What Next?

Toward a Feasible Proposal

The group agreed that the research, training and dissemination needs and actions identified and proposed by the Vietnamese working groups were comprehensive and accurate. However, it was also apparent that certain proposed actions were overly ambitious and beyond the scope of VACB support—e.g., conducting indigenous knowledge surveys, doing transects, and establishing conservation farming models in 7 agroecological zones.

There was lively discussion on the effectiveness of establishing additional models in Vietnam. Hundreds of agroforestry and conservation farming models have already been established—usually with heavy subsidies—and it is doubtful whether these models have served as effective mechanisms for technology transfer to farmers.

Chun Lai suggested that the common, priority elements articulated by the three working groups could be harmonized into one integrated proposal that could be feasibly carried out in 1999 with VACB support. The proposal could be discussed and finalized at the next VACB planning workshop, scheduled in early March 1999 in Hue.

The participants agreed with this approach, as well as the suggestion that VASI could help to coordinate the proposal development, and assist in implementing, monitoring and evaluating the conservation farming work once the proposal has been finalized and approved.