The agriculture sector provides guidance on shifting paddy-farming land, especially one-crop land with low and unstable yield into land area for aquaculture and other productive crops. Simultaneously, it is planning to apply intensive cultivation methods in order to raise productivity of rice and maize and to expand the farming area of new cassava seeds, especially in material-centered zones adjacent to cassava-processing factories. In 2004 it is striving for a rice yield of 34.5 million tonnes including 4 million tonnes for export; a maize yield of 2.8 million tones and a cassava yield of 5.5 million tonnes.

Coffee: According to the 2003-2004 forecast, the world coffee sector can free itself from the crisis, although the price will still remain low. Therefore, due attention should be paid to tendering and rehabilitating Robusta coffee gardens and speeding up the development and high-tech processing of wet coffee.

Rubber: As forecasted, there will be a continuous increase in global rubber consumption in 2004. Thus, it is important to put a premium on intensive cultivation of rubber; improvement of processing industry in order to raise the quality of rubber latex; mainly new cultivation of rubber on substitute land area and implementation of small-scale rubber projects.

Tea: As forecasted, the world tea market continues to face difficulties since supply exceeds demand. Therefore, the sector is planing to focus on intensive cultivation of existing tea areas, substitute plantation of new high-yield seeds; expansion of Shan Tuyet tea and acclimatized-tea seeds with high quality

Pepper: According to the 2004 forecast, the supply of pepper still exceeds demand in the world market. Thus, an increase in pepper price is impossible. Therefore, the sector is planning to maintain its farming land of 45,000 ha, productivity of 80,000 tonnes and higher quantity of processed pepper for the purpose of higher selling price in 2004.

Cashew: As estimated in 2004, the world market for cashew remains prosperous, especially European and Chinese markets. Thus, it is necessary to replace old cashews with new high-yield and high-quality seeds; newly plant 10 thousand hectares of cashews in land area adjacent to processing establishments in the central area and Southeast central area, with aims to obtain a productivity of 137,000 tonnes.

Sugar cane: The sector is planning to review material-centered zones, while priority is given to the construction of hydraulic works and the introduction of new seeds. This is in order to develop material zones for 44 sugar production factories, and includes 235,000 ha for the intensive cultivation of high-yield and high quality sugar cane.

Factories shall have to enter into investment contracts with farmers and promptly purchase their products at a reasonable price. Each factory shall establish its own propagation centre in order to supply high-quality seeds for sugar planters.

The sector is planning to increase to 45,000 ha of cotton mainly in the Western Highland and coastal central area; 170,000 ha of soya bean in 2004 and 260,000 ha of peanut .

Fruit trees: In 2004 the sector will pay due attention to speeding up the production and processing of pineapple as it is a favourite fruit in the market, and developing material zones for factories and planting an 3,000 ha.

Only high quality mango, longan and litchi are newly planted. The area of planted citrus and other high quality fruits shall be extended.

Vegetables, beans and other food: There are plans to invest in high-tech production areas of clean and high quality vegetables and expand the production area of bamboo shoots and mushrooms for increasingly bigger domestic consumption and export.

Pig raising: As estimated, the domestic demand for meat, especially pork continues to increase thanks to high economic growth. Thus, pig raising shall be further encouraged in almost all localities. These localities shall develop projects to support farmer households to establish a pig-farm model (including from some dozens to hundreds of stock sows). They are planning to use high quality breeds and pig-raising industrial processes, ensuring veterinary hygiene, in order to improve the effectiveness of animal husbandry and produce good quality products thus serving domestic consumption and export.

Buffalo-and-cow raising: It is necessary to promote progress to sind-crossed the herd of cows in order to increase the herd of cows for high-quality meat.

Cattle raising: There are plans to raise commercial cattle by means of grazing or semi-grazing fowls mainly on farms. To do this, it is necessary to use new high yield breeds for the purpose of producing high quality meat and eggs and ensuring veterinary hygiene.

There are plans to continue implementing the 5 million-ha Reforestation Programme and effectively allocating forest area for the protection, regeneration and to increase afforestation. In 2004 there are plans to afforest 265,000 ha of centered forest, including 115,000 ha of special-use and protection forest and 150,000 ha of production forest; to allocate 2.6 million ha for forest protection and 620,000 ha for forest regeneration; There are also plans to establish material zones adjacent to paper-making factories and artificial board-manufacturing factories, to supply pitwood, wood for construction and wood for furniture.

To attain this goal, the investment and development vision 2004 includes: The upgrading of 17 salt fields that are now under construction with an estimated to tall investment capital of 144 billion dong in 2004; the development new projects for 300 ha of industrial salt fields in Nhon Hai (Ninh Thuan province); 1000ha in Hoa Minh, Tuy Phong (Binh Thuan province), Long Dien Tay, Dong Hai (Bac Lieu province) and 2500 ha in Quan The (Ninh Thuan province).

Food processing: It is hope that the food processing industry will review their planning process in order to invest and improve their rice-processing establishments (husking & rubbing polishing and classifying); and develop material zones for 41 cassava-processing factories.

Perennial industrial-tree processing: Ther are plans to invest in developing material zones; upgrade industrial establishments to process tea, coffee, rubber, cashew etc; to consider new development of material zones and markets; and to apply advanced technology to increase quality of exports

In 2004 there are plans to develop material zones for existing factories and to transfer small scale processing equipment and facilities to farmers (for drying longan, litchi, tea, maize )

There are plans to invest in upgrading and establishing slaughterhouses and meat-processing units in order to ensure food security to develop milk collection network and to use milking machine...

Wood and forest product processing: This industry will apply methods to increase the efficiency of the 2 MDF particle board-manufacturing factories in Thai Nguyen and Gia Lai provinces. It also plans to create processing zones to produce refined wood and high quality wood for export; consolidate traditional villages and to produce high quality handicrafts for export.

Development of rural occupations: Localities shall provide guidance on implementing incentive policies on industrial and rural occupation development, especially under the Decision 132 by the Prime Minister dated 24 November 2000. They are also planning to begin infrastructure construction and establish of industrial zones and rural services.

The Rural Development Programme plans to fulfil the objectives of the Poverty Reduction Programme, the employment programme and Program 135; It also hopes to integrate Poverty Reduction Program into socio-economic development Programs and target national Programmes to promote socialization of poverty reduction, to reduce the number of poor households to 11%; to encourage the establishment small and medium-sized industrial zones, traditionally occupational villages in consistent with the land-use planning based on capital sources from localities and enterprises. The programme also aims to encourage economic sectors to invest in industrial development with different scales, to pay attention on developing small and medium-scale industries involved in all economic sectors (that are without State prohibition), especially production of consumption goods and exports. Alongside this efforts to develop the industry for processing agricultural products are planned, particularly for exports as well as plans to dramatically reduce production costs in order to increase productivity. Rural occupations and new job opportunities are required, as is a shift in the agricultural labour force into non-agricultural production labour force; job opportunities for around 1 million people will be the target of this programme, as well as to make the best use of 77-78% of the free time of labour force in rural areas.

Key tasks of the sector between 2004 and 2005 are to make planning for agro-forestry in provinces, districts and communes, serving as a tool to adjust agricultural economic and rural structure and to ensure national food security.There are plans to develop and produce advantageous agricultural exports and import substitutes; to develop processing industry, occupations, services and rural industries. Also the application of advanced science and technology to agricultural production is a key task ,as is the development of the processing industry in combination with material zones and mechanised production activities. The sector hope to link agricultural production and the processing industry with consumption market for the purpose of raising competitiveness of products and to put a premium on education and training, especially occupational training for farmers. The sector aims to encourage and facilitate household to develop their farm economy; to re-arrange, renovate and develop agro-forest farms and SOEs; to equitize SOEs; to call on cooperatives to change their operational orientations as regulated by laws; to popularize and encourage to establish new cooperatives.There are plans to guide farmers and enterprises to effectively execute the Decision 80/2002/QD-TTg on commodity consumption under economic contracts; to facilitate to establish an alliance among 4 target objects: farmer, enterprise, scientist, the. State. This will help the sector promote efficiency of production, processing and consumption of agricultural products; to absorb capital and technological outsource; to promote the international economic integration; to enter into bilateral and multilateral agreements. Finally, a task of the sector is to carry out poverty reduction programs, especially in rural, mountainous and coastal areas while reviewing the practical situation of some localities in order to launch emulation movements of good agricultural output of 50 million tonnes/ha/year and family income of 50 million dong/households/ year.

Pepper in Vietnam has been in development for more than 100 years. It is well-know as coming from many famous places in Vietnam such as Phu Quoc pepper (Kien Giang province, Cu pepper and Xa pepper (Quang Tri province) Tien Son pepper (Pleiku province); Di Linh pepper (Lam Dong province) and the pepper on basalt land (Ba-ria Vung tau province)

Nowadays, the quantity of pepper in Vietnam represents nearly one-third of the world’s pepper volume. Nearly 50% of black pepper has been exported from Vietnam to the world market.

Vietnam’s pepper is able to control the world market but fails to make access to direct consumption markets. In 2003, the whole country has had 45,390 ha pepper, including 33,740ha for pepper harvest. According to the Vietnam Pepper Association, the pepper quantity of Vietnam obtained 70,000 tonnes, 75,000 – 80,000 tonnes lower than that of the international pepper community.

As of June 2003, Vietnam has exported 43,22 tonnes of pepper, obtaining a turnover of US$ 58 million. More than 30 domestic enterprises usually participate in pepper export to about 30 nations throughout the countries.

However, only about 70% of Vietnamese pepper was able to access to the direct consumption market through such intermediate nations as Hong Kong and Singapore. Black pepper occupied 99.9% of the export volume (mainly used for materials); while white pepper represented only 0.1%. The area of pepper increased from 34,000 ha (2001) to 45,390 ha. At present, this figure increases by 5,600 ha on annual average. The export volume of pepper climbed by 8,500 tonnes in 2000 (against 1999); 20,000 tonnes in 2001 and 25,000 tonnes in 2002. However, the export price reduced in inverse proportional to pepper productivity: the export price of Vietnamese pepper was 3,945.9 US$/tonne; and it plumped down to 1,596.5 US$/tonne ; and 1,402.6 US$/tonne in 2002. The average export price for the first six months of 2003 remain only 1,181.8 US$/tonne.

Compared to foreign countries specialized in pepper production such as Brazil and India, Malaysia and Indonesia, Vietnam’s pepper has remarkable competitive advantages like cheap labour cost and high productivity (2.3 tonnes/ha against about 1.5 tonnes/ha in aforesaid countries). The two above-mentioned factors help minimize production cost of Vietnamese pepper to 900 – 1050 US$/tonne, only valued 70-80% of production cost of other countries, in addition Vietnamese pepper is of a high quality and typical taste.

Vietnamese delegation presented at the 30th conference of the International Pepper Association for the first time as an official sector organization. VPA created good impression to producers, importers and pepper business enterprises throughout the world, being considered as a benchmark of the integration of pepper commodity into the world pepper category. Under the key workplan 2003, VPA gave first priority to trade promotion programme. In the coming time, VPA will organize a delegation of pepper exporters to investigate large consumption markets in Europe and the Middle East. Apart from market surveys, it is very important to improve quality and diversify products by promoting the processing industry. Pepper-processing productivity is estimated to be 40,000 – 50,000 tonnes in 2004. In the first 6 months of 2003, Vietnam exported 300 tons of white pepper. The quantity of pepper is rather modest. However, it has created a new orientation for the pepper-processing industry in Vietnam (Vietnam mainly exported black raw pepper before). The quality of Vietnamese pepper for export has improved remarkably this year.

However, it is not supposed to further extend the area of pepper but to focus on intensive cultivation of 24,500 ha specialized in pepper with preferential policies and to construct irrigation works in order to raise productivity and reduce production cost. Pepper is an economic plant adaptable to farmer household economy in Vietnam, thus it is necessary to develop a biological compound garden with aims to reduce costs of capital construction and obtain high profit.

The Mekong Delta is not only the nation’s richest rice producer, but also the largest fruit planters, especially commercial rice and fruits. Over the last few years, food productivity, especially rice in the Mekong Delta increased by 17.4 million tonnes, and the annual fruit output rose by 3-4 million tonnes annually. Compared to the entire country, rice represented 51%; fruits made up 60-75% and occupied a large proportion of rice and fruits for export.

The Mekong Delta has an average per capita more than 2,300m2 of natural land area. It is the largest plain area nation-wide and is 2.7 times as long as the Red River Delta. It is also very fertile and creates favourable conditions to rice growth fruit trees strength and commerce-oriented plant diversification. The strength of fruits here is the same as that of paddy and commercial rice in other localities. Vast rice fields are surrounded by immense area of fruits. A large-scale centered area of citrus trees surrounds basin rivers. Mango gardens and longan farms lie along highways, creating favorable conditions to transport and consumption. According to preliminary estimates, the area of fruit in the Mekong Delta has reached more than 300,000ha, including more than 45,000ha of fruit trees in Vinh Long province.

Local people in the Mekong Delta have had many experiences in plantation and intensive cultivation of fruits, especially commercial fruit trees. In Tien Giang, Vinh Long, Can Tho, Soc Trang and Long An provinces, local people consider horticulture as an occupation and fruit production as a poverty reduction method. According to the latest survey and calculation, socio-economic efficiency of fruit trees is relatively high in the Mekong Delta because horticulture in this area developed relatively earlier, obtaining a value of 4-5 times as high as rice cultivation. Furthermore, the economic value of a horticulture-specialized area can be 10 times as high as that of rice cultivation. In addition, there are plenty of fruits and various methods of plantation and consumption. During the integration, the Mekong Delta has more than 30 kinds of fruits including thousands of hectares of longan, mango and citrus for export.

Fruits of the Mekong Delta are abundant and plentiful. However they have not been intensively developed before, because domestic consumption was slow and foreign markets were not broken into. Since then, people’s lives over the country have improved with better meals, increasing consumption demands for fruits. The shift in agricultural and rural economic structure is seething with orientation towards commerce, with aims to quickly increase the value of each farming unit area.

As it is with paddy, rice, rubber, coffee, cashew, pepper , fruits of Vietnam are also competing against others in the world market. Despite a small export volume (1% fresh output), it has created a great opportunity for economic integration. These are motivations to further develop the area famous for various kinds of fruit.

Aiming to integrate Vietnamese fruits into the world market, the Mekong Delta is planning to adjust its agricultural and rural structure, gradually make planning for fruit-specialized area; making planning and locate processing zones in order to exploit strengths of the area. By then the entire country has had 27 fruit-centered areas with a total area of 242,000ha, inclusive of 100,000 ha of fruits for export, mainly in the Mekong Delta. Banana and mango gather in riverine areas of theTien river and Hau river. Pineapple trees gather in the Ca Mau Peninsula, the West of Hau river, Binh Son (Kien Giang province), Bac Do (Tien Giang province). Longan, rambutan, durian and mangosteen mainly gather up in riverine areas of Tien River and Hau River. Vinh Long province is the top leading large fruit tree garden. Annually, it harvests more than 300,000 tonnes of fruits. And it has made planning for fruit speciality zones such as Nam Roi Pomelo in Binh Minh district, longan in Long Ho district and King orange in Tam Binh district. Some households planting Nam Roi Pomelo can obtain a profit of more than 100 million dong/ha every year.

Apart from the aforesaid specialized cultivation areas, the Mekong Delta has established four fruit juice-processing factories operating in provinces with developed horticulture such as Long An, Tien Giang, Can Tho, Kien Giang; and other factories being under construction in Vinh Long and Can Tho provinces.

The more the Mekong Delta join the international competition and integration, the more it realizes that seed selection, especially clean seeds, is of vital importance, as it serves as a effective tool to raise productivity and quality of fruits. Since then, the Mekong Delta has inherited and created 30 kinds of fruits. Mango alone has 10 famous species with a large area like Xoai Cat in Hoa Loc district, Xoai Cat Chu, Xoai Cat Bo, Xoai Thanh Ba and grafted mango. Longan has a largest area and highest export turnover with not only Nhan Long, a very popular seed, but also with a good quality seed system consisting of Nhan xuong com vang, nhan tieu la bau, Nhan tieu da bo and Nhan com vang banh xe .In which, Nhan tieu da bo and Nhan xuong com vang are favorite fruits in domestic and foreign markets. They are consumed at a fast speed and at a high price (2-3 times as high as others). MARD introduced two kinds of longan into long-term fruit structure in the area and organize large-scale seedling production activities in order to widely propagate these kinds of longan. In some previous year the output of Nhan tieu da bo reached up to 100,000 tonnes, representing nearly one-third of the total output of all kinds of longan, mainly for export. Vinh Long province had many experiences and traditional practice in horticulture. These provinces have established 24 net-houses producing 240,000 clean fruit seedlings annually; developed a agricultural seedlings centres producing 275,000 seedlings and 280,000 clean grafters and set up 132 production and business units trading in fruit seedlings of other economic components.

In addition, with existing dynamic in production of commercial fruits, many households and collectives in fruit-specialized cultivation areas have adopted many advanced techniques to bear fruits as expected with aims to properly distribute crops, avoid devaluation and raise competitiveness.

Since then fruit horticulture in the Mekong Delta has faced many difficulties in price fluctuations and unstable consumption demands. However, fruit planters still feel optimistic as commercial fruit producers. Despite confronting a price fall, the profit of fruit plantation is 5-10 times as high as that of rice cultivation, facilitating the shift in agricultural and rural economic structure. Accordingly, the fruit growth rate has increased by 7% per year on average over recent years. Last year alone, the area of fruits throughout the area extended additional 27,000 ha. The average output of fruits achieved over 10 tonnes/ha in which, the output of fruit specialities growing in specialized-cultivation area such as citrus and mango obtained 25 tonnes/ha on average.

In market economy, especially the AFTA market, price fluctuation is unavoidable. However, To help fruit planters understand and accept such fluctuation is another aspect of the matter, which is macro-economic management. At present, local people of the Mekong Delta only know how to plant fruits, but fail to know how to access consumption markets and the best clients. Consequently, fruit planters in the Mekong Delta are in shortage of information about market demands both domestically and abroad. To promote comparative advantages and obtain high economic value, the Mekong Delta shall always need to update information.

Horticulture is the second most important strength, following rice paddy in Vinh Long province. Annually, with an area of more than 37ha, fruit tree gardens of Vinh Long province supply 250,000-300,000 tonnes of various kinds of fruit including such specialities as Nam Roi Pomelo and Tam Binh King Orange. Over recent years, the province has encouraged farmers to speed up the upgrading of mixed gardens, shifts in crop structure and harvest time adjustment in order to apply intensive cultivation methods and export-oriented fruit production with aims to bringing in a high economic efficiency for horticulture.

At present, horticulture is developing dramatically in the province. The area of fruit tree gardens in Vinh Long province has been made with plans to become fruit-specialized zones like Nam Roi Pomelo, King Orange and Longan. Nam Roi Pomelo alone is a famous speciality of Vinh Long province. It is a well-known and favorite fruit in both domestic and international markets. This kind of fruit tree mainly gathers in riverine areas of Hau River inclusive of Binh Minh, Tam Binh and Tra On districts with a total area of 3,073ha. Annually, Vinh Long supplies to the market about 50,000tons of high quality Nam Roi Pomelo. Pomelo is a key fruit during the shift in fruit tree garden structure in Vinh Long by 2010. King Orange is also a speciality of Vinh Long. This kind of fruit tree gathers up in some communes of Tam Binh, Tra On and Vung Liem districts with the area of more than 6,100ha. It is growing at highest speed in Vinh Long province. Over recent years, King Orange has obtained a high economic efficiency. It can grow on paddy-cultivated land and garden land. This kind of fruit tree is also inserted in longan, durian or rambutan garden. Annually, Vinh Long province supplies 80,000 – 90,000 tonnes of King Orange to market. Longan trees are specialized in Long Ho district, Vinh Long town, Vung Lien district with the area of 10,200ha, being the largest against other fruit tree gardens.

Apart from three big fruit-specialized zones, farmers in Vinh Long province are developing other models of fruit tree gardens such as mango and durian, rambutan and madarine.These kinds of fruit trees are scattered in districts, bringing in 50,000-60,000 tonnes of various fruit every year. Many households have made great profits from their horticultural development and have become wealthy as a result. At present, Vinh Long province is encouraging farmers to rapidly develop the area of fruit tree gardens with an orientation towards quality improvement and satisfaction of domestic consumption and export demands in the coming years. The province has cooperated with the Southern Fruit and Vegetables Research Institute and the Southern Agriculture Planning and Designing Sub-Institute to mark off into fruit-specialized zones and propose high-tech solutions.This is in order to raise production capacity with an orientation towards sustainable agriculture within the province by 2010. Between 1996 and 2002, the agriculture sector in Vinh Long province cooperated with economic sectors, research institutes and schools to conduct seven scientific themed studies concerning fruit tree gardens.

Vinh Long province recommend that farmers apply methods to preserve fresh fruits prior to and post harvest, to transfer the technical process of intensive cultivation of Nam Roi Pomelo; to establish a Nam Roi Pomelo Production and Consumption Association for farmers, to register the trademark of King Orange in Tam Binh district and Vinh Long province. At present, Vinh Long has had 128 seedlings production units, including 25 net-houses. Vinh Long province is able to supply annually 1.6 - 2 million various kinds of seedlings to markets inside and outside the province.

Vinh Long province is also investing in hydraulic works to protect fruit tree-specialized gardens such as Nam Roi Pomelo zone in My Hoa, Binh Minh and King Orange zone in My Thanh from flood for the purpose of improving the quality of fruits. The province established 20 modern irrigation systems to serve orange-specialized zone in Tam Binh district. Therefore, many of Nam Roi Pomelo and Tam Binh King Orange gardens can still yield a high productivity in flood season.

From now until 2010, Vinh Long province will extend the area of fruit tree gardens to 65,000ha throughout the province, dramatically developing zones that are specialized in producing King Orange and Nam Roi Pomelo, Nhan da bo, Xoai Cat Hoa Loc and turn such zones into large-scale production zones emphasizing high-quality commodities in an attempt to meet demands for processing and exporting, increase the output of various kinds of fruit from 250-300 thousand tonnes at present to 750,000 tonnes by the year 2010.

Vice-Minister Pham Hong Giang, on behalf of the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, has approved a strategy for developing and maintaining gender equity in the agriculture and rural development sector. MARD will take a leading role in implementing the strategy but will need the support of all ministries, peoples committees, mass organistaions, banks and other institutions involved in the sector.

The main strategic objective of the strategy to be achieved by 2020 is that national agricultural and rural development policies and programmes wil be contributing to increased incomes and reduction of rural poverty for both women and men.

i. Improve gender equality and women’s status in agriculture and rural development sector

ii.Gender responsive planning, programme design and implementation are institutionalised in the sector.

The specific objectives set under the overall objective and the targets to meet them are:

i. 80% officers and public servants will receive gender awareness information by 2005 and 100% by 2010.

ii. 30% working people in rural areas will receive gender awareness information by 2005 and 50% by 2010

i. By 2005, names of both husband and wife will appear on 100% newly issued LUC.

ii. By 2010 at least 85% of rural women will have access to safe water.

iii. Increase representation of women on Management Boards of ARD projects, programs and public services to 30% by 2010.

i. Documents guiding integration of gender targets in policies, programmes, plans and projects will be issued by 2005.

ii. By 2010, 100% of reports of MARD will include gender-disaggregated targets.

i. By 2010 80% ARD staff will be able to apply gender knowledge and skills in their work.

ii. By 2010, women will account for 50% of all participants of technical training and beneficiaries of public services.

i. From 2005, at least 20-30% promoted staff at all levels in ARD sector will be women.

ii. By 2010, all units of MARD will have 30% female representation in Management Board of the unit.

iii. All units having above 30% female in total staff must have female representation in Management Board of the unit.

The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development has an approved plan of Action for its own responsibilities and activities until 2005. The objectives and main outputs of this are:

Output 1.1. MARD CFAW and its network have been consolidated and improved in terms of organisation and have capacity to provide consultancy in integrating gender into MARD’s programmes, projects and Public Administration Reform activities.

Output 1.2. MARD’s Decision on integrating sex-disaggregated targets into annual planning.

Output 1.3. A written Guideline on integrating sex-disaggregated targets in planning has been prepared and followed by all levels of MARD’s system.

Output 1.4: A Handbook on mainstreaming gender in MARD’s public services provision

Output 2.1: A set of training materials on Mainstreaming Gender in Agricultural and Rural Development have been developed and completed

Output 2.2. Personnel, civil servants and employees of MARD-related departments and agencies have received gender training.

Output 2.3. Teachers of MARD-related schools have received training in gender mainstreaming as well as methods of teaching gender subject/topics

Output 2.4. Planners, decision makers and managers at all levels have known how to apply their knowledge and skills to integrate gender in their work.

Output 2.5. Public service providers have skills to integrate gender in activities.

Output 2.6: A network of trainers of trainers of gender integration amongst MARD public service providers has been available.

Output 2.7: Communication materials on public services have been revised and diversified appropriate with gender needs.

Output 3.1. Administrative and non-business agencies and enterprises affiliated to MARD, especially those that have 30% or more staff being female, have had at least 1 female official participating in state management leadership. At the same time, the rate of women holding leadership positions at all levels, especially the chief of unit/agencies, has increased.

Output 3.2. The rate of women participating in Party Executive and Trade Union Executive Committees at all levels in MARD related agencies has increased.

Output 3.3. The rate of women enrolled in postgraduate education, professional training, training on political philosophy and foreign languages has increased.

Printed copies of the strategy and plan of action in Vietnamese and in English will be available from the MARD Committee for the Advancement of Wonen and from the Viet Nam Resident Mission of the ADB after10 December 2003.

Agriculture is one of the three Danish focus areas of bilateral cooperation with Vietnam. In August 2000, the Government of Denmark and the Government of Vietnam signed an agreement in which Denmark has committed to provide a grant of USD 62 million to support Vietnam's Agricultural sector. The Post Harvest Handling Component (PHHC) is one out of six interlinked components under ASPS, with overall budget frame of USD 5.2 million. Being one of the six ASPS components, the Development Objective of the PHHC is defined as the immediate objective of the ASPS: The immediate objectives of the PHHC are:

Improved access of farm households to low-cost threshing, drying and storage services.

Improved management by individual farm households of threshing, drying and storage operation.

The component is executed by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD), Department of Science and Technology (DST).

The Post Harvest-Handling Component consists of seven outputs as follows: At national level the following three support areas with three outputs are planned: Development of a National Post Harvest Strategy (output 1); Capacity Building in MARD and DARD (output 2), and Post Harvest Research and Development (capacity building of research units) (output 3&4). At provincial level, focus is initially on improved supply of post harvest services (output 5) and farm household management (output 6) in all the 12 provinces in the Mekong River Delta (MRD), and development and Implementation of a Post Harvest Strategy/Programme for the North (output 7).

The implementation of the PHHC is in general progressing satisfactory. PHHC have successfully gained several achievements on all seven- output activities during the two years (from August 2001 to 2003). The preparations of a National Post Harvest Strategy (output1), which started in 2002, have faced many difficulties. A First draft strategy paper has been developed, and a stakeholder workshop was held in the end of May 2003. The strategy paper solely focuses on rice and more data are needed in order to develop policy recommendations with confidence.

For Capacity building in MARD and DARDs, PHHC have supported a number of officers from DARDs and MARD in training in Vietnam abroad as well as provided some necessary equipment for DST and Department of Product Processing and Salt product. However, lack of English qualifications among counterparts in the provinces limits the possibilities of organizing training abroad. Consequently, the capacity building will have to concentrate on training in Vietnam and exposing relevant target groups to profitable experience abroad through study tours.

A Research and Development report funded by PHHC aims at promoting the implementation of 11 Post-Harvest research projects and supporting 3 research units to strengthening three relevant institutions. The implementation of these activities is scheduled to start soon after approval of the research and development capacity building plan.

The post harvest activities in the Mekong River Delta (MRD) are progressing very satisfactory. The main activity under this output is training of potential service providers and other target groups, mainly on drying related issues. By the end third quarter of 2003, PHHC has trained 4008 potential service providers. In addition, 59 field-trip visits were also carried out for 4809 people. These activities have good impact on the target groups therefor, 118 new dryers have been invested in this 3rd quarter of 2003 only, accumulated up to 393 units for the whole period. Cooperation with Women's Union at the district and commune level and special introduction courses for members of women's union is a way the Component tries to increase the number of women involved in the post harvest activities. In 2003, six one-day courses were held especially for 331 members of Women's Union. The Sub-component management unit in Can Tho has designed two new types of low cost dryers: SCM-F2 and SCM-V2 based on the need of small size, low cost dryers suitable for the MR, and has together with some machine manufacturers developed prototypes which were demonstrated first time in May. The new dryers were well received by DARD officials and farmers and a number of the dryers are already produced and sold.

With the objectives of improving farm household management of Post Harvest Operations in the MRD (outpu6) mass media campaigns and training activities are under preparation to transfer low-cost post harvest methods and technologies, appropriate for management at household level in MRD. These preparations started in 2002 by elaboration of a needs assessment report. In 2003, the training curriculum was prepared, and training courses have been conducted for 103 provincial officers and district extension workers from all 12 provinces in MRD. As far as the Mass Media Campaign on Low-Cost Post Harvest methods for the MRD is concerned, in September a group of consultants were contracted to prepare the Mass Media Campaign Plan. The group has visited the South, completed the first draft report (including a Pilot Mass Media Campaign) and submitted to PHHC CMU.

Pilot Post harvest programme for the North has only recently obtained the approval by MARD. Management units at the field offices will very soon be established, following introduction workshops. Activities under this output will address 3 key development activities: Improved extension delivery messages, improved post harvest practices and pilot demonstration units and will be conducted in Son La and Ha Giang.

With a close cooperation between the component and Vietnamese Counterpart, especially DST and provincial DARDs. PHHC is on the right track towards a sustainable post harvest sector of Vietnam. The implementation of most of selected activities under PHHC continue. For example, Supporting to finish training for potential service providers, conducting Mass Media campaigns, implementation of 11 Post-Harvest research projects and supporting 3 research units, preparation of the National Post Harvest Strategy and implementation of Post harvest programme for the North.

Post- Harvest Handling Component Management Unit

The Agricultural Sector Programme Support (ASPS) in Vietnam is a long-term institutional capacity building and poverty reduction programme. Based upon an agreement signed by the Governments of Vietnam and Denmark in 2000, ASPS provides support through the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD) to the Seed, Integrated Pest Management, Post-Harvest and Small Livestock sectors. A cross-cutting Credit Component, implemented through the Vietnamese Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development provides support to training activities and loan guarantee funds. ASPS is supported via bilateral aid from the Danish International Development Assistance (Danida).

The Small Livestock Component (SLC) of ASPS aims to help alleviate poverty among smallholders through increased household income from improved pig and poultry production. SLC is hosted by the National Extension Centre in MARD.

SLC is a pilot programme with focus on:

· Development of a Farmer Livestock Schools programme for participatory training of farmers and trainers in pig/poultry husbandry.

· Testing and piloting of improved pig and poultry production/extension models, using micro-credit for livestock development

· Capacity building among service providers, incl. extension, animal health, micro-finance, and market related services.

SLC is presently (2003) operating at pilot sites in Thai Binh, Thanh Hoa and Nghe An provinces, with a view to expand to new sites in the future.

FLSs are intensive training courses for groups of around 20 farmers, who meet on a weekly/biweekly basis for a morning to attend training modules on animal health, feeding and feed management, manure management, economics, etc. over a period of 3-5 months. Each individual module covers a specific topic and is designed to last no more than three-four hours. The modules combine theory with observation and practical learning exercises. A training module takes place at a suitable location in the village and preferably on-farm.

Training of Trainers (TOT) courses for FLS trainers are conducted in the provinces. Trainees are selected from among the various livestock service providers at commune, district and provincial levels, including extension, animal health and mass organisations. The courses blend theory with classroom practice and field sessions with groups of trainers and farmers. A TOT course typically lasts around 2-3 weeks covering both technical aspects of livestock production and methods for farmer training/facilitation. Training Manuals for TOT courses covering both technical and methodological aspects are now available at SLC.

Field trials with around 450 farm households at pilot sites in Thai Binh and Thanh Hoa provinces have investigated the performance of different breeds of pigs, chicken and duck under poor smallholder conditions. The trials have highlighted the importance of understanding appropriate livestock management techniques and utilization of cheap/free on-farm feed sources in order to reduce feed costs and produce at competitive and profitable prices. The trials found that annual profits of up to 800,000-1,000,000VND per household can be made from raising for instance small flocks of 15-20 cross-bred broilers in 2-3 months cycles.

SLC also supports a range of other activities to help strengthen livestock institutions, such as:

· International study tours (e.g. to Bangladesh, China, and Denmark in 2002-03) to study pig/poultry models and establish links with potential partners.

· Various short-term training courses for MARD/DARD officers (English, Computers, Extension Management skills, etc).

· Postgraduate training.

· Training in disease diagnosis for veterinarians and animal health workers.

· Training in micro-finance for farmer groups and mass organisations.

· Provision of basic equipment for local service providers.

· Formulation of policy briefs.

SLC provides indirect support to the commercial livestock sector/industry by assisting the sector in applying for Mixed Credit support from Danida. Soft loans in the order of 1-3 million US$ is provided to successful applicants by the Mixed Credit Programme administered through the Royal Danish Embassy in Hanoi.

SLC collaborates with the other Components of ASPS and with national and provincial partner organisations through outsourcing (sub-contracting). SLC is also keen to explore collaboration with other donor-funded projects, including international NGOs, as well as private sector businesses in the areas of smallholder livestock extension, training and general service provision.

SLC has so far entered contracts with the following partners: National Institute of Animal Husbandry (NIAH); National Institute of Veterinary Research (NIVR); Department of Animal Health; Provincial Departments of Agriculture and Rural Development (DARDs); Provincial Extension Centres; Provincial Sub-Departments of Animal Health; Provincial Livestock Breeding Companies; Animal Husbandry Association of Viet Nam; Agrifood Consulting International; Network for Smallholder Poultry Development (Denmark); Royal Veterinary & Agricultural University (Denmark).

- FLS-TOT Training Manuals for pigs, chicken and ducks (Dec. 2003).

- Small Livestock Systems Typology and Poverty Profile Study in Thai Binh and Thanh Hoa Provinces (May 2003).

- Livestock policy briefs for Vietnam (June 2002).

- Baseline Survey Reports, Thanh Hoa and Thai Binh Provinces (Dec. 2001).

- Participatory Rapid Rural Appraisal of Small Livestock Systems, Thai Binh and Thanh Hoa Provinces (Dec. 2001).

- Pig and Poultry Model Evaluation Study (May 2001). [VN map with pilot sites indicated]

E-mail: livestock@fpt.vn