From 21 to 23 July 2019, Mrs. Nguyen Kim Ngan – Executive Director of the Center for Sustainable Rural Development (SRD) and the Project Officer and Project Coordinator in Son La paid a visit to the project model in Bon Phang, Muoi Noi Commune and joined in the Steering Committee meetings at Thuan Chau District People's Committee. This is a periodic activity to evaluate the results of the project implementation in the first 6 months and to discuss the plan for the last 6 months of 2019.

During the visit, Mrs. Nguyen Kim Ngan and Mr. Vu Cong Lan - Sustainable Agriculture Program Manager attended two VSLA group meetings in Na Toi village, Bon Phang commune and Bo village, Muoi Noi commune. All group members shared that they were very happy and attentive when participating in the project, where they can have more chance to communicate, to contribute to and to borrow small amounts of money to pay for their living, to learn to cultivate rice in a new way, to grow coffee more scientifically, and to learn the way to raise chickens so that they were less susceptible to disease. Mrs. Nguyen Kim Ngan was very impressed and greatly appreciated the spirit and attitude of members to participate in the project. She encouraged the members to continue trusting and contributing to the project to achieve the two main objectives of the project which is to preserve two indigenous sticky rice varieties and to keep the biodiversity and bio-environment; and show solidarity to help each other in the village, as well as to increase additional income for the households participating in the project.

         Mrs. Ngan attended two VSLA group meetings in Na Toi village, Bon Phang commune and Bo village, Muoi Noi commune

During the visit to the households participating in the project in Na Toi village and Bo village, the Director was also very happy when people were more confident and proactively applied breeding techniques to increase the number of poultry flocks; actively renovated the breeding system, paid more attention to disease prevention for animals and knew the way to find the market to consume the products. Mrs. Ngan also highly appreciated that many households borrowed small loans from the VSLA group along with the family's capital to raise other kinds of livestock such as cows, pigs, goats and fish which helped contribute to increasing income for households.

                             Mrs. Ngan visit to the households participating in the project in Na Toi village and Bo village

During the Steering Committee meeting, the SRD staff and project coordinator shared the positive results, including; the total number of households participating in the project, more active and enthusiastic participation of the people in the project, the effectiveness of the new experiments in sustainable coffee cultivation, and CSR rice cultivation which helped people to be aware of the benefits and costs of rice production as well as towards quality and valuable agricultural products. All stakeholders agreed to continue applying better techniques in the cultivation and husbandry activities and there is a closer link between project activities and local socio-economic-cultural development programs. Regarding the coordinated activities in the last 6 months, it will focus on organizing a model study tour, communication activities, district workshops, and attending the annual seminar event organized by VUSTA in Hanoi.

                                                                              Mrs.Ngan presented at the meeting

                                 Mr. Vu Cong Lan - SRD  SA Program Manager and PO in Department shared at the meeting