Extension Approaches to Scaling Out Livestock
Production in northern Lao PDR
ASEM 2005 124
Project Review Meeting
9 Feb 2010
Project Team
• Lao Project Leader: Boualy Sengdala (NAFES)
• Australian Project Leader: Joanne Millar (CSU)
• Research Officers: Hongvillay Keuthphannavong and Sombat
Vannaphoun (NAFES), Neuakhom Thepphanid (XK) and Anne
Stelling (CSU)
• Admin Officer: Bouathong Keola (NAFES)
• Available Mentors: Viengxay Photakoun (VTE) Viengsuk
Lorbriayao (XK), Thongkham Vongpralath (LPB)
• Translators: LeeCha Xaibeenou (Hmong), Phiew (Khamu),
Viengxay and Boualy (Lao English)
Project Aim
To assist the Lao government (and partners)
to foster further adoption of improved
livestock production by researching and
adapting extension and capacity building
approaches in northern Lao PDR.
Project partners and research recipients
• Livestock Development Project (LDP)
• Legumes for Pigs Project (NAFRI/CIAT)
• Best Practice Cattle Husbandry (DLF, U.Sydney)
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LEAP (NAFES)
NAFRI Information Unit
Luang Prabang Agriculture and Forestry College
?NUOL, other colleges, NGO projects
?Other NAFES and NAFRI projects
The Diverse Nature of Extension
Increasing level of people oriented skills required
Community Development (eg LDP, LEA)
Education (eg NAFRI Info Unit, LEA)
Problem solving (eg L4PP, FLSP)
Technology (eg BPCHH, FLSP)
Transfer
Increasing complexity of situations and time required
Social Research
Leadership, group
capacity, livelihoods
Staff and farmer
capacity building
Farmer learning
and outcomes
Adoption studies
Extension Research Cycle
Identified research needs (extension & capacity building)
EASLP RESEARCH
Evaluation of impact
Capacity Building of
Staff, Farmers, Students
Recommendations, Guidelines and
Extension Tools
LDP, L4PP, BPCH, NAFES,
NAFRI, LEAP, LPAFC,
NUOL
Recommendations from last meeting
1.
More research could be done on how to tailor cross visits to various
ethnic groups and women (including writing guidelines in Lao
language) 
2.
More case studies from different ethnic groups and women 
3.
Guidelines on how to write case studies in Lao language 
4.
Investigate turning some case studies into digital stories or videos 
5.
Compile a directory of champion farmers in each district for distribution
to villages and DAFOs (??) via case studies?
6.
Discuss researchable issues with LDP that could assist with improving
extension, capacity building and farmer impacts  (?)
Research activities in 2009
• How to work with Hmong, Khamu, Akha
(including women)
• How to tailor cross visits for Hmong, Khamu, Akha
(including women)
• How to work with poor households (group and 1:1)
• Impact of cross visits and other factors on farmer
decision making and livestock production
• Capacity building for livestock extension in Lao PDR
Capacity building activities in 2009
• Digital story making workshop for project team and others
from LDP and CIAT
• Development of 6 digital stories on farmers
• Teaching staff in 4 districts how to make a range of farmer
case studies (16)
• Development of guidelines for making case studies,
running cross visits and working with ethnic groups (in Lao
and English)
• Teaching new project team staff how to interview farmers
• Discussion with Huaphan district staff on working with poor
households and ethnic groups
Plans for 2010 (last year!)
• Evaluate use and impact of digital stories
• Develop more as needed (eg for poor farmers and
women)
• Evaluate staff use and impact of 3 guidelines and paper
case studies
• Research the cost effectiveness of capacity building
methods (using BCA and MCA)
• Develop lessons learnt brochure from Viengxay’s research
• Assist LDP with focus on approaches to working with very
poorest households ??
• Develop case studies of successful capacity building and
extension approaches
• Publish and disseminate results
2009 Publications Available
• Stelling, A. Millar, J. Phengsavanh, P. and Stur. W. (2009) Establishing
learning alliances between extension organisations: Key learnings from
Laos. Extension Farming Systems Journal 5 (1): 43-52.
• Millar, J. (2009). Adapting extension approaches to cultural environments in
South East Asia: experiences from Laos and Indonesia. Extension Farming
Systems Journal 5 (1): 143-148
• Photakoun V. and Millar, J. (2009). Evaluating capacity building methods to
strengthen livestock extension outcomes in Laos. Extension Farming
Systems Journal 5 (2) in press
• Stelling, A. and Millar, J. (2009). An evaluation of the Legumes for Pigs
Project Development Alliance. Report No. 49. Institute of Land, Water and
Society, Charles Sturt University, Albury, NSW.
• How to work with Hmong, Khamu and Akha (EASLP, NAFES)
• How to make livestock case studies (EASLP, NAFES)
• How to run livestock and fodder cross visits (EASLP, NAFES)
2010 forthcoming publications
• Millar, J and Sengdala, B. (2010). The role of livestock in
changing upland livelihoods in Lao PDR. Paper to be
presented at 3rd International Conference on Lao Studies
14-16 July, Khon Kaen University, Thailand. (Journal of
Lao Studies)
• Photakoun, V. and Millar, J. (2010). Capacity building for
livestock extension in Laos: a study of methods, factors
and outcomes for rural development. To be submitted to
Journal of Agricultural Education and Extension
• Stelling, A., Millar, J. and Sengdala, B. (2010). Working
with ethnic minorities in the uplands of Laos to improve
livestock production and rural livelihoods. To be
submitted to Mountain Research and Development