Conducting final evaluation of the project "Applying value chain approach to improve rural livelihoods in the context of climate change and natural disasters"

During the 4 days from the 26^th to the 29^th of December 2014, the Center for Sustainable Rural Development (SRD) has conducted the end-of-project evaluation of the project "Applying value chain approach to improve rural livelihoods in the context of climate change and natural disasters" (VM038) in Can Loc district, Ha Tinh province. The project was funded by Manos Unidas and was implemented in 3 communes, namely Vinh Loc, Khanh Loc and Vuong Loc from March 2012 to December 2014.

The evaluation was carried out by an independent group of consultants from the Center for Climate Change Study in Central Vietnam (Hue University of Agriculture and Forestry) with the collaboration/support from SRD project officers. The objectives of the evaluation are to assess the results of the project throughout 3 years of its implementation and to prepare for the development of a new project. Its focuses were placed on analyzing the impacts of the project in relation to its set objectives, making recommendations for the replication of the project’s good models/practices at different levels in Ha Tinh province, as well as drawing on lessons that SRD should bear in mind when implementing its other projects.

A group discussion with the project's beneficiaries

During a 3-day filed visit, the evaluation team has conducted a group discussion with 12 direct and indirect beneficiaries of the project who live in 6 project villages in the 3 communes, visited and interviewed 15 households who were selected to implement some agricultural production models, and conducted in-depth interviews with officials of the project steering committee and the project’s local partners at district and communal level. Besides primary data from these group discussions and interviews, secondary information from the project-related documents has been used. On the last day of the field trip, the consultants have presented some key project evaluation at the feedback workshop, which was participated by 76 people who are the representatives of Can Loc People’s Committee, the project’s beneficiaries in the 3 communes, and the representatives of related district-level departments of the local government.

It is considered that the project’s activities have fit into the local context, local policies and the socio-economic development place of the district, which was stated in Decree No.90/NĐ HĐND issued in 2014 of Can Loc People’s Council; Decree No.20012/NĐ-CP issued by the Vietnam’s Government and The National Target Program to Respond to Climate Change, as well as the needs of the community. The project employs flexible approaches with a strong emphasis on the participation of the community, especially vulnerable groups and on raising awareness and building capacity for its target groups. Throughout the course of the project, it has served 25,392 direct and indirect beneficiaries in total, in which 3228 people belong to its target groups and 4164 are women.

On behalf of the local authorities and communities, Mr. Vo Huu Hao, Chairman of the People’s Committee of Can Loc district expressed his appreciation for the supports from SRD and the project’s donor. Mr. Hao said that the project has have appropriate and practical interventions. For example, the use of biological padding model in animal husbandry has been highly valued by the locals, the Department of Agriculture and other related departments of Ha Tinh province. When using biological padding, small-scale farmers now can make use of the padding to fertilize their fields, avoid diseases on farm animals and help protect the environment. Therefore, the use of biological padding has brought significant positive impacts on the life of local poor farmers.

A consultant presenting key findings on the project evaluation

Speaking at the feedback workshop, Mrs. Vu Thi Bich Hop, SRD’s Direct, concluded that this was one of the most successful projects of SRD. The project has accomplished 85% of its designed objectives. After 3 years of implementation, positive changes have been witnessed in the livelihoods of the local people, their awareness about environmental protection, natural disasters and climate change adaptation. However, she stressed that the local authorities should coordinate more closely with the project staff in order to encourage more people, especially the poor and women-headed households to get involved in the project activities. SRD promises to closely coordinate with the local authority in monitor in the maintenance and replication of the project’s successful models/practices and in developing a practical post-project action plan after the project ends. We hopes that the plan can meet the expectations of the local authorities and the community.

- SRD -

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