The Link Between Resaerchers and The People

Researchers studying livelihoods of poor population groups, ethnic minorities and women meet to discuss possibilities for improving cooperation with representatives from five poor provinces.

Since January 2010, Denmark has been supporting the provincial agriculture and rural development plans in Dien Bien, Lao Cai, Lai Chau, Dak Lak and Dak Nong by sector budget support. The support is part of the Agriculture and Rural Development Support Programme (ARD SPS), which also has a central component, where researchers from Department of Science, Technology and Environment and from Institute for Policy and Strategies for Agriculture and Rural Development are supported to carry out research relevant to understand the livelihoods of the poorest population groups in the provinces, including ethnic minorities and women.


In a meeting held recently between researchers and representatives from provinces, the latter actively contributed their comments regarding the implication of a new model of sector budget support. Danish funding is now totally integrated into the Vietnamese government system to support the agriculture sector in the five provinces, and members shared their contents on the new support model and brought up outstanding issues in terms of better support needed to the operational system at province level, particularly with the financial sector.


Participants also discussed the possibilities to strengthen the co-ordination between the central and provincial components of the programme. The provincial representatives expressed their needs and willingness to co-ordinate with the central level on policy dialogue as well as sharing knowledge on agriculture techniques.


Denmark has supported the Agriculture sector in Vietnam since early 1990s and is the first donor that uses the model of sector budget support to the agriculture sector in the provinces. The Agriculture and Rural Development Sector Programme Support is supporting poverty reduction in upland areas of Vietnam, particularly among ethnic minority peoples. The overall objective of the programme is “Reduction of rural poverty, especially among the ethnic minorities, through sustainable agriculture and rural development focusing on the upland”. For more information, please click on the link here.


The meeting (‘Monitoring Committee meeting’) was co-chaired by Vice Minister Mr. Bui Ba Bong and Deputy Head of Mission Ms. Tove Degnbol. Participants in the meeting were representatives of Department of Science, Technology and Environment, Institute for Policy and Strategies for Agriculture and Rural Development and the five provinces of the programme including Lao Cai, Lai Chau, Dien Bien, Dak Lak and Dak Nong.


 

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