SRD's Annual Report 2013 - ENG

2013 ANNUAL

R E P O R T CENTRE FOR SUSTAINABLE RURAL DEVELOPMENT Hanoi, March 2014

Pictures: SRD Publishing licence: 238-2014/CXB/45-01/TN ŠSRD-150314/AMV Quantity: 400 copies

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CONTENT 1. INTRODUCTION

5

2. LETTER FROM THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

8

3. LETTER FROM THE PRESIDENT OF THE VIETNAM UNION OF SCIENCE

9

AND TECHNOLOGY ASSOCIATIONS 4. PROJECT MAP

10

5. REMARKABLE 2013 STATS

12

6. PROGRAM OVERVIEW

13

Sustainable Agriculture

14

Climate Change

15

Research and Advocacy

16

Project portfolio

17 19

7. STORIES FROM THE COMMUNITY Simple happiness

20

Magical walks

21

Local people conserve indigenous medicinal plants and traditional herbal remedies

22

Applying SRI to promote a non-toxic living environment

23

Growing short-duration rice varieties dispels concerns about early floods

24

Farmers begin large-scale rice seed production in order to secure seed supplies

25

Coming together to access a stable market for farm products

26

“Soft power” in disaster risk management

27

Protecting the livelihoods of forest-dependent communities

28

Improving organizational capacity to be ready for new opportunities

29

8. ORGANISATIONAL DEVELOPMENT IN 2013

30

Solidifying SRD’s Standing

31

Donors

32

Local partners

33

Organisational chart

34

9. FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

35

2013 overview

36

Income and expenditure

36

Balance sheet

37

ANNUAL REPORT 2013 |

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ACRONYMS CCWG

Climate Change Working Group

CSO

Civil Society Organization

EU

European Union

FFS

Farmer Field School

FLEGT

Forest Law Enforcement, Governance and Trade

MARD

Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development

NGO

Non - Governmental Organization

PwD

People with Disability

SRD

Centre for Sustainable Rural Development

SRI

System of Rice Intensification

VNGO

Vietnamese Non - Governmental Organization

VNGO&CC

Vietnamese Non - Governmental Organizations & Climate Change

VNGO - FLEGT

Vietnamese Non - Governmental Organizations & Forest Law

Enforcement, Governance and Trade

VPA

Voluntary Partnership Agreement

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INTRODUCTION

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 his or her development. SRD respects personal selfdetermination 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.

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.

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.

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financing for climate change response remaining unanswered. At SRD, we have worked closely with the CCWG and the VNGO & CC network to promote discussions, analysis and solutions of how to effectively allocate resources for climate change mitigation and adaptation. SRD has been following every step of the VPA / FLEGT negotiation process in Vietnam.

SRD, in coordination with member organizations of VNGO - FLEGT network, has conducted community consultations on the impacts of VPA and actively collaborated with the Vietnam Administration of Forestry to provide timely and meaningful comments and recommendations for the Vietnam’s delegation in the VPA / FLEGT negotiation process.

LETTER FROM THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR As 2013 draws to a close, the news of over 42,000 farmers abandoning their farmland provokes considerable thought. This phenomenon can be explained by the rapidly rising costs of agricultural production, while agricultural productivity and income tend to be unstable and highly subject to risks, such as the negative impacts of climate change.

Therefore, SRD has put great emphasis on facilitating new methods and agricultural production models that help reduce production costs, increase yields and ensure product quality with our commitment to empower poor, vulnerable communities to sustainably manage their livelihoods and adapt to climate change.

We also always seek innovative approaches to assist farmers in accessing potential markets for selling their products, improving their incomes, and independently managing their livelihoods.

In 2013, Vietnam and the broader global community witnessed a record number of storms and floods as visible impacts of climate change. The 19th Conference of the Parties (COP 19) that took place in Warsaw (Poland) ended with the central question regarding

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This year also marked a significant advance in public awareness of the CSO community in Vietnam. The public has directed more attention to CSOs’ activities and greatly appreciated their persistent efforts and contributions to Vietnam’s societal development. SRD is proud of its leading roles in networking activities and pioneering efforts in building bridges to connect CSOs with the public by participating in numerous global and national-level conferences and exhibitions as well as being increasingly visible in national media.

The report you are reading communicates our thankfulness and pride, closing the year of 2013 with more achievements - also this is our first year of implementing the third five-year Strategic Plan for 2013 - 2017. SRD heads into 2014 excited to continue working toward the many goals put forward in Strategic Plan III and looking forward to a year filled with both opportunities and challenges.

On the journey to accomplish the targets we have established, SRD firmly believes in our core values and consistently pursues our established objectives to learn from, seize and grow through the challenges we face.

Best regards,

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 Although both the global economy and Vietnam’s economy experienced positive changes during the second half of 2013, the overall picture of the world economy has been shrouded in slow and often stagnant economic growth, with many leading economies are still in recovery. In spite of this context, 2013 has been a year filled with remarkable achievements for SRD. The organization succeeded in preserving its autonomy and exploring new opportunities. Furthermore, SRD has not only maintained close relationships with traditional donors, but also has drawn the attention of and developed partnerships with new supporters.

In the first year of the third five-year Strategic Plan 2013 - 2017, SRD has received support from not only the local communities and authorities in project sites, but also from scientific organizations and government agencies through project and networking activities, confirming SRD’s positive organizational development. As the Chair of the VNGO & CC network, Co - chair of the CCWG, Head of the Steering Committee of the VNGO - FLEGT network and a key member of numerous regional and national NGO and CSO networks, SRD has achieved substantial progress in bringing the voices of local communities and CSOs to policy dialogues at different levels. SRD’s active participation in these diverse forums reflects its commitment to incorporating its core values and perspectives into the sustainable development programs of the Government.

Through constantly reinforcing its strengths and actively seeking and promoting new initiatives, SRD has demonstrated its capacity and its role as a professional VNGO. The frequent and active participation of SRD in a wide range of workshops,

which brought together governmental agencies with Vietnamese and international organizations to discuss development issues, reflects the considerable efforts of SRD’s leaders and staff to pursue valuable experiences and document effective models. SRD and the networks in which SRD plays a coordinating role have subsequently used the documentation of these effective models as reliable scientific evidence for their activities.

On behalf of the Vietnam Union of Science and Technology Associations, I would like to greatly compliment SRD for its remarkable achievements over the past year. We hope that SRD will continue to develop its capabilities confirming its position as a leading NGO under VUSTA and continuing to contribute to the socio-economic development of our country.

Prof, Dr. Dang Vu Minh President, Vietnam Union of Science and Technology Associations (VUSTA)

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Project Map

Ha Giang

Lao Cai

Thai Nguyen

Dien Bien Yen Bai Son La Phu Tho

Nam Dinh

Hoa Binh

“

Participating in the livelihood club has helped rural women like me become confident in developing livelihoods and participating in community activities.

Realizing that the participation of members from the local Fatherland Front in the livelihood club would strengthen the effectiveness of the club’s activities, some members and I visited their house and successfully persuaded them to join our club.

Ms. Le Thi Lan Livelihood club member in Tam Thanh village, Phu Tho province

Thanh Hoa Nghe An Ha Tinh

”

Ho Chi Minh Long An

Vung Tau

Phu Quoc

Can Tho Con Dao

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Bac Kan

“

VUSTA

At first, I didn’t want to apply SRI because one of principles of SRI is to transplant seedlings with wider spacing, which means fewer seedlings are planted in comparison with traditional practices.

However, with encouragement from the Plant Protection Sub-Department, I committed myself to implementing this model. Additionally, the project commits to compensating for yield losses if SRI crops generate lower yields than common methods. Through SRI, rice plants have higher number of tillers, more grains per panicle and are more resistant to pesticides. SRI helps reduce production costs and increase our profit.

Ms. Nong Thi Nguyen A student of the FFS in Bang Khit village, Luong Thuong commune, Na Ri district, Bac Kan province

“

SRD’s leaders and staff have made considerable efforts to pursue valuable experiences and document effective models. SRD and the networks in which SRD plays a coordinating role have subsequently used the documentation of these effective models as reliable scientific evidence for their activities.

Prof, Dr. Dang Vu Minh President of Vietnam Union of Science and Technology Associations (VUSTA)

”

”

Hoang Sa

“

I’m really grateful to the project for the practical activities that it organized for PwDs in the club, especially the recent study tour in Quang Nam province. After the tour, the project supported us to implement a dove - raising model, which is suitable to our health conditions. I will encourage club members and other non-member PwDs to adopt this model.

Mr. Nguyen Thanh Hao Head of the PwD club of Gio My commune, Quang Tri province

Quang Tri

”

Thua Thien Hue

“

I’m glad to see women, one of the most vulnerable groups besides the elderly and young children, participating in these [disaster] response teams. I hope the project will have greater outreach so that it can bring more benefits to the community.

Ms. Nguyen Thi Thu Huong Vice Chairwoman of the People’s Committee of Huong Tra town, Thua Thien Hue province

”

Lam Dong

Truong Sa

Project sites Network activity sites ANNUAL REPORT 2013 |

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Remarkable 2013 Stats 2,867

Is the number of direct beneficiaries whose livelihood management abilities and market access have been improved with support from SRD’s projects. Women account for 53% of the direct beneficiaries and 34 of them are women with disabilities. SRD’s interventions promote community members, especially women, to participate more actively in community groups and clubs so that they can confidently contribute their voice in the decision–making process in their communities.

40%

Is the average amount of production cost savings that a farmer can achieve if properly applying the System of Rice Intensification (SRI) introduced by SRD. The SRI method helps farmers save seeds, reduce inputs, and reproduce their own pure rice variety seeds. If applied appropriately and scientifically, replication of this model in suitable areas will contribute to stabilizing production and ensuring national food security.

1,546

Is the number of people who have been directly involved in the implementation of communication activities related to climate change adaptation and disaster response. In particular, vulnerable groups such as women and PwD have been SRD’s focus group for improving communications capabilities which has strengthened their voice in the community. Women have demonstrated their creativity in communications activities at the grassroots level, helping to raise awareness in the community relating how to conduct life saving measures when a disaster occurs as well as solidarity for protecting the environment.

797

Is the number of households whose capacity to manage climate change impacts through adaptive agricultural production models have been enhanced. Models supported by SRD have been enthusiastically welcomed by local residents, including salinity tolerant RVT rice varieties in Hue and short-duration NAR5 rice varieties as an adaptive solution to fluctuating harvest conditions due to typhoons in Ha Tinh. These models are not only adaptation measures, but also provide higher yields and better rice quality.

31 & 13

31 is the number of participants in the VNGO - FLEGT network and 13 is the number of comments submitted to the draft definition of legal timber and timber products (LD 6.3). As the Co-chair of the VNGO - FLEGT network, SRD together with other members have contributed these comments for the 3rd time, focusing primarily on ensuring that the logging process takes place in accordance with the law and respects the rights of indigenous people in terms of sustainable forest management.

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PROGRAM OVERVIEW

Sustainable Agriculture In 2013, the Sustainable Agriculture team continued to uphold the core values of SRD when working with farmers through utilizing creative and empowering approaches. SRD has always put farmers at the centre of the decision-making process and has invested in capacity building for community–based organizations. The model of livelihood interest groups implemented in Hoa Binh, Yen Bai, and Phu Tho as well as the new cooperatives in Thai Nguyen have been greatly successful, bringing opportunities for equal participation to the whole community. Participants have discussed and agreed on the executive principles, business operation and implementation plans of their group. They have become more active and confident in making personal and household decisions, as well as boldly contributing opinions to issues related to their broader community. Through SRD interventions and support, these diverse community members have been more able to articulate and fulfil their different needs and interests.

SRD’s projects have helped farmers reduce their input costs by 20 - 40% and increase their household income by 15 - 20% annually. When introducing new techniques, SRD always integrates a genuine understanding of the context of each region, and we greatly appreciate this wealth of knowledge and tradition which we hope to continue to foster.

Using participatory working approaches such as FFS, SRD has also helped people more easily access new knowledge and gain the confidence to apply suitable non-traditional production methods. As a result, the farmers in the provinces of Yen Bai, Son La, Bac Kan,

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Hoa Binh and Phu Tho have successfully produced their own rice seed, significantly reducing costs and ensuring the security of local varieties.

To ensure sustainability, SRD is greatly concerned with the documentation of effective production models, as well as enhancing linkages between professional institutions and local authorities to promote the integration of these models into the annual socioeconomic development plan of localities. SRD does not want effective activities to be limited within the framework of one project or only within one pilot site but rather to be replicated and disseminated in communities with similar conditions and needs. As an example of the potential power of “scaling up”, the SRI method has been implemented in all of the districts and towns of Bac Kan province (although not in every rice field as of yet). If this proceeds and SRI is applied to all of the pure-rice producing areas within the province, it will help save up to 700 tons of seed, equivalent to nearly 10 billion VND - a remarkable level of savings for a poor province like Bac Kan (Source: Report of Plant Protection Department in Bac Kan province).

In the past year, SRD has worked towards strengthening the capacity of women through its project activities. With numerous trainings on gender mainstreaming at all levels of the organization as well as at project sites, SRD has empowered local women.

Many women have demonstrated leadership qualities while working with SRD, guiding and supporting the people in their community to manage their livelihoods effectively.

In particular, SRD has worked with women’s organizations in community communications initiatives relating to behaviour change and reducing greenhouse gas emissions, which has spurred the participation of numerous villagers. With the establishment of public forums, which was supported

by SRD, women in Ha Tinh and Thua Thien Hue have organized many lively and creative communication sessions such as contests, festivals, and campaigns with environmental protection messages about the importance of protecting the environment and human beings from natural disasters. Throught these public forums, women are considered soft power in the community–based communication efforts of SRD.

Climate Change In 2013, Vietnam witnessed a record number of floods and tropical depressions, causing vast damage as storms with unprecedented severity hit communities.

When being faced with a disaster, no one can be more effective at conducting rescue efforts than the members of the impacted communities. With this in mind, SRD’s interventions have been focused on building capacity at the household level to cope with disasters and adapt to climate change, ranging from providing training in analytical skills in facing dangerous situations to proactive planning on preparedness and disaster response. SRD has supported the establishment of 18 village rescue teams in eight communes in Huong Tra district, Thua Thien Hue province and Can Loc district, Ha Tinh province to provide active disaster response and to support post-disaster recovery. These teams were equipped with skills training and rescue equipment through the support of SRD’s project, and have proven their efficiency when responding to recent floods.

SRD promotes the voices of vulnerable groups such as women and PwD in the planning process of the local annual disaster response strategy. SRD works closely with the People’s Committee and the Steering Committee of partnering districts and communes in order to ensure that these plans take into account the risks for women, PwD and other vulnerable groups related to climate change.

To ensure sustainable livelihoods for people in areas that are becoming increasingly affected by climate change, particularly relating to agriculture, SRD has collaborated with scientists and other reputable institutions in selecting and introducing climate change adapted livelihood models and methods of breeding and cultivation which apply bio-safety production techniques. SRD’s models have been recognized by local authorities and community members as environmentally friendly, health enhancing, and adapted to the changing weather experienced in the provinces of Yen Bai, Son La, Bac Kan, Hoa Binh, Phu Tho, Ha Tinh and Hue. As the Chair of the VNGO & CC network, Co-chair of the CCWG, and a core member of various national and regional networks of CSOs, SRD continues to demonstrate a pioneering role in the synthesizing and documenting of lessons learned from the experiences of the network member organizations in responding to climate change. SRD uses this documentation to promote opportunities for dialogue with government agencies and to raise the voices of communities and CSOs in policy forums at the national and local level.

In the areas of forest law enforcement and forest management, SRD together with the VNGO - FLEGT network, has contributed comments for the third time on the 6th Draft of the Legal Definition of Timber and Timber Products (LD 6.3) in the VPA negotiation process between the EU and Vietnam. Making space for the voices of local people to be heard is always a top priority for SRD in all of its policy-related activities, ensuring that upcoming policy meets the needs and desires of the local community. The expressed opinions of the VNGO - FLEGT network have received positive feedback from the Drafting Committee.

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Research and Advocacy In the first year of implementation of the Strategic Plan for 2013 - 2017, SRD has made continuing efforts to uplift the voice of CSOs and ensure CSO recognition by government agencies through networking activities, consultations, research, and policy evaluation.

With the advantage of having many projects at different levels, SRD always ensures the coherence of its programs, linking experience and targeted evidence with policy forums. All of SRD’s projects have focused on collecting evidence at the grassroots level to persuade local governments to promote the replication of successful models. This evidence is then used by SRD to actively advocate for the necessary supporting policies which enable localities to implement these models in an effective manner. At the national level, SRD has organized and participated in policy dialogues promoting the importance of financial investment for climate change, synthesized models of sustainable agriculture, livelihoods and adaptation to climate change, and proposed initiatives to support poor farmers, PwD and ethnic minorities.

SRD has continuously proven that it is a pioneer in the coordination of many working groups, even in new areas such as transparency and accountability in development investment, forest law enforcement and

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forest management, and climate change financing.

In projects involving the cooperation of many parties, SRD has actively shared their experience to help improve the professionalism of nongovernmental organizations in the context of policy advocacy in Vietnam. SRD’s representatives have regularly participated in the exchange and sharing of experiences in policy advocacy via mass media as well as in national and international conferences such as the CSO Partnership on Development Effectiveness in the Southeast Asia Region, the Dublin Conference on Poverty - Nutrition - Climate Justice, the Consultation Workshop on a Global Action Framework by Forest Carbon Partnership Facility, and the Food Security for Mekong Region Workshop, etc.

In 2013, with the support of Winrock International and CARE International, SRD’s leaders and staff evaluated and started to improve the advocacy capacity of the Centre. These are valuable opportunities to deepen our understanding of modern development issues. Knowing that advocacy is a long-term process, SRD fully utilizes the advantages of communication channels such as websites, the publication of books, newspapers and direct exchange in meetings, and workshops.

This has fostered a culture of advocacy within the Centre, which we hope to build on.

Project Portfolio for 2013 No

Code

Project Name

Main project

Period Start

Finish

Total approved budget (USD)

1

VM031

Community-based disaster risk mitigation and climate change adaptation in Huong Tra town, Thua Thien Hue province

03-2011

06-2014

331,194

2

VM035

Supporting marginalised ethnic communities to adapt to changes in suburban in Dien Bien province

07-2011

07-2013

253,000

3

VM037

Vietnamese NGOs toward ethnic minority communities’ livelihoods in Northern mountainous areas

07-2011

06-2014

432,818

4

VM038

Taking a value chain approach to improving rural livelihoods in the context of natural disasters and climate change in Can Loc district, Ha Tinh province

01-2012

12-2014

519,869

5

VM041

Supporting people with disabilities in Gio Linh district, Quang Tri province

04-2012

03-2015

207,903

6

VM042 phase I

Putting lessons into practice: Scaling up people’s biodiversity management for food security

06-2012

05-2013

109,125

7

VM042 phase II

Putting lessons into practice: Scaling up people’s biodiversity management for food security

06-2013

05-2014

77,729

8

VM043

Implementing FLEGT: Promoting good governance in the forest sector

01-2012

12-2014

353,340

9

VM044

Vietnam Forests and Deltas

10-2012

06-2017

702,218

10

VM045

Farmers piloting the System of Rice Intensification (SRI) towards climate change response in the northern region of Vietnam

11-2012

12-2013

61,620

11

VM046

Supporting the engagement of ethnic minorities in Socio - Economic Development Plan 2013-2015

01-2013

12-2015

188,635

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No

Code

Project Name Main project

Period Start

Finish

Total approved budget (USD)

12

VM048

Improving rural livelihoods and sustainable forest management through PLUM and value chain approaches

10-2013

09-2016

485,343

13

VM049

Improve the livelihoods and health care for ethnic minority people via conservation and development of traditional remedies and herbal plants

08-2013

06-2015

120,000

3,842,794

Total budget for main projects 01-2013

08-2013

2,515

Implementing and mainstreaming Child Protection Policy

07-2013

06-2014

18,000

Humid tropics Mekong AA Situation Analysis - Section 5: Natural resource management and the environment

10-2013

03-2014

15,000

14

VMMIC07a Transparency and Accountability

15

VMMIC09

16

VMMIC10

Total budget for micro projects Total budget

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35,515 3,878,309

STORIES FROM THE COMMUNITY

Simple Happiness My name is Lo Thi Song. I am 44 and am living in Chieng Khoang village, Tuan Giao district, Dien Bien province. There are 5 members in my family. Before, men rarely stayed at home, because they had to go out looking for jobs doing manual labour. Only women and children were left at home. We used to have a lot of chores to do. I spent most of my day doing farm work in the fields. At home, I raised chickens to make some extra money. Beside this, I also made chopsticks to sell whenever I had some spare time.

Although all family members worked their fingers to the bone, we were often worried about fulfilling our basic needs like putting a meal on the table, and we had to borrow money to make ends meet.

Since 2011, when SRD started its project activities in my village, poor households like mine, living in suburban areas, had the chance to learn new and useful skills and increase our income. As a member of a farmer interest group raising livestock, I was not only able to get a loan of 2 million VND but I was also trained in how to use the loan effectively.

After becoming interested in pig-raising methods introduced by the project, I decided to buy a sow.

In the past, I simply left my pigs to roam around the village. Now, I have built a pigpen and know how to clean it properly, helping the pigs to eat more and grow quickly. I feed them three times per day instead of once, as I did before. Now I have a herd of four pigs and sell them twice a year, but while keeping the first sow that I bought. I have made an average profit of 10 million VND yearly from raising pigs. Within one year of getting the loan, I was not only able to learn effective ways to improve my income, but also to pay off my debts. I feel very happy and have become much more confident.

Additionally, the project supported community members to build sanitary toilets and construct pipelines to bring clean water directly to our houses. Since the construction of our self-contained composting toilet, we no longer find flies and mosquitoes in our house and family members get sick less frequently. The water tank of my family is always full of water running from the mountain stream; which has nourished our village for centuries.

We have enough water for not only cooking, washing and personal hygiene but also for watering vegetables and cleaning animal cages. I hope the forest will not

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be destroyed so that the mountain stream will never dry up and all villagers can be filled with the happiness of having clean running water in their homes.

The project “Supporting marginalised ethnic communities to adapt to changes in suburban in Dien Bien province� funded by Caritas Australia, was implemented by SRD in collaboration with the People’s Committee of Tuan Giao district in Chieng Chung and Chieng Khoang village, Tuan Giao district, Dien Bien province from July, 2011 to July, 2013. The objective of the project was to improve the livelihoods and social capacity of ethnic minority groups. The project conducted awareness-raising activities, organized training on agricultural management and planning skills for 200 poor households, and supported the construction of a village community house, water supply pipelines, sanitary toilets and roads.

Ms. Lo Thi Song making chopsticks

health checks and direct support for PwD. By taking part in the project’s activities, Dong’s family had the opportunity to meet people in similar situations, finding a space to share their difficulties and concerns with representatives from the local authorities. Dong himself feels happy joining in these activities with his parents because he can play with other children who also live with disabilities.

Dong finally on his feet

Magical Walks Nguyen Phuong Dong, a little boy living in Gio Linh district within the Quang Tri province, was diagnosed with hydrocephalus shortly after birth. At the age of 3, Dong was still unable to walk on his own. As much as his parents and elder brother cared for him, they could barely afford regular specialized treatment and care with their income from raising pigs, growing vegetables and monthly cash assistance from local authorities for needy families. It had never crossed their mind that one day Dong could stand firmly on his own feet without any support. Upon seeing their son, who looked different from other children with an unusually large head due to the excessive fluid in his brain, Dong’s parents felt helpless about their child’s situation.

After hearing about SRD’s project, “Supporting people with disabilities in Gio Linh district, Quang Tri province”, Dong’s parents decided to participate, merely hoping that they could learn some home treatment methods. The project’s activities exceed their expectations, offering three supportive mechanisms: 1) improving livelihoods for the families of people living with disabilities (PwD); 2), connecting those families with the community; and 3) providing

As a toddler, Dong particularly needed specialized treatment. The project has organized quarterly home visits and health check-ups for Dong performed by a physical therapist. Additionally, with the knowledge and skills gained from the project’s training activities, Dong’s parents and elder brother have spent considerable time helping him to learn how to walk every day. Finally, to the family’s utter amazement, Dong could make his first steps on his own tiny feet.

Witnessing this, his parents and brother burst into tears of happiness.

Thanks to this project, Dong’s parents have acquired more information about the rights of families with disabled children and have learned how to access the Government’s support programs for PwD. As a result, Dong received financial assistance to cover surgeries which have enhanced his health and mobility.

Following these surgeries, Dong has been able to stand and walk for longer by himself. Thanks to timely and appropriate support and treatments, the dream of his whole family has come true.

Dong’s parents now have become active members of the local PwD club, sharing their experience with other families in similar situations. The parents of the other disabled children in the club are encouraged by Dong’s amazing story of persistence and the potential for these kinds of real life miracles.

The project “Supporting people with disabilities in Gio Linh District, Quang Tri province” is funded by Caritas Australia and is implemented by SRD in collaboration with 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 and People’s Committee of Gio My, Gio Hai commune and Gio Linh town in these three communes from April, 2012 to March, 2015. The project’s objective is to support PwD to better integrate within the community and live a brighter and more independent life.

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Local people conserve indigenous medicinal plants and traditional herbal remedies People in the Bao Ai commune have limited access to healthcare services because they live in a remote area of Yen Binh district in Yen Bai province. Medicinal plants grown in home gardens and in the forest have been used for generations as treatments for diseases due to the remoteness of Bao Ai. There are two or three traditional healers in every village who collect indigenous plants for the production of herbal medicines based on their traditional remedies whose effectiveness in treating ailments such as snakebites, goitres, and others has been proven through time.

These medical plants not only help improve the health of the community but also increase the income of poor households by more than 10%.

Over the past few years, medicinal plants have become increasingly scarce due to overexploitation and the lack of farmer interest in growing these species. It is also worth noting that folk herbal remedies are often passed down by word of mouth, therefore scientific evidence or systematically written records are not available. Consequently, valuable traditional medicines are vanishing and medicinal plant species are at risk of extinction, which in turn will negatively affect the health and income of Bao Ai residents.

Based on experience from previous projects, in the first phase of the project “Improving livelihoods and health care for ethnic minority people via conservation and development of traditional remedies and herbal plants”, SRD invited local people and healers with in-depth experience in growing herbal plants and producing traditional medicine to join with specialists in field research on indigenous remedies and medicinal plants in two project site communes.

Following this research, farmers and local authorities held meetings to identify the medicinal plants with the highest potential for commercial production.

Ultimately, five plants were selected based on

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People harvesting medicinal plants in Yen Binh district

scarcity, yield, suitability to the financial and farming conditions of local households, and immediate and long-term market demand. The five plants selected included: Mach Mon, Dinh Lang, Cu Dom, La Khoi, and Hoang Tinh Hoa Trang.

Beyond this initial research, 12 farmer groups for herbal plant cultivation have been established in 12 villages. Members of these groups are the direct beneficiaries of the project, including 259 households, which consists of 50% poor households, most of whom belong to the Dao, Tay and Nung ethnic minority groups. These households, who have experience utilizing medicinal plants for disease treatment and an understanding of both medical and economic benefits of herbs, are expected to become the driving force in communicating the importance of traditional herbal remedies within Yen Binh district in general and Bao Ai commune in particular.

The project “Improving livelihoods and health care for ethnic minority people via conservation and development of traditional remedies and herbal plants” funded by Caritas Australia has been implemented by SRD in collaboration with the People’s Committee of Yen Binh district, Bao Ai and Cam An commune from August, 2013 to June, 2015.

The project‘s objectives are to promote sustainable forest management, support the development of medicinal plants, and enhance the income of local households through setting up a herbal plant value chain, sustaining and popularizing the use of traditional remedies through documentation and communication.

Applying SRI to promote a non-toxic living environment In Ban Ngu village, Cao Tri commune, Ba Be district, Bac Kan province, local farmers use excessive chemical fertilizers in agriculture, causing a rise in the amount of nitrogen in soil and in greenhouse gas emissions. Compounding the negative effects of excessive fertilizer use, the overuse of chemicals in cultivation also contributes to a rampant spread of crop pests and diseases such as the brownbacked plant hopper, white-backed plant hopper and rice leaf folder. Consequently, farmers become more dependent on pesticide to protect their crops, spraying 3 - 4 times over a cropping season.

The growing dependence of farmers on pesticides has negatively impacted the environment and the public health of the village. “In the past, we were always afraid of spraying pesticides; we felt tired and had a headache after spraying. We all know that crop spraying has harmful effects on our health. However, our fear that plant diseases will lead to crop failure makes us feel that we had no choice but to use pesticide”, said Ms. Lam Thi Bang, a farmer in Ban Ngu village.

The System of Rice Intensification (SRI) is composed of a suite of farming practices to improve rice productivity, including the integrated and balanced use of organic and chemical fertilizers as well as a reduction in pesticide use. On-farm applications of SRI has demonstrated that this system can help reduce water consumption by an average of 30% when compared with traditional farming

Ms. Lam Thi Bang summarizing observations of SRI crops

techniques due to periodic drainage of water from the fields, usually 2 - 3 times per season, decreasing soil acidity and methane emissions. Moreover, the increased use of organic fertilizers limits excessive nitrogen accumulation in the soil and reduces use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides which helps to reduce water pollution.

Most households adopting SRI have observed a strong growth capacity in their rice plants, high resistance to pests and diseases (especially the rice yellow stunt virus, rice leafhoppers and small rice leaf folder pests) which results in 1 - 2 times fewer sprays per season, cutting production costs by 30 - 50% in comparison with conventional cultivation practices. More importantly, the health of locals has improved and environmental degradation limited. Ms. Bang, who has been very active in communicating SRI techniques to other farmers, said: “Since applying SRI techniques, planting seedling sparsely with a fewer number of clumps per hill, our crops have been less affected by pests and diseases. We no longer spray pesticides whenever pests are found. We now know how to investigate crop diseases and only use pesticides in serious cases. We no longer have to suffer from the harmful health effects of pesticide exposure, while our yields are still increasing significantly.”

The project “Farmers piloting the System of Rice Intensification (SRI) towards climate change response in the northern region of Vietnam”, funded

by Cordaid in Phase 1 from 2011 to 2012 and Phase 2 from 2012 to 2013, was implemented by SRD in collaboration with the Department of Crop Production and Plant Protection of Bac Kan province in 3 districts, namely Ba Be, Na Ri and Cho Moi. The project sought to identify SRI techniques tailored to the specific needs of the localities and promote the adoption of SRI to secure people’s livelihoods in the context of climate change. With support from this project, SRI has been implemented in 46 communes (all 8 districts and towns of Bac Kan province). In the 2013 spring season, over 18,000 households applied the SRI method in 3,500 hectares of land under rice cultivation across the province.

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Growing short-duration rice varieties dispels concerns about early floods

Ms. Nguyen Thi Hieu sharing the benefits of growing NAR5 variety

Ms. Nguyen Thi Hieu and her family live in Van Cuu village, a low-lying, flood-prone community in Khanh Loc commune, Can Loc district, Ha Tinh province. They rely on rice farming and small-scale husbandry for their livelihoods. In recent years, due to unexpected weather changes, the family has been struggling to maintain rice productivity. During the spring crop season, freezing temperatures puts newlytransplanted seedlings at risk, while high temperatures during the flowering stage reduces yields. In the summer season, crop failures are likely to occur due to storms and floods occurring during harvest time in late September. Hieu planted Khang Dan 18 rice variety which has a growing period of 105 - 110 days; therefore, she was worried that her family would not be able to harvest crops before the floods arrived.

In the summer of 2013, SRD invited professional staff from the Agricultural Science Institute of Northern Central Vietnam Institute to conduct surveys and build an experimental model of rice production with rice variety NAR5, a variety with a relatively short growing period requirement, in three project communes, including Khanh Loc. Hieu enrolled herself in the piloting of this variety.

The period of cultivating and transplanting the seedlings was a difficult time for the farmers planting the NAR5 variety, as weather conditions presented challenges to cultivation. Hieu recollected, “Only three days after sowing seeds, a continuous heavy rain washed out our seedlings and flooded the

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nurseries. Then came a prolonged period of hot weather, and numerous seedlings were killed. Some households even had to grow young rice plants from the rice seeds that were supposed to be used for cooking. Fortunately, when we later directed water into the seedbeds, the seedlings recovered quickly and we could plant them after only 13 days. During the following five days, we witnessed the strong growth of the young rice plants. However, just as the roots began to grow, a storm hit our village, flooding our paddy fields. By the time the floodwater came down, the rice plants were already badly softened.

After visiting our fields, we all said that our efforts to conduct NAR5 variety trial had ended in failure.

Surprisingly, a few days afterwards, the rice plants developed and they all turned green again.”

The NAR5 variety produced a yield of 50 - 60 quintal/ ha for the 2013 summer - autumn crop season, which is 28 - 30% higher than that of the conventionally cultivated Khang Dan variety. In addition, NAR5 has a shorter growth period ranging from 92 to 96 days.

The NAR5 variety rice not only tastes good but also has soft grains. Furthermore, the Agricultural Science Institute of Northern Central Vietnam Institute purchased the NAR5 rice from farmers who carried out the on-farm trial of NAR5 at a price of 7,800 VND/ kg, which is 1,800 VND higher than the market price of the Khang Dan variety.

The project “Taking a value chain approach to improving rural livelihoods in the context of natural disasters and climate change in Can Loc district, Ha Tinh province” with funding from Manos Unidas was implemented by SRD in collaboration with the People’s Committee and Department of Agriculture and Rural Development of Can Loc district, Ha Tinh province in 3 communes, namely Khanh Loc, Vinh Loc and Loc Vuong from January, 2012 to December, 2014. The objective of the project is to enhance the livelihoods of poor farmers sustainably in response to climate change and natural disasters. Project officers and agricultural experts have cooperated to identify agricultural products with high economic potential and promote the adoption of climateadapted agriculture models in the Ha Tinh. Through taking part in project activities, community members have had the opportunity to attend a wide range of trainings on such themes as: husbandry techniques, sustainable livelihood development, market development, disaster risk reduction and climate change adaptation, and flood prevention plans.

Farmers go into large-scale rice seed production to secure seed supplies Ms. Hoang Thi Khuyen’s family, living in Luong Son district, Hoa Binh province, previously had to buy hybrid rice seeds from seed companies. In recent years, unexpected weather changes have increased the demand for new rice varieties that are better adapted to the changing weather conditions in the area. Seed companies, however, often fail to meet the demands of the local market; rice seeds are sometimes out of stock because other nearby localities have also suffered from similar unexpected weather conditions.

After attending a Farmer Field School (FFS) organized

by SRD in collaboration with the Plant Protection Bureau of Luong Son district, Ms. Khuyen discovered that local farmers like her are capable of crossbreeding rice varieties on their own. “After being introduced to line selection and hybridization techniques, the farmers participating in FFS can develop a new variety if they are determined to learn and put what they have learned into practice.

Consequently, we no longer have to rely on seed companies”, she said cheerfully. Moreover, she and other students in the FFS had opportunities to carry out their own assessments of the quality of different rice varieties, and then choose the ones that were best suited the local climate, soil and their needs.

Ms. Khuyen commented on the success of the FFS in meeting farmer’s needs “In the spring-summer cropping season this year, the households cultivating the GS9 hybrid long-duration rice variety which was purchased from seed companies suffered crop failure due to heavy rains. The MD1 rice variety crop cultivated by the FFS farmers still grew strongly. MD1 is a pure short-duration rice variety that produces high-quality grains and is suitable to plant in both the summer and winter cropping season.”

Ms. Khuyen with other farmer students have planned to pursue large-scale production of purerice seeds with hopes of becoming self-sufficient in seed production. Sharing the plan of the group, she said: “Before, we had never heard of rice variety development. Since participating in FFS, we have started to think of producing seeds on our own and with other people in the village. In order to scale up rice seed production, we need a larger area for cultivation. Therefore, we are going to invite some farmers whose fields are adjacent to join our group.

We are glad to see local authorities show interest in farmers’ seed production since representatives of the

communal People’s Committee have attended our class and discussed the rice variety development program with us. Even if the project ends and no more classes are organized, we will continue the largescale production of indigenous seeds, in order to rehabilitate local varieties, and establish cooperatives to provide seeds for local farmers.”

The project “Putting lessons into practice: Scaling up people’s biodiversity management for food security”, with funding from SEARICE, has been implemented

by SRD in collaboration with the Plant Protection Department and Field Crops Research Institute in the provinces of Hoa Binh, Yen Bai, Son La, and Thanh Hoa from July, 2013 to May, 2014. The purpose of the project is to enhance the technical skills of smallhold farmers, especially ethnic minorities, and to promote their involvement in policy dialogues at a national and international level.

Ms. Hoang Thi Khuyen happily sharing the plan of her group

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Coming together to access a stable market for farm products the other hand, the long-standing relationship with customers of Ecomart could provide the group with a stable market for their chickens. This arrangement could help ensure stable revenue and mitigate the risk of adverse price conditions. After weighing the pros and cons of entering into an agreement with Hiep Thanh Ltd, Ms. Huong persuaded the other group members to sign the contract, “How will we know if we don’t try? This is an opportunity for us to have more secure profits. If anyone still wavers between signing the contract with Hiep Thanh Ltd and selling their products to individual dealers, I will go first. If cooperating with the distributor proves to be effective, then they can follow my lead.” Her determination successfully persuaded 4-5 other members to send their products to Ecomart in order to test market responses.

Ms. Le Thi Huong tending to her chickens

Le Thi Huong, a 45-year-old farmer, living in Tan Binh village, Vo Mieu commune, Phu Tho province, is the head of a 20 household farmer interest group, focused on raising chickens in her village. She is well liked by members of the groups because of her dedication and entrepreneurial spirit.

Ms. Huong and other members of the group have always dreamed of a stable market for their chickens so that they would not be forced to sell their products at a low price to individual traders. In mid-2013, SRD introduced Ms. Huong’s group to a distributor named Hiep Thanh Ltd., the owner of Ecomart, a chain of organic food stores in Hanoi. At first, Ms. Huong and other group members deliberated over the agreement with Hiep Thanh Ltd. for the sale of their chickens, because they would no longer be able to sell chickens to free market traders at a high price during festive seasons like the Lunar New Year. On

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The chickens raised by the group have reported good sales in Hanoi market with an increasing number of orders, and the farmers have received good feedback from Ecomart’s customers. Therefore, Ecomart wants to promote its cooperation with the group and have SRD ensure a larger delivery of chickens with the desired quality. With the support of SRD, Huong and other members of the group held a meeting to generate mechanisms for management, monitoring, slaughtering processes and quality control to meet the requirements of the distributor. They have also developed a plan to establish a cooperative of chicken producers for product aggregation and marketing.

The project “Vietnamese non–governmental organizations (VNGO) towards ethnic minority communities’ livelihoods in northern mountainous areas”, with funding from Manos Unidas, is a joint project implemented by three VNGOs, namely the Centre for Sustainable Rural Development (SRD), the Centre for Sustainable Development in Mountainous Areas (CSDM), and the Centre for Research and Development in Upland Areas (CERDA) from July, 2011 to June, 2014 in the provinces of Phu Tho, Thai Nguyen, and Hoa Binh. The project seeks to support ethnic minority communities in the three provinces and develop their livelihoods sustainably, while promoting effective participation in local governance.

“Soft power” in disaster risk management Women are one of the most vulnerable groups to natural disasters. In spite of this, over 60 women participating in rapid response teams of Hai Duong and Huong Phong Communes in Thua Thien Hue province came together and presented their perspective: Women can play a leading role in communication activities, emergencies and postdisaster recovery.

Women often take on the responsibility of preparing for storms, securing possessions and evacuating family members. They are also in charge of taking care of sick or injured community members. Based on their central role, women have an in-depth understanding of the difficulties related to the physical, psychological, and social dynamics impacting vulnerable groups when faced with natural disasters. It is worth noting that some of these obstacles are not easy to identify, and consequently, it is challenging to implement strategies for coping with these issues. Women’s involvement in disaster risk management, therefore, is critical to securing the safety of the community during natural disasters.

strike”, commented Ms. Thu Suong, a member of An Lai village’s rapid response team, in a competition between rapid response teams organized by SRD in cooperation with the People’s Committee of Huong Tra town on November 30, 2013.

The project “Community-based disaster risk mitigation and climate change adaptation in Huong Tra town, Thua Thien Hue province”, funded by Caritas Australia, has been implemented in the Huong Phong and Hai Duong communes by SRD in cooperation with the People’s Committee and the Steering Committee for Flood and Storm Control of Huong Tra town, the People’s Committee of Huong Phong and Hai Duong commune in Thua Thien Hue province from March, 2011 to April, 2016. The objective of this project is to strengthen the capacity of local authorities and people to reduce disaster risk reduction and support climate change adaptation through communitybased disaster risk management activities.

Apart from providing direct support to the community before, during, and after a natural disaster, female members of the disaster response teams actively participate in communication activities and succeed in drawing people’s attention and conveying their targeted messages relating to natural hazard readiness. Through numerous creative activities such as skits and role-playing, their events encouraged a large audience to consider the needs of vulnerable groups during natural hazards.

In order to promote the active role of female rapid responders in disaster situations, SRD organized trainings to equip them with the necessary skills and knowledge on how best to deal with emergencies, injuries and accidents. They also actively took part in competitions among village rapid response teams and impressed the audience with their engaging energy, ingenuity, and skilfulness when delivering simulated first aid treatments and rescue operations. “I would like to say thank you to SRD, the project officers and the commune-level People’s Committee for giving us the chance to get to know each other and share our experiences. Events like this allow us to enhance our skills and perform better when disasters actually

Rapid response team members modeling their dresses made of recyclable material

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A small-scale timber processing in Thai Nguyen province

Protecting the livelihoods of forest-dependent communities In 2013, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD) continued the negotiation of a Voluntary Partnership Agreement (VPA) on Forest Law Enforcement, Governance and Trade (FLEGT) with the European Union (EU) in Vietnam, placing emphasis on key elements of the VPA/FLEGT negotiation including the timber legality definition (LD) and timber legality assurance system (TLAS). The draft No.6 on the definition of legal timber and timber products (LD 6.3) and the draft No.3 on TLAS (TLAS 3) were compiled

by MARD. In response to the call for comments on LD 6.3 and TLAS 3 from the Vietnam Administration of Forestry (VNFOREST), SRD, as the chair of VNGO FLEGT network, gathered input from its members and submitted a summary of comments to VNFOREST in October 2013.

Before providing input on LD 6.3 and TLAS 3, SRD collaborated with other member organizations from the VNGO - FLEGT network in conducting a nationwide survey to collect the opinions of people living near forests on issues related to timber legality, bringing the voice of these forest-dependent communities to Vietnamese government agencies and the EU in the VPA negotiation process. The joint commentary brought the attention of the network to the “Criteria [which are part of LD 6.3] for monitoring compliance with legislation related to land use rights, forest utilization and management, and environment in timber exploitation”, which are crucial for protecting the rights of forest dependent people and the environment. In order to ensure that timber is harvested in accordance with regulations and that the rights of indigenous peoples are preserved, the findings of the survey proposed the development of monitoring indicators in order to secure the

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participation of local people in forest governance.

Additionally, the VNGO - FLEGT network puts a strong emphasis on information disclosure and transparency, and recommends that a transparency indicator should be used to guarantee that the content and related information from the two above mentioned drafts, LD 6.3 and TLAS 3, were widely disseminated in local communities.

Besides giving comments on legal documents relating to the VPA negotiation, the VNGO - FLEGT network has organized a Livelihood Impact Assessment (LIA) to evaluate the potential impacts of the VPA on the livelihoods of vulnerable groups. This assessment analyses the causes and consequences of the VPA implementation and helps formulate plans for how to best mitigate risks and adapt to the negative impacts of this agreement. Thanks to VNGO-FLEGT’s nationwide network members, the LIA workshops created a platform for member organizations to present the perspective of forestdependent communities to representatives from related governmental agencies and the EU. The project “Implementing FLEGT: Promoting Good Governance in the Forest Sector” has been implemented by SRD in coordination with FERN, Forest Trend from January, 2012 to December, 2014 with funding from the Department for International Development UK (DFID). The objective of the project is to enhance the role and voice of Vietnamese CSOs to participate effectively in the negotiation process as well as implementation of VPA/FLEGT, thereby contributing to improve forest governance and protect the rights of forest-dependent people.

Improving organizational capacity to be ready for new opportunities In 2013, with the support from the Vietnam Forest and Delta (VFD) program funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), SRD focused on strengthening its organizational capacity.

SRD is the only VNGO in the VFD project consortium.

Thanks to this distinction, SRD was selected to receive technical assistance from Organizational Capacity Building Program supported by USAID to implement an organizational assessment and conduct capacity development activities. This program was designed to enhance the capacity of local organizations to receive direct funding from USAID in the future. Through participating in a long-term program with a large budget and the involvement of numerous partners, SRD has focused on capitalizing its strengths and investing in pushing forward SRD’s capacity in order to fulfil its roles in the project. SRD staff participated in a workshop facilitated by capacity building specialists from Winrock International, thoroughly evaluating the organization’s status in seven areas: governance, organizational management, program and project performance management, administration, human resource management and financial management.

“It is a great opportunity for SRD staff to set aside their daily tasks, and really focus on examining how effectively the whole organization is working”, said Ms. Vu Thi Bich Hop, SRD’s Director, who greatly values the significance of the organizational capacity assessment workshop. As an important outcome from the workshop, a comprehensive plan was developed with a detailed roadmap from 2013 - 2017 for strengthening organizational capacity.

SRD’s Organizational Capacity Assessment workshop

Based on SRD’s experience in conducting communitybased projects and networking, SRD and the VFD project team have openly discussed how to clarify the role and tasks of SRD in the program, which are as follows: (1) promoting and ensuring community participation in the project’s activities, (2) conducting networking and community-based activities, (3) increasing people’s awareness of effective models and promoting the adoption of these models, (4) developing leadership and technical skills. In 2013, following the initial surveys, SRD participated in establishing a database of information relating to climate change adaptation and responses in Nam Dinh, Thanh Hoa and Nghe An provinces, assisting these provinces in designing their implementation plan for the first year of the VFD program.

As a highly reputable VNGO, SRD has received a variety of financial sponsorships. Recognizing the significance of this responsibility, SRD has committed to the comprehensive development of its organizational capacity in order to effectively deliver its project activities, and build partners’ trust with hope of forging long-term cooperative relationships.

The “Vietnam Forests and Deltas” program, coordinated by MARD with funding from USAID, is implemented by Winrock International and its implementing partners, including the Netherlands Development Organization (SNV), American Red Cross, Vietnam Red Cross, and SRD, in conjunction with governmental agencies in the provinces of Nam Dinh, Thanh Hoa, Nghe An and Long An from June, 2013 to October, 2017. The program aims to support Vietnam during its transition towards climate-resilience, low emission and sustainable development.

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ORGANIZATIONAL DEVELOPMENT IN 2013

Solidifying SRD’s Standing In 2013, SRD continued to assert its position as an organization on the path to becoming one of the leading non-governmental organizations in Vietnam.

Communication was promoted in all internal and external channels, these include the website, social media, annual report and other periodical publications which have been consolidated and updated by SRD so that other organizations, individuals and donors can conveniently access comprehensive information about the Centre. SRD’s initiatives have been professionally documented, published and shared widely through workshops, exhibitions and meetings with the hope of providing advanced models to promote professionalism within civil society organizations in Vietnam.

All of SRD’s leaders and staff identify as individual ambassadors of the Centre, striving to strengthen and carry SRD’s values and vision to communities, local governments, and forums at both the national and international levels. SRD’s representatives have provided comments and perspectives on national media such as VTV and VOV, in many important national and international conferences, and in seminars with experts on development issues. Being aware of their role and responsibilities, SRD’s staff members always strive to learn and develop technical and soft skills to become more capable spokespeople for the organization.

Beyond consistently investing to improve staff capacity, in 2013, SRD spent a considerable amount of time assessing organizational strengths and opportunities for improvement, devising a plan to

develop the capacity of the organization. The spirit of hard work and a commitment to professionalism within the Centre helps ensure that SRD meets the standards of donors such as USAID and DFAT, and has garnered the high praise of capacity-building experts.

By deploying effective programs, SRD has expanded and initiated relationships with new donors such as EC and DFAT. The number of projects approved in 2013 exceeded previously set targets.

Along with a team of professional staff, the success of SRD is also due to the contribution of its Advisory Board, which consists of experienced professionals in a variety of fields. Board members do not only provide suggestions for SRD’s programs, but also regularly participate in the organization-wide activities. Beyond this, SRD also acknowledges the support and dedication of international volunteers from Australian Youth Ambassadors for Development (AYAD), the Australian Volunteers for International Development (VIDA), Volunteer for Peace Vietnam (VPV), the Luce Foundation, and World University Service of Canada (WUSC). SRD desires to maintain and develop its multicultural working environment so that its staff and volunteers can learn from one other, in order to enhance the capacity of SRD to work in an international environment.

In 2014, SRD will implement measures to improve its capacity, based on a capacity assessment carried out in 2013. While building organizational capacity, SRD will continue to build on its experiences and proven strengths to implement programs effectively and attain the established strategic objectives.

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Donors Donor Country Manos Unidas

Spain

Caritas Australia

Australia

Cordaid Netherlands Care International

Denmark

European Committee (EC)

Europe

Reality of Aid network

Global Network

The Department for International Development (DFID)

United Kingdom

South East Asia Regional Initiatives for Community Empowerment (SEARICE)

Philippines

The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT)

Australia

Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO)

United Nations

The United States Agency for International Development (USAID)

USA

The Forests and the European Union Resource Network (FERN)

Belgium

Forest Trend

USA

Winrock International

USA

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Local Partners Local Partners Plant Protection Department, MARD Food Crop Research Institute VNGO & CC network and member organizations VNGO - FELGT network and member organizations Bac Kan Plant Protection Sub - Department People’s Committee of Tuan Giao district People’s Committee of Can Loc district Department of Agriculture and Rural Development of Can Loc district Centre for Applying Science and Technology into Plant and Animal Protection, Can Loc District People’s Committee of Khanh Loc commune, Can Loc district People’s Committee of Vinh Loc commune, Can Loc district People’s Committee of Vuong Loc commune, Can Loc district Hoa Binh Plant Protection Sub - Department People’s Committee of Na Meo commune, Mai Chau district People’s Committee of Tan Son commune, Mai Chau district Phu Tho Union of Science and Technology Associations People’s Committee of Tam Thanh commune, Tan Son district People’s Committee of Vo Mieu commune, Thanh Son district Department of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs of Quang Tri province People’s Committee of Gio Linh district Bureau of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs of Gio Linh district People’s Committee of Gio Hai commune, Gio Linh district People’s Committee of Gio My commune, Gio Linh district People’s Committee of Gio My town, Gio Linh district Son La Plant Protection Sub - Department People’s Committee of Duc Cuong commune, Dai Tu district People’s Committee of Phu Cuong commune, Dai Tu district Thanh Hoa Plant Protection Sub - Department People’s Committee of Huong Tra town The Committee for Storm and Flood Control of Huong Tra district Economic Department of Huong Tra town People’s Committee of Hai Duong commune, Huong Tra town People’s Committee of Huong Phong commune, Huong Tra town Yen Bai Union of Science and Technology Associations Yen Bai Traditional Medicine Association Yen Bai Plant Protection Sub - Department People’s Committee of Yen Binh district People’s Committee of Van Chan district People’s Committee of Cam An commune, Yen Binh district People’s Committee of Bao Ai commune, Yen Binh district Communal Traditional Medicine Association of Cam An commune

Province/City Ha Noi Hai Duong Nationwide Nationwide Bac Kan Dien Bien Ha Tinh Ha Tinh Ha Tinh Ha Tinh Ha Tinh Ha Tinh Hoa Binh Hoa Binh Hoa Binh Phu Tho Phu Tho Phu Tho Quang Tri Quang Tri Quang Tri Quang Tri Quang Tri Quang Tri Son La Thai Nguyen Thai Nguyen Thanh Hoa Thua Thien Hue Thua Thien Hue Thua Thien Hue Thua Thien Hue Thua Thien Hue Yen Bai Yen Bai Yen Bai Yen Bai Yen Bai Yen Bai Yen Bai Yen Bai

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34 | ANNUAL REPORT 2013

CENTRAL VIETNAM PROGRAM MANAGER

PROGRAM OFFICERS

VOLUNTEERS INTERNS

PROGRAM OFFICERS

VOLUNTEERS INTERNS

VOLUNTEERS INTERNS

PROGRAM OFFICERS

COMMUNICATION RESEARCH & ADVOCACY MANAGER

DEPUTY DIRECTOR

CLIMATE CHANGE MANAGER

ADVISORY BOARD

Organisational chart

VOLUNTEERS INTERNS

PROGRAM OFFICERS

SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE MANAGER

DEPUTY DIRECTOR

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

VUSTA

VOLUNTEERS INTERNS

PROGRAM SUPPORT OFFICERS

PROGRAM SUPPORT MANAGER

DRIVER, COOK, GUARD

VOLUNTEERS INTERNS

ACCOUNTANT, HR & ADMIN OFFICERS

DEPUTY DIRECTOR/ CHIEF ACCOUNTANT

CENTRE COMMITEE

FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

ANNUAL REPORT 2013 |

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9.1. 2013 Overview In Strategic Plan III, SRD anticipates fundraising between 1.2 to 1.4 million USD in order to effectively implement the plan. In 2013, SRD managed and implemented 12 major projects and 3 small projects with a total budget of over $1.2 million USD. With professional processes that ensure accountability and documentation from previous projects, SRD has become a trusted partner of many international donors and partners such as USAID, DFAT, EC, Caritas Australia, Cordaid, Manos Unidas, SEARICE and CARE International.

SRD believes that rational and effective operation management, together with a commitment of support from long-term partners are the key factors that will help SRD grow sustainably and ensure its success in implementing Strategic Plan III.

9.2. Income and expenditure

Fiscal year ended on Dec 31st, 2013

ITEMS

Unit: USD

2013

2012

965,026

1,085,750

I. INCOME

Donors funding during the year

Interest income

23,085

23,445

Exchange loss

10,772

(12,555)

Sundry income

117

161

Administration cost from projects

83,588

55,403

Total Income

1,082,588

1,152,205

II. FIELD EXPENDITURE

Programme Expenditure

1,084,129

993,902

Indirect Overhead Costs

79,198

71,713

Total expenditure

1,163,327

1,065,615

(80,739)

86,590

III. SURPLUS (DEFICIT) FOR THE YEAR

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9.3. Balance sheet

As at 31 December 2013

Unit: USD

31/12/2013

31/12/2012

847,689

932,681

1. Cash on hand

5,225

8,539

Vietnam dong

1,077

395

Foreign currency

4,148

8,144

842,464

924,141

Vietnam dong

429,068

517,810

Foreign currency

413,397

406,331

4,498

3,496

3,998

1,970

500

1,527

VI. Fixed assets

44,204

52,835

39,122

45,990

63,407

71,581

(24,285)

(25,591)

5,082

6,844

8,471

8,555

(3,388)

(1,711)

896,391

989,011

ITEMS ASSETS I. Cash

2. Cash in bank

II. Short-term investments III. Receivables

1. Receivables from donor

2. Other receivables

IV. Inventories

1. Tools, Equipment

V. Other current assets

1. Short-term prepaid expenses

2. Advance

1. Tangible fixed assets

- Original cost

- Accumulated depreciation (*)

2. Intangible fixed assets

- Original cost

- Accumulated depreciation (*)

VII. Long-term investments TOTAL ASSETS

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ITEMS

31/12/2013

31/12/2012

107,082

126,263

LIABILITIES I.

Short term borrowings

1. Sundry payable

10,844

16,657

2. Payable to employees

86,643

95,771

3. Other payable to employees

4. Other payable taxes

(3,978)

(13)

5. Other payable

13,574

13,848

789,309

862,748

249,264

185,922

53,017

43,172

442,824

580,820

44,204

52,835

896,391

989,011

II. Budget sources

1. Advanced budget

2. Realization of exchange rate

3. Reserves fund

4. Administrative funds

5. Projects funds

6. Resources of fixed asset

TOTAL LIABILITIES

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CENTRE FOR SUSTAINABLE RURAL DEVELOPMENT ADDRESS No.56, Lane 19/9, Kim Dong Street, Hoang Mai District, Ha Noi PHONE +84 4 3943 6676/78 FAX +84 4 3943 6449 EMAIL info@srd.org.vn WEBSITE www.srd.org.vn 40 | ANNUAL REPORT 2013

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