I. First progress report (March 19, 2009)
Activities undertaken:
1. Increasing capacity of target population on production of organic compost and comparison between the use of chemical substances against organic ones
2. Launching organic farming on paddy fields for 15 ha
3. Building two biogas systems (one movable, the other fixed in the ground) and one water turbine for production of electricity for demonstration
Results of activities:
1. Increased capacity and understanding of 30 out of 96 participants , each committed 1.2 acres as model plots
2. Established one bio-fertilizer production group with 35 members, THB: 100/share
3. The construction being completed but requiring more time for witnessed substantial results

Project communication:
The project had submitted the draft version of communication materials for the NC to edit.

Experience ,lessons learnt, problems and issues:
The project did not mention any.

Project expense:
The project reported the expense of THB: 99,923 out of the first disbursement of THB: 104,402.39

II. Monitoring Visit by the NC and two NSC members (July 24, 2009)
Findings and observation:

The project is situated in a location classified as cultivated lowland receiving water from watershed of Thung Salaeng Luang Forest Reserve in the vicinity. In term of its relation to the international water focal area, the location is an integrated portion of the Nan/ Choaphaya River of the Gulf of Thailand/South China Sea. Paddy is the main crop and grown intensively. Whenever the water is plentiful, some community members opt to have three crops a year thus unavoidable intensive chemical insecticide application. Marginal forests and orchards constitutes the remaining areas of the project. Majority of community members (193 families) in Baan (village) Pluak Ngarm, the targeted village, are descendants of a migratory group from Loei Province who came to settle here about 75 years ago.

A premises of the group was a public land about three acres with existing processing facilities seen in operation. A paddy mill run by fossil fuel and a paddy drying space , the two main existing facilities of the group supported by the government?s Social Investment Fund about 10 years back seemed to be major community capitals. Facilities under GEF SGP which were seen completed consisted of those for organic fertilizer production, a biogas production, and a charcoal production which also gave a by-product ? wood vinegar? useful for agriculture practice one of which is insect repellence. Project leaders satisfactorily gave a brief about a holistic management of all these facilities to the visiting team.

Outside the premises, project leaders showed the visiting team two other types of their activities concerning renewable energy. The first was the use of running water to produce electricity for battery charging. As a demonstration, the project had fabricated a water wheel to drive a small generator to charge batteries for lighting and for engine of small tractors which could avoid charging from electricity from grid thus avoiding GHG emission. The second involved repair and use of a wind pump in the village temple. The pump was provided by a member of parliament about 10 years ago but left unattended. Project leaders proposed to use a small portion of the budget to repair and reuse it substantially.

About two-hour meeting with about 30 project members, the visiting team witnessed and agreed that both technical and institutional capacity were there in the village. It was fairly convincing some project outcomes , when project seeing its completion at the end of 2010, would confirm experience of members and result in substantial reduction of POPs and other toxic chemicals.
According to project leaders, the village was one of the 41 villages throughout the country specially selected and awarded the ? most outstanding democratic villages ?. This implied, to a great extent, optimal participatory process within the village. On July 29, 2009, 10 representatives of the village, together with the awarded others 40 would make themselves more visible in Bangkok at an exhibition at the Office of the Prime Minister?s Department of Public Relation. In the event, representatives from Baan Pluak Ngarm would be one of the selected five to be interviewed on air. Moreover, Baan Pluak Ngarm was selected as a model for sufficiency economy in the District of Nernmaprang, Phisanuloke Province where the governor would visit and interact with the community on August 6. Therefore, the visit from GEF SGP team gave an occasion for project leaders to rehearse for the two forthcoming big events.

III. Second progress report (March 14, 2010 )
Activities undertaken:
1. Keeping increasing capacity of targeted population by establishing learning centres for self-sufficiency economy
2. Producing bio-fertilizer for model paddy fields
3. Demonstrating the use of biogas energy in community and wind energy in community school, temple and model agricultural plot

Results of activities:
1. Experience of community on self-sufficiency economy: production of bio-fertilizer, management of natural resources and promotion of renewable energy being demonstrated and practiced in the learning centre, with visits from youth groups and other group from Phisanuloke Province
2. Produced 45 tons of organic compost being used in model plots and evinced reduction of chemical substances by 50 % in project location
3. Wind pump being able to deliver water for consumption of community school and reducing expense by THB: 500/month.
4. Two of four biogas pits being able to supply cooking gas successfully

Project communication:
The project was awarded ? Democratic Village Model ? for the year 2009 from members of the Privy Council which was made public in the Department of Public Relations. The village was one of the 50 villages throughout the country to be awarded, one among the five to present their model on sufficiency theory.

Experience ,lessons learnt, problems and issues:
The project stipulated that Local Administrative Organizations should pay more attention and lend helping hands to ensure continued success of this community approaches and practices rather than focus on infrastructure.

With the awarded ? Democratic Village Model ? , the community seemed to have high spirit to depend more on themselves. GEF SGP has opened opportunity for community to put into practice better idea and approach.

Project expense:
The project reported the accumulated expense of THB: 211,500 out of the sum of first & second disbursement of THB: 211,497.88.

IV. Completion Report ( April 28,2011):
Date of Participatory Evaluation( 19 April 2011):

Number of Beneficiaries/ Participating personnel:
Women: 100
Men: 45
Children: 55

Number of persons trained/ attending seminars, joining study tours:
Women: 60
Men: 20
Children: -

Expense:

Amount received from SGP (3 disbursements): THB: 310,603.85
Total amount spent out of SGP budget: THB: 352,497
Balance: THB : (-32,144)
Amount authorized for the final payment: US$: 997.44

Amount of co-financing as follows: THB: 18,000 (in cash)
THB: 282,500 (in kind)

Activities undertaken:
1. Increasing capacity of target population on production of organic compost and comparison between the use of chemical substances against organic ones
2. Launching organic farming on paddy fields of project and non-project members
3. Demonstrating the use of biogas, wind and water energy in community school, temple and model agricultural plot

Results and indicators:
1. About 24 ha of paddy fields being a model for toxic-free farming and comparison
2. Reduction of at least 60 % of all kinds of chemical substances within participating families
3. Reduced expense of water bill for agriculture at about Baht: 500/month as a result of wind pump
4. About 200 visitors learning and sharing experience with projects on both toxic-free farming and uses of renewable energy (biogas, wind and water energy)

Project Communication:
The project was processing its website http://ploukngam.moobanthai.com.

Plans and Activities for Sustainability:
The project planned to upgrade organic fertilizer production process by pelletizing which would be easier for use. In addition, reforestation of marginal paddy fields by native species, and banks of water canals by reeks with soil retention quality, would be promoted.

Experience , Lessons Learnt , Problems and Issues:
The project referred to the followings as issues/problems:
1. Project leaders were of grass-root type and most of the time were rather slow to learn new technology or management approaches.
2. Tambol Administrative Organizations, once change of leadership, could cause delay in some planned activities.