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Visiting a model of safe vegetable production in line with VietGap standards at village of Thuan Nghia. Photo: N.Han |
The “Sustainable Rural Livelihood - Linking poor rural households to markets” project, which funded by the New Zealand’s International Aid and Development Agency (NZAID), has been implemented in Binh Dinh since 2009. It now reaps acknowledgeable results.
Useful benefits from the project
The project has been implemented over 7 districts of Binh Dinh over 2009 -2013 with a total capital of 2.138 million USD, of which the NZ government finances 1.737 million USD and the province contributes the rest. It aims to improve livelihoods of the local poor farmers, enabling them to be aggressive in production and business operations via enhancement of competition capacity of the provincial Agriculture and Rural Development authorities.
The project comprises 4 components, including: 1. Safe vegetable production at Thuan Nghia village, Phu Phong town, Tay Son district and Luat Chanh village, Phuoc Hiep commune, Tuy Phuoc district; building facilities of the safe vegetables preliminary treatment, packing and quality certification in line with VietGap standards in order to supply safe vegetables to markets inside and outside the province; 2. Create more opportunities of production and business operations for poor farmers who grow coconuts at 2 districts of Phu My and Hoai Nhon; 3. Establish a system of large and small livestock husbandry and prove potentialities of higher profit gains from the system, effectively link the animal breeders, including cow breeders and rabbit breeders, at districts of Phu Cat, An Nhon and Hoai An, with markets; 4. Provide services of the project management, effectively supervise and evaluate the project, facilitate integration of the project activities into the existing programmes.
The components help to improve the livelihoods of the local farmers via competition capacity enhancement of crop plants and domestic animals, through which management capacities of local officials are strengthened; market-oriented rural development is improved; the poor farmers can benefit sustainable socio-economic and environmental growth, getting high income from cultivation and husbandry; create stable markets for the farm produces.
On the right track
The project is on the right track, reaping fruitful results with higher incomes for the poor farmers. Since 2010, 2 groups of safe vegetable cultivation at Thuan Nghia village, Phu Phong town, Tay Son district and at Luat Chanh village, Phuoc Hiep commune, Tuy Phuoc district have developed a total area of 3 hectare of VietGap certified safe vegetables. The project management unit (PMU) signs a deal with Co.op Mart Quy Nhon supermarket on purchase the safe vegetable.
With aim of helping the local farmers expand their markets of the safe vegetables inside and outside Binh Dinh, NZAID has just agreed to finance 50,000 USD for establishing 2 facilities of the safe vegetable preliminary treatment at 2 districts of Tay Son and Tuy Phuoc. The PMU is completing procedures for the construction of the 2 facilities. It is expected that the 2 facilities will be put into operation by the end of this year and the certified safe vegetables will be widely available at the markets.
Concerning the component 2, the PMU has already finished its research report on the coconut development after consultation with counselors and Binh Dinh agricultural officials. The report reviews existing situation of producing, processing and selling Binh Dinh’s coconut-related products; evaluating strengths and weaknesses; proposing intervention measures in the coming future. Some enterprises and facilities who process coconut fibre and coconut attar are being helped to draw out efficient business plans.
Concerning the component 3, three same interest groups of cow breeders and three same interest groups of rabbit breeders are set up at districts of An Nhon, Phu Cat and Hoai An. The PMU carries out surveys at the beneficiary localities; organizing training courses for the farmers on intensive cultivation, production and processing food for the animals and disease monitoring; providing the farmers with breeding animals, grass choppers and holes for fermentation of the animal foods, etc. Given such aggressive helps, the animal breeders develop their husbandry, earning relatively high incomes and improving their livelihoods.
Ms. Margaret Lowe, First Secretary of the New Zealand Embassy in Vietnam has recently had talks with leaders of Binh Dinh People’s Committee on semi-final evaluation of the project after 2 years of implementation. The programme is on the right track, says PMU. Timely and enough fund allocation by the NZ government and the provincial government creates favourable conditions for the project’s operation. Yet, some activities of the project are still at slow progress rates. Identification of intervention measures and the model expansion are successful but insecure. Fund disbursement of the project over the last 2 years is low in comparison with the project’s total budget.
At the meeting, Vice Chairwoman of Binh Dinh People’s Committee Tran Thi Thu Ha pledged with Ms. Margie Lowe that the committee would direct its agricultural authorities and governments of the beneficiary localities to implement the project as committed, ensuring the project’s success.
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