Dak Rwa Food Security Project

By Dang Ngoc Quang, Field Leader Contributors: Huynh Van Phu, Team leader Le Kim Tinh, Farm Manager Date: April 28, 2008 Version: 01280408E 1. Introduction This monthly report is produced when the project is going to its end; there are three months left until the closure of the first phase. The project team continued the project plan as expected. In Vietnam, the country is hit by a very high rate of inflation that increases all costs of living and contruction materials. Food supply in the country appears to be a serious problem for all, especially the poor, as the rice price is increasing world-wide and it is rocketing in April. 2. Organisational and instutitional development Instutitional development In this month, efforts were made to clarify our partner's operation permit status. A meeting was made with the head of Operation Division at the Foreign Relation Department on 25 April. Earlier in March 23, RDSC KT has re-applied for a foreign volunteer’s position at its office, and RDSC Hanoi contacted PACCOM for inquiring about the operation permit. Kontum government this time informed RDSD that they need an introduction letter of the partner for issuing a welcome note to be sent to PACCOM as an requirement for operation permit. In Dak R’wa, RDSC KT informed the local govement about the activities in the farm and the training schedule. The local government reminded RDSC that all of RDSC’s activities should not have “foreign element” until otherwise is instructed by PACCOM or province People’s committee. In 3rd week, RDSC KT office was visited by the Kontum Economic Security for inquiring the staff information. They also requested a copy of the written loan agreement bettween RDSC and GLMI. A copy of this agreement was presented to Kontum Security in the last week of April. Organisational development Major movement in job division has been occurred this month, when the former team leaderresigned in Mar 15, 08. The new team leader now is appointed, and he is respponsible for monitoring the pigs in the farms and goats sharing scheme in the community. In charge for all activities in the farm, a the Farm Manager was apointed. He has also main responsibility for managing labour force in the farm that includes villagers who are one worker and three villagers (CTVs). In this month, an argromonist, who was transferred from RDSC Phu tho after three months of paid-by RDSC-internship, is fully introduced to project and taking her responsibility as a field staff, responsible for animal food crop and villager support. In the office, she is responsible for communication to the project manager-volunteer when the team leader has comlication in exchange with the manager. In this month, the agranomist is undertaking a small research to learn about the training needs of the villagers for justifying activities with villagers in connection with the model farm. RDSC KT is taking on internship one social worker, a graduate from Dalat University. In this month she was tasked to study the project impact on the Kon Jri community after one year. She showed that she can do well interviews and data inputs under supervision. As a fresh graduate, she has full enthusiasm in working with villagers, however she showed that the school did not provide her with data processing and report writing skills. She expects to be hired for evaluating project impact in May and June. A professional accountant with one year experience started being employed as RDSC KT office. She was trained in computerised accounting using RDSC’s system by RDSC Hanoi Accountant. A computer programme was installed and is under utilisation. She was trained and is capabable to prepare analytical financial report; and she showed that she is capabale to do that. The accountant is ready to produce balance-sheet and income and expenditure statements for the second half of the project year. An financial review was made and it is found that almost all project items are under well-implemented track. The training and conferences are under high pressure for more activities to meet the project timeline. For the 2nd year, the Kontum team is adjusting the project budget for the 2nd year as the recent inflation has changed drastically the prices of all items planned in the budget prepared 6 months earlier. 3. Model farm 3.1. Construction As the project completed and started using the toilet and shower in the farm and an open well (March). The open now is an important source of underground water for irrigating , water the animal food crops and to maintain the life of the livestock and workers in the farm. The next contruction item in the plan this month is the construction of the biogas system. This construction is of a kind of “high-tech”, requiring quality mason work, Mr Tinh, who had experience in supervising similar construction in his home village, took responsiblity for superving the work. By the end of the last week of April, the constrction is about 80% completed. And the construction can be put on operation starting the first week of May. The next step is to re-direct all the animal waste to the bio-gas system. And a challenge remains that is the number of animals is quite small. The farm staff reported about a food and water run-away in and from the farm field after a big rain in early April. In future, the management may think about additional facility to contain longer rain water in the farm land and keep it from running away. 3.2. Animal stock Sows From the four pigs, two Yorshire-hybride sows were inceminated and their pregnancy is under progress and is well monitored. No complications have been identified. According to the plan, two other Mong Cai (local breed) sows are to be inceminated in May. The on-the-job training on artificial incemination was carried for the community promoters, when the sows were inceminated. Goats In week one, one of two male goats (bach-thao breed) were sick of lung inflamation, and after treatment was not recoverd. In week two, the farm technicians decided to sell it and buy a new substitute (cross-breeding of bach-thao and local breed). The goats are fed from the crops produced in the farm, they are also fed additional comercial food when preparing for pregnancy. By the end of week four, five female goats are at the last stage of their pregnancy. These goats are put on free grazing for better nutrition. Rabbits The stock of rabit is 24 females and 4 males. After almost two month, their average weight reached 2.5 kg. In 3rd week (25 March), one female rabit produced its first litter of 7 babies, by now one baby servived perhaps. The babies died within 3 weeks as the female rabit did not put its hair for its nests and the first litter was badly sick of the big rain. In the first week, two female rabits were sick of cold and were treated and recovered. On 15 April, one female rabit was found dead. The physical autopsy showed that it has acute dessease in its digestive track. By the end of April, coupling was successfully made with two female rabits. The reproduction process of these two female rabits and others too, is to be monitored. Animal food crops This month is seen with additional fodder crop and vegetables experimented in the farm. The crops and their status is listed in the Annex. The elephan and jumbo grasses are grown and cared in the same fields. Their growth is estimated as normal. The grasses are harvested for feeding rabits and goats. Additional and new food crops have been planted . In week three, 120 m2 was planted with Jumbof grass. The new grass grow well. Also, three villagers were trained in planting giant tea crops, a rich protein crop brought from Hanoi at RDSC costs. The crop was planted in the promoters' home garden and the crop grows well for now. Some vegetable crops (pumkin, onion, cabage) are planted this month as experiment with organic farming. RDSC HN has transferred a manual on non-chemical pest control for RDSC KT to pilot various non-chemical pest control methods in the farm and with these vegetable crops. RDSC investment RDSC continued its investment in Kontum K’pang village. There 12 goats are cared by villagers. Three of them are male, the rest are female. In week three, two goats of local breed from RDSC’s own project in Mr Bien of the Kontum K’Pang village were put to the farm. It is anticipated that in May, RDSC KT will have goats for animal sharing for goats in Kon K’lo Village from goats contracted with Mr A Mung’s family. In its office in town, since 15 April 08, RDSC KT started its experiment with 60 ducks (vịt xiêm), starting at 300gram each, and 25000VND each. In 13 days, three small dugs died of a falling-swing desease, after their isolation. 4. Capacity building On the job training was done for the villagers who are promoters on rabit rearing. The promoters now take care of rabits, feeding, giving water, and do cleaning the cages. In April a training on animal raising was conducted in the village; 9 villagers (see Annex) participated. On April 23, 08, a training session was conducted on slope farming techniques. A technician from Kon Ray District was hired to lead the training; he was supported by two RDSC KT’s assistants. Altogether 16 villagers attended (see Annex), among them 10 took a full day course. Two sites for the slope farm were identified and designed. Marking for terraces were made. Soil erosion crops were procured and ready for planting. The staffs wait for rain to start making terraces and planting crops. It is planned intercropping between food crops and nitrogen fixation crops or legumes. Soil traps are also planned in this slope farming system. 5. Conclusion In overal, on the positive site, this month the project keeps going under well-managed process. With its now almost fully staffed team, the project is going to complete all planned activities for the first year if the efforts are made to cover all intended training and conferences. Basic infrastructure in the farm is being completed for full operation. The livestock in the farm shows good prospect in producing animals for distributing to the community members for income generation in the the second year. RDSC shows initiative on organic farming and duck rearing on its own investment. On the negative site, the number of the sows, rabits and goads are small to make visible impact. The rabit may be not really very good option for villagers for income generation as the rearing is complex. The relation with the local goverment continues to be problematic as our foreign partner and the foreign volunteer have not completed their formality with PACCOM and Kontum Government. The visit of the Economic Security makes RDSC staff nervous. The blocked volunter's visits to community also limits quality monitoring and evaluation. 6. Annex 6.1. List of participants: training course: slope farming system Villager Slope farming Animal production Note A Thao 1 0 Villager, RDSC staff Y Trốt 1 1 Farm worker Y Tre 1 1 Farm worker A Mứk 1 1 Farm worker Y Jưm 1 1 Y Him 0 1 Y Chưng 0 1 Y Broi 0 1 Y Mik 0 1 Y Truin 0 1 Y Tanh 1 0 A Hòa 1 0 Y Chững 1 0 A Pen 1 0 A Gyứt 1 0 A Chưh 1 0 Morning session only A Sưn 1 0 Morning session only ADuynh 1 0 Morning session only A Trưn 1 0 Morning session only A Huynh 1 0 Morning session only A Jen 1 0 Morning session only A Pren 1 0 Morning session only 18 5 6.2. Fodder and vegetable crops in the farm Fodder /vegie Unit Area, m2 Height, m Note Elephan grass M2 216 1.8 Started in Oc 07, under harvest 85% Guine grass M2 72 Newly started. comercial seeds Guine grass M2 256 25 Newly started, RDSC produced seeds Sweet potatoe M2 228 0.58 Started in Oc 07, under harvest 75% Sweet potatoe M2 42 Budding Newly started, RDSC produced seeds Giant tea Bushes 15 Budding New experiment in organic farming Garlic/onion M2 36 Budding New experiment in organic farming Banana Bush 16 New experiment in organic farming

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