This assignment is a follow-up to the initial visit of the consultant to the Institute of Aquatic Products (IAP), Xining City, People's Republic of China (September–October 1989) and was undertaken from 3 May to 1 June 1990.
The report of the earlier visit (Field Document 5) identified the current equipment status of the IAP and recommended specific items for external and local purchases. The equipment would enable the IAP to fulfil their function to carry out research in aquatic technology for the whole of Qinghai Province.
Particularly, this equipment was envisaged to be used for two main developmental purposes:
- production of a management plan for the important naked carp fishery in Qinghai Lake;
- introduction of the technology of rainbow trout culture and establishment of fish farms.
It was anticipated that most of the equipment detailed in the consultant's first report, and ordered through Field Purchase Orders would already be on site. An examination of the documentation held by UNDP and FAO Beijing, prior to departure for Xining, indicated that problems had arisen. For exemple, some of the items were known by the consultant to have been delivered, thanks to suppliers confirmation at the consultant's UK base.
Considerable effort was made to resolve this question. On arrival at the project site the consultant compared the equipment delivered to the IAP, with corresponding documentation. This analysis confirmed that the equipment receipt and response system had failed. Details of the current position was despatched via the CTA to FAO Beijing with a series of recommendations to enable the project to proceed. The inventory of equipment and corresponding paperwork are given as Appendix 1.
In view of the unsatisfactory state of the equipment receipt procedures, the first priority was to establish a system that would ensure:
- safe receipt and notification of equipment in Beijing;
- efficient liaison between Beijing and Xining;
- generation and return of necessary paperwork;
- effective stock-keeping in the project.
Some of the suppliers of the equipment have complained about non-payment of their invoices. In a number of instances equipment has arrived in Beijing (as per instructions) 10 weeks before the arrival of the equipment in Xining. The suppliers have fulfilled their part of the contract, but have no control over the transportation system from Beijing to Xining. Consequently it appears that most European insurance companies will not insure the goods beyond the receipt point in Beijing. This has caused a hold-up in the payment of suppliers' envoices as they are unable to comply fully with the delivery instructions of the FPO. This may also have the effect of making the supply of any spares difficult to arrange from the same supplier, who is now wary of supplying in good faith and being required to wait excessively for payment.
It should be noted that the Consignee is FAO or UNDP in Beijing and not the Institute of Aquatic Products in Xining. This is clearly stated in the Field Purchase Order and subsequent notification. Consequently the Delivery Report and the Receipt and Inspection Report should be completed in Beijing. As suppliers have no control over transportation from Beijing to Xining they cannot be held responsible for any damage that occurs to the equipment during this phase of transportation.
It would appear that the problems in Beijing are of an unusual nature and generally the system for receiving and dispersal of goods is efficient. The major drawback of the system can be identified in the nature of the project. As this is the first UNDP-funded/FAO-executed project to be undertaken by the IAP, no administrative system of equipment receipt had been estalbished before the arrival of FAO personnel.
It has been agreed that one person must be responsible for the receipt, issuance and return of all equipment connected with the project. Ms Hu Cui Hua was made the officer responsible for these tasks.
With the consultant's assistance Ms Hu has now been thoroughly briefed in the background of the project, the ordering methods used by FAO/UNDP and a system is now organized to ensure the smooth receipt of future deliveries. In addition a stock control system has been established for management solely by Ms Hu.
In view of the limited amount of equipment that had actually arrived in Xining, training opportunities were obviously limited. However, in conjunction with the Lake Management Specialist, Dr Ian Dunn, a visit to Qinghai Lake was arranged for the week commencing 21 May 1990 during which training was given in the use of the following items:
- electrofishing equipment
- portable chemical laboratory
- electrochemical lake profiler
In addition the satellite navigation equipment and the radio telephone system were temporarily fitted to the project vessel ready for connection to the electrical system once this had been established on the ship (estimated at 2–3 weeks).
The late delivery of a number of important survey items will entail the loss of up to one complete survey season on this project. In a number of instances the goods appear (from the AirwayBill or Bill of Lading) to have been delivered to Beijing in good time to coincide with the consultant's arrival. Failure to deliver from Beijing to Xining in reasonable time, together with apparent delays in the commissioning of the survey vessel at Qinghai Lake, will result in very little, if any, lake survey work being carried out during 1990. This will be further developed in the Lake Management Consultant's report.
Due to time constraints the major part of the practical trainin will now be undertaken as an integral part of the lake investigation team's initial activities withing the work programme detailed by Dr Dunn, as and when the equipment arrives.
In the absence of a number of items, many of which are specialist items, it may be necessary to schedule another trip for a training specialist. This is especially important in view of changes taking place in personnel at the IAP.
Much of the equipment still to arrive is designed to estalbish a working laboratory at the IAP. This laboratory will provide chemical analyses for the project team and will require a considerable knowledge of analytical procedures. As Qinghai Lake is saline, many of the analytical methods will have to take this into consideration, as some of the standard analytical methods are affected by high salinity. The consultant understands that the IAP intend to appoint a person specifically responsible for the running of this laboratory who will need training in suitable analytical methods and equipment use.
In view of the freezing of Qinghai Lake during September/ October it a visit by a suitably trained consultant should be scheduled for spring 1991. As no funds have been allocated for this the budget for 1991 should be modified to take account of this additional requirement. This increase could have been avoided if the CTA had been appointed on a full-time basis. It is no coincidence that as soon as the FAO team arrived procedures were instigated that should have been in place at least three months earlier.
