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Information sheet

Name of Project and Organization : Thai Vietnamese German Collaborative Research Program SFB 564 (“The Uplands Program”)

Sub-project D2.2 : Efficiency of smallholder animal husbandry depending on intensity of management and genetic potential of livestock in mountainous regions of Northern Vietnam. Development of community driven breeding programmes using genotypes with high productive adaptability

Start and ending date of Project : 1st program phase 2000 to 6/2003, 2nd program phase 7/2003 to 6/2006 ongoing, reapplication for 3rd program phase in winter 2005

Location of livestock sub-project D2 : Son La Province; Villages Ban Buon, Ban Bo (communes Chieng Coi, Chieng An; district Son La), Na Huong, Bo Duoi (commune Hat Lot, district Mai Son), Pa Dong, Tong Tai A, Tong Tai A’ (Ta Hoc, Chieng Chan commune, district Mai Son

Working level

Activities regarding livestock

Livestock Species : Pigs (focus), chicken

Training : Training on pig keeping for farmers participating in the project. Short-term trouble-shooting plus larger training units. Training on chicken keeping for farmers participating in the project.

Organization of research :

• Survey (2001 to 2002): Household interviews, RRA methodology, recording production/ reproduction data, in cooperation with NIAH and Veterinary Department Son La (VDSL)
• Conduction of on-farm pilot trial (start 8/2001) (recording production/ reproduction data) by NIAH and VDSL, including introduction of pig breeding stock (Mong Cai) to participating farmers
• On-farm testing schemes by UHOH, NIAH, VDSL (from 3/2003 onwards): recording production/ reproduction data by farmers, back-checking by researchers. Including introduction of pig breeding stock (Mong Cai, local Ban pigs) to participating farmers. Meanwhile extended to 7 villages/5 communes.
• Special research topics covered by master theses (Economic valuation of genetic resources – ongoing, 2004; Valuation of pork from local pig breeds by different consumers groups – scheduled, 2005).
• Cooperation with ILRI Ethiopia regarding “Economic valuation of genetic resources” and “Valuation of pork from local pig breeds by different consumers groups”
• Keeping chicken adapted to topical conditions (naked neck, frizzled feathers – carrier of major genes) under smallholder conditions; conducted as pilot trial, 4th quarter 2003.

• Suitability of local pig breeds/ introduced genotypes for smallholders in different production systems; pig production intensity; farmers’ production aims; farmers 'management strategies; reproductive/ productive performances of different pig genotypes; output from pig production and production efficiency under different input scenarios. Establishment of alternative breeding and marketing programs
• Extending of the research focus from Black Thai villages in location near to town and further away from town to H’mong villages in remote locations.

Publications

KAUFMANN, B., LEMKE, U., DHAMOTHARAN, M., VALLE ZÁRATE, A. 2001. Communication tools in smallholder livestock systems analysis. Deutscher Tropentag 2001. October 9 to 11, 2001, Bonn, Germany.

Lemke, U., Markemann, A., Binh, N. T., Thuy, L. T., Van, L. T., Chau, T. T., Tang, L. V., Valle Zárate, A. (2003): Sub-project D2: Efficiency of Smallholder Animal Production: Implementing On Farm Performance Testing Schemes– Pilot phase 3/2003 to 6/2003. Workshop on Efficiency of smallholder husbandry in mountainous regions of North Vietnam at DARD Son La. June 2nd, 2003, Son La, Vietnam.

Markemann, A., Binh, N. T., Lemke, U., Thuy, L. T., Chau, T. T., Tang, L. V., Valle Zárate, A. (2003): Management of pig performance data by farmers with a professional software databank. Workshop on Efficiency of smallholder husbandry in mountainous regions of North Vietnam at DARD Son La. June 2nd, 2003, Son La, Vietnam.

Valle Zárate, A., Kaufmann, B., Lemke, U., Thuy, L. T., Ly, L. V., Vang, N. D. (2003): Subproject D2: Efficiency of Smallholder Animal Production: Activities in the 2nd phase. Workshop on Efficiency of smallholder husbandry in mountainous regions of North Vietnam at DARD Son La. June 2nd, 2003, Son La, Vietnam

Tra, H. T. H. (2003): Assessing the input in pig production with special focus on feed resources and feeding management in resource and demand driven production systems in Son La. Master thesis. Hohenheim University, Institute of Animal Production in the Tropics and Subtropics, Hohenheim, Germany