Key Activity highlight of FARMER ( A fellow program of Vet Helpline India )

Category: Research & Training

Inception Date: 12-03-2008

Closing Date: 25-12-2010

Location: Four Selected Districts of Assam, India

Donors:

UK Department for International Development (DFID) : Research in to Use Program

• Research into Use (RIU) is a programme of the UK Department for International Development (DFID), the government department that manages Britain’s aid to developing countries.

Partners:

International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI) – Lead Partner

• ILRI is a part of the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR), it works for better lives through livestock.

Brihattar Guwahati Gopalak Sangstha (BGGS)

• A dairy producersand traders’association

Department of Dairy Development, Government of Assam

• The line department of Government of Assam responsible for dairy development particularly milk processing and distribution.

College of Veterinary Sciences, Khanapara, Guwahati

• A constituent college of Assam Agricultural University, Assam (India)

Activities:

Environment study and participatory development of project plan

• Contributed to environment study and workshops aimed at participatory development of project plan document -including outcome mapping.

Training Need Assessment of Milk Value Chain participants

• Conducted Participatory Training Need Assessment (TNA)of traditional milk producers, traders, sweet makers covering four project districts of Assam.

Participatory Translation and Adaptation of Training Manual

• Based on Training Need Assessment report and suggestion of writer’s workshops (Facilitated by ILRI), adapted and translated (to Assamese and Hindi) set of training manuals, hand-outs etc. These manuals, hand-outs etc. were developed originally in the context of Traditional Dairy sector of Eastern Africa.

Training of Master Trainers on Hygienic Milk Trading

• Assisted project coordination (PCU) unit in designing, marketing and conducting training program for milk traders and producers based on adapted manuals, hand-outs and other training tools.

Designing and Printing of Training Manuals for Dairy Producers and Traders

• Provided skill support to Project Coordination Unit (PCU) in designing and printing of manuals, handouts etc. for wider circulation.

Publications:

Grace Delia, Barbaruah Islam M, Deka Rameswar, Omore Amos, Staal Steve: The triple win: smallholder dairying that is pro-poor, environment-friendly and consumer-safe Ecohealth Conference (2008)

Asif Bin Qutub, Rameswar Deka, Islam Barburah, Dilip Sarma, Derek Baker, William Thorpe, Delia Grace: ” Capacity building based on local risk mitigation strategies and value chain analysis may lead to better management of food-borne disease” Innovation Asia Pacific Symposium (2009), Kathmandu, Nepal

Training Modules or Learning Objects:

Click Here for published copies

Contributing fellow Members:

Dr.Nayanjit Deka BVSc & AH

A veterinary extension worker and editor of North East Veterinarian (A leading professional journal), Dr.Deka extended honorary support in preparing training manuals for farmers.

Dr.Rezaul Karim BVSc & AH

A field Veterinarian, Social analyst and writer Dr.Karim extended honorary support in developing the training manuals for milk producers and traders.

Mr.Rustam Ali BSc.PGDip (Computer Application)

Mr.Ali, an expert in statistical data analysis and who is formally associated with Omeo Kumar Das Institute of Social Change and Development (OKDISCD), Guwahati, extended honorary support in designing Training Need Assessment guidelines for milk traders.

Dr.Miftahul Islam Barbaruah BVSc & A H, MBA, MDM

Dr.Barbaruah contributed to research design,stakeholder engangement, team building, designing of training manuals and co-ordination with donor agency.

Dr. Monjul Islam BVSc & A H

Dr.Monjul contributed to general project administration including coordination of field data collection and designing of training manuals.