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 Home Overseas Projects Laos Project History
Fishery Projects
Union Aid Abroad supported a fish breeding program in Luang Prabang Province, through the Provincial Department of Agriculture and Forestry (Veterinary and Fishery section)
The majority of Lao's 5 million people are involved in subsistence agriculture, and only 3% of the land is arable. The formal economy provides very few opportunities for the majority of the population and women have been particularly disadvantaged.
Union Aid Abroad supported a fish breeding program in Luang Prabang Province, through the Provincial Department of Agriculture and Forestry (Veterinary and Fishery section).
In February 2003, Australian technical adviser Rebbeca Mahony assisted 3 trainers to revise the training curriculum and develop a handbook for farmers before organizing training for them. 50 copies of the completed 35 page handbook were published for the fish farmers. Trainers continued to organise training for fish farmers in 10 target villages.
Although the workers in this project have high levels of technical qualifications and abilities, they lack experience in developing training plans or curriculum. Rebecca's work involved providing support and advice about training courses and associated extension materials; and providing advice on the curriculum development and other components of the project.
The development of a manual for the farmers containing both text and pictures was one of the priorities. In this case the emphasis is on pictures to explain central concepts, so that illiterate farmers will be able to understand.
Other extension materials for the course included leaflets on the topics of fish disease, pond treatment and species selection that are produced by the fisheries section of the Department of Agriculture and Forestry in Vientiane.
Working cooperatively on processes such as development of the curriculum, extension materials and project evaluation was extremely beneficial for the local staff who had never been involved in those aspects of project work. Although they are qualified and skilled technically in the subject area, building their capacity in other aspects of project management is a notable outcome and significant in building human resources in the area.
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