The 3rd Annual Meeting of Mekong Extension Learning Alliance (MELA), help on 30th October 2017- 1rst November 2017 at Angkor Paradise Hotel-Siem Reap, Cambodia, was organized by HEKS EPER, MELA and MAFF with financial support from the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) and Gfras. The objective of the meeting is to:
- exchange ideas and knowledge
- share best practices among professionals from the country participants
- learn from each other for new inspiration of work
The meeting begun with an introduction of program and MELA followed by welcome remarks from honor guesses. The initiative ideas of MELA foundation and its functions and the objective of the 3rd MELA meeting were introduced to participants. The program schedule started from welcome remarks from honor guesses; presentation of new policy, innovation and challenges in agricultural extension and rural advisory service in Cambodia, Laos, Thailand, and Myanmar; Presentation from agriculture education, research institutions, NGOs, private sector on agricultural extension and rural advisory service; a panel discussion on Pesticides Impacts to Health and Environment; presentations of private sector and NGOs on Access to Market; a discussion panel on Youth in Agriculture/Future Farmers; field visit organization.
The farmer’s market development experiences were shared from SNV Netherlands Development Organization (SNV), Cambodia Institute for Research and Rural Development (CIRD), and CAVAC organization.
Finally, field visits were organized to:
- Rice seed cooperative supported by the Provincial Department of Agriculture in Banteay Srey district,
- Agroecological vegetable producers group linked to local farmers-collectors supported by GRET and Cird in Sotr Nikum district.
All presentations that have supported the discussions over the second day are available for download hereafter:
Country Presentation: new policy, innovations, challenging which are concerning to agricultural extension and rural advisory service
- Cambodia: Agricultural extension policy and experience from ASPIRE project
- Lao PDR: Green Extension strategy for promoting agroecology and small-scale agro-enterprise
- Thailand: Innovative Agricultural Extension of Thailand
- Myanmar: Challenges and Opportunities of Agricultural Extension in Myanmar
- Myanmar: Importance of State Agricultural Institutes in producing New Extensionists
Research and NGOs: agriculture education, research institutions, NGOs, private sector on agricultural extension and rural advisory service.
- Cambodia: Agrobiodiversity’ education in school
- Cambodia: Bio control measure
- Myanmar: Strengthening Campus-Communities Relationship through Extension Education and Advisory Services
- Roles of universities and research institutes in agricultural extension in Vietnam
- Extension Education through Farm Advisory Services in Myanmar
Pesticide Impact Panel: A panel discussion on Pesticides Impacts to Health and Environment
- Safe school lunch in Thailand
- Residues Testing and Food4change in Thailand
- Network for development of Food security and safety in Cambodia
- Role of Agricultural Extension system on food safety in Vietnam
Nutrition:
Acess to market:
- CHAIN- Cambodia Horticulture Advancing Income and Nutrition project
- CIRD’s intervention for a better access to market by smallholder producer
- CAVAC’s Market development how it works and How C1 works?
- Study the technology market and to quantify the market size for agricultural technology needed to support Cambodia’s agricultural sector development
Panel discussion: Youth in Agriculture/Future Farmers
- Rice seed agriculture cooperative in Cambodia
- Experience in growing vegetables in Cambodia
- From Nurse to Melon Farmer
- EQ Worm Farm in Thailand
- Improving Farmers Awareness on Agricultural Knowledge via Mobile App in Myanmar
