USAID Green Annamites Newsletter Issue 07 by Minh Hanh Ta

GREEN ANNAMITES USAID GREEN ANNAMITES PROJECT | NEWSLETTER | ISSUE No. 7 | OCTOBER – DECEMBER 2019

With support from the Project, villagers have been able to welcome guests in a highly professional way while still exhibiting the distinctiveness of their local cultures.

CONNECTING TWO NEW DESTINATIONS INTO COMMUNITYBASED ECOTOURISM NETWORK IN THE CENTRAL ANNAMITES

he Central Annamites is famous for its stunning landscapes, unique biodiversity, and the colorful cultures of its local ethnic minority communities. The USAID Green Annamites Project (the Project) identified an effective way to promote this region’s vibrancy while advancing biodiversity conservation: community-based ecotourism (CBET). On December 26 and 27, 2019, the Project collaborated with the Quang Nam (QN) Department of Culture, Sport and Tourism and the Thua Thien Hue (TT Hue) Department of Tourism to organize a Review and Evaluation Workshop and grand openings of two CBET models in

Ta Lang village (Co Tu ethnicity), Bha Lee commune, Tay Giang district (QN) and A Nor village (Pa Co ethnicity), Hong Kim commune, A Luoi district (TT Hue). The events were widely attended – participants included staff from local government bodies and agencies, travel agents from all over Vietnam, and members of local communities. At the events, stakeholders had the opportunity to see firsthand the villages’ ecotourism potential and to discuss potential partnerships and ways to maintain and develop the two newly established CBET villages. The CBET models have been built since May 2018 through an activity of the

Project called 'Development of Regional Ecotourism Development Plans and Pilot Ecotourism Models for QN and TT Hue', aiming to assess the potential to realize this plan in practice. The Project provided facilities and equip-ment to enable local homestays and tourism activities, while mobilizing investment to upgrade the local landscapes and build the capacity of residents in the two villages to enable them to better host tourists. After six months of the above activities, Ta Lang and A Nor villages were able to welcome their first visitors.

(see more on pages 12+13) U SA ID G R E E N A N N AMI TES / 1

| EDITORIAL

n Project Newsletter 7, we will introduce two community-based ecotourism pilot models, which the Project has supported since July 2019, and discuss how the Project helped develop a Regional Ecotourism Development Plan (cover, pages 12+13 and 14+15).

On pages 4+5 and pages 6+7, there are stories about positive changes in cooperatives and local communities in Quang Nam and Thua Thien Hue, especially those housing marginalized and vulnerable people. After 16 months of implementation, activities to train Community Forest Management groups to improve their livelihoods have already made an impact. In two articles on pages 8+9 and 10+11, we discuss these impacts as well as updates about how the Project is helping enterprises and local communities to develop value chains of local specialties and non-timber forest products (pages 16+17 and 18+19). We hope that you find the information very useful! HAPPY NEW YEAR! Best regards, Daniel Lopez Chief of Party

| NEW MEMBERS LÊ QUỐC HUY PFES SPECIALIST

ĐỖ VĂN NGỌC BIODIVERSITY CONSERVATION & LIVELIHOOD SPECIALIST

ÂU QUỐC HIỆU PROJECT MANAGER FOR SUSTAINABLE LANDSCAPES ACTIVITIES

ĐINH CHỈ GIANG COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT FACILITATOR (DONG GIANG, TAY GIANG DIST.)

HOÀNG THỊ THU HỒNG ACTIVITY FUND PAYMENT & ADMINISTRATION OFFICER

NGUYỄN THỊ THANH TÂM ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT (COORDINATION OFFICE IN QUANG NAM)

IMPRINT

USAID GREEN ANNAMITES PROJECT th

5 Floor | Senriver Building 223 Tran Phu Street | Hai Chau District Da Nang City | Vietnam Telephone: ++ 84 2363 616 781 Email: green-annamites.info@ecodit.com.vn Website: www.usaid.gov

THIS NEWSLETTER IS MADE POSSIBLE BY THE SUPPORT OF THE AMERICAN PEOPLE THROUGH THE UNITED STATES AGENCY FOR INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT (USAID). THE CONTENTS OF THIS NEWSLETTER ARE THE SOLE RESPONSIBILITY OF ECODIT AND DO NOT NECESSARILY REFLECT THE VIEWS OF USAID OR THE UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT.

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HAPPY NEW YEAR

YEAR OF THE MOUSE 2020 USAID GREEN ANNAMITES PROJECT

U SA ID G R E E N A N NAMI TES / 3

CAPACITY BUILDING FOR COOPERATIVES

TIEN LANH SUSTAINABLE FORESTRY COOPERATIVE: BRINGING WOOD FROM HOUSEHOLD PLANTATIONS TO THE WORLD AGRITERRA VIETNAM

Members of the Tien Lanh Cooperative participated in a technical training about nurseries in Tien Phong Forestry Company, Thua Thien Hue province.

ince its establishment, Tien Lanh Sustainable Forestry Cooperative (Tien Lanh Cooperative) in Tien Lanh commune, Tien Phuoc district, Quang Nam province (QN) aims at developing a completed value chain of the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC®)-certified large timber production from seedling, harvesting, processing and trading. These efforts will help address concerns of many farmers on low profit, high production cost, etc. Besides the determination of the cooperative, supports of the local government, businesses and international organizations are essential

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in order to make this goal happen. In 2019, with the support from the USAID Green Annamites Project (the Project) and Agriterra Vietnam, the Tien Lanh Cooperative has reached a remarkable breakthrough. To strengthen the supply and financial capacity of the value chain, within the past year, Tien Lanh Cooperative has actively attracted new members. In collaboration with the Project and Agriterra, the cooperative organized various meetings to share information about the new cooperative models and attract members, as

well as clarify questions about forest planters’ responsibilities, obligations and rights when joining the cooperative. At the meetings, participants gained a better understanding of the cooperative’s role in the large timber acacia plantation value chain, cooperative business plans, and the opportunities and challenges of the market. At present, the number of members have increased from seven to 55 and the cooperative aims to have a total of 150 members by 2025. Tien Lanh Cooperative is aware that in order to effectively manage and operate

Since the management and administration capacity is a decisive factor for the success of a new cooperative, therefore, Tien Lanh Cooperative has proposed and actively participated in capacity building courses organized by Agriterra and the USAID Green Annamites Project. Five leaders of the cooperative were trained on the new cooperative model, guidance for developing internal regulations, finance and accounting management, and technical training on acacia propagation. Since the training, the management, administration and professional knowledge of the cooperative’s Board of Directors has greatly improved and meets the requirements necessary to implement the business plan.

Thanks to the support of the USAID Green Annamites Project and Agriterra, Tien Lanh Cooperative is more proactive in their investments and eager to pursue more ambitious business goals, resulting in more benefits for cooperative members and communities.

its organization and to bring long-term benefits for its members, it is essential to develop a feasible business plan. In September 2019, the Project and Agriterra supported Tien Lanh Cooperative with developing a 2020-2025 business plan. The plan outlines business objectives to be achieved by the cooperatives, which include:

• Produce and sell 1 million acacia seedlings per year Increase forest area granted FSC® certification from 310 hectares in 2019 to 1,200 hectares in 2025 Harvest and consume 24,000 tons of wood, equivalent to 120 hectares of planted forests (5,000 m3/year and woodchips of 15,000 tons/year) Increase the number of cooperative members from 55 members in 2019 to 150 members in 2025 Create employment for 20-30 workers

• • • •

To realize this ambitious plan, Tien Lanh Cooperative mobilized capital, invested in the construction of infrastructure, provision of equipment and production

methods, such as building a nursery of 0.5 hectares, an office house and a sawmill. In addition, the Project and Agriterra have provided consultation to Tien Lanh Cooperative, and linked them with the Quang Nam Cooperatives Union to help access national resources, in accordance to the policy of supporting cooperatives from the QN Provincial People's Committee.

‘‘The cooperative will continue strengthening business efforts, which includes attracting more members and increasing the FSC® certification area to create a stable source of raw material. The cooperative will sell raw material wood on market demand while try to increase the production of saw logs. We will make efforts to improve management and quality in order to obtain FSC®-Chain of Custody (CoC) certification by the end of 2020.’’ Mr. Pham Hong Son | Director of Tien Lanh Cooperative | Tien Phuoc district, QN province

In July 2018, the USAID Green Annamites Project collaborated with Agriterra to implement the activity, 'Support the creation and strengthening of cooperatives for income generating activities in the rural areas of QN and TT Hue.' The activity is focusing on establishing new cooperative businesses, providing technical support on cooperatives' management and operations as well as on low emission and environmentally sustainable production techniques for FSC®-certified acacia, rattan, medicinal plants, honey, and handicrafts. In addition, the Project and Agriterra improve the capacity of the QN and TT Hue Cooperative Associations in conducting trainings and providing consultations for their member cooperatives. As a result, they can perform better the function of creating connections between member cooperatives and the public and private sector. It is anticipated that those interventions will help lead to the establishment of a sustainable livelihood model that will create continuous reliable income for communities without exerting negative impacts on forests and biodiversity. U SA ID G R E E N A N N AMI TES / 5

MICROFINANCE

GREEN FINANCE FUND BOOSTS ACCESS TO MICROFINANCE FOR LIVELIHOOD IMPROVEMENT DO DANG TEO | DEPUTY CHIEF OF PARTY | USAID GREEN ANNAMITES PROJECT

as well as to link value chains of local products to potential markets in order to increase the incomes of local producers.

Access to financial services like savings and loans via the Green Finance Fund enabled women and ethnic minorities living in mountainous areas to improve their livelihoods and living standards.

n Dong Giang district, 80% of the population is Co Tu ethnic minorities and more than a third of the population (34.72%) lives in poverty (GSO, 2017). One of the main income sources for people there is acacia harvesting. However, it takes from 4-8 years to generate income from acacia for households. Therefore, if people, especially who are living in the buffer zone of protected areas, want to meet their daily needs or invest in short term income generation activities, it is essential that they have access to financial services. To enable local mountainous people to have better access to microfinance for livelihood improvement and to contribute to reducing pressure on forest and biodiversity, the USAID Green Annamites Project (the Project) has been working with the Microfinance and Community Development Institute (MACDI) to implement the project 'Sustainable livelihood through the Green Finance Funds for forest protection and biodiversity conservation in QN province'. Through this activity, the Project will help to increase access to microfinance for local producers to enable them to invest in livelihood development activities, improve local producers’ capacity in financial management so they can better sustain their business models

In just 14 months of implementation, the Project has already set up the Dong Giang Green Finance Fund (GFF) to provide affordable microfinance services to smallholders. So far, 11 microfinance transaction points of the GFF have been established in 10 communes and one township. The Project also organized four training courses on sustainable harvesting and pre-processing techniques for producers of Morinda officinalis products for 90 participants (53% females and 87% ethnic minorities) and nine training courses on market development for 252 participants (70% females and 99% ethnic minorities). In addition, the Project helped establish 15 Local Marketing Groups with 255 members (45% females)*. Each group is chaired by a group leader who is nominated by each group’s members. With GFF support and supervision, these groups mee+t a twice per month to review progress on market access, shared marketing information, and market opportunities.

151 1,915 664 156

people were trained on microfinace and GFF potential clients were trained on microfinace and GFF operation and regulations clients have deposited

226

million VND for regular savings

microcredit loan applications for livelihood development activities, which will be disbursed in early 2020

With new technical, financial and marketing skills, local communities will be empowered to improve their businesses and generate more income to improve their livelihoods, leading to reduced pressure on natural resources and biodiversity.

These groups focus on key value chains such as brocade weaving (50 members); Morinda Officinalis planting (38 members); local pig raising (32 members); A-Riêu Chili planting (50 members); community based ecotourism (30 members); agroforestry/NTFP products (22 members), etc.

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SMALL GRANTS PROGRAM

HIEP THUAN COOPERATIVE REAPS REWARDS FROM LARGE TIMBER ACACIA PLANTATION DO DANG TEO | DEPUTY CHIEF OF PARTY | USAID GREEN ANNAMITES PROJECT

tudies show that planting small-sized wood acacia for paper pulp and woodchips is less profitable, environmental and social impacts than planting saw-logs. Short-rotation acacia planting can lead to soil erosion, poor quality of soil and environmental degradation. To address these issues, Hiep Thuan Agriculture Cooperative (Hiep Thuan Coop.), Hiep Duc district, Quang Nam province implemented the project, 'FSC®-certified saw-log Acacia value chain development to increase income, protect ecological environment and increase carbon sequestration', funded by the USAID Green Annamites Project (the Project). The project aims to develop saw-log acacia value chain towards FSC® certification, build capacity and improve livelihoods for cooperative members and local people. Besides, the Project also want to improve their awareness and capacity on sustainable forest management and development.

After 13 months of implementation, the Project provided financial and technical support to the cooperative members and other local people to upgrade the acacia value chain and strengthen sustainable forest management skills. The Project worked with the cooperative’s Management Board to develop three posters on raising awareness of the saw-log forest and FSC® acacia value chain, produce one leaflet with technical guidance for planting saw log forests/FSC®, and put together one handbook on cooperative management and operations. The Project upgraded the cooperative’s nursery from 2500 m2 to 5000 m2, enabling Hiep Thuan Coop. to produce more and higher quality seedlings to meet the local demands on acacia and native species. The Project also planted 110.29 ha of Acacia Mangium (survival rate 95%), 10,000 native trees including Hopea odorata and Dalbergia tonkinensis, and 2 ha of Amomum vilosum lour under a canopy of 916 hectares of natural forest, to enrich this area and create an additional income source while waiting for acacia plantation harvesting.

Expanding the area of FSC®-certified acacia, while protecting and enriching natural forests in surrounding areas, can help improve livelihoods and the environment.

110

people have raised awareness

454

people were trained

• cooperative management and business planning skills • skills of non-timber forest product harvesting, forest management, protection and development • FSC -oriented forest management • thinning and pruning techniques and sustainable forest management in ®

compliance with FSC® principles and standards

study tour for

30 participants (30% females)

to learn successful models on acacia saw-log value chain in Thua Thien Hue province

821 ha acacia of 158 households received the FSC®certification with the support of the Project. In addition, to improve production capacity and accelerate the purchasing process, the Project installed a 40-ton electronic scale in the Hiep Thuan Coop., which has contributed to the increase of more than 20% of the 2019 Coop.’s revenue. Overall, the Project has initially contributed to increasing income for the cooperative members and local participants as well as effectively protecting and enriching 916 ha of natural forest.

U SA ID G R E E N A N NAMI TES / 7

IMPROVING LIVELIHOODS AND FOREST MANAGEMENT THROUGH STRENGTHENING CAPACITY OF COMMUNITY FOREST MANAGEMENT GROUPS NGUYEN VAN TRI TIN | BIODIVERSITY CONSERVATION LEAD | USAID GREEN ANNAMITES PROJECT

CFM is sustainable only when community members are aware of their rights and benefits to manage their local forests and are willing to take responsibility for sustaining their forest resources, within clearly defined boundaries.

ommunity Forest Management (CFM) is a partnership between forest-dependent communities and local authorities. Through shared management and governance of forest resources, this partnership helps authorities to sustainably manage natural resources while enhancing livelihood opportunities for local people. CFM encourages participation of rural communities in forest management, whose livelihoods primarily rely on the forests surrounding them.

Since the 1990s, various CFM initiatives have been piloted in Vietnam. Since then, CFM has become a popular approach in forestry in Vietnam. Through land tenure reform, the government has created strong foundations for the development of community forest management, thereby enhancing the involvement of local communities. One of the most notable of the CFM initiatives was a two-phase national CFM pilot implemented during 2006-2013. This pilot along with others proved that by mobi-

lizing active participation of communities and taking into account the needs and knowledge of local people, CFM can be an effective, equitable, and sustainable model of forest governance. Quang Nam (QN) and Thua Thien Hue (TT Hue) are currently applying CFM. In TT Hue, 31,000 ha of forest land have been allocated to 88 communities and 225 household (HH) groups. In QN, more than 9,873 ha of forest land have been allocated to 40 communities in eight mountainous districts.*

* Quang Nam Provincial People Committee â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Report on Forest land allocation for communities and households in mountainous districts period between 2006 - 2016 8 / USAID GR EEN A NNA MI T E S

However, there are some challenges to CFM models. Reports from QN and TT Hue Forest Protection Departments show that some allocated forest areas are not well managed by communities and HH groups due to lack of management capacity and budget. Much of the allocated forest land is degraded, with very low production of natural resources. In addition, value chains for forest products, including non-timber forest

products (NTFPs), remain undeveloped. There are limited incentives and funds for communities and HHs to participate in CFM, resulting in low engagement to protect and manage the forests. The livelihood activities of communities and HHs that have received forest land have not been assessed and documented, which hampers efforts to support and improve existing CFM groups and to establish new groups.

The USAID Green Annamites Project (the Project) has been active in supporting CFM groups to help them address these challenges. Between August 2018 and December 2019, the Project strengthened 21 CFM groups in QN and TT Hue, thereby helping to improve biodiversity conservation and to develop opportunities for sustainable livelihoods in the priority forests of the Central Annamites. The Project did this by developing forest

Developing rattan material areas is one of the business solutions that the Project is supporting seven CFM groups to implement in Quang Nam, in cooperation with Luc Dong Construction and Trading Limited Company.

management procedures and operational guidelines for CFM groups, preparing a financial mechanism and a benefit-sharing mechanism for the CFM groups, and helping CFM groups to access additional funding to produce and market NTFPs. Accomplishments include:

• Conducted a training needs as-

sessment (TNA) for 21 CFM groups and developed training material/documents complied based on TNA results Completed 21 trainings for all 21 CFM groups on forest management and patrol skills Updated the CFM guidelines – these guidelines have been used by the CFMs when they wrote their community forest management plans

• •

• Developed a five-year plan for CFM

and facilitated its approval by Commune People’s Committees (CPCs). All are ready to implement Developed CFM annual plans (for 2019 and 2020) for 21 CFM groups, which have also been approved by CPCs. All are ready to implement Completed NTFP business plan proposals for 20 CFM groups.

• •

The capacity of CFM groups’ Management Boards plays a decisive role in the success of CFM activities. In addition to management skills, it is also critical that these boards are knowledgeable about forest management, leadership, book-keeping, and accounting.

Capacity building and CFM planning must be integrated into activities focused on forest management and protection and boosting livelihoods. The CFM model can only be sustained at the village level when all members are directly involved, and when members and villagers have stable incomes and NTFP products have a stable market and prices. Also, stable outputs and markets can only be created when communities are directly connected with business enterprises and traders through the support of relevant specialized agencies, private sector, and development projects.

U SA ID G R E E N A N N AMI TES / 9

APPLICATION OF CAMERA TRAPS AND LISTENING POSTS FOR BIOSIVERSITY MONITORING OF PROTECTED AREAS IN QUANG NAM AND THUA THIEN HUE PROVINCES NGUYEN VAN TRI TIN | BIODIVERSITY CONSERVATION LEAD | USAID GREEN ANNAMITES PROJECT

Large antlered muntjac (Muntiacus vuquangensis) and Annamite striped rabbit (Nesolagus timminsi) captured by systematic camera traps in Song Thanh Nature Reserve in 2018.

ince 2018, the USAID Green Annamites Project (the Project) has been supporting the protected areas (PAs) in Quang Nam (QN) and Thua Thien Hue (TT Hue) , namely Phong Dien Nature Reserve (NR), TT Hue Saola NR, Bach Ma National Park (NP), Bac Hai Van Special-use Forest (SUF), QN Saola NR, Song Thanh NR, and the Elephant Species and Habitat Conservation Area in QN (SHCA), to strengthen research on the value of biodiversity resources in these areas. The Project continues to maintain USAID's long-term biodiversity monitoring through:

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• Systematic camera trapping of

ground-dwelling mammals and birds in PAs Targeted camera trapping of key species in TT Hue and QN Saola NRs Gibbon and Crested Argus monitoring at listening posts 2.5 km apart in PAs

• •

SYSTEMATIC CAMERA TRAPPING Camera-traps will be distributed across the study areas in each protected area, at a distance of 2.5km and left for around three months. The large spatial extent (around 300 km²) of these surveys

allow the identification of biodiversity hotspots and areas with a particular high concentration of threatened and endemic species. These patterns can be correlated with hunting and enforcement activities and thus future conservation activities can be better targeted. From October 2018 to October 2019, the Project conducted systematic camera traps in the priority areas of the two provinces. There were 624 systematic camera traps in 312 locations in seven PAs, about 2.5 km apart from each other. These camera traps recorded a total of 30 mammals and 28 birds in these areas.

Due to limited data collected from the 23 listening posts, the Project was only able to estimate the population size of crested argus (Rheinardia ocellata) but not for the gibbon group.

The systematic camera traps recorded in two locations in Song Thanh NR the appearance of large antlered muntjac (Muntiacus vuquangensis) and pangolins, and of one elephant in the Elephant SHCA. These species are all listed as Critically Endangered by the IUCN Red List. They also recorded an Asiatic black bear in three locations in Song Thanh NR, and Annam Partridge and Annamites striped rabbits throughout the seven PAs.

TARGETED CAMERA TRAPPING Until now, 860 targeted camera locations were setup with more than 15,000 photos of 34 wildlife species in two Saola NRs. Among the recorded species, pangolins (Manis spp.) listed as the Critically Endangered species, and Annamite striped rabbit (Nesolagus timminsi) listed as the Endangered species. Based on the results of these camera traps, the Project supported PAs to establish a baseline of key species to inform biodiversity monitoring in selected PAs. This baseline includes a species list, occupancy of key species,

and threat analysis data to inform management planning and zoning of target PAs. These data will serve as a basis for upgrading, expanding, and establishing new PAs and facilitating sustainable management.

LISTENING POSTS Gibbons typically live high in the thick canopy of evergreen and semi-evergreen forests and are very wary, with responses to either loudly flee or quietly hide when they expect human detection. However, all gibbon species are known to produce loud, long song bouts. These are often produced in the early morning, in the hours prior to, around, or after dawn. Song bouts have durations of 15-30 minutes and, depending on species and environmental conditions, can be audible over long distances (further than 3 km). To counter the problems associated with the limited visibility of gibbons in the canopy, Brockelman and Ali (1987) pioneered the use of audio point counts for estimating gibbon density. The same technique can be used for crested argus. Surveys for the two species are thus conducted simultaneously.

Between October 2018 and October 2019, the Project conducted a 288-day field survey, which covered 21 Forest Compartments in the Song Thanh NR, Phong Dien NR, and Bach Ma NP. Based on a total of 174 recorded sounds collected in these PAs, the survey determined that there were about 70 male and 55 female gibbons in these areas. The first survey of gibbons was conducted in 2017, and the population has declined slightly since then in all three PAs. The occupancy probability decreased significantly in Phong Dien NR in 2019, just 50% of the survey areas have recorded gibbon. A variety of biodiversity monitoring data over time in the PAs have provided information on the impacts of poaching and logging pressures on wild populations of mammals and birds, the health of the forest ecosystem, and the long term conservation impact of the on-going enforcement activities. This information also will be useful for the provinces and USAID and other donors to design conservation programs in the future.

U SA ID G R E E N A N N AMI TES / 11

COMMUNITY-BASED ECOTOURISM SHOWS POTENTIAL TO BOOST INCOMES OF MOUTAINOUS COMMUNITIES IN QUANG NAM AND THUA THIEN HUE HOANG MINH HANH | COMMUNICATION OFFICER | USAID GREEN ANNAMITES PROJECT

The CBET model attracted the participation of the whole village. Old and middle-age women also participated in traditional performance, which helps preserve and disperse precious local cultures.

ietnam is currently witnessing a tourism boom, fueled by robust economic growth. Between 2008 and 2018, the number of tourists coming to Vietnam quadrupled, totaling 18 million international visitors and 85 million domestic visitors in 2018.* However, this rapid growth in tourism has put significant pressure on the infrastructure of famous tourist destinations, resulting in issues such as pollution, traffic jams, and diminished social order and safety. In response, the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism (part of the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism), has stipulated that community-based ecotourism

is a solution that can reduce pressure on tourism infrastructure while promoting the natural and cultural strengths and ensuring sustainable economic development for local communities. The USAID Green Annamites Project (the Project) works in districts that have great tourism potential due to their stunning natural landscapes, significant biodiversity, and unique indigenous cultures. From its start, the Project has aimed to develop the potential of community-based eco-tourism in Quang Nam (QN) and Thua Thien Hue (TT Hue) provinces.

Since May 2018, the Project has been implementing the activity â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Development of Regional Ecotourism Development Plans and Pilot Ecotourism Models for Quang Nam and Thua Thien Hue provinces.â&#x20AC;&#x2122; This activity is to support the development of community-based ecotourism (CBET) in the Central Annamites region and provide specific guidance to target areas chosen for professional ecotourism development. The Project supported establish a network of ecotourism sites, with a special focus on connecting unique destinations in the buffer zones of nature reserves (NRs) and national parks in the two provinces. The Project helped develop the Regional Ecotourism Development Plan (REDP), which lay the groundwork to harness CBET to improve livelihoods, maximize community benefits, improving tourist experiences, and promote biodiversity conservation through education and raising awareness about the environment and local culture. The plan has now been finalized and submitted to the People's Committees of the two provinces for approval. In order to assess the potential of this new livelihood model, the Project supported a CBET pilot model in each province. After assessing the ecotourism potential of various villages, the Project selected Ta Lang village, Bha Lee commune, Tay Giang district, QN and A Nor village, Hong Kim commune, A Luoi district, TT Hue for the CBET pilots. A Nor and Ta Lang are two villages on the legendary Ho Chi Minh Road. Both

* http://baochinhphu.vn/Du-lich/Du-lich-Viet-Nam-tang-truong-than-ky-don-18-trieu-luot-khach-quoc-te/383674.vgp (last visited 21 Jan 2019, at 4:45 pm) 12 / USAID GR EEN A NNA MI T E S

possess majestic natural landscapes typical of the Central Annamites region and convenient geographical locations that connect to other ecotourism sites, landmarks, and historical sites in the region. The local people in these villages – the Co Tu people in Ta Lang and the Pa Co people in A Nor – live in the buffer zone of Sao La QN and Phong Dien NR. Their main livelihoods have historically been derived from the

local forests and small areas of terrace, which were unfortunately unstable and made them highly vulnerable to climate change. The Project saw that CBET could potentially generate sustainable economic and social benefits for local communities while preserving their cultural distinctiveness and unique and endangered natural landscapes and biodiversity. The Project then built the pilot model following three steps:

• Develop a legal framework for the

establishment and operation of the CBET pilot model Conduct field visits to identify solutions for renovating, upgrading CBET pilot models in the two selected locations and invest in realizing them in practice Organize supporting activities and complete a test run of the pilot models

• •

The villages diversified cultural experiences and discovery activities for tourists while improving service quality, which is helping to attract tourists to Ta Lang and A Nor.

From August to October 2019, the Project cooperated with a private partner, the Vietnam Community Tourism Association (VCTC), to organize training courses and a study tour to improve knowledge and skills relating to tourism services for local officials and community members. About 85 trainees (46% female) including district, commune, village heads and members of the CBET Model Management Board, participated in two training courses focused on CBET orientation, tourism operation and management skills. They also participated in a study tour to Quang Binh to learn more about ecotourism. In addition, specialized groups (2/3 of the members were women) received additional training about traditional performance, homestay operation, tourism services, tour guiding, and destination

promotion to ensure that the CBET groups could operate independently after the completion of the pilot model. The Project also provided equipment for eight homestays in the two villages supported the villages to improve their landscapes and equipped mountain bicycles, first aid kits, protective gear, and facilities for traditional performances. Importantly, the Project mobilized capital and expertise in order to aid the villages in renovating, operating, and promoting tourism. From June 2 to 6, 2019, the Project supported VCTC in conducting a FAM trip for 60 representatives of tourism associations, travel agents, members of the media from throughout Vietnam. Contributing to the efforts of the Project and VCTC, the local autho-

rities of the two communes invested 3.5 billion VND (US$ 150,000) to build and upgrade the infrastructure in the two villages. In just over a month since the CBET model launch, Ta Lang has welcomed 95 visitors and A Nor has welcomed 300 visitors. Feedback from the leaders of the provincial departments and agencies, as well as from the community and tourists, has been positive and has reflected the potential of this new livelihood model. CBET is remarkable in that it provides a pathway to sustainable economic development while helping communities to reduce their dependence on scarce forest resources and promoting the ancient and beautiful cultures of local ethnic minority communities.

U SA ID G R E E N A N NAMI TES / 13

FARMER'S STORY

A NEW DAWN IN TA LANG HOANG MINH HANH | COMMUNICATION OFFICER | USAID GREEN ANNAMITES PROJECT HO THI MINH NGOC | COMMUNICATION SPECIALIST | USAID GREEN ANNAMITES PROJECT

“Before, no one in our village knew what tourism was, and no one knew how to deliver community-based tourism services. The Project gave us a chance to go on a study tour and learn about running a homestay, welcoming guests, tour-guiding, introducing our culture and cuisine to tourists, setting up a hotline, marketing, and traditional performance. Every member in the village is very excited.” ALANG THI HIEM TA LANG VILLAGE, BHA LEE COMMUNE TAY GIANG DISTRICT, QUANG NAM PROVINCE

Ms. Hiem welcomes guests to Ta Lang with traditional herbal tea.

rom Ho Chi Minh Road, we turned into an alley that led to a slender suspension bridge. We felt the bridge swing as we walked along it, enjoying the sunset bathing the mountains in orange. After climbing over some small slopes, we arrived at the Ta Lang Community-based Ecotourism Village (CBEV), an ecotourism model which was established just six months ago, with support from the Project and its partners – the Vietnam Community-based Tourism Chapter (VCTC), in Bha Lee commune, Tay Giang district, Quang Nam province. The village leader and village elders stood waiting for us in front of the local community house in their traditional costumes. The elders performed a village enlisting ceremony which certified us as honorary members of the Co Tu ethnic minority. Following the ceremony, we were treated to vibrant performances by a broad array of villagers, men and women, young and old. We avidly watched and took photos and videos. As all this was unfolding, we spotted a lady in traditional dress

14 / USAID GR EEN A NNA MI T E S

rushing back and forth, preparing for the evening. She invited us to try herbal teas with a bright smile and cheerful eyes. Afterward, she served us dinner, enthusiastically led us to check in at the homestays, and introduced the amenities. She is Alang Thi Hiem. She is originally from Dong Giang district but got married to a man from Ta Lang village (Tay Giang district) and moved there. She and her husband now have two children. While her family was not poor, they faced many difficulties. In 2018, there was a serious crop failure, and her family had no rice to eat and was forced to depend on the generosity of their neighbors. She told us that her family did not own a motorbike, so they have to walk when they go to look for jobs around the region. These jobs were mostly acacia harvesting, which is precarious and does not provide a reliable income. However, she said, she knows that she is not alone – many other women in the village also worried about crop failures, lack of fish stocks, rice shortages, and financial scarcity.

Tourists will get to live like the Co Tu through an initiation ceremony performed by the village chief and the village elders.

But then, in July 2019, the USAID Green Annamites and VCTC selected Ta Lang to establish a community-based ecotourism pilot model. In the following months, Ms. Hiem was surprised to experience a number of significant changes. The Project and VCTC supported five households – two of them living in poverty – in Ta Lang to start providing homestay services. However, the impacts reverberated far beyond these five households. The entire village got involved in ecotourism development. The men helped build information centers, improve roads, and upgrade homestays, while the women pitched in with the decorating, cleaning, and landscape management. In just six months, the village became cleaner and more beautiful. In order to ensure that the model is maintained after the Project ends, we, the Project team and VCTC, focused on building the capacity of local communities. ‘Before, no one in our village knew what tourism was, and no one knew how to deliver community-based tourism services. The Project gave us a chance to go on a study tour and learn about running a homestay, welcoming guests, tour-guiding, introducing our culture and cuisine to tourists, setting up a hotline, marketing, and traditional performance. Every member in the village is very excited,’ Ms. Hiem shared excitedly. Ms. Hiem became devoted to promoting ecotourism in the village. In addition to serving as the chairwoman of village’s Women’s Union, she participated in all the trainings and

became the team leader of the Zeng weaving group and the landscaping group, while also serving as a tour guide. She said the ecotourism pilot has even helped the overall economic life of the village. ‘Previously, we had to wait for traders to come and buy woven fabrics, and there was a lot of price coercion. Now, we get visitors, so we can be proactive in selling our products. Tonight, our weaving group sold one scarf and many keychains, so we are very happy,’ she said with a grin. She is now looking to the future, and has high hopes that tourism will continue to boom in the village. ‘I think that with the income from tourism, I will not have to go work in the fields, my husband can handle that. If other members in the community want to join, I will share with them and help them so they can earn money from tourism services without depending so much on the paddy fields, which is exhausting work’, she said. ‘I am very proud to welcome guests and introduce them to our village. I hope there will be even more tourists.’ The next day, at sunrise, we said goodbye to Ta Lang. Taking in the fresh morning air and dew-soaked mountain range, we were reluctant to leave. However, we were heartened by the determination of the local communities to boost their livelihoods, contribute to biodiversity conservation, and to share the unique Co Tu ethnic minority culture of Tay Giang.

Morning dew covers the mountain peaks around Ta Lang village.

U U SA SA ID ID G GR RE EE EN N A AN NN N AMI AMI TES TES // 11 5 5

SMALL GRANTS PROGRAM

DEVELOPING SUSTAINABLE VALUE CHAIN OF RATTAN FOR IMPROVING LIVELIHOODS AND PROTECTING FORESTS IN NAM GIANG DISTRICT LUU CONG SANG | COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT FACILITATOR | USAID GREEN ANNAMITES PROJECT HO THI MINH NGOC | COMMUNICATION SPECIALIST | USAID GREEN ANNAMITES PROJECT

The company's expansion plan provides a good opportunity to support economic development efforts within the community in Nam Giang district.

or many years, it has always been difficult to boost the economy and generate income from agricultural and forestry production activities for local communities living in Nam Giang, a mountainous districts of Quang Nam (QN) province. The inappropriate selection of plant and animal structure, the local communitiesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; outdated cultivation practices, inability to apply technology in production, and lack of capital, etc. are among the causes for this situation. But the two key issues are lack of access to reliable markets as well as of the participation of the community and the private sector in the implementation process, which makes it difficult to maintain or replicate these programs. Based on market surveys on the economic value of rattan and the research 16 / USAID GR EEN A NNA MI T E S

results on the distribution and harvesting status of wild rattan in Nam Giang district, the USAID Green Annamites Project (the Project) decided to partner with Luc Dong Construction and Trading Limited Company (Luc Dong Company) to establish and manage a sustainable rattan material area in Nam Giang district, and further enhance the value chain in QN province. The activities aim to improve the livelihoods of the Co Tu ethnic minority group; improve the participation of the local people and their capacity in natural rattan and sustainable forest management; and promote the development of the rattan value chain in QN. The efforts are being implemented from March 2019 to August 2020 in three communes of Ta Po, La De and Dac Pre.

To ensure the sustainability of the model, the project fosters a mutually beneficial and cooperative partnership between businesses and the local community. With more than 20 yearsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; experience in raw rattan, Luc Dong Company is seeking input material to strengthen the operation of a rattan processing factory with a capacity of 3,000 tons of raw rattan/year. With a total budget of more than six billion Vietnamese Dong (VND), the Project and Luc Dong Company are supporting rattan growers/harvesters in three communes to establish appropriate organizational models that will enhance cooperation, business connection and help develop capacity of cooperative members in building supply chains of raw rattan, and to sustainably manage and harvest natural rattans, hence linking the goal of improving livelihoods with conserving biodiversity. To successfully build a sustainable rattan value chain, besides the investment of businesses, it is important to have buy-in from the local authorities and the rattan growers/harvesters. To generate interest, a study tour was organized for leadership and representatives of three communes to Ma Cooih Cooperative (Dong Giang district). They learned about the sustainable harvest and management of rattan forests, and how to organize and operate cooperatives, which provided them an overview of the economic potential of rattans and how to work together in the collective economic group effectively to create long-term benefits for the community. The Project helped establish Vi Dan

cooperative in Ta Po commune and La De cooperative in La De commune, which ensure more people gain access to technical support and represent local communities in signing sales contracts or negotiating prices. In cooperation with another Projectâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s implementing partner Agriterra, Luc Dong Company has improved management, organization, operation and business plan development for new cooperatives. To enhance business connections and build trust among participants, in May 2019, Luc Dong Company organized a workshop on rattan business linkages and signed five agreements on raw rattan supply and purchase with three communities of the project and two communities of Zhouh and Dac Pring communes in Nam Giang district. With the ultimate goal of protecting forests and conserving biodiversity, the Project has carried out interventions to conserve natural rattan while supports businesses to enhance the supply chain, and improves the livelihood of the local community. Specifically, the Project, in collaboration with Luc Dong Company and the Management Board of Song Thanh Nature Reserve (NR) in conducted a rattan inventory survey across 3,000 ha of forest in the buffer zone of the Nature Reserve. The survey assessed the annual growth rate of commercial rattan species, which provided the baseline for developing a sustainable rattan harvesting plan (2020-2024), that was submitted to QN Provincial Department of Agriculture and Rural Development for approval. When the plan is approved, local people will be able to access forests and benefit from the sustainable, legal and controlled harvest of non-timber forest products, that will ultimately reduce destructive exploitation, land encroachment and illegal hunting. In

Luc Dong Co. Ltd. signed 12 agreements to purchase rattan from communities in seven communes in Nam Giang and Tay Giang, to ensure input material for the company while increased confidence of participated households.

addition, the project also supports 75 households to improve their capacity to sustainably harvest and store natural rattan following the standards of the Chain of Custody (CoC). These standards facilitate the implementation of product traceability in the future, as well as planting and tending techniques of new rattans. To enhance enrichment planting and reduce the exploitation of natural rattans, the Project surveyed and identified water rattan cultivation in the forest area allocated to the local people. These efforts led to the development of a design to plant 50 additional hectares of water rattan under the forest canopy. The design has been approved by the People's Committee of Tay Giang district. The Project has provided 100% of high-quality seedlings and supported 70% of the planting and tending costs for three groups of households participating in the new planting. Overall, these efforts have contributed to raising awareness of local people and authorities about the economic value and appropriateness of rattan to directly improve the income and live-

lihoods of communities in the region. For instance, local communities in the area enjoy rattan purchase contracts with Luc Dong Company at a price 20% higher than the market. Given the initial success, the Project continues to partner with Luc Dong Company to expand support to Ca Dy commune (Nam Giang district) and A Vuong commune (Tay Giang district), located in the buffer zone of Song Thanh NR through supporting the implementation of rattan business plans for seven Community Forest Management Groups (CFM) in QN with a total budget of two billion VND. Luc Dong Company has made commitments to raise the counterpart contribution level to 1.4 billion VND. Since October 2019, Luc Dong Company has organized seven training courses on planting and tendering techniques of water rattan, two business workshops, and signed seven additional agreements on rattan sales and purchase with CFM groups. The Project is providing 100% of the seedlings, developing design documents and supporting CFM groups with the planting of 70 ha of new rattan in two above mentioned districts.

U SA ID G R E E N A N NAMI TES / 17

Farmers practiced stem cutting to produce seedlings, which will be handed over to member households to grow over 18 ha of Roxburgh Figs.

THE COMMUNITY IN THE BUFFER ZONE OF BACH MA NATIONAL PARK STARTS TO BENEFIT FROM FIGS

he USAID Green Annamites Project (the Project) and Loc Mai Company have teamed up to enhance the conservation of fig-tree and the fig value chain, as well as improve the livelihoods of people living in Phu Loc district, in the buffer zone of Bach Ma National Park. These activities have attracted the participation of 189 additional households, who have volunteered to become members of 10 newly established cooperative groups. Through these efforts, 18.86 hectares of figs will be sustainably planted, conserved and harvested, reaching nearly 20% of the original target. By the end of November 2019, the project provided more than 5,000 fig seedlings to the newly established cooperative groups. The figs were propagated from natural fig trees in the buffer zone of Bach Ma National Park to conserve the genetic resources of this native species. Under this partnership, 12.5 tons of micro-organic fertilizer were also provided, in addition to training on techniques of planting, tending and harvesting figs according to VietGAP practices, and ISO 22000 and HACCP food hygiene and safety standards. A major factor contributing to the effectiveness of the project was gaining community buy-in and support from local authorities. During the implementation process, the Project held 14 consultation meetings with local authorities including: the District People's Committee, the Commune People's Committees and related agencies to gain support on informing and encouraging households participation in fig tree conservation, restoration and development as well as monitor purchase agreements between company and communities. For each product sold, Loc Mai Company pledges to deduct 2% of the revenue for conservation activities of Bach Ma National Park. Currently, the Project and Loc Mai Company have helped generate additional income for 264 households and contributed to various conservation efforts in the area.

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Farmers harvested the first batch of green ironwood mushrooms, which was grown in rough bags for the first time, in Tam Dai commune, Phu Ninh district.

SUCCESSFUL PURIFICATION AND PROGAGATION OF GREEN IRONWOOD MUSHROOM WITH ADVANCED TECHNOLOGY FROM JAPAN

ollowing efforts to conserve precious mushrooms in Quang Nam province, the USAID Green Annamites Project and Quang Nam Lingzhi One Member Limited Company (QN Lingzhi Co.) invited a professor from Kyushu University in Japan and two Vietnamese experts to conduct isolation, purification, propagation and transfer of advanced mushroom growing technology at the company's Research and Technology Transfer Center. Currently, QN Lingzhi Co. has isolated and purified five strains of valuable green ironwood mushroom and lingzhi in the wild, and selected three suitable strains for mass production. Isolating, propagating, and storing green ironwood mushroom and lingzhi in the wild will help the company with breeding the mushrooms. These efforts will increase the prospects of technology transfer to local communities, preserve genetic resources, and enhance the sustainability and competitiveness of this two valuable mushrooms supply chain. However, conservation goals will not be achieved if the harvesting rate of these mushrooms in the nature is not reduced. Consequently, the Project has in partnered with QN Lingzhi Co. to work with communities living near forests, and whose livelihoods depend on the exploitation of non-timber forest products from natural forests in Nam Giang and Dong Giang districts. Thanks to this partnership, two groups of 30 Co Tu ethnic minorities received training on sustainable harvesting techniques of natural green ironwood and Lingzhi mushrooms. Additionally, households in these communities received support to zone, protect and harvest the mushrooms. Both groups attended trainings on management and operation towards establishing collaborative groups, which has enabled the participants to sign a purchasing contract of sustainably harvested mushrooms with QN Lingzhi Co. These comprehensive interventions will help improve livelihoods, reduce the community's dependence on forests, and gradually alleviate the unsustainable exploitation of mushrooms, thereby achieve the goal of biodiversity conservation.

SMALL GRANTS PROGRAM

SUCCESSFUL RA DU RICE PILOTING MODEL IN HONG THUY COMMUNE, A LUOI DISTRICT TRAN VAN TIEM | PROVINCIAL COORDINATOR IN TT HUE | USAID GREEN ANNAMITES PROJECT

fter finalizing an evaluation of Ra Du rice’s economic potential and current quality status to further support its development and conservation, the USAID Green Annamites Project (the Project) organized field-based technical trainings (Farmer Field School) for 100 ethnic minority farmers. The trainings covered everything from how to prepare land for rice cultivation to how best to plant, tend, harvest, and preserve the rice. The Project focused on guiding trainees to monitor the growth cycles of the rice plants in order to restore seedlings of this valuable rice by preventing mixing with other rice plants in the fields. To date, more than 100 households have registered and planted 50 hectares of Ra Du rice, and three pilot models with an area of 5.9 hectares have been established to facilitate the demonstration and practice in the training courses. At model assessment seminar on November 21, 2019 with 50 participants including governmental leaders of A Luoi district, Hong Thuy Commune People’s Committee and neighboring communes, the Hong Thuy Agriculture Cooperative (HTAC), and other member households, the results showed significant productivity gains – 34% higher on annual average (about 4 quintal/hectare). At a rate of 50,000 VND (US$ 2.15) per kilogram, there was an average revenue increase of 12 million VND (US$ 517) per hectare. The participating households rotated Ra Du rice on acacia planting land after harvest, which helps to increase soil fertility and contributes to minimizing the encroachment of natural forests for cultivation. In addition, the trainees have also learned about organic farming methods, and about not using chemical fertilizers, which will lead to improved productivity, quality, and value, without leaving a negative impact on the environment or on farmers’ and consumers’ health. In order to help the farmers, apply the right techniques and replicate the model in the future, the Project compiled a Technical Guideline Manual on Ra Du rice production. This manual has incorporated professional opinions of relevant departments at the provincial, district and commune levels, and opinions of households at consultation meetings. The manual is expected to be approved by the TT Hue Department of Agriculture and Rural Development in February 2020. In addition, the Project has also provided Training of Trainers for 25 participants (40% female) about techniques of Ra Du rice production.In addition to this technical support, in November and

The bumper crops of the Ra Du rice cultivation model in Hong Thuy commune, A Luoi district, are incentivizing farmers to continue working with the project.

December 2019, the Project built the capacity of 15 members of the HTAC on administration, financial management, business planning, marketing, connecting with markets, and value chain development. The Project is also supporting the preparation of documents to gain the collective trademark and the certificate of conformity for the Hong Thuy Ra Du rice variety. These are very important legal conditions that will increase the value of the rice and improve its competitiveness in the market. The establishment of HTAC (see Project Newsletter No. 6, page 14) provides a good opportunity to expand the cultivation area, and better conserving Ra Du rice. Because the Cooperative has both purchasing and trading functions, it will also be able to contribute to stabilizing the rice variety’s price and help households feel more secure when producing Ra Du rice. This was a necessary step when the rice product was selected by the A Luoi District People's Committee to put into the ‘One Commune, One Product’ program (OCOP) of the Government of Vietnam. Local authorities and local people alike have expressed appreciation for the Project’s myriad efforts around Ra Du Rice. In 2020, the Project is working closely with the HTAC to cultivate an additional 50 hectares of Ra Du rice and attract another 100 households to participate. The Project will continue to support in the next season, which begins in April 2020, so farmers can continue to grow this valuable rice even after the Project ends. U SA ID G R E E N A N N AMI TES / 1 9

VULNERABLE COMMUNITIES IN TAM GIANG – CAU HAI LAGOON ARE BETTER PREPARED FOR DISASTERS TRAN VAN TIEM | PROVINCIAL COORDINATOR IN TT HUE | USAID GREEN ANNAMITES PROJECT HO THI MINH NGOC | COMMUNICATION SPECIALIST | USAID GREEN ANNAMITES PROJECT

hua Thien Hue (TT Hue) is a coastal province of Central Vietnam with up to 5 out of 9 districts located in the Tam Giang Cau Hai lagoon area. The local people mainly rely on agricultural production and aquaculture, which are highly dependent on the weather. Consequently, local communities risk facing natural disasters each year, which hampers productivity, lowers their income and threatens their food security and daily life.

COMMUNITY ACTION FOR DISASTER RESPONSE (CADRE)

In collaboration with the authorities of TT Hue province, the USAID Green Annamites Project (the Project) has worked to improve the resilience of five vulnerable communities in Phong Binh commune (Phong Dien district), Huong Phong commune (Huong Tra town), Quang Phuoc commune (Quang Dien district), Thuan An town (Phu Vang district) and Vinh Hai commune (Phu Loc district) from November 2018 to 2019.

COMMUNITY-BASED DISASTER RISK MANAGEMENT (CBDRM)

Activities are designed to strengthen the disaster risk management and mitigation capacity of local leaders and communities. The Project has implemented a series of activities in five communes including surveying and assessing the community-based disaster risk management (CBDRM), assessing the status and the needs of early warning and rescue equipment, and evaluating the training needs in the communes.

5 COMMUNITY-BASED DISASTER RISK ASSESSMENTS (5 DAYS/COMMUNE) to assess the current status of DRM and identify community vulnerabilities in order to complete a Communitybased disaster risk assessment report and develop a 5-year disaster prevention and response plan or their communes

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5 TRAININGS (4 DAYS/TRAINING) reinforced skill sets for ERT so that community can safely and effectively respond to emergency situations

124

TRAINING TOPICS: (1) First Aid and Basic Life Support (2) Incident Command System and Triage (3) Dead Body Management (4) Fire Emergencies (5) Basic Search and Rescue (6) Water Emergencies

MEMBERS OF 5 EMERGENCY RESPONSE TEAMS

5 TRAININGS (5 DAYS/TRAINING) to build local officials and communities's capacity to implement the program ‘Enhancing community awareness and community-based disaster risk management’ according to the Decision 1002/QD-TTg of July 13, 2009 of the Prime Minister

129 PARTICIPANTS FEMALE/ MALE

PARTICIPANTS FEMALE/ MALE

CONTENTS OF CBDRM TRAINING: (1) Concepts related to climate change (2) Climate change scenario (3) Concept, purpose, characteristics, principles and procedures for implementing CBDRM (4) Gender and gender into CBDRM mainstreaming

CONTENTS OF CBDRA TRAINING: (1) Assessment of available information (2) History of natural disasters (3) Seasonal calendar (4) Disaster risk mapping (5) Strengths and weaknesses in Disaster prevention and response (6) Synthesis of Disaster risk, Vulnerability, Capacity, Tool (7) Ranking (8) Analysis of causes (of vulnerability) and propose solutions (9) Synthesis of solutions and propose activities to implement solutions

EARLY WARNING SYSTEM/EMERGENCY RESPONSE TEAM SUPPLIES HANDOVER & IMPROVEMENT

PUBLIC AWARENESS-RAISING PROGRAM ON CLIMATE CHANGE (CC) AND DISASTER RISK REDUCTION (DDR)

1.7 BILLION VIETNAMESE DONG

AWARENESS-RAISING ACTIVITIES IN 5 COMMUNES

TYPES OF EQUIPMENT & SUPPLIES

(1) Installed 75 billboards (2x3m) and posters (0,8x1.2m) and 150 CC/DRR risk maps (2x3m) in public places

EWS/ ERT SUPPLIES ACCORDING TO ASSESSMENT OF EXISTING EWS OF THE COMMUNES INCLUDE Power generators (5 pieces-pcs) Life floats (4 pcs) & life buoys (122 pcs) Life jackets (248 pcs) First-aid bags (43 pcs) First aid splints (17 sets) Loudspeakers (96 pcs) & Hand speakers (68 pcs) Radios (29 pcs) & FM transceivers (18 sets) Microphones (2 pcs) Pole stretchers (18 pcs) Aluminum ladders (4 pcs) Mobile speakers + amplifier systems (38 sets) Wired speakers + amplifier systems (10 sets) Kerosene lamps (13 pcs) Fire extinguishers (8 pcs) Flood markers (710 pcs) Helmets (80 pcs) Chargers (125 pcs)

(2) Broadcasted 2 clips on CC and DDR on commune loudspeaker system: length 2.5-3 minutes per clip, 2 times/day, 3 days/week

6,015 HOUSEHOLDS have implemented at least one disaster and climate change response action (3) Conduct household visits and distribute communication products such as calendars, zipper bags containing necessary materials, via 48 volunteers

THE DISASTER DRILL EXERCISE

357

PARTICIPANTS

173 FEMALE / 185 MALE including 9 PEOPLE w/t DISABILITIES 100 CHILDREN The disaster drill provided the opportunity to improve the organization, execution and coordination skills of the authority, the Steering Committee for Natural Disaster Prevention & Control, Search and Rescue (NDPC-SR) at the commune level; at the same time, raised awareness of local people in responding to natural disasters and climate change

CONTENTS OF THE DRILL: (1) Ensure early warning, information of disaster prevention and control (2) Safety for students in disaster (3) Retrofitting houses, property protection, preparation of necessary items at household level (4) Ad-hoc meeting of steering committee for NDPC-SR to implement the plan for responding to the natural disaster (5) Evacuation of people and property to safe locations (6) First Aid (7)Provision of initial support for people at evacuating locations (8) Meeting of Communeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Steering Committee for NDPC-SR to review, report on data about damage

U SA ID G R E E N A N N AMI TES / 21

USAID GREEN ANNAMITES PROJECT 5th Floor | Senriver Building 223 Tran Phu Street | Hai Chau District Da Nang City | Vietnam Telephone: ++ 84 2363 616 781 Email: green-annamites.info@ecodit.com.vn Website: www.usaid.gov