Ireland supports mountainous Vietnamese women EUR 100,000 to develop their livelihoods

On the afternoon of November 12, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development in collaboration with the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) in Vietnam, launched the pilot activity "Development of livelihoods to respond to climate change for rural women in the northern mountainous region, Vietnam".

Attending the kick-off event was the presence of Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Le Minh Hoan, Mr. John McCullagh, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Ireland to Vietnam, Mr. Rémi Nono Womdim, FAO Representative in Vietnam; Mr. Nguyen Van Son, Deputy Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee, Chairman of Tuyen Quang Provincial People's Committee and representatives of agencies under the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, Departments of Agriculture and Rural Development of 63 provinces in the country.

Climate change-responsive livelihood development pilot activity for rural women in the Northern Uplands supported by the Government of Ireland through the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) with EUR 100,000 and is expected to be implemented in 2022 - 2023. 

The activity is carried out to increase access to sustainable agricultural livelihoods and adapt to climate change for women in the Northern mountainous area, contributing to solving the food security insecurity situation and malnutrition through creating opportunities and promoting the participation of ethnic minority women in agricultural value chains and markets.

Launching a pilot activity to develop livelihoods to respond to climate change for rural women in the Northern mountainous region is small but brings a profound meaning.

Minister Le Minh Hoan said: “In the chain of goods, the first stage is the variety, the process of cultivation, harvesting, processing, distribution and consumption. The first place to plant seeds is the farmer. The product will meet the standard when the standard is from the source to other stages. Each element in this chain must have cohesion and not be broken, and each stage will create added value, that is, economic thinking.

Therefore, with a "people-centered" approach, the pilot is expected to directly benefit about 500 farmers, of which at least 50% are women and civil servants agricultural extension and indirectly benefit about 2,500 people in the project area.

According to Dr. Rémi Nono Womdim, FAO Representative in Viet Nam: “Women are the backbone of the food system. Women contribute 45% of the global agricultural workforce, reaching 60% in some countries in Africa and Asia.

However, they do not have the same opportunities as men in agriculture. Women have less ownership and disposition over agricultural land. They also have less access to assets, resources, and services, which affects their productive capacity and leads to adverse impacts on their lives.”

Mr. Rémi Nono Womdim also said that with the support of the Government of Ireland and the cooperation of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development and related agencies, FAO would provide technical assistance to help enhance the delivery of agricultural extension and support business services development assistance for women. This pilot activity will accelerate the implementation of the One Commune One Product (OCOP) strategy by supporting the construction of high-quality, sustainable value chains.

Mr. John McCullagh, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Ireland to Vietnam, shared: “Vietnam is a country with great potential. As a world leader in food and agriculture, Ireland wants to share its experience to build capacity in Vietnam and promote inclusive economic growth.

"We are working closely with the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development to develop a long-term capacity-building program. For many years, Ireland has also supported ethnic minority communities. This important project is implemented. Existing in Tuyen Quang province is suitable for both of our areas above activity. We hope the project will positively change the lives and livelihoods of the communities involved”, Mr. John McCullagh emphasized.

It is expected that the results of the pilot activities with lessons learned will be synthesized and documented to share and replicate into an implementation program in other provinces in the northern mountainous region facing challenges such as Lai Chau, Dien Bien, Son La, Lao Cai, Hoa Binh, and Yen Bai, contributing to Vietnam's national programs and strategies.