Agriterra’s –and later AgriCord’s involvement with Vietnam was due to liaison officer Rik Delnoye who was previously stationed in that country. In a first mission in 2001, he assessed the possibilities and priorities for establishing more structural collaboration between the Vietnam National Farmers Union (VNFU), Agriterra and its supporting Dutch farmers’ organisations. He linked this prospection visit to a three-days workshop organised by the Vietnam Cooperative Alliance and the International Cooperative Alliance (ICA). This worldwide alliance of cooperative enterprise implemented a project (financially supported by Agriterra) in six Asian countries in order to strengthening the cooperative movements.
VNFU claims 8 million members and is a mass organization of the ruling communist party. Its structures go up from cooperative and community level up to the national level. In 2003 Agriterra started to financially support six provincial level farmers associations of the VNFU, using the network of organised farmers and selected outstanding farmers to promote improved agricultural systems and techniques. The activities are linked to the national policy of reforming the agricultural sector by stepwise integration in the market economy. Model farms demonstrate the advantages of new agricultural techniques to the network of outstanding farmers. Farmer-to-farmer extension is used to disseminate knowledge and skills, including post-harvest treatment and marketing issues. Not by the establishment of parallel extension programmes, but by benefiting from the improved farmer organisation and linking them to existing extension services.
In that same year the president of VNFU participated in the festivities of the V anniversary of Agriterra, meeting farm leaders from all over world in an AgriCord patronized seminar From Plunder to Economic Democratization. His plea was in favour of lowering trade barriers to European, Oceanic and North-American markets.
Trade issues came high on the agenda in 2003, mainly due the development and trade agenda of WTO. A consortium of Development organisations SNV, Oxfam, Agriterra informed the Vietnamese VNFU and women’s organisation VUSTA in workshop ‘WTO , Food security and Poverty Alleviation’ about the challenges and hazards of the upcoming WTO membership of Vietnam. LTO director Mrs. Ria van Rossum reflected the standpoints and experiences towards the WTO from a Dutch (& European) farmers view.
Later that year, the nascent Asian Farmers Alliance organized its sub-regional consultation for the Mekong cluster in Thailand with farmers representatives of five countries, including 16 vietnamese farm leaders to formulate a joint Asian Peasant Agenda on Sustainable Rural Development. The agenda of the AFA Executive commission meeting linked to the consultation addressed the further strengthening of the organisational structure of AFA and preparations for the AFA General Assembly to be held early 2004 in Indonesia. Regretfully, the national direction of party objected full AFA membership to VNFU.
With support of AgriCord VNFU started in 2004 an extension of the agricultural technology improvement and extension programme. In six provinces model farms and demonstration plots were established. Crops are selected after research into profitability and include aqua-culture, livestock, agriculture, agro-forestry and floriculture. The activities are seen as an integral part of the national policy to restructure agricultural production and integrate it into the world market.
Evidence demonstrate that in aquaculture good results were realized as in shrimps in Quang Binh Province income of farmers increased tenfold and with turtles in Hang Giang Province even 15 times. Yet, also became notably urgent the introduction of measures to guarantee sustainability of the cultures. Vietnam was at that point, as was also the conclusion of the referred workshop, not yet prepared to compete in international markets due to their lack of knowledge and skills to produce in line with international food safety and quality standards.
A new project enhances the capacities and skills of farmers to maintain international food safety and quality standards by formulating and setting out standard protocols for safe and high quality food production. At the same time testing facilities (for crop residues) were established and made available for farmers. These activities were especially focussing horticultural products. Agriterra launched a technical support mission for training about quality and safety regulations (EurepGAP, MRLs etc.), to indentify promising product-market combinations.
By then, and we are now talking 2006, Agriterra also made progress on its other front in Vietnam with the ICA Asia Chapter. The all-Asia Conference on the role of cooperatives in Poverty Alleviation, hosted by the Viet Nam Cooperative Alliance (VCA) stressed the role of cooperatives in implementing the Poverty Reduction Strategies (PRSPs). Agriterra supports VCA in the implementation of an enabling legal environment for the development and operation of (agro-) cooperative enterprises.
Vietnam shows a case of a powerful farmers organization that efficiently builds new services and tries to catch up with globalization following national policies. The lack of two-way communication in VNFU is due to the overall political setting in the country. Following previous experiences in Nicaragua, a political machine of this kind can eventually be turned into a powerful instrument for services to farmers, access to agricultural inputs and credit covering all remote corners of the country. When obeying Lenin’s democratic centralism, it could even turn into a voice and advocate of true farmers interests. The opportunity arises to gradually transform VNFU in a genuine spokesman of farmer interests. This a long way to go, but worth the effort.
Showing posts with label contribution from practice. Show all posts
Showing posts with label contribution from practice. Show all posts
Wednesday, January 17, 2007
Saturday, January 13, 2007
The advantage of linking farmer organization internationally
Ecooperation, the Dutch foundation that steered the agreements for sustainable development that the government had signed with Costa Rica, Bhutan and Benin, suggested Agriterra in the mid 1980s to work with the farmers of Benin. The first action was an inventory, consulting a dozen Dutch NGOs and institutes with a track record in that country with the objective to know the rural people’s organizations that might exist. Apart from SNV, that informed that at grass-roots level association and women’s groups were active, the consulted persons indicated that farmers were unorganized. This diagnosis became an example of NGO blindness for genuine organization of the people and their biased attention for local NGOs, so recurrent in development cooperation at that time. This was so, because a short visit and diagnosis conducted by Agriterra revealed that there existed a farmers’ federation with national aspirations (FUPRO) and a Chambre d’Agriculture[1]. The same study illustrated that this farmers organization remained weak in the poor south of the country.
With Agriterra’s support FUPRO started to work in these regions. This was important, because the initiators of FUPRO are cotton farmers. Being an export product and also produced on larger farms, FUPRO was branded a rich farmers federation. In these regions FUPRO started to improve the chains of cassava, palm oil and pineapple. AFDI, the French agri-agency, illustrated the results in the latter case during the Farmers Fighting Poverty seminar in Arnhem, 2006[2]. The NLTO deputy president Willy Schutte and policy officer Douwe Hollenga started the cooperation of this Northern LTO branch with FUPRO and geared their attention to the cotton sector. The possibilities of organic cotton were commonly explored. Directors, staff and members of FUPRO visited the Netherlands in numerous occasions for exchanges with LTO and French farmers or to present vegetables on the Rotterdam AGF fair. Staff of NLTO commented on plans of FUPRO to start a demonstration farm for sustainable agricultural production. In 2003 NLTO directors were involved in the reorganisation discussions in FUPRO that ultimately gave the cotton growers branch status and representation as branch in the FUPRO board.
In 2002 Klaas Jan Osinga visited FUPRO for the first time participating in a conference on organic cotton. This niche product was seen as a way out of the crisis in cotton that was due to low prices. These were attributed to the subsidized exports from the United States, the second biggest exporter in the world. Indebtness of cotton producers was the result. Yet, the study did not give evidence that this could become a solution for the cotton sector of Benin. The monopolist position of the state ginnery seemed to be more urgent to change. During the IFAP World farmers Conference in 2003 in Washington, Osinga introduced FUPRO directors to the National Cotton Council of the United States. In that occasion the FUPRO directors got two eye-openers: one to regain the market, careful designed marketing is needed to create an unique selling point for West-African cotton; and, not so much United States’ subsidized cotton but the developments in major producing countries as China and India will dictate the opportunities for West-African cotton in the world market.
The case of FUPRO shows the benefits of the contact that can be made trough the international cooperation, especially when not confined to one country but –like in this case- explicitly linking it to Dutch and French efforts and placing them in the IFAP framework.
[1] Agriterra, 1998; Agriterra, CIEPAC, AJF, CBDD, 1999
[2] http://www.farmersfightingpoverty.org/cases1-1.html
With Agriterra’s support FUPRO started to work in these regions. This was important, because the initiators of FUPRO are cotton farmers. Being an export product and also produced on larger farms, FUPRO was branded a rich farmers federation. In these regions FUPRO started to improve the chains of cassava, palm oil and pineapple. AFDI, the French agri-agency, illustrated the results in the latter case during the Farmers Fighting Poverty seminar in Arnhem, 2006[2]. The NLTO deputy president Willy Schutte and policy officer Douwe Hollenga started the cooperation of this Northern LTO branch with FUPRO and geared their attention to the cotton sector. The possibilities of organic cotton were commonly explored. Directors, staff and members of FUPRO visited the Netherlands in numerous occasions for exchanges with LTO and French farmers or to present vegetables on the Rotterdam AGF fair. Staff of NLTO commented on plans of FUPRO to start a demonstration farm for sustainable agricultural production. In 2003 NLTO directors were involved in the reorganisation discussions in FUPRO that ultimately gave the cotton growers branch status and representation as branch in the FUPRO board.
In 2002 Klaas Jan Osinga visited FUPRO for the first time participating in a conference on organic cotton. This niche product was seen as a way out of the crisis in cotton that was due to low prices. These were attributed to the subsidized exports from the United States, the second biggest exporter in the world. Indebtness of cotton producers was the result. Yet, the study did not give evidence that this could become a solution for the cotton sector of Benin. The monopolist position of the state ginnery seemed to be more urgent to change. During the IFAP World farmers Conference in 2003 in Washington, Osinga introduced FUPRO directors to the National Cotton Council of the United States. In that occasion the FUPRO directors got two eye-openers: one to regain the market, careful designed marketing is needed to create an unique selling point for West-African cotton; and, not so much United States’ subsidized cotton but the developments in major producing countries as China and India will dictate the opportunities for West-African cotton in the world market.
The case of FUPRO shows the benefits of the contact that can be made trough the international cooperation, especially when not confined to one country but –like in this case- explicitly linking it to Dutch and French efforts and placing them in the IFAP framework.
[1] Agriterra, 1998; Agriterra, CIEPAC, AJF, CBDD, 1999
[2] http://www.farmersfightingpoverty.org/cases1-1.html
Wednesday, January 10, 2007
By looking in a Dutch mirror, 120 million farmers got organized in India
In 2001 Ria van Rossum visited India in a prospection mission, in order to pre-evaluate the potential of the Andhra Pradesh Federation of Farmers’ organizations. Van Rossum was a woman farmer, member of the regional LTO organization in the West of the Netherlands (WLTO). She held at the time director positions and was president of the commission development cooperation of the LTO branch. Later she became also president of the advisory council of Agriterra, the Dutch agri-agency. In the five years in office -she stepped back in 2006 when she and her husband decided to retire and sell the farm- she was active in recruiting AgriPool personnel for many assignments. She was also instigator of the WLTO Central Africa collaboration that provided support to organizations in Rwanda, DR Congo and Kenya. In that sense, India was not her mayor contribution, but still one that shows the impact of this type of experts.
Van Rossum concluded from her prospection that the FFAP had potential, especially because of her influential and dedicated president. At the same time it lacked close links with the claimed members. In 2002 she invited president Chengal Reddy for a return visit in allusion of World Food Day. He visited in that period LTO. The relations with WLTO and the focus of Agriterra on exclusively farmers organizations helped FFAP enormously to define itself as a farmers’ organization and break away from the idea of building an NGO type of institution giving support to farmers.
From that point FFAP started to work with Agriterra on the consolidation of the federation through building linkages with 200 existing farmers associations. Van Rossum assisted in the formulation of the support project to FFAP and recruited the head of the trainings unit of WLTO to give leaderships training to FFAP directors. A few years later, FFAP had established 247 local association, trained over 1200 women farm leaders for income generating activities. More important may be for the future of the federation were the outward linkages that were institutionalized with parliamentarians (Agricultural Forum of Congressman) and with the industry (Indian Farmers and Industry Alliance). The influence of the FFAP increased on subjects as credit, access to water, protection of the home market.
Within a few years, guided by the example of farmers’ organizations around the globe, FFAP had built a respected federation with links to many farmers’ organizations in other states. The state plan for agriculture cannot be approved without FFAP have had to say something about them in the press. Advocacy, business development and effective services to members especially on agricultural technology (FFAP is a fervent advocate for biotechnology and advances innovations for agriculture) were the central issues of the ever expanding FFAP. Rural ICT, rural Olympics for young farmers and women, along with an extensive training programme marked the connection with rank and file.
Developments at this point were not longer triggered by Dutch input. Instead Agriterra started to contract the expertise of Anil Epur, the person who was responsible for the connections of FFAP with the industry, as PO-advisor. Among the various dealt by Epur stands out his involvement in introducing colleague organizations in new ICT solutions. Andhra Pradesh is Asia’s Silicon Valley. Some of mango producing associations of FFAP moved to new successes when their productive improvements, networking and advocacy made them interesting for Coca Cola to contract them as preferred supplier for its ‘Frooti’, the number one mango drink in India. Another hit was the establishment of the Confederation of Indian Farmers Associations, an initiative heavily promoted by FFAP in which it explicitly recognized the support of Agriterra and Anil Epur. This institutionalized farmer alliance groups together farmers’ organizations with a total membership of 120 million Indian farmers. Read this figure carefully and reflect on it!
The central issue that emerges from this case is that the Dutch example is that it shows farming India the mirror of its own organizational future; words chosen this way because they recall Karl Marx’ appreciation of British imperialism in India. Chengal Reddy looked into the mirror and knew what to do.
Van Rossum concluded from her prospection that the FFAP had potential, especially because of her influential and dedicated president. At the same time it lacked close links with the claimed members. In 2002 she invited president Chengal Reddy for a return visit in allusion of World Food Day. He visited in that period LTO. The relations with WLTO and the focus of Agriterra on exclusively farmers organizations helped FFAP enormously to define itself as a farmers’ organization and break away from the idea of building an NGO type of institution giving support to farmers.
From that point FFAP started to work with Agriterra on the consolidation of the federation through building linkages with 200 existing farmers associations. Van Rossum assisted in the formulation of the support project to FFAP and recruited the head of the trainings unit of WLTO to give leaderships training to FFAP directors. A few years later, FFAP had established 247 local association, trained over 1200 women farm leaders for income generating activities. More important may be for the future of the federation were the outward linkages that were institutionalized with parliamentarians (Agricultural Forum of Congressman) and with the industry (Indian Farmers and Industry Alliance). The influence of the FFAP increased on subjects as credit, access to water, protection of the home market.
Within a few years, guided by the example of farmers’ organizations around the globe, FFAP had built a respected federation with links to many farmers’ organizations in other states. The state plan for agriculture cannot be approved without FFAP have had to say something about them in the press. Advocacy, business development and effective services to members especially on agricultural technology (FFAP is a fervent advocate for biotechnology and advances innovations for agriculture) were the central issues of the ever expanding FFAP. Rural ICT, rural Olympics for young farmers and women, along with an extensive training programme marked the connection with rank and file.
Developments at this point were not longer triggered by Dutch input. Instead Agriterra started to contract the expertise of Anil Epur, the person who was responsible for the connections of FFAP with the industry, as PO-advisor. Among the various dealt by Epur stands out his involvement in introducing colleague organizations in new ICT solutions. Andhra Pradesh is Asia’s Silicon Valley. Some of mango producing associations of FFAP moved to new successes when their productive improvements, networking and advocacy made them interesting for Coca Cola to contract them as preferred supplier for its ‘Frooti’, the number one mango drink in India. Another hit was the establishment of the Confederation of Indian Farmers Associations, an initiative heavily promoted by FFAP in which it explicitly recognized the support of Agriterra and Anil Epur. This institutionalized farmer alliance groups together farmers’ organizations with a total membership of 120 million Indian farmers. Read this figure carefully and reflect on it!
The central issue that emerges from this case is that the Dutch example is that it shows farming India the mirror of its own organizational future; words chosen this way because they recall Karl Marx’ appreciation of British imperialism in India. Chengal Reddy looked into the mirror and knew what to do.
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