October 8, 2008

USAID/Vietnam Director Visits SUCCESS Alliance in Dak Lak, Announces Program Expansion

On October 2, USAID/Vietnam Interim Director Roger Carlson visited ACDI/VOCA’s SUCCESS Alliance project in Dak Lak Province. Carlson met with Dinh Van Khiet, vice chairman of the Dak Lak Provincial People’s Committee (PPC). Khiet praised the achievements of SUCCESS Alliance and spoke about the enthusiasm for increasing its reach throughout the region. Carlson also commended SUCCESS Alliance and announced the approval of funding for the next two years. SUCCESS Alliance will expand its current Central Highlands programs to include Dak Nong and Lam Dong provinces.

During the meeting, Carlson requested the permission from the PPC for a USAID research team to visit and assess the current socioeconomic conditions in the Central Highlands. Following the research, the USAID team will devise a strategy for socioeconomic development activities, addressing topics such as education, environment (particularly climate change), water issues, rural conditions and the effects of Agent Orange. It plans on visiting several provinces, including Dak Lak, Dak Nong and Lam Dong. The PPC praised USAID and agreed to welcome its team.

Following the PPC meeting, Carlson visited the SUCCESS Alliance program sites in Dak Lak province’s Lak District. He attended an in-service training on composting using local byproducts and met SUCCESS Alliance training facilitators. He also visited demonstration plots and farms.

The SUCCESS Alliance project is a $5.5 million program public-private partnership consisting of USDA, USAID the World Cocoa Foundation (WCF), Mars Inc. and ACDI/VOCA. To learn more, click here.