Lichn Livestockled interventions towards equitable livelihoods and improved

Li-chăn: Livestock-led interventions towards equitable livelihoods and improved environment in the North-West Highlands of Vietnam Sabine Douxchamps 4 th CRP Independent Steering Committee meeting, 8 October 2020 Photos credits: Mai Thanh Tu (ILRI/CIAT), Nguyen Chi (ILRI), and Sabine Douxchamps (CIAT) More meat milk and eggs by and for the poor

Facts § 12 million households in livestock production in Vietnam, most smallholder § Vietnam imports 3 million tons of feed per year In the Northwest: § Poverty is 70%, 2. 7 times higher than in the rest of the country § Stunting in children <5 y is 35% § Ethnic minorities make 80% of the population (~30 groups, mainly Tay, Thai, H’mong and Dao) § Over 94% of sloping land, of which 87% above 25° http: //www 5. worldbank. org/mapvietnam/ https: //vietnamnews. vn/society/279717/northwest-residents-struggle-to-escape-from-prolonged-poverty. html https: //theconversation. com/in-vietnam-poverty-and-poor-development-not-just-floods-kill-the-most-marginalised-82785 Nguyen, Cuong & Tuyen, Tran & Van, Huong (2016). Ethnic Minorities in the Northwest region of Vietnam: Employment, Poverty and Income. Social Indicators Research. Do, Hoa & Whitney, Cory & Luedeling, Eike (2018). Agroforestry Options in Northwest Vietnam, Tropentag proceedings Lua Thi Hoang, James M. Roshetko, Thuong Pham Huu, Tim Pagella, Phuong Nguyen Ma (2017). Agroforestry - The Most Resilient Farming System for the Hilly Northwest of Vietnam. IJAS, http: //dx. doi. org/10. 20956/ijas. v 5 i 1. 1166 2

Stocktaking and project planning (Apr-Dec 2019) Partners consultations, review of past work incl. gov institutions, NARS, international partners, CRPs, … Site selection Importance of livestock, smallholder diverse systems, poverty level, interest of donors, potential for scaling, government priority, presence of partners, accessibility, … Pre-assessments - Genetics: rapid assessment using secondary information and key informant interviews - Livestock diseases and constraints: PEG tool - G-FEAST - Forage seed system analysis: network analysis - Forages suitability mapping using Targetool and RCP 8. 5 scenario - Land use change mapping using Terra-i and Global Forest Change - Value chain mapping and assessment of livelihood options, including gender considerations - Policy review 3

Stocktaking and project planning (Apr-Dec 2019) Constraints and opportunities § Mortality of cattle in the winter → feed processing and husbandry § Lack of market opportunities, unstable prices → niche products § Severe erosion, low soil fertility and pollution → agroecological measures, nutrient management § African Swine Fever and biosecurity → vet services § Low reproductive performance of crossbreeds → local breeds and AI Proposal 4

→ system and landscape approach → multiple species → integrated interventions → community-based → reaching ethnic minorities → embedded in governmental plans Livestock-led interventions towards equitable livelihoods and improved environment in the North-West Highlands of Vietnam DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE OF SON LA PEOPLE’S COMMITTEE OF MAI SON DISTRICT 5

Objectives and research questions To stimulate system transformation (livelihoods, environment, equity, and market access) to empower highland farming communities through bundled livestock-based interventions in North. West (NW) Vietnam. 1. To intensify sustainably and equitably smallholder croplivestock production in NW Vietnam by (i) identifying, testing and evaluating bundled livestock-based interventions, (ii) improving knowledge and skills in animal husbandry and (iii) increasing awareness of environmental degradation; 2. To identify, facilitate and evaluate institutional innovations that stimulate local livestock product development, market linkages and effective service delivery for a sustainable commercialization, benefiting equitably all gender and ethnic groups in NW Vietnam; 3. To identify and promote inclusive inter-sectoral environment and agriculture policy dialogue and interactions at different levels that address trade-offs and synergies and lead to more conducive and effective policy attention to smallholder croplivestock smallholder systems in NW Vietnam. → How do these bundles of livestock-based interventions (targeted to different domains? ) contribute to more sustainable and equitable smallholder production in NW Vietnam, and how does improving the knowledge and skills in animal husbandry and increasing awareness of environment degradation contribution to this? → What institutional innovations stimulate local livestock product development, market linkages and effective service delivery and contribute to sustainable commercialisation of these in NW Vietnam? → What policy aspects are required and can be implemented to provide enabling conditions for these changes to occur? 6

Typology Remote extensive systems in the high altitudes, with low access to market, fragile environment, mainly H’Mong ethnic minorities C Mixed crop-livestock system in the midaltitudes, mainly Thai ethnic minorities B Intensive systems in the lowlands with good access to markets and better capacity for innovation A 7

Interventions = flexible combinations targeted to different types of households located at different locations in the landscape, and including different livestock species Genetics Health § Tailored training packages on animal genetics for producers and other stakeholders § Community based artificial insemination § Training for livestock farmers on biosecurity, disinfection and animal health § Trainings for animal health professionals on diseases by species, outbreak investigation, data recording, risk communication and vaccine/drug use Feeds and Forages § Basket of options identified, tested, and documented and refined, for the 3 types § Capacity building of farmers on feeding: § Identification of bottlenecks in the supply of planting material and potential solutions Environment § Impact of the interventions on the environment (CLEANED) and on nutrient management § Capacity building of extension staff in environmental issues and nutrient management § Awareness raising on environmental issues (nutrients, greenhouse gases and water) LLAFS § Support groups in meeting market requirements and linking with potential traders § Support groups in developing and marketing specialized high-value products § Test new brands with consumers 8

Integrated approach § Shared activities - Stocktaking, diagnosis, activity planning, baselining - Common monitoring and evaluation - Local authorities and community engagement § Inter-flagship collaboration - 4 out of 5 flagships are new in the project site - 3 out of 5 FP do not have preferred partner yet - Common farming systems understanding, considering multidisciplinary indicators - Common branding - Common beneficiaries - Field-level collaboration 9

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Baseline Tool: Rapid multi-indicator survey (RHo. MIS) including specific indicators on AI, and breeding, ASF, Animal health, disease, veterinary care, Feedbaskets and feeding practices, Cultivated forages, innovation capacity Design: 2 treatment communes, 2 control communes, 8 characterisation communes (incl. control) Implementation: 11/02 to 13/03, 622 households COVID-19 survey Tool: Additional short module to the RHo. MIS to test the impact of the pandemic on livelihoods Design: 2 treatment communes, 2 control communes Implementation: 28/08 to 13/09, ~ 300 households 11

Partnership mapping – May 2020 § Provincial – roles: - Review of foreign-funded projects and allowing implementation - Project official registration: essential for sustainability - Permits foreigners and for specific activities - Progress tracking and reporting to authorities - Implementing partners - Scaling partners § National – roles: - Government agenda, inclusion of recommendations in policies Learning week – May 2020 § Partnerships: Strong and long-lasting partners at national levels but new local partners § Integration: integrative way of thinking, flagship specific entry point. But integration costs… § Scaling: how to integrate the system focus in the scaling approach? 12

Communication and engagement § § Project local launch: 2 June 2020 (1. 5 month delay due to COVID-19) Community engagement: 7 -11 September 2020 (2 months delay due to COVID-19, second wave) Government engagement: DLP, DARD Son La, Do. FA, … TV: http: //www. quochoitv. vn/Videos/thoi-su/2020/9/son-la-huong-toi-phat-trien-chan-nuoi-ben-vung/446705 13

Current activities (Sept - Nov 2020) § Impact of COVID-19: - ~ 2 months delay for implementation - restrictions on gatherings - international travel ban (no students from abroad, no visits from experts, and no face-to-face team interactions) § Market survey: - Aim: (i) to understand current market interactions and structures in the current value chains of targeted livestock species (buffalo, beef cattle, local or cross-bred pigs); (ii) to determine market opportunities for specific products (ban pigs and dried beef/buffalo meat); (iii) to determine opportunities for improving interactions and structures within value chains - FGD and KII with farmers, traders, retailers, brokers and consumers (snowball sampling) → H’mong cooperative which source beef and buffalo from the treatment communes § Challenge: with rainy season, type C villages can be very difficult to access 14

Current activities (Sept - Nov 2020) § Training: - Livestock farm management and biosecurity: 15 -20 farmers/village - Pig breeds and breeding, AI and community-based AI Highlands (Type C): Ban pig and semen production - Cattle breeds and breeding, and AI - Vets officers and extension services: outbreak management, use of antibiotics, … - KAP surveys (Knowledge, Attitude and Practice) § Feed basket: - Aim: to identify constraints and opportunities in cattle and pig feeding by hh type - FGD and individual interviews (G-FEAST) in 6 villages, 20 -25 farmers/village § Environmental impacts: baseline with three types of systems on-going (CLEANED) § Market linkages and branding: discussions to start in November 15

Outputs 2020 § Baseline report and data, incl. COVID-19 module § Policy review and partnership mapping report § Training materials § Flagships reports Activities planned for 2021 § In the field: interventions implementation, cross-villages visits, workshops § M&E: KAP surveys (K from trainings, A and P from KIT) targeted M&E (high frequency/short duration data collection potentially) § Products: communication products (brochure, video, …) scientific outputs (on characterization, opportunities, modelling and short-term changes) legacy products § Partnerships: nurturing and maintenance for future scaling Post 2021… continued engagement? 16

More meat milk and eggs by and for the poor CGIAR Research Program on Livestock The program thanks all donors and organizations which globally support its work through their contributions to the CGIAR system The CGIAR Research Program on Livestock aims to increase the productivity and profitability of livestock agri-food systems in sustainable ways, making meat, milk and eggs more available and affordable across the developing world. livestock. cgiar. org This presentation is licensed for use under the Creative Commons Attribution 4. 0 International Licence.