Ministry of Agriculture & Rural Development Collaboration for Agriculture and Rural Development PROJECT PROGRESS REPORT 027/07VIE Improving traditional integrated farming systems VAC
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Ministry of Agriculture & Rural Development
Collaboration for Agriculture and Rural Development
PROJECT PROGRESS REPORT
027/07VIE Improving traditional integrated farming systems (VAC)
– a new livelihood option for poor farmers
in the coastal communities
MS4: Second six - monthly report
5th August 2008 to 5th February 2009
May, 2009
Trang 2Table of Contents
1 Institute Information _ 3
2 Project Abstract _ 4
3 Executive Summary 4
4 Introduction & Background _ 5
5 Progress to Date _ 5
5.1 Implementation Highlights 5 5.2 Smallholder Benefits 6 5.3 Capacity Building 6 5.4 Publicity 6 5.5 Project Management _ 6
6 Report on Cross-Cutting Issues _ 7
6.1 Environment 7 6.2 Gender and Social Issues 7
7 Implementation & Sustainability Issues 7
7.1 Issues and Constraints 7 7.2 Options _ 7 7.3 Sustainability 7
8 Next Critical Steps _ 8
9 Conclusion _ 8
10 Statutory Declaration _Error! Bookmark not defined
Trang 31 Institute Information
Project Name Improving traditional integrated farming systems
(VAC) - a new livelihood option for poor farmers
in the coastal communities
Vietnamese Institution Centre for Environment and Disease Monitoring
in Aquaculture (CEDMA)
Vietnamese Project Team Leader Mr Mai Van Tai (Project director)
Mr Vo Van Binh (Project manager)
Australian Organisation Agriculture and Environment - Division of
Science and Engineering-Curtin University of Technology (CUT)
Australian Personnel Assoc Professor Ravi Fotedar (Team Leader)
Prof Graeme Robertson (Management)
Dr Jane Fewtrell (Environmental Scientist)
Mr Simon Longbottom (Aquaculture Scientist)
Completion date (original) January 2010
Completion date (revised) February 2010
Contact Officer(s)
In Australia: Team Leader
Position: International Program
Director, A/Prof
Organisation Muresk Institute, CUT Email: r.fotedar@curtin.edu.au
In Australia: Administrative contact
In Vietnam
Position: Head of environment
Department
Organisation Centre for Environment and
Disease Monitoring in Aquaculture (CEDMA)
Email: binhvanvo@yahoo.com
Trang 42 Project Abstract
The overall objective for project 027/07VIE, ‘Improving traditional integrated farming systems (VAC) - a new livelihood option for poor farmers in the coastal communities’, is to improve the income base to sustain livelihoods of poor coastal farmers in the Central provinces This objective is to be achieved by improving the productivity of the existing traditional farming systems and managing water quality simultaneously and therefore reducing the environmental impact of their operations
To date the project achievements have included the successful completion and operation of three demonstration sites The RAS on these sites are stocked with high-value species and are in operation The growth rates of the selected species and environmental impact of these modified operations are being monitored and recorded The operational protocol has been extended to local extension workers who in turn disseminate the technology to households which have similar farming situations (secondary beneficiaries) Further modifications and lessons learned from these 3 household demonstration farms are also incorporated into the households of similar farming situations To facilitate this effect, a series of field trips have been conducted
in order to extend the demonstrations to other suitable and interested households who fulfill the criteria of the project objectives
During this reporting period, a further seventeen (17) households have been added as demonstration sites These additional sites are located in four provinces: Thanh Hoa, Nghe An, Ha Tinh, Quang Binh, and Hue It is envisaged that seven (7) farmers out of twenty (20) will set up earthworm production facilities The households were given demonstrations in order to modify and improve their farming practices for the better nutrient recycling and for higher returns on their investments Three workshops and five farmers-exchange visits were also conducted during this period
This project is expected to make a significant contribution to the Government of Vietnam’s Comprehensive Poverty Reduction and Growth Strategy (CPRGS), which is aligned with the CARD program strategic framework The project is expected to improve the productivity of traditional VAC farming practices through the farming of high-value aquatic species and following better managed farming practices in an environmentally friendly manner The outcome
of the project will assist in improving the management of all components of VAC farming So far surveys have been conducted to collect base-line information on the economic status of farmers participating in traditional VAC farming systems in four selected districts of Vietnam The staff from CEDMA have been updated on the proposed improvements in the traditional VAC farming systems and related environmental issues The selection of twenty (20) demonstration sites has been finalised The semi-intensive culture systems based on recirculating aquaculture system (RAS) technologies are running on 3 (three) demonstration farms The systems have been stocked with local but high-value species The operational plan for these three sites has been disseminated
to local extension workers, the households of modified VAC systems and other interesting farming households The monitoring and recording of growth performance of high-value species
is underway Modifications to the rest of the demonstration sites (17) are in progress
Trang 54 Introduction & Background
This project aims to improve efficiency of the traditional VAC system while decreasing environmental impact through the application of current farming technologies and introduction of local but higher value species The objectives are: i) To carry out an analysis of current economics status and practices of
household farming (includes aquaculture, horticulture and animal husbandry practices) and identify incentives and constraints for improved VAC application
ii) To develop appropriate improved VAC guidelines and manuals for
household aquaculture in the North Central of Vietnam
iii) To build capacity for improved VAC application among stakeholders
involving in aquaculture product market chains, especially smallholder producers
Objective i) has been completed with the revised performance measures More demonstration sites have been selected under the framework of Objective 1 in order to represent wider existing faming practices
As outlined in the log frame, the performance measures are the collection of improved VAC materials available regionally and internationally; construction of questionnaire and interviewing of existing farming communities who are participating in the traditional VAC systems; selection of 20 households/farms to demonstrate improved VAC practices; drafting of action plans for VAC demonstration systems which include farming of high-value species in an environmentally friendly manner Additional demonstration farms selected represent traditional VAC systems where the intensification of the aquaculture production is not possible but other environmental and operational/management modifications will assist in achieving the objectives of this project
To the best of our knowledge the household/farms selected are representative examples of the typical VAC systems in the region
Activities to complete Objective ii) have commenced
5 Progress to Date
5.1 Implementation Highlights
Main achievements for this reporting period were;
i) Completion and running of three VAC demonstration farms (1 in Nghe an,
2 in Quang tri province) These demonstration VAC farms were stocked with a high-value species and after initial teething problems the systems are up and running The performance of these modified recirculating systems is recorded continuously
ii) The household of these modified farms were trained to run the systems,
observe and record some of the basic environmental data including water quality parameters (appendix 1)
iii) Conducting and implementing environment monitoring activities for these
three adapted farms
Trang 6iv) Introduction and implementation workshop for extension officers was
conducted in Hue (appendix 2)
v) The third trip to Vietnam for Dr Ravi and first trip for Prof Graeme
Robertson to Hanoi, Hue, Quang tri and Nghe An
vi) Recording performance (growth) data of the high-value species
vii) Completion of worm production facilities at the demonstration sites
viii) Conducting field trips to various provinces in order to select seventeen
(17) other demonstration households in four (4) provinces The total demonstration households in the farm are now twenty (20) The diagrammatic sketch of some of the selected sites is shown in appendix 3 ix) Among selected demonstration households, modifications of seven (7)
traditional VAC farms have been completed
x) Collection of baseline data for all additional demonstration households
have commenced
xi) Based on the discussion with CARD and extension officials, a draft
Matrix Summary Table (MST) is getting formulated which will assist in monitoring the progress of the project
xii) Extension/dissemination information in the form of brochures and
pamphlets have been published and distributed to households in the selected provinces (appendices 4, 5 and 6)
5.2 Smallholder Benefits
At this stage it is expected that the benefits to the household farmers will be achieved
as outlined in section 2.2 of the project proposal The benefits will be quantified during the second year of the project To date, the direct benefits in terms of knowledge and skills of modified VAC operations to small-scale farmers have been achieved through the workshops run in various provinces and at demonstration sites
5.3 Capacity Building
A capacity building initiative has commenced at CEDMA The transfer of technology
in the area of water RAS, nutrient recycling across various farming components of VAC practices and environmental monitoring programs have been under progress and capacity building exercise have been successfully achieved To this effect workshops
including one in Hue for the local Extension Officers were conducted
5.4 Publicity
Extension material which includes brochures, posters and single page pamphlets have been published and distributed
5.5 Project Management
Management of the project has been satisfactory and no major constraints were encountered
Trang 76 Report on Cross-Cutting Issues
6.1 Environment
The proposal for monitoring the environmental impacts of the improved systems has been formulated and its monitoring activities have commenced No impact report has been produced yet but it is expected to show some first hand data in MS#4
6.2 Gender and Social Issues
Gender proposition was not favourable in the introductory workshop for extension-staff in Hue (5:30 female to male ratio) The gender issue at the household-level participation was not an issue as there was a fair representation from both genders
7 Implementation & Sustainability Issues
7.1 Issues and Constraints
Two alterations to the original project proposal were necessary, one being the proposed commencement date for the project and the second being the change in the personnel from CEDMA, Vietnam
The project commencement date was delayed by more than a month as a result of a delay in the initial signing of the contract
Mr Mai Van Ha has been replaced by Mr Binh Vo This was necessary due to personal reasons in which Mr Ha decided to finish his tenure with CEDMA Mr Binh has replaced him and is currently the Project Manager and contact person from Vietnam Further, the contributions from other personnel from Vietnam have been altered The contribution from Mr Tai has been increased to 30% from the initial 5% Please see details of this change in appendix 7 Though these changes did not significantly influence the progress of the project, it did result in a delay in reporting the progress of the project
7.2 Options
The issues encountered have been resolved and the options that have been applied are
as explained in section 7.1
7.3 Sustainability
The main highlight of the project is to improve the economic status of the farmers practicing traditional VAC practices This is achieved by improving the productivity and thus the income base from the traditional VAC system in an environmentally sustainable way The modified VAC system envisages minimum adverse impact on the surrounding environment and diversifying the production base so that disease, production and marketing risks are minimised The established environmental protocol will also help householders to recycle the nutrients from one production base
to another and hence reduce the cost of overall VAC operations This will have a positive impact on the sustainability of the farming practices too
Trang 88 Next Critical Steps
The projects activities for the next 6 months will include:
1 Completion of all socio-economic status reports from all 20 house holds (base-line data)
2 Completion of all the modifications in all twenty (20) demonstration households and commencement of the production of operations under modified the VAC environment This also include the stocking of all required species in the selected demonstration households
3 Continuation of monitoring environmental data in all selected households
4 Production and distribution of extension VAC materials (paper-based and Videos)
5 Organise training workshops on improved VAC practices for farmers and extension staff
6 Continuation of collection of performance data from modified VAC farming operations
7 Provide technical training in Australia for two Vietnamese scientists (planed in October or November, 2009)
8 Finalisation of the final MAS internal reporting system
9 Conclusion
Progress has been satisfactory and the objectives set for the second 6 months have been achieved