Summary of Terminal Evaluation Survey
I. Outline of the ProjectCountry：Laos

Project title： Aquaculture Improvement and Extension Project
Phase II (AQIP2)

Issue/Sector：Fishery
Cooperation scheme：Technical Cooperation
Division in charge： JICA Laos Office Total cost： 5.5 (thousand) yen
Partner Country’s Implementing Organization：
Periodof

Cooperation

Apr 2005 – Apr 2010
(5 years)

Department of Livestock and Fishery(DLF), Ministry of Agriculture
and Forestry(MAF)
Supporting Organization in Japan ： Ministry of Agriculture,
Forestry, and Fisheries (Fisheries Agency)

１

Background of the Project

Fish and other aquatic organisms are the most important animal protein source for the people in Lao PDR. The
government of Lao PDR is trying to increase production of fisheries products in the national food security policy.
Production increase by catching fisheries in natural and man-made waters is limited as fishing pressure has alreadyreached to the maximum sustainable yield level or over it. Therefore, promotion of aquaculture is a matter of
emergency for the production increase of aquatic organisms.
The government of Japan has been conducting technical cooperation projects (AQIP 1 and AQIP 2) to assist
development of appropriate techniques (including culture technique, culture farm management technique, as well as
extension technique), and capacity building (both human capacity and institutional capacity) in order to contribute toaquaculture promotion in Lao PDR.
AQIP 1 was implemented from 2001 to 2003. the project established NADC as a national aquaculture researchand development, and training center under DLF, trained staff of NADC and collected information on aquaculture
situation throughout the country. Thus, a firm basis has been established by AQIP 1 for implementation of the projectaiming at aquaculture development and extension in rural areas. Past other donor’s projects such as Food andAgriculture Organization (FAO) and Asian Institute of Technology (AIT) revealed that enhancing aquaculture
extension is needed in Provincial / District level because rural people tend to have less consciousness to produce fishby making clear plan. AQIP2 has utilized achievement of AQIP1 and has effort to expansion of the aquaculture inrural area of the country.

２ Project Overview（１）Overall Goal
Standard of living of rural fish farmer is improved through the dissemination of aquaculture suitable for local
conditions in the 4 target provinces.

（２）Project Purpose
Aquaculture suitable for local condition is established in the 4 target provinces.

（３）Outputs
1.
2.
3.

Adequate aquaculture methods are verified according to the local conditions of pilot sites.
The capacity of relevant persons such as target farmers, province/district extension staff and staff of PASs
regarding aquaculture technology and extension is improved.
Fish farmers of the focal districts introduce improved aquaculture methods.

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The roles of relevant organizations are clarified and their collaboration mechanism is developed regarding theaquaculture extension matched with the local conditions.

（４）Inputs
Japanese side：- Dispatch of Experts : 10 experts (150 MM: including plan in 2009)- Training of C/Ps in Japan： 18 C/Ps
- Provision of machineries and equipment: About 14.5 million yen (159,190 US$)
- Provision of facilities: About 18.0 million yen (195,000 US$)- Local cost：About 64.6 million yen

Lao Side:- Provision of land, building, and facilities- Allocation of C/Ps: 36 C/Ps

II. Evaluation Team
Members of Evaluation 1. Team Leader: Mr. Satoshi CHIKAMI(Senior Adviser on Fishery Development and Rural Development, JICA
Team
HDQ)
2.

Aquaculture: Mr. Hyato SHIRASE(Senior Adviser to the Director General of the Rural Development
Department, JICA HDQ)
3. Rural Development: Mr. Naoki TATSUZAWA(JICA Expert, Department of Planning, MAF in Lao PDR)
4. Evaluation Analysis: Dr. Masanori DOI(Managing Director, INTEM consulting Inc.)
5. Evaluation Planning: Mr. Moriaki WATANABE(Project Formulation Advisor, JICA Laos Office
Besides, 9 members from Laos side participated in the process of joint
evaluation

Period of Evaluation
III. Results of Evaluation
1 Project Performance(1) Activities

7/Oct/2009~27/Oct/2009

Type of Evaluation：Terminal

The activities for Output 1 “adequate aquaculture methods are verified according to the local conditions of pilotsite” had a plant to complete in the 3rd year. However, the duration of the activities was extended in one more year
because enhancing function of the pilot sites was needed. Most of other activities have been implemented well asscheduled according to PO.

(2) Outputs
Output 1: Adequate aquaculture methods are verified according to the local conditions of pilot sites.
- A total of 6 technical manuals has been prepared and additional 2 manuals are in preparation.
- From 2005 to 2008 production of fish culture by target farmers in Pilot villages increased by 122 % on average.
- Most of the farmers in pilot villages have intension to continue aquaculture after the termination of the Project.
Output 2: The capacity of relevant persons such as target farmers, province / district extension staff and staff of PASs
regarding aquaculture technology and extension is improved.
- More than 2 staff members of each PAS in the target provinces can train district staff and farmers.

ii-More than 2 staff members of each PLFS in the target provinces can make provincial aquaculture plan and givenecessary guidance to the PAS and DAFO.
More than 2 staff member of each DAFO in the target districts can give guidance to farmers.
2 progressive farmers of each pilot villages were certified officially as VADW who conduct extension activities
to other farmers.

Output 3: Fish farmers of the local districts introduce improved aquaculture methods.
- More than 1,000 farmers have applied improved aquaculture methods in 8 focal districts.
Output 4 The roles of relevant organizations are clarified and their collaboration mechanism is developed regarding
the aquaculture extension method with the local conditions.
- The Project proposed “Rural Aquaculture Promotion Package (RAPP)” as method for sustainable developmentof aquaculture in Lao PDR and the RAPP was officially authorized by DLF.
- Although the functions and collaboration mechanism of relevant organizations have been developed through the
Project implementation, collaboration agreement defining duties of each organization has not been agreed.

(3) Project Purpose
Project Purpose: Aquaculture suitable for local conditions is expanded in the 4 target provinces- Approximately 1,000 fish farmers in pilot villages and extension villages were considered to increase fish
production more than 40 % in 4 target provinces.
- Based on the principle of RAPP, Provincial Aquaculture Development Strategy was prepared in each target
province. Aquaculture extension direction at province and district level has been discussed and agreed inprinciple by all of relevant organizations.

(1) Overall Goal
Overall Goal: Standard of living of small-scale fish farmers is improved through the dissemination of aquaculture
suitable for local conditions in the 4 target provinces.
- The average annual increasing rate of fish production in the pilot villages was 30 %. There is possibility toaccomplish the indicator, fish consumption of 22 kg / person / year by the rural people in 4 target provinces, infuture by encouraging the aquaculture continuously.

２ Summary of Evaluation Results（１）RelevanceThe relevance of the Project is very high.
Per capita fish consumption of Lao PDR remained at the lowest level in the Indochina region. Although it tends
to increase slightly in recent years, the domestic fish production and supply from capture fishery may notincreased largely in rural areas. Therefore basic needs exist for aquaculture with low cost aiming at homeconsumption as well as income generation.
- The Project contributes for achievement of “stable food supply” and “reduction of poverty” which were stressedin “Fifth Social Economic Five Years Development Plan (2001-2005)” as focused issues and are continuously
given priority in the current “Sixth Social Economic Five Years Development Plan (2006-2010)”. In addition,
agriculture and forestry development addressed to poverty reduction is one of the most important issues in“National Growth and Poverty Eradication Strategy (NGPES)”.
- DLF has set forth the four priority issues for the development of fishery sector of Lao PDR. Those areaquaculture, fishery resource management, assessment of water environment and post harvest. Sustainable
development of freshwater aquaculture is the most important target in the fishery sector of the country where
natural fish resources tend to decrease markedly.
- In the Country Assistance Program for Lao PDR, Three goals of assistance to Laos and six priority areas aredescribed. This project is corresponded to one of three goals “with a view to promoting the reduction of poverty
from the standpoint of ”human security”, Japan will support Laos in its steady steps towards the achievementof the Millenium Development Goals(MDGs)” and one of six priority areas “Developing rural regions andsustainable use of forest resources” .
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In National Growth and Poverty Eradication Strategy, 72 districts of 142 districts in the whole country aredesignated as prior area for poverty reduction countermeasure. The target provinces in the project includes 20
districts, and it could contribute for achievement of Lao National Development Plan.

（２）EffectivenessThe effectiveness of the Project is evaluated high---

The Project undertook the 2-step extension approach, initially focused on the 12 pilot villages (Output 1) andthen expanded to the 54 extension villages by using the experiences in the pilot villages (Output 3). Technicaltraining of relevant government officials as well as fish farmers has been conducted and their capacity has beenstrengthened by various joint project activities with Japanese experts and counterpart of NADC (Output 2). By
extending the period of intervention to the pilot villages for one year from initially planed 3 years to 4 years,
capacity development of seed producing farmers could be secured and the “FTF extension” became
functionalised. Based on those experiences and results, RAPP was drafted by the Project and authorized by
DLF as a future aquaculture development tool. As for the aquaculture extension activities after termination of the
Project, PADS was prepared according to the framework of RAPP and agreed by relevant parties. (Output 4).
Those series of project approaches were appropriate and effective to accomplish the project purpose.
The principles of RAPP are official appointment of VADW and spontaneous aquaculture extension by VADW atcluster level. Generally 1-2 progressive farmers or aquaculture groups have started seed production at each pilot
village. Some of those progressive fish farmers have already motivated to extend the knowledge and skill forother villages as well as his/her village.
Based on the results of the pilot project, effectiveness of the group aquaculture by WU, community and school
has been verified feasible in addition to individual aquaculture that had been planned from the initial stage of the
Project. The Project achieves the project purpose by encouraging positively both types of aquaculture
activities.

（３）Efficiency
The efficiency of the project is almost high.
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The Project could utilize the result of its phase 1 such as improved facility of NADC and staff trained in thephase 1, which improved efficiency of technical cooperation in the phase 2.
Most of inputs by Japanese and Lao side have been done based on the plan both in quality and timing. Althoughnumber of Lao personnel allocated at NADC and provision of operation cost was insufficient during the early
project period, Lao side made effort to allocate necessary number of counterpart staff such as official
appointment of the director of NADC and 3 new staff.
The Project supported improvement of facilities and equipment at NADC, PAS of the 4 target provinces and one
district level aquaculture station in Laongan District. They have been used appropriately for the project
activities, particularly for training of farmers and seed production.

（４）Impact
Positive impact of the Project is recognized.
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It is well-known that the small-scale aquaculture plays an important role for providing fish for self-consumption.
According to the survey of the Project for the pilot villages, small-scale fish farmers with annual production lessthan 100kg were dominant occupying 71% in number of farmers and 60.9% of their production was consumed
by themselves. Considering the production scale, medium- and large-scale farmers are also important to supply
fishes in the village. It can be concluded that extension of aquaculture by the Project inspired significant
positive impact towards the Overall goal that has been pursued to increase per capita fish consumption in target
provinces, which is considered as an indicator for improving standard of living in rural area.

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The Project has tried to involve women aggressively in various aquaculture-related activities. In particular groupaquaculture of a total of nine WU was supported by the Project and achieved preferable results. In many cases,
profits obtained from aquaculture are not shared by the members but kept for the activity of WU and for social
safety of the villagers. It was confirmed in this study such group aquaculture contributes largely forsocio-economic empowerment of women in rural areas. From these aspects, it is concluded the Project has
generated significant impact to gender mainstreaming.
The Project derived an impact to formulate a spontaneous organization of progressive fish farmers. A
progressive fish farmer in Xaignabouli province has organized a fish farmer’s network to be functioned formutual benefits such as exchange of seeds or broodstock, joint procurement of equipment and feed andinformation sharing.
The project activities generated various intangible positive impacts to villagers that were considered as
multi-dimensional function of aquaculture. For example, two ethnic groups that did not closely collaborate
before AQIP2 have been encouraged to collaborate each other through the Project activities. Some activities
enhanced mind of mutal help among villagers.

（５）Sustainability
Sustainability of the Project is considered mostly high, however, further consideration for securing thesustainability is necessary.
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Based on the achievements of the Project and also taking into consideration the new local development policy,
namely the village cluster approach, the Project has prepared the RAPP including VADW appointment system,
which are considered a sort of road map after the termination of the Project since they have been approved andauthorized officially by DLF. It is confirmed that Lao PDR makes continuous efforts to materialize them
particularly in provincial and district levels.
Seed producing farmers or core farmers who can act as the hub of aquaculture extension in rural area have been
fostered in the 12 pilot villages of the Project and they are now providing technical information for ordinary
farmers who come to buy seeds. The VADWs selected among such progressive farmers and certified by DLF
will work for spontaneous aquaculture extension with social incentive as well as economic incentive.
Effectiveness of the FTF technical extension has also been verified in some other countries. It is suggested that
the FTF approach implies high sustainability for extension of aquaculture in private basis and supplements thegovernment extension services.
It is not clear whether aquaculture extension activities by extension workers continue to be implemented,
because local government in Provincial / District level has always faced insufficient human resources andbudget. However, FTF extension approach by VADW as mention above can make for extension activities by
local government.
Group aquaculture of WU that was initiated by the Project seemed to be accepted by the WU members as a newincome generating activity for the union/village not for individual. Work for the common benefit istraditionally undertaken in rural area of Lao PDR. The members show their interest and will to continue groupaquaculture. Based on the results of project activities, their involvement for aquaculture extension has
described clearly in RAPP. From those aspects, aquaculture of WU is evaluated to keep sustainability after the
Project.

３．Factors promoting better sustainability and impact（１）Factors concerning to Planning
None（２）Factors concerning to the Implementation Process
As for contributory factors, various collaboration activities with NGOs as well as national and international
institutions can be pointed out. Main collaboration activities show as below.
- construction of the village halls of three pilot villages in Oudomexai province (Collaboration with two Japanese
NGOs)

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Promotion of joint research and technical studies on aquaculture (LARRec, National University of Laos,
JIRCAS, Tokai University, University of Tokyo, etc.)- Pipeline with foundation (Environmental study and education regarding the fishes in paddy fields by the Nagao
Foundation)- Collaboration on the field activities (SEAFDEC and AIT)- Collaboration with similar project (FORCOM)
A series of those collaborative activities contributed for strengthening of capacity of both villagers and counterparts.

４．Factors inhibiting better sustainability and impact（１）Factors concerning to Planning
None（２）Factors concerning to the Implementation Process
As for obstructive factors, natural disaster can be pointed out. Flooding occurred in a part of target areas in
Oudomxay, Xaiyabouli and Salavan provinces in 2008, on the other hand insufficiency of rainfall in Savannakhet
province in the same year. Those natural disasters obstructed stability of aquaculture operation of fish farmers inboth pilot and extension villages.

５．Conclusion
The Team confirmed that the Project has prepared sufficient numbers of technical manuals to be adopted for rural
fish farming, provided necessary equipment, supported improvement of facilities of NADC and PAS, andimplemented a lot of theoretical and practical training not only for Lao government personnel but also for villagers
during the project period of 5 years from 2005 up to now. As the results the aquaculture production of the target
area has been increased and a technical package for aquaculture extension, namely the Rural Aquaculture Promotion
Package (RAPP) was prepared and authorized by DLF. Overall, the Team concludes that so far this Project has
almost achieved the Project Purpose with high effectiveness and efficiency, and confirms that the remaining partconcerning the provincial aquaculture development plan will be completed by the end of the Project.
It was also confirmed by the Team that the Project has elaborated many positive impacts to rural communities not
only on improvement of standard living but also on gender mainstreaming, formulation of a network of progressive
farmers and enhancement of amicability of different ethnic groups. DLF and relevant central and localorganizations show their strong will to keep continuous efforts for securing sustainability of aquaculture extension
activities that have been introduced and verified by the Project. It is deemed that the farmer to farmer approachshown in RAPP works by initiative of VADW.
Accordingly, the Team suggests for both Lao and Japanese authorities that the Project can be terminated asscheduled in R/D and PDM. It is expected that the Project accomplish the remaining activities taking into
consideration the recommendations.

６．Recommendations(1) Intensive Support for Seed Producing Farmers (To the Project)
It is found that seed demand is increasing in the target areas and the increasing number of fish farmers show theirinterest to produce seed by themselves. Actually, some individual farmers, women’s unions and VAPC groups havealready stated seed production. During the remaining period, the Project should intensify its technical support to suchseed producing farmers. It is also recommended, where applicable, to build a network of VADWs for the promotionof their reciprocal cooperation such as technology transfer from advanced farmers to beginner farmers in the seedproduction. In addition, facilitating the seed production farmers to avail of financial sources such as Agriculture
Promotion Bank and other donors is recommended for constructing/upgrading hatchery facilities and equipment.

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(2) Monitoring and Documentation of VADW Activities (To the Project)
24 farmers were selected from pilot villages and certified as VADWs in October 2009. They are now expected to
conduct aquaculture extension activities in the respective clusters. The Project should closely monitor and guide theirextension activities and document successful cases of both passive and active aquaculture extension in order toscrutinize the effectiveness of the RAPP.
(3) Formulation of Provincial Action Plan (To the PAFO)
Provincial Aquaculture Development Strategy (PADS) has been formulated jointly by the Project, PAFO, PAS,and DAFO of target provinces / districts. Based on the PADS, a detailed action plan should be prepared by eachtarget province. The plan includes budget, time, and responsible organizations, etc. The plan should be authorized by
local authorities. To the extent possible, the Project should provide assistance to local authorities in its formulation.
(4) Implementation of RAPP in the Cluster Approach (To the DLF)
The RAPP developed by the Project as a standard package of rural aquaculture promotion is conformed to thecluster development policy of Lao government that is to improve the access of rural people to government services.
Although the village cluster approach has not yet been adapted in full-swing in the whole country, it is recommended
that the DLF promotes implementation of the RAPP in the Project extension sites in coordination with concerned
offices after the termination of the Project.
(5) Promotion of Integrated Farming and School Aquaculture (To the DLF)
Based on the experience of the Project in collaborative activities with FORCOM, potential of integrated farmingof fish with animal husbandry and agriculture such as pig-cum-fish culture and rice-cum-fish culture was confirmed.
Also school aquaculture is considered as a means of future aquaculture promotion. The Team recommends for
future similar aquaculture projects to incorporate those alternative aquaculture activities.

７．Lessons Learned(1) Promotion of Women’s Union (WU) activities
It is noteworthy that the group aquaculture by WU has been successfully implemented and the woman
participants have been empowered. They raise a common fund from the proceeds of fish culture and/or seeds
production, which is used in turn for the purpose of mutual support in case of necessity such as delivery or sicknessof members. Thus, it seems that the continuation of their aquaculture activities is highly likely even after the projecttermination. There are WUs already organized in most of the villages nationwide with solid organizational structure
including leadership and regulations that may lead to smooth implementation of group aquaculture operations. The
experience of the Project in the promotion of WU activities can be a good reference for other rural development
activities.
(2) Effectiveness of Farmer to Farmer (FTF) Approach
In the course of the Project implementation, the FTF extension approach has shown its effectiveness to multiply
the number of beneficiary fish farmers and efficiency of government intervention in the extension work. The FTF
approach is considered applicable not only to aquaculture but also to other rural development if economic incentives
and social status are properly provided to key beneficiaries.
(3) Implications of Group Aquaculture in Poverty Reduction
The monitoring survey conducted by the Project shows that fish farmers are generally richer than no-fish
farmers. The development interventions may widen such as an economic gap between the two groups. The Project
has given due consideration to this social aspect through the coordination function of the VAPC and the promotion ofgroup aquaculture which low-income non-fish farmers and women participated in. In the rural setting especially, it isimportant to understand social and cultural values of the target people who might opt to behave on the basis of notmarket economy but solidarity and harmony of the community. In this context, the group aquaculture of WUs has
succeed but the groups of low-income farmers are not able to sustain the group activities probably due to their highvulnerability. Thus, this aspect remains as challenge that face the rural aquaculture promotion in particular and manyvii

other rural development projects in general.
8. Follow-up SituationNoneviii