On 26 May 2008, there was a field visit from Dr. Cecile Lantican, AI-BCC Country Coordinator for Academy for Educational Development (AED) in Cambodia, the field visit was done in Tramkak district, Takeo province. Since November 15, 2007, CEDAC has been implementing the third phase of the project, namely “Avian Influenza Behavior Change” under sub-contract from AED, the project funded by USAID. The purpose of the visit was to see the progress of project in term of the behavior change of villagers after receiving the training on AI messages by the project. Another purpose of the visit was to see the technique of ecological chicken raising (ECR) and its impact to the family’s livelihood.
During the visit, she had observed one-group training that was organized for the representatives of chicken producer group at the district level, after that she met and interviewed with 3 farmers in 2 villages, Trapaing Ruon and Prey Chhnuol villages. On 26 May 2008, there was a field visit from Dr. Cecile Lantican, AI-BCC Country Coordinator for Academy for Educational Development (AED) in Cambodia, the field visit was done in Tramkak district, Takeo province. Since November 15, 2007, CEDAC has been implementing the third phase of the project, namely “Avian Influenza Behavior Change” under sub-contract from AED, the project funded by USAID. The purpose of the visit was to see the progress of project in term of the behavior change of villagers after receiving the training on AI messages by the project. Another purpose of the visit was to see the technique of ecological chicken raising (ECR) and its impact to the family’s livelihood.
During the visit, she had observed one-group training that was organized for the representatives of chicken producer group at the district level, after that she met and interviewed with 3 farmers in 2 villages, Trapaing Ruon and Prey Chhnuol villages. As the result, villagers understand well about the symptoms and prevention method of AI disease and the ECR technique is appropriate to farmers and it enables them to generate much income for the family.
Monday, May 26, 2008
Friday, May 23, 2008
Organizing training for village promoter, Kandal Stung district
On 22-23 May, 2008 I have organized 2 separated group trainings for the village promoters in Kandal Stung district, Kandal province. Totally, 36 VPs have attended in the trainings. For the training at this time, we focused on the technique of ecological chicken raising (ECR). It was to note that VPs were interested to learn about ECR as they actually need it for improving their chicken raising technique. According to the meeting, we could know that most of VPs have not organized village meeting with the villager, it can be estimated that around 30% of total VPs in Kandal Stung have organized the training on AI (Avian Influenza) to the villagers.
Unfortunately, most of VPs are working only in their own village, so it means that only 38 villages are working in term of the project implementation. It is remarks that there are totally 135 target villages in Kandal Stung district. Additionally, meanwhile it is the beginning of rainy season so that VPs are difficult to making appointment with villagers, they go to the field for rice cultivation. At the end of the meeting, we also have developed the action plan with all of VPs, some VPs who have already organized the training on the topic of AI will train to their villagers on the second topic, ECR, but VPs who have not yet organized the training on AI, they actually will organize on this first topic for June 2008.
Unfortunately, most of VPs are working only in their own village, so it means that only 38 villages are working in term of the project implementation. It is remarks that there are totally 135 target villages in Kandal Stung district. Additionally, meanwhile it is the beginning of rainy season so that VPs are difficult to making appointment with villagers, they go to the field for rice cultivation. At the end of the meeting, we also have developed the action plan with all of VPs, some VPs who have already organized the training on the topic of AI will train to their villagers on the second topic, ECR, but VPs who have not yet organized the training on AI, they actually will organize on this first topic for June 2008.
Friday, May 16, 2008
Training on Self-Reliant Development
On 16 May 2008, I have participated in the training which trained by Dr. Yang Saing Koma, the president of CEDAC. The training’s topic is Self-Reliant Development. To me, I personally note that the training enabled me to review the general concept of self-reliant development approach.
My idea is that the training is very useful for me and other development workers to deeply understand about the self reliant development approach such as the usage of internal community resources, including human resource, local knowledge and local innovations, or I can say the development that led by the community people so that we actually need to take more time to build up the capacity of local people in order to ensure the sustainability of the development, we mainly point to the process and long term sustainability. Some development NGOs just think on the output in purpose of accomplishing the project’s objectives so they utilize all ways to achieve the project’s objective, for example they provide much incentive to attract community people to participate in the project.
It is really good for a short term output, but it's not good for the long term sustainability of the project, it will provoke community people to be high dependency and it will be more and more deteriorated increasingly, so we cannot follow to the approach of self-reliant development if the mentality of the community people is dependent. At this time, we see that there are various kinds of development approaches are being implemented in the community, but sometimes the development agencies themselves are constraints if other NGOs meanwhile they have different approaches.
For example, one NGO works with the community people by provision of huge incentive support in purpose of promoting high technology and another one just provides the training, capacity building by the usage of local innovation so it is difficult to move forward if they are working on the same area. Relating to the self-reliant development approach, we definitely need work closely with the community to determine the problem, possible solution, resources that have in the community that are able to contribute in solving the problem of the community issue. So, first of all we need to know well about the situation of the community, what is the need, what is the potential, what can we begin to start? Truly, we need to work specifically on 2 points, human capital and social capital in the community in order to make a good sustainability of our work in the local area.
Later on, I have learned that each technical innovation that we introduce to the community people is meaningful and there are a lot of things behind each innovation. What is the change of people when they apply SRI was raised to discuss during the training, so when we talk in detail relating to the technical innovation, those innovations are not just only to improve/increase the productivity but also help to change the farmers’ idea and attitude as well. Our main development is focused on the mentality or I can say it is the mind development.
People will not follow the technique we introduce if they are not changed in term of their mind. During the training, I have learned to answer on the following questions: What is the principle of self-reliant development? Is the self-reliant development suitable to the condition of Cambodia? Why? What is our activity and strategy to boost the self-reliant development? What is the initiative point for self-reliant development? What is the opportunity for us to urge the self-reliant development? What is the threat or constraint? What is the improving point or the point that is needed to be strengthened? At the end of the training, we also talked about the ecological village and as the result, 46 villages are potentially to be the ecological village in 2010.
The criteria were developed by the participants, those are presented as bellows: No plastic in the public area of the village Farmer produce compost for farming (farmer family) There are home garden over than 70% of the total family in the village Family apply SRI (System of Rice Intensification) over than 70% of the village’s family There is regulation on natural resource management in the village There is self-reliant saving group with the participation of over than 50% of the total family in the village Number of family that use chemical fertilizer is less than 10% 75% of the farmer family is the member of farmer group such as saving group, farmer association, community, etc.
There is good farmer organization in the village 50% of family in the village use hygienic latrine Number of family use bio-digester plan over than 20% Improved Cook Stove, Solar energy There is the management and rehabilitation of infrastructure in the village Conserve and use the local seed especially rice seed 100% of the total family in the village is good food security Children finish primary education at least grade 9 There is village general meeting at least 2 times per year People drink clean water
My idea is that the training is very useful for me and other development workers to deeply understand about the self reliant development approach such as the usage of internal community resources, including human resource, local knowledge and local innovations, or I can say the development that led by the community people so that we actually need to take more time to build up the capacity of local people in order to ensure the sustainability of the development, we mainly point to the process and long term sustainability. Some development NGOs just think on the output in purpose of accomplishing the project’s objectives so they utilize all ways to achieve the project’s objective, for example they provide much incentive to attract community people to participate in the project.
It is really good for a short term output, but it's not good for the long term sustainability of the project, it will provoke community people to be high dependency and it will be more and more deteriorated increasingly, so we cannot follow to the approach of self-reliant development if the mentality of the community people is dependent. At this time, we see that there are various kinds of development approaches are being implemented in the community, but sometimes the development agencies themselves are constraints if other NGOs meanwhile they have different approaches.
For example, one NGO works with the community people by provision of huge incentive support in purpose of promoting high technology and another one just provides the training, capacity building by the usage of local innovation so it is difficult to move forward if they are working on the same area. Relating to the self-reliant development approach, we definitely need work closely with the community to determine the problem, possible solution, resources that have in the community that are able to contribute in solving the problem of the community issue. So, first of all we need to know well about the situation of the community, what is the need, what is the potential, what can we begin to start? Truly, we need to work specifically on 2 points, human capital and social capital in the community in order to make a good sustainability of our work in the local area.
Later on, I have learned that each technical innovation that we introduce to the community people is meaningful and there are a lot of things behind each innovation. What is the change of people when they apply SRI was raised to discuss during the training, so when we talk in detail relating to the technical innovation, those innovations are not just only to improve/increase the productivity but also help to change the farmers’ idea and attitude as well. Our main development is focused on the mentality or I can say it is the mind development.
People will not follow the technique we introduce if they are not changed in term of their mind. During the training, I have learned to answer on the following questions: What is the principle of self-reliant development? Is the self-reliant development suitable to the condition of Cambodia? Why? What is our activity and strategy to boost the self-reliant development? What is the initiative point for self-reliant development? What is the opportunity for us to urge the self-reliant development? What is the threat or constraint? What is the improving point or the point that is needed to be strengthened? At the end of the training, we also talked about the ecological village and as the result, 46 villages are potentially to be the ecological village in 2010.
The criteria were developed by the participants, those are presented as bellows: No plastic in the public area of the village Farmer produce compost for farming (farmer family) There are home garden over than 70% of the total family in the village Family apply SRI (System of Rice Intensification) over than 70% of the village’s family There is regulation on natural resource management in the village There is self-reliant saving group with the participation of over than 50% of the total family in the village Number of family that use chemical fertilizer is less than 10% 75% of the farmer family is the member of farmer group such as saving group, farmer association, community, etc.
There is good farmer organization in the village 50% of family in the village use hygienic latrine Number of family use bio-digester plan over than 20% Improved Cook Stove, Solar energy There is the management and rehabilitation of infrastructure in the village Conserve and use the local seed especially rice seed 100% of the total family in the village is good food security Children finish primary education at least grade 9 There is village general meeting at least 2 times per year People drink clean water
Thursday, May 15, 2008
Field monitoring to Battambang province
From 12-15 May 2008, I and Mr. Kin Mengse went to Battambang province to check whether village promoters are working well or they are not on the role. In case of Battambang province, we have not been there for 2 months since the first meetings on the introductory workshops were organized among the commune council members and village chief. It is to note that the village promoters were not selected as we lack of follow up activity with the commune chief and other relevant people. I think that CFA (Community Field Assistant) should be selected to help in running the project as we have no any staff working there.
If we have CFA, we will be able to close ourselves to the community people and local authority so that the information flow among each other will be enhanced to ensure good dissemination of AI message as well as the technique of ecological chicken raising. Anyway, we have only 4 months later to train the community people on 3 topics differently such as the message of avian influenza, ecological chicken raising, and poultry disease and its prevention method. Therefore, the we actually need to work hard in this area, otherwise we could not accomplish our expectation as the project’s plan.
Moreover, we have distributed some learning materials relating to Avian Influenza to the commune chief and other local stakeholders, such as sticker, calendar and poster. Hopefully, as many as people could get the learning materials from the commune chief and village chief so that they are aware of this issue and pay more attention to AI infection. Additionally, from 26-30 May, we plan to visit Siem Reap province, we will be able to see the progress of our project in Siem Reap province.
If we have CFA, we will be able to close ourselves to the community people and local authority so that the information flow among each other will be enhanced to ensure good dissemination of AI message as well as the technique of ecological chicken raising. Anyway, we have only 4 months later to train the community people on 3 topics differently such as the message of avian influenza, ecological chicken raising, and poultry disease and its prevention method. Therefore, the we actually need to work hard in this area, otherwise we could not accomplish our expectation as the project’s plan.
Moreover, we have distributed some learning materials relating to Avian Influenza to the commune chief and other local stakeholders, such as sticker, calendar and poster. Hopefully, as many as people could get the learning materials from the commune chief and village chief so that they are aware of this issue and pay more attention to AI infection. Additionally, from 26-30 May, we plan to visit Siem Reap province, we will be able to see the progress of our project in Siem Reap province.
Friday, May 9, 2008
Internal meeting of AIBC
On May 09, 2008 the monthly chicken working group meeting or AIBC team meeting was organized at CEDAC Phnom Penh with the participation of 12 staff from different projects in different target areas. The main agenda of the meeting is to discuss on:
- Sharing attractive information from the field
- Sharing the progress of the project
- Summing up the progress of chicken producer groups
- Reviewing the chicken marketing strategy, management structure of slaughter house, calculation method of production cost (cost of goods sold)
- Impression and Conclusion from the participants
As the result, we could know general progress of chicken producer group, for example how many chicken producer groups were already formed so far and how many groups among the total groups are functioning well in term of collective selling and other business activities. Additionally, it is to note that most of the relevant projects to AIBC3 were organizing the training on the technique of ecological chicken raising to the community people, therefore we can say that we are moving on the second round of the project’s training topics.
- Sharing attractive information from the field
- Sharing the progress of the project
- Summing up the progress of chicken producer groups
- Reviewing the chicken marketing strategy, management structure of slaughter house, calculation method of production cost (cost of goods sold)
- Impression and Conclusion from the participants
As the result, we could know general progress of chicken producer group, for example how many chicken producer groups were already formed so far and how many groups among the total groups are functioning well in term of collective selling and other business activities. Additionally, it is to note that most of the relevant projects to AIBC3 were organizing the training on the technique of ecological chicken raising to the community people, therefore we can say that we are moving on the second round of the project’s training topics.
Tuesday, April 29, 2008
Participated in Agribusiness Training
On 28-29 April 2008, I have participated in the trianing on agri-business trained by Dr. Yang Saing Koma, the CEDAC's president. Actually, I have understood well about the general concept of agri-business especailly its historical background, why we do it? The revolution of agri-business since the ancient time up to now, the differences of family agri-business and company agri-business and which one is socially responsible and have a good benefit to the community people. After the training, it also provided me the idea to distinguish the potential farmers for starting agri-business in our program, farmers who are really the commercial farmers, they do intend to produce agricultural product to supply for the market.
It means that we choose them as our partners in running agri-business in the community so that it is easier than we cooperate with farmers who don't want to do. Actually, we have other ways to work with normal farmers, to increase family's food consumption and to enhance the understanding on agricultural marketing strategy, while they understand well they will take effort to launch business. Finally, I would like to say that specialization and integration among local producer is a successful way in community supported agri-business. Gaining the knowledge from this training, I have provided the training on agri-business that I have learned in Phnom Penh to YCL (Young Community Leaders) in svay Rieng, the training was held on May 01, 2008. Based on my observation, they have learned to target the cooperating farmers in doing agri-business in the community.
It means that we choose them as our partners in running agri-business in the community so that it is easier than we cooperate with farmers who don't want to do. Actually, we have other ways to work with normal farmers, to increase family's food consumption and to enhance the understanding on agricultural marketing strategy, while they understand well they will take effort to launch business. Finally, I would like to say that specialization and integration among local producer is a successful way in community supported agri-business. Gaining the knowledge from this training, I have provided the training on agri-business that I have learned in Phnom Penh to YCL (Young Community Leaders) in svay Rieng, the training was held on May 01, 2008. Based on my observation, they have learned to target the cooperating farmers in doing agri-business in the community.
Sunday, March 9, 2008
Field monitoring to Modulkiri province
As CEDAC has been implementing a new agriculture project for creating sustainable livelihood for Sok San indigenous community from March 2008, the project is being implemented under cooperation with WWF and it covers on 4 villages of Sok San commune, Kho Ngek district, apart of this commune is situated in the protected areas, Phnom Prich wildlife sanctuary and community forestry. To launch the project, we have contacted with the local authority at district and commune level to inform them about our present and intervention activity in this commune. Addtionally, the baseline study of those target villages were already done and the report is already written. Our main intervention is to focus on agriculture technique in order to improve the livelihood of the indigenous people in the area. At the present, most of NGOs are working on natural resoure management (NRM). At the end of April, one exchange visit for the interested farmers from Modulkiri was conducted to visit agriculture practice of farmers in Takeo province. They actually have learned well about the ecological chicken rasing, vegetable growing technique, system of rice intensification, saving group and farmer association, etc. Based on what the visitors said "they will apply ecological chicken raising first of all"
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