Internal Evaluation of Project “Putting Lessons into Practice: Scaling up People’s Biodiversity Management for Food Security” in Vietnam

Project "Putting Lessons into Practice: Scaling up People's Biodiversity Management for Food Security" was sponsored by the International Fund of Agriculture Development (IFAD) and Oxfam Novib and implemented in 3 countries: Peru, Zimbabwe and Vietnam during the period from June 2012 to May 2015. In Vietnam, the Project was conducted though the cooperation of SEARICE Philippines, the Center for Sustainable Rural Development (SRD), the Plant Protection Department and the Field Crops Research Institute (FCRI) in the Yen Bai, Lao Cai, Son La, Hoa Binh and Thanh Hoa provinces.
The purpose of the project was to enhance the abilities and combine the demands of small-scale manufacturing farmers and ethnic minority communities as well as involve them in international policy dialogue. Additionally, the project aimed at aiding research on sustainable genetic plant resource utilization for food security in the changing climate.
At the beginning of September 2015, an internal evaluation was conducted as part of the Internal Evaluation Conference in Hanoi on September 3rd, 2015. A 2-day field trip to the Yen Bai province from September 4th through 5th was coordinated by the Center for SRD. The evaluation activities aimed at summarizing the achievements during the 3-year implementation in northern Vietnam, extracting experiences, and identifying a sustainable path for the next phase.
Internal Evaluation Conference in Hanoi
The Internal Evaluation Conference in Hanoi witnessed the participation of 11 international delegates from Oxfam Novib of the Netherlands, program partners from 3 countries (CTDT of Zimbabwe, ANDES of Peru, SEARICE of the Philippines), independent specialists from the Norwegian University of Life Sciences, the Center for Genetic Resources (Wageningen University) and representatives for Vietnamese partners from the Center for SRD, the Plant Protection Department and FCRI.

Mrs. Nguyen Thi Hoa from SRD had a speech at the workshop

At the meeting, the different approaches of each organization as well as progress and experiences from Peru, Zimbabwe and Vietnam were frankly shared and vibrantly discussed for multi-direction analysis.

Representatives from Peru had a speech

In particular, international delegates were excited by the presentation by Mrs. Nguyen Thi Hoa, Deputy Director of the Center for SRD, on the project results which showed 630 key trained farmers, 79% of which were female, took part in line selection and manufacturing processes; enforced rice seed exchange in indigenous communities; and promoted genetic rice diversity for stability in unfavorable cultivating conditions and a changing climate.

Internal Field-Trip Evaluation in Yen Bai
Prior to arriving at the project areas in the Bao Ai and Bach Ha communes in the Yen Binh district of the Yen Bai province, the delegation had a meeting with the Plant Protection sub-department of the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development in Yen Bai. According to local assessment, the arranged FFS classes met desired demands for residents based on realistic production practices and applicability to the cultivation conditions experienced by mountainous farmers. The project site was recognized as having many poor households and ethnic minorities whose livelihoods are mainly dependent on agriculture.

The international delegates at the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development in Yen Bai

In the afternoon of September 4th, 2015, at the cultural house of An Binh in the Bao Ai commune, the delegation and guests attended an exhibition on rice seeds. The seeds were selected and raised by FFS students in Yen Bai and other provinces like Lao Cai, Son La, Hoa Binh and Thanh Hoa and the rice cultivars were introduced at the exhibition.

The product display booths

In addition, short videos produced by farmers about FFS activities were shown to the delegation. After enjoying the films visiting, and directly interviewing farmers at research fields in two FFS sites, the representatives responded positively not only to the crossbreeding and line selection techniques of farmers but also to the local indigenous knowledge applied to rehabilitation and line selection.
In the field, specialists and regional people exchanged expertise on their respective cultivation processes and discussed the current difficulties they face. The specialists also recommended the establishment of a provincial genetic rice seed bank, which would offer adaptability in the changing climate, to assist residents in future cultivar production.

The delegates visited the project field in Bao Ai

According to farmers groups, with the knowledge from and support of the FFS class, provincial farmers have gradually taken the lead in crossbreeding. Bao Ai farmers groups plan to continuously improve the quality and productivity of sticky "Lech" rice by crossbreeding with sticky rice 97. Meanwhile, Bach Ha farmers groups are encouraged by the development of two F7 generation lines with the capacity to withstand drought, pests, and disease.

The selection activity

Mr. Dang Thanh Hai – Secretary of the Bao Ai commune—stated at the rice seed exhibition that "normal farmers now have the knowledge and techniques to produce great cultivars. We are excited and feel grateful for the support of international and Vietnamese NGOs. We hope to receive more attention in order to generate not only rice cultivars but also animal breeds to enhance people's living standard".

Sharing of SRD's project officer

Specialists and representatives of participating organizations highly appreciated farmers' efforts and dedication in genetic rice resources preservation and the development and maintenance of local, sustainable rice seed exchange activities. Mr. Visser – Director of Centre for Genetic Resources at Wageningen University – shared that the data collected from this trip was helpful and could be important for final report on the project.
After the visit to Yen Bai, the delegation continued to the south of Vietnam for additional activities including a finalization conference in Can Tho City on September 9th. Together, the groups contemplated the successes of the project including the enhancement of farmers' climate change awareness and the enforcements of practical strategies for climate change agility including: seed selection, crossbreeding, and precious rice seed storage. Particularly, the model coordinated by SRD, FCRI and local partners positioned farmers to effectively contribute to the production of rice cultivars in poor cultivation conditions-- the premise for building the upcoming development plan.

-SRD-

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