B. National Governments

Before CARE program operations begin in a country, CARE must enter into an agreement with the government. The basic agreement provides the framework for program activities and defines the roles and responsibilities of CARE and the government. Often there is a general agreement with a ministry like Foreign Affairs, and then a specific agreement with one or more ministry counterparts--for instance, the Ministry of Health and/or Ministry of Agriculture. See CI Procedures for Basic Agreements. Basic agreements may include certain provisions relating to food aid or they may be part of other specific agreements.

The following areas should be covered in specific agreements:

· Types of program interventions

· Areas of operation

· Roles and responsibilities of national, regional, and district officials and staff including warehouse managers and storekeepers

· Names of persons authorized to approve losses and authorize warehouse managers and storekeepers to remove losses from warehouse inventory

· Procedures for accounting for and turning over to CARE proceeds from the sale of unfit food to CARE

· Responsibility to submit Commodity Status, distribution site or other reports to CARE

· Number of beneficiaries

· Total amount of food and size of ration

· Resource commitments to a project by CARE and Government--staff, financial, materials, equipment, and training

· Right of CARE to visit and monitor ports, warehouses and project sites where donated food is being stored or used

· Transport of food to government warehouses and use of storage space

· General provisions granting duty-free import of food.

CARE may also be required to obtain other duty-free clearances for each individual shipment to import food into the country, including:

· Requests for duty-free status at the time CARE receives the Notice of Arrival of a shipment from a CARE International member or a donor

· Clearances from the Ministry of Health for food inspections and certifications

· Import licenses for grains or other agricultural commodities from the Ministry of Agriculture.