Nghiên cứu khoa học nông nghiệp " A blueprint for sustainable smallholder pig production in Central Vietnam - MILESTONE 8 " pptx

Ministry of Agriculture & Rural Development Project Progress Report A blueprint for sustainable smallholder pig production in Central Vietnam CARD Project 004/05VIE MILESTONE 8 TRAINING MANUALS Figure: Mrs Tuyet (Thua Thien Hue demonstration farmer) administers medication for the prevention of coccidiosis to 5-day old piglets. 1. Institute Information Project Name A blueprint for sustainable small holder pig production in Central Vietnam Vietnamese Institution N ational Institute of Animal Husbandry (NIAH); Hue University of Agriculture and Forestry (HUAF); National Institute of Veterinary Research (NIVR) Vietnamese Project Team Leaders Dr Ta Thi Bich Duyen (NIAH); Professor Nguyen Quang Linh (HUAF); Dr Cu Huu Phu (NIVR) Australian Organisation The University of Queensland/Victorian Department of Primary Industry/South Australian Research and Development Institute Australian Personnel Dr Darren Trott, Dr Ian Wilkie, Dr Colin Cargill, Dr Tony Fahy Date commenced April 1st 2006 Completion date (original) April 2009 Completion date (revised) September 2009 Reporting period Milestone 4 Organisation NIVR Email: dongocthuy73@yahoo.com 2. MS achievements Training manuals for extension worker and smallholder farmers including: a) Copies of training material and extension aids b) Formats of pig monitoring and recording systems and their use in CIPs Evidence: a) Copies of training material and extension aids Using the continuous improvement model, a large variety of training materials have been developed during the life of the project and training has been delivered using several different methodologies. At the outset of the project, we anticipated Australian scientists making regular short visits to Vietnam, approximately four times per year to visit farms during different seasons to monitor progress and provide specialist training to a variety of recipients. In the early stages of the project, these were primarily delivered to the six Vietnamese scientists who received training in Australia to provide them with the opportunity to exercise the skills they had learnt. The plan was then to move to the veterinarians and paraveterinarians to provide the next layer of training and expert information before involving the farmers directly. During this time, the smallholder farmer would receive advice and assistance, step by step to the point where they would essentially become the trainers for groups of farmers in the region to facilitate farmer to farmer training. We soon abandoned this model at the end of 2007, when it was clear that progress was not being achieved at a rate consistent with milestones. Australian scientists were not spending enough time in the country to delve deeper into the reasons why progress was not being achieved according to the timeline. There was also some confusion regarding project objectives (ie NIVR produced E. coli vaccine for the project farms, but then vaccine production ceased for a period of time as it was assumed that this portion of the project had been completed. Following a site visit in 2008, vaccine production and supply was immediately revamped in line with the project refocusing on establishment of “expert farmers” which led to the formation of farmer clubs. We were able to observe first hand the formation of strong relationships between the Vietnamese project scientists and the farmer clubs. The level of trust between researcher and farmer steadily grew as didactic instructor/recipient training gave way to farmers being responsible for gathering their own information and transferring it to others. This was also paralleled by a strong sense of collaboration and friendship between the three independent groups of Vietnamese scientists. We also noticed that as the farmer groups became stronger, more responsible and more independent, district and commune veterinarians appeared and became more involved in the discussions and joined site visits by Australian Scientists, strongly contributing to the discussions (eg prudent use of antimicrobials and major disease problems). This culminated in our decision to “go for it” with regard to production of a training DVD in which farmers were responsible for storyboarding A list of training resources and materials used during the life of the project to train farmers is provided as follows: i) Training manuals: A variety of training resources (in Vietnamese) used during the project to train farmers are provided in the appendix. ii) Training DVD and report on final training exercise (November 2009-February 2010) iii) In MS6 we reported that the following training initiatives were to be explored during the final phase of the project:  Use of the existing commune farmer clubs as the major base for farmer to farmer training activities occurring in January 2010. This was extremely successful with the major farmer clubs in each province responsible for the delivery of one chapter each to the training DVD. Farmers met with project scientists and were taught the basics of how to put a storyboard together. An unexpected outcome of this was that some farmers who did not have the benefits of project and training and infrastructure also attended the farmer club meetings and contributed to the DVD. This provided a range of experiences re project development and was actually an excellent way of educating new farmers to realise that success can only be achieved in a step by step, logical process.  Identification of the best farms in each commune that can be used for demonstration training. Farmers will be encouraged to apply for small “project initiative funds” up to $1000, with $5,000 available per province (allowing for the six best applications to be chosen per province) to plan a major improvement to their farm so that it can be ready for demonstration training. Model project demonstration farms have been selected in each province and leftover project funds will be distributed so that final infrastructure upgrades can be initiated. It is hoped that funds for farmer projects can be delivered during the final April project site visit.  Development of a video “Farmers tell their own story” as a major initiative to be undertaken by Tarni Cooper in collaboration with a film maker and Vietnamese scientists integrated with a more formal training video covering the major project interventions, with short introductions by Vietnamese experts, commune veterinarians, and excerpts from the farmer stories to highlight each of the major points to be addressed. Following many discussions it was decided that the farmers SHOULD be the focus of the training video and in their own words, become the vehicle for delivering training based on the major project initiatives. This was a tremendous success with each club responsible for delivering a chapter. Chapters covered the major project interventions of Housing and Ventilation, Hygiene and Waste Management, Integrated Farming Systems, Feed Formulation and Local Feed Sources, Record Keeping, Gilt Selection and Breeding, Sow and Piglet Management, Farm Biosecurity and Common Pig Diseases. The chapters are designed to be reviewed individually, followed by discussion as part of ongoing training exercises. The impact of the DVD has been profound and has encouraged the research team to apply for more funding from Atlantic Philanthropies to continue beyond the life of the project.  Formation of training posters which can be used on training days to facilitate deeper learning. Whilst all efforts were directed towards production of a high quality training DVD in January/February, final efforts are now being directed towards providing ancillary training materials that can be supplied to farmers attending future training initiatives. These will not be reported upon in the current report.  Creation of a project handbook. As above. It is hoped that seed funding obtained in 2010 from The University of Queensland will provide funds for this initiative  Certificates of attendance and short quiz of participants on uptake of knowledge and skills. As above  Tours of demonstration farms led by farmers following suitable biocontainment policies such as participants avoiding contact with pigs for 24 hours and wear fresh clothes and for the demonstration farmers to place fresh disinfectant at the entrance to their sheds. Biosecurity is covered in one of the DVD chapters. Shoe covers and disposable overalls have been provided by the project for farm visits. b) Formats of pig monitoring and recording systems and their use in CIP programmes Record keeping is the subject of one of the DVD chapters which illustrates first hand how accurate records allow farmers to document improved production parameters. Vietnamese scientists are finalising the last of the survey forms so that complete production records have been obtained for 24-30 “Demonstration farms” (at project commencement, mid-term and conclusion) and 24-30 matched “control farms” (at project commencement and conclusion only). Previous reports have detailed how CARD members can login to the project website. An analysis of records will be submitted with the MS 12 report. . Name A blueprint for sustainable small holder pig production in Central Vietnam Vietnamese Institution N ational Institute of Animal Husbandry (NIAH); Hue University of Agriculture and Forestry. train farmers is provided as follows: i) Training manuals: A variety of training resources (in Vietnamese) used during the project to train farmers are provided in the appendix. ii) Training. training days to facilitate deeper learning. Whilst all efforts were directed towards production of a high quality training DVD in January/February, final efforts are now being directed towards