Inception Report

Steering Committee Meeting09 April 2015

Overview

The Lao Upland Rural Advisory Service (LURAS) Project is a three years project to be implemented between December 2014 and November 2017.

The project is funded by the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) with a budget for the first phase of five millions Swiss Francs.

Key Dates

28th November 2014 signing of Implementation Agreement between SDC and Helvetas.

17th December 2014: signing of Memorandum of Understanding between SDC and MAF.

12th January 2015: arrival of Team Leader25th February 2015: Inception Workshop for all

partners, held at DAEC

Set up of PIU at DAEC

MAF has appointed NPD and NPC Office space allocated in NICE building at DAEC Support staff have been recruited Equipment has been installed Bank account opened, funds recieved

Set up of PFT at Helvetas All technical staff are in place All support staff have been recuited Office space allocated at new Helvetas location Office equipment procured, purchase of vehicles is

on-going

Provincial offices PAFOs in Oudomxay and Xieng Khuang have

appointed Project Coordinators Helvetas and SNV have appointed Provincial Advisers Office space has been allocated, procurement of

equipment is ongoing Baseline data is being collected

Project Management Team

Management Team consists of Andrew Bartlett (Helvetas, Team Leader) Souvanthong Namvong (DAEC, NPC) Rakounna Sisaleumsak (SNV, O&QA Manager)

Members of PMT are in regular contact. Three official meetings have been held to approve funding proposals.

NPD, NPC and Team Leader have visited provinces to brief the PAFOs

Partnership Agreements

Three agreements have already been approved by the Project Management Team: DAEC (27 Jan ‘15) CLICK Information Services (17 Mar ’15) Lao Farmer Network (06 Apr ‘15)

Key Activities, Jan-Mar ‘15 Development of Priorities and Procedures

Team meetings have been carried out to create common understanding of the project vision and approach

The draft of Project Implementation Manual already prepared Sub Sector Working Group

Meeting 21 Jan – present new MAF guidelines Concept Note for study on Market Info Systems

Lao Farmer Network 19-22 Jan, MTCP planning meeting, Indonesia 22-15 Mar, meeting of Network in Oudomxay

Exploring cooperation with other projects Meetings with other SDC projects: TABI, SURAFCO, MRLG and NUDP Meetings with other organisations: Policy Think Tank, SSSJ, FAO, ACIAR, INGO

Network etc

Summary

The project staff are all in place Good relationships have been established Facilities and procedures are now available Activities have started at National level that

provide continuity with past achievements The Project Management Team is confident

that innovative activities can start in the target Provinces during the next 6 months.

Thank you!