Đề tài New technologies for improving goat production in Central Vietnam

Collaboration for Agriculture and Rural Development (CARD) Program 110 NEW TECHNOLOGIES FOR IMPROVING GOAT PRODUCTION IN CENTRAL VIETNAM Project title: The improvement and implementation of new appropriate technologies for improving goat production and increasing small-holder income in the central region of Vietnam Project code: CARD 009/05 VIE Author(s): B.W. Norton1, Dinh Van Binh2 and Nguyen Thi Mui2 Project implementing organizations: 1 The University of Queensland (UQ), Brisbane Australia 2 Goat and Rabbit Research Centre (GRRC),NIAH, MARD SUMMARY There have already been clear and demonstrated benefits from this Project for small-holder goat farmers in the central regions of Vietnam. Those that have been supplied with vaccines and medicines have found a greatly reduced mortality in their animals, resulting in better growth and a bigger pool of animals to select from for sale or breeding. Farmers who maintained their goat herds through times of local panic about epidemics of goat pox now have the advantage of rapidly increasing prices for goats (May-June 2009) as a result of many farmers selling their goats at an earlier time in response to the scare. All farmers remaining with the project have more than doubled their goat herd size in the past year, and while they maintain them free of disease, they will continue to produce goats for profit. Testimony to the benefits gained came from both small-holder farmers and the DARD staff when describing their experiences during the National Conference sponsored by the Project in Phan Rang, Ninh Thuan in November 2008. A major focus of the project in the first year was the training of DARD officers from Ninh Thuan, Binh Thuan and Lam Dong provinces in goat husbandry and management, and these officers were then used to advise and teach farmers during the many workshops conducted, and during on-farm visits. Both technical and senior management were included in the training programs building the capacity of all levels of participation (farmers, commune leaders, DARD technical and administrative staff) for improving the health and productivity of goats in each region. The creation of demonstration farms is a key element of this training, providing a long term and practical demonstration of the value of these technologies to Vietnamese livestock production systems. 1. Introduction Goat production in Vietnam has rapidly expanded in the north with the introduction of new knowledge for disease control, feeding management and the introduction and selection of both local (Co, Bachthao) and exotic (Boer, Saanen, Jumnapari etc) breeds of goats to village systems. These initiatives have been lead by the Goat and Rabbit Research Centre (GRRC) at Bavi, from which an expanding milking and meat goat industry is being developed. While goat meat is not a common commodity in the markets in Vietnam, economic returns for goat farming are high and are attracting many farmers to add goats to their farming enterprises. Goats are particularly important for poor farmers, providing good returns for little investment. The project proposal which has been developed and successfully funded by AusAID under the CARD program was specifically aimed at providing poor farmers in the central provinces of Vietnam (Ninh Thuan, Binh Thuan, Lam Dong) with some of the new technologies which have been developed by GRRC in the north. This aim is reflected in the project title “The improvement and CARD 009/05 VIE – Improving goat production in Central Vietnam 111 implementation of new appropriate technologies for improving goat production and increasing small-holder income in the central region of Vietnam”. This is a program which included elements of farm survey, strategic planning for improving health and nutrition of goats, as well as training of key farmers and Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (DARD) staff in these new technologies. Extension of these activities to the wider community was achieved by conducting field days/workshops for local farmers using demonstration farms. The following report describes the final outcomes of successfully implementing this project in southeast Vietnam over the period March 2006 to March 2009. 2. Contents and methodology 2.1 Research Contents o Identification and characterisation of target farms o Training and Information Dissemination o Provision of improved housing and health care for goats o Improve the availability and quality of feeds and forages for goats o Provide local Bach Thao bucks of proven genetic merit for breeding o Economic evaluation of impact of new technologies on goat productivity o Support for pilot meat processing facilities at the Ninh Hai Goat Research Centre, Ninh Thuan. Within each objective there were a series of activities associated with milestones and expected outputs, and the outcomes from each of these activities is presented and discussed below. 2.2 Approach and Methodology 2.2.1 General approach The project was located in Ninh Thuan, Binh Thuan and Lam Dong provinces which are located in the south central coast of Vietnam, 334 km from Ho Chi Minh city and some 1400 km from Hanoi. The local people are mainly Kinh, Cham, Ede and are amongst the poorest in Vietnam (US$45-65 income per annum). The traditional farming systems vary from rice cropping in the river deltas in Ninh Thuan to upland farming systems based on cassava, root crops, fruit and forest trees and livestock. Goat numbers in 2004 in Ninh Thuan, Binh Thuan and Lam Dong were estimated to be 93,930; 35,275 and 9309 respectively. Goats are largely managed by women and children. Income from livestock forms 22 to 25% of total income from agricultural production in this region. Three broad categories of farming systems (lowland high rainfall, upland low rainfall and highland high rainfall) have been selected. The plan is to develop 27 farms (15 in Ninh Thuan, 9 in Binh Thuan, 3 in Lam Dong) by firstly surveying each enterprise and then providing new technologies (housing, health care, nutrition, breeding bucks) as indicated. These participating farmers will be also trained in a short course at GRRC and then on farm by DARD officers in the implementation of these management skills. In each province, 2 farms were selected as demonstration farms which will be used to train other farmers in these techniques and as model of progressive goat production systems. The selected farmers all had experience of goat production, having between 20 and 100 goats and generally sufficient land to grow the required forages. This holistic approach to the introduction of new technologies is preferred to a more fragmented approach where only specific interventions (e.g. disease control only) are made. This approach to development has been successfully applied in north Vietnam and was expected to provide a rapid improvement in productivity in similar systems in central Vietnam. An important new initiative for this project was support for a pilot meat processing plant at the new goat research centre to be built at Ninh Hai in Ninh Thuan. Staff and institutional gaps were addressed by a comprehensive training program, firstly, by training DARD staff at GRRC and linking them with specialist GRRC counterparts, and secondly by using the trained DARD staff to train district officers, participating farmers and the local communities through the dissemination of information through written materials, workshops and demonstrations. This approach was planned to build capacity in Australian collaborators, GRRC staff and B.W. Norton, Dinh Van Binh &Nguyen Thi Mui 112 farmers to work as inter-disciplinary and inter- institutional teams, and to foster a more holistic approach to improving agricultural and animal production in these poor villages in central Vietnam. The Australian partner contribution was largely through the active participation of Dr Norton in all matters relating to the development and introduction of the new technologies, and was complemented by the visit of 5 senior Vietnamese staff to Australia, where they visited goat production farms and processing facilities for meat and milk, as well as inspecting a range of fodder conservation systems. The training programs had as a central aim the preparation of materials for distribution to participating and other local farmers on the technologies available and relevant to each farming system. Extension materials from GRRC for goat farmers in the north were modified to meet the particular needs of farmers in central Vietnam. In the second year, demonstration farms were used to train farmers not currently involved in the project, with a view to spreading information about the new technologies as widely as possible during the time of the project. While many problems were anticipated by the Project at the start, few problems were found when implementing the scheme. All diseases were effectively controlled, there were no natural disasters, and all farmers, GRRC and DARD staff (at all levels) were both co- operative and enthusiastic about participation in Project activities. All planned project objectives were achieved over the 3 year period, in many cases, exceeding expectation. 2.2.2 Implementation Methodologies A key component of this project was the identification of the resources available on the selected farms, and it is from this information that management/ intervention strategies were developed by project staff to overcome the perceived limitations to improved productivity. The first activity of the project was therefore to conduct a survey of each farm to provide the above information, and this information then formed the baseline against which change was measured. The expert GRRC and Australian team then devised strategies for each farm depending on their circumstances. In some cases, a common strategy was applied to all farms (replace bucks, improve goat house, provide vaccines, drugs and recommendations for use), in other cases, the strategy was particular to each farm (improved feed and forage supply). It was recognized that local knowledge of feed resources and disease remedies needed to be evaluated and incorporated into our strategies wherever possible. 3. Results and discussions The progress made in this Project was documented in two places, firstly, reports on management visits to Vietnam by Dr Norton (Management Reports) which were distributed only to Project Managers (Norton, Dr Mui, Dr Binh) as a record of decisions made and secondly as reports on the achievement of objectives listed milestones set by CARD PMU. Comprehensive and detailed reports of the outcomes from each Project activity were recorded in each CARD Milestone Report, and only broad outcomes in relation to Project Objectives are now listed in this report. Implementation Highlights The following objectives were set as outputs of Project activity over the 3 year program. Detailed information from these activities has been reported in “New Technologies for Improving Goat Production in Vietnam” by Barry W. Norton, Nguyen Thi Mui and Dinh Van Binh. The reader of this report is referred to relevant sections of this book for more detail on outcomes. 3.1 Identification and characterisation of target farms A total of 56 farms were surveyed, and 27 chosen for the introduction of the new management technologies. This data were used to describe typical goat farming system in Ninh Thuan, Binh Thuan and Lam Dong provinces in south-eastern Vietnam (Chapter 2) and was the basis for determining the impact of Project activities on the productivity of goats in these areas (Chapters 6 and 7). In addition to this baseline information, specific information from selected farms in year 3. These activities were completed in two parts, a CARD 009/05 VIE – Improving goat production in Central Vietnam 113 quarterly assessment of progress on each farm which involved a visit from technical staff to administer vaccines and drugs as well as to record the numbers and weights of goats in each herd (Productivity Survey), and a final survey of farmers circumstances and attitudes to the activities of the Project. The outcomes from these activities were reported in Chapters 6 and 7, and publicised in annual Advisory Board meetings, workshops, and national and international conferences. Goat farm survey 3.2 Training and Information Dissemination Training at all levels of participation was a major focus of project activities and consisted of 8 different programs with various participants. 3.2.1 Training of provincial DARD officers at GRRC These activities continued throughout the 3 year period of the project, starting with a training course at the Goat and Rabbit Research Centre (GRRC) in March 2006, which was then complemented by on-farm training of DARD officers in their own districts and also by including these staff in the workshops held to train local farmers in each province. These trained staff also attended the final conference in Ninh Thuan where they presented their views on the effectiveness of their training and on the relevance of the new technologies used to improve goat production in their districts (Conference Proceedings). There was a good level of continuing participation in the Project following this initial training, with about 75% of staff trained still being involved at the end of the project. The effectiveness of this training was assessed and reported in Chapter 4). 3.2.2 Preparation of demonstration and instructional materials for use with participating farmers Four instructional books in Vietnamese were prepared covering the general areas of Goat Diseases, Goat Care and Housing, Pastures Establishment and Management and Goat Nutrition and Breeds and Breeding Management, and were distributed at all workshops conducted. These manuals have also been translated into English, and were presented as attachments to Milestone 10. The information was continually upgraded as new data on local goat production became available through project activities. 3.2.3 Training participating farmers in the application of new technologies The selection of participating farmers at the beginning of the Project involved assessment of their willingness to learn and implement the new technologies being recommended. Instruction in the application of these new technologies was provided by Project staff during their quarterly visits to each farm, and the effectiveness of their implementation was assessed by senior Project staff who visited each farm at least once every six months. At the end of the project, 19 of the original farmers 27 farmers were still involved in project activities. The effectiveness of their application of the new technologies was assessed at the end of the project by recording the changes in the productivity of their goats and farming enterprises (Chapters 6 and 7) and by assessing the extent to which they continued with the recommended practises after the project ended. These farmers were also used in Workshops to describe their experiences to other farmers interested in taking up new techniques in goat farming. 3.2.3 Presentation of six-monthly reports and review of project progress A total of 6 six-monthly reports of progress were submitted to and approved by the CARD PMU as satisfactory. Appendices of large files were provided as electronic files on an B.W. Norton, Dinh Van Binh &Nguyen Thi Mui 114 accompanying CD. Agenda and minutes of all Annual Board meetings were also reported. 3.2.5 Field day demonstrations of improvements in goat productivity on selected farms in each province in year 2 A total of 11 training courses involving more than 279 farmers have been run across three provinces in 2007 and 2008. Six 2 day workshops were held on demonstration farms. The farms used for this purpose were as follows: Lam Dong - Mr Lung (Farm 25, Duc Trong). Ninh Thuan - Mr Hoa (Farm 22, Thuan Bac), Mr Hung (Farm 23, Thuan Bac), Mr Duc (Farm 17, Ninh Hai), Mr Thanh (Farm 16, Ninh Hai), Mr Long (Farm 12, Ninh Phuoc) and Binh Thuan- Mr Lang (Farm 3, Bac Binh), Mr Man (Farm 2, Bac Binh). 3.2.6 Training visit to Australia to inspect goat production systems and technologies relevant to improving goat productivity in Vietnam This visit to Australia took place between 3-14 May 2008. The following staff came to Australia: Dr Dinh Van Binh Director, Goat and Rabbit Research Centre, and Vietnamese Director, Vietnam-Australia Goat Improvement Project (2006-2009), Dr Nguyen Thi Mui, Senior Consultant, Forage and Pasture Systems, National Institute of Animal Husbandry, Ministry of Agricultural Research and Development, Mr Nguyen Ngoc Hung Vice-Director, Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, Phan Thiet, Binh Thuan, Mr Nguyen Duc Hung, Vice-Director, Provincial Veterinary Department, Lam Dong Province, Mr Truong Khac Tri, Director of Animal Breeding Centre, Ninh Thuan Province. During this visit, an inspection tour of sheep and goat properties in southeast Queensland was made, with the intention of providing information on the application of appropriate technologies for optimising animal productivity in Australia farming system. The relevance and application of such technologies for Vietnamese goat and sheep production systems was the main topic of conversation between the visiting Vietnamese scientists. 3.2.7 Train other local and non-participant farmers in goat management This activity was related to other training activities, as stated, a total of 11 training courses for “other farmers” were carried out in 2007 and 2008. All farmers were provided with instruction manuals and first-hand experience of goat management on the demonstration farms listed above. 3.2.8 National Conference/Workshop in Ninh Thuan in year 3 to report impact of new technologies on goat productivity in central Vietnam A National Conference sponsored by the Project titled “The Development and Implementation of New Appropriate Technologies for Improving Goat Production and Increasing Small-holder Income in the Central Region of Vietnam” was held at Hoan Cau Resort, Phan Rang on 20-21 November 2008. The Proceedings of this Conference (English and Vietnamese) is available from CARD or Dr Dinh Van Binh at GRRC. The impact of the new technologies on goat productivity was reviewed by senior Project staff (Dr Dinh Van Binh, Dr Nguyen Thi Mui, Dr Barry Norton), DARD and other government agencies staff and by participating farmers over a two day period. The conclusions from this workshop were that the Project had provided the technologies, leadership and training to make a significant impact on the productivity and profitability of goat farming systems in southeast Vietnam. 3.3 Provision of improved housing and health care for goats 3.3.1 Improved housing for goats Improved housing for goats on each selected farms was achieved by all farms being provided with well constructed and hygienically managed goat houses by the end of the first year of the Project (Chapter 3) 3.3.2 Control of all disease to improve health of goats on all farms. CARD 009/05 VIE – Improving goat production in Central Vietnam 115 Disease control was an on-going issue for the Project until completion of support in June 2009. The most important disease controlled was Goat Pox for which a vaccine was developed and tested by the Project. Other vaccinable diseases controlled were enterotoxaemia and pastuerellosis, but in many cases, these diseases were of less importance that Goat Pox. Intestinal parasites and liver fluke were