Pictures : SRD
Publishing licence: 288-2013/CXB/07-08/TN Š SRD - 180613/AMV Quantity: 400 copies
CONTENT INTRODUCTION 4 LETTER FROM THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR 6 LETTER FROM THE PRESIDENT OF THE VIETNAM UNION OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY ASSOCIATIONS
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SRD’S PROGRAMMES 8 Sustainable Agriculture 9 Climate Change and Community Based Disaster Risk Management 10 Research and Advocacy 11 Project portfolio 12 Project map
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STORIES FROM THE COMMUNITY 15 Sustaining community health and incomes through the conservation and development of traditional remedies 16 RVT- a salt tolerance rice variety increases people’s income 18 Confidence albeit rapid urbanisation 20 Decreasing production costs through the development and application of organic fertiliser 22 An example of a good leader 24 Farmers conduct research on the system of rice intensification on local land
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A common home brings people closer together
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Putting theories into practice for the conservation of plant genetic resources 30 Obtaining legal land ownership after 20 years of living on the same plot of land 32 Integrating climate change into local Socio - Economic Development Planning
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A voice for 25 million 36 ORGANISATIONAL DEVELOPMENT IN 2012 38 Internal capacity building
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Review of the SRD’s 2nd Strategic Plan and development of the 3rd Strategic Plan 40 Donors 41 Local partners
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Organisational chart 44 FINANCE STATEMENTS
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Finance overview 46 Income and expenditure 46 Balance sheet 47
INTRODUCTION
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Our Vision
Our Mission
People in rural communities are empowered to sustainably manage their own livelihood systems in an equal and compassionate society.
SRD is a foremost professional Vietnamese development agency that supports poor rural communities to adapt to the changing environment and sustainably manage their own livelihoods; its success is underpinned by a holistic approach to development that spans grassroots capacity building to international advocacy.
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Our Values Ownership - Each individual should have ownership of their development. SRD respects personal self-determination as well as organisational autonomy. Accountability/transparency - In each and every activity SRD ensures that a collaborative, professional and effective working environment is maintained. SRD is accountable and transparent to its partners, beneficiaries and donors. Sharing and learning - Sharing and learning are prerequisites to development. SRD commits to enabling an open environment for sharing
and learning, both within the organisation and amongst stakeholders. Results/impacts - Results are the ultimate indicators of an action’s success. All actions and activities undertaken by SRD and its staff aim to provide positive impacts on the lives of disadvantaged communities. Participation - Participation is the foundation for ensuring rights and sharing of responsibilities. SRD commits to facilitating meaningful participation of disadvantaged people in the decision-making process.
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LETTER FROM THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR In response to the ever changing context of the economic, social and political environment, and aiming at improving organisational efficiency, SRD has undergone an organisational restructuring. The appointment of two new deputy directors and the establishment of a programme support unit are initiatives that affirm the strength of our human resource development, and demonstrate how leadership is encouraged amongst SRD staff. The procedures and policies have also been updated.
The second Strategic Plan (2008 – 2012) of SRD has been completed, with obtained achievements reaching far beyond the set objectives. The year 2012 has also marked several significant important events, including the completion of our second Strategic Plan and the development of a new Strategy, focussing on organisational restructuring that has facilitated the successful implementation of an increasing numbers of projects. Despite the impacts of the global economic crisis, SRD not only retained support from major donors but was also able to attract new funding partners. This success is mainly attributed to the very high level of accountability and credibility of the organisation, as well as the positive and visible impacts of our projects on all levels of society. Up to 2012, SRD has implemented fortyfive projects in twelve provinces, with eleven of these being ongoing. We are very pleased to witness an increase in the total number of beneficiaries from the projects we implemented, and the considerable improvement of the life of poor communities, and in particular disabled people, women, children and ethnic minorities. 6
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The successful completion of SRD’s second strategic plan gave us the confidence for developing our third Strategic Plan for the period 2013 – 2017. This third Strategic Plan does not only reaffirm SRD’s ambitions and objectives, but also expresses the collective commitment of all SRD’s staff to the fight against poverty, and contributing to a just and sustainable development of Vietnam. In 2013, SRD will direct all efforts towards putting the third Strategic Plan into practice. On behalf of all SRD’s staff, I would like to express our gratitude to our donors, partners, community members, and all those who have supported us over the last year – without your collaboration and support, SRD would have not been able to fulfil our commitments. Sincerely,
Vu Thi Bich Hop Executive Director, Centre for Sustainable Rural Development (SRD)
LETTER FROM THE PRESIDENT OF THE VIETNAM UNION OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY ASSOCIATIONS In recent years, Vietnam, like any other country in the world, has been observing remarkable changes, with increasing challenges both nationally and internationally. The global economic crisis has heavily impacted the level of interest in development programs from donors, and has consequently resulted in the availability of fewer financial resources provided through international aid. Limited government budget and decreased international aid made it difficult for NGOs to attract support and funding to maintain their operations. In this context, the Centre for Sustainable Rural Development (SRD) has demonstrated its capacity by continuously mobilising resources, committing ongoing efforts toward the development of a longterm organisational strategic plan, and at the same time ensuring a high level of quality and effectiveness of on-going projects. As the Chair of the Vietnamese NGO and Climate Change (VNGO&CC) network, Co-chair of the Climate Change Working Group (CCWG), Head of the Steering Committee of the VNGOFLEGT network, and core member of the CSO networks in country and region, SRD has taken on a leadership role in improving the capacity of CSOs and mobilising resources, with a particular emphasis on facilitating communication between CSOs and government agencies. Through these networks, SRD has contributed to improving the role of CSOs in Vietnam and encouraging their contribution to policy development and implementation processes. SRD’s contributions over the past year can be witnessed as positive changes within communities of the 12 provinces where SRD has been implementing projects. In 2012, SRD was awarded the Certificate of Merit by the Minister of the Ministry of Science and Technology, the Chairman of Yen Bai province and the Central Committee of the Vietnam Oriental Medicine Association.
In March 2013, the Vietnam Union of Science and Technology Association (VUSTA) held a ceremony to celebrate its thirty-year anniversary. Whilst in the past decade VUSTA has achieved remarkable success, we will face new developmental challenges in the future. In its development’s progress, VUSTA has recognised and highly valued the success and contribution of SRD - a member organisation of the Union. We hope that SRD will continue to develop sustainably, while helping to strengthen the network of VUSTA and contributing to the social-economic developmental progress of the country.
Prof. Dr. Dang Vu Minh President, Vietnam Union of Science and Technology Associations (VUSTA)
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SRD’S PROGRAMMES IN 2012
Sustainable Agriculture Sustainable agriculture is an integral component of SRD’s projects in poor and vulnerable communities across the Northern mountainous regions of Vietnam. The strategy provides capacity building for communities to enable them to manage their own livelihoods. SRD’s projects in 2012 continued to focus on increasing the incomes of communities, with a specific focus on the poor and women farmers, and by introducing sustainable livelihood models that meet their needs and are suitably adapted to their capacity. Furthermore, different activities have been designed to encourage and facilitate the participation of women and vulnerable groups, and to strengthen their decision-making capacity in local socioeconomic development. The introduction of farmer clubs and cooperatives has proved a successful method. Through connecting people and mobilising their collective actions, these models enhance and support the socioeconomic development of the community.
In the past year, SRD’s sustainable agriculture projects have achieved remarkable results. Not
only have the projects succeeded in raising the average income in the area, they have also led to increased confidence of the poor, especially women, enabling them to participate better in community activities and family life. These activities have empowered community members to speak their minds, voice their demands and make decisions according to their own choices. They also provide a good basis for SRD to design appropriate activities to meet the needs of the people. The success of SRD’s projects can be attributed to the participation and support of local stakeholders and authorities. The sustainability of the projects is further ensured by incorporating the project activities and models into community development programmes and local socio-economic development plans. Using the success and lessons learned from the projects, SRD has continued to improve the living standards of people living in rural communities, while acting as a strong advocator for policies for the poor and promoting the integration of effective models into national programmes.
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Climate Change and Community Based Disaster Risk Management In 2012, SRD continued to utilise participatory and community-based initiatives to improve livelihoods and strengthen the climate resilience of Vietnam’s most vulnerable communities. Projects included the use of community initiatives to develop disaster risk reduction and climate change adaptation plans; implementing community warning systems for natural disasters and; working with ethnic minority communities and women to develop livelihood adaptation methods to increase resiliency to natural disasters and climate change. SRD has also currently integrated climate change into many capacity-strengthening-projects in Yen Bai, Thua Thien Hue, Ha Tinh, Quang Tri, etc. These projects have considerably increased the ability of vulnerable communities to deal with climate change.
Over the past year, SRD has also continued to work with all levels of government to ensure the success and sustainability of the interventions, and to take every opportunity to encourage dialogue between government and NGOs. In 2012, SRD hosted and coordinated three national high level sharing workshops on Climate Change Adaptation. The workshops 10
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were run in partnership with the Department of Hydro-meteorology and Climate Change (DMHCC) of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment. Along with the role of co-founder and chair of the Vietnamese Non-Governmental Organisations and Climate Change network (VNGO&CC), and co-chair of the Climate Change Working Group (CCWG), SRD in co-ordination with three other organisations founded and now chairs the Vietnamese Non-Governmental Organisations and Forest Law Enforcement, Governance, and Trade Network (VNGO-FLEGT). The year 2012 also marked the beginning of a new project funded by USAID in collaboration with Winrock International (WI), Netherlands Development Organisation (SNV), American Red Cross (ARC), and Vietnamese Red Cross. This project helps to enrich SRD’s experience in climate change and forestry, and provides an opportunity to geographically expand SRD’s initiatives. SRD’s lessons have been shared with Vietnamese and international networks through publications such as ‘Practices in Responding to Climate Change – Experiences of NGOs in Vietnam’, participation in high level forums and workshops, and membership in national and international networks.
Research and Advocacy SRD realises that evidence-based advocacy is a powerful tool to achieve our goals as it allows us to present examples and facts of practices and policies that may benefit people living in rural communities. During 2012, SRD continued to enhance its research and advocacy capacity. Owing to the practical experience attained from grass-roots interventions, SRD has successfully conducted research projects in several areas such as sustainable agriculture, climate change, people living with disabilities, and value-chain analysis. These studies are instrumental in providing SRD with comprehensive information about the projects, and effectively assist SRD in designing suitable interventions to support local community. The findings and recommendations from these studies have also been paramount to SRD’s work with national and international advocacy.
Throughout the year, SRD has made significant efforts to improve the organisation’s internal and external communication channels and to establish a network with press channels that share similar interests in regards to the themes of our activities. SRD conducts its communicating activities through many different channels including publications, website, events and mass media communication. Examples of this development are the improvement of a brand guideline, a new website, and the establishment of our strategic plan and organisational communication strategy. Externally, SRD has been a strong force in establishing national as well as international networks with the purpose of sharing and learning. In 2012, SRD has further strengthened its presence in different media forums. News on SRD’s projects has been reported in magazines, television shows and radio broadcasts. SRD is recognised as a highly credible organisation and engaged in different policy making processes such as the New Agriculture and Rural Development Programme, the National Target Programme to Respond to Climate Change, the Sustainable Development Strategy in Vietnam, and the Development Effectiveness Forum. SRD has also actively contributed to advocacy processes at international level, such as the UN Summit on Sustainable Development Rio+20, the Sixth International Conference on Community Adaptation-CBA6, the FAO-Asia Pacific Regional Conference, the International Conference on Food, Agriculture and Climate change , and the ASEAN peoples’ forum.
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Project Portfolio Total approved budget (USD)
Period Code
Project Name
No
Finish
Main project
VM019
Development and conservation of traditional remedies and indigenous medicinal plants
07-2009
07-2012
205,072
VM021
Development of participatory land use management (PLUM) in Phu Tho province
10-2009
12-2012
238,819
VM028
The civil action for socioeconomic inclusion in sustainable development for the Northern ethnic minorities in Vietnam
01-2010
12-2012
165,678
4
VM031
Community-based disaster risk mitigation and climate change adaptation in Huong Tra town, Thua Thien Hue province
10-2010
09-2013
331,194
5
VM035
Support marginalised ethnic communities to adapt to changes in suburban in Dien Bien province
03-2011
06-2013
253,000
6
VM037
Vietnamese NGOs toward ethnic minority communities’ livelihoods in Northern mountainous areas
07-2011
06-2014
432,818
7
VM038
Taking a value chain approach to improve rural livelihoods in the context of natural disasters and climate change in Ha Tinh province
01-2012
12-2014
519,869
8
VM039
Farmers piloting the System of Rice Intensification (SRI) toward climate response in Bac Kan province
11-2011
11-2012
67,515
1
2
3
12
Start
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Total approved budget (USD)
Period Code
Project Name
No
Start
Finish
Main project
VM041
Supporting people with disabilities in Gio Linh district, Quang Tri province, Viet Nam
04-2012
03-2015
207,903
VM042
Putting lessons into practice: scaling up people’s biodiversity management for food security
06-2012
05-2013
109,125
11
VM043
Promoting community and Vietnam civil society organisations’ participation in VPA/FLEGT process
01-2012
12-2012
94,058
Total budget for main projects
Micro Projects
12
VM020
Building capacity of civil society organisations to work with climate change
01-2012
09-2012
10,551
13
VMMIC06
National CSOs Dialogue on Climate Change Adaptation
12-2012
12-2012
23,000
14
VMMIC07
Organisation of the CSO's Training Workshop on VPA/FLEGT and REDD+
09-2012
09-2012
7,470
15
VMMIC08
Research on Climate change and NGOs response in Mekong delta
12-2012
12-2012
7,640
Total budget for micro projects
48,661
Total budget
2,673,712
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10
2,625,051
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STORIES FROM THE COMMUNITY
Sustaining community health and incomes through the conservation and development of Traditional Remedies For many years, Mrs. Nguyen Thi Ngat’s family has farmed traditional medicine plants in Cam An commune, Yen Binh district, Yen Bai province. Up to Mrs Nguyen, her families’ traditional remedy to cure kidney stones has been inherited for seven generations. In the past, traditional remedies were only widespread in Cam An commune. In 2012, with support of the project Development and Conservation of Traditional Remedies and Indigenous Medicinal Plants, Ms. Nguyen Thi Ngat’s remedy became recognised by the Yen Bai Department of Health and Oriental Medicine Association as a community asset. This remedy has the documented effect of dissolving kidney stones smaller than 2.5 cm, using the available and commonly used herbal plants for the remedy are include Kim Tien Thao, Ke Dau Ngua and Co Gianh. After official recognition, Mrs. Nguyen’s remedy has been promoted through the project’s intensive training courses, and has subsequently become very popular in the community. Thanks to these trainings, the capacity of local “oriental doctors” in the region has been improved. In fact, the number of patients who visited the Oriental Medicine Association to get their kidney stones treated has increased by 30 percent. Moreover, farmers who participated in the project have also gained skills in growing herbal plant species that are threatened by extinction and can be used as remedies. Thus the project has enabled people to grow and use traditional medicinal plants. The project has not only helped local people to gain the knowledge and skills of how to manage their household economy and develop their 16
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own businesses, but has also encouraged their participation in socio-economic development planning processes. Supporting the commune Oriental Medicine Association to register traditional remedies helps encourage local people to conserve and develop their traditional knowledge and experience in oriental medicine. The project not only respects the existing knowledge and heritage of these traditions but also strengthens the solidarity and economic development of the community. According to the Chairman of Cam An commune People’s Committee, in addition to promoting the production and use of herbal plants such as Gung, Hoai Son and Ba Kich, the project brings many benefits to farmers, in particular a 20% increase in income. As indicated in the socioeconomic development plan, local authorities will continue to invest in the production and use of medicinal plants in the commune in the coming five years.
Members of the Cam An communal Oriental Medicine Association
Project's name
Development and Conservation of Traditional Remedies and Indigenous Herbal Plants (VM019)
Project location
Cam An commune, Yen Binh district, Yen Bai province
Local partner(s)
Yen Bai province Oriental Medicine Association Cam An communal People’s Committee Cam An communal Oriental Medicine Association
Objective
Support poor farmers to sustain livelihoods and traditional health care through conservation and development of traditional remedies and indigenous medicinal plants.
Identify and promote the use of traditional remedies; Improve application value of traditional remedies and indigenous herbal plants; Improve capacity for community in conserving, sustainably harvesting and using indigenous herbal plants; Develop manuals on traditional remedies and indigenous herbal plants, encourage local authorities’ participation.
Key Activities in 2012
10 to 20 percent increase in poor household incomes thanks to growing herbal plants; 80% participants of the project have basic knowledge about the medicine made from traditional herbal plants; One remedy certified and officially introduced for popular application; Three rare herbal plants that have been regenerated and planted on 40 hectares of forested areas.
Achievements
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RVT - a salt tolerant rice variety increases people’s income Hai Duong is a coastal commune in Huong Tra town, Thua Thien Hue province, located between Huong river and Tam Giang lagoon. This commune suffers from the effects of natural disasters, particularly rising tides and seawater flooding. In recent years, the complexity of natural disasters has increased, resulting in even more ruinous impacts on the farming and production activities of local people. According to Mr. Pham Quoc Su, a farmer in Hai Duong, all the three hectares of paddy fields of Hai Duong commune are periodically flooded throughout the year on an annual basis, and the salinity levels increases significantly due to the overflow of seawater from Tam Giang lagoon. In the past, Mr. Su’s family and other local farmers cultivated Xi 23 – a local rice variety and HT1- cross-bred rice variety that produced 2.5 quintals/sao (1 “sao” = 4000 square meter). However, as these fields are located in a region with high levels of salinity, he and the other farmers were only able to cultivate the fields in winter and harvest in spring, leaving the fields uncultivated through summer and autumn. In early 2012, through the project Community Based Disaster Risk Mitigation and Climate Change Adaptation funded by Caritas Australia, SRD introduced a new rice variety - RVT for locals to plant on an experimental field of two hectares. The project attracted the participation of 17 households and has subsequently expanded to 21 households.
The project furthermore organised technical training courses on how to plant the new rice variety. Mr. Su said: “The RVT-rice is tolerant to drought and high salinity levels which makes me feel more secure about the harvests. Moreover, the quality of the grain is better”. In the first attempt to grow RVT rice, the yield reached 3 quintals/ sao instead of the previous result of 2.5 quintals/ sao. As a result of this, his family's income has increased to over 10 million dong per rice harvest in 2012. In addition to the support farmers received to cultivate the new salinity tolerant rice variety, the project also supported other initiatives such as watermelon farming.
Piloting model of new rice varieties - RVT in Huong Tra town
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Project's name
Community Based Disaster Risk Mitigation and Climate Change Adaptation in Huong Tra Town, Thua Thien Hue province (VM031)
Project location
Huong Phong and Hai Duong communes, Huong Tra town, Thua Thien Hue province
Local partner(s)
The People's Committee of Huong Tra town, communal People’s Committees of Hai Duong and Huong Phong Bureau of Agriculture and Rural Development of Huong Tra town The Flood and Storm Control Committee of Huong Tra town
Objective
Local authority and community are capable of disaster mitigation and can respond better to climate change by applying community based disaster risk management techniques.
Key Activities in 2012
Achievements
Organise training courses on disaster reduction and recovery, safe household plan; mock-up disaster prevention in commune level; Establish rapid response teams in communes; Organise communication on waste management and environmental protection; Support farmers to expand livelihood models (watermelon, rice); build road; Equip rescue team facilities, tools and communication devices for the rescue team; Integrate communication on disaster risk reduction and climate change; Develop disseminate materials on disaster recovery plans in households, handbook for trainees, and communication documents. The project directly benefited about 1,736 people and indirectly benefited over 3,500 people
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Confidence albeit rapid urbanisation Mrs. Quang Thi Oanh (45) is a Thai living in Chieng Khoang village, Tuan Giao district, Dien Bien province. Together with her husband and two sons, she cultivates rice on a 250 m2 field. This very small plot does not generate enough rice for the family’s daily meals, and Mrs. Oanh is consequently forced to sell goods to earn additional income. Due to a lack of capital for investment she could in the past only sell vegetables, and since the consumption of vegetables is rather unstable, she was often forced to sell at a loss. She has also been raising chickens and ducks, but without knowledge on appropriate techniques, she was unable to gain any profit from her ventures. During 2010-2011 her family was therefore listed on the poverty list.
as we are in much better situation than other households now. Before I felt impaired by my lack of confidence and fear of doing the things wrongly, now I feel empowered and eager to work to support my family.” Through the project, 11 women’s groups covering a total of 129 households (out of which 59 were included on poverty list) were established and received loans from the community’s established fund. According to the reports, 90 percent of those who borrowed money from the fund used it effectively to increase production and consequently improve their economic situation. After 12 months, the loans had circulated 145 times among the groups.
Through the project Support Thai Community in Adapting to Urbanisation Changes she has participated in an interest group and a women’s club where she was taught techniques that she could use for her chicken and duck farming. She has also received a loan from the livelihood support fund that was established by the project. With these newly gained financial means, she was able to breed three flocks of chickens, using the techniques she was taught (to keep the right temperature and administer vaccines to the chickens), the chicks grow very fast. Each flock can now be sold at a profit of two million Dong. From the profit made from chicken farming and the business knowledge she acquired through the trainings, Mrs. Oanh has managed to open her own grocery store in her home. The grocery store not only brought Ms. Oanh a stable income of 100,000 dong per day but also gave her an opportunity to look after her family and sons while working. According to Mrs. Oanh, her family’s living conditions have improved, and she told us: “Maybe next year our household will no longer be on the poverty list, Mrs. Quang Thi Oanh 20
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Project's name
Support Thai Community in Adapting to Urbanisation Changes (VM035)
Project location
Chieng Chung and Chieng Khoang Villages, Tuan Giao district, Dien Bien province
Local partner(s)
People’s Committee of Tuan Giao district, Village leaders of Chieng Chung and Chieng Khoang villages
Objectives
Improving life conditions and strengthening social capacity for ethnic minority groups in Chieng Khoang and Chieng Chung villages, Tuan Giao district, Dien Bien province.
Key Activities in 2012
Achievements
Conduct training courses on HIV/AIDS, environment protection, grassroots democracy, group management skills, monitoring and evaluation project activities, market and agricultural production; Support activities of women’s clubs, and livelihood development credit fund; Build two cultural houses, sanitation systems, safe water and hygienic latrine, and roads inside the village; Conduct research on the changes of the life of ethnic minorities in the suburban environment; Communication of information in regards to safe water, hygienic latrine, HIV/ AIDS and project’s activities on the TV of Tuan Giao district; develop and disseminate communication documents. Number of direct beneficiaries: 220 poor households (100 percent ethnic minorities) in Chieng Chung and Chieng Khoang; Average income of farmers receiving a loan from the established fund increased by 15 to 20 percent.
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Decreasing production costs through using organic fertiliser In 2012, the agricultural production activities of Tam Thanh community livelihood club in Tam Thanh commune, Tan Son district, Phu Tho province, changed substantially. In the community livelihood club, local farmers gather to share their experiences, work together and implement different cultivation models or other livelihood development schemes. In 2012 the club was specifically successful in implementing and promoting a model where farmers utilised their waste to produce organic fertiliser, saving them a lot of money. In the livelihood club, members were introduced to different techniques such as using EMIC to produce fertiliser from manure and organic waste. The
club also serves as a very efficient apparatus for implementing the models, sharing knowledge and monitoring the implementation processes. After two months the model was applied by 47 households and the amount of organic fertiliser produced was estimated to be 40 tons. The organic fertilizer is now commonly used in rice and vegetable cultivation. Ms. Ly, a 44 year old Muong ethnic and a member of the club said: “I only use organic fertiliser and water in my garden, no chemicals, and my vegetables grow very well! Before I used the organic fertiliser my vegetables were often destroyed but now my family can eat fresh vegetables every day. I never buy vegetables anymore, the only little money I have to spend goes to seeds and yeast for the compost.” The feedback from the project has been very positive because local people could clearly see the advantage of producing fertiliser using manure and organic waste. Firstly, the process of making the fertiliser is quite easy and the materials for producing it appear to be easily accessible – which in turn ensures a low production cost. Ms. Son, 47-year old head of Tam Thanh Club said that “making organic fertiliser is so easy, anyone can do it and it only cost very little amount of money to buy the yeast.”
Thang - member of Tam Thanh club is conducting to mix microbiological organic fertiliser
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This group activity where households help each other to make and use organic fertiliser in agricultural production is a key activity of the project Vietnamese NGOs towards ethnic minority communities’ livelihoods in northern mountainous areas. The project has benefited nearly 600 households, specifically ethnic minorities, to sustain their production and livelihoods. The participation in the project activities has led to both empowerment and improved decisionmaking capacity for minority people.
Project's name
Vietnamese NGOs towards ethnic minority communities' livelihoods in northern mountains areas (VM037)
Project location
Three provinces of Hoa Binh, Phu Tho and Thai Nguyen
Local partner(s)
Centre of Research and Development in Upland Areas (CERDA) Centre for Sustainable Development in Mountainous Areas (CSDM) People Committee and Community Livelihood Club of Vo Mieu commune, Thanh Son district; Tam Thanh commune, Tan Son district, Phu Tho province; Phu Cuong commune, Dai Tu district, Thai Nguyen province; Na Meo commune, Mai Chau district, Hoa Binh province.
Objective
Support the development of Community-Based Organisations facilitate livelihoods improvement and increased participation in grassroots decision-making within six communes, four districts, three provinces in the Northern mountainous areas of Vietnam.
Key Activities in 2012
I dentify and provide technical support to implement sustainable livelihood models that lead to higher incomes and are environmental friendly; O rganise networking activities for families applying different livelihood models from different projects; Promote market access, support farmers in marketing their products; Support development of village regulations; Promote grassroots democracy.
Phu Tho: 161 households have benefited directly from the project, average income increased by 20 to 25 percent; Hoa Binh: 90 households, average income of community members increased by 15 to 20 percent; Thai Nguyen: 296 households; average income of community members increased by 18 to 20 percent.
Achievements
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An example of a good leader When the project Taking a value chain approach to improving rural livelihoods in the context of climate change and natural disasters in Can Loc district, Ha Tinh province was implemented in Luong Hoi commune, the Luong Hoi communal livelihood development group was established. With its 40 members, the aim of the group is to share their experiences, make their production more effective and mobilise saved capital to establish a fund that could be used to support community projects and to invest in smallscale businesses. With her enthusiasm and experience, Ms. Tran Thi Cuong was selected by the communal members to become the head of the livelihood development group. Not only efficient in her farming, Ms. Cuong is also very active in maintaining and promoting better activities for the livelihood development group. Aware of the role of a group leader, she is very active in participating in the project’s training courses and workshops on livelihood development models and flood prevention. Her possibly most significant achievement to date is the fund that she established within the livelihood development group. This fund can be assessed by members who need to borrow money to invest in their livelihoods. At present the fund contains 28 million dong and 14 households already received loans from the fund to invest in cattle. At occasions when borrowers have been unable to pay their interest at the deadline, Ms Cuong even lent money to them to enable them to pay their respective interests. This really helped strengthen the belief of members in the group and encouraged them to participate more actively. Ms. Cuong also participated very actively in the flood prevention activities of the hamlet.
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Ms. Cuong said that since the implementation of the project, she has been able to take on her role as the head of the communal women’s association more effectively thanks to her newly gained skills in facilitating group meetings to mobilise villagers’ participation, and improved abilities in presenting and communicating, including the writing of case studies. When talking about Ms. Cuong, all members were praising her initiatives and her contribution to the group’s activities. “Our leader is an example of successful small-scale farm business development, and also a good leader who can maintain and promote the group’s activities”, Ms. Xanh, a member of Luong Hoi communal livelihood development group said.
Cuong is in communication on preventing flood and adapting to climate change for people in Luong Hoi Commune
Project's name
Taking a value chain approach to improving rural livelihoods in the context of natural disasters and climate change in Ha Tinh province (VM038)
Project location
Three communes of Can Loc district, Ha Tinh province: Khanh Loc, Vuong Loc and Vinh Loc communes
Local partner(s)
People's Committee of Can Loc district; Bureau of Agriculture and Rural Development of Can Loc district; Centre for Applying Science and Technology into Plant and Animal Protection, Can Loc District; The People's Committee of three project communes.
Goal
Improve the sustainability of poor farmers’ livelihoods in the face of climate change and natural disasters.
Key activities in 2012
Organise training courses on breeding techniques and sustainable livelihood development; market development, disaster risk reduction and climate change adaption; flood prevention planning; Support community organisations such as a business development support group, a sustainable livelihood development group, a flood prevention team, the network of communities collaborators; Research on potential agricultural products; implement agricultural production models to adapt to climate change; Supply equipments and tools to local people affected by floods and to the rescue team; Document and organise communication events in climate change related issues.
Direct beneficiaries: 226 households including 38.5 percent poor households; 150 members in flood prevention team at district and communal level; Indirect beneficiaries: 774 households including 33.4 percent poor households.
Achievements
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Farmers conduct research on the system of rice intensification Nong Thinh is a mountainous commune in the north of Vietnam, located along the national road # 3 and part of the Cho Moi district, Bac Kan province. In recent years, climate change has affected the infrastructure and agricultural production of the commune. The increased frequency and duration of droughts and decreased level of rainfall have reduced the quality and availability of arable land, resulting in negative impacts on the living conditions of the commune. With the support of the project Farmers piloting the system of rice intensification toward climate change response in Bac Kan province, a group comprising eight female farmers from Cam Leng village in Nong Thinh commune was established in 2012. The purpose of this group was to carry out research on SRI in their community. While SRI has been implemented in Bac Kan province in the past, this SRI applications research is innovative since it focuses on drought-resistant varieties in non-irrigated fields. Initially, members were guided by technicians on techniques in relation to seedling nursery, planting, drainage and effective fertiliser application that minimizes the risk of pests and diseases. After understanding the use of these techniques, the group designed the experimental plots, conducted monitoring and selected measurements, and also applied suitable treatments at each stage of the rice development in line with SRI principles. This pilot project demonstrated that SRI’s practices were suitable for the local conditions. Ms. Nguyen Thi Dien, one farmer of the research group said: “In 2012, I and seven others were registered into an experimental group to apply SRI techniques on our fields. Actually, SRI techniques 26
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are not difficult to apply and require less investment compared to traditional methods. Specifically, the sparse planting technique in the SRI method can lead to the reduction of 70% amount of seeds and 50% of the pesticide spraying work. Furthermore, the SRI method also led to a considerable yield increase, in comparison to the traditional method, the income of farmers has increased by 8-12%.” From the research findings, the farmers’ groups also recommended that applying SRI principles into the cultivation of the salt tolerant rice variety can produce better results on dry fields. During the prolonged drought events of 2012, the research groups have found the DTL2 rice variety -commonly referred to as Red rice, to have a potentially high yield (62 quintal/hectare) when applying SRI under dry conditions. This result has been shared with others farmers in field workshops as well as in group meetings of the Women’s association or Farmer’s group.
Visiting rice field in Cho Moi District
Project's name
Farmers piloting the system of rice intensification (SRI) toward climate change response in Bac Kan province (VM039)
Project location
Three districts: Na Ri, Cho Moi and Ba Be in Bac Kan province
Local partner(s)
Plant Protection Sub-Department of Bac Kan province
Objective
Conduct research on the suitable application of SRI to cope with climate change in Bac Kan in three typical geographical and hydro meteorological sub-regions, and to provide recommendations to the local authorities.
Key activities in 2012
Study to identify three pilot sites and set up experiments on SRI; Build up database with information and analysis of the models; Provide technical guidelines on SRI to farmers; Facilitate interactions and exchanges among three SRI farmer groups; Final evaluation of the project.
210 farmers and 20 local staff (of which 75% are women) gained technical knowledge and skills on SRI and are now able to support application of SRI in other locations; SRI has been recognised as a good practice in the province’s action plan responding to climate change.
Achievements
Annual Report 2012
27
A common home brings us closer together I was a soldier fighting in the Cambodian war. When the war came to an end, I returned to my country as a broken man: missing one of my arms. This was a dark time for me, I couldn’t see a future for myself. However, since I joined the club for people with disabilities supported by SRD’s project “Supporting people with disabilities” my life has changed. To be able to share my story with others in similar situations has awakened dreams and hopes in me and made me more optimistic about my future. Participating in the activities of the people with disabilities’ (PwD) club is very meaningful to us. It helps us overcome difficulties, remove our feelings of inferiority, and restore confidence in ourselves and in our lives. When taking part in the activities of the club, we feel more connected and integrated - like we are a part of the community. I specifically enjoy events such as the international day for people with disabilities (on December 3rd). It gives us a chance to share our experiences and feelings with others in the communities; it is very encouraging for us. The club has also organised training courses for us and our relatives on physical rehabilitation therapy – which we can apply to improve our health. Besides, our family members can also participate in the training, therefore, they can take care of us at home; this minimises the costs and risks. Another support from the project is the livelihood-development fund managed by the club. We were provided with 60 million VND to distribute among the members, and those who borrow from the fund pay an interest rate of only 0.3 percent. This interest will be used as the fund to maintain the club in the long run. The fund has so far supported setting up a number of agricultural models such as
28
Annual Report 2012
pig-breeding, poultry culture and some other suitable livelihood components for the PwD. Even though the club has only existed half a year, the activities have become organised and stable. The club is a second home where we work together to build a happy life, remove barriers and ensure economic development. We all believe in solidarity and a bright future – this is our club, by us, for us. We now hope that it would be recognised as an official union and operate under such regulations, as this would enable us to increase our funds and reach out to more people living with disabilities in our province.” (By Mr. Vo Ngoc Lan a veteran living in Gio Hai Commune, Gio Linh District, Quang Tri Province)
Mr. Vo Ngoc Lan
Project's name
Supporting People with Disabilities in Gio Linh district, Quang Tri province (VM041)
Project location
Gio Linh, Gio My and Gio Hai Communes, Gio Linh district of Quang Tri province
Local partner(s)
People ‘s Committee of Gio Linh district; Department of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs of Quang Tri province; Department of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs of Gio Linh district; People ‘s Committee of Gio My, Gio Hai communes and Gio Linh town.
Objective
People with disabilities in three communes of Gio Linh district receive opportunities to overcome their difficulties, to integrate into the community and to have a brighter and more independent life in 2015.
Organise training courses on livelihood management and techniques; Conduct house visits; Organise meetings and workshops for people with disabilities; Organise social activities for children with disabilities; Establish clubs for people with disabilities; Support in building agricultural production models for PwD; Develop and disseminate communications material.
Key Activities in 2012
Achievements
More than 1,000 direct beneficiaries and over 3,000 indirect beneficiaries.
Annual Report 2012
29
Putting theories into practice for the conservation of plant genetic resources From July to October 2012, twenty technicians from Plant Protection Departments from the six provinces Thanh Hoa, Hoa Binh, Yen Bai, Son la, Bac Kan, and Lao Cai participated in a Training of Trainers (TOT) course on plant genetic resources conservation to adapt to climate change in Hoa Binh City. This training course was part of the project Putting Lessons into Practice - Scaling up Peoples’ Biodiversity Management for Food Security. The aim of the training is to equip technicians with not only technical knowledge, but also practical experience that will expand their expertise will be conveyed to local farmers. For that purpose, each technician will act like a real farmer in the TOT. The trainees participating in the project were trained on designing field experiments on varieties selection and others techniques on SRI, IPM... The participants were divided into different groups, and took part in various research experiments during the life cycle of the paddy (three months). Furthermore, the trainees also had a chance to put their skills and knowledge into practice by becoming trainers themselves. This was performed by conducting weekly FFS classes for 60 farmers in Da Bac district and Hoa Binh Town. Ms. Thuong – a farmer of the FFS from Tu Ly commune, Da Bac district said: “Thanks to the teachers we overcame many difficulties. Before the training we did not know the impact that pesticides have on the environment, we just did what we’ve always done. The participants in my class are all happy to apply the system of rice intensification as this not only saves them 50 per cent of the cost but also takes less time due to the planting techniques.
30
Annual Report 2012
I feel confident in training others and spreading the knowledge of how to apply SRI. In the future I intend to restore the rice variety BC15 and the sticky rice variety - Nep 87, and for the summer-autumn crop I will conduct trials with glutinous sticky rice.” When being asked how they felt, participants of the training course responded that this was an opportunity to practice, learn new skills and actively engage in the Training of Trainer process. After the training course technicians and trainees continued to implement the FFS in all the six provinces.
TOT Trainers are guiding for farmers in Tu Ly Commune, Da Bac, Hoa Binh Province in lessons on surveying biodiversity in research’s field
Project's name
Putting Lessons into Practice – Scaling up Peoples’ biodiversity Management for Food Security (VM042)
Project location
Four provinces of Hoa Binh, Yen Bai, Son La and Thanh Hoa
Local partner(s)
Plant Protection Department, MARD Field Crops Research Institute Plant Protection Sub-Departments of Hoa Binh, Thanh Hoa, Yen Bai and Son La provinces
Objective
Strengthen capacity for poor people and ethnic minority communities by improving their knowledge and skills in cultivating while integrating them into the national and international policy dialogue. O rganise training courses for technicians in six provinces: Thanh Hoa , Hoa Binh, Bac Kan, Son La, Yen Bai and Lao Cai; Conduct farmers field classes for key farmers in four provinces: Thanh Hoa, Hoa Binh, Son La and Yen Bai.
Key Activities in 2012
2 0 technicians become masters in the selection and restoration of rice varieties and in designing field experiments; 120 key farmers have gained knowledge and skills on the selection of adaptive rice varieties; Elite lines of rice with high potential yield and strong tolerance have been initially selected.
Achievements
Annual Report 2012
31
Obtaining legal land ownership after 20 years of living on the same plot of land Ms. Le Thi Bao has lived in Tram Than commune, Phu Ninh district, Phu Tho province for 20 years, on the land inherited from her parents. However, up to 2010, she did not possess a certificate of her right to use the land. In her region this is not an uncommon situation. In recent years, many people of Phu Ninh District have found themselves in similar predicaments as they are not aware of their rights and/or obligations concerning land use. However, these problems were addressed in the project Participatory Land Use and Management (PLUM). The project was implemented in three communes of Phu Ninh district: Bao Thanh, Tram Than and Vinh Phu. The project was designed to facilitate the participation of local people in many training activities regarding land laws. Besides, dialogues were organised between local people and land management officers to improve the people’s understanding on their rights and obligations concerning land use, and to clarify the role and responsibilities of the authorities in land management. Thanks to the active participation in training activities, Ms. Bao now knows how to apply for a land use right certificate. She has been able to complete all the procedures and recently received a land use certificate issued by the district’s Bureau of Natural Resource and Environment. Not only the family of Ms. Bao but many other households also have directly benefited from the project. The PLUM project not only addressed the issue of land ownership, but also introduced effective livelihood models such as a chicken model and a biological fertiliser 32
Annual Report 2012
model that remarkably increased household’s incomes and improved rural livelihoods. Most people who applied these models reported an income increase and a decrease in production costs in regards to seeds, fertilisers, pesticides and other factors. Reviewing the outcomes from this project, the methods applied in PLUM have been evaluated by local people and Phu Ninh district’s authorities as a suitable solution to support sustainable poverty reduction and improving local governance. The implementation of this model has helped people become more aware of land use management and employ more effective farming techniques that contribute to increasing their income and reducing their input costs for agricultural production activities.
Bao is very happy when holding certificated of land use right
Project's name
Participatory Land Use and Management - PLUM (VM021)
Project location
Tram Than Vinh Phu and Bao Thanh communes, Phu Ninh district, Phu Tho province
Local partner(s)
Phu Tho Union of Science and Technology
Objective
Effective land use and management to sustainably reduce poverty, strengthen the community by focusing on improving the right to use land amongst vulnerable groups, particularly poor farmer households and women. Support farmers improve their livelihoods, and land use efficiency; Improve people‘s knowledge about Land Law; Organize dialogues on land-related-problems between people and local authorities; Enhance capacity for region development Board; Strengthen the interest groups; Document experience about establishing and operating interest groups and lessons learnt on method for mobilising people’s participation
Key Activities in 2012
Achievements
Many households in the three communes have improved their livelihoods through applying a range of effective land use models. 25 interest groups were established which included 523 households in total.
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33
Integrating climate change into local Socio-Economic Development Planning In the recent years, socio-economic development in Gia Hoi and Nam Bung commune in Van Chan district, Yen Bai province has been remarkably progressing. The local government has paid special attention to the effects of climate change and natural disasters, and suitable measures have been deployed in order to deal with this changing context. The experiences and initiatives of the community have been highly appreciated and applied widely by the local authority. For example, the local people had a valuable experience of arranging stones in order to protect the rice fields from flood. This technique of arranging stones has
subsequently been included in the flood and storm control plan of the commune. This stone wall helped prevent the destruction of over 20 hectares of rice fields that would otherwise have been imminent in the fourth storm of 2012. Mr. Lo Van To, a farmer in Nam Vai village, Gia Hoi commune said: “Before, only some households used this technique (to arrange stones), but since the local government included this in its strategy, many people started to apply it. Creating stone embankment is so easy that my family and I can do it ourselves! The embankment not only protects against rising water levels, but also helps prevent animals from damaging the crops.� Both communes now have socio-economic development plans in place that include strategies designed to mitigate risks associated with climate change. Integrating climate change in the two commune plans is perceived as a success of the project Strengthen climate change adaption capacity for people and authorities in Gia Hoi and Nam Bung communes, Van Chan district, Yen Bai province. The climate change adaptation and disaster prevention activities are integrated as a significant part of the socio-economic development plan. This helps to induce change for the development of natural disaster prevention plans and their implementation methods.
Embanking stones to protect rice from sand, garbage and cattle damaging field
34
Annual Report 2012
Project's name
The civil action for socio-economic inclusion in sustainable development for the Northern ethnic minorities in Vietnam(VM028)
Project location
Gia Hoi and Nam Bung communes, Van Chan district, Yen Bai province
Local partner(s)
Yen Bai Union of Science and Technology Associations
Objective
Support poverty reduction, sustainable development and participation in decision making among northern ethnic minority groups in the Northern Mountains of Vietnam.
Key Activities in 2012
Organise training courses on market analysis skills, livelihoods models, and disaster prevention for local citizen; Support local authority in building development plans for agriculture and forests; Organise activities on promoting cultural values, and indigenous knowledge; Introduce loan programs and processes for the Bank for Social Policies; Document the progress and lessons learned from the project.
60 households in interest groups developed optimal production plan; About 1.200 people gained access to production support services and information; 13 interest groups in relation to the production of agricultural goods were established and operated; Nine village saving and loan associations (VSLA) with over 200 members mobilised over 500 million dong; Integrated project’s activities into six programs on forest and agriculture development of Van Chan district.
Achievements
Annual Report 2012
35
A voice for 25 million people An estimated twenty-five million Vietnamese citizens are dependent on forests for at least twenty percent of their income. These citizens are often among the poorest of the nation and live in the most isolated rural areas. This is becoming increasingly important as Vietnam is in the process of entering a Voluntary Partnership Agreement (VPA) with the European Union which would establish a new agreement known as Forest Law Enforcement, Governance, and Trade (FLEGT). This agreement mainly aims at establishing a necessary system and structure to ensure that the wooden products imported into Europe are legal. Furthermore, it will help limit the illegal exploitation of forest in the countries which are exporting woods and wooden products.
gain an understanding on the level of community awareness and consideration of Forest Law and the implementation of the Law, and reflected the community perceptions on issues related to the protection and harvest of timber from forest. With the improved capacity and knowledge about the issues faced by the community, the network has contributed considerably to the VPA negotiation processes on both the Vietnam and the EU side. Furthermore, thanks to the active engagement, the network has brought the voice of the forest-dependent communities to the policy makers in order to ensure that the execution of VPA/ FLEGT will be beneficial to poor people.
The establishment of FLEGT would drastically alter the ability of people and communities to access the very forests that they are reliant upon for income and subsistence. As these populations are rural and marginalised, they are excluded from decision making processes and negotiations. With financial support of the British Department for International Development (DFID) through FERN, SRD and three other organisations initiated a VNGO-FLEGT network. In the last year, the network has operated very actively in order to improve the capacity for civil society organisations to participate more effectively in the VPA negotiation process. The network also undertook a community consultation on timber legality definition in six provinces namely: Yen Bai, Bac Kan, Thanh Hoa, Thua Thien Hue, Lam Dong and Ba Ria - Vung Tau. The consultation results enabled the network to
36
Annual Report 2012
Community consultation on the legality of timber in Na Ri district, Bac Kan province
Project's name
Promoting community and Vietnamese CSOs engagement in VPA/ FLEGT (VM043)
Project location
All the countries undergoing VPA negotiation
Local partner(s)
FERN, FAO, Forest Trends and VNGO-FLEGT members
Objective
Strengthen the role and voice of CSOs, VNGOs as a representative of forestdependent communities to participate effectively in the negotiation process as well as implementation of VPA on FLEGT; thereby contribute to improve forest governance and strengthen land use right for community. Establish and maintain VNGO-FLEGT network with almost 30 member organisations which have experience in forest and community development; Organise training to improve the capacity of VPA/FLEGT for organisations in VNGO-FLEGT network and other VNGOs in Vietnam; Conduct community consultation on timber legality definition and its significance toward negotiation of VPA/FLEGT in Vietnam; Facilitate participation of VNGO-FLEGT members in international workshops on VPA/FLEGT.
Key Activities in 2012
VNGO – FLEGT network is established and consists of 28 organisation members with a lot of experience in the forest and community development fields; VNGO-FLEGT has started to contribute through research, community consultations, recommendations for negotiation teams of Vietnam and EU.
Achievements
Annual Report 2012
37
ORGANISATIONAL DEVELOPMENT IN 2012
Internal capacity building In line with our new strategy and vision of becoming a leading Vietnamese NGO, SRD has paid special attention to our human resource development. In 2012, SRD promoted two more Deputy Directors; the three Deputy Directors are currently sharing strategic roles to support SRD’s Executive Director and are responsible for managing different sectors of SRD. These positions were developed to support the new Strategic Plan 2013-2017 and to empower the Deputy Directors to have stronger voices when working with relevant stakeholders. In this new structure, the Program Support Department is established with the responsibility to conduct capacity building, and to monitor and evaluate SRD’s programs. As SRD works under the premise that staff is our greatest asset, we have devoted to strengthening and increasing the knowledge of our staff members. As a young and dynamic team we seek to maximise our potential for growth by investing in our people through training and team building. In 2012, to ensure that the expertise of staff members remained at the level of excellence associated with the organisation, SRD sent its staff to numerous workshops and training courses in Vietnam and abroad. Besides, SRD always encourages staff members to work as trainers and facilitators of training courses held for partners, local beneficiaries, and local communities. Through these activities, SRD staff confidently represents SRD in their areas of expertise and demonstrates excellent communicative skills. Along with its professional staff, SRD is very fortunate to receive support from its advisory board constituting of members who are experienced specialists in different areas of
expertise. Advisory Board members have provided SRD with their invaluable inputs and advices, not only for SRD’s operational work but also with regards to SRD’s new comprehensive strategic plan. All of them are committed to contributing to the further development of SRD. In 2012, SRD also hosted a number of international volunteers from organisations such as the Australian Youth Ambassadors for Development (AYAD), VIDA Volunteer Travel, Volunteers for Peace Vietnam (VPV) and World University Service of Canada (WUSC), all with a wide range of specialties. This arrangement not only benefits the volunteers, but also allows SRD to draw valuable lessons from their international experience and novel suggestions. It also provided SRD employees with a great opportunity to practice their English and to benefit from the cultural exchange. The volunteers have been a great asset to SRD’s work; they have instigated and completed projects such as development of the new website, SRD’s brand guideline, and the Green Office Programme.
SRD’s Advisory Board, partners and staffs
Annual Report 2012
39
Review of SRD’s 2nd Strategic Plan and development of the 3rd Strategic Plan SRD successfully implemented and completed its second Strategic Plan from 2008 to 2012 (SPII). At the end of 2011, SRD conducted an external evaluation of the SPII as well as development of the SPIII. The Strategic Plan is designed with the main purpose of maximising the capacity of the organisation while adapting to the changing environment. Besides, it must be designed in a way that every member of staff can understand and execute the objectives that are set in the document. With that purpose, a wide range of activities have been carried out such as: • Independent evaluation of the program of SPII; • Online consultation with donors and partners using questionnaires; • Internal review of the human resource development strategy;
• The focus of SRD’s programmes has also expanded in response to emerging issues; from a topic for advocacy, Climate change has become a major theme in SRD’s interventions. The geographical coverage of SRD’s programs has also further expanded beyond historical locations spanning from the northern mountainous provinces to the central coastal regions of Ha Tinh, Thua Thien Hue and Quang Tri. • The size and organisational capacity of SRD has also been improved. From only 10 staff members in the past, SRD currently has more than 30 staff with rich experiences and expertise in different fields. The organisational structure and policies have also been developed and applied more effectively.
• Internal review of all the sections including Sustainable Agriculture, Climate Change Hue’s programs, Communication, Research and Advocacy; • Consultation workshops with all the staff, advisory board, donors and key partners. The results of the evaluation and reviews proved that SRD has successfully realised the second Strategic Plan. SRD has achieved much more results than the pre-set objectives. Some prominent achievements include: • The SPII targeted an annual program budget of 600,000 USD, mainly focusing on sustainable agriculture and rural livelihoods. In fact, SRD’s budget reached nearly one million USD in 2011 which is fifty percent higher than the targeted budget. 40
Annual Report 2012
Representative of SRD receives Certificate of Merit from the Ministry of Science and Technology
Building up from the success and valuable experiences from the second Strategic Plan, SRD has set the objectives for the third Strategic Plan (2013-2017). In this Strategic Plan, SRD continues to focus on two major themes which are: Sustainable agriculture and livelihood and Climate change. At the same time, SRD will further strengthen its capacity and policy
influence power in research, networking and advocacy. The detailed objectives and plan are also built in order to make the organisation more professional and maintain the status of a leading organisation among the NGOs in Vietnam. The third Strategic Plan of SRD is officially executed from January of 2013.
Donors Donor
Country
Manos Unidas
Spain
Caritas Australia
Australia
Cordaid
Netherlands
Finland Embassy in Vietnam
Finland
Care International
Denmark
Reality of Aid network
Global Network
FERN
United Kingdom
Southeast Asia Regional Initiatives for Community Empowerment (SEARICE)
Philippines
AusAID
Australia
Australian Foundation for the Peoples of Asia and the Pacific (AFAP)
Australia
Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO)
United Nations
USAID USA
Annual Report 2012
41
Local partners
42
Local partners
Province/City
Bac Kan Plant Protection Sub – Department
Bac Kan
People's Committee of Tuan Giao district
Dien Bien
Plant Protection Department, MARD
Ha Noi
Centre for Sustainable Development in Mountainous Areas (CSDM)
Ha Noi - Hoa Binh
Centre of Research and Development in Upland Areas (CERDA)
Ha Noi - Thai Nguyen
People's Committee of Can Loc district
Ha Tinh
People's Committee of Khanh Loc commune, Can Loc district
Ha Tinh
People's Committee of Vinh Loc commune, Can Loc district
Ha Tinh
People's Committee of Vuong Loc commune, Can Loc district
Ha Tinh
Bureau of Agricultural and Rural Development of Can Loc district
Ha Tinh
Centre for Applying Science and Technology into Plant and Animal Protection, Can Loc District
Ha Tinh
Field Crops Research Institute
Hai Duong
Plant Protection Sub – Department
Hoa Binh
People's Committee of Na Meo commune, Mai Chau district
Hoa Binh
People's Committee of Tan Son commune, Mai Chau district
Hoa Binh
Community Livelihood Club of Tam Thanh commune, Tan Son district
Phu Tho
Community Livelihood Club of Vo Mieu commune, Thanh Son district
Phu Tho
Phu Tho Union of Science and Technology Associations
Phu Tho
People's Committee of Tam Thanh commune, Tan Son district
Phu Tho
People's Committee of Vo Mieu commune, Thanh Son district
Phu Tho
Annual Report 2012
Local partners
Province/City
People's Committee of Gio Linh district
Quang Tri
People's Committee of Gio Hai commune, Gio Linh district
Quang Tri
People's Committee of Gio My commune, Gio Linh district
Quang Tri
People's Committee of Gio Linh town, Gio Linh district
Quang Tri
Bureau of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs of Gio Linh district
Quang Tri
Department of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs of Quang Tri province
Quang Tri
Son La Plant Protection Sub – Department
Son La
People's Committee of Duc Luong commune, Dai Tu district
Thai Nguyen
People's Committee of Phu Cuong commune, Dai Tu district
Thai Nguyen
Thanh Hoa Plant Protection Sub – Department
Thanh Hoa
People's Committee of Huong Tra town
Thua Thien Hue
People's Committee of Hai Duong commune, Huong Tra town
Thua Thien Hue
People's Committee of Huong Phong commune, Huong Tra town
Thua Thien Hue
The Committee for Storm and Flood Control of Huong Tra town
Thua Thien Hue
Economic Department of Huong Tra town
Yen Bai
Yen Bai Plant Protection Sub – Department
Yen Bai
Yen Bai Union of Science and Technology Associations
Yen Bai
Yen Bai Traditional Medicine Association
Yen Bai
Communal Traditional Medicine Association of Cam An commune
Yen Bai
People's Committee of Cam An commune, Yen Binh district
Yen Bai
Annual Report 2012
43
44
Annual Report 2012
CENTRE VIETNAM PROGRAM MANAGER
PROGRAM OFFICERS VOLUNTEERS INTERNS
PROGRAM OFFICERS
VOLUNTEERS INTERNS
VOLUNTEERS INTERNS
COMMUNICATIONS OFFICERS
COMMUNICATIONS, RESEARCH & ADVOCACY MANAGER
DEPUTY DIRECTOR
CLIMATE CHANGE MANAGER
ADVISORY BOARD
VOLUNTEERS INTERNS
PROGRAM OFFICERS
SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE MANAGER
DEPUTY DIRECTOR
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
VUSTA
VOLUNTEERS INTERNS
PROGRAM SUPPORT OFFICERS
PROGRAM SUPPORT MANAGER
DRIVER/COOK/GUARDS
VOLUNTEERS INTERNS
ACCOUNTANT, HR & ADMIN OFFICERS
DEPUTY DIRECTOR/ CHIEF ACCOUNTANT
CENTRE COMMITTEE
Organisational chart
FINANCIAL STATEMENTS Annual Report 2012
45
Finance overview In 2012, SRD effectively managed and implemented 11 main projects and four micro projects with the total budget of 1,065,615 USD. Thanks to the quality of our projects and the professionalism of our organisation, SRD has become a reliable partner of many donors such as Caritas Australia, Cordaid, Manos Unidas and Care International who all provide SRD with continuous support. Recently, SRD in collaboration with Winrock, won a project funded by USAID, which will provide SRD with $702,000 over the span of five years. This gives SRD flexibility and hopefully leads to the accomplishment of one of SRD’s major goals of being more financially stable. Other donors, particularly FERN and SEARICE have also confirmed their intention to continue to support SRD to accomplish the objectives that were outlined in the ‘Strategic Plan 2013-2017’. In the new plan, SRD estimates the budget to be between $1.1 million and $1.4 million. Specific annual budget will also be determined by the general ethos of SRD to create and sustain a strong financial system. SRD believes that the suitable and effective management plus the long-term partnership agreement with the partners are significant factors contributing to the sustainable development of SRD. It also helps guarantee the agreement to improve the living conditions for poor people in Vietnam in the context of the current global financial crisis.
Income and expenditure For the year ended 31 December 2012 Unit USD Items I
1,085,750
906,221
Interest income
23,445
38,625
Exchange gain
(12,555)
36,204
Sundry income
161
96
55,403
67,687
1,152,205
1,048,833
Programme Expenditure
993,902
733,384
Indirect Overhead Costs
71,713
75,817
1,065,615
809,201
86,590
239,633
Administration cost from projects Total Income
Expenditure
Total expenditure
III
46
2011
Income Donors funding during the year
II
2012
Surplus(deficit) for the year
Annual Report 2012
Balance sheet As of 31 December 2012
Unit USD 31-12-2012
31-12-2011
932,680 8,539
753,962 7,187
395
843
8,144
6,344
Cash in bank
924,141
746,775
Vietnam dong
517,810
493,603
Foreign currency
406,331
253,172
Items ASSETS I. 1
Cash Cash on hand Vietnam dong Foreign currency
2
II.
Short-term investments
III.
Receivables
3,496
7,656
1
Receivables from donor
1,970
1,335
2
Other receivables
1,526
6,321
IV. 1
Inventories Tools, Equipment
V.
Other current assets
1
Short-term prepaid expenses
2
Advance
VI. 1
52,835
13,847
Tangible fixed assets
45,990
13,847
Original cost
71,581
38,139
(25,591)
(24,292)
Intangible fixed assets Original cost Accumulated depreciation (*)
VII.
23,173
Fixed assets
Accumulated depreciation (*) 2
23,173
6,844 8,555 (1,711)
Long-term investments
Total assets
989,011
798,637
126,263
98,287
LIABILITIES I.
Short term borrowings
1
Sundry payable
16,657
14,224
2
Payable to employees
95,771
77,493 Annual Report 2012
3 4
Other payable taxes
(13)
1,094
47
2
Intangible fixed assets
6,844
Original cost
8,555
Accumulated depreciation (*) VII.
(1,711)
Long-term investments
Total assets
989,011
798,637
126,263
98,287
LIABILITIES I.
Short term borrowings
1
Sundry payable
16,657
14,224
2
Payable to employees
95,771
77,493
3 1,094
Other payable taxes
5
Other payable
13,848
5,476
II.
Budget sources
862,748
700,351
1
Advanced budget
-
-
2
Realisation of exchange rate
-
-
3
Reserves fund
185,922
182,991
4
Administrative funds
43,172
49,767
5
Projects funds
580,820
453,745
6
Resources of fixed asset
52,835
13,847
989,011
798,637
Total liabilities
48
(13)
4
Annual Report 2012