I. Project Site Visit (June 26, 2013):
Findings and Observation:
The witness and interaction happened at the project?s Learning Centre in Baan (village) Na Kwao in Lampang Province?s Mae Tha District, one of targeted villages, between a group of project leaders/members and the visiting team. Here, the activity on bicycle water pumping of the back project was witnessed being used to pump water from Jang River to irrigate garden plots of the project- fairly satisfactorily. Another sustained activity of this back project in the village witnessed was the continued use of biogas for household cooking of a family. The activity on production of briquette from agro-waste and bamboo charcoal, however, was currently sustained from operation. Project leaders stipulated the unusual amount of smoke from briquetting process had caused air pollution to the village, followed by complaint from community members. The leaders were launching effort to address the issue so that the operation would resume soon.

As to progress of the new project, solar panels and accessories were witnessed operational supplying power to the newly established learning centre of the project - lighting and pumping water to irrigate gardens and paddy fields of project members.

During the visit, relevant technical and institutional capacity of project leaders/members was witnessed. Several members were able to give a brief on solar energy ? how it worked ,how to operate and maintain the system. In term of effective mainstreaming, project leaders related that the learning centre had captured attention of several government agencies, especially the Provincial Office of Non-formal Education, who sent its students from 13 districts, each 20 members, to learn and share experience at the centre. Another agency to make use of the centre was the Farmers Assistance Fund, who would upgraded it to be a training centre to address issues & problems of indebted farmers.

Activities of the back project seemed sustained to a certain extent, while several proposed activities of the new project appeared to be carried out smoothly or under preparation, except for one. This involved the installation of a micro-hydro to generate electricity , which project leaders requested to delete this activity due to the unstable water flow rate in Jang River.

II. Progress report (June 30, 2013):
Activities undertaken:
1.Launching capacity building through supporting training facilities
2. Launching demonstration of activities: solar lighting and water pump, water hammer, and biogas pits
3. Launching dissemination of project results
4. Launching participatory evaluation

Results of activities:
1. Increase capacity & awareness of targeted population and project leaders witnessed by active participation in project activities, adapting livelihood practice (more saving and organic farming .e.g) and capacity to put into practice what being learnt
2. Completion and function of two solar water pumping systems for agricultural practice
3. Completion and function of one solar lighting system for the community learning centre
4. Completion and function of 3 biogas pits
5. Substantial experience sharing among farmers and staff members of provincial government offices
6. Produced knowledge pieces on solar photovoltaic technology


Project Visibility and Communication by other organizations/individuals:
During December 2012- June 2013, 2 groups , i.e. the management staff and personnel of Lampang Centre for Non-formal Education? 260 in number, and a Korean Youth group visited the project to share experience on organic farming practices , green market , renewable energy and community saving.

Emerging problems and issues:
1. Different ideology on local and national politics among project members resulted in notably limited participation in project activities.
2. Some unforeseen situation in project location necessitated project leaders to adjust project activities to ensure optimum results ( changing from micro-hydro plant to solar panel for generating electricity)

Approaches to address/Recommendation:
1. Project leaders/coordinators played mediating roles to bring members of different political aspects to discuss and work together on a continuous basis.
2. The project request for adjustment of activities.

Project experience and lessons learnt :
As a rule, implementation of a project cannot be always consistent with original plan. For this project, there had been several factors affecting the plan thus requiring modification to guarantee optimal results. For example, generating electricity from micro-hydro was required to change to solar panel, because unpredictable and uncontrollable flow rate of water in the river would impose much an unnecessary burden for communities in operation and maintenance.

Project expense:
The project reported the expense of THB: 587,780 out of the first disbursement of THB: 647,437.29

III. Completion report (September 1, 2014 ):
Date of Participatory Evaluation( June 30, 2014 ):

Number of Beneficiaries/ Participating personnel:
Women: 65
Men: 65
Children: 250

Number of persons trained/ attending seminars, joining study tours:
Women: 390
Men: 326
Children: 50

Expense:
Amount received from SGP (2 disbursements): THB: 1,176,036.63
Total amount spent out of SGP budget: THB: 1,257,410.00
Balance: THB: (-81,373.37)
Amount authorized for the final payment: US$: 4,226.09
Amount Received from others: THB: 62,000 (in cash)
THB: 1,475,700 (in kind)
Activities undertaken:
1.Launching capacity building through supporting training facilities
2. Launching demonstration of activities: solar water pump, water hammer, water siphoning and biogas
3. Launching dissemination of project results
4. Launching participatory evaluation

Results and indicators:
1. One learning facility being established and operational and continuously visited by communities in and outside project location ( twice trainings during project duration)
2. Increased capacity of project resources persons witnessed by ability to share experience with visitors
3. Reduction/avoidance of CO2 emission as follows:
- 4.48 tons/year from water hammer
- 2.1 tons/year from solar water pump
- 5.4 tons/year from biogas
4. Knowledge and experience of the project being shared and mainstreamed into wider public witnessed by additional supports from 8 public organizations.

Project Communication:
In addition to the previous communication, the project reported that it had been visited by staff members of 6 organizations who came to share experience on organic farming, green market and alternative energy.

Problems and Issues:
The project referred to
1. Different development approaches from different stakeholders (mostly from public sector) making targeted communities confused.
2. Because of diversified background of targeted communities, project leaders must not expect full participatory process.

The two issues were addressed by strategic negotiation based on benefits of targeted communities, and acceptance of cultural diversity so that participation and cooperation would be optimized.

Experience , Lessons Learnt :
The project learnt that as times went by with launched activities, there had been more to learn from. There were a few techniques and approaches that were better than perceived during project proposal stage. For example, generation of electricity by micro-hydro on the river was most feasible. But after wait and see to learn more, it was more complicated since the water flow rate was unpredictable. Therefore, the project opted to produce electricity by solar photovoltaic.

Plans and Activities for Sustainability:
The project planned to sustain activities in a hope that substantial project results could be learnt and replicated by others through additional support from various sectors.