From 16 to 22 March, 2011, VVOB Hanoi paid a working visit to five PAEX provinces: Binh Phuoc and Ba Ria-Vung Tau in Southern East and An Giang, Hau Giang, Soc Trang in the Mekong Delta Region of Vietnam. The visit was in support of the strategic planning of PAEX phase 2, and to finalise the extension of memorandum of understanding. In each province, VVOB Vietnam Director - Dr. Wilfried Theunis - met with leaders of the Department of Agricultural and Rural Development, Agricultural Extension Centre, the Farmers’ Association, Farmers’ Association and key provincial extension workers.
In 2011, PAEX will focus on:
- Finalising the training and capacity development for the trainer pool (or ToT pool). The ToT pool will – as part of their capacity development and as part of the implementation - deliver training courses for extension workers and farmers. The future deployment of this ToT pool for 'participatory' training (training strategy – training planning) would be one of the indicators for integration of participatory methodology.
- Programme Monitoring and Evaluation: needs-based planning, participatory monitoring and evaluation at provincial, district, commune and club level;
- Through the ToT, strengthen the capacity of farmers;
- Stimulate involvement of mass organisations (farmers’ associations and women’s unions).
From the friendly discussions it was once again clear that the VVOB PAEX and its partners in five provinces are thinking along the same lines. The authorities of the provinces regret that PAEX is only running for another two years but as managers understand a project has to end at some point and they want to support the consolidation of the results. An encouraging start of the second and last phase of the PAEX programme.
