Budget :  From 01/2005 to 12/2007 - CHF 984'000 (approx. USD 756'923)

Line Agency: Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD) – Vietnam

Partners:

National Institute of Animal Husbandry (NIAH), People’s Committees and Departments of Agriculture and Rural Development (DARD) in Phu Tho, Yen Bai and Son La Provinces, District Veterinary Services, Banks, Women Union, Animal health workers.

Implementing Agency: Agronomes & Veterinaires Sans Frontieres (AVSF - CICDA)

Project Location:

Six neighbouring upland districts (Thanh Son, Yen Lap, Phu Yen, Bac Yen, Tram Tau, Van Chan) from 3 provinces (Phu Tho, Son La, Yen Bai)

Background:

The impact of economic reforms introduced by the Vietnamese government in the 1980s and in the 1990s has benefited the lowland areas more than the uplands which remain the poorest parts of the country. Livestock development has been identified by the Government‘s Comprehensive Poverty Reduction and Growth Strategy as one of the priorities to reduce poverty. PALD is the follow-up project of AVSF’s experiences in Phu Tho and Thai Nguyen Provinces. These two projects showed that the strengthening of veterinary capacities is able to support small investments in pig production by farmers. Based on this experience, the new project will work with a wider range of public and private providers of livestock services at a greater scale (143 communes and 6 districts) to enable pig and poultry development by Farmers’ Interest Groups.

Overall Goal:

Increase farmer’s incomes by strengthening appropriate, sustainable and replicable livestock services and livestock production systems.

Current Objectives:

• Improve the quality and efficiency of livestock planning and service provision at district and commune levels;
• Increase farmer’s incomes through the adoption of improved pig production methods and technologies and better access to livestock-related services; 
• Increase farmer’s incomes through the adoption of improved  poultry production methods and technologies and better access to livestock-related services;
• Contribute to improved policy formulation through the dissemination of practical field-based methods, learning and experiences at district, province and national level.

Approaches:

PALD works to improve small-scale animal raising systems as well as the capacity building of the livestock services supporting them. The approach combines the implementation of relevant surveys prior to the design of District Livestock Development Plans and their implementation at commune level.

The project pays attention to the involvement and synergy of a wide range of interested stakeholders both at district and commune level (district veterinary, district agriculture extension services, Women’s Union, animal husbandry workers and farms).

Results Achieved and Expected:

During the past year the activities focused mainly on the methodology for the implementation of pig activities – identification of pig deficiencies in the project area, district pig development plans, establishing Farmer Interest Groups, identification and training needs assessment for Livestock Service Providers and the design of training programmes.

The Poultry Component was implemented using the same methodology but was more slowly due to the re-occurrence of Avian Influenza outbreaks in early May 2007. Yet, these activities already re-started and are in good progress when the situation has been improved.

Highlights:

• The District Pig Development Plans are approved in all of the 4 districts (Van Chan, Yen Lap, Tram Tau and Mai Son).
• 26 Pig raising Farmers’ Interest Groups (FIG) involved by 700 farmers, have been set up in 18 communes in the 4 districts.
• The District Chicken Development Plans were approved in 3 districts (Van Chan, Yen Lap and Mai Son). A field-based survey is going to be taken in Tram Tau district.
• 4 FIGs raising bio-secured backyard chickens (with the participation of 110 members) have been established in 3 communes in Mai Son and Van Chan districts.

Information and Publications:

• PALD Newsletters and Quarterly Livestock and Veterinary Newsletter.
• Manuals of sow raising and bio-secured backyard chicken raising.

Contact:

Hoang Hai Hoa (Mr.)
Chief Technical Adviser   
PALD – AVSF - CICDA   
67, To Ngoc Van, Tay Ho District
Hanoi, Vietnam
 
Tel. :  + 84 4 719 74 57 (ext 12)  
Fax :  + 84 4 718 31 21  
E-mail:  hoa.hh@avsf.org