Project News

The first step of the Pilot Activities of SUSFORM-NOW is supporting formulation of VDPs (focusing on participatory forest management and livelihood development plans) of each Pilot Site. Based on the VDPs, project will support participatory activities of villagers to produce one of the 3 Outputs of the Project, "workable approaches on landscape plans and land-based livelihood development plans are established".

However, since the capacity of the Commune staffs, who shall support villagers to formulate VDPs, and the Provincial, City, and District staffs, who shall guide the Commune staffs, are limited. Thus, Training of Trainers (TOT) for the latter and on-the-job-training (OJT) for the former was planned, and Vietnam Forestry University (VFU) was hired to implement these trainings. As we reported on 9th of May, the TOT was organized from 9 May to 14 May 2011 in Dien Bien Phu City, Dien Bien Province with 33 trainees. They came from related agencies of Province, Districts, and City. After finishing TOT, OJT was conducted at 2 Pilot Sites: Sai Luong village, Nua Ngam Commune, Dien Bien District, and Hang Tro B village, Pu Nhi Commune, Dien Bien Dong District, from 15 May to 19 May 2011. Trained staffs of Province, City and Districts guided Commune staffs and villagers to formulate VDPs. Based on formulated VDPs, SUSFORM-NOW project will discuss with villagers and related authorities to decide the first Pilot Activities of each Pilot Site and support to implement them.

In order to implement OJT in the remained Pilot Sites effectively, a Workshop on reviewing the first OJT was organized on 4 June 2011. Main purpose of the workshop is sharing results and lessons learnt from the implemented OJT. 25 participants joined in the workshop. Ms. Dang Thi Thu Hien, representing Hang Tro B group, and Mr. Bui Nam Thai, representing Sai Luong group, (both of them are Provincial level counterparts of SUSFORM-NOW) presented results of implementation of OJT. In the afternoon, two groups discussed excitingly to find out difficulties of the last OJT and give good solutions. Representatives of each group shared results of the discussions.

Through the Workshop, all TOT trainees had good opportunities to share and learn each others. Their capacity was improved. It is sure that the next OJT will be implemented more fruitfully and it means that capacity of Commune staffs and villagers will be improved as well.

Group discussion: Sai Luong Group

Presentation by Mr. Thai, Sai Luong group