Vientiane - Over $US40 000 worth of information technology and motorbikes were officially donated today to the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry (MAF) from Japan and Germany, by projects managed by the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO).

The Department of Livestock and Fisheries received 20 motorbikes from the German Government and 11 computers, including laptops, as well as a photocopier and five projectors from the Japanese Government to bolster the strong gains made by teams involved in the FAO Avian Influenza Programme.

The equipment will allow the ministry to continue its important work on projects relating to Avian Influenza.

"Although this equipment has been in use by MAF since the inception of the projects in 2006, FAO is pleased to oversee the official transfer as it signifies the success that MAF has had to date in developing their readiness response, particularly in implementing surveillance and control measures," says Ricarda Mondry, FAO chief technical advisor for two Avian Influenza projects in Lao PDR.

Since January 2006, under the FAO Avian Influenza Programme, more than 6 000 village veterinary workers have been trained across the country (covering 25 percent of all villages), more than 3 400 poultry farmers have been trained on biosecurity issues and 340 provincial and district staff trained on technical matters regarding Avian Influenza response.