Hochiminh City – December 9th 2020, The Regional BioTrade Project in South East Asia implemented by Helvetas Vietnam and the Center for Rural Economy Development (CRED) will participate in the Vietnam Food Forum 2020 – a concurrent event under Vietnam FoodExpo. The Project expects to contribute to discussions on solutions to improve value chains and develop the market for the Vietnam food industry, particularly through introducing the trend of sustainable sourcing and trade of natural ingredient products, also known as BioTrade. As a panelist at the Forum, Mr. Andrew Wilson – Regional Manager of the Project will discuss the rising demand for ethically sourced and sustainable products, especially in the time of high market volatility when product innovation and value enrichment are essential. Mr. Ta Minh Son – Representative of the Union for Ethical BioTrade (UEBT) in South East Asia will present the growing demand for sustainable sourcing certification for products derived from natural ingredients, and offer an introduction about the UEBT Standard as well as an update on the joint UEBT and Rainforest Alliance Herbs & Spices program. BioTrade products by Vietnamese companies, who are following and promoting BioTrade, will also be featured at the event. Today, there is a growing demand for natural food and health products. At the same time, consumers have become increasingly aware of biodiversity conservation, especially in high-end markets. In the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, recent market research has shown that products with traceability and reliable quality with embedded sustainable economic, social, and environmental value are favored and maintain great growth potential. From the corporate perspective, BioTrade can thus be a strategy to differentiate and enhance their competitiveness to penetrate demanding markets. BioTrade also promotes economic – social – environmental sustainability, thereby contributing to the realization of development goals across different dimensions. The Regional BioTrade Project in South East Asia funded by the Swiss State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO) is motivated by the BioTrade Initiative started by the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD). The Project was initially piloted in Vietnam since 2012. After 8 years of implementation, the pilot project has been scaled up to the regional level, covering Vietnam, Laos, Myanmar, and Cambodia. Phase 1 of the Regional Project was implemented during 2016 to August 2020; the key highlights include 10 companies successfully developing 12 natural ingredient value chains following the BioTrade principles and exporting their products to high-end markets. The first phase of the Project also reached more than 10,000 beneficiaries along BioTrade value chains, mostly in the rural areas. Phase 2 of the Regional Project began in September 2020 and is expected to last 4 years. The overall goal of the Project is conservation of biodiversity through sustainable trade of biodiversity products in a manner that integrates local exporters / producers into global value chains and increases income for the rural population of women and men that depend on biodiversity resources for their livelihoods in the Mekong region. ABOUT HELVETAS Helvetas is a non-governmental organization, founded in Switzerland in 1955, and supported by more than 100,000 members and sponsors as well as 12 regional volunteer groups. Helvetas has been operating in Vietnam since 1994 in the sectors of agriculture, forestry, governance and peace, water and sanitation, and rural development. Today, Helvetas Vietnam’s programs focus on Sustainable and Inclusive Economies, specific interfaces with Climate Change and Vocational Skills Development are considered and further deepened. Website: https://www.helvetas.org/en/vietnam ABOUT CRED Center for Rural Economy Development (CRED) is a Vietnam-based Non-Profit Organization, working to ensure greater inclusion of the poor and marginalized groups to take lead in the development of their livelihoods. Founded in 2014, CRED inherited 20 years of work experience in Development and Trade Cooperation from HELVETAS in Vietnam with diversified activities of project management, consultancy services in the fields of Value chain development for Inclusive growth; Climate-smart Agriculture; Water, Environment and Livelihood improvements. Website: http://cred.org.vn/ ABOUT UEBT The Union for Ethical BioTrade (UEBT) is a Non-Profit Organization founded in Geneva, Switzerland that promotes sustainable sourcing of natural ingredients following the BioTrade principles. UEBT now has 63 members globally with more than 300 natural ingredient supply chains in 65 countries verified against the UEBT Standard. Since 2019, the Center for Rural Economy Development (CRED) has become the official regional representative of UEBT in South East Asia. Website: https://www.ethicalbiotrade.org/
Coming November 2020, the prestigious ASIA AGRI-TECH CHALLENGE will be launched. The challenge is an initiative of the United Nations International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) and the Value Chain Capacity Building Network (VCB-N). This is the first challenge of this kind organized by IFAD/VCB-N and this years’ challenge will evolve around ICT applications in support of agricultural value chain operations. The CHALLENGE distinguishes 3 categories for competition and will award in total 3 contestants per category dividing 30,000 USD of price money. Covid 19 has disrupted lives and living. The world as we knew it may not exist anymore. The stress put onto agricultural markets and food systems revealed cracks in the way they operate. Economic misery and even food shortage became real in record times. Yet, the crises can also be a reflection and turning point. Some developments like the use of IT to support agricultural value chains and market systems were accelerated by the crises and are opening up new opportunities. Can ICT solutions contribute to enhanced resilience of agricultural value chains & markets in a post-Covid 19 era? The CHALLENGE calls upon private sector companies, academia and development organisations and projects to come up with concrete and practical examples on how ICT solutions can support the development of resilient post-Covid 19 agricultural value chains/market systems that are more resilient, fair and inclusive. For more information the website of the Asia Agri-Tech Challenge can be consulted at: https://www.vcbnchallenge2020.com/
Lao Cai city - On July 17th, 2020, Helvetas Vietnam and TRAFFIC co-organize a Policy Dialogue Workshop on “Sustainable Sourcing of Benzoin Gum in the Northern Mountainous Region”. This is an activity within the framework of the Regional BioTrade Project in South East Asia funded by the Swiss State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO) to promote ethical sourcing and sustainable trade of natural ingredients combined with biodiversity conservation in Vietnam. Attending the Conference are representatives from related governmental agencies, law enforcement and monitoring agencies, researchers, enterprises and local people in Benzoin Gum supply chain in Lao Cai, Yen Bai, Son La provinces, Helvetas Vietnam and TRAFFIC. The sourcing of Benzoin Gum (resin of Styrax tonkinensis tree), a non-timber forest product, has gained more attention from businesses, forest farmers and forestry management agencies at different levels as this native ingredient can create significant economic value for mountainous local communities and contribute to forest protection. However, the guidelines and policies related to forest protection and development, timber and non-timber forest products (including Benzoin Gum) have not been widely disseminated and are quite difficult to apply. The policy dialogue workshop held in Lao Cai is expected to create an important premise for the northern mountainous provinces to improve the efficiency of management, supervision of Benzoin Gum sourcing and trading from provincial to grassroots levels, contributing to biodiversity protection and enhancing the livelihoods of local people. The workshop also creates a good opportunity for stakeholders to share information and lessons learned, enabling better cooperation in developing this valuable product as well as other potential timber and non-timber products in these areas. For more details, please contact: Nguyen Thanh Tung (Mr.) - Tel: 024 3843 1750 - Email: Tung.Nguyen@helvetas.org ABOUT HELVETAS Helvetas is a non-governmental organization, founded in Switzerland in 1955, and supported by more than 100,000 members and sponsors as well as 12 regional volunteer groups. Helvetas has been operating in Vietnam since 1994 in the sectors of agriculture, forestry, governance and peace, water and sanitation, and rural development. Today, Helvetas Vietnam’s programs focus on Sustainable and Inclusive Economies, specific interfaces with Climate Change and Vocational Skills Development are considered and further deepened. Website: http://www.helvetas.org/vietnam | Fanpage: https://www.facebook.com/helvetas.vietnam/ ABOUT BIOTRADE https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xCt0JJy11_w ABOUT TRAFFIC Wildlife trade is one of the world's most pressing conservation challenges, affecting hundreds of millions of people and thousands of wildlife species. TRAFFIC is a leading non-governmental organisation working globally on trade monitoring of wild animals and plants in the context of both biodiversity conservation and sustainable development. Website: www.traffic.org | Fanpage: www.facebook.com/trafficsea.gmp
Hanoi - On July 3rd, 2020, Helvetas and LANDA/CCRD co-organize the Launching Workshop of the project “Secure Land Rights for All - Giving Ethnic Minorities a Voice”. The project is funded by the European Union (EU) and co-implemented by Helvetas and LANDA/CCRD in 3 years from June 1st, 2020 to May 31st, 2023. The overall objective of the project is to contribute to the effective promotion and protection of land and forest resource rights of ethnic minorities in northern provinces of Vietnam including Cao Bang, Son La, and Nghe An. Given the project support, LANDA member organizations and Commune Mediation Committees (CMCs) will be resourced to support marginalized communities to claim their land and forest resource rights and to pro-actively participate in land governance processes, contributing to poverty reduction in Vietnam. Attending in the workshop are representatives of related agencies and organizations including Ethnic Council of the National Assembly, Committee for Ethnic Minority Affairs, Fatherland Front, Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, EU Delegation to Vietnam, authorities, and people of Cao Bang, Son La and Nghe An provinces, Vietnam Lawyers' Association, LANDA member organizations, international and national organizations, reputable experts and the press. The workshop aims to provide key stakeholders with an overview of the project's objectives, activities, implementation methods, and expected results, through which related parties will agree on the responsibilities, and implementing and coordinating mechanisms. The workshop is also an opportunity for the stakeholders to discuss the practice of land and forest resources rights of ethnic minorities and the role of CMCs in resolving any disputes at grassroots level, especially issues concerning the management and use of land and forest resources. For further details, please contact: Mr. Phan Van Ngoc - Director of CCRD Email: phanngoc.ccrd@gmail.com Mr. Dam Trong Tuan - Project Manager Email: tuan.dam@helvetas.org More information ABOUT LANDA & CCRD Land Alliance (LANDA) was established in 2013 to connect Vietnamese non-governmental organizations (NGOs), State agencies, press agencies, universities, research institutions, and private sector. LANDA consists of 19 volunteering NGOs and politico-social organizations. The alliance aims at improving Vietnamese citizens’ participation in effective land resource management and use, and at minimizing adverse impacts of land use activities on the environment and society. The Center for Rural Communities Research and Development (CCRD), LANDA coordinating member, is a non-governmental, non-profit organization operating in Vietnam since 1997, gathering natural and social scientists to work as volunteers for the benefit of community. CCRD has built a high reputation in Vietnam and in the world for researching and implementing various solutions for sustainable rural development and improving the quality and living environment for the poor. ABOUT HELVETAS Helvetas is a non-governmental organization, founded in Switzerland in 1955, and supported by more than 100,000 members and sponsors as well as 12 regional volunteer groups. Helvetas has been operating in Vietnam since 1994 in the sectors of agriculture, forestry, governance and peace, water and sanitation, and rural development. Today, Helvetas Vietnam’s programs focus on Sustainable and Inclusive Economies, specific interfaces with Climate Change, and Vocational Skills Development are considered and further deepened.
On June 25, 2020, a new model of cooperation and benefit sharing between farmers, localities, and entrepreneurs in organic farming has been officially launched. The MOU signing ceremony took place at the People's Committee of Ha Quang district, Cao Bang province, within the Workshop "Building sustainable cooperation mechanisms between businesses and localities in developing and managing local organic farming models”. This is part of the Regional BioTrade project's activities sponsored by the Swiss State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO) and implemented by Helvetas Vietnam to support the development of production areas in compliance with international sustainable standards, ensuring equitable benefit sharing for all actors. Organic production is a rising trend in Vietnam because of its high economic value and long-term benefits to the environment and human health. Recognizing the potential of the organic agricultural market, many businesses and household producers in Vietnam have participated in organic value chains but have yet to gain fruitful results due to many obstacles. In many areas of Vietnam, farmers still have limited awareness, knowledge and skills of organic farming. The companies that buy from farmer have limited resources to monitor the production process. They have also recognized that short training courses on organic farming for farmers without follow-up support and monitor are costly and ineffective. The triple helix cooperation model that promotes a stronger role of local authorities has been implemented to address the above-mentioned issues, fostering equitable benefit sharing for all parties. The District Agricultural Service Center, whose staff staff will be trained by senior experts on organic farming, is to represent the local government and acts as the Coordinator. The advantage of proximity and cultural similarity is expected to help local officials better train and monitor farmers’ organic practices. By linking farmers and companies, the triple helix cooperation model helps generate more income for the farmers as compared to traditional farming. Besides, farmers will also receive support and training from local officials in case of technical issues during the production process. The Districts' well-trained staff will be the important resource people for localities to expand the organic production area and create an enabling environment for sustainable production. The triple helix cooperation model between businesses, local authorities, and farmers in organic production will be deployed in Ha Quang and Hoa An districts of Cao Bang province. They have now been growing organic ginger and chili, which are targeted to be the main economic development tree of the 2 districts. If successful, this model will soon be replicated to the whole province of Cao Bang, paving the way to promote the development of organic farming practices in Vietnam. Find out more about sustainable sourcing, production, and trade of natural ingredients here. ________
In this 4th Webinar, we explore “The role of the private sector and Public-Private Partnerships (PPP) in mitigating impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic and related economic downfall and in shaping path-ways for a more resilient agro-business sector in the future.” We highlight the impact of the crises on major agro-commodities and the role of companies and PPPs in the sector to mitigate impact and recovery efforts and lead the way towards an agricultural sector that is more resilient towards external shocks like pandemics. The private sector as linking pin in value chain interactions is crucial in mitigating the impact of the COVID-19 crisis and in reaching for a more resilient agricultural sector. The private sector in low/medium income countries is typically dominated by a large number of (partly informal) microenterprises and a handful of large firms, but have far fewer small and medium enterprises as compared to high-income countries. Yet, SMEs form the backbone of a healthy economy, they provide sustainable jobs, generate incomes, are nuclei for innovation, and are in general more resilient to economic downfalls like we currently experience. Besides, this lack of SMEs in agricultural-based economies results in a shortage of agro-processing facilities which again denies developing countries of the means to add value to their primary produce, create jobs and generate income in vulnerable rural areas and improve food security. The COVID-19 pandemic tends to transition from health into a food security crisis and requires reflection and adaptation, also regarding the role of the private sector, in shaping the landscape in the agricultural and food sector. Some questions we hope to address during the Webinar include: How, and to what extent are private sector entities, particularly SMEs, affected by the pandemic and disrupted value chain operations, and how does this impact the chain functioning? (sourcing strategies, consumer preferences in destination markets, food availability, etc.) What coping mechanisms are evolving to mitigate impacts (both at production as well as at destination side) and start-up recovery efforts. How can private sector players and Public-Private Partnerships play a role in mitigation and recovery efforts? What visions and/or strategies are being developed to arrive at a more resilient agricultural sector that is less vulnerable to external shocks like the COVID 19 pandemic? What role foresees the private sector for itself and how do Public-Private Partnerships come into play in shaping post-COVID Food systems? What external/internal changes and support structures are needed to realize above visions for the private sector, and particularly for SMEs, to bounce back from the current crisis and return as a stronger, more resilient segment in the post COVID era? (immediate support, longer-term conducive policy environment, partnerships, etc.) Resource persons are: Ms. Esther Wintraecken, Fresh Studio, Myanmar Mr. Shahid Tarer, Galaxi Rice Milll, Pakistan Mr. Shatadru Chattapadhayav, Solidaridad Mr. Nicolas Syed, IFAD PNG DATE 4th of June 2020 14.00 DHAKA time (GMT+6) (10.00 AM Amsterdam, 15.00 PM Bangkok / Hanoi, 16.00 PM Beijing) REGISTER HERE Supported by and in collaboration with:
