Open and distant learning to enhance new rural development in Quang Nam province
Tam Ky city, Quang Nam province. FAO, as leader of a joint UN programme, is taking another step towards its goal of enhancing rural development in Viet Nam. As part of the National Target Programme on New Rural Development (NTP-NRD), Quang Nam has been selected as a pilot province for implementation of an Open and Distant Learning (ODL). This activity will particularly target government authorities at central, provincial, district and commune levels to enhance their knowledge and capacity.
Local participants will have access to international and national expertise through a modern methodology in a specific distance learning programme. Through direct advice and inputs, all models, policy studies and NRD concepts as well as cultural aspects will be supported through contributions from international and national experts.
The Quang Nam Programme Coordination Office for NTP-NRD, in collaboration with FAO, has already organized numerous ODL training courses for nearly 700 trainees at district and commune levels to pave the way for the project. After the training, participants from district and commune levels will be familiarized with this new way of learning for them to then complete the course through accessing the website daotao.nongthonmoi.gov.vn and apply learnings to new rural development-focused work in their localities.
The FAO-led five-year project “UN Support to the National Target Programme on the New Rural Development” implemented by five UN agencies, aims to improve livelihoods and living standards of rural people in an inclusive, equitable and sustainable manner through enhancing rural knowledge, designing policy and mechanisms, building capacity and developing a monitoring and evaluation mechanism. Already 1,526 communes and 15 districts have been recognized as successful models of new rural development in line with the government's set of criteria as part of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development’s first phase implementation of the NTP-NRD during 2010-2015. Participating UN agencies have committed to continue supporting the NTP-NRD in the next phase during 2016-2020.