1. IFAD in Vietnam Rural and Agricultural Development Operations and Challenges

2. Active since 1993 Supporting 11 Vietnamese provinces Overall IFAD project costs in Vietnam USD 347.5 Million Country Strategic Opportunities Programme (COSOP) for 2012-2017 International Fund for Agricultural Development Vietnam Country Programme

3. IFAD Country Programme - STRATEGIC OBJECTIVES

4. 2005-11 Ha Giang, Quang Binh Decentralized Program for Rural Poverty Reduction (DPRPR) USD38.8 mil 2006-12 Ha Tinh, Tra Vinh Improving Market Participation of the Poor Program (IMPP) USD37.3 mil 2007-13 Cao Bang, Ben Tre Developing Business with the Rural Poor Programme (BDRP) USD50.5 mil 2008-14 Bac Kan Pro-Poor Partnership for Agriculture Development Project (3PAD) USD25.3 mil 2009-15 Dac Nong Sustainable Economic Empowerment of Ethnic Minorities Project (3EM) USD23.6 mil 2010-16 Tuyen Quang, Ninh Thuan, Gia Lai Agriculture, Farmers and Rural Areas Tam Nong Support Project (TNSP) USD64.1 mil 2013- Ha Tinh, Quang Binh, Ben Tre, Tra Vinh

5. IFAD Country Programme - ACHIEVEMENTS 1. PRIVATE SECTOR ENABLING ENVIRONMENT Commune leadership capacity Market-oriented participatory SEDPs Skills and vocational training system Rural financial services including Women’s SCGs 2. VALUE CHAINS AND SUB- SECTORS Agriculture services Small-scale infrastructure Pro-poor PPP models Market identification and BDS services 3. ENTERPRISES AND PRODUCER GROUPS Opportunities for rural enterprises Start-up of CIGs, Collaborative Groups and Cooperatives New Women’s Producer Groups

6. Key Challenges and Issues Low local capacities to support small rural enterprises and producer groups 1. Private sector enabling environment 2. Value chains and sub-sectors 3. Enterprises and producer groups No integration of different programmes’ resources; wasted synergies Unclear framework for Public Private Partnership agreements No grant framework to support key enterprises or farmer groups Weak financial services for rural small producers and traders No developed structures for provision of agricultural and BDS services through private agents No market identification support system, weak BDS system

7. Recommendations to Government 1.Strengthen market-oriented approach in local level. Encourage reforms in SEDP planning with strategic engagement of the private sector and value chain application. Support market access of the poor through infrastructure improvements and market identification; 2.Improve rural financial and business development services. Enable outreach of financial services to rural smallholder groups, small producers and traders. Identify and empower BDS delivering institutions; 3.Base regional strategic planning on applied research. Support region specific applied research on commodity chains, climate change adaptation, involvement of private sector actors, impact of savings and lending, Public Private Partnerships and other key aspects of rural development. Take effective use of research in policy design and implementation; 4.Create synergies between programmes. Use lessons learnt from international support and incorporate those in nation wide programs such as the NTP-NRD. A possible concrete first step: adapt and implement M&E framework of IFAD projects to NTPP-NRD; 5.Specify poverty reduction efforts for regions. Adopt different strategies for regions in view of poverty levels, socio-economic and agro-ecological conditions.

8. Thank you for attention! IFAD VIETNAM