SAPA Project – Short Review

The SAPA (Sustainable and Affordable Poultry for All) project which is being implemented in Myanmar and runs from 2015-2020. The fourth project year has just been finished and we made a short preview of the project. The final documentary will be ready at the end of the project, which will show all the received results. Curious to see what the SAPA project is about and what we have achieved so far?

Please watch here:

Myanmar: Vet training 2 focuses on health and housing

A second Training of Trainers (TOT) for the SAPA project was executed at the SAPA Poultry training center at Naypyidaw, Myanmar.

Poultry health, including Post Mortem check on broilers was one of the topics of the 2 weeks training. In addition to many useful theoretical and practical knowledge provided by poultry specialists Ernst Beitler Aeres University and Jan Cortenbach De Heus Animal Nutrition, The Netherlands, field trips and practical classes on the subjects of housing and climate control were also included in the 2 weeks practical oriented training for SAPA trainers.

Cooperation between the SAPA project and University of Veterinary Science (UVS), Prof. Dr. Ye Htut Aung was well received by the trainees. Prof. Dr. Ye Htut Aung discussed the most emerging poultry diseases in Myanmar, proper medication and vaccinations in broiler production. The training was organized with a useful mix of theory and practical experiences. In this SAPA training also attention was given to training skills and didactics led by Jolanda Stolk, from Aeres, The Netherlands. The technical knowledge and training skills will support SAPA trainers and advisors in their work as a consultant in the field. The question “what are the challenges poultry farmers are facing” was often discussed during the 2 weeks training. And answers on this valid and relevant question were mostly related to disappointing business and financial results and poultry health problems. On 14 September 2017, after 2 weeks training, on poultry Health, Housing and equipment for broilers and training skills all 14 participants received their certificate.

Kick-off broiler training and opening Poultry Training Centre in Myanmar

Monday 6th of February was a milestone for the SAPA project. The first broiler training took place for 10 selected veterinarians. At the same time the first Poultry Training Center in Mandalay opened as part of the training.

One of the main components of the SAPA Project is the capacity building of farmers, both broiler farmers as corn farmers. Last Monday 6th of February two milestones of the SAPA project took place: firstly, the kick-off of the first broiler training for 10 selected veterinarians in Mandalay and secondly, this training took place at the first Poultry Training Centre (PTC) of Myanmar.

The PTC is built on the farm of broiler farmer U Win Hlaing, who was selected and eager to participate in SAPA to upgrade his existing farm into a PTC. This PTC will be used throughout the whole SAPA project to train veterinarians, broiler farmers and workers until 2020 on various topics related to broiler farming. The reason why this PTC is so special is because this is the first training centre on a broiler farm, where trainees receive theory and are immediately able to observe, reflect and apply the acquired knowledge into practice. In the coming months two more PTCs are opened: in NPT and Yangon.

Esther Wintraecke of Fresh Studio Myanmar.

The first broiler farmer training is a 10 day training for 10 selected veterinarians, who have the responsibility to train 750 broiler farmers and workers throughout the whole of Myanmar. The topics of this first training were: farm management and bio-security. In the coming year two additional training modules take place so that at the end of the training courses the veterinarians are certified SAPA-trainers. The topics addressed are: health, nutrition, housing, entrepreneurship and the broiler production standard.

As the opening of the PTC and the kick-off of the first broiler training are a very important milestone in the SAPA project, a special opening ceremony was organised with members of the Mandalay Livestock Federation and the deputy general of the LBVD (Livestock, Breeding and Veterinary Department) and the director of De Heus Myanmar and a ribbon cutting ceremony.

Read more about the SAPA Project

Improving food security and livelihoods in Myanmar

SAPA (Sustainable and Affordable Poultry for All) aims at improving the food security and rural incomes of smallholder poultry and corn farmers in Myanmar through a public private partnership in which several parties are involved, including De Heus, Belgabroed, Fresh Studio, Aeres Group, Myanmar Livestock Federation and Yezin Agriculture University.

Read more in-depth about the SAPA project on the project website: Visit the SAPA website

Background

Myanmar is one of the most resource rich countries in Southeast Asia:

  • A land area and fresh water resources double in size compared to for example Vietnam
  • An estimated population of 60 million people
  • Strategically located between the two enormous markets of China and India
  • Easy access to buoyant markets in the Gulf
  • Diverse topography and eco-systems enable farmers to produce a wide range of cereals, pulses, horticulture, fruits, livestock and fish

Myanmar’s farmers find themselves well-positioned to contest both regional and global agricultural markets. Despite these rich resources, Myanmar’s economy has underperformed over the past fifty years.

In the SAPA project strengths are combined between International companies, knowledge institutions and local NGO’s active in the poultry and corn (value) chain.

Approach

The SAPA project offers solutions to improve food security in Myanmar and enhance livelihoods of poultry and corn smallholders in Myanmar, by introducing more productive, profitable and sustainable production systems for poultry and corn production. And at the same time the capacity will be built of both corn and broiler farmers to implement these sustainable production systems. For the demand for poultry this will result in more affordable and reliable access to animal protein in Myanmar. Finally, knowledge capturing and sharing is the backbone of SAPA to promote institutional learning on both micro as macro level.

The project focuses on 3 core themes:

  • Myanmar food security: more affordable and reliable access to higher quality and safer chicken.
  • Sustainable chain solutions: Myanmar farmers have the possibility to choose their own input and output for their broilers. Ownership is created and is based on developed knowledge and experience with different actors in the chain.
  • Inclusive business: the project aims at having impact on low income groups, both employees, producers and entrepreneurs in Myanmar.
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