Mid-term Evaluation of the project
2nd – 20th November, 2008

The period from 2nd to 20th November, 2008 the project welcomed Joint Mid-term Evaluation Team. They came for confirming achievement of outputs, accomplishment of activities and inputs at midterm of the project, based on the Project Design Matrix and the Plan of Operation; evaluating the project from by five evaluation criteria (relevance, effectiveness, efficiency, impact and sustainability) to help implementation of the latter half of the project period; sharing the project implementation process among the related organizations; clarifying issues/concerns for the latter half of the project period and verifying solutions.

The members of Joint Mid-term Evaluation Team were divided into two sides: Vietnamese side & Japanese side.

Vietnamese side:

• Dr. Hoang Kim Giao, Director General, Department of Livestock Production, MARD, Team leader
• Dr. Nguyen Xuan Trach, Dean Faculty of Animal Science and Aquaculture, Hanoi University of Agriculture
• Dr. Nguyen Thanh Duong, Specialist, Department of Agricultural Economy, MARD
• Mr. Nguyen Anh Minh, Director, Bilateral Cooperation Division, International Cooperation Department, MARD

Japanese side:

• Mr. Hiroaki Okuchi, Director of Division II, Paddy Field Based Farming Area Group, Rural Development Department, JICA , Team leader.
• Mr. Shigeru Kudo, Vice Director General, Niikappu Station, National Livestock Breeding Center
• Ms. Mari Miura, project Officer, Division II, Paddy Field Based Farming Area Group, Rural Development Department, JICA
• Mr. Kimihiro Konno, Consulting Division, Second Business Department, Vision & Spirit for Overseas Cooperation Co.Ltd.

During 18 hardworking days, the evaluation team visited 2 project’s target areas: Moc Chau, Vinh Tuong and 2 cooperation areas: Thanh Hoa, Hung Yen. In each visited area, the team had meetings with authorities, talking with dairy farmers and interviewing with local technicians. They also visited Station for Training and Extension of Dairy Technology (STED) and interviewed Director & all National Trainers. Finally, they gave conclusion and submitted some recommendations for the project. In general, they concluded that the progress of the project activities were considered to be satisfactory with 5 evaluation criteria. However, revising and gaining of common understanding for activities and indicators mentioned in PDM were still needed. As a result, they submitted 10 recommendations including reclassification of the target area, capacity development of NT candidates, capacity development of LT candidates, Certification system for NT, dissemination of the project results and its spread by implementation agencies, Rising of consumers ‘consciousness about food safety, Insufficient electricity supply, Lessons
learned from the project, Revision of PDM and Inputs in the latter half of the project period.

These evaluation results and recommendations of the team were highly appreciated the project. As a feedback, the project adjusted its PDM, PO basing on those recommendations. The adjustment of PDM, PO were accepted by Project Management Unit and Joint Cooperation Commission in the third PMU and JCC meetings in April, 2009.