Report of the first meeting of the Mekong Extension Learning Alliance (MELA), Vientiane, 26-28 Aug 2015

2. Introduc)on*
• The*Mekong*Extension*Learning*Alliance*(MELA)*is*a*
sub<regional*network,*organised*under*the*umbrella*of*
the*Global*Forum*on*Rural*Advisory*Services*(GFRAS)*
• The*idea*of*(MELA)*was*born*at*the*SDC*mee)ng*on*
‘Reaching*the*Millions’,*held*in*Hanoi*in*March*2015*
• The*inaugural*mee)ng*of*MELA*was*held*at*the*Lao*
Plaza*Hotel*in*Vien)ane,*26<28*August*2015.*
• The*mee)ng*was*hosted*by*the*Lao*Department*of*
Agricultural*Extension*and*Coopera)ve*(DAEC)*in*
collabora)on*with*the*Lao*Upland*Rural*Advisory*
Service*(LURAS)****

3. Ra)onale*&*Objec)ves*
The*Lower*Mekong*Region*is*home*to*225*million*people,*
with*more*than*60%*of*them*living*in*rural*areas.**
*
Investment,*trade,*exper)se*and*labour*are*flowing*from*
one*country*to*another,*while*social*and*environmental*
impacts*are*also*crossing*na)onal*boundaries.**
*
Service*providers,*especially*those*who*lack*the*resources*
available*to*mul)na)onal*corpora)ons,*also*need*be]er*
access*to*informa)on.**Farmer*Associa)ons,*Government*
Departments*and*NGOs*can*improve*their*performance*if*
they*are*able*to*share*knowledge*and*skills*across*the*
Region.**The*purpose*of*the*Mekong*Extension*Learning*
Alliance*is*to*provide*a*forum*for*exchanges*of*this*kind.**
*
The*objec)ves*of*the*Inaugural*MELA*Mee)ng,*as*
previously*agreed*in*Hanoi,*were:*
• Define*common*interests*of*members*
• Discuss*a*draa*charter*for*the*network*
• Agree*a*work*plan*for*next*12*months*
*

4. Country*Par)cipants*
Cambodia(
• Sorn*Vichet,*General*Directorate*Agriculture,*MAFF*
• Mao*Minea,*Agriculture*Extension*Department,*MAFF**
• Norng*Sivouthan,*HEKS*
• Hem*Sovannarith,*SDC*
(
Laos(
• Kham*Oaune*Khamphoukeo,*Dept*of*Agricultural*
Extension*&*Coops,*MAF**
• Samlan*Pasetkhamla,*Department*of*Planning,*MAF**
• Souvanthong*Namvong,*Dept*of*Agricultural*Extension*
&*Coops,*MAF**
• Khamla*Sengphaxayalath,*Na)onal*Agricultural*&*
Forestry*Research*Ins)tute,*MAF**
• Maiyer*Xiong,*Faculty*of*Agriculture,*Na)onal*
University*of*Laos*
• Thongdam*Phongphichith,*Sustainable*Agric*&*
Environmental*Development*Associa)on*
• Anousone*Phimmachanh,*Lao*Fair*Trade*
• Rakesh*Munankami,*Helvetas*
• Philaiphone*Vongpraseuth,*SDC*
Myanmar(
• Khin*Oo,*Yenzin*Agricultural*University**
• Than*Myo,*Mon*Rubber*Planta)on*and*Produc)on*
Associa)on*(MRPPA)**
• Sai*Lone,*SWISSAID*
• Khin*Mar*Cho,*College*of*Agric,*Cornell*University**
(
Thailand(
• Wiparat*Morida,*Coop*Promo)on*Department,*MOAC**
• Wilasinee*Wangthapan,*Coop*Promo)on*Department,*
MOAC**
• Supi]aya*Pukjinda,*Coop*Promo)on*Department,*
MOAC**
• Surangsri*Wapet,*Dept.*of*Agriculture*Extension,*
MOAC**
• Marut*Ja)ket,*Thai*Educa)on*Founda)on,*and*The*
Field*Alliance*
(
Vietnam(
• Dao*Xuan*Cuong,*Syngenta*Founda)on**
• Nguyen*Thi*Thanh*Huyen,*Training*Division,*the*
Na)onal*Extension*Centre**
• Kin*Yen*Ngo,*Center*for*Rural*Economy*Development**
(CRED)**
• Dominic*Smith,*Helvetas*
Profiles(of(par,cipants(with(photos,(,tles(and((
contact(details(has(been(distributed(separately((

5. Programme*
26(August(–(Mee;ng(Day(1(
• Introduc)ons*&*Expecta)ons*
• Statement*by*representa)ve*of*Lao*Farmers*Network*
• Presenta)ons*by*host*country*and*GFRAS***
• Presenta)ons**by*15*par)cipa)ng*organisa)ons*
• Group*discussion*–*What*should*be*the*basic*features*of*MELA*(part*1)*
• Official*dinner*
*
27(August(–(Mee;ng(Day(2(
• Field*Visits*(incl.*organic*farmers,*rice*miller,*and*social*enterprise)*
• Lunch*on*the*Nam*Ngum*river*
• Presenta)on/discussion*with*Department*of*Agricultural*Extension*and*Coopera)ves*
• Presenta)on/discussion*with*Lao*Farmer*Network*
**
28(August(–(Mee;ng(Day(3(
• Presenta)on*by*resource*people*(Thema)c*issue:**“Implica)ons*of*regional*integra)on”)*
• Panel*discussion*with*resource*people*
• Group*discussions**<**Features*of*MELA*(part*2)*and*Moving*Forward*
• Concluding*remarks*and*Closing**

6. Opening/Closing*Sessions*
A*statement*was*also*delivered*at*the*
Opening*Session*by**Khammoun*Xaimany,**
a*commi]ee*member*of*the*Lao*Farmers*
Network**
*
At*the*closing,*the*DAEC*was*represented*
by*Mr.*Kham*Oaune*Khamphoukeo*,*Head*
of*Division,*Group*Promo)on,*Coops*&*
Agribusiness*
The*mee)ng*was*opened*by:*
• Mr.*Somxay*Sisanonh,*Deputy*Director*
General,*Department*of*Agricultural*
Extension*and*Copera)ves*(DAEC).**
• Mr.*Mar)n*Hasler,*Deputy*Country*
Director,*Swiss*Agency*for*
Development*Coopera)on*(SDC)***
• Dr.*Virginia*Cardenas,*Member*of*
GFRAS*Steering*Commi]ee*and*Chair*
of*APIRAS*

7. Presenta)ons*

8. Presenta)ons*
All(presenta,ons(have(been(distributed(on(a(memory(
s,ck,(along(with(a(full(set(of(GFRAS(materials((

9. Field*Visits*

10. Reflec)ons*on*Field*Visits*
Southad(Rice(Mill(–(Challenges((
1. Coordina)on*with*farmers*to*produce*quality*rice*
and*fulfilling*contract*terms*(quan)ty*and*quality*
of*supply*from*farmers)**
2. Wants*to*increase*export*of*rice*to*the*
neighboring*countries*–*Vietnam*and*China**
3. Access*to*long*term*loan*for*investment*in*milling*
facility*/*infrastructure**
Lao(Farmer’s(Product(–(Challenges((
1. Higher*cost*of*packaging*materials**
2. Organic*cer)fica)on*and*need*to*meet*organic*
standard*(and*cer)fica)on)*of*expor)ng*countries**
3. Higher*transac)on*cost*to*access*finance*by*
smallholder*farmers**
4. Fluctua)on*in*exchange*rate*(specially*Euro)*as*
the*target*export*marker*was*Europe*
5. Higher*cost*of*transport*for*exports**
6. Limited*domes)c*market*for*the*products*and*
aims*to*expand*the*market*in*Asian*countries**
7. Target*customers*are*in*the*high*end*market**
8. Increasing*the*benefits*to*smallholders*
Organic(Vegetable(group–(Challenges((
1. Limited*availability*of*organic*inputs*especially*
manure*to*use*in*organic*produc)on**
2. Irriga)on*/*water*is*not*enough*in*dry*seasons**
3. Farmers*have*to*rent*land*to*maintain*close*
proximity*of*produc)on*for*organic*cer)fica)on**
4. Expansion*of*organic*market*and*management*of*
market*independently**
5. Financial*management*and*book*keeping*skills*
are*limited*
6. Lack*of*cold*storage*facility*to*store*fresh*product*
7. Pest*a]acking*roots*of*vegetables*
8. No*long*term*contract*with*ins)tu)onal*buyers**
9. Cost*of*organic*cer)fica)on**

11. Expert*Panel*
From%le(%to%right:%%
• Michael(Victor,*CGIAR*program*on*
Water,*Land*and*Ecosystems*
• Anthony(Zola,*Mekong*Environment*
and*Resource*Ins)tute*
• Qinfei(Zhu,**Mekong*Ins)tute*

12. Group*Work*

13. Some*outputs*
Features*of*our*
Learning*Alliance*
Draa*mission*statement*
Organisa)onal*
issues*
Detailed(outputs(from(Day(3(have(been(circulated(by(
the(Coordinator(of(the(MELA(Working(Group(

14. Working*Group*
Standing,(leM(to(right:(
• Dominic*
• Marut*
• Qinfei*
• Rakesh*
• Norng*
• Wiparat*
• Vichit*
(
Seated,(leM(to(right:(
• Kim*Yen*(Coordinator)*
• Anousone*
• Khin*Mar*Cho*
• Virginia*
Here*are*the*MELA*members*who*volunteered*to*form*a*working*group*
that*will*take*the*alliance*forward*in*the*months*ahead.*

15. Ac)on*Plan*
Based*on*the*outputs*of*Day*3,*the*Coordinator*of*the*Working*Group*has*circulated*a*detailed*ac)on*
plan.**Here*are*the*main*points:*
*
1********Development(of(MELA(charter*
1.1****Review*results*of*MELA*workshop*in*Vien)ane*and*agree*on*the*outline*of*MELA*charter*
1.2*****Assign*member*to*write*each*part*of*charter*
1.3*****Each*member*sends*their*input*which*they*have*been*assigned.*
1.4*****Consolidate*into*draa*charter*and*send*to*all*working*member*for*comments.*
1.5*****Consolidate*comments*from*members*
1.5*****Iden)fy*people*who*are*interested*in*being*involved*in*MELA**
1.6*****Develop*draa*outline*for*development*strategy*for*MELA*2016<2020*
*
2********Prepare(and(organize(F2F(workshop(of(MELA*
2.1****Fund*raising*to*organize*the*workshop*
2.2****Define*objec)ves*and*develop*agenda,*define*par)cipants*etc*
2.3****Organise*and*facilitate*the*workshop*
*
A(proposal(was(also(made(for(the(next(MELA(mee;ng(to(be(held(in(Myanmar(in(February(2016.(((
See(you(there!(

16. We*also*had*lots*of*fun!*
www.facebook.com/weareMELA*

17. Evalua)on*summary*
Things(we(liked(
• Friendly*atmosphere*
• Mee)ng*new*people*
• Exchanging*experience*
• Group*discussions,*brainstorming**
• Interes)ng*field*visits**
• Extension*service*in*Laos*
• Good*Facilita)on*
• Logis)cs*and*organisa)on*
• Good*food*
(
Thins(we(didn’t(like(
• Tight*schedule*
• Too*many*presenta)ons;*no*)me*for*Q&A*
• Need*more*transla)on*in*field*visit*
(
Light(bulb(moments(
• It*is*difficult*to*start*a*network!*
• Different*countries*have*different*
extension*approaches*
• Local*organic*market*run*by*farmers*
• Need*to*make*farming*more*a]rac)ve*to*
young*people*
• Understanding*of*GMS*/*AEC*
(
Take(home(messages(
• Tasks*of*working*group…*we*have*a*lot*of*
homework!*
• Will*share*info*about*MELA*in*my*country*
• Promote*organic*farming/market*
• Coopera)ve*spirit…*let’s*stay*in*touch!*