional to provide these services, They are mostly defined by those conferred by the Agro Alfa, Tropitecnia, INTA, SETAGRO institutions and which, according to the 80:20 criterion, would be the institutions that obtain the highest costs for each SAT provider, in which they accumulate around 80%.
Graph 2. Total costs by extension agents
Source: Table No. 3, 4, 5, 6, of the document, Cost Study in Services of
Technical Assistance and Survey carried out
- Assignment of producers by extension agent
The Institutions assign to each extensionist a number of producers so that they can provide them with TA services, which they demand in each phase of the productive sector; Furthermore, the themes are diversified and the methodology is variable, which will depend on the service to be provided. The allocation of producers depends on the area of work delegated to the offeror or extension agent, number of producers that make up the group or association, types of TA services (INTA, SETAGRO, Tropitécnia, the service is for groups of producers, while for Agro Alfa, UNAN-León and FUNICA are directed services) and according to the productive items.
Producer allocation:
- Agro Alfa, provides a specialized service producer by producer. Tropitécnia, assigns 5-10 groups of 15 producers to each
extensionist.
- The INTA assigns the attention area to each extensionist, when they have a large number they receive support from their coworkers. The number of producers were assigned by the allocation area, the type of SAT to be provided and the group's productive item.The UNAN-León MIP Center only provides services to those who come to their offices to request it. Once the service is provided, contracts are signed individually with producers who want a specialized service and individually. At FUNICA, the quantities of producers served by each offeror are in
dependency of the members that integrate each financed project.
Table 5. Average quantity of producer assigned per bidder
| Institution | Average number of producers | |
| Agro Alfa | 2. 3 | |
| INTA | 160 | |
| SETAGRO | 185 | |
| Tropitécnia | 113 | |
| FUNICA Business Initiative Projects | 40 | |
| Integrated Pest Management Center, UNAN-
Lion |
35 |
Source: Table No. 3, 4, 5, 6, of the document, Cost Study in Technical Assistance Services and Survey carried out.
- Cost per producer
In table 6. The monthly costs per producer are quantified, this value results from dividing the value of the monthly fee payment by extension agent over the number of assigned producers. As it can be seen that, Agro Alfa is the institution that is paying more per producer ($ 43.48) and SETAGRO is the one that is paying less ($ 2.43), with a difference of $ 41.05 between these institutions. It is worth mentioning that INTA, SETAGRO and Tropitécnia provide massive technical assistance services. The other organizations provide systematic and targeted technical assistance services.
Table 6. Monthly costs by producer
| Institution | Pay of
Fee |
Producers
Assigned |
Cost per producer |
| Agro Alfa | $ 1,000.00 | 2. 3 | $ 43.48 |
| INTA | $ 480.77 | 160 | $ 3.00 |
| SETAGRO | $ 450.00 | 185 | $ 2.43 |
| Tropitécnia | $ 450.00 | 113 | $ 3.98 |
| FUNICA Business Initiative Projects | $ 400.00 | 40 | $ 10.00 |
| Integrated Pest Management Center, UNAN-León | $ 350.00 | 35 | $ 10.00 |
Source: Table No. 3, 4, 5, 6, of the document, Study of Costs in Technical Assistance Services and Survey carried out
The following table shows the real total costs incurred monthly by the institutions per producer, with Agro Alfa with the highest costs ($ 76.76) and SETAGRO with the lowest costs ($ 4.54), with a difference of $ 72.22 between these institutions.
Table 7. Total costs per month per producer including all cost factors.
| Institution | Total costs | Assigned Producers | Cost per producer |
| Agro Alfa | $ 1,765.47 | 2. 3 | $ 76.76 |
| INTA | $ 927.55 | 160 | $ 5.80 |
| SETAGRO | $ 840.24 | 185 | $ 4.54 |
| Tropitécnia | $ 1,150.98 | 113 | $ 10.19 |
| FUNICA Business Initiative Projects | $ 400.00 | 40 | $ 10.00 |
| Integrated Pest Management Center, UNAN-
Lion |
$ 852.96 | 35 | $ 24.37 |
Source: Table No. 3, 4, 5, 6, of the document, Cost Study in
Technical Assistance and Survey Services
- Comparison of costs per producer between FUNICA and the SAT offering institutions
Table 8. Comparison of total costs between FUNICA and the Institutions by producer
| Institution | Cost per producer | Difference |
| Agro Alfa-FUNICA | $ 76.76 | $ 66.76 |
| INTA-FUNICA | $ 5.80 | - $ 4.20 |
| SETAGRO-FUNICA | $ 4.54 | - $ 5.46 |
| Tropitécnia-FUNICA | $ 10.19 | $ 0.19 |
| Integrated Pest Management Center, UNAN-León -
FUNICA |
$ 24.37 | $ 14.37 |
| FUNICA Business Initiative Projects | $ 10.00 |
Source: Table No. 3, 4, 5, 6, of the document, Study of Costs in Technical Assistance Services and Survey carried out
In the previous one, the difference in the amounts of total costs per producer per month can be analyzed in the Institutions offering SAT to the agricultural sector of Western Nicaragua and FUNICA-FAT-West, it can be observed that the differences are $ 66.76, - $ 4.20, - $ 5.46, $ 0.19 and $ 14.37 with the Agro Alfa, INTA, SETAGRO, Tropitécnia and the MIP Center at UNAN-León, respectively.
In relation to INTA and SETAGRO, FUNICA is paying more per producer with a difference of - $ 4.20, - $ 5.46, respectively, and there is a significant gap of $ 66.76 with Agro Alfa.
- Cost analysis in the “Ventanilla” projects financed by FUNICA
In the Ventanilla projects, the amounts that FUNICA allocated for the payment of SAT were very low because the operating expenses (payment of food for all participants, snacks, work material, transportation, and in some cases accommodation) were high., leaving a relatively low profit margin to the offeror that provided the AT service.
The justification made by FUNICA is that these services were basic technical assistance and the academic level of the extension agents is mostly of Middle Technicians in Agronomy, therefore the value of fees must be less; Otherwise it happens
in the PROJECTS OF BUSINESS INITIATIVES where the amount
the technician receives, they are older, these providers have academic training (engineers and graduates), these services are more specialized and better quality, there is also a greater demand on the applied methodology (theory and practice), even while maintaining the same policy of that the offeror is responsible for all the expenses of the activity to be carried out once the amounts have been delivered, the recognition of the fee is higher than in the window projects.
Table 5. Amounts assigned to the SAT in the Ventanilla Projects
| AT service provided | Total | FUNICA contribution | Producer Contribution | Technician payment |
| Workshop: Administration | C $ 2,139.00 | C $ 1,925.10 | C $ 313.90 | C $ 756.00 |
| Workshop: Organization | C $ 1,500.00 | C $ 1,275.00 | C $ 225.00 | C $ 254.00 |
| Workshop: Laws | C $ 2,550.00 | C $ 2,295.00 | C $ 255.00 | C $ 1,800.00 |
| Workshop: phytosanitary management | C $ 1,174.61 | C $ 998.42 | C $ 176.19 | C $ 350.00 |
| Phytosanitary management | C $ 534.75 | C $ 454.38 | C $ 80.19 | C $ 534.75 |
| Follow-up visit | C $ 448.20 | C $ 380.97 | C $ 67.23 | C $ 448.20 |
| Strengthening visit | C $ 1,374.70 | C $ 1,148.41 | C $ 246.19 | C $ 750.00 |
| Workshop: AT on orchards | C $ 1,500.00 | C $ 1,275.00 | C $ 225.00 | C $ 1,500.00 |
| AT visit in orchards | C $ 2,520.00 | C $ 2,142.00 | C $ 378.00 | C $ 920.00 |
| Post-harvest handling | C $ 1,500.00 | C $ 1,275.00 | C $ 225.00 | C $ 600.00 |
| Nursery workshop | C $ 1,800.00 | C $ 1,530.00 | C $ 270.00 | C $ 1,800.00 |
| Technical visit to nurseries | C $ 600.00 | C $ 510.00 | C $ 90.00 | C $ 180.00 |
| Business management | C $ 3,130.68 | C $ 2,817.61 | C $ 313.07 | C $ 1,650.00 |
| Teamwork | C $ 4,382.95 | C $ 3,944.66 | C $ 438.30 | C $ 1,980.00 |
| Strategy Planning | C $ 2,817.61 | C $ 2,535.02 | C $ 391.34 | C $ 350.00 |
Source: FUNICA archives documents on the “Windows” Projects
Graph 1. Variability behavior of the co-financing contribution and fee payments in the Ventanillas projects
Source: FUNICA registration documents on the “Windows” Projects
Conclusions
- The values that FUNICA paysin the services of AT to the agricultural sector of the West they are below the payments in fees of their bidders contracted by the Institutions that provide these same services, only the Center for Integrated Pest Management of UNAN-León, is below is There is an Institution, due to the fact that the remuneration they receive is an incentive for the work carried out, since these people are workers at UNAN-León and have their fixed salary in this institution. The Institutions that provide these TA services, Except for FUNICA, they incur other additional costs in terms of benefits for the extension agent, so the total costs in the TA services that they provide to the western agricultural sector are higher,Due to the benefits that the technicians receive, they are factors of the cost structure in the SAT provider entities. The cost structure of FUNICA has only the factor or element of payment of the extensionist's fees for the TA services provided, therefore, the total costs are lower. The costs of the SAT that FUNICA pays implicitly include all the operating expenses. The value that is paid to the technician by the SAT must cover all the expenses incurred in the performance of the services (the economic resources assigned to the payment of SAT by FUNICA includes transportation, stationery, food for all members of the group that the SAT demands, and in some cases accommodation),the difference being the profit margin that the offeror actually receives for the service provided (in most cases this net value is relatively low). The allocations in the number of producers will depend on many factors (assigned areas, quantity of producers by groups, productive heading to which the producer is dedicated, type of SAT can be massive or directed, and the dispersion of the producers that make up the group or association, etc.) The difference in total monthly costs per producer between the offering Institutions SAT and FUNICA-FAT-Occidente and its variability will depend on the quantities of producers assigned per extensionist. In this case, the highest costs correspond to AGRO ALFA and the lowest to CETAGRO. FUNICAThe assignments in the number of producers will depend on many factors (assigned areas, number of producers by groups, productive item to which the producer is dedicated, type of SAT can be massive or directed, and the dispersion of the producers that make up the group or association, etc.) The difference in total monthly costs per producer between the SAT and FUNICA-FAT-West offering institutions and their variability, will depend on the quantities of producers assigned per extensionist. In this case, the highest costs correspond to AGRO ALFA and the lowest to CETAGRO. FUNICAThe assignments in the number of producers will depend on many factors (assigned areas, number of producers by groups, productive item to which the producer is dedicated, type of SAT can be massive or directed, and the dispersion of the producers that make up the group or association, etc.) The difference in total monthly costs per producer between the SAT and FUNICA-FAT-West offering institutions and their variability, will depend on the quantities of producers assigned per extensionist. In this case, the highest costs correspond to AGRO ALFA and the lowest to CETAGRO. FUNICA) The difference in total monthly costs per producer between the SAT and FUNICA-FAT-Occidente Offering Institutions and their variability will depend on the quantities of producers assigned per extensionist. In this case, the highest costs correspond to AGRO ALFA and the lowest to CETAGRO. FUNICA) The difference in total monthly costs per producer between the SAT and FUNICA-FAT-Occidente Offering Institutions and their variability will depend on the quantities of producers assigned per extensionist. In this case, the highest costs correspond to AGRO ALFA and the lowest to CETAGRO. FUNICA
It occupies the 4th. Place in the cost table including all cost factors in the analysis.
CA González and JA Chavarría, January 2007
The Institutions of Tropitécnia- NITLAPAN of Somotillo and Managua, INTA of Somotillo, Posoltega or Western headquarters, León and Managua, Central level, Agro Alfa and SETAGRO, both of Chinandega, as well as the Integrated Pest Management Center of UNAN-León were visited..
The applications of new technology are achieved through an accompaniment that the Center provides producers with the appropriate theories and practices in the field, direct and individual accompaniment, producer by producer, so that they acquire the proper management of the applications.
The INTA general information was obtained from the survey carried out at the Managua Headquarters, and at the Posoltega Branch, which is the Headquarters for the West, its dependencies in León and
Somotillo. The website http://www.inta.gob.ni/index_espanol.html was also consulted
The Posoltega Branch is the headquarters for the West zone, where payment procedures are made to the other agencies in the municipalities of León and Chinandega.
The opinions of the producers and bidders were taken in the territories visited in carrying out the first phase of the aforementioned study (Chinandega: San Francisco del Norte, Los Encuentros region and town of Cayanlipe; in León: El Sauce and in Managua: San Francisco Libre), with producers working in the various productive activities; Noni, Pig breeding of breed animals, Beekeeping, Coffee, Livestock, Vegetables and Vermiculture. The Institutions that were surveyed to obtain the information from this work expressed themselves in the same way.
Incentives are a stimulus or recognition that the center gives to extension workers for technical assistance and training provided to the agricultural sector.
Projects submitted by producers in request for co-financing to FUNICA-FAT. The project budgets include the payment of each of the technical assistance that the producers will receive; There are cases in which these are not executed because disbursements by FUNICA are not made in a timely manner as reflected in the milestone plans.
Incentives are a stimulus or recognition that the center gives to extension workers for technical assistance and training provided to the agricultural sector.
Projects submitted by producers in request for co-financing to FUNICA-FAT. The project budgets include the payment of each of the technical assistance that the producers will receive; There are cases in which these are not executed because disbursements by FUNICA are not made in a timely manner as reflected in the milestone plans.
Average of users 19 business initiative projects.
We worked with the average of users instead of maximum and minimum values due to the high variability.
Download the original file
