Strengthening Farmer Interest Groups among ethnic minorities in Nghe An and Hoa Binh provinces (FIGNAHB)
Strengthening Farmer Interest Groups among ethnic minorities in Nghe An and Hoa Binh provinces
Project Period: January 2013 – June 2015
Budget: 4.994.507 DKK
Donor: Civilsamfund i udvikling (CISU)
Partner organizations: Hoa Binh Farmer Union (HBFU) and Nghe An Farmer Union (NAFU)
Project coordinator: Arafa Khatib
Background and target group
The farmer groups participating in the project have previously been involved in ADDA Song Da project where they have been trained in either corn or vegetable production. The results have been very good, with approx. 40% higher yield of corn, which has changed farmers' income significantly. Several farmers have subsequently decided to work together in groups, where they work together to produce a common agricultural product.
The background of this project is to support the creation of an emerging cooperative movement, where these farmer groups will be among the first. This will both strengthen themselves, their communities and put ethnic minorities higher on the Vietnamese agenda.
The target group in 2 provinces in northern Vietnam is mainly poor farmers from ethnic minority groups: Muong, Thai, Tay, Dao, and Chut. The project includes a total of 220 farmer groups, approx. 5,500 persons. The secondary target group is ADDA's partner organisations, NAFU and HBFU, that will receive capacity building so that the organizations can become better at helping the ethnic farmers to better living conditions.
Purpose and method
The overall objective of the project is that ethnic minorities in northern Vietnam increases their livelihoods through better organization of their communities. The project's three components, each of which contributes to the overall objective, are as following:
• The project will help 220 farmer groups to be set up as legal cooperatives under the Decree 151 or the Cooperative Law. This is done by providing them trainings in related legal aspects and organizational management skills. As cooperatives, farmers much greater chance of getting a higher income and higher living standards.
• Besides, with a view of strengthening farmer's livelihood, 220 farmer groups will receive trainings in enhanced agricultural techniques, conducting market analysis, making business plans and getting loans, basing on their specific agricultural productions.
• In addition to this, 80 of farmer groups will get the opportunity to make a small development project with their village. These development projects will typically be a drinking water system, a paved road or an irrigation channel for the fields. In addition to directly benefitting the local area, these projects will strengthen the groups in the execution of such projects and enable them to take an active part in the development of their communities.
The two partner organizations HBFU and NAFU will together with the farmer groups try to influence local and national decision-makers on rural areas and the rights of ethnic minorities.
