USAID Green Annamites Newsletter Issue 08 by Minh Hanh Ta

GREEN ANNAMITES USAID GREEN ANNAMITES PROJECT | NEWSLETTER | ISSUE No. 8 | JANUARY â&#x20AC;&#x201C; MARCH 2020

The presence of a baby elephant in a herd of different ages indicates their future potential to grow and thrive.

NEW BABY ELEPHANT FOUND AT QUANG NAM ELEPHANT SPECIES AND HABITAT CONSERVATION AREA

uring a biodiversity survey from February 17 to March 11, 2020 at the Quang Nam (QN) Elephant Species and Habitat Conservation Area (Elephant SHCA), the USAID Green Annamites Project team (the Project) recorded a herd of eight elephants. The preliminary observation showed that the herd consisted of one mature male, two semi-mature males, one male, three mature females, and one calf. The calf was around 9-12-months-old, healthy, strong, and able to feed itself. According to the latest official survey in 2017, a herd of 5-7 elephants was recorded but the age and gender, as well as the appearance of calfs could not be determined. The discovery of a new calf in the Elephant SHCA demonstrates that the

elephants now have a stable and safe habitat, where their source of food is now more abundant. This has shown that the efforts of QN province to protect one of the last Asian elephant (Elephas maximus) herds in Vietnam are paying off, especially after the establishment of the Elephant SHCA in Nong Son district in 2017. The Project has provided the HSCA with technical assistance to improve management capacity of the Management Board and enhance the expertise of rangers. The Project has supported the biodiversity inventory, the Key Species Monitoring Plan (see Project Newsletter No. 5, page 13), the Sustainable Forest Management Plan, and the use of the Spatial Monitoring and Reporting Tool (SMART) for patrolling, etc. In addition, the Project has

also collaborated with the SHCA to raise awareness and improve the livelihoods of people living in the buffer zone, which aim to reduce the negative impact on the SHCA. The Asian elephant is a large mammal listed as Endangered in the 2008 Red List of Threatened Species by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and as critically endangered in Vietnamâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 2004 Red Data Book. According to the General Department of Forestry, the elephant population in Vietnam now has more than 100 individuals. These small and fragmented populations face an imbalance in terms of age and gender as well as difficulties of multiplying in the future without introducing urgent conservation measures. U SA ID G R E E N A N N AMI TES / 1

| EDITORIAL

lthough the COVID-19 pandemic has considerably affected the progress of project implementation during the first quarter of 2020, the USAID Green Annamites Project continues to make a positive impact in the field. We’ve rounded up the most encouraging stories highlighting our milestones. The first article on the cover page of Project Newsletter Issue No. 8 celebrates a rare siting of a baby elephant that was spotted in the Elephant Species and Habitat Conservation Area in Quang Nam. This is positive news not only for people working in the field of conservation but for everyone, especially nature lovers.

On Page 3+4+5, we highlight a relatively new concept in Vietnam called conservation enterprises and how we design our activity to promote a new model of enterprise which aims to bridge economic benefits and conservation objectives. Activities are gradually being finalized in the Project’s final year of implementation. Some of these activities include using high-technology in biodiversity inventory and monitoring, as well as forest patrolling. These efforts are being

implemented in multiple nature reserves and national parks in Quang Nam and Thua Thien Hue (see page 6+7). Pages of 8+9 spotlight the Project’s strategic intervention to raise awareness and encourage the participation of local communities in forest protection and biodiversity conservation through Community Conservation Groups, Village Patrolling Groups, and Tiny Ranger Clubs. The subsequent pages are filled with encouraging results, successful milestones and positive changes in the sustainable, environmentally and socially responsible livelihood models that have been implemented in various districts in the two target provinces. These accomplishments are creating tremendous motivation for all participating stakeholders including citizens, enterprises, governmental bodies as well as Project staff and implementing partners. With unwavering support from all stakeholders, I am confident that the remaining Project activities will end successfully, benefiting people and the environment. We hope that you and your family are healthy and safe during this challenging time. Together, we will make it through the pandemic! Best regards, Daniel Lopez Chief of Party

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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

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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CONSERVATION ENTERPRISES

ON THE WAY TO SUSTAINABILITY DANIEL LOPEZ | CHIEF OF PARTY | USAID GREEN ANNAMITES PROJECT

The triangular collaboration Government – Enterprise – Community benefits all participating stakeholders and increases the sustainability of the livelihood models, while strengthening forest protection and biodiversity conservation.

To address the need for improved rural income and support biodiversity conservation, the USAID Green Annamites Project designed its livelihood activities with a value chain approach. A key element of the approach is the right selection of target communities. Vulnerable groups living in the proximity of forested areas are prone to overexploit natural resources when in need of a livelihood. Identifying areas with the highest threats to biodiversity is the foundation of the approach and equally important is the selection of the livelihood activity to ensure positive conservation outcomes. 3 / USAID GR EEN A NNA MI T E S

This process requires the participation of communities, private companies, and local government to ensure activities are aligned with the interest of all stakeholders and have the potential to be scaled up. The Project aims to move from a donor-recipient relationship to a partnership, where every stakeholder is responsible for contributing to sustainable development and increased protection of forested areas. USAID Green Annamites Project (the Project) supported the creation and strengthening of conservation enterprises in Vietnam. These community ‑owned and -managed businesses generate economic and social benefits

in ways that help meet conservation outcomes (USAID, 2018). The hypothesis is that if farmers’ income is increased, then that increased income provides the motivation and ability for participants to discontinue unsustain -able activities that result in threats to biodiversity. It is understood that the benefits of this approach have two main conditions:

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The first condition is that the farmers are organized in cooperatives, interest groups or other kinds of groups that allow for broad participation, self-governance and benefit distribution over time.

SOURCE: USAID

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The second condition is that the social, environmental, and financial gains from working as a group are changing the behavior of these communities living near biodiversity-rich areas.

Ultimately, this would lead to threat reduction and improved biodiversity conservation. The graph above illustrates the theory of change behind conservation enterprises* and the key evaluation questions to be asked along the way to keep the process on target. To address the challenge of bridging conservation and development, the Project encourages farmers to adopt alternative livelihoods, which aim to reduce the hand labor that goes into forest degradation (e.g. illegal logging, poaching, etc.). The Project has called for grant applications to support projects that combine agricultural productivity improvement, capacity building, and private sector engagement, as a way to build long term win-win partnerships between organized farmers and private companies. As a result, the Project supports activities

in medicinal plants, mushrooms, sustainable rattan harvesting and handicrafts, FSC ÂŽ -certified large timber plantations, and other traditional products from the mountainous areas of Quang Nam (QN) and Thua Thien Hue, like Ra Du rice, fig trees, morinda, and cajuput. With support from the Project and two provincial authorities, local communities can enter into commercialization agreements with buyers (small local enterprises in the agribusiness sector). These agreements give the buyer access to high quality raw material for its supply chain and provide the farmers with the certainty that their produce will be sold at a good price over time. Although a three-year implementation period is too short to present evidencebased results on conservation, preliminary results indicate that the Project is on the right path to achieve positive conservation results. One example of how the Project supports conservation enterprises is through the development of the Lingzhi

mushrooms value chain, to promote sustainable livelihood improvement for local people including ethnic minorities in the mountainous area in QN. Through this acitivity, 375 farmers (30% females) in Tien Phuoc, Nui Thanh, and Phu Ninh districts are being trained on mushroom cultivation, and have been organized into 15 production groups. In addition, two collaborative groups with 60 members (50 of them from ethnic minority groups) were established in Dong Giang and Nam Giang districts (more details on page 19). Also, the Project has supported the QN Lingzhi Mushroom Company to establish a center for technology development and conduct research on two valuable mushrooms, Lingzhi and Green Ironwood (Ganoderma Lucidum (Leyss. Ex Fr.) Karst). The Project also creates market linkages by developing distribution channels for domestic and international markets. The forests in QN have the optimal environmental conditions for the Green Ironwood and Lingzhi mushrooms to thrive, but its uncontrolled harvesting

* CONSERVATION ENTERPRISES: Using a Theory of Change Approach to Examine Evidence for Biodiversity Conservation. USAID 2016.

U SA ID G R E E N A N N AMI TES / 4

under the natural forest canopies is rapidly decreasing the population of these valuable mushrooms. It has become scarce and currently, fake and low-quality products are being offered to consumers. This has created an opportunity for the communities and the company to enter into a cooperative agreement, where the company provides seedling, training, and technical assistance to farmers, while the farmers commit to growing Lingzhi mushrooms under strict technical guidance. Currently, the company produces the mushroom spawns at its facilities in Tam Ky and distributes it to the target farmers in the mountainous regions of QN, where it is grown in the households. Farmers do not go into the forest to collect the mushroom and they invest limited time at home to make sure that Lingzhi is growing as expected. The company and the production groups have signed business agreements defining roles and commitments to make this activity sustainable and profitable. Thus far, activities supported by the Project and private-public partners have shown encouraging preliminary results:

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Individual producers are being organized in interest groups, collaborative groups, and cooperatives which has improved access to support, technical assistance, and commercialization of their produce.

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Community-owned businesses alone do not guarantee success or sustainability over time. Partnership agreements with private companies greatly improve sustainability by ensuring market access, technical assistance, and access to finance.

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The Project facilitates agreements of cooperation between organized communities and private sector companies, which indicates the responsibilities and benefits of all stakeholders, ensuring output and a good price for farmers while the company strengthens its supply chain.

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These engagements need to be coupled with capacity development and awareness raising undertakings to allow organized farmers to make more informed decisions on activities that would impact their surrounding environment.

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Technical training for farmers alone is not enough to ensure positive and sustainable conservation and economic results. Closer follow up through continued technical assistance is needed to ensure farmers apply new knowledge correctly and that support is accessible when facing challenging situations.

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It is widely accepted that local ownership is imperative for sustainability. From the Project’s perspective, this ownership includes not only the (organized) farmers and private companies, but also the local and provincial government. Although the Project does not provide funding to government counterparts in support of these activities, having the provincial, district, and commune level government organizations abreast and actively engaged in activities is an enabling condition for success.

The successful cultivation of mushrooms with high economic values like Green Ironwood and Lingzhi in households helps reduce over-exploitation and protects both mushrooms. Cultivating the mushrooms improves the livelihoods of local people and increases the raw material supply for companies.

During the last year of the program, the Project and its implementing partners will focus on consolidating the promising results achieved so far, documenting the lessons learned to facilitate future work and continue the endeavor towards improved livelihoods, and forest protection and biodiversity conservation.

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APPLICATION OF HIGH TECHNOLOGY IN CONSERVATION: A NEW PRACTICE IN THE CENTRAL ANNAMITES DO VAN NGOC | BIODIVERSITY AND LIVELIHOOD SPECIALIST | USAID GREEN ANNAMITES PROJECT HOANG MINH HANH | COMMUNICATION OFFICER | USAID GREEN ANNAMITES PROJECT

“It is very good to use a smartphone, because only officers who are really involved in the implementation have data and images and this ensures transparency in forest patrols. Moreover, all new detections on new violations and species are immediately updated to the management board.” MR. NGUYEN NGOC VAN DEPUTY DIRECTOR | BAC HAI VAN PROTECTION FOREST | THUA THIEN HUE PROVINCE

* * * “The results of SMART enable us to provide more appropriate instructions for forest management because we can identify hotspots and places to focus on biodiversity.” MR. HA PHUOC PHU UNIT HEAD | FOREST PROTECTION MANAGEMENT UNIT | QUANG NAM FOREST PROTECTION DEPARTMENT Spatial Monitoring and Reporting Tool is a practical instrument to support rangers in their patrolling, biodiversity inventory, and reduce the pressure on information consolidation and reporting.

eveloping a conservation plan aligned with existing conditions and designing effective forest resource management and biodiversity conservation activities is an important and challenging task for forest management organizations. A good management plan greatly depends on the quality of information and data collected from the field, which is reflected by two factors: accuracy and timeliness.

management boards of the NRs are still facing many difficulties in implementing the aforementioned tasks, since biodiversity information is outdated and not regularly updated. Information about the current adverse effects on forests and biodiversity and the severity of the impact is not collected and reported in a timely manner. As a result, management boards are unable to make appropriate and informed decisions.

With a large forest area and important biodiversity species, the Central Annamites has many nature reserves (NRs) and a national parks. However, the

In order to solve the difficulties that the protected areas (PAs) are facing and to take advantage of technological advances around the world, the

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Government of Vietnam has encouraged the application of advanced technology in biodiversity inventory and evaluation, forest patrols, monitoring, and protection. The USAID Green Annamites Project (the Project) has worked to safeguard PAs in Quang Nam (QN) and Thua Thien Hue (TT Hue) over the past three years by using technology to collect information and conduct evaluations. These efforts have led to the establishment of a high-quality database that has been used to help the protected areas with conservation planning, as well as improvement of forest protection activities.

TECHNOLOGY TO SUPPORT BIODIVERSITY INVENTORY, IDENTIFICATION OF AREAS WITH HIGH CONSERVATION VALUE, AND PROVISION OF ACCURATE INFORMATION FOR THE CONSERVATION PLAN DEVELOPMENT To be able to provide accurate information on biodiversity, the Project has installed 242 systematic camera traps and 23 listening posts in six protected areas in both QN and TT Hue provinces. As of the fourth quarter of 2018, many valuable and rare animals such as Samba deer (Samba Cervus unicolor), long-tailed macaques (Macaca arctoides), red-shanked douc langurs (Pygathrix nemaeus), the Annamite striped rabbits (Nesolagus timminsi), giant muntjacs (Muntiacus vuquangensis), etc. were recorded. This has helped with identifying priority areas for protection when designing or modifying the conservation plan of NRs.

The results obtained from camera traps and listening posts have contributed significantly to updating data on species in the protected areas.

In addition, since the beginning of May 2018, the Project has assisted PAs in applying geographic information technology (GIS) to assess forest coverage and fragmentation, and to delineate high value conservation areas. It is important to detect 'hot spots' for conservation or areas needing attention in an NR because it provides accurate information for development/ modification of action plans and focuses resources in the areas of concern.

TECHNOLOGY TO SUPPORT PATROLLING, REPORTING VIOLATIONS, AND MONITORING BIODIVERSITY A drawback in biodiversity conservation in many protected areas is the timeliness of reports on violations detected in the field. Previously, with the method of patrolling and reporting mainly in written form, it takes a lot of time for one violation to be reported to the leaders of a protected area since it is detected in a forest. As a result, interventions are slow and this significantly affects the effectiveness of conservation activities. Since August 2018, the Project has supported protected areas in applying the Space Monitoring and Reporting Tool (SMART). In the Central Annamites, only TT Hue Saola NR and QN Saola NR have initially applied this technology. Thanks to the Project, more than 100 staff of seven protected areas and Bach Ma National Park have been trained on how to use the Global Positioning System (GPS) and smartphones to collect data for SMART. SMART software is used to manage and analyze the collected data and create a database which serves as high quality inputs for adjustments of the protection and management plan of each PA. It would be inconsistent if the technical support and trainings are not accompanied by the supply of equipment and devices for the implementation of SMART. Consequently, the Project provided equipment packages for the protected areas including GPSes, smartphones, power banks, laptops, and printers. In addition, the Project supported the installation of the latest version of SMART software, and provided a SMART User Guide in Vietnamese, and documents including NR maps, data models, and data sheets of field patrols. High-tech applications, equipment and devices, as well as information systems that the Project provided to the national parks and NRs in QN and

Training courses incorporated theory and practice in real-life contexts to ensure that participants can work independently and follow technical standards in the SMART User Manual which were translated into Vietnamese and issued previously by the Project.

TT Hue provinces are a timely and important step to improve planning, forest patrolling, and biodiversity monitoring. As a result, specialized forces and the management boards of protected areas are in a better position to know about changes in forest resources and promptly address violations of forest law, so that forests and forest biodiversity are better protected. U SA ID G R E E N A N NAMI TES / 7

FOREST PROTECTION AND BIODIVERSITY CONSERVATION THROUGH ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION ACTIVITIES AND COMMUNITY FOREST PATROLING DO VAN NGOC | BIODIVERSITY AND LIVELIHOOD SPECIALIST | USAID GREEN ANNAMITES PROJECT TRAN VIET ĐONG | FORESTRY PROJECT OFFICER | USAID GREEN ANNAMITES PROJECT

aising awareness to gradually change the attitudes and behaviors of local communities, including people living near forests and/ or having forest-dependent livelihoods is a systematic approach to reduce illegal logging and poaching as well as strengthen the preservation of forest resources and biodiversity. Following the successful communication activities led by the community conservation groups (CCG) in 2018, since April 2019, the USAID Green Annamites Project (the Project) has continued to partner with the Forest Protection Departments (FPD) of Quang Nam (QN) and Thua Thien Hue (TT Hue) provinces to e stablish:

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25 Community Conservation groups (CCGs) including communelevel government officials; 32 groups of village patrolling groups (VPGs) comprised of local people dedicated to forest protection; 43 Tiny Ranger Clubs (TRC) including pupils from schools in the area who love nature, flora, and fauna.

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CCGs and Tiny Ranger Clubs have been instrumental in organizing communication activities and raising awareness in their localities.

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With support from the protected areas and national parks in the two provinces, the CCGs have begun raising awareness at the grassroots level by informing local communities and schools on the importance of forest protection and resources, and wildlife conservation. The Project has provided CCGs with uniforms, supportive tools, and trainings on related communication

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skills, patrolling, and monitoring forest resources to support the VPGs. For example, trainings on communication skills and how to operate the clubs were organized for the trainers/teachers/staff of the protected areas. Leaders of the TRCs together with the Forest Protection Departments of the two provinces have developed a set of 30 sample lectures on nature and distinctive animals of each province to use in the training sessions with pupils.

In QN province, in collaboration with Management Boards of Song Thanh Nature Reserve (NR), Saola NR, Elephant Species & Habitat Conservation Area (Elephant SHCA), Phu Ninh Protection Forest, and the Communal People’s Committees (CPCs), the CCGs organized the first series of 15 mobile communication events with banners and slogans to encourage the local communities to come together and protect the forest, and curb

wildlife hunting. The village speakers have continuously provided the local Âcommunity with the latest regulations on obligations, responsibilities, and rights to jointly protect the forests and wildlife of the forests nearby their villages. Subsequently, with the support of the management boards of the protected areas and the CPCs, CCGs have successfully organized 21 traditional performance events combined with communication campaigns about forest and wildlife protection at the communal areas of the two target provinces. The performances about nature and the close connection between people and forests over many generations has evoked the need to protect forests among the local community. The communities in QN also participated in fun quizzes about precious and unique wild animals, and learned about forest management practices. Small gifts were given to encourage the community to create a joyful atmosphere, and to raise awareness about the crucial roles of forests in their lives. Especially in TT Hue, in addition to provide education to the local communities in the region, the groups collaborated with local authorities to identify households with activities related to illegal harvest/exploiting and trading of forest resources, to approach and engage them in traditional performances. It is to ensure that communication reaches target people and support is given to help them gradually realize adverse effects and consequences of illegal exploitation of forest resources (also read Box 1).

While the CCGs and TRCs have been instrumental in organizing communication activities and raising awareness, the VPGs are a useful resource given the shortage of specialized rangers. The shortage of human resources has made it difficult to effectively manage the allocated forest area. Since its establishment, the village patrolling groups have

Forest resource protection and biodiversity conservation is a difficult task and requires a combination of resources, comprehensive interventions, and longterm strategies. At the community level, environmental education and participatory forest protection patrols are vital to promoting behavior change and raising awareness of forest-dependent

Box 1. CHOOSING THE RIGHT TARGET AUDIENCE FOR COMMUNICATION IS A NECESSARY CONDITION FOR THE SUCCESS OF ACTIVITIES

The TT Hue CCGs collaborated with the forest rangers and local authorities to investigate and found 77 households involved in activities related to illegal logging, poaching, wildlife trafficking in the communes in the buffer zones of NRs. These households were given priority to attend the traditional performance events in November and December 2019. By supporting forest patrol activities and promoting alternative livelihood models, it is expected that by the end of September 2020, the number of households with activities impacting forest resources mentioned above will be reduced by 70-80%.

joined with staff of Sao La NR, Phong Dien NR and Bac Hai Van proposed NR and Bach Ma National Park (TT Hue) Song Thanh NR, Elephant SHCA, Sao La NR, Phu Ninh and Nam Tra My Protection Forest (QN) in the patrols (5 days/patrol) to prevent and handle forestry violations. With the support of the village patrolling groups, the patrols have become more effective, especially in cases where the violators of forest laws operate in large groups.

A member of Lang Co VPG removes a wild animal trap during his patrol.

communities living in the buffer zones of protected areas. Consequently, the USAID Green Annamites Project will continue to prioritize creating a solid linkage between the protected areas and the community groups, by strengthening their capacity and ensuring the local communities continue with the activities after the Project is completed by the end of 2020.

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IMPROVING VOCATIONAL SKILLS, UPDATING DESIGNS: THE KEY TO TRADITIONAL HANDICRAFT MARKET NGUYEN THI THU TRANG | PROJECT MANAGER | VIETNAM RURAL INDUSTRIES RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT INSTITUTE (VIRI) HO THI MINH NGOC | COMMUNICATION SPECIALIST | USAID GREEN ANNAMITES PROJECT

Rattan weaving artisans learn new designs to teach other members of the Kazan Waterfall Community-based Tourism Cooperative.

ince September 2019, the USAID Green Annamites Project (the Project) and Vietnam Rural Industries Research and Development Institute (VIRI) have jointly implemented an activity to promote sustainable production and responsible consumption of medicinal plants and handicraft products in Thua Thien Hue province (TT Hue). This activity aims to improve the livelihoods of local communities, reduce wildlife poaching, and enhance biodiversity conservation in target districts. 280 people from Kazan Waterfall Community-based Tourism Cooperative (Nam Dong district), A Luoi Green Brocade Cooperative (A Luoi district), and Bao La Handicraft Cooperative (Quang Dien district) directly benefit from this activity.

To promote value chain enhancement, VIRI worked with the cooperatives to consolidate their input with more than 350 sustainable designs for value chains including rattan, bamboo handicraft and Zeng weaving. 79 designs were selected for trial production, and products were introduced to potential customers through Hue Essentials Hubs (HUB)*, brochures, product catalogs, and direct marketing. Customer feedback

* Hue Essentials Hub (HUB) locations: Luc Bo: No. 79, Nguyen Chi Dieu street, Hue City Luc Bo: Imperial Citadel, Hue City Le Cafe: No. 8, Tran Huu Duc street, Hue City

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objectively reflects the product’s suitability on the market as well as cost and technical efficiency. 37 samples that received the most positive feedback from customers were selected to be training materials for 273 members of the cooperatives (with 212 members being women). Many customers showed their interest in the activity as well as the collaboration between the Project and the cooperatives. They highly appreciate the quality of the products and are committed to jointly developing the market and creating a sustainable outcome for the products crafted by the cooperatives. The product models are designed according to the principles of sustainable design which comply with the following criteria:

• using local techniques and materials • respecting local traditional cultural values • utilizing natural materials economically, minimizing the use of chemicals or littering

• reducing production time • meeting customer requirements

An Nam Palour: No. 24, Hang Vai, Hanoi Eastern and Oriental Tea House and Coffee Parlour: No. 26, Quang An street, Hanoi Emporium: No. 39, Xuan Dieu street, Hanoi Emporium (inside InterContinental Westlake Hotel): No. 5, Quang An street, Hanoi

Traditional brocade with new, modern, and appealing designs receive positive feedback from potential customers, some were even pre-ordered.

The training courses have helped the cooperatives advance their techniques to diversify products; reduce production time by applying improved techniques; enhanced natural dyeing methods using a safety procedure while dipping into paint; and strengthened the use of square corner – a technique that the Bao La Cooperative was not able to perform which resulted in limited designs and market expansion. Products created during the training courses included bags, wallets, pillow cases, decorative sheets, napkins, square boxes, bamboo-rattan-fabric bags, foldable storage boxes, earrings, rattan-brocade baskets, etc. To date, customers have already pre-ordered the samples and the products from the training courses were sold at the project’s HUBs. By March 2020, the cooperative received 15 orders with over VND 120 million of revenue (about US$5,100), which helped to increase income for 274 people.

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Additionally, for each product sold, Bao La Cooperative and A Luoi Cooperative pledged to contribute VND 5,000 (US$0.25) per product while the Kazan cooperative pledged that 5% of the total revenue would be donated to the local forest management fund in Lam Dot commune (A Luoi district), Mu Nu Village (A Luoi district), and Doi Village (Nam Dong district). ''The cooperative is proud to contribute to the local forest management fund. We have agreed to contribute 5% of revenue per order and we will contribute to the fund once every three months. I think this is very meaningful for the environment. The entire community supports this idea,'' Mr. Vuong Van Cua, Director of Kazan Waterfall Cooperative shared. Local communities will use these funds for biodiversity conservation activities such as forest patrolling, forest fire prevention, and to develop non-timber forest products plantation under canopies such as rattan and medicinal plants.

Thanks to the Project for supporting the cooperative. The designs that we were trained to do in are very suitable for tourists, who are our target customers in the future. During the training courses, many customers were fascinated and interested in ordering the new design samples. Mr. Vo Van Dinh | Director | Bao La Bamboo and Rattan Cooperative | Quang Phu commune, Quang Dien district, Thua Thien Hue province

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PROFESSION ASSOCIATIONS JOIN HANDS WITH COMMUNITIES TO IMPROVE LIVELIHOOD FROM NON-TIMBER FOREST PRODUCTS: SOME POSITIVE MOVES LE VIET NHAN | PROVINCIAL COORDINATOR IN QUANG NAM | USAID GREEN ANNAMITES PROJECT HO THI MINH NGOC | COMMUNICATION SPECIALIST | USAID GREEN ANNAMITES PROJECT

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All members of the CG are very happy with the vocational training organized by the Project. Now, all participants are capable of producing new designs or make products modeled after traditional items that are appealing and sold at affordable prices for customers. Mr. Bling Bloo | Bho Hoong hamlet, Song Kon commune, Dong Giang district, Quang Nam province

Combining the traditional weaving method with new techniques introduced by the Project and VietCraft, the Co Tu people mastered new designs, shortened the production time, and increased productivity.

ince the the kick-off meeting in October 2019, the USAID Green Annamites Project (the Project) worked closely with its grantee, the Vietnam Handicraft Exporters Association (VietCraft) to implement multiple field activities. These efforts aim to promote sustainable livelihoods among ethnic minority communities in Quang Nam (QN) through the development of rattan and medicinal plant value chains, hence strengthening biodiversity conservation. Particularly, the Project and VietCraft organized technical trainings and

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established 18 collaborative groups (CG) with 555 members (more than 40% are females), including five rattan plantation CGs, eight rattan weaving CGs, and five medicinal processing and production CGs. To encourage female participation in CGs, six female leaders were chosen. ''I am very happy to participate in CGs and hold a leadership role. I hope my contributions will make rattan weaving CG more successful, boost job creation, and improve the incomes of member households,'' Ms. Co Lau Thi Binh, leader of the rattan weaving CG in Ra E village, A Ting commune, Dong Giang district remarked.

To enhance the sustainability of rattan raw material, the Project supported organize a training of trainers (ToT) course and five trainings on sustainable rattan plantation and harvesting for 221 members (90 females). Currently, the groups have completed growing 100 hectares of rattan under forest canopies in Nam Giang, Dong Giang, and Tay Giang districts. The Project provided local communities with seedlings and provides support with labor and tending costs. At present, some CGs have already begun to harvest natural rattan using sustainable methods. According to the purchasing agreements, VietCraft

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buys a total of 9.2 tons of rattan from the CGs. VietCraft has also supported the CGs with developing a sustainable rattan harvesting plan, using a produce traceability technology. The Project supports the traditional rattan weaving CGs with seven advanced trainings, each lasting 1.5-2 months. The capacity building activities will improve the skills of 160 people (including 56 women and with 100% of participants belonging to the Co Tu ethnicity) in Dong Giang and Tay Giang districts. Participants learned how to utilize the

traditional method of Co Tu weaving in new designs and completed products ordered from companies. To-date, most members are able to produce products with diverse designs like baskets, bags, vases, trays, and small decorative products from rattan. Additionally, Bho Hoong hamlet is enlisted in the National Target Program on New Rural Development and aims to become the nationallevel cultural tourist destination. In November 2019, the Project worked with VietCraft to organize a market linkage event between rattan

purchasing and processing enterprises and CGs. The companies visited the raw material area and handicraft workshops. The visit connected businesses with CGs and resulted in 14 purchasing agreements being signed to cover raw material and rattan products produced by local communities. To enhance the value chain of medicinal plants, the Project and VietCraft provided trainings on medicinal plant processing and product packaging diversification. The Project also equipped medicinal production workshops

Over 550 farmers joined 18 collaborative groups on rattan raw material expansion, rattan weaving, and medicinal plants production and processing that was established in three poor mountainous districts of Quang Nam, including Dong Giang, Tay Giang and Nam Giang.

with new processing and packaging facilities. The workshop, located in Lang commune, only a kilometer from the center of Tay Giang district, is preparing for its grand opening in April 2020. Its duties are introducing and selling medicinal plants and rattan products, while serving as a stopover for tourists traveling along eco-tourism routes. Presently, the workshop is processing poor manâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s ginseng or dangshen (Codonopsis pilosula) products such as condensed dangshen, dried dangshen with honey from raw material that the CG members supplied. VietCraft signed an agreement to purchase three tons of raw and

cultivated dangshen from Ga Ri and Châ&#x20AC;&#x2122;om communes (Tay Giang district). Currently, the CGs have provided 755 kilograms while the remaining amount will be delivered in May 2020. With the agreement, farmers can sell at VND 80,000-170,000 (US$3.5-7.25) depending on the types of dangshen; meanwhile, on the market they can sell at only 50,000-80,000 (US$2.25-3.5). Also, the Project will support the promotion and market development of rattan and medicinal products via communication activities, trade fairs, eco-tourism companies, and other trade events to advance market linkages.

Awareness raising activities for local communities to mitigate activities that put pressure on natural forests and threaten biodiversity and encourage clean and eco-friendly cultivation practices have also been integrated into presentations at kick-off events, meetings with local communities, and trainings. The initial results reflect that forest-dependent people are gradually improving their livelihoods through value chain enhancement. Overall, these efforts are contributing to the protection of forest resources and biodiversity conservation in QN, an objective shared by the Project. U SA ID G R E E N A N NAMI TES / 13

FARMER'S STORY

THE POWER OF TRUST TRAN VIET ĐONG | FORESTRY PROJECT OFFICER | USAID GREEN ANNAMITES PROJECT HO THI MINH NGOC | COMMUNICATION SPECIALIST | USAID GREEN ANNAMITES PROJECT

Mr. Phan Van Anh, currently lives in Nam Khe Dai hamlet, Loc Hoa commune. He participated in the project 'Conservation and development of the raw material area of ficus plant and processing of ficus products, in association with conserving biodiversity and creating sustainable livelihoods for people at Phu Loc district, within the buffer zone of Bach Ma National Park.' This is implemented by Loc Mai Trade and Service Ltd., with the support of the USAID Green Annamites Project from April 2019. Besides his existing five ficus trees, he has planted 20 additional trees under the plan to expand ficus raw material for Loc Mai Company.

Mr. Anh has high hopes that the Roxburgh fig and the model of collaborating with Loc Mai Company will bring many benefits to him and his community.

ay family is not considered to be a poor or near-poor household. My parents own a few hectares of acacia which I am helping them tend. We also cultivate rice, fruit, trees, and chicken. It can be said that my family’s life is not too hard. Previously, I would go into the forest to collect timber to build a house, trap birds, or to find bamboo shoots, rattan, bamboo, and wild honey, which helped me earn around VND 3 million/month, but only for 1 or 2 months in a year. For the last two years, since I joined the village patrolling group, I’ve become more aware of the government’s regulations. As a result, now during patrolling time, I only collect honey if I can find it, and not the other items. Me, my wife, and our two children (3 and 5 years old) recently moved out of my parent’s house. With our savings and their support, we were able to build a small house. However, I kept pondering about our economic situation. With just an income of VND 5 million/month (US$215) for the whole family, I kept thinking about what I should do to ensure my family lives a more sufficient life, especially since our children are about to go to school. Since I am well-educated and also the Vice Chair of the Communal Farmer Association, this thought kept weighing on me. I always wanted to utilize what I had learned in university to 14 / USAID GR EEN A NNA MI T E S

create a business or do something for my family and community. The question is, where do I to start? I tried intercropping many types of plants such as guava, papaya, and pepper in my garden but it did not work due to its low price and my lack of technical skills. Many of the plants easily caught diseases and died, leading to a very low yield. I continued to experience difficulties until Loc Mai Company and the USAID Green Annamites Project (the Project) approached the residents of Nam Khe Dai village, Loc Hoa commune. They introduced a business idea using a fruit that is native to my hometown, the Roxburgh fig. The tree grows in the gardens of every household in our village and the entire Loc Hoa commune. Though I was quite surprised and very dubious, it dawned on me that the tree would be the opportunity I had been looking for. The ficus is easy to plant and requires very minimal care. People often let it grow by itself and water it occasionally, and then wait for harvest time to pick and bring the fruit to the local market. It’s hard to find someone at the market who wants to buy it in large quantity. Our garden has five 10-12-year-old fig trees. My parents picked the fruit 2-3 times a month for sales, which gave us around VND 1 million (US$43) for every 200-300 kg of fresh figs. However, we and other households had never thought of expanding the planting area for this type of tree because prices were low and often fluctuated. Sometimes there was no demand and we’d let the ripe figs fall down all around the trees. In the past, we only knew that this fruit can be used for food processing. After the first meetings with Mai Loc Company, we were surprised to find that dried ficus can be made into tea, teabags, medicine, juice, wine, and even cake fillings. They also pledged to buy figs regularly at

An 18-hectare raw material area is gradually formed with contributes from local people in Loc Hoa community and Loc Mai Company.

a fixed price of VND 5,000/kg (US$0.21) for all the participating households, which is written clearly in the purchasing contract. Our initial doubts about the production of fig trees soon turned into excitement around joining the company’s plan of expanding the raw ficus area. We are even more excited to know that the Project and Loc Mai will provide us with technical training. We used to think of ficus as a self-growing tree, but the training showed us the reason why we could not sell it at good price. Since we did not tend and fertilize them, many trees got diseases and pests, which led to low yield and small-sized fruits. To improve cultivation, we were trained by the technicians of the company and the Project to revitalize five Roxburgh fig trees in my garden. We established a group with 15 members, including me, to revitalize ficus plants in Hoa Loc commune. I applied what I learned from the training and successfully marcotted 20 branches with the support of VND 60,000/branch (US$2.55) from the Project. All marcotted branches, together with an additional 5,000 provided by the Project have been handed over to 264 households. Around 20 branches were provided to each household to expand the ficus planting area to a target of 18 hectares. To ensure the new fig gardens grow properly and meet the standards of purchasing, the company has organized various training courses on planting, harvesting, processing, and storing techniques. We have now mastered the techniques of how to fertilize at the right time to produce consistent big fruits; how to prune to increase the yield from 15-20kg/tree to 20-30kg/tree for every harvest; how to check ficus trees for pests and diseases and deal with the problems; how to pick the fruit in the right way, which requires us to use scissors to avoid scratching the fruits or breaking off small branches to sustain the tree’s growth. In just a short time, I have learned a lot and witnessed a remarkable improvement in fruit quality as well as in the yield, which has been twice as high as the previous season. My family now can harvest 3 times/month to supply to Loc Mai Company, the income has increased by VND 2-2.5 million (US$85-110)/month.

Additionally, I found that the purchasing method through the cooperative groups established by Loc Mai Company and the Project is very effective. Initially, people hesitated to join the groups because they doubted the model, but then they became excited because they started to see the positive results. Specifically, Loc Mai Company’s purchase of figs is very stable and follows the contract signed with the groups. This has built the trust of group members. They now strictly comply with the terms in the contract and do not sell to other traders, even if a higher price is proposed. Because they want to keep a long-term cooperation with the company. Currently, local people in the community, including me are having more trust in the business model. For example, after being trained, Mr. Phan Quoc Cuong living in Lang Dong village has proactively transformed one hectare of acacia into a ficus planting area with over 270 trees. This is a testament of how the power of trust can boost one’s confidence. Having witnessed all these positive changes, I still believe in Roxburgh fig and in what we are doing. With nearly 200 poor and near-poor households in Hoa Loc, this ficus-based livelihood model is an opportunity for us to escape poverty. I aspire to be successful so that I can be a model for other to follow. My hopes are that others in the community will quit acacia peeling, give up risky hunting in the forest and illegal logging, and discover that ficus is a more stable and safer livelihood. Also, with Loc Mai’s commitment to contribute 2% of all its revenues on every product sold to the forest protection fund of Bach Ma National Park, I am glad to be a part of this meaningful effort. As many plans and intentions are still to be fulfilled, I hope the Project will continue to support Hoa Loc’s residents. I wish Loc Mai Company continued success so that they can continue partnering with us in the future. After all, without support from the Project and the Company, there would have been not been a promising Roxburgh fig garden, as well as happy smiles of the people and the bustling atmosphere when they bring harvested figs to collecting points. U SA ID G R E E N A N N AMI TES / 1 5

SMALL GRANTS PROGRAM

“At first, I found it very difficult to accomplish activities committed to the Project as Ma Cooih Co-op was only trading with the neighbouring region and had no further market linkages. But now, with the support from the Project and Agriterra, we have our first contract signed with partners in Da Nang and Tam Ky. This is a remarkable achievement for myself and the cooperative” MR. TRAN QUOC TRI DIRECTOR | MA COOIH COOPERATIVE | DONG GIANG DISTRICT, QUANG NAM PROVINCE Expanding chili raw material to ensure input for product diversification of Ma Cooih Cooperative serves as an opportunity to improve the livelihoods of local people, with the majority being Co Tu ethnic minorities.

lthough widely known in the province, A Rieu chilli, a specialty of Dong Giang district in Quang Nam province experienced difficulties with reaching consumers from outside the province. The issue was addressed by diversifying the varieties of products made from A Rieu chilli, instead of only selling fresh and salted items. Since the end of 2018, the USAID Green Annamites Project (the Project) has supported Ma Cooih agro-forestry cooperative (Ma Cooih Co-op) to improve and diversify chilli products to increase consumer demand. This partnership strengthens the production and management capacities of Ma Cooih Co-op, and attracted the participation

of local residents, mostly Co Tu ethnic people, in chilli cultivation to increase the yield of this traditional produce. As a result, these efforts have created jobs and improved the livelihoods of people, especially forest-dependent communities. After allocating 80,000 chilli seedlings to 120 households in seven villages of Ma Cooih Co-op to encourage the switch to planting it for selling (see Project Newsletter No.5, page 12), the Project supported the cooperative to set up points for raw chilli trading at Cutchorun and A Xo village at the end of July 2019. In the last two months of 2019, the Project worked with the cooperative

to connect with traders on agricultural products and local specialties to establish market linkages in big cities. Next, the Project collaborated with Agriterra, the project’s implementing unit for capacity building, to expand Ma Cooih Co-op’s network. Under this partnership, Ma Cooih Co-op has reached an additional 15 stores, three supermarkets, and two stalls at the market. Since the end of the year is high season for many trade fairs and business events in major cities, the Project supported Ma Cooih Co-op to participate in ‘Viet Products Trade Fair 2019’ and ‘Da Nang Spring Fair 2020’ in Da Nang and ‘Quang Nam Spring Fair for Trade

* Macooih Co-op’s products are on display and sold at: Quang Nghia Phat Trading and Service Co., Ltd. (Dan Mart Store, Group 130 Phuoc Ly, Lien Chieu district, Da Nang City) Phu My Vuong Organic Agriculture Cooperative (Rau Que Bep Quang Store, No. 12 Xo Viet Nghe Tinh, Hai Chau district, Da Nang City) BIO QNA Clean Agriculture Investment and Development Co., Ltd. (Bio Fruit and Food Agricultural Products Supermarket, No. 12 Dien Bien Phu, Tam Ky City, QN) Hoa Mai General Trading and Production Co., Ltd (Showroom and point of sales for OCOP Quang Nam, No. 245 Phan Boi Chau, Tam Ky City, QN)

16 / USAID GR EEN A NNA MI T E S

Promotion 2020’ in Hoi An City. At the trade fairs, Ma Cooih Co-op attracted many visitors, sold more than 1,600 units of product, and earned a revenue of VND 45 million (nearly US$2,000). The A Rieu chilli products have been well-received by the market and it makes the ethnic minorities living in the remote area of Quang Nam more confident in this new livelihood. To expand production, Ma Cooih Co-op needs to increase its membership and affiliated households to plant the chilli. To attract new members, the cooperative is proactively speaking with local residents about future business

plans, which extend until 2025. The Project and Agriterra supported the cooperative with developing a business plan that provides information about the rights and duties of membership to the residents. These meetings have proven to be successful. After Ma Cooih Co-op’s Members General Assembly, for the new term 2020-2024, the number of members increased from 20 to 41, of which 31 are female (accounting for 75,6%) and 35 are Co Tu ethnic people (accounting for 85,6%). The new members will help Ma Cooih Co-op to consolidate their activities and gradually develop the A Rieu chilli value chain.

Products from A Rieu chili are well-received at agricultural trade fairs, which is a positive sign for market expansion to other provinces.

On January 10, 2020, Ma Cooih Co-op received good news that A Rieu salted chilli has been ranked 3-stars in the program ‘One commune one product (OCOP)’ in Quang Nam province. This is an important milestone, which encourages the Ma Cooih Co-op continue finalizing dossiers to register other specialties only f rom Ma Cooih commune. The USAID Green Annamites Project has contributed to this achievement through supporting the application of clean and environmental-f riendly cultivation of A Rieu chilli such as use of micro-organic manure and herbal pesticides. As a result, the Co-op’s product has been able meet with the quality requirements of an OCOP product and got more competitive advantages.

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

SMALL GRANTS PROGRAM

ADVANCING THE HUE POMELO VALUE CHAIN TOWARDS A GREEN AND SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE NGUYEN THI BICH NGOC | OPERATIONS COORDINATOR | USAID GREEN ANNAMITES PROJECT

“

It is MORE JOYFUL THAN TET HOLIDAY when Huong Van comes to the pomelo harvest.

Mr. Ho Kha Boi | Lai Bang 1 village, Huong Van commune, Huong Tra township, TT Hue province

” Hue pomelo in Huong Van is the first kind of Hue pomelo with produce traceability via QR codes fixed on each product.

ocated upstream of the Bo River, adjacent to the Bo Protection Forest, Huong Van commune is known as a symbol of culinary culture of the Citadel − Hue pomelo (Thanh trà). Although Huong Van is receiving support from the local government to ensure pomelo production is greener and cleaner, the majority of local pomelo farmers have limited knowledge of clean agricultural production. For example, farmers experience difficulties with balancing crop yield and environmental protection, since plant protection chemicals are still in high use. Raising awareness about the importance of clean agriculture is helping to enhance the value of Hue pomelo. Huong Van Agricultural Production Cooperative (the Cooperative) in Huong Tra township, Thua Thien Hue (TT Hue) province is working to improve the productivity and quality of pomelo fruits by promoting sustainable and eco-friendly livelihoods. The cooperative’s innovative effort has received strong support from its members through the commitment and participation of 67 member households to implement the activity focused on 'Developing Thanh Tra Hue pomelo value chain under VietGAP standard to improve people's livelihoods, with link to biodiversity conservation'. The activity aims to advance the pomelo value chain in partnership with four key actors including farmers , the government, scientists, and entrepreneurs. Under this initiative, the USAID Green Annamites Project (the Project) supports 18 / USAID GR EEN A NNA MI T E S

farmers with accessing technology and advanced science, and links cooperatives and enterprises to viable markets. Currently, the Project has supported the Cooperative in building a 10-hectare pomelo production model using the Vietnamese Good Agricultural Practices (VietGAP) standard. The local pomelo farmers are equipped with the knowledge and skills to survey and design production models, using VietGAP-standard production. The farmers are applying VietGAP standards during the entire cycle of pomelo production, from planting and tending to harvesting and storing. Farmers practice recording production logs and internal monitoring. The farmers have been provided with the necessary essential fertilizers and specialized tools, as a result they hardly reach out to the Project for assistance. The model obtained the VietGAP Certificate issued by the National Agro-Forestry-Fisheries Quality Assurance Department, which goes into effect from August 15, 2019 to August 15, 2022. To increase market transparency to consumers about the entire production process, the Project also collaborated with Huong Van Cooperative to set up a traceability system by applying Smartcheck software and stamp QR codes to all pomelo products. During the 2019 crop season, the pomelo from Huong Van Cooperative was the second product of Thua Thien Hue province to apply VietGAP standards and the very first-ever Hue pomelo that is traceable on the market today.

SMALL GRANTS PROGRAM

According to a preliminary assessment, the incomes of pomelo farmers have increased since the last crop season. For example, farmer Vo Van Thao (Lai Bang 1 village, Huong Van commune) who owns a pomelo garden of 1,000 m2 said that since applying the VietGAP standard in pomelo production and the traceability system, the 2019 crop revenue of his family reached VND 51 million (approx. US$2,200); 45% higher than the 2018 crop season. The positive impact of clean farming is exciting the local community and inspiring more people to engage in the model more confidently and enthusiastically. Additionally, to improve the pomelo value chain, the Project equipped Huong Van Cooperative with foundational skills in business development, market connection, and product promotion to stabilize the output of Huong Van pomelo. The Cooperative conducted a market survey and value chain analysis in big markets such as Hanoi, Da Nang in the 2019 crop season to prepare a business development plan for the upcoming 2020 crop season. Developing the Thanh tra Hue pomelo value chain using the VietGAP standard in Huong Van received strong support from the provincial government. Mr. Nguyen Van Phuong, Vice Chairman of TT Hue Provincial People's Committee, underscored the importance of the model in raising the quality and brand name of Hue pomelo at the launching ceremony in May 2019. Mr. Phuong also requested the Department of Science and Technology (DoST) to fast-track the development of geographical indications for Hue pomelo. The DoST will work with the Project to integrate geographical indications into the existing traceability system to enhance the transparency of the entire production process.

Though it was the first time people in Nam Giang and Dong Giang had access to Lingzhi mushroom cultivation method, they were proactive and enthusiastic in practicing this technology on logs and sawdust.

INTRODUCING LINGZHI MUSHROOM CULTIVATION TO NAM GIANG AND DONG GIANG DISTRICTS FOR THE FIRST TIME

ogether with the efforts of zoning, protecting and sustainably harvesting Lingzhi and Green Ironwood mushrooms (Ganoderma Lucidum (Leyss. Ex Fr.) Karst) in Nam Giang and Dong Giang districts (see Project Newsletter No. 07, page 18), the USAID Green Annamites Project (the Project) and Quang Nam Lingzhi Mushroom Company (QN Lingzhi Co.) are supporting farmers to plant these mushrooms at home with aim to reduce the destructive harvest of these precious mushrooms in the wild. From December 21-28, 2019 and February 20-27, 2020, 30 farmers (60% being women and nearly 95% consisted of ethnic minorities) from Thanh My town, Nam Giang district and Ating commune, Dong Giang district participated in two training courses (4 days/course). The trainings focused on mushroom cultivation, more specifically on spawn bag using raw material disinfection techniques and mushroom cultivation on logs. Each course combined theory with practice so that members can practice new techniques. A 100m2 mushroom growing house was also built in each commune with mobilized fund of QN Lingzhi Co. The Project also introduced the collaborative group model and guided the registration procedure. Understanding the benefits of the model, many farmers were keen to establish mushroom cultivation collaborative groups, which will collect mushrooms, represent farmers to sign purchase agreements, and establish connections with the local market. With support from the Project, two collaborative groups were established on February 23 and February 27 in Thanh My town and Ating commune. Additionally, QN Lingzhi Co. signed purchase agreements with these groups, to ensure a market for this commodity. Farmers now feel more secure to participate in a completely new household economic model in the area. ''I am happy with the support from the Project and the company [â&#x20AC;Ś]. I will continue growing mushroom because compared to rice cultivation, mushroom requires less effort and yields higher productivity in a shorter time,'' Ms. Bnuoch Thi Mop, member of Pa Zih collaborative group, Ra E village, A Ting commune shared.

U SA ID G R E E N A N N AMI TES / 1 9