I have no knowledge of the US FAO programme, except for Tom's book and reading comments here, nor whether other nations have similar schemes.

I am mindful that desk bound alternatives exist - in theory IMHO - and ones that have no "boots on the ground". As illustrated by an article in The Economist on computers and social networking analysis:http://www.economist.com/node/169100...ry_id=16910031

Thankfully it cites a project on the Sudan (which Toms knows IIRC):
Country analyses have great potential in peacekeeping and counterinsurgency operations, according to Kathleen Carley of Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh. She is developing a societal model of Sudan with a team of about 40 researchers. Foreign aid workers and diplomats frequently stumble in Sudan because they fail to work out which tribal and political leaders they should work with, and how.

Ms Carley’s model, known as ORA, analyses a decade of data on such things as weather, land and water disputes, cabinet reshuffles, reactions to corruption, court cases, economic activity and changes in tribal geographic maps. Within the information that emerges are lists of the locals most likely to co-operate with Westerners, with details of the role each would best play. This depth of insight, a demonstration of the power of network analysis today, will only grow.